You’ll never be rich if you are a salary man in Thailand; this is probably one of the saddest truths about living in a labor-intensive country like most countries in Southeast Asia. Based from what I’ve heard from my friends in Malaysia, they are suffering from the same fate, even though their case isn’t nearly as bad (because they’re richer to begin with)

Why is it so? From our own business I can already see that most new grads earn about Bt12,000 – 15,000 a month as their starting wage. If they’re lucky, they may get 10% raise per annum. But sadly, a lot of people who’ve worked for a company that I’m familiar with, a pretty well established advertising firm too, only pay the 50 year-old staff who’s worked for the firm for at least 15 years only about Bt30,000 a month.

It’s just shocking. I can already see my future if I take this salary-based career path in Thailand. I will have the saddest amount of savings. I won’t be able to keep up with my current standard of living. I can forget about raising my own family and anything else because it’s impossible with this amount of pay.

Coincidentally (or not?), all the rich people I know in Thailand they are not salary men. They are all entrepreneurs. Even if it’s a local entrepreneur running only a small shop, there’s much higher chance of being rich (I won’t use the word ‘success’ as I’d say salary men who could raise children are all very successful.) whilst being your own boss.

Again, it’s risker, but the return could be much higher. Finance 101 yet again.

Before you argue, remember that salary men in Asia aren’t the same as white-collar workers in the Western world! Also, chances are there will be some outliers who can be damn rich even though they follow the salary based career path in Thailand, for example, CEOs and MDs of companies… or politicians or corrupted police officers.