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An Expat’s Guide to Finding Work in Thailand

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Finding a job in Thailand as a foreigner isn’t easy, but it’s possible. Discover the requirements, best job sites, salary ranges, and insider tips to land work in Thailand.

Is finding a job in Thailand easy or hard? This depends on who you ask or what you read.

For some people, Thailand is where you come for vacation. But if you ask me, you can work in Thailand.

How?” you ask.

Just follow this guide and you’ll find out how to search for a job while in your home country or Thailand, what requirements and qualifications you need, what websites and recruitment companies will give you the best shot at landing a job, how to approach companies of all sizes.

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Is It Easy to Find a Job in Thailand?

The short answer is no. It’s not easy for a foreigner to find a job in Thailand. The job market is limited, and hiring you, along with obtaining a work permit, requires significant effort from the employer. Handling your documents and dealing with government agencies is often something companies prefer to avoid.

So unless you bring something worthy to the table, you’ll get passed up for a job that a Thai can do.

Most companies need a good reason to choose you over a Thai. Also, there are limits on the kind of work you can do in Thailand.

However, if you have years of experience and can demonstrate to the company why they should hire you, it’s possible to secure a job in Thailand.

Jobs in Thailand: Requirements for Foreigners

While you could find a job with your ability to speak English (or any other language), it’ll be less than what’s needed to cover your living expenses. Aside from language, here’s what you’re going to need:

  • Degree
  • Work Experience
  • Language
  • Nationality
  • Cultural Adaptability
  • Geographical flexibility

Let’s take a look at each one in more detail.

Degree

Do you need a degree to work in Thailand? Lots of people ask this question.

You don’t always need a degree to find a job in Thailand if you have years of experience.

For certain jobs and/or employers, a college diploma isn’t everything. NGOs, media companies, and even schools may hire you if you’re without a degree.

A friend of mine who works at a real estate media company said that for sales and editorial jobs, the company’s hiring team strays from asking questions about university degrees.

The same goes in the tech sector. People with the right skills can find jobs with work permits without holding a university degree. This is also assuming you have at least 5 years of working experience.

However, certain jobs, such as a school teacher at an international school, always require a degree. If teaching interests you but you lack one, see our guide to teaching in Thailand without a degree.

Also, having a degree comes with additional benefits:

  • The degrees that’ll help you find a high-paying job in Thailand are the same degrees earning you the highest income abroad.
  • The degrees help you find a job easier. STEM degrees (degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math) and a degree from a business school give you the best odds.
  • Having a university degree can also help you get a work permit process a lot easier.

Work Experience

If you have no working experience, you are unlikely to get a job in Thailand. For a Thai company to hire a foreigner, you must bring the skills and mindset the company in question wants.

Therefore, at the very least, you should have a few years of work experience in order to find a job in Thailand.

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Language

Do you need to speak Thai to find a job in Thailand?

The simple answer is no.

You may find work with a multicultural company where people speak English and Thai.

However, if you can speak Thai, your chance of getting hired is going to be higher, especially if you can communicate in Thai at a business level.

But what if you can speak a few words in Thai? Okay, holding meetings is out of the question. But you can build some rapport with your Thai coworkers.

In our opinion, if you want to move to Thailand, it’s always a good idea to learn how to speak Thai. The skill makes your life in Thailand a whole lot easier. And they’ll make your job search more fruitful.

Nationality

Your nationality plays a role in your job hunt, and this also depends on the type of job you’re seeking.

If you’re from a Western country, your chances of getting hired in Thailand are higher in fields like education, marketing, and hospitality. However, finding jobs in Thailand’s service industry may be more challenging for you.

On the other hand, if you come from one of the surrounding Asian nations, you have more change to get a job in hospitality, customer service, and reception.

The Brewed in Bangkok podcast has an episode that features the experience of a Filipino living and working in Bangkok. The show gives you some more insight on the topic.

Cultural Adaptability

If you can adapt to a multicultural workplace it’ll raise your chances of being hired.

