Few Thais can make ends meet: Survey

[Ghostnigel]

After reading that, I started to think of people back in my origin country (England) and how many people that might be debt free. I'm not sure that any of them are actually, though I'd take a stab and guess they all have the latest phone and a nice car.

I have zero debt, no nice house, sold my car as I no longer need it, average phone blah blah, and actual savings, living on less than my income. I know it's a strange concept but this isn't bragging, this is humble living. Guess who is the first person they call when they want to borrow money

I'm pretty sure that if I let someone else dictate my spending (English or Thai), they'd change all that pretty quickly.

Makes me look like a cheap charlie I'm sure, but at the same time I tip better than anyone I know ("you're spoiling it for the rest of us"), and never see friends go short for anything. I feel like a parent sometimes even though I'm not.

Oh yeah, I stay alone. Wonder why.

Please do not say 'cheap charlie'....you can have money and still be frugal. An old boy used to live near me,(dead now) nice house, but run down quite a bit. He always bought bargain food, and wore the same clothes every day, a lovely guy....he was worth 2.5 million pounds, not baht,i wouldnt even call him a ch**p ch**lie.

It is very very disrespectful to say that, you never know, do you? Thanks for listening, by the way, everyone, you might think you're above everyone because you can eat in fancy restaurants, and play at being hi-so, lucky you, but give a little respect to fellow humans thai or falang, rich or poor...thanks

[kurce]

Sometimes I do have a laugh with some of the Nation's articles.

What has to do the Thais income with elections this year?

I do understand that they are in trouble as they have no sense of financial responsibilities and they borrow money as there is no tomorrow,

but elections or not elections will not help them.

Some education could help them, but this is also too late.

Hard to manage finances on less than 15k a month.

Not really, budget your life and don't buy brand new cars and iPhones (for face) on credit and you should be okay.

Banks shouldn't be financing cars on such tiny incomes to begin with. There is plenty of public transport just about everywhere in Thailand. Absolutely no need to drive a car except for it's face value as you say...but unless you're driving a Porsche, I'm afraid you're just keeping up with the joneses. I don't see how a boring old VIOS can bring face, every third Thai drives the same crap.

Agree, I've never understood the need for a car living here in Bangkok. Especially considering all the other methods of transport on offer.

You can get from point A to point B virtually anywhere in Bangkok through public transport and failing that use a taxi service.

I know a few foreigners here with cars and they rarely use them unless leaving town for a trip. Even those that work in the city don't drive to work as it's easier, quicker and less stressful to use alternative methods.

[wabothai]

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Wabothai. For your information in Thailand you cannot get credit or buy a car if you don't have any money so i don't know where you are getting your misinformation from but it is certainly bs. Do you really think that people in your home country have an understanding of financial planning. I bet that people in your home country don't even read the full contract and they definitely don't bother with the fine print. Look at the amount of people in your home country who have filed for bankruptcy or had their home foreclosures or car repoed and compare those figures with your own country and you may find that your so called facts are nothing more than BS.

in my own country government has programs to assist those in financial trouble. reposession of homes and cars hardly happen. I hate to tell you but I am not US. It used to be quite easy to get a loan in Thailand.

So why is Thailand in so much trouble, if my posting is BS then what causes the problems?

[IMA_FARANG]

Sometimes I do have a laugh with some of the Nation's articles.

What has to do the Thais income with elections this year?

I do understand that they are in trouble as they have no sense of financial responsibilities and they borrow money as there is no tomorrow,

but elections or not elections will not help them.

Some education could help them, but this is also too late.

----------------------

Not to argue Costas but my Thai girlfriend raised 3 children and one granddaughter as a single mother after their Aussie father left her with no money and went to Australia to drink himself to death.

I know, I'm the one who helped her get his death certificate and the Aussie police report on how he died so she could legally have him declared dead.

That was in 1980 and at that time without that certificate of death she couldn't then become their legal guardian.

The law has changed since 1980.

Not ALL Thais are financially irresponsible or uneducated fools.

I know I am considered an old "Dinosaur" but I still don't have a credit card .... I do have an ATM /debit card however.

I happen to regard a "Credit Card" as a Capitalist conspiracy.... like a slow acting poison.... but like I said I'm an old "Dinosaur".

Edited April 27, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[trainman34014]

Sometimes I do have a laugh with some of the Nation's articles.

What has to do the Thais income with elections this year?

I do understand that they are in trouble as they have no sense of financial responsibilities and they borrow money as there is no tomorrow,

but elections or not elections will not help them.

Some education could help them, but this is also too late.

