Salaries of working CM residents

[TheAppletons]

I go to this small hole in a wall place that serves breakfast all day, 129B, many different selections.....2 eggs, bacon, home fries, toast..coffee and squeezed orange juice.....the waitresses make 35B per hr,, they work 6 days.......one time, one was going outside to get something to eat, because she said, couldn't afford 129B........since it's a farang place, hopefully they get tipped :-)

They really need to learn how to scramble eggs correctly at that place. And while the name is entirely misleading - not much amazing about it - the homemade Bulgarian yogurt is pretty good stuff.

[chiang mai]

Combining the Shangrila with CM salaries.

The Spa Manager was advertised at 30k in October last year. Female, Bachelor degree, English proficiency, 3 years experience.

The Life Guard advertised same time, 9k, English skills, CPR and Life Guard Cert.

Chief Accountant (title only) same time, 20k, Good English, Bachelor degree inn Accounting.

Guest Services Centre/Telephone 9k, Bachelor degree, English or Chinese language skills

30k for the doorman may seem a bit high. But I also accept that a doorman at an international hotel must have good language/interpersonal skills, and be able to anticipate and meet guest needs ....it still seems large but it is a key role and I simply would not call it one way or another (maybe it includes tips?). You would have to be good surely to be the first face contact of the hotel! Not a role for Somchai the muppet.

I do personally know (not in the biblical sense) a girl (late 20s) who was until recently working at a 5 star international hotel on 15k, Bachelor degree and Chinese language skills who was organising tours for Chinese guests and dogsbody in down time. But she had a lot of experience with Chinese tour groups. This was a 5 day a week job with an allowance towards subsidised hotel food of 1k.and was considered a very good deal by all of her friends. She quit as did not like the downtime dogsbody role assigned and some conflict from Thai only speakers that she got the job only because she spoke Chinese (duh!)...either way face and status issues on both sides. She now freelances or sub contracts again with Chinese family and tour groups through contacts and makes a lot more (though not consistent figure) but again this is Chinese speaker with experience AND contacts (but of course no tour guide license).

EXCEPT: hotel wages are nearly always "plus service charge" which in many cases, doubles the salary.

[CNXBKKMAN]

The doorman at a top 5 star hotel like the Shangri La should be on the top doorman wages whatever they are and be considered the best at his job in the city. Good english skills, possibly other languages, expert local knowledge and wise in the ways of the foreign guests. I would expect good tips that will add up over the month. The top hotels want the best staff in all positions.

[bangmai]

Median household income would be the best indicator. I was quoted 21,000 in UTH in 2012. Sure, CNX is higher, but I would say less than 30K. One poster previously posted income data for BKK, and a lot of the information was posted by quintile, and 40K per month in BKK puts you in the top 20% in BKK.

I strongly disagree with the negative comments about the food vendors conducting business because they can't find a job or the lack of a safety net. Utterly, ridiculous. I saw an omelette cart guy starting the evening out with 510 eggs. The 20 thb fruit shake lady does more business than most coffee shops...5000+ per day, at times. If a 1000 is profit; she's much better off than a retail job.

I do fine on less than 20K, and that includes zero deductible medical insurance, broadband, and good eats. I haven't lost any sleep over not paying 100 per pint of Boiler Room Beer..........

[mikey88]

Ha ha...Zeichen wants me to learn Thai so I can read job ads....that's good......

My partner works as private secretary in a big office....they state the wage is 10,000....

That figure could be a complete fabrication.....I accept that.

[GOLDBUGGY]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

A few years ago staff at bars, restaurants and guesthouses would typically start at six to eight thousand a month. The minimum wage law raised the wages at the big restaurant chains, but most small businesses either legally got around it or just ignored it; these starting salaries may have gone up a little but not a lot. I assume at many small family run businesses the children, including the adult children, work for little or no money, just room and board.

I don't know what the people who set up food carts by the side of the road make after expenses, but I doubt that it is much. It strikes me as the option taken by those that can't find any other employment in a country with no social safety net.

