What is considered middle-class in BKK?

[dummy_plug]

Not a topic about farangs in BKK, but more about Thais in BKK and would be generally be considered a middle-class income for a household (this usually assumes one bread winner)? Obviously this would be a range of sorts. It's a tricky number and I think it's been defined many ways when people try to use that metric to measure the middle-class in the USA. However, if anyone has heard/seen a figure please post and include your source (doesn't matter if it may be old or if you aren't 100% sure).

[Stogie]

Middle class isn't always defined on how much you earn and different levels of Thais view 'middle class' differently.

The biggest explosion recently (in the past 5 years) has been in the what I call the 'lower-middle class.'

These are usually skilled or semi skilled people but more importantly they are house buyers and they are buying from 500,000 baht to about 3,000,000 baht. (Above that range I would say are actually middle class.)

People on minimum wage would consider office workers middle class and office workers wold consider home owners middle class regardless of income.

Also - let's not forget about how Thailand works... your status is also impacted by who you hang out with and who you know.

A 'middling' cop or civil servant making under 20,000 baht a month may be quite powerful and hang out with some higher ups.

Another factor is 'old money' and boy is there a lot of this in Thailand. These are people who are probably cash poor but have property which yields an income.

Don't forget education. Often you can elevate yourself to middle class on the strength of where you went to school or how educated you are or even simply by hiring a private tutor. (You'd probably skip most lessons but you have your own language skills coach, right?)

But as a general rule - middle class Thailand for us farangs would be the civil servants, pharmaceutical sales reps or the managers working for international oil companies and the like who are making between 60,000 and 150,000 a month. These people may already have pensions from careers as cops or military and almost certainly have a family history of wealth and property ownership.

Like you say, DP... It's a tricky number and it changes depending on who you talk to.

[dummy_plug]

Thanks for the insight Stogie, that's exactly the kind of response I was looking for.

If anyone else has any additional viewpoints to share, please feel free to add. This isn't an academic exercise or related to anything specific, but due to my increased interactions with local Thais on my last few trips I'm trying to get a sense of where everyone fits in.

[bigmick22]

Why?

[mardhi]

Ask Snick - he hangs around with these people. The rest of us avoid them like the plague

Cheers
mardhi

[BAM]

Having your own street corner is.....

[Snick]

(mardhi @ Jan. 30 2009,01:49) Ask Snick - he hangs around with these people.   The rest of us avoid them like the plague      

WTF is that supposed to mean !!

My friends are either Nana low lifes or crooked generals. I know very few in between.

In Bangkok, I would say middle class starts at anyone earning over 30,000 Baht/month when young to 100,000 Baht/month when older.

Also keep in mind what Stogie said, these numbers are for Thais without connection living on there own. I know plenty of Thais who have rich parents and live well beyond their nominal salary.

[dummy_plug]

Thanks!

And a side note, I've observed many younger Thais (lates 20s/early 30s) who probably make less than 50-60k thb/month, which is still a good sum, but who definately live on their rich parent's checkbook. Unfortunately I am not one of them, but I have been a beneficiary!