As it has already come up a couple of times, I thought I’d write a dedicated page on the subject of working in Thailand. I have no experience with working here, so I’m not the person to ask. The best resource for information about working in Thailand is ThaiVisa.com. It’s also the best place to go for information on work related visas and permits.

From what I gather, most employment opportunities are in the area of education, and the majority of those prospects are for English language instruction. I think it is safe to say, by western standards, wages are quite low here. From what I understand, English language instructors typically make between five and eight hundred dollars a month.

While skills and certifications are a consideration, from what I gather, securing a good job here is dependant largely on who you know. This is just speculation on my part, but I have every reason to believe Thai language skills and a reasonably good understanding of Thai culture are important factors, as well. If my assessments are accurate, it should come as no surprise that good jobs go to those individuals who have lived here awhile.

For those being sent here by their company, it is imperative you learn as much as you can about Thai culture. Most important is to understand those aspects of Thai culture that are related to conducting business, or managing employees. One very good resource for this is Thailand Tales’, an archive of articles written by Kriengsak Niratpattanasai.