You may have spent a few days or weeks in Bangkok or Phuket and think you know enough about Thai culture. But it’s easy to miss the more subtle aspects of working in a different culture.

Have a look at this cross-cultural management guide to Thailand to get a better idea of what you might be getting yourself into.

But relax. A little research can help.

Our exclusive content covers many topics that’ll help you with a career in Thailand, including:

  • background on Thai business and culture
  • how to prepare yourself to work in Thailand
  • employee regulations in Thailand
  • how to offer and receive criticism (applicable to expats with managerial jobs)
  • other systems ingrained in the Thai way of doing business

You have to experience the rest for yourself. There’s something to be said about your Thai colleagues’ penchant for pungent breakfast dishes and other real or imagined idiosyncrasies.

Adapt your work ethics and personality to fit your job in Thailand. It’ll help your employer decide to hire you or keep you after your probation, which lasts for three months.

Geographic Flexibility

How can you showcase that you have the courage to move to and stay in Thailand?

Maybe you have the chops. The staying part is huge.

According to one recruiter, about 25% of all people who are brought to Thailand leave within the first six months. Past work experience in the region is a big plus. This is why it’s a lot easier to find your second job than your first. So think twice before declining a job offer.

If you’re just starting your career, you can highlight travel experience on your resume.

Where to Find a Job for Expats in Thailand

There are many ways you can search for jobs in Thailand.

  • Job Websites: This is the most popular method. There are both generic and industry-specific job websites you can look at.
  • Recruitment Agencies: You can use a recruitment agency and let them do the job hunt for you.
  • Networking Events: In our opinion, it’s the best way to get a job here. You can join a networking event and meet up with your potential employer.
  • Walk-In: It’s also possible to walk into a school or a company and apply for a job in person, assuming they post a job announcement notification in front of the company.

Let’s take a look at each option.

General Expat Job Websites

When looking for work in Thailand, the internet is your friend. The success rate of landing a job though the internet is higher if you’re persistent. Here are the websites I’m going to cover in this section:

  • JobsDB
  • LinkedIn
  • Work Venture

JobsDB (Thailand)

Who should use JobsDB: Expats who have just moved to Thailand and want to find entry- to mid-level jobs.

Jobsdb-logo-1

In my first few tries to find a job in Bangkok, I leaned toward JobsDB, one of the most reliable job portals in Thailand.

There are a variety of jobs you can find in JobsDB. The best way to do it is by customizing your search by

  • Job title
  • Location
  • Job function
  • Salary range.

You can expand your search choices by career level (entry, middle, senior, top), employment type (full time, part time, freelance, etc.) and education level (doctorate, master, degree, etc.).

The great thing about JobsDB is that you can set up job alerts based on your search terms. Setting up an alert helps because you get email updates for jobs with your chosen job titles and keywords (Eg, Data Analysis, Marketing Communication, Hospitality, Reservations).

Jobs available for you on JobsDB vary. Most ads leave out preferred nationalities. Rather, job posts indicate whether a job is for “Thai nationals only” or “open to foreigners.”

The thing that could discourage you from using JobsDB is that most responses to applications are slow and infrequent compared to other job sites.

My Experience with JobsDB

Although JobsDB is where I landed my first job, I should have expanded my choices. I applied for jobs such as Financial Research Analyst, Marketing Assistant, and Personal Assistant for a Real Estate Business that needed Thais.

As a result, I ended up with few interviews after trying a lot.

LinkedIn

Who should use LinkedIn: Expats with some experience in Thailand who are looking for senior-level jobs and above.

I saw the value of maintaining a LinkedIn profile after moving to Thailand. Through LinkedIn, I landed job number three and have seen that the time it takes for recruiters to respond was also fast.

There are a few ways that help you make the most out of LinkedIn. You should look into the company career pages.

A friend and former coworker who uses LinkedIn to search for and recruit people posts job ads on the company’s career page and gets over 50 responses.

This is due to the ease of applying through the site.

