Acharn Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I don't know of any recent cases, but it used to be possible. I'm pretty sure Barnharn Silpa-Archa started life as a poor man. Thaksin's grandfather was a Chinese immigrant, and I think he did pretty well. I seem to recall Thaksin's father was well-off, but certainly not super-rich. Can't remember if he was an immigrant -- there was some noise about citizenship issues when Thaksin was head of the Phalang Tham Party. One case I know for sure -- Kamnan Poh, Somchai Khunpluem, down in Chon Buri. He came to Thailand as a penniless immigrant (from China) as a young man and through hard work and small concern for petty legalities became so rich he was able to buy a seat in parliament for his son. He was long the mayor of Saen Suk, a small village next to Bang Saen, and the people there revered him for his good works. He also killed a lot of people and ran hijacking operations of his competitors' trucking lines. He initially built up a fishing fleet, which might have been careless about getting the proper tax stamps from His Majesty's Excise. Many of the godfathers of a generation ago started out poor, but they're pretty much a dying breed. There haven't been many to rise from real poverty to riches, much less super-rich. But then that's true of America, too. Most of the so-called "self-made men" are like Donald Trump, starting out with a small loan of a few million from their parents which they were expected to pay back, with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Seems everybody thinks you need to have connections or be a crook in asia to get somewhere, well the real truth is either you got it of you haven't and its the same the world over, don't know anyone personally but I'm pretty dam sure is if making it is your focus most will succeed, then how much is enough and how much is success? With the exception of sports stars, people in the entertainment industry, if you become a millionaire from being brought up in a working class family in the UK, you have to be a crook, and of course have a good business brain, if you come across a good successful product, and sell it to people with a for example a 500% mark up, then you are cheating your customers. That I think would apply to most countries. If you can find a product and sell for a 500% mark up, it doesn't make you a crook. It makes your customers gullible idiots. You do have a point, but he's still a crook for taking advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCruncher Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 All self made wealth in Thailand is by Chinese immigrants. You wonder why? A Chinese immigrant, or any Chines for the matter, starts a business and works in it until he isn't able to handle all the work by himself. Then he will employ some people, but still will work every day more hours himself than any of the workers he employs. A native Thai starts a business, goes to the bank to borrow money for the new Benz and large house, employs as many people he can get, and puts his desk in the middle of the shop and does nothing else as shouting at his employees and counting money. In my experience of the Thai Chinese business people I knew and still know in Thailand, they have an absolutely pathological hatred of paying taxes. The Thai Chinese model works for family, and little else. You're right, my point was that they work themselves and don't rely on other people to do the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert24 Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 @TheCruncher: So salaries for experienced Thai construction workers, whether around Bangkok, Rayong or other areas in Thailand are around 400 baht per day. 500 baht per day is already a specialist with some special skills. So even if you hire more expensive construction workers at 500 baht per day, that still only makes you 15k per month. Foreign construction workers get somewhere around 250-300 baht per day. Hope that helps. There are no construction workers making 30k per month. Robert, as I said, time to spend some time in Thailand. Many skilled construction workers make 1500 - 2000 Baht a day for at least the past 4 years. Even a rice picker will not come for less than 400 Baht anymore these days, and you know what you got then. I'm giving up. Your numbers are complete rubbish. And by the way a normal worker at a rice mill anywhere in Thailand gets 300 baht per day. That's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCruncher Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I don't know of any recent cases, but it used to be possible. I'm pretty sure Barnharn Silpa-Archa started life as a poor man. Thaksin's grandfather was a Chinese immigrant, and I think he did pretty well. I seem to recall Thaksin's father was well-off, but certainly not super-rich. Can't remember if he was an immigrant -- there was some noise about citizenship issues when Thaksin was head of the Phalang Tham Party. One case I know for sure -- Kamnan Poh, Somchai Khunpluem, down in Chon Buri. He came to Thailand as a penniless immigrant (from China) as a young man and through hard work and small concern for petty legalities became so rich he was able to buy a seat in parliament for his son. He was long the mayor of Saen Suk, a small village next to Bang Saen, and the people there revered him for his good works. He also killed a lot of people and ran hijacking operations of his competitors' trucking lines. He initially built up a fishing fleet, which might have been careless about getting the proper tax stamps from His Majesty's Excise. Many of the godfathers of a generation ago started out poor, but they're pretty much a dying breed. There haven't been many to rise from real poverty to riches, much less super-rich. But then that's true of America, too. Most of the so-called "self-made men" are like Donald Trump, starting out with a