Average Thai Wages

[PeteC]

BK, think you asked before about the above. Received below from a friend. Pete
_____________________________
Below are average monthly wages in Thailand for 2005

Agriculture, hunting and forestry 3,019 baht
Fishing 2,068 baht
Mining and quarrying 7,646 baht
Manufacturing 6,420 baht
Electricity, gas and water supply 17,841 baht
Construction 4,706 baht
Wholesale and retail trade, repair business 6,760 baht
Hotels and restaurant 5,680 baht
Transport, storage and communication 11,752 baht
Financial intermediation 19,325 baht
Real estate, renting and business activities 9,571 baht
Public administration and defense 11,375 baht
Education 14,883 baht
Health and social work 10,804 baht
Other community and social work 6,311 baht
Private households with employed persons 4,068 baht
Extra-territorial organizations and bodies 5,753 baht
Sales associate small store or department store 4,500 - 9,000 baht
Restaurants 3,000 - 8,000 baht
Police 6,300 baht
Hotels 4,000 - 9,000 baht

[Big Boy]

Pete,

Very interesting, obviously I only know what pittance my immediate family earn. I was very surprised to see how little 'legitimate earnings' police get - is that right, just 6,300 Baht per month?

There's no wonder that they use their position to supplement their earnings.

[Nomad]

Some of your figures are surprsing i.e, fishing, electricity, gas and water supply, agriculture, hunting and forestry. I am friends with fishermen, water supply people and farmers as well as some other occupations. Their wages are much different from your figures. I wonder where you got your numbers from? The income tax people?

[sargeant]

Nomad most of my Tin shack friends are fishermen and what they earn will double for you or i and halve for any other nosy git but the figures seem reasonably accurate all round from my experience

Interesting that caddies are not specifically mentioned though

[HHTel]

I'd be very interested in where these figures come from. It differs greatly from some of the people I know in some of these industries. I wasn't aware that salaries to the police (and military for that matter) were published anywhere.

[Winkie]

Not the same set of figure I know, but these figures are provided by the Govt, on the BOI Website. They are an indicator to foreigners wishing to set up businesses here.

The first figure range quoted is THB, the second is US$

Selected Salaries
Position Monthly
Baht US$ Notes
Plant manager 71,351 1,820
Personnel Manager 67,123 1,715
Office manager 49,995 1,275
Executive Secretary 34,834 890
Engineer 18,620 475
Researcher (Thai) 24,032 615
Sales 22,806 580
Office staff 15,030 385
Driver 8,150 210
Housekeeper 7.011 180
IT Manager 90,000-100,000 2,300-2,550
Web Designer 27,000-38,000 690-970
PC Programmer 24,000-27,000 610-690
System Analyst 40,000-55,000 1,020-1,400
Network security administrator
(With vendor certifications) 65,000-85,000 1,650-2,170
LAN Manager 65,000-85,000 1,650-2,170
Entry-Level Salaries for Selected Job Positions
Accounting manager 20,000 510
Civil engineer 26,000 665
Electrical engineer 17,500 450
Mechanical engineer 27,500 700
Chemical engineer 13,000 330
Architect 25,000 640
Accountant 16,250 415
Graphic designer 9,750 250
Customer service 7,630 195
System analyst 18,000 460
Computer programmer 14,000 360
Human resources manager 22,500 575
Sales and marketing manager 18,500 475
Public relations manager 18,000 460

Bonus conditions vary from business to business, although one to two months extra salary a year is closest to the average.

These figures are based on the results of an informal survey conducted over the past year of selected businesses in Bangkok.

IT salaries are courtesy of ISM Technology Recruitment Ltd. (Q4,2003) and assume a reasonable command of English and experience

Note: Slaries are subject to 4% social security fund contribution and 1% workman's compensation contribution (for the first 15,000 baht per month of salary

Source: Ministry of labor and Social Welfare (July 13 2005)

[lomuamart]

Those figures are interesting and a lot of them spot on as far as I'm aware.
The agricultural/country ones with manual labour certainly are about right. They were five years ago when I was upcountry a fair bit. My wife confirms those now also - approx.
The admin stuff, we've got no idea about.
I'm not sure where the data came from. I doubt the tax office has any idea either seeing as most don't pay it.

Edited.
I meant the Thai earnings, not expat.

[buksida]

People, please understand the term "general" when looking at these figures, of course we all know someone that doesn't fit into any of these categories but the general/average consensus of wages seems to be pretty accurate to me.

However I do laugh at the wages for IT and Internet fields there - they are obviously based on serious qualifications and at least 10 years experience in the field ... not the average graduate that small businesses are looking to employ - as said, all is relative.