According to my friend, here’s how the recruit process works:

  1. you apply through a company’s LinkedIn careers page
  2. the company’s recruiter narrows down the qualified people for interviews
  3. the company shortlists your name if you interest them
  4. the company contacts you for an interview

There is no singular tried-and-tested way of getting hired by a Thai company through LinkedIn.

This explains how I got hired on my third job via the networking site.

When I found a job through LinkedIn, it wasn’t because of any keywords in my summary that got me noticed. I got hired because I passed through the company’s routine shortlisting process.

Work Venture

Who should use WorkVenture: Similar to JobsDB, it’s mainly for entry- to mid-level jobs.

Work Venture is a newer job board in Thailand. They’re smaller than their competitors. But I know that employers using the platform are happy with the results. Happy employers mean better job ads.

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Work Venture launched as a website for student jobs and internships with a strong focus on the local workforce market. But it’s moving towards becoming one the of the primary job websites in Thailand.

I suggest looking into Work Venture as part of your job hunting process.

Industry-Specific Expat Jobs

Aside from general job websites, there are a significant number of industry-specific job websites.

If your skills apply to these industries, you sometimes have better odds finding something there than on the more general ones.

Here are some of the more popular industries in Thailand:

  • Tech
  • Teaching
  • Development
  • Hospitality
  • Marketing
  • Publishing

If you want to find a detailed list of job websites, you can check our premium subscription.

Now let’s take a look at the websites that help you find work in each sector.

Tech

You can check out WellFound. They post jobs for thousands of startups and well-known companies throughout Asia.

Also, one of the biggest advantages of tech jobs is how quickly you can find work, as there are many openings for expats in Thailand. In many cases, you can also get hired by a BOI-promoted company, which makes the visa and work permit process much easier.

If you’d like to find out about Thai job websites that focus on IT jobs, read our guide to IT jobs in Thailand.

Teaching English

A good resource for those who’re looking for a teaching job is Ajarn.com. The site caters to teachers in Thailand.

Ajarn’s Jobs page is where you want to go.The pay rate is displayed along with the ad and the exact area of expertise needed is right there on the headline. Ajarn also lets you filter searches based on your preferred employer type, area of work type of work and pay rate.

Finding a Good Teaching Job

Teaching English is definitely one of the most popular jobs for expats in Thailand.

However, not all teaching jobs are equal. Some teachers might only make 32,000 baht a month, while others can make over 100,000.

We have an exclusive guide on how to find a good teaching job in Thailand, pointing you what you need to have and to do in order to get a higher salary.

It’s one of our 100+ exclusive pieces of content available only to our premium subscribers.

To get access, please become a subscriber.

In addition, job postings, Ajarn provide forums, news, a blog, and other useful sources for Thailand-based teachers.

Good to know: You need at least a bachelor’s degree if you want to land the higher paying teaching jobs in Thailand, especially at international schools. If you didn’t graduate with a teaching related degree, you may also need a TEFL certificate.

International Development

You can find jobs with Non-governmental Organizations with ReliefWeb. It is a job board for people looking for NGO jobs worldwide, including Thailand. It has listings for internships, senior level jobs, and other NGO jobs.

However, international development jobs with NGOs in Thailand are still limited.

Hospitality

Thailand offers amazing hospitality. So expect plenty of work in this field.

ThaiHotelJob.com has an exhaustive list of hospitality jobs, including hotels and resorts, cruise operators, airline, restaurants, travel agencies and spas, with listings for boutique hotels, mid-range hotels, and 5-star hotels and resorts throughout Thailand.

Publishing

If you’re looking for press work, explore the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand. Its job board has few ads. But postings for mid- to senior management level jobs do exist.

Tip: Sign up as a member to get a weekly bulletin. You’ll get a list of open jobs for the jobs I mentioned above.

Other Job Websites

The sites above should help you find work in Thailand. These are the more popular sites for job search. But there are other sites you can explore in case you’re looking for more choices.