small loan of a few million from their parents which they were expected to pay back, with interest. Kamnan Poh became wealthy by murdering people who didn't agree with his business plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCruncher Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 (edited) @TheCruncher: So salaries for experienced Thai construction workers, whether around Bangkok, Rayong or other areas in Thailand are around 400 baht per day. 500 baht per day is already a specialist with some special skills. So even if you hire more expensive construction workers at 500 baht per day, that still only makes you 15k per month. Foreign construction workers get somewhere around 250-300 baht per day. Hope that helps. There are no construction workers making 30k per month. Robert, as I said, time to spend some time in Thailand. Many skilled construction workers make 1500 - 2000 Baht a day for at least the past 4 years. Even a rice picker will not come for less than 400 Baht anymore these days, and you know what you got then. I'm giving up. Your numbers are complete rubbish. And by the way a normal worker at a rice mill anywhere in Thailand gets 300 baht per day. That's it. I didn't know that a worker at a rice mill was considered a skilled construction worker. But anyway, if they earn 300 Baht a day close to home, why would they go work for 100 Baht more 5 - 600 km from home? Last question, and I hope you answer it in all honesty. How many days you have spent in Thailand in the past 5 years? Edited November 10, 2015 by TheCruncher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konying Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I guess you haven't been to Thailand for a long time Robert, because a construction worker in Bangkok doesn't go home with less than 30K a month. Those rice pickers, who call themselves construction workers a few months a year, are happy with 500 Baht a day but you don't want your house build by them. Rubbish. Skilled electrician, foreman, with 9 years working for the same company earns 18 000 per month and a company pick up truck. A hadnyman for Central Shopping Malls, with 3 years working in the same company, 13 000 baht per month with OT if he does any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konying Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 @TheCruncher: So salaries for experienced Thai construction workers, whether around Bangkok, Rayong or other areas in Thailand are around 400 baht per day. 500 baht per day is already a specialist with some special skills. So even if you hire more expensive construction workers at 500 baht per day, that still only makes you 15k per month. Foreign construction workers get somewhere around 250-300 baht per day. Hope that helps. There are no construction workers making 30k per month. Robert, as I said, time to spend some time in Thailand. Many skilled construction workers make 1500 - 2000 Baht a day for at least the past 4 years. Even a rice picker will not come for less than 400 Baht anymore these days, and you know what you got then. More rubbish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCruncher Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I guess you haven't been to Thailand for a long time Robert, because a construction worker in Bangkok doesn't go home with less than 30K a month. Those rice pickers, who call themselves construction workers a few months a year, are happy with 500 Baht a day but you don't want your house build by them. Rubbish. Skilled electrician, foreman, with 9 years working for the same company earns 18 000 per month and a company pick up truck. A hadnyman for Central Shopping Malls, with 3 years working in the same company, 13 000 baht per month with OT if he does any. By bye lemoncake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai at Heart Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 All self made wealth in Thailand is by Chinese immigrants. You wonder why? A Chinese immigrant, or any Chines for the matter, starts a business and works in it until he isn't able to handle all the work by himself. Then he will employ some people, but still will work every day more hours himself than any of the workers he employs. A native Thai starts a business, goes to the bank to borrow money for the new Benz and large house, employs as many people he can get, and puts his desk in the middle of the shop and does nothing else as shouting at his employees and counting money. In my experience of the Thai Chinese business people I knew and still know in Thailand, they have an absolutely pathological hatred of paying taxes.The Thai Chinese model works for family, and little else. You're right, my point was that they work themselves and don't rely on other people to do the work. Well it's quite a lot easier to get ahead without having to pay what you are meant to by law. It is what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konying Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I guess you haven't been to Thailand for a long time Robert, because a construction worker in Bangkok doesn't go home with less than 30K a month. Those rice pickers, who call themselves construction workers a few months a year, are happy with 500 Baht a day but you don't want your house build by them. Rubbish. Skilled electrician, foreman, with 9 years working for the same company earns 18 000 per month and a company pick up truck. A hadnyman for Central Shopping Malls, with 3 years working in the same company, 13 000 baht per month with OT if he does any. By bye lemoncake. More rubbish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berkshire Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Many Chinese families supposedly came here with nothing, and did well for themselves. There is a saying in Thai, "to have come with just a mat to sleep on," and that is about the Chinese merchants who came with nothing and