Hard to manage finances on less than 15k a month.

Not really, budget your life and don't buy brand new cars and iPhones (for face) on credit and you should be okay.

My Thai mother in law works in a Hospital, her wages are 7200 baht a month, some are on less.

Yup; i have a Thai Female friend who works at a Hospital and gets 6,700 a month for 48 hours a week...slavery. Supports a family of five on it too.

[HOAX]

Sometimes I do have a laugh with some of the Nation's articles.

What has to do the Thais income with elections this year?

I do understand that they are in trouble as they have no sense of financial responsibilities and they borrow money as there is no tomorrow,

but elections or not elections will not help them.

Some education could help them, but this is also too late.

Hard to manage finances on less than 15k a month.

And that's the Thais with educations.

Without education less than 300bht/day,

I think I would give up too.

That`s very incorrect. Most places in Thailand many people make more than 15000 a month, regardless of education or not, and that`s a concern, because unless you studied to become a doctor, dentist, biologist, lawyer, nurse and so on, your education does not matter in Thailand. Even big corporations like Toyota, Honda, Nippon Steel (except engineering) and tele-/network companies, construction companies and the food industry couldn`t care less about your papers. I have three members of my thai family working for Nippon Steel in BKK, making 20,000 a month, without any education. A common practice for most of these places is that you go for a week training and start to work. That`s it. And this is my concern, why would anyone take education seriously if you can get the job you want without any education.

When it comes to their financial problems, it`s only to blame on their hunger for spending, borrowing, prioritizing and planning, as well as the banks "low-income?-no-problem,-here-you-can-loan-hundreds-of-thousands" policy and the government`s bailouts, loan offering, fairytale plans and lack of laws, control and setting legal restrictions to companies leasing- and banks loan policies.

Edited April 27, 2015 by HOAX

[lostoday]

Sometimes I do have a laugh with some of the Nation's articles.

What has to do the Thais income with elections this year?

I do understand that they are in trouble as they have no sense of financial responsibilities and they borrow money as there is no tomorrow,

but elections or not elections will not help them.

Some education could help them, but this is also too late.

Hard to manage finances on less than 15k a month.

And that's the Thais with educations.

Without education less than 300bht/day,

I think I would give up too.

That`s very incorrect. Most places in Thailand many people make more than 15000 a month, regardless of education or not, and that`s a concern, because unless you studied to become a doctor, dentist, biologist, lawyer, nurse and so on, your education does not matter in Thailand. Even big corporations like Toyota, Honda, Nippon Steel (except engineering) and tele-/network companies, construction companies and the food industry couldn`t care less about your papers. I have three members of my thai family working for Nippon Steel in BKK, making 20,000 a month, without any education. A common practice for most of these places is that you go for a week training and start to work. That`s it. And this is my concern, why would anyone take education seriously if you can get the job you want without any education.

When it comes to their financial problems, it`s only to blame on their hunger for spending, borrowing, prioritizing and planning, as well as the banks "low-income?-no-problem,-here-you-can-loan-hundreds-of-thousands" policy and the government`s bailouts, loan offering, fairytale plans and lack of laws, control and setting legal restrictions to companies leasing- and banks loan policies.

Don't you need HS education M3 to work for 7/11 and Lotus?

[trogers]

Ends can never meet when future money is all spent at the present.

[HOAX]

Sometimes I do have a laugh with some of the Nation's articles.

What has to do the Thais income with elections this year?

I do understand that they are in trouble as they have no sense of financial responsibilities and they borrow money as there is no tomorrow,

but elections or not elections will not help them.

Some education could help them, but this is also too late.

Hard to manage finances on less than 15k a month.

And that's the Thais with educations.

Without education less than 300bht/day,

I think I would give up too.

That`s very incorrect. Most places in Thailand many people make more than 15000 a month, regardless of education or not, and that`s a concern, because unless you studied to become a doctor, dentist, biologist, lawyer, nurse and so on, your education does not matter in Thailand. Even big corporations like Toyota, Honda, Nippon Steel (except engineering) and tele-/network companies, construction companies and the food industry couldn`t care less about your papers. I have three members of my thai family working for Nippon Steel in BKK, making 20,000 a month, without any education. A common practice for most of these places is that you go for a week training and start to work. That`s it. And this is my concern, why would anyone take education seriously if you can get the job you want without any education.

When it comes to their financial problems, it`s only to blame on their hunger for spending, borrowing, prioritizing and planning, as well as the banks "low-income?-no-problem,-here-you-can-loan-hundreds-of-thousands" policy and the government`s bailouts, loan offering, fairytale plans and lack of laws, control and setting legal restrictions to companies leasing- and banks loan policies.

