I'm going home for 2 years to retrain and get better qualifications, so I find a job with better career prospects and that is more well paid.

My plan is to come back to Asia afterwards, probably Bangkok. So I'm curious what job fields pay well over here?

I have a BSc in computer science so it would make sense to do a Masters in it, but I dont know, do IT jobs pay well in Thailand?

I could change my Masters to a different subject but I am unsure which would be most valuable. Luckily in the UK all Masters programs cost the same, so I can more or less take my pick.

(for reference im currently a teacher, and pay rates at my school are going DOWN!)

No IT job in Thailand is going to pay the Western equivalent, unless it's with a multinational on an expat package.

But unless you're an expert in the field, with lots of experience (it doesn't sound as if you are), don't count on getting one of those. No Thai firm is going to hire you; and you wouldn't want to work for one, anyways.

IT Jobs pay not that bad in Bangkok. I have been in the IT for the past 20+ years and the lowest I ever was paid was around 75,000 Baht but this was after the financial crisis.

All in all IT jobs for expats go mainly via close contacts to senior management and I have never ever send a resume or CV out in the past 20 years and also never used a headhunting company. Degrees are not that important but work experience and as well speaking Thai.

Both of the above posts make good points.

The most likely firm to hire you is an SME (small to medium enterprise) that is foreign owned and wishes to have English speaking workers for certain positions. Thai firms are very unlikely to hire you, unless they have a specific need for expertise, or a specific need for English interaction with clients. Multinationals are possible, but not easy to find, as they typically have existing employees thrilled to be re-assigned to Thailand.

As for pay, it is a fact that your salary will be a fraction of what it would be back home. However, it depends on your objective. My objective is to be here with a work permit and sufficient income to enjoy my life. That is achieved even with my smaller salary.

And, as noted, connections are most likely to find your job, not websites or headhunters. But, it is always possible.

As for the degree, I would suggest that getting a Masters in IT does not help your cause, unless it is in a very specific discipline that is known to be in high demand. Not sure what would be a better choice. Personally, I would never hire a Masters in IT for my company. They never work out. An MBA is more versatile and marketable, especially when combined with a BS in IT.

[edit] Forgot to mention that I have met a few farang working in Singapore making big money in the area of security (network security specifically).

Edited August 22, 201510 yr by timendres

Yes I have a master's degree in computer science and technology is very different from the USA so I used to work for blacktree a defense company and I probably would look at something other then computer science

I'm looking for network engineers specializing in content delivery and security. Pay range 100k to 200k baht per month depending on experience. PM me if interested. Position is for a dutch semiconductor company based in Bangkok.

Edited August 22, 201510 yr by aar78

I worked as an electrical engineer in Thailand for over 10 years before I opened my own company. However not in BKK, I lived and worked in Rayong which was not a bad place to live. I never found a job from a website. I was always offered jobs from connections. Thailand is a big industrial country, food processing, petrochemical plants, manufacturing etc. I never had a problem finding a job. Now Vietnam is growing very fast industrially and I'm sure within the next 10-15 years same will be happening in Cambodia or Burma. You might want to do some research for the top paying jobs in the world and go from there. Whatever you decide to do make sure it's something you are going to like to do other wise you are going to be hating everyday.

The best paid jobs are police ,look how rich they are

I'm looking for network engineers specializing in content delivery and security. Pay range 100k to 200k baht per month depending on experience. PM me if interested. Position is for a dutch semiconductor company based in Bangkok.

Wouldn't this be a great piece of luck if the OP was suitable for perhaps both parties.

Could be the best question the OP has ever asked :-)

I've worked for several multinationals and covered most Asian countries. All of the IT guys and gals were locals in every market although I suppose there must be exceptions. Thailand would seem to be the toughest as jobs are protected here and there seem to be lots of IT specialists around. I'd guess Thai fluency would be a big plus.

The best paid jobs are police ,look how rich they are

You forgot to mention customs.

The best paid jobs are police ,look how rich they are

You forgot to mention customs.

Yeah what's customs game if your a commodity exporter without duty. How they stick you up? 100k tonnes of rice or whatever....cannot see that being a no brown bag moment

How about learning Thai whilr you are at it OP. You need to develop a USP over others looking in your chosen field and an ability to at least converse in social and simple business situations would be a significant plus to employers of both Thai and inernational persuasion.

In response to your opening question I would answer accounting or law, but it would take you at least 5 years in training, exams and work experience before you would be in a position to go for a still relatively junior (but relatively well paid) job with one of the international accounting or law practices.

Edited August 24, 201510 yr by SantiSuk