I also don't know what the small farmers make, but the fact that most seem keen that their children receive an education, sending many to live with relatives so they can go to semi-decent city schools, would indicate they want better for their children. Many of the young women in the world's oldest profession are from these farms, which also indicates a desperate desire to do better. Please, no comments about 'lazy farmers' from those who haven't done long days of stoop labor under the tropical sun.

The average farm in Thailand used to be 3.6 ha but now they say it has grown some. So call it 4 Hectares or 25 Rae.

In Rice only and after expenses, I am told that you should net about 110,000 Baht a year, or 9,000 Baht a month, depending on expenses. Add to that half in Producing Rubber Trees, a Fish Farm, and Large Garden to sell Vegetables, Chickens, and you might be able to double that income. I would venture to say then that the average farm probably nets about 12,000 Baht a month.

Many not so educated Village Girls do end up leaving children with their Parents or Relatives and move to the big city to earn an income, but not all end up in Bars. Mostly the desperate ones who lack higher education but may be stuck with a small child to raise on there own, and parents who can't help financially. The others may end up in factories.

A Educated Government Worker starts at 15,000 Baht a month, so after taxes probably nets around 12,000 Baht.

[MaeJoMTB]

Hospital administrator (with degree) 15k

Accountant (with degree) 15k

Bank Home Loan administrator 14k

Office manager Nimmanhamen (with degree) 15k

School Teacher (with degree and 10 years experience) 16k

IT manager with large hotel group (you all know the name) 10k

Popular cook at local food court (zero education) 35k (100-150 orders a night at 30-40bht)

Roadside somtan stall (zero education) 4k

In CM it's really hard to beat that 15k limit, senior management or self employed with a particular skill.

I also know some similar employee's in BK (with degrees) and they are on around 25k.

They seem rather low. Wifes cousin is a door man at the Shangri-La hotel and is on over 30K per month, and gets to eat all meals there. This is for greeting people as they walk into the hotel. So how can an IT manager with a large hotel group be on 10K? I don't believe it.

It's not that I don't believe it but it's strange that he knows so many people with such low salaries. Almost every Thai I am friends with earn way more than 15K per month; mostly double that for similar positions.

Some of us actually live, speak and mix with Thais,

Not all of us live in foreigner ghettos and rely on the Thai wife as a buffer to separate us from reality.

(I've just listed what my neighbors and family in CM claim to earn, with 2 or 3 wage earners in a household total income around 30-40k)

Edited April 15, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[zeichen]

"Median household income would be the best indicator. I was quoted 21,000 in UTH in 2012"

That number is nearly double of what the government reported back in 2008. Though I expected it be higher I doubt that medium family income is that much. The majority in rural areas are still subsistence farmers who probably earn less than 50k baht for a year.

"

A Educated Government Worker starts at 15,000 Baht a month, so after taxes probably nets around 12,000 Baht."

not all, many start out at 9k. Depends on the job duties, the location of the office, and department.

Wages in Thailand vary as much as the experiences of the people that choose to live here.

One thing I still don't quite get from every single poster, is how in the hell do you know what your wife's second cousin's best friend's neighbor earns?

It is one thing to know exactly what your spouse makes but I don't know exactly what any of my friends earn, or distant family relations.

"I saw an omelette cart guy starting the evening out with 510 eggs."

Really, you sat there and counted 510 eggs?

"Ha ha...Zeichen wants me to learn Thai so I can read job ads....that's good......"

my point is that there is a lot of speculation, guessing and wild statements. If you actually read what jobs were paying from their company websites, you would see there are some people that exagerate how much they make.

Like the guy who knows what his wife's cousin earns. Now I don't disbelieve him entirely, but I doubt that his title is doorman. I personally knew the GM from Shangrila when it opened and doorman, bellboys and the like were not earning 20k base salary. The department managers, Head Desk, concierge earn around 30k so I highly doubt someone who opens the door and greets people earns that. Those positions used to be advertised at 9-12k baht a month.

