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[QUOTE=Daddy07]Good news for us Yank expats, tourists, and mongers who depend on the greenback -- The US dollar is starting to slowly creep higher finally against the Thai baht. The rate is over 33 baht to the $ today. Perhaps the dollar will rise to 40 baht again making life even cheaper for us in the LOS.[/QUOTE]
Well, let's hope not for those of us who actually work here and earn our money locally and have to send some home.
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]Well, let's hope not for those of us who actually work here and earn our money locally and have to send some home.[/QUOTE]
Not to worry, OTH, since you are leaving us anyway to Dubai, remember? :D
[QUOTE=Daddy07]Not to worry, OTH, since you are leaving us anyway to Dubai, remember? :D[/QUOTE]
For the moment, I'm still here and hope the baht goes down to 25/$ which is what it was when I arrived here.
I work here and would love to see 40 to the dollar. For one thing I think it is crazy to rely on something as tenuous as a job, particularly a job in Thailand. One's chances of being fired due to office politics and so forth is very high here. For another thing, who can send money back to North America making $1,200 a month?
[QUOTE=Opebo]For another thing, who can send money back to North America making $1,200 a month?[/QUOTE]
$1,200/month. really? That's all? You poor, poor guy. :)
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]For the moment, I'm still here and hope the baht goes down to 25/$ which is what it was when I arrived here.[/QUOTE]
So it appears that the demise of the Thai baht corresponds directly with when you arrived in the country and therefore is not likely to recover as long as you stay. ;)
[QUOTE=Daddy07]So it appears that the demise of the Thai baht corresponds directly with when you arrived in the country and therefore is not likely to recover as long as you stay. ;)[/QUOTE]
Good one. :D
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]$1,200/month. really? That's all? You poor, poor guy. :)[/QUOTE]
Oh I don't feel so bad, as I certainly have plenty of company, most farangs in Thailand making roughly that amount.
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]For the moment, I'm still here and hope the baht goes down to 25/$ which is what it was when I arrived here.[/QUOTE]The baht was 25/$ when I first starting visiting The Land of Smails. I would be OK to go back to those days if the price for the ladies was still 600 bht and barfines were still 300 bht.
Fooolishman
[QUOTE=Opebo]Oh I don't feel so bad, as I certainly have plenty of company, most farangs in Thailand making roughly that amount.[/QUOTE]
We've had this discussion before. But, there are a lot of Farangs in private business as well as those teaching at my level making a hell of a lot more. Most of the expats I see around town are earning good money. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to fill all those high-rent condos all over town. I'd say the same is true of places like Hua Hin, Phuket and Chiang Mai, as well.
It seems that only the young 20/30 somethings teaching ESL are making such lowly wages. Aren't you a little old to be among this lot?
Even my GF, when she finishes school in a couple of months will start working for a salary of 32,000 and she's a Thai and only 23.
Any Farang above the age of 30 staying here for a paltry 35,000/month is an idiot and loser.
[QUOTE=Opebo]Oh I don't feel so bad, as I certainly have plenty of company, most farangs in Thailand making roughly that amount.[/QUOTE]
Well, most Farangs I know make above 100k thb / month
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]Any Farang above the age of 30 staying here for a paltry 35,000/month is an idiot and loser[/quote]
I wouldn't go that far but 35k/month certainly is very little.... it wouldn't even cover my rent (without utilities)
[QUOTE=NicFrenchy]Well, most Farangs I know make above 100k thb / month
I wouldn't go that far but 35k/month certainly is very little.... it wouldn't even cover my rent (without utilities)[/QUOTE]
Yes, perhaps a little harsh. But, Opebo constantly yammers on about most Farang making only 30-35,000, failing to realize that most of those are young ESL teachers here for a year or two to get some experience and have a bit of an adventure. The turn-over of these type is quite considerable. Most long-time expats only stay here because they earn enough money to make it worth their while: i.e. at least the 100,000/month that you mention, and most likely a lot more than that.
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]...Farang making only 30-35,000, ... most of those are young ESL teachers here for a year or two to get some experience and have a bit of an adventure.[/QUOTE]
Not at all. Virtually every farang teacher I have met up country is over 30, with the great majority being much older than me (that is, over 40). And they all make 30-35k, and are of course greatly envied and resented by the Thais for the huge salary.
[QUOTE=Opebo]Not at all. Virtually every farang teacher I have met up country is over 30, with the great majority being much older than me (that is, over 40). And they all make 30-35k, and are of course greatly envied and resented by the Thais for the huge salary.[/QUOTE]
Unless they have money stashed away or are retired and on a pension and are merely teaching for something to do (and to get a work permit and visa, perhaps), these individuals are just underachieving wasters, IMO.
One wonders what motivates a 40-something man (99% are men, afterall) to come here and work for such a paltry sum. A criminal record, perhaps?
Admittedly 35,000/month provides an ok lifestyle upcountry. But, you still can't save anything and can't go anywhere. So what happens? These guys fritter away their lives, and suddenly find themselves in their 50s and 60s without a pot to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] in or a wall to throw it over. I've seen it happen all too often here.
I repeat. At that age, unless one's making at least 100k/month here, one should be doing something better with one's life.
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]One wonders what motivates a 40-something man (99% are men, afterall) to come here and work for such a paltry sum. A criminal record, perhaps?[/quote]
No, Thai women, in some cases prostitutes, in some cases 'not', motivate them, obviously.
[quote]Admittedly 35,000/month provides an ok lifestyle upcountry. But, you still can't save anything and can't go anywhere. So what happens? These guys fritter away their lives, and suddenly find themselves in their 50s and 60s without a pot to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] in or a wall to throw it over. I've seen it happen all too often here.[/quote]
The thing is they wouldn't have a pot to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] in back home anyway. Lots of people have very low incomes, particularly in the US. Back there I doubt I could make more than double the $1,200/month I make here, and the cost of living is four times as much. So the other reason besides sex that guys teach here is that though the job is horrible, the standard of living is much higher than they would have back home.