Thailand flag carrier. Star Alliance member. Post-restructure.
Thai Airways International (THAI) is Thailand's flag carrier. Hubbing at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, it serves a wide network to Europe, Northeast Asia, and South Asia. After filing for business reorganization in 2020 and completing it in 2024, THAI is rebuilding its network with improved finances.
* Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks. Verify actual compensation with each airline's official recruitment information.
| Position | Salary Range | Avg / Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain Int'l widebody |
¥15M–¥24.2M |
¥18.5M | Pre-tax |
| First Officer International |
¥6.6M–¥11.4M |
¥8.8M | Seniority-based |
💡 USD/JPY=150, THB/JPY≈4.3. Foreign pilots often on USD-denominated contracts. Compensation improving post-restructure.
Modeled from the captain / first-officer ranges above, sliced into standard career stages. Bands marked est. are derived from those ranges (not official); verified bands come from active-pilot data. Management pay is crowd-sourced from verified pilots.
| Career Stage | Years | Annual (pre-tax) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet / Trainee | ≤2 yrs | ¥3M–¥4.5M | est. |
| First Officer — Junior | 3–5 yrs | ¥6.6M–¥8.8M | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | ¥7.9M–¥10.1M | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | ¥9.2M–¥11.4M | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | ¥15M–¥19.1M | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | ¥17.6M–¥21.6M | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | ¥20.1M–¥24.2M | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Bangkok hub to Europe (London, Frankfurt, Paris), Japan (NRT, HND), East Asia, South Asia.
B777-200/300ER, B787-8/9, A350-900
Thailand CAAT-approved training. Ground → simulator → LIFUS.
Supervised line ops post-type rating. ~50–75 legs.
OPC/LPC 1–2x per year per CAAT.
Seniority + performance assessment.
Discount/standby tickets. Star Alliance partners included.
Medical coverage for pilot and family.
Performance-linked bonus.
20–30 days.
Corporate pension plan.
Per diem for international layovers.
Hiring status: Restructuring phase. Hiring limited. Check official site.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thai Airways International 🇹🇭 | ¥15M–¥24.2M | ¥6.6M–¥11.4M | Income tax applies |
| ANA 🇯🇵 | ¥22M–¥35M | ¥14M–¥21M | ~33% (Japan) |
| JAL 🇯🇵 | ¥22M–¥35M | ¥14M–¥21M | ~33% (Japan) |
* Salary figures are SSOT reference values (pre-tax unless marked tax-free). ANA / JAL shown as the Japan baseline — ~33% income tax applies in Japan, so after-tax take-home is lower than the headline. Tax-free carriers pay 100% take-home. Verify exact figures with each airline.
Thai Airways International captain pay averages about ¥18.5M per year (range ¥15M–¥24.2M), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
Thai Airways International first officer pay averages about ¥8.8M per year (range ¥6.6M–¥11.4M), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Pilot Recruitment — Check official site for current openings.. Key requirements — License: ATPL (ICAO); English: ICAO Level 4+.
Thai Airways International captains average ¥18.5M, versus roughly ¥27M at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, Thai Airways International captains earn about ¥1.54M a month and first officers about ¥0.73M. What actually lands each month moves with block hours flown, and where an annual bonus is paid the regular monthly figure sits lower with a spike in the bonus month.
Thai Airways International first officers average ¥8.8M and captains ¥18.5M — a step of about ¥9.7M, or roughly 2.1×. The full range runs ¥6.6M to ¥24.2M, and where you sit inside it is set by seniority, type rating and the routes you fly. The seniority table on this page breaks the same range into career stages.
Every figure on this page is gross, before income tax. Captains average ¥18.5M and first officers ¥8.8M pre-tax, and income tax, social insurance and any local levies come out of that. Take-home depends on where you are resident and on your own deductions, so no single percentage applies. Airlines based in countries with no personal income tax — the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia — leave more of the same gross figure in your hand.
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Pilot salary in Thailand 1 airline · captain avg ¥1,850万