It became a talk of the town online for a while after Tonhom Sakuntala posted a job announcement seeking a receptionist for her spa, drawing some mild online criticism for setting very high standards but offering what was seen as an insufficient salary.
Recently, "DJ Tonhom" opened up and clarified the drama with Thairath Entertainment, sharing the good news that she has found someone who perfectly matches the brief, with a luxury-level profile.
About the receptionist recruitment?
"Currently, the number of applicants exceeds what we initially aimed for. For example, one candidate speaks four languages and used to be a flight attendant serving first-class customers. We accepted her. Actually, some candidates haven’t yet been tested, but I worried that if I kept testing, the candidate I had in mind might get hired elsewhere. She speaks Chinese, Korean, French, and English, and can handle customers well. Her English is excellent."
She was a flight attendant and now works as your receptionist?
"Yes, she was a flight attendant and applied to be our receptionist. I asked her why she chose to apply here, especially while people were criticizing me online for setting high standards but offering that salary. She said the job challenges her and that her previous job was full of pressure. She wanted to talk with people, so I told her, 'If you want to engage with people and receive positive energy, come here.' When I opened the spa, I got great energy from foreign customers."
She is happy washing feet, very happy, because foreigners give good energy. They make me feel dopamine. We had many good applicants, including some who could also be content creators. We hired one person, so I told another, 'I won’t hire you as a receptionist but as a content creator,' so she got an additional role.
There was another very beautiful applicant, a Thai-French mixed woman with a luxury lifestyle—basically a rich girl from Thonglor whose family takes care of her. I told her, 'I pay this much, and people online still criticize me for the salary. Why would you work here?' She said she wanted to work with me anyway, despite that. However, she caught the flu, and I was afraid if I waited for her recovery, I might lose the receptionist position, so I decided to hire her. She starts tomorrow on a daily basis first.
We focus on ability and friendliness to the environment. That means when she arrives, foreigners feel she is friendly. Since this isn’t their home, foreigners want someone with good personality and warmth. What I look for is not beauty like Bella but someone with good personality who makes you feel comforted. This person has a service mindset and appears to love working in service."
Clarify if you really faced online criticism?
"It’s not just me—whenever anyone sets a salary during recruitment, some people complain they earn more but work less and feel the job is unfair. For me, I think from the applicants’ perspective. Before, I didn’t set qualifications, and too many people applied. They asked me, 'Will I get an interview?' I gave them hope even though I knew I couldn’t afford to pay them. I know my budget."
English is often seen as meaning a higher salary. I say young people all speak English now, and many speak a third language as well, so English isn’t hard to find. I researched other nearby small spas at the same level; they pay about this much. I did my homework. I don’t want to give anyone false hope. I pay what I can and want people who fit the criteria. If you fit, come apply; if not, it wastes everyone’s time.
I knew there would be drama but let it be, because in the end, I only hire one person. Interestingly, the drama made people capture and share the post, resulting in many applicants fitting my criteria.
I asked applicants if they saw the drama; they said yes. I asked why they still applied; they said they felt the description fit them. Some didn’t meet all criteria, like age limits, but applied because they felt confident. It actually benefited me. In this process, there are only two parties: the recruiter and the applicants.
I ignore online drama. I explained that I don’t want anyone wasting time or having false hope. If you come to me, you won’t get the job anyway. Those who work here like that everything is clearly written, which saves their time."
So applicants don’t complain but non-applicants do?
"I don’t mind. At least I benefit. When it gets shared, it effectively filters applicants for me."
What is the salary?
"Starting salary is 18,000 to 25,000 baht. Some say 18,000 is very low. The lowest offer I had was 17,000 from someone who really wanted the job. I don’t focus on work experience. If someone has experience, I wouldn’t underpay them—that would be unfair. I prefer fresh graduates and train them. For those with no prior work experience, I set the range at 15,000 to 17,000 baht."
They just want a job. I choose who fits. I always tell applicants that it’s not only me choosing you; you also choose me. If you think the late hours and salary are okay, come work here. Everyone who tested was okay with this because they know spa work ends late, sometimes as late as 1 a.m., which is common for spa workers."
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