Don't you need HS education M3 to work for 7/11 and Lotus?

Funny you ask because I drove my neighbor on friday to one of these training locations for 7/11. Applicants are required a week practice before start working. These locations are mostly located within cities in normal buildings, often shared with other companies, but you will see a small 7/11 logo. In Udon Thani it`s located a few hundred meters from the intersection when you arrive to Muang Udon Thani from Kut Chap.

I don`t know about Lotus, but I doubt you need any other qualifications other than a week practice there either.

[balo]

Sometimes I do have a laugh with some of the Nation's articles.

What has to do the Thais income with elections this year?

I do understand that they are in trouble as they have no sense of financial responsibilities and they borrow money as there is no tomorrow,

but elections or not elections will not help them.

Some education could help them, but this is also too late.

Hard to manage finances on less than 15k a month.

Not really, budget your life and don't buy brand new cars and iPhones (for face) on credit and you should be okay.

Banks shouldn't be financing cars on such tiny incomes to begin with. There is plenty of public transport just about everywhere in Thailand. Absolutely no need to drive a car except for it's face value as you say...but unless you're driving a Porsche, I'm afraid you're just keeping up with the joneses. I don't see how a boring old VIOS can bring face, every third Thai drives the same crap.

Agree, I've never understood the need for a car living here in Bangkok. Especially considering all the other methods of transport on offer.

You can get from point A to point B virtually anywhere in Bangkok through public transport and failing that use a taxi service.

I know a few foreigners here with cars and they rarely use them unless leaving town for a trip. Even those that work in the city don't drive to work as it's easier, quicker and less stressful to use alternative methods.

So what about shopping ? I always use the car. It's air conditioned, I can fill it up with groceries and other stuff. I only use otherr transportation if Im out to drink late at night. Most of the people I know with cars do the same, unless they are here only to sit in the bars and drink.

[HOAX]

@balo - I agree with you, but the thai`s mentality of needing a brand new pick-up to a price of 750,000 when you have a low income, makes no sense. A healthy mentality would be get an education, then buy something a lot cheaper (2nd- or 3rd-hand 2003 model or something) as an investment to get yourself to work. Focus about your career, and when you have a stable job or business, then buy something nice that will not put you in any situation that will have a negative impact on your career, and then start making a plan to build or buy a house you can afford for your girl, yourself and your future baby.

[lostoday]

@balo - I agree with you, but the thai`s mentality of needing a brand new pick-up to a price of 750,000 when you have a low income, makes no sense. A healthy mentality would be get an education, then buy something a lot cheaper (2nd- or 3rd-hand 2003 model or something) as an investment to get yourself to work. Focus about your career, and when you have a stable job or business, then buy something nice that will not put you in any situation that will have a negative impact on your career, and then start making a plan to build or buy a house you can afford for your girl, yourself and your future baby.

You mean they would get a motor scooter instead of a car? Maybe you should check scooter numbers vs auto numbers.

[MaeJoMTB]

@balo - I agree with you, but the thai`s mentality of needing a brand new pick-up to a price of 750,000 when you have a low income, makes no sense. A healthy mentality would be get an education, then buy something a lot cheaper (2nd- or 3rd-hand 2003 model or something) as an investment to get yourself to work. Focus about your career, and when you have a stable job or business, then buy something nice that will not put you in any situation that will have a negative impact on your career, and then start making a plan to build or buy a house you can afford for your girl, yourself and your future baby.

Buying a car is not an investment.

If you need transport and are poor, 2nd hand bicycle or scooter will do.

[HOAX]

@balo - I agree with you, but the thai`s mentality of needing a brand new pick-up to a price of 750,000 when you have a low income, makes no sense. A healthy mentality would be get an education, then buy something a lot cheaper (2nd- or 3rd-hand 2003 model or something) as an investment to get yourself to work. Focus about your career, and when you have a stable job or business, then buy something nice that will not put you in any situation that will have a negative impact on your career, and then start making a plan to build or buy a house you can afford for your girl, yourself and your future baby.

Buying a car is not an investment.

If you need transport and are poor, 2nd hand bicycle or scooter will do.

Depends what kind of work you do and travel distance. If you work at 7/11 or a near-by hotel then yes a motorbike or bicycle will obviously be enough, but your employer will most likely not send you off with a refrigerator on a bicycle.

Buying a car can definitely be a good investment.

Edited April 27, 2015 by HOAX