Working in Thailand Series: How to be the Boss in Thailand

Two expats at the top of Thai business, one posted here by head office and one who worked his way up locally, on what running the show involves and what it pays: THB200,000 a month and well beyond.

The following post is a chapter from our book, Working in Thailand: How to Ditch the Desk, Board the Flight, and Land the Job, written by Patrick Taylor and Karsten Aichholz.

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Key Takeaways

Doing business in Thailand has a bad reputation among expats, but both bosses in this chapter show that senior roles are within reach.
You can reach the top by being posted here by an international employer or by building local knowledge and working your way up inside a Thai company.
Experience and local knowledge count for more than letters after your name, though an MBA or business degree still helps.
In oil and gas, local staff now fill most roles, so expats mainly arrive on company transfers or short project contracts.
Management in a proper company pays around THB200,000 to THB300,000 a month, and CEO or MD roles THB500,000 and up.
Expect long days of client pitches, staff issues, financial reviews and fire-fighting.
Language can stay a barrier even after 15 years in the country.

The Bosses

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes by Adam Williams and Steven (last name withheld for privacy), bosses.

Among many groups of expats in Thailand, you’ll hear a common refrain when it comes to doing business in Thailand: don’t.

Come here for a holiday, by all means. Retire here, even. But there are few opportunities for foreigners here when it comes to doing business. In the cynic’s defense, the odds are certainly against you.

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