Why would the wait staff at their buffet change every 6 months if they were earning 20-30k.

Have you ever noticed that every single employee there drives a crappy motorcycle. If they were all earning 20-30k, they would be buying cars.

[Trujillo]

It should be pointed out that these wages/salaries for Thai workers must be taken with the fact that most people are forced to work overtime for no additional pay, few if any days off a month, and very few holidays.

Working 12 hours a day is pretty common, but there is rarely any overtime consideration.

You may get a day off each week, or perhaps a day or two per month -- this is not uncommon.

Holidays are usually public holidays and having paid holidays is a ridiculous concept (pay you to NOT work?).

Granted, as has been said, certain international companies, or international standard companies in Thailand will offer better packages, but in general, it's an employers' market here.

[Trujillo]

MaeJoMTB:

My moobaan pays it's gardeners and sweepers 150bht a day

So your mooban is underpaying the workers -- only half of the government-mandated minimum day wage of 300 baht.

That's either scandalous or shrewd management. . . .

[Sparkles]

MaeJoMTB:

My moobaan pays it's gardeners and sweepers 150bht a day

So your mooban is underpaying the workers -- only half of the government-mandated minimum day wage of 300 baht.

That's either scandalous or shrewd management. . . .

Darn sure our mooban workers don't get 300 baht day. The question of course is who monitors the wages of Thai workers,you would need an army of people to check and Thais wont complaint for fear of losing their job as poorly paid as it is.

I think our village fees would have gone up by a considerable amount if the "300 baht day" payment was in place and they haven't.

[CNXBKKMAN]

"Median household income would be the best indicator. I was quoted 21,000 in UTH in 2012"

That number is nearly double of what the government reported back in 2008. Though I expected it be higher I doubt that medium family income is that much. The majority in rural areas are still subsistence farmers who probably earn less than 50k baht for a year.

"

A Educated Government Worker starts at 15,000 Baht a month, so after taxes probably nets around 12,000 Baht."

not all, many start out at 9k. Depends on the job duties, the location of the office, and department.

Wages in Thailand vary as much as the experiences of the people that choose to live here.

One thing I still don't quite get from every single poster, is how in the hell do you know what your wife's second cousin's best friend's neighbor earns?

It is one thing to know exactly what your spouse makes but I don't know exactly what any of my friends earn, or distant family relations.

"I saw an omelette cart guy starting the evening out with 510 eggs."

Really, you sat there and counted 510 eggs?

"Ha ha...Zeichen wants me to learn Thai so I can read job ads....that's good......"

my point is that there is a lot of speculation, guessing and wild statements. If you actually read what jobs were paying from their company websites, you would see there are some people that exagerate how much they make.

Like the guy who knows what his wife's cousin earns. Now I don't disbelieve him entirely, but I doubt that his title is doorman. I personally knew the GM from Shangrila when it opened and doorman, bellboys and the like were not earning 20k base salary. The department managers, Head Desk, concierge earn around 30k so I highly doubt someone who opens the door and greets people earns that. Those positions used to be advertised at 9-12k baht a month.

Why would the wait staff at their buffet change every 6 months if they were earning 20-30k.

Have you ever noticed that every single employee there drives a crappy motorcycle. If they were all earning 20-30k, they would be buying cars.

None of us posting on here have anything to gain by lying. If someone says an omelette guy had 510 eggs i wouldn't just assume he's made it up. When you buy a lot of eggs they come stacked up on trays. If you know how many eggs are on one tray and there are 10 trays its very easy to know how many eggs he has.

Its 2015 now but in 2007 when the Shangri La opened did the manger discuss doorman wages with you? Theres been massive inflation since then. The doorman may have included all his tips in his salary when talking informally with his family.

How do people know what their friends or neighbours earn? Because they talk about it. In my snippet of of info, 12k nurse. The nurse was was not happy with the 12k and was thinking to go and work in Korea. I was asked to give my opinion on working in Korea. Thats how i know she gets 12k. You can't expect posters to provide the back story about how they know a cousin, friend , neighbour earns x thousand baht. This is an informal thread about wages not a qualified dissertation.