Most of these have either a large overlap with the above sites, have a limited number of jobs posted, or aren’t as relevant for the Thai market:

Effective Ways to Land a Job

Job websites aren’t the only option to find a job in Thailand. Based on our research and insider information, many expats get better jobs through other methods.

You can read about them in our guide to effective ways to land a job in Thailand.

It’s one of our 100+ exclusive pieces of content available only to our premium subscribers.

To get access, please become a subscriber.

Recruitment Agencies

If you’re working in certain industries, getting in touch with one of the several agencies in Thailand might help. One of the best reasons to do this is having your background matched with the right employers by recruiters.

This may be useful for expats. Recruiters can decide if a company would consider you with no Thai language skills.

Tip: If you want to increase your chances of getting approached by recruiters, make sure your profile on LinkedIn is up to date and includes the right keywords.

Pros and Cons of Recruitment Agencies

One reason to look at recruiters is the payment these agencies receive for getting you hired and past probation. They get paid commissions of up to 30% of your annual salary for finding workers. You can count on them to build a network and find people who are a potential fit for the job openings they’re covering.

The fact that a company is paying that kind of money means a few things:

  • it’s important for them to hire the right person
  • they need workers fast
  • they want the candidate to stick around for a long time

This is all good news for you.

The bad news is that recruiters cover a small percentage of job openings. And the likelihood of getting a job through them is rather low.

Yet, you never know what contacts might pan out in the future. So if you have a chance to build a network in your industry or function, you should take advantage of it.

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A word of warning on dealing with third party recruiters: the employer pays the recruiter fees. Never agree to pay for any placement, a pay-cut, or any other form of compensation that comes out of your pocket. Recruiters bill your employer.

List of Recruitment Companies

There are plenty of recruiters in Bangkok alone. While I had in-person dealings with some of them, I have little first-hand info on a majority of the recruiters and can’t confirm if they’re the real deal.

Here are some popular recruitment agencies in Thailand:

  • JAC Recruitment Thailand
  • Gummy Bear
  • KTI Consultants
  • Manpower Thailand

Find out more: A List of Top Recruitment Agencies in Thailand for Foreigners

Networking Events

In fact, this can be one of the best ways to get a job in Thailand: finding opportunities through handshakes and informal conversations.

So, when you are in Thailand, I recommend joining networking events regularly to increase your chances of finding a better job. You should also attend conferences and other events in your industry where you can meet people with similar backgrounds.

This also holds true if you’re outside of Thailand. Read our guide to networking events in Thailand to find out more.

Walk-In

I know some people who just walk in to ask about job openings, especially at schools. I’ve never done it myself, but I’m mentioning it here in case you want to try. I can’t guarantee success, though.

Application Process

The application process for a job in Thailand is similar to elsewhere:

  • Send your resume online.
  • Get an interview. In many cases, there are three interviews: first with HR, second with managers, and lastly with the company’s directors.
  • Take a test. This can be done either before or after the interview. The company may have its own test to assess your skills.

After the interview, you should expect to hear back from the company within 3-5 business days.

Applying for a Visa and a Work Permit

Once you pass the interview, it’s time to get a visa and work permit.

The steps usually go like this:

  • The company sends you a full list of documents you need to apply for a Non-Immigrant B visa.
  • You fly to a nearby country, such as Laos, Cambodia, or Malaysia, to apply for a Non-B visa, which initially lasts for 90 days.
  • You return to Thailand with the visa. The company then helps you extend your visa and get a Thai work permit.

You can read our guide to business visas and work permits in Thailand to find out more.


Good to know: You may be offered a job while you’re in Thailand on a tourist visa. However, working on a tourist visa is illegal. You shouldn’t start working until you have the right visa and work permit. Also, because of visa restrictions in Thailand, there are mainly companies promoted by the Thailand Board of Investment.

Probation

Probation in Thailand usually lasts for 3 months. If you don’t pass probation, the company may not help you extend your work visa, which also initially lasts for 3 months. So, keep this in mind.

Salary

How much money can you expect to earn in Thailand?

