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what career choices would you suggest for a college educated Thai?


dean

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My family of four kids and wife have been in U.S. since October. Unfortunately, the kids received no credit for going to school fromthe end of October to the end of fall semester becasue they started the semester too late. It didn't bother me much, as I wanted them to take as musch English as possible. The 18 year old daughter has two semesters to go to finish high school, the 14 year old starts 9th grade and the 12 year old is in 6th grade. I'll spend the next year looking at scholarships and grants aimed at Thais/Asians and aimed at what they are interested in at school. While its theri choice to what they want to study, I will give them advise as to what they can study and make a good living at eventually in either the U.S. in in Thailand. The eldest daughter is fluent in Thai and Chinese and hopefully will be fluent in English before entering college. The only thing I can say for sure about the son is he is very good with computers and video games. I'm not that worried about the youngest, as she is alreeady the best student in her class of mainly mexican children. The lawyer that I used a little bit in the immigration process recommended getting both a U.S. and Thai law degree, as U.S. lawyers can't go to court in Thailand. I know many working farangs in Thailand are either engineers or have degrees in computer science. Any other suggestions out there? I know they can alway reject any suggestions and go their own way but I want to be sure, particularly if they move back to Thailand eventually, that they aren't stuck in a dead end job making $1,000-2,000 per month.

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go to university!

i doubt that in Thailand a college degree from US would be valued higher than a university degree from a Thai university. most of the Thais with bachelor or master degrees start with much less then 1000 usd salary! a degree from a US university and fluency in english would put them in a much higher category! law, business admin and engineering are the favorites!

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If the scholarship/grant money isn't there, having them go to a Thai university is an option. I don't think a degree from the U.S. would make any difference to a Thai company. However, if my daughter, who can speak Thai, Chinese and eventually English, can get a job in the U.S. (after graduation) with a U.S. company that deals with China and/or Thailand, she could eventually be sent to China or Thailand by the conpany (if she wants to) and make U.S. wages. That option isn't available to Thais without a work permit in the U.S., no matter how many degrees they might have. Or, maybe she would want to teach in Thailand and make Thai wages. I just want her to be aware of her options.

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All I am going to do is give her options, not decide her fate. I think that eventually she will move back to Thailand, if only to be with her boyfriend. If she moves back to Chiang Mai, her options are really limited (over moving back to Bangkok). However, ultimately, I'll support her in almost any endeavor she chooses. I just want her to know as many of her options as possible. In Chiang Mai, without certain degrees/skills, her options would be fairly limited. My only reason in posting this is to guage what foreigners working in Thailand feel would be good career choices. What my daughter does with this imformation is up to her.

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A Thai uni would be far cheaper, if they can get in as Thais. e.g. The entire 4 year BBA programme at Thammasat costs about 350,000 baht. Just one year can easily cost you that in the States.

 

Of the Thai private unies, Assumption (ABAC) has a pretty good reputation. The major government unies now often have international programmes entirely in English. Beware of double pricing for Thais and foreign students though.

 

I taught several Thai gals whose English was perfect. Turned out they were both from Los Angeles! Since they had dual citizenship and spoke Thai as well as English, their family sent them back to Bangkok. I asked what they would do after they graudated. "Go back to the US."

 

As to law degrees, Thai code law is based on Anglo-American law, but not entirely the same. Foreign citizens also are not allowed to appear before a court in Thailand, though they may (and often do) prepare a case.

 

Suggestions for work? Well, I wish someone had told me about the hotel industry when I was a kid. Hotel management can make nice salaries and work all around the world. Others no one told me about where airconditioning science, which is a huge business in SE Asia and the Middle East. Look around for jobs in which there's a shortage. And for God's sake, don't go into teaching. :(

 

 

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right - teaching is the worst - unless of course one do it for the fun of it!!! :cover: :hubba:

 

basically however having obtained *any* decent degree one could go into a wide variety of jobs & few actually end up working within the *speciality* of their degree - a Thai degree would probably work best in the west while a US degree would be most valuable in LOS - good luck ;)

 

anybody ran into US degree holders in the cowboy soi or any other *dance clubs* recently? :hmmm:

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