Edited April 15, 2015 by onthedarkside

[TheAppletons]

zeichen said: "Really, you sat there and counted 510 eggs?"

From every 4th grade math exam in the world:

Somchai works in a kitchen making omelettes. If Somchai starts his day with 17 trays and each tray contains 30 eggs, how many eggs does Somchai have to start his day?

(Hint: the answer is somewhere around 510 eggs, given or take a couple of broken ones.)

[zeichen]

"Somchai works in a kitchen making omelettes. If Somchai starts his day with 17 trays "

True, but are you going to even count 17 trays of eggs. I might notice a stack of egg trays, but 1 that doesn't mean they are for only one day, 2. that doesn't mean I am going to stand and count how many stacks there are, 3 remember that fact months later when typing on a forum.

"None of us posting on here have anything to gain by lying"

again, I never said lying, but accuracy escapes most people. Unless you have a paystub, you are taking people's word for things that may either inflate or deflate their wages. If you actually look at job ads and see what they are paying staff, then everything else is hearsay.

"I have nothing to gain by inflating his wage. If you don't want to accept it, and make up excuses why a door man "shouldn't" be on over 30K per month"

I don't think that you do. I just don't think that you actually know exactly what a distant relative of your wife really earns.

I have no idea about your wife's second cousins' best friends neighbor but unless you have an actual pay stub or contract, how do you know exactly what he earns base salary?

Cleaning staff there were on 9k a month, so I do doubt that just a simple doorman earns 30k when that is what they pay their middle managers. Do you think that a doorman, bellhop, cleaning lady, waitress makes as much as the lead Thai chef?

[northernjohn]

"Median household income would be the best indicator. I was quoted 21,000 in UTH in 2012"

That number is nearly double of what the government reported back in 2008. Though I expected it be higher I doubt that medium family income is that much. The majority in rural areas are still subsistence farmers who probably earn less than 50k baht for a year.

"

A Educated Government Worker starts at 15,000 Baht a month, so after taxes probably nets around 12,000 Baht."

not all, many start out at 9k. Depends on the job duties, the location of the office, and department.

Wages in Thailand vary as much as the experiences of the people that choose to live here.

One thing I still don't quite get from every single poster, is how in the hell do you know what your wife's second cousin's best friend's neighbor earns?

It is one thing to know exactly what your spouse makes but I don't know exactly what any of my friends earn, or distant family relations.

"I saw an omelette cart guy starting the evening out with 510 eggs."

Really, you sat there and counted 510 eggs?

"Ha ha...Zeichen wants me to learn Thai so I can read job ads....that's good......"

my point is that there is a lot of speculation, guessing and wild statements. If you actually read what jobs were paying from their company websites, you would see there are some people that exagerate how much they make.

Like the guy who knows what his wife's cousin earns. Now I don't disbelieve him entirely, but I doubt that his title is doorman. I personally knew the GM from Shangrila when it opened and doorman, bellboys and the like were not earning 20k base salary. The department managers, Head Desk, concierge earn around 30k so I highly doubt someone who opens the door and greets people earns that. Those positions used to be advertised at 9-12k baht a month.

Why would the wait staff at their buffet change every 6 months if they were earning 20-30k.

Have you ever noticed that every single employee there drives a crappy motorcycle. If they were all earning 20-30k, they would be buying cars.

He has changed position 3 times since being there. And he started around 20K per month 4 years ago. So, I guess they move their staff from position to position until they find the one thats best suited to them. And on 30K plus a month he DID buy a car! I have nothing to gain by inflating his wage. If you don't want to accept it, and make up excuses why a door man "shouldn't" be on over 30K per month, thats your choice, but its not in line with reality. His title may not say door man, but that is what he is. We have been there with him showing us around and explaining what he does. Its not a complicated position that I trying to describe to you.

