The fact still remains in 2023, there are hardly any jobs for expats in Thailand.
This is due in part by a massive list of jobs reserved for Thai people that they will NOT let foreigners have employment in.
Under the Alien Employment Act, the following occupations are closed to foreigners and is reserved for Thai nationals only:
- Labor work except labor work in fishing boats under the next category below
- Agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry or fishery, except work requiring specialized knowledge, farm supervision, or labor work in fishing boats, particularly marine fishery
- Bricklaying, carpentry, or other construction work
- Wood carving
- Driving motor vehicles or vehicles which do not use machinery or mechanical devices, except piloting international aircraft
- Front shop sale
- Auction sale work
- Supervising, auditing, or giving service in accountancy, except occasional internal auditing
- Cutting or polishing precious or semi-precious stones
- Haircutting, hairdressing, or beautification
- Cloth weaving by hand
- Mat weaving or making utensils from reed, rattan, jute, hay, or bamboo
- Making rice paper by hand
- Lacquer work
- Making Thai musical instruments
- Niello ware making
- Goldsmith, silversmith, or gold-and-copper alloy smith work
- Stone work
- Making Thai dolls
- Making mattresses or quilts
- Making alms bowls
- Making silk products by hand
- Making Buddha images
- Knife making
- Making paper or cloth umbrellas
- Making shoes
- Making hats
- Brokerage or agency except in international trading.
- Professional civil engineering concerning design and calculation, systemization, analysis, planning, testing, construction supervision, or consulting services, excluding work requiring specialized techniques
- Professional architectural work concerning design, drawing-making, cost estimation, or consulting services
- Dressmaking
- Pottery
- Cigarette rolling by hand
- Tour guiding or conducting
- Hawking of goods
- Thai typesetting by hand
- Unwinding and twisting silk by hand
- Clerical or secretarial work
- Providing legal services or engaging in legal work (except arbitration work sand work relating to defense of cases at arbitration level, provided the law governing the dispute under consideration by the arbitrators is not Thai law)
Combine that list with the fact a million recent Thai college graduates are still unemployed makes finding a job super difficult. (Average salary for recent Thai college graduate is only 15,000 thb (US $441) per month)
If you are extremely, extremely lucky, you may be sent to Thailand to work from a foreign corporation. We see this in the hotel industry. There are other full expat packages but they are very hard to get. High western pay.
Some expats work in the offshore oil and gas industry. 2 weeks away working, 2 weeks back in Thailand. High western pay.
Owning your own business. It is possible to open your own business, following all the rules for employing Thais and paying taxes. It is very, very difficult to open a successful business in Thailand. One reason may be there are so many businesses already? Also the amount of failed businesses is astronomical. Do your research and back it up with a proven business plan!
Teaching English. If you meet the requirements you can teach English. Average salary is around $1,000 a month, unless you are highly degreed and land a job in a top international school. You can live on $1,000 a month, but not much else and does not bode well for saving anything for retirement. Teaching English is looked at as a career waster as you will never get ahead.
Working online as a digital nomad. You have to have the necessary skills to be able to work online and make a steady income. Many younger expats have chosen this route, however, you still have to bide by the visa requirements and may have to periodically leave the country and return (per the law).
The main issue I see from working in Thailand, is that everyone wants to move here for all the wrong reasons. They only think about how can I get to Thailand and survive. The never look ahead to the fact they will never own anything and never save enough money to retire.
The mindset seems to be, get to Thailand no matter what. Event at the future expense of having no retirement or savings. The lack of finances is the #1 issue facing expats in Thailand.