Your background in tourism management and operations is actually quite relevant here, especially in places like Phuket, Koh Samui, or Krabi where high-end resorts and villa management need people who can handle the kind of multi-department oversight you're doing now. With your French passport and that campsite director experience, you'd be a strong candidate for resort general manager or operations director roles at properties catering to European tourists. The salary range for those positions typically falls between 80k and 150k THB depending on the property and your negotiation, though you'd likely start closer to 100k.

The catch is that most of these jobs require you to be in Thailand already and willing to start on a non-B visa while the work permit processes. I'd suggest networking through LinkedIn with recruitment agencies like PRTR or Adecco's Bangkok office, and also checking the Facebook groups "Bangkok Expats" and "Jobs for Expats in Thailand" where people post leads regularly. Learning Thai will definitely help but it's not a dealbreaker for senior management roles where your team communicates in English anyway.

For living outside central Bangkok, 60k THB is still doable for a couple if you're smart about it, but you'll want to budget closer to 80k once you factor in eating out and air conditioning costs. The bigger adjustment from France will be the lack of social safety nets and the visa renewal hassle every year.

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honestly i think you're in a pretty good spot with that management experience. a lot of the bigger hotel groups here love hiring europeans for operations roles, especially french nationals since so many tourists come from france. try looking at accor properties specifically, they have tons of hotels in thailand and your background would fit well with their style.

60k is still fine for two people if you're not living in thonglor or something. just be ready for the visa stuff to be a headache every year, that part never gets easier.

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maybe look into tour operations or cruise line roles out of phuket or koh samui, your campsite experience translates well to managing excursions or resort activities. 60k is tight but doable if you rent outside the tourist zones

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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