With all due respect the salary of one door man at a 5 star hotel has virtually nothing to do with the salaries of the rest of Chiang Mai. It could involve nepotism which is a common practice in Thailand.

[bangmai]

maybe next year he will learn the difference between "median" and "medium."

[MaeJoMTB]

"None of us posting on here have anything to gain by lying"

again, I never said lying, but accuracy escapes most people. Unless you have a paystub, you are taking people's word for things that may either inflate or deflate their wages. If you actually look at job ads and see what they are paying staff, then everything else is hearsay.

"I have nothing to gain by inflating his wage. If you don't want to accept it, and make up excuses why a door man "shouldn't" be on over 30K per month"

I don't think that you do. I just don't think that you actually know exactly what a distant relative of your wife really earns.

I agree, most people are reporting what their gf/wife told them as they don't speak Thai and don't/can't talk to Thais.

While the poster has nothing to gain by 'inflating a relatives wage', the posters significant other has much to gain.

Of course it is in the interest of the gf/wife to seem 'poor' in comparison, so she can wheedle more out of the resident ATM.

"Darling, everyone else gets soooooo much more than me"

If you understand all her family only earn 9k/month for a 6 day week, 12hr day, then the 30k pocket money you hand her starts to seem foolish.

Edited April 15, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[smotherb]

The minimum wage hike that the previous government got through before being booted out was a long overdue blessing, as it means that fewer people are truly exploited for a pittance. Of course all the upper and middle class thought it would be a disaster for the economy and lead to crazy inflation, but -of course- they were wrong. So at the low end you're really up to 10,000 baht per month. (Even at bare minimum wage, people find ways to add a bit to their income either through overtime or some sideline working/trading.)

And then anyone educated or with a skill (chef, mechanic, etc.) makes more than that, say starting around 15,000 these days.

Once you get into the true middle class then that's 25,000 - 70,000 or so. That also includes middle management in companies, etc.

Above that is people running successful businesses, doctors, lawyers and so on. Then you're pushing 100K for Chiang Mai. (More in Bangkok).

And then the there's the people who are truly wealthy, owning companies, land and other assets and getting lots of income from that. The sky is the limit there.

Also note that more often than not when people are in a relationship, both partners work. For a middle class family, of which urban Chiang Mai has loads, that means that family income can be at or slightly above 100K per month, which is just fine to send kids to school, buy a nice car, etc.

As you can see, Thailand is definitely moving up.. And for some foreign retirees, they are finding themselves barely middle class on a modest retirement, by local standards. (all the questions about retiring on 25K, 35K, 45K etc. per month). (Of course, they don't have kids to send through school and don't really need a fancy car. However, 'rich foreigner' may increasingly become a concept of the past.)

Unfortunately for the Thai in CM your figures about middle class are highly optimistic, not even in BKK they get so much.

Maichai40, my daughter-in-law makes B45k/mo as an account manager for a foreign firm, her boss, a single Thai lady, makes B70k/mo, and that is in Songkhla province. So, I doubt your assessment about the middle-class in CM is valid.

No, I won't introduce any of you &lt;deleted&gt; to her boss.

[ttthailand]

My gf makes 9k a month working 5 days a week at hotel. But she also gets a share of the 10% Service fee collected each month. Last month she got just under 12,000 baht Service making her monthly total about 21,000 . Her yearly bonus also needs to be added to this which depends on how good business is for the year. A good year could see two months or more bonus and bad a minimum of one month. They also look at your years of service and after so long they may add another month bonus.

It all depends on what you do for a living.... Education and experience does count ....

Also don't forget about the unreported income that some Thais get each month. Some own food stands, rental property in condos or farm land, rubber or palm oil, government official handouts, under table bribes, money from farangs, etc etc....

Thais make more than most people think ......

[CNXBKKMAN]

"Somchai works in a kitchen making omelettes. If Somchai starts his day with 17 trays "

True, but are you going to even count 17 trays of eggs. I might notice a stack of egg trays, but 1 that doesn't mean they are for only one day, 2. that doesn't mean I am going to stand and count how many stacks there are, 3 remember that fact months later when typing on a forum.