In practice, I’ve seen everything from a third of their salary back home to double that.

As an expat, one of the most important things to remember is that there is a minimum salary requirement when extending your business visa. For example:

  • Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, USA: THB 50,000
  • South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong: THB 45,000
  • Most other Asian countries, including China, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines: THB 35,000
  • Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and most African countries: THB 25,000

This is based on the Immigration Bureau income table attached to Immigration Bureau Order No. 225/2566. Teachers are exempted from this rule.

In addition to that, if you work in a BOI promoted company, there’s also a minimum salary requirement such as:

  • Workstation-based operator: 30,000 THB
  • Digital tech expert (relevant degree + 2 yrs experience): 50,000 THB
  • Digital tech expert (no relevant degree, needs 5 yrs experience): 75,000 THB

Anyway, your salary level as an expat depends on your experience, industry, personal networks, and, for some jobs, your nationality. Here’s what it looks like:

  • C Level: THB 100,000+
  • Managerial Level: THB 50,000 – THB 100,000
  • Executive Level: THB 30,000 – THB 50,000

Another part is the confidence of your potential employer in how likely you’re to solve their problem. If they’re convinced you’re the person that will handle it, the value of the problem reflects your salary.

In non-technical jobs, Westerners can expect higher salaries, whereas in tech careers salaries are often similar.

The Board of Investment publishes salary data for Thai nationals based on data given by promoted companies. It’ll give you an idea on what Thai nationals get paid in similar careers.

Payment Inequality

I will use teaching jobs as a point of comparison for this one.

As a Filipino, if I were to work as an English teacher, I’d make less than someone from the UK or anyone from a native English-speaking country.

The rationale behind this seems easy enough to comprehend, although it might come off as unfair to a non-native speaker who is qualified to teach English and other primary and secondary education subjects.

This is not meant to discourage anyone from pursuing a teaching job in Thailand. Of course, there are special cases.

You may be a non-native English speaker. But if you have an expansive teaching background and have the teaching certifications, it’s possible that you could make more than your UK or US counterpart.

Since I have never been a teacher in Thailand, I couldn’t claim authority on the disparities between non-native English speakers’ and farangs’ salaries and/or their status as educators in Thai schools.

Whether an employer pays different nationality different wages for the same job depends on the employer.

I’m not aware of any government regulations against this. In practice, it depends on your employer’s policies and your individual negotiation.

Preparing to Work in Thailand

Adapting yourself to Thai culture is another important matter that many expats fail to do.

We have an article on how to prepare yourself to work in Thailand. It teaches you about important work culture and regulations you must know.

It’s one of our 100+ exclusive pieces of content available only to our premium subscribers.

To get access, please become a subscriber.

Additional Benefits

There are other benefits of working in Thailand:

  • Paid Leave: Depending on the company and how long you’ve worked there, you can get between 5 and 20 days of paid leave per year on average. However, taking all 20 days in a row may not be a good idea due to work culture in Thailand.
  • Sick Leave: You are entitled to 30 days of sick leave per year. For one-day sick leave, you may not need a doctor’s certificate. If it’s 2 days or more, a certificate may be required depending on your company’s regulations.
  • Holiday Leave: Thailand has 13-15 official holidays per year. Many holidays are related to Buddhism or the royal family. Keep in mind that unless you work at an international school, you may need to work during Christmas or use your paid leave.
  • Social Security: It is legally required that the company enrolls you in Thailand’s Social Security system, deducting 5% of your salary (up to THB 875 per month) to pay to the SSO. This provides free healthcare at a Social Security hospital.
  • Group Insurance: This is optional. Many companies offer group health insurance to provide additional health coverage beyond what is offered by Social Security.

Tip: If your current company sends you to work in Thailand, you may receive a relocation package that includes accommodation and flight tickets. Some companies may even provide extra money for learning Thai.

Taxes

Personal income tax rates vary from 5% to 35% of your yearly salary. In most cases, you don’t need to pay this separately yourself every month. The company you work for will deduct it from your paycheck.

