Finding a Job in Pattaya as a Foreigner

I've hired a lot of foreign staff over the years, and I found my own first job here too. Here's how it really works.

Is it realistic?

Yes, but it's difficult. Thais are understandably protective of their jobs, and many occupations are reserved for Thai nationals. But it's not impossible.

My first piece of advice: be here. Applying from abroad rarely gets a response. And if it does, one of the first questions will be whether you're in Thailand and in a position to start.

Which jobs do foreigners do?

The ones I see most:

Diving instructors
Teachers, at international and Thai schools
Restaurant and bar managers
Chefs, where there's plenty of work
Sales staff for condo developers
Hotel roles, such as entertainers, translators and marketing
Roles in property companies, though agent and broker work itself is reserved for Thais

How do you find a job?

Occasionally you'll see an advert saying foreigners can apply. But the best way, by far, is networking. It's how I found most of my staff, and how I found work when I arrived.

Don't walk into a place and ask if they've got any jobs. Go in, get to know who the owner is, compliment the food, whatever it might be, and get in their ear in a subtle, friendly way. Sooner or later they'll ask what you do, and you say you're looking for a position at the moment. Then move on to the next place, and keep going.

Do that for a few months and you'll know enough of the right people. If you're the type of person they'd hire, I can assure you the phone will ring.

Work permits and visas

A proper employer will sort out your work permit. Some charge for it, because there's an upfront fee.

In my companies, we pay for the work permit, but the visa is the employee's responsibility. If someone is on a marriage visa, for example, I don't think I should be responsible for maintaining it. You can work on a marriage visa, as long as you have a work permit too. Every company has its own rules, so ask at the start.

What can you earn?

There's a minimum salary for foreigners on a work permit. For many Western nationalities it's ฿50,000 a month, though it's lower for some nationalities and for people married to a Thai, so check what applies to you. Realistically, if you're employed, expect between ฿50,000 and ฿150,000. I don't know many people in Pattaya earning more than ฿150,000. In the top hotels in Bangkok you may get more.

Commission-based sales roles are different, because the pay is uncapped. You might earn ฿50,000 one month and ฿200,000 to ฿400,000 in a really good one. That's why so many people are drawn to sales: you earn what you put in.

In a restaurant or bar, the main way to grow your pay is a profit share. I offer one, and so do friends of mine who run similar businesses.

If you're settled here and looking, send me your CV. I know a lot of owners who are often hiring.

This is the first in a series on working in Pattaya. Next, read teaching English in Pattaya working in hospitality in Pattaya working remotely in Pattaya and setting up your own business. For more, read hiring foreign staff in Pattaya and visas in Pattaya.