"None of us posting on here have anything to gain by lying"

again, I never said lying, but accuracy escapes most people. Unless you have a paystub, you are taking people's word for things that may either inflate or deflate their wages. If you actually look at job ads and see what they are paying staff, then everything else is hearsay.

"I have nothing to gain by inflating his wage. If you don't want to accept it, and make up excuses why a door man "shouldn't" be on over 30K per month"

I don't think that you do. I just don't think that you actually know exactly what a distant relative of your wife really earns.

I have no idea about your wife's second cousins' best friends neighbor but unless you have an actual pay stub or contract, how do you know exactly what he earns base salary?

Cleaning staff there were on 9k a month, so I do doubt that just a simple doorman earns 30k when that is what they pay their middle managers. Do you think that a doorman, bellhop, cleaning lady, waitress makes as much as the lead Thai chef?

If i was sat a roadside omelette stall, early on when the guy had just set up i could count his eggs quite easily whilst eating my omelette, without leaving my stool. This is why i don't automatically think some posting that an omelette seller had 500 eggs is just some made up nonsense. The guy on the side of the road might not use all his eggs but he won't being carry many excess as he has to pack it all away when the night is over, load up his honda dream sidecar thing or push his cart up the road somewhere.

This is an informal thread i doubt anybody is going to post pay stubs or contracts to support their posts! I am happy to read all posts and inputs on this subject such as cleaners earned 9k a month at the Shangri La, when it opened in 2007. Its all valid.

[MaeJoMTB]

If i was sat a roadside omelette stall, early on when the guy had just set up i could count his eggs quite easily whilst eating my omelette, without leaving my stool. This is why i don't automatically think some posting that an omelette seller had 500 eggs is just some made up nonsense. The guy on the side of the road might not use all his eggs but he won't being carry many excess as he has to pack it all away when the night is over, load up his honda dream sidecar thing or push his cart up the road somewhere.

This is an informal thread i doubt anybody is going to post pay stubs or contracts to support their posts! I am happy to read all posts and inputs on this subject such as cleaners earned 9k a month at the Shangri La, when it opened in 2007. Its all valid.

I agree there are always anomalies, I too posted about a food court cook making 30k+.

The popular stalls can make a lot of money, but most make hardly anything.

Maybe one doorman makes 30k, but it wouldn't be the norm.

Generally wages are low in CM, 15k is difficult to earn.

[bangmai]

was even able to count them as I was waiting for takeaway.........two stacks of 8 with one odd tray on top. Counted a dozen hot uni chicks, too.

[Robert24]

Not sure if bank teller/manager were answered. starting salary for bank teller between 12-15k excluding bonus and a bank manager will make 50k+ depending on position (excl bonus). Hope this gives you some insight.

[eyecatcher]

Combining the Shangrila with CM salaries.

The Spa Manager was advertised at 30k in October last year. Female, Bachelor degree, English proficiency, 3 years experience.

The Life Guard advertised same time, 9k, English skills, CPR and Life Guard Cert.

Chief Accountant (title only) same time, 20k, Good English, Bachelor degree inn Accounting.

Guest Services Centre/Telephone 9k, Bachelor degree, English or Chinese language skills

30k for the doorman may seem a bit high. But I also accept that a doorman at an international hotel must have good language/interpersonal skills, and be able to anticipate and meet guest needs ....it still seems large but it is a key role and I simply would not call it one way or another (maybe it includes tips?). You would have to be good surely to be the first face contact of the hotel! Not a role for Somchai the muppet.

