Where Does Your Salary Fit in the Pyramid? And Why the Number on Your Pay Slip Doesnt Guarantee Survival

Try spreading out your latest pay slip and compare it with the income structure of the Thai population as a whole.

• Less than 15,000 baht: This group covers 50–60% of the population. According to Social Security data under Section 33, among over 12.1 million formal workers, more than half (55%) earn under 15,000 baht per month, with the largest concentration between 9,001 and 11,000 baht. Including an additional 15 million informal workers, the proportion of Thailand's grassroots population becomes even more pronounced.
• 15,000–30,000 baht (lower middle class): Comprising 20–25%, this group starts to establish themselves but is often tied down by long-term obligations such as car loans, condominium payments, or personal loans.
• 30,000–70,000 baht (middle class): Making up 10–15%, this group begins to have liquidity for saving and investing.
• 70,000–85,000 baht (upper middle class): Constituting only 4–5%.
• More than 85,000 baht (upper class): About 4% of the population, with those earning over 100,000 baht making up less than 2% of the country.

Looking only at these figures, many might think that moving up to the higher brackets would ease life’s burdens. However, the financial reality is not that simple.

Why might someone earning 50,000 baht be financially more vulnerable than someone earning 35,000 baht?

In reality, income is only "cash inflow," not "net worth." Imagine two individuals.

• Person A earns 70,000 baht but has monthly expenses including mortgage, car payments, credit cards, and regular bills totaling 65,000 baht, leaving just 5,000 baht in the account and no emergency savings.
• Person B earns 30,000 baht, is debt-free, has monthly expenses of 18,000 baht, saves and invests 12,000 baht monthly, and has emergency funds covering six months of expenses.

If tomorrow an economic crisis hits or both lose their jobs for three months, who is at immediate risk? It would be Person A.

Four equations to measure "true financial security".

To assess true financial status, looking only at the "salary" on a pay slip can lead to misjudging risk. Instead, consider four key factors:

1. Income: How much do you earn monthly, and from how many sources? Are you reliant solely on labor income, or do you also have investment income?
2. Debt: After debt payments each month, how much real money remains? Data from the Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research shows 37% of Thais (about 25 million people) have formal debt. Concerningly, 68% of all debt accounts are "non-income-generating" debts such as personal loans and credit cards, while mortgages and business loans each account for only 4%.
3. Assets: How much do you have in savings, property, or investments? Data from the Bank of Thailand and the Deposit Protection Agency reveal stark wealth inequality, with the top 10% of deposit accounts holding 93% of total deposits, while over 80% of Thais have savings accounts with balances under 50,000 baht.
4. Liquidity and Resilience: If you suddenly had no income at all, how many months could your assets and savings sustain you and your family?

The income pyramid numbers only show "how much the economy pays you today," but they do not indicate "how much you can save or how long you can survive" in the future.

The key question is not just how to increase your salary level, but to check your current financial status: "Is your salary being used to build long-term assets for security, or is it mostly going toward paying interest to support a temporary lifestyle?"

Sources: National Statistical Office (NSO), Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research (PIER) / Bank of Thailand, Household Asset and Inequality Analysis Report by KKP Research, Krungsri Bank.

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