General Reports

[Old Thai Hand]

If you know of places where degree educated farangs can easily get 60k jobs, I know some folks who would be absolutely delighted to hear about it. Further, I am sure Opebo the chump wouldn't mind almost doubling his income after a quick couple of words of advice from you.

He's already had plenty of advice from me. Even third-tier International schools pay at least 60,000 base salary. First-tier schools pay double or more plus bonuses. I know some international school teachers making close to 200,000.

As has been posted on here ad nauseum, I'm a university professor, teach about 20 hours per week (including overloads) and make roughly 135,000+/month. Even adjunct faculty can make a lot more than Opebo is apparently making in his full-time job. My university pays 2,000 baht/hour to part-time faculty. My other university pays 1350/hour. I have part-time faculty working for me who are making 48,000/month teaching 2 days/week.

Just in education alone, there are loads of opportunities even outside of teaching including consulting, special lectures, and writing manuals. You just need to get into the system.

[Blunderer]

Opebo. You're a chump if you're working for 35K. I don't know what you're doing for so little, but there are lots of jobs that pay more. Personally, I don't know any Farang making less than 60,000/mo minimum and even that's low.

Where? I've not been locally employed in Thailand, but have had plenty of farang friends who are/have been - usually teaching English, but, some of them have switched to some sort of stocks based telesales and brokerage thing in recent years - I don't know what they make. The teachers have all been in the 35-50k region - some of them get a few benefits chucked in. All of them make at least half as much money again with private lessons.

If you know of places where degree educated farangs can easily get 60k jobs, I know some folks who would be absolutely delighted to hear about it. Further, I am sure Opebo the chump wouldn't mind almost doubling his income after a quick couple of words of advice from you.

[Old Thai Hand]

i could never move to thailand to be a salary worker on such a pitiful wage. that's ridiculous.
i guess most westerners in thailand don't have a family to support (or don't support an ex-family).

dubai - minimum 300,000 baht/month (tax-fee) for western professionals with a higher degree.

cost of living is higher than thailand, but we get by.

we've discussed this before and you're absolutely right. but, not all farang are losers like mr. 'o' scraping by on 35k. there are lots of farang making 100,000+ and even 200,000+. anybody working for less, unless a young guy (or girl) in their 20s here for an adventure and to get some experience should think about what they're doing with their lives.

even at 125-150,000 (depending on the month) i only accept that i'm doing 'ok' because i don't have any kids (except my gf ) to support.

btw, dubai is in the cards for me in a year or two to make a last chunk of dosh before i retire.

[Old Thai Hand]

Actually, for most of us who live and work in Thailand, the strong baht is a negative. The reason is that one makes so little in Thailand that even at 25/$ it would not make sense to spend it in the US - one could probably never save up enough for the plane ticket anyway.

Personally, though I can just barely get by on the 35K typical farang salary, those occasional inputs from home still mean more to me. So, this expat is praying for 50/$, as much as I know that is not in the cards. Perhaps if burd-flu really gets going someday.

Opebo. You're a chump if you're working for 35K. I don't know what you're doing for so little, but there are lots of jobs that pay more. Personally, I don't know any Farang making less than 60,000/mo minimum and even that's low.

[M P Lurker]

Neither am I. In 100's of sessions I cannot recall a condom ever breaking, though quite a few times I've had it cum off inside the lady. .

Condom breakage is not that unusual.
Major causes are fingernail scratches (sometimes guys do this on purpose)and friction against sponges that some girls wear indside them.
Its much less likely for short sex sessions of course.
Faulty manufacture is rare I believe.

[M P Lurker]

NOTHING in Thailand is as important as the King making a full recovery as soon as possible hopefully in time for his 80th birthday celebrations.
We are pleased to hear in the news he is doing well.

[Blunderer]

That brought a huge grin to my face.

I hadn't considered that side of it.

For years every letter and email to my parents finished with 'please send money'.

They never did!

(To be fair to my wonderful parents, my including that was a running joke, if I had ever seriously asked them for money, they would have given me some).

Brother, I'm saying that most of us expats make so little and are so unlikely to ever go back to the US on our paltry salaries that a strong dollar for those occasional checks from home (from the family, etc.) is far more important.

[Opebo]

That one confused me... what is the advantage to you in the baht losing value?

Brother, I'm saying that most of us expats make so little and are so unlikely to ever go back to the US on our paltry salaries that a strong dollar for those occasional checks from home (from the family, etc.) is far more important.

[Blunderer]

Actually, for most of us who live and work in Thailand, the strong baht is a negative. The reason is that one makes so little in Thailand that even at 25/$ it would not make sense to spend it in the US - one could probably never save up enough for the plane ticket anyway.

Personally, though I can just barely get by on the 35K typical farang salary, those occasional inputs from home still mean more to me. So, this expat is praying for 50/$, as much as I know that is not in the cards. Perhaps if burd-flu really gets going someday.

That one confused me... what is the advantage to you in the baht losing value?

As far as I can see, most expats are better off with a strong baht:

We still get paid the same in baht terms.
Foreign goods are effectively cheaper (foreign foods, pretty much all electronics etc etc)
Our money is worth more when we do cross the border - I accept that all farangs don't have the money to go to Europe/US, but I'd think most could take a trip to Laos/Cambodia/Malaysia on occasion. Laos a bit baht based, but Cambo as someone else mentioned is strongly dollar based, so the baht is worth a lot more there.
Also, as far as I know, the Malaysian Ringgit (RM) is no longer fixed against the dollar, but tends to follow it up and down (probably by virtue of being an oil based economy), so Malaysia gets cheaper the stronger the baht gets.
Ooh.. Burma as well - dollar based economy as far as I know.

