Prospective expat in Bangkok

[anubis]

Dear all

I woulkd like to ask you for help here. I am from Spain (educated in Scotalnd), scientist, possibly moving to Bangkok by february next year. I will be working as a postdoctoral researcher at Mahidol Uni for one year and extensible for one more. My salary would be around 30000 bahts... Here my questions:

1.- Is that the culture so different from western countries?
2.- Is the heat bearable?
3.- Is it possible to live off 30000 bahts per month? If I brought my girlfriend (something unlikely), would we be able to live with such as income?
4.- The uni and the group I would be working with sounded excellent and really nice. Is Mahidol a, so to speak, prestigious university?

Well, sorry for the battery questions in my first message, but I'm a wee scared as I have only lived abrad in Scotland for 4 years and moving to such a different culture kind of gets me scared...

Thanks a lot for the wonderful forum here.

Yours

[wali]

Mahidol is a well reputed institution in Thailand. It is among top five universities in the country. It is hard to live on 30,000 baht if you're bringing your girl friend with you.

[wali]

... oh and the heat, you can bear it I am sure. Expect 32-37 C in Feb.

[singto]

1.- Is that the culture so different from western countries?

YES

2.- Is the heat bearable?

SOMETIMES BUT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AIR-CON IN YOUR RESIDENCE

3.- Is it possible to live off 30000 bahts per month?

30,000 baht is SHYTE and while it's possible, you're not going to have any extras.

4. If I brought my girlfriend (something unlikely), would we be able to live with such as income?

Not unless she's working.

5.- The uni and the group I would be working with sounded excellent and really nice. Is Mahidol a, so to speak, prestigious university?

Yes, it's prestigious - hit em up for more money because 30K is really piss-poor pay. Who cares about prestige if you can't pay the bills?

[anubis]

OK, guys, thanks a lot for your answers, you've been helpful, it seems that I could survive on 30000 bht but wont be wealthy, although I don't usually spend much money going out, drinks (don't stand alcohol), something that worries me is language, do you think you can get along without Thai? Is Engish enough?

Thank you pals !!

[Winkie]

Many people speak a little English, and you'll pick up some of the basic essential Thia words quite quickly. Do not worry too much about the language issue.

THB30K is not a lot, most of my Thai staff earn more than this, some more than double this (plus they have additional benefits, like monthly and annual bonuses, private and Govt medical schemes, car/transportation allowances etc...)

Sure you can rent a room for THB 5,000 per month (but it'll not be very comfortable).

[singto]

I live in Bangkapi area and have a 4-bedroom, 2-bath house that it runs me 7000 baht a month and it's very comfortable. I know of several places in the area, and it's a middle class area, quite sufficient other than the traffic on Ladprao, and the apartments run 4500-8000 with the norm being 6000. I had a studio apartment that I used as an office, brand new furniture, clean and quiet, and it cost me 6000 a month plus another 2000 for electric and water.

So you can live off 30k but you're not going to have many extras.

[Zark]

You'll find that most Thais/foreigners that work/teach in the universities and colleges will have one or two other jobs to supplement their income. One of the prime reasons for working at a prestigious university here is for the contacts - not for the job.

It is through the contacts that you can and will often find very well paying part-time and/or short-term jobs.

B30,000 per month is a very poor wage and you will live poorly on that wage. But - if you use your position to make contacts and secure other work - you can probably double that wage within a year.

You will certainly not be able to support your girlfriend or anyone else on that wage. Yes, some Thais can/could get by on it or even less - but it is their country and culture and what they might find acceptable in terms of living and life standards - you may not. You will find that your Mahidol colleagues will NOT be living on a B30,000 wage regardless of what their base income is at the university.

[anubis]

Thanks guys for your answers.

Updating data... my boss would be offer me a condo fairly close to Chong Nonsi skytrain station, I should get to Skytrain's, Victory Monument station, 15 mins from faculty. Uni covers up to 8000 bahts per month in rent, this flat is 6800 so that would be fine. I think having a landord you can communicate with, and beiong your boss (he is from USA) would be better than a Thai who doesnt speak English. Moreover, uni seems to get me medical insurance covering as well.

These 30000 bahts a month would be before tax, by the way.

does this make a big difference?

Thanks a lot again

[Zark]

Originally Posted by anubis

Thanks guys for your answers.

Updating data... my boss would be offer me a condo fairly close to Chong Nonsi skytrain station, I should get to Skytrain's, Victory Monument station, 15 mins from faculty. Uni covers up to 8000 bahts per month in rent, this flat is 6800 so that would be fine. I think having a landord you can communicate with, and beiong your boss (he is from USA) would be better than a Thai who doesnt speak English. Moreover, uni seems to get me medical insurance covering as well.

These 30000 bahts a month would be before tax, by the way.

does this make a big difference?

Thanks a lot again

DOUBLE check what "Uni covers up to 8000 bahts per month in rent" means.

What that means when most universities here say that, it means: "Of that 30,000 baht - up to 8,000 is for rent" or really what they mean is, "Your wages are B22,000 plus B8,000 for housing, for a total of B30,000."

A friend's wages package is similar - he earns roughly B55,000, but really if you ask for details it is B49,000 plus B5,000 for housing. He's been with his employer for a long time though - thus the relatively decent wage.

Taxes probably won't be more than B1,000 to 1,5000.

Don't expect that medical insurance to be very comprehensive. My wife's employer provides insurance for employees also - and when she was in the hospital a few years back she ended up with a B40,000 bill AFTER the employer's insurance had paid their part. Luckily we carry our own private insurance - so it was ALL covered.

I am not trying to discourage you - in fact I would like to encourage you to come here - but do be aware of how things work differently here and how people may word things differently.