I do personally know (not in the biblical sense) a girl (late 20s) who was until recently working at a 5 star international hotel on 15k, Bachelor degree and Chinese language skills who was organising tours for Chinese guests and dogsbody in down time. But she had a lot of experience with Chinese tour groups. This was a 5 day a week job with an allowance towards subsidised hotel food of 1k.and was considered a very good deal by all of her friends. She quit as did not like the downtime dogsbody role assigned and some conflict from Thai only speakers that she got the job only because she spoke Chinese (duh!)...either way face and status issues on both sides. She now freelances or sub contracts again with Chinese family and tour groups through contacts and makes a lot more (though not consistent figure) but again this is Chinese speaker with experience AND contacts (but of course no tour guide license).

EXCEPT: hotel wages are nearly always "plus service charge" which in many cases, doubles the salary.

I wondered how long it would be before someone mentuoned service charge. In high season the servicr charge is the extra 7% added to customers bills.

Each employee in the better hotels can usually guarantee to add another 20k onto their salary.

Then of course if they send customers to a restaurant or to get s suit made or the dozens of tours or spas then the employee will get another 10-20% of what the custoner spends.

My mrs as a hotel receptionist regularly had 35k a month in her mid 20s.

The money is there in hotels but low season becomes a reality check.

[elektrified]

Hospital administrator (with degree) 15k

Accountant (with degree) 15k

Bank Home Loan administrator 14k

Office manager Nimmanhamen (with degree) 15k

School Teacher (with degree and 10 years experience) 16k

IT manager with large hotel group (you all know the name) 10k

Popular cook at local food court (zero education) 35k (100-150 orders a night at 30-40bht)

Roadside somtan stall (zero education) 4k

In CM it's really hard to beat that 15k limit, senior management or self employed with a particular skill.

I also know some similar employee's in BK (with degrees) and they are on around 25k.

They seem rather low. Wifes cousin is a door man at the Shangri-La hotel and is on over 30K per month, and gets to eat all meals there. This is for greeting people as they walk into the hotel. So how can an IT manager with a large hotel group be on 10K? I don't believe it.

It's not that I don't believe it but it's strange that he knows so many people with such low salaries. Almost every Thai I am friends with earn way more than 15K per month; mostly double that for similar positions.

Some of us actually live, speak and mix with Thais,

Not all of us live in foreigner ghettos and rely on the Thai wife as a buffer to separate us from reality.

(I've just listed what my neighbors and family in CM claim to earn, with 2 or 3 wage earners in a household total income around 30-40k)

Right, and with the exception of a 5 year period of time when I lived alone in Europe, I've lived with and "mixed with" Thais since 1992. I speak Thai just fine. I don't live in a foreigner ghetto and only used my wife as a "buffer" once when I was in a car accident. Otherwise I handle everything myself. There is something wrong if all those people you know earn such little money. Maybe they are not so clever?

[onthedarkside]

I read this topic and shake my head. There is quite a difference with basic pay and take home pay. Most Thais work all the overtime they can get, those in the hotel business get a share of the service charge (quite a lot), those in government service get brown letters.

All that can easily explain the difference in opinions in this topic about pay scales/levels.

[kanook]

My gf makes 9k a month working 5 days a week at hotel. But she also gets a share of the 10% Service fee collected each month. Last month she got just under 12,000 baht Service making her monthly total about 21,000 . Her yearly bonus also needs to be added to this which depends on how good business is for the year. A good year could see two months or more bonus and bad a minimum of one month. They also look at your years of service and after so long they may add another month bonus.

It all depends on what you do for a living.... Education and experience does count ....

Also don't forget about the unreported income that some Thais get each month. Some own food stands, rental property in condos or farm land, rubber or palm oil, government official handouts, under table bribes, money from farangs, etc etc....

Thais make more than most people think ......

Another reason not to support a business that adds a 10% service charge to the bill (becoming more difficult to avoid them). Your gf's employer pays her 9K฿ per month and the hotel's customers pay her 12K฿ per month; something is very wrong with that. I am a restaurateur for many years and I have a real problem with this increasingly common practice in Thailand. Gratuities should be at the discretion of the guest, not mandated. Restaurants/bars/hotels that charge a service fee are basically forcing customers to subsidize employee wages. Your gf should be paid a fair wage by the hotel.