worked their way up. I think many of these stories are true, but hard not to think many are also untrue, because most people with money want to look like, "I worked very hard to get here, nobody just handed me my wealth." The guy who started the nori/seaweed snacks that are popular in Thailand has a great background story about starting small and hitting it really big, but the wonderful story may be more part of the product brand than reality. Regarding the seaweed snacks guy, there was a movie made about that recently. The guy did go from rags to riches. And it was a true story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCruncher Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 All self made wealth in Thailand is by Chinese immigrants. You wonder why? A Chinese immigrant, or any Chines for the matter, starts a business and works in it until he isn't able to handle all the work by himself. Then he will employ some people, but still will work every day more hours himself than any of the workers he employs. A native Thai starts a business, goes to the bank to borrow money for the new Benz and large house, employs as many people he can get, and puts his desk in the middle of the shop and does nothing else as shouting at his employees and counting money. In my experience of the Thai Chinese business people I knew and still know in Thailand, they have an absolutely pathological hatred of paying taxes.The Thai Chinese model works for family, and little else. You're right, my point was that they work themselves and don't rely on other people to do the work. Well it's quite a lot easier to get ahead without having to pay what you are meant to by law. It is what it is. Do you know many Thais that pay taxes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konying Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 @TheCruncher: So salaries for experienced Thai construction workers, whether around Bangkok, Rayong or other areas in Thailand are around 400 baht per day. 500 baht per day is already a specialist with some special skills. So even if you hire more expensive construction workers at 500 baht per day, that still only makes you 15k per month. Foreign construction workers get somewhere around 250-300 baht per day. Hope that helps. There are no construction workers making 30k per month. Robert, as I said, time to spend some time in Thailand. Many skilled construction workers make 1500 - 2000 Baht a day for at least the past 4 years. Even a rice picker will not come for less than 400 Baht anymore these days, and you know what you got then. I'm giving up. Your numbers are complete rubbish. And by the way a normal worker at a rice mill anywhere in Thailand gets 300 baht per day. That's it. Ignore him, he does not have a clue and just posts utter drivel he heard at some bar or read on somewhere. Dare him to show a payslip or any evidence He will just come back with some more drivel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai at Heart Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 All self made wealth in Thailand is by Chinese immigrants. You wonder why?A Chinese immigrant, or any Chines for the matter, starts a business and works in it until he isn't able to handle all the work by himself. Then he will employ some people, but still will work every day more hours himself than any of the workers he employs. A native Thai starts a business, goes to the bank to borrow money for the new Benz and large house, employs as many people he can get, and puts his desk in the middle of the shop and does nothing else as shouting at his employees and counting money. In my experience of the Thai Chinese business people I knew and still know in Thailand, they have an absolutely pathological hatred of paying taxes.The Thai Chinese model works for family, and little else. You're right, my point was that they work themselves and don't rely on other people to do the work. Well it's quite a lot easier to get ahead without having to pay what you are meant to by law. It is what it is. Do you know many Thais that pay taxes? Plenty in Bangkok and elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farangmick Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Seems everybody thinks you need to have connections or be a crook in asia to get somewhere, well the real truth is either you got it of you haven't and its the same the world over, don't know anyone personally but I'm pretty dam sure is if making it is your focus most will succeed, then how much is enough and how much is success? With the exception of sports stars, people in the entertainment industry, if you become a millionaire from being brought up in a working class family in the UK, you have to be a crook, and of course have a good business brain, if you come across a good successful product, and sell it to people with a for example a 500% mark up, then you are cheating your customers. That I think would apply to most countries. If you can find a product and sell for a 500% mark up, it doesn't make you a crook. It makes your customers gullible idiots. You do have a point, but he's still a crook for taking advantage. To illustrate both our points. A story in the British press today that Egyptian security staff at Sharm El Sheikh are using "bomb detectors" to screen luggage that started life as £13 golf ball finders (didn't work), Sold worldwide to security agencies at £10,000 a pop. The head honcho made about £50,000,000. Doing 10 years now. Crooks and gullible idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balo Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Many rich, hard working ladies here that started with nothing and then found a farang or two to boost their new career as a "business woman" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 An off topic baiting session has been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cook my