You also need to file your Thai personal income tax annually, usually between January and March. Your company will issue a document called a 50 Tawi, which shows your total salary and the amount of tax deducted. You then use this document to file your tax return.

Depending on the company, HR may file it on your behalf.

Also, check your home country’s tax rules. Even if you’re working in Thailand, you may still need to file a tax return in your home country.

Find out more: Thailand Income Tax for Foreigners: Do You Need to Pay?

Decrease Your Personal Income Tax

A lot of expats we talk to do not know how to effectively decrease their income tax, even when they have been working in Thailand for many years.

You can save a lot of money if you know how to decrease your personal income tax.

We include it as one of our 100+ exclusive pieces of content available only to our premium subscribers.

To get access, please become a subscriber.

Thai Office Culture

Your first few weeks in Thailand might feel like a vacation. But after a while, you have to settle into working life, and this process can be challenging.

In the beginning, there will be surprises and things you need to adapt to. You might experience a bit of culture shock. To be honest, it may take around three months before you start to feel comfortable in your new environment.

Here are some things to expect:

  • Daily life can feel confusing at first: You may not know where to go for simple things or how to handle important tasks. Even if you’ve visited Thailand a few times on vacation, living here long-term can feel very different.
  • Indirect communication: Your coworkers may seem friendly and helpful, but after a month or so, you may realize that communication can be more indirect than you’re used to.
  • People may avoid saying “no” directly: In Thai workplaces, people don’t always reject your request face to face. Instead, they may avoid the topic, delay their response, or say no later through email or Line.
  • Small signs matter: There are little social cues you may not notice at first, but you’ll start to understand them over time.
  • Direct criticism can sound rude: If you criticize something too directly or use strong words, it may be seen as rude in Thailand, and some people may avoid talking to you afterward.

These cultural challenges can be frustrating. Because of this, some expats prefer to work for international companies in Thailand, where the work culture may be more familiar.

Should I Find a Job Before Moving to Thailand?

The short and unhelpful answer: it depends.

The more helpful answer: the more the job pays, the more likely you can apply before you get to Thailand.

If a job pays more than THB80,000 a month, the employer may have to extend their search outside of Thailand. Finding a job from your home country for less money is possible but less common.

Insights: Finding a Job from Outside Thailand

An HR manager friend who works at a real estate media company told me that, in many cases, it doesn’t matter whether you’re already in Thailand or still overseas. One sign that a company may consider applicants from abroad is if they post jobs on LinkedIn, JobsDB, or other job boards that cater to international candidates.

If you meet the company’s requirements, they may interview you online first and then shortlist you for a final face-to-face interview. Some may pay for you to move to Thailand if you meet their needs.

Also, another friend of mine who recruits for a multinational hospitality and eCommerce company said they normally ask questions like, “Why are you considering a job in Thailand?” This gives them a clearer idea of the candidate’s purpose for applying.

Anyway, there are others wouldn’t entertain the idea of interviewing you if your resume shows a non-Thailand address. Certain companies prefer to meet you face-to-face. I often hear this:

We never consider candidates who aren’t here yet.”

We always consider candidates from abroad.”

It depends on how specific, urgent, or important the job is to an employer.

Jobs You Can’t Do as a Foreigner in Thailand

In some fields, you’re limited to the type of work you can do because of legal restrictions. For example:

  • Medical professionals can’t practice as doctors, but they may be able to work in research.
  • Legal professionals can’t join the Thai Bar, but many law firms hire foreign lawyers as consultants.
  • You can’t work as a tour guide, hairdresser, and so on.

You can check the full official list here: Department of Employment: Prohibited Occupations for Foreigners

Now, On to You

If you’re struggling to find work in Thailand, or just thinking about what life would be like working in Thailand, then check out our premium subscription.

It comes with insider job hunting strategies proven to be far more effective than general methods. The premium subscription also come with hundreds of pieces of exclusive content to make Thailand your new home.

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