[amexpat]

"Restaurants/bars/hotels that charge a service fee are basically forcing customers to subsidize employee wages."

True, in those cases where the service charge is, in fact, distributed fairly to the employees.

[slipperylobster]

"Unfortunately for the Thai in CM your figures about middle class are highly optimistic, not even in BKK they get so much."

Winnie was close. Perhaps 10-20% high but close.

Some of the problems with these statistics is confusing joint family income with individual salaries.

When at stores like Global, Lotus, Etc with 20 workers sitting around talking, they aren't paying them a lot. 9-12k a month is a lot when 80% of their time isn't spent working.

Store clerks, Laborers, cleaning staff, farm workers still make less than 9k baht a month. Many that I know only earn about 6k a month as they don't work every day. However, with 2-3 family members working to support themselves they do better.

For skilled workers as Winnie claimed it might be closer to 12k baht a month base but with overtime and private work 15k is doable for most mechanics, chefs, bank tellers,

Nurses (vary greatly from degree and title I have seen positions from as low as 9k up to 45k)

Office workers make around 12-15k a month, for more middle management positions, team leaders etc 20-25k isn't unrealistic. Bank Tellers, and workers with more experience or those that have been with a company for a long time would be in this category also.

Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, Business Owners, can be all over the place. Some making as low as 30k baht a month to those with private clinics, practices earning 100k+ a month.

25k-70k is middle class as Winnie stated. The 70k a month is Upper Middle Class but usually from combined income. They cannot be considered wealthy but they live a very good life and can afford live in maids and usually send their kids to 2nd tier schools.

Overall, I found Winnies estimates to be accurate. It was also a well thought out and logically placed argument.

MaiChai, Your one line quip offered nothing. You did not back up any statement.

I do wish that posters here would learn to read Thai and just look at job ads rather than only using their wive's personal experience and her friends to make judgement.

Really not difficult to figure out. If you are married, and have credit out on a car and a home....possibly have one or two kids in school..... and all bills are getting paid...you are upper middle class.

I think most expats who live here year round , fall into that category.....as retirement extension (proof of income) requires the figure mentioned above.

same for a thai. A senior manager/college professor with 20 years behind him would get about that too.

Our land lady gets 70,000 as a college professor with 30 years behind her. She retires in two years. At that level, she stands in as the "stand in" for the top administrator. She gets to sign stuff, does massages in her office...takes paid trips to Rayong, and hangs around our house drinking coffee. Perks.

Edited April 15, 2015 by slipperylobster

[northernjohn]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

They seem rather low. Wifes cousin is a door man at the Shangri-La hotel and is on over 30K per month, and gets to eat all meals there. This is for greeting people as they walk into the hotel. So how can an IT manager with a large hotel group be on 10K? I don't believe it.

It's not that I don't believe it but it's strange that he knows so many people with such low salaries. Almost every Thai I am friends with earn way more than 15K per month; mostly double that for similar positions.

Some of us actually live, speak and mix with Thais,

Not all of us live in foreigner ghettos and rely on the Thai wife as a buffer to separate us from reality.

(I've just listed what my neighbors and family in CM claim to earn, with 2 or 3 wage earners in a household total income around 30-40k)

Right, and with the exception of a 5 year period of time when I lived alone in Europe, I've lived with and "mixed with" Thais since 1992. I speak Thai just fine. I don't live in a foreigner ghetto and only used my wife as a "buffer" once when I was in a car accident. Otherwise I handle everything myself. There is something wrong if all those people you know earn such little money. Maybe they are not so clever?

The same might be said about all the people you know making the amount you say they make. It really just goes to show the people you choose to associate with.
Myself I know people making good money and I also have a Thai wife who comes from a poor family and get to see many of the other people. I seriously doubt we will ever know the facts. Their are more 7/11 employees making less than 10,000 baht a month than their are bankers and hotel workers making more than that. It is in fact an unanswerable question open to many facts that are never presented. Just opinions and I run with this class so they must all make it answers.