The only disadvantages I can see for expats to a strong baht is:
1) If your money comes from exports you'll be making less
2) There'll be less tourists, so if you make money from them, you'll struggle a bit (that's effectively the same as exports I guess)
3) If you are not paid in baht, your salary will effectively decrease - live with it, you're probably making a packet anyway

[Opebo]

Those of us who live here, hope you enjoy Cambodia, while we enjoy the fact that the baht is almost back to where it was in '97....bring on 25/$ !!!!!!!

Actually, for most of us who live and work in Thailand, the strong baht is a negative. The reason is that one makes so little in Thailand that even at 25/$ it would not make sense to spend it in the US - one could probably never save up enough for the plane ticket anyway.

Personally, though I can just barely get by on the 35K typical farang salary, those occasional inputs from home still mean more to me. So, this expat is praying for 50/$, as much as I know that is not in the cards. Perhaps if burd-flu really gets going someday.

[Old Thai Hand]

Having been away all of 8 months and returning in January I think of a GOOD exchange rate as somewhere around 40. Return I will but plan to spend a lot of time in Cambodia where a buck is still a buck.

Those of us who live here, hope you enjoy Cambodia, while we enjoy the fact that the baht is almost back to where it was in '97....bring on 25/$ !!!!!!!

[PinkPearl]

Yes i have heard that is quite unlikely to get aids caused by condom break, but i am not an expert .....

Neither am I. In 100's of sessions I cannot recall a condom ever breaking, though quite a few times I've had it cum off inside the lady. Fortunately I never unloaded any babies on those occasions, and now I am mindful to check the cap regularly during extended sessions, if the lady does not. And especially just before I cum, though I prefer not to release that way due to the risk of pregnancy. For the same reason I dispose of any seed myself, down the toilet. Never trust anything that bleeds for three days and does not die.

BTW earlier this week I stuck it in a TG, forgetting the rubber. Though she immediately brought that to my attention.

[M P Lurker]

Speaking of the toilet, you can get coffee for only 10 Baht at 7-11. But at Starbucks, the hotel & other places you are typicly looking at 50-60 Baht per cup. Then I tip 20 baht more. After 4-5 cups a day that adds up. By shopping at 7-11 before long I'll have saved enough for a pussy.

We spend money on lifes pleasures while in Thailand.
Therefore the Hotel only needs cost enough to be very confortable while sleeping and screwing.
You can also eat very cheaply in Thailand and you can screw very cheaply.

Unfortnately alcohol and coffee are not proportionally cheaper than Farang countries. If you enjoy them, then why not indulge a little.
But no need to stoop to super cheap stuff (like white spirit rice liquor or crappy coffee like at some "Black Canyon" stores where the staff are untrained).
Save money on food and accomodation instead.

If coffee is one of lifes pleasures, you can get a really good one for half the starbucks price. Is the 7-11 coffee really that good at 10 Baht? Perhaps it is good (I haven't tried it yet). You could save more money and be healthy by drinking only water bought by the big flagon.

[Lover Boy #2]

just a brief and single post from an old asia hand regarding trends, ongoings and a warning.

...blah, blah, blah............i've married several times into both high and lo so as it's called here on isg and am fluent in several asia languages.

........"as it's called here on isg"?????........here is an article appearing in conde nast traveler (certainly not isg)....note the references;


i go through some fabrics with victor, looking for a summer suit, passing the material through my fingers, turning them against the light. it is hard to wear a suit in bangkok, the world's hottest city, unless you speed from air-conditioned bar to air-conditioned bar. i need something tropical but lined—an ultralightweight italian weave that will allow me to spend a few minutes on the street without suffering cardiac arrest.
so we pick a light, subtle pale-gray herringbone wool, and the measurements begin. i am starting to enjoy the ritual more and more: the passing of hands over my limbs, the nips and tucks, the order to stand straight and throw the shoulders back. every tailor creates a suit particular to him, and rajawongse suits are indefinably different from raja's suits. there is something beautifully clean and old-fashioned about mine when i finally put it on: a suit my grandfather could have worn suavely while taking the water at lourdes in the fifties. the night i pick it up i wear it to a "hi-so" (high-society) party at the q bar thrown for the birthday of one of thailand's innumerable crown princes. i feel like a bit of a shark in this shimmering ice-gray costume, and i immediately realize that no one else is wearing a suit.
instead, they are dressed as characters from batman (the ever-frivolous crown princes and their hangers-on enjoyed these sorts of theme parties even through a tumultuous year that included the army's bloodless coup in september). the crown prince arrives dressed as batman himself. he glances at me as he enters the bar and registers a slight surprise. the only man in a suit, and a farang, to boot! but bespoke clothes make you feel invulnerable, and among all the robins and penguins and catwomen i feel a tremendous calm. the prince later comes up to me, dead drunk, and asks if i am with the cia. "what does it look like?" i reply, and the bodyguards laugh.

[AncntFornicatr]

After a long absense of more than three years, so far, only positive thing of this trip is to encounter very good exchange rate.

Bandy

Having been away all of 8 months and returning in January I think of a GOOD exchange rate as somewhere around 40. Return I will but plan to spend a lot of time in Cambodia where a buck is still a buck.