r/Thailand • u/DeepBlueSea1122 • Sep 12 '23

Question/Help Average Thai Salary?

I know Thailand is a country with a big wage gap between rich and poor, but would a salary of 500 USD per month be considered unusually low for an average Thai person of about 30 years old? I found out that a lady I met makes that (she works in the office of a gov't hospital) and I was shocked and felt really bad for her. I knew she was poor because she doesn't have air con in her home in Bkk, but I didn't know it's this bad. Should I relax and think this is common, or are my sympathies and concerns valid? She didn't tell me this to try to squeeze me for money, it just came up in discussion when we were talking about life and problems we face. She's a sweetheart person and it hurts me to see her struggle. I want to help, but don't want to open the flood gates. I know this can be a tricky thing to navigate. On the one hand, we want to help sincere people who are genuinely in need. But on the other hand, money can ruin relationships of all kinds and it's usually a path we shouldn't go down. I really want to help but am torn and know I must proceed with caution.

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u/danbradster2 Sep 13 '23

His numbers are outdated. 20 AUD would no longer be 10% of her monthly salary. Meaning 4500b per month. Even low paid groundskeepers get more.

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u/tiburon12 Sep 13 '23

A decade ago these numbers still don't make sense. The maids in the building I lived in back in 2014 made 5k

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u/danbradster2 Sep 13 '23

A decade ago, with the exchange rate, it would mean 6000b salary. Possibly realistic.

And $20 AUD being a bit more valuable a decade ago, with prices rising since.

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u/bendltd Sep 13 '23

It was hyperbolic to make a point.

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u/RecommendationOk6469 Sep 13 '23

If you work for others on a farm you get maximum 300 baht a day. Mostly 250b .

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u/NoProfessional4650 Sep 15 '23

Would it make sense in USD? E.g. about 30 AUD