sock Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 What does a Rubbish collector get lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrilled Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Who determines RICH.A poor person might determine rich as A few million baht.Where someone wealthy might say 1000 million baht is considered rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiSePuede419 Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Most criminals are "self-made". Unless they have government contracts, 555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seancbk Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 There is no middle class here in Thailand, So the rich get richer by exploiting the poor. probably the same in any Country, But there is little protection in thailand for workers, What part of Thailand do you live in? Of course there is a middle class! As for self made rich people here - I personally know of 2 Thai guys who both started with next to nothing and through hard work are now seriously wealthy. They both own Lamborghinis :-) My girlfriend's parents seem to be quite well off now and they started with not a lot, I'd classify them as middle class now. Although my GF's Mum just bought her a new 2 bedroom condo in Bangkok, so perhaps you'd call them upper middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puukao Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 who really cares? will they give you money...NO!!! Can you, a farang, become self-made in Thailand...NO But I will sell you my book on "How to get rich in 11 easy payments to me" .... Country of 65 million.....I'm sure there are some who got rich......but at what cost!!! Money will make your life worse!!!! Send me the money...I will handle the guilt....and the consequences... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cook my sock Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 The class structure in Thailand is strangely fascinating. I rather enjoy a mid 50s hiso lady's Instagram feed just for her hilarious fashion sense.. to me it's almost early 80s London New Romantic style Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiSePuede419 Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 "it's almost early 80s London New Romantic style" No wah-wah pedal or improvisation? And the occasional white horse wandering through... 555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiang mai Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 What does a Rubbish collector get lol Funny you should ask: The guy who collects our rubbish every third day has a beat up, old but functional garbage truck, each house pays him 850 baht a year for his service plus most houses pay an additional 200 a month to take away non-standard items such as garden waste. He employs two hill tribe kids who separate the garbage and sell on the plastic, metal paper and glass whilst the remainder gets burned and/or made into compost which he also sells on, it's surprisingly good quality. We know the man socially, purely by chance since he's one of the bigger donors at the local temple plus he's a nice guy - he reckons he turns over about 65,000 a month so based on earnings I'd say he's very middle class. And the couple who empty our septic tank came round yesterday for the annual vacuum of the tanks, 1,200 a time and they empty between eight and ten tanks per day. The residue gets made into slurry and is sold on. You do the math. but it's not 300 baht a day! So, where there's muck there's money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamgeorgeallen Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 out of my circle of friends in Thailand I only know of one foreigner who came here and did quite well for himself. the others are either coming and going or working for good salaries for large companies. I avoid mixing with retired or school teaching types. I know of more foreigners who have lost money in Thailand than made it. I have heard that among thais it is more common to be born into wealth that to make it them selves hard to determine if this is true as mostly we never get to mix with the thai wealthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Traveller Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I'd rather like to know how many Farangs have "made it big" in Thailand, starting from scratch ! (Not the ones that arrived here with a big fortune and left with a small fortune.) Cheers. it's probably in the same proportion as anywhere else. The reason it appears not to be is very few actually stay more than a few years in thailand before moving and "make it big" doesn't happen overnight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCruncher Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I'd rather like to know how many Farangs have "made it big" in Thailand, starting from scratch ! (Not the ones that arrived here with a big fortune and left with a small fortune.) Cheers. When I look around in Pattaya I see quite a few farangs who have made it big, judging on the multi million cars they are driving, which are mostly developers of real estate projects. If all that money is earned honestly is another question, as these days most of their projects are half finished to never be completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawadee1947 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I met a police colonel when I was looking to buy a plot. He offered me even 3 and also a wonderful retreat (former hotel with real antiques), waterfall, creek,... . He studied also in US supported by police. His parents were poor actually. The reason to sell some of his properties: he intended to buy a direct seaside plot for 54 Million Baht. You see what you can do with an average police colonel salary.....! We call it self-made, isn't it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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