Edit: Pete's figures seemed far more accurate in the Thai working environment, the latter list is probably aimed at large foreign companies looking at international exposure hiring locals with international qualifications and experience. Theses ones are very dubious:

IT Manager 90,000-100,000 2,300-2,550
Web Designer 27,000-38,000 690-970
PC Programmer 24,000-27,000 610-690
Computer programmer 14,000 360

I have never seen a "web designer" earn more than a programmer in any country.

[Guess]

PC Programmer 24,000-27,000 610-690
Computer programmer 14,000 360

And what is the difference between a computer programmer and a PC programmer?

Programmers are paid on language skills and experience. In my experience the specialists who have worked on on systems like HP, Stratus, Tandem or IBM made a lot more than a PC C++ programmer.

I think this is a terminology error. They probably mean operator rather than programmer. Completely different roles and salaries.

The figures that Pete quoted were published by the Thai government fairly recently and also indicated where the greatest rises were. I can't remember exactly but I think tourism related jobs enjoyed a fairly large growth but agriculture did not even keep up with inflation.

The police figure does surprise me. I would have guessed more like ten. However there are alway many junior cops who probably bring the average down.

Another important point is that these figure are nationwide averages. At least half the Thai population live in poor areas where wages are lower.

In Hua Hin and Phuket it is difficult to get someone to sweep the floor for 4000 Baht per month. In some parts of Thailand you have a queue wanting the job.

[PeteC]

It's only 0450 hours here on Saturday morning. I'll call my friend later today and ask where on the net he found the numbers I posted. Stay tuned. Pete

[PeteC]

He found it while surfing and did not bookmark it. Following are two links I found with some figures agreeing and some disagreeing. The Bangkok Post is as of 2Q06 while the other is sometime in 2005. Pete

http://bangkokpost.net/yearend2006/fig.html

http://www.d-trac.org/en/average_thai_wages

[vincent chang]

ok, now we know how little everyone is paid. bargirls make about 5000 baht per month in salaries, but I wonder how much they make in tips on the average? I guess some make more than others, but lets say a girl takes home one customer only per night, that is about 60,000 baht per month . astronomical compared to even the most lucrative professions. I suppose a lot of the money goes towards supporting extended families, but it seems to me that becoming a bargirl at the right bar is the only sure way to escape poverty in this country.

[DawnHRD]

ok, now we know how little everyone is paid. bargirls make about 5000 baht per month in salaries, but I wonder how much they make in tips on the average? I guess some make more than others, but lets say a girl takes home one customer only per night, that is about 60,000 baht per month . astronomical compared to even the most lucrative professions. I suppose a lot of the money goes towards supporting extended families, but it seems to me that becoming a bargirl at the right bar is the only sure way to escape poverty in this country.

OK, I know you're doing this to get a rise & I should ignore you, but I'm afraid I'm really tired & short-tempered this morning.

Firstly, not all bar staff work extra-curricually. Many bar staff are totally legit. I'm sure they, like waiting staff do do rely a lot on tips to make up their wages. In Western countries, as well, these are notoriously low paying jobs & tips are expected.

Secondly, the sort of discussion you are trying to launch should be confined to the relevant forum. Feel free to start a thread about this inside nc, if you so wish, but please do not hijack someone else's informative, serious thread. Thank you.

[vincent chang]

Dawn, I think it is relavant to point out what some of the non "legit" people are getting paid in comparison to say a software engineer who spends 6 years in college and has 5 years of experience. as an economist, I try to figure out why people do the things they do and put up with the things that they do. When I first came to thailand I wondered why there were so many people working in bars. Now that I have seen the wages of even the most skilled professions, I can understand why even more. I also understand why the cops here take bribes, and accept kickbacks. how else can they supplement their wages?

[long-in-thailand]

Dawn, I think it is relavant to point out what some of the non "legit" people are getting paid in comparison to say a software engineer who spends 6 years in college and has 5 years of experience. as an economist, I try to figure out why people do the things they do and put up with the things that they do. When I first came to thailand I wondered why there were so many people working in bars. Now that I have seen the wages of even the most skilled professions, I can understand why even more. I also understand why the cops here take bribes, and accept kickbacks. how else can they supplement their wages?

Vincent Chang has helped to illustrate why the country is so messed up for so many, while being heaven for a few. When a researcher who has gone through university to do a PhD (often up to and beyond the age of 30) gets only 25000 Baht a month what incentive is there for a poor, but quite possibly highly intelligent, young lass from the country to get herself educated? The only people who can afford to be researchers in Thailand are those that come from backgrounds where money is no object. This explains how somebody earning 15000-30000 Baht a month can still be driving a Mercedes.