Originally Posted by
Stickman
Just another indicator that the bar industry is not humming are the meagre salaries paid to foreign bar managers these days. Once upon a time the position of bar manager in a gogo bar was a well-paid job with a salary that gave you a decent lifestyle. By comparison, bar bosses used to earn considerably more than your average Bangkok English teacher – but I doubt that’s the case these days. 10+ years ago I’d say the average monthly salary for a foreign bar manager was around 70,000 baht a month – with many perks like free drinks (which it ought to be noted is not just free drinks in the bar they manage but usually means free drinks in many other bars too, from other bars owned by the same boss to bars where they are friendly with the owner / manager). For those who enjoy a drink, 10 years ago a monthly package of 70,000 baht per month and what was effectively unlimited free drinks was a tidy package. For some time, one bar manager was on a salary that included a decent rate and a small percentage of the bar’s monthly turnover which meant he earned over 100,000 baht a month and some months earned up to 130,000 baht – and this was way back in 2004, 2005 and 2006 when that went a whole lot further in Bangkok. He lived in a 200+ square metre apartment downtown, ate Western food most nights and frequently took trips back home. Not a bad gig. Compare that with a foreigner currently managing a big name Bangkok gogo bar who earns a paltry 40,000 baht a month. And on top of managing the bar he is also responsible for all of the online marketing. There just isn’t the same money in the bar industry these days.
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