How to Find a Nanny in Bangkok (2026 Guide) — 5 Methods Compared, Pros & Cons, and Which One Fits You

Hiring a nanny or maid in Bangkok is harder than most expat parents expect. You arrive with a moving truck, two kids, and a job that starts next week — and suddenly realize you don't speak the language, don't know how to find a candidate, and have no idea what fair pay looks like.

There are five main ways to find domestic help in Bangkok. They differ wildly in cost (1,000 THB/month to 8,000+ THB upfront), speed (same-day to several weeks), and risk profile (carefully screened to "your-friend-says-she's-fine").

This guide compares all five so you can pick the path that fits your family, your timeline, and your budget.

1

TL;DR — 5 Methods at a Glance

| Method | Typical cost | Speed | Best for |
| Traditional agency | 6,000–8,000+ THB per match | 1–3 weeks | First-time hires, busy parents |
| App platform (HelloNanny Plus, FamBear) | 1,000 THB/month | Same day–1 week | Self-driven families, repeat hires |
| Facebook groups | Free | Days–weeks | Bargain hunters, networking types |
| Word of mouth | Free | Depends on luck | Long-term expats with networks |
| Direct hire (Thai classifieds) | Free | Days | Thai-speaking, hands-on hirers |

Now let's walk through each in detail.

How it works: A coordinator interviews you, hand-picks 3–5 candidates from their database, arranges meetings, helps with contracts, and supports you after hiring.

Cost: Most agencies charge a one-time placement fee of 6,000–8,000+ THB per successful match. Some bill 1 month's salary as the fee.

Pros:

• Hand-held experience — coordinator does the heavy lifting
• Pre-screened candidates (interviews, sometimes background checks)
• Replacement guarantee if the first hire doesn't work out (terms vary)
• Help with paperwork (contracts, work permits)

Cons:

• Most expensive option upfront
• Slow — you depend on the coordinator's availability
• Candidate pool limited to what the agency has on file
• You don't talk to candidates directly until the agency arranges it

Best for: First-time hires, families short on time, those uncomfortable with negotiating in Thai or English. If "I want someone to handle this for me," this is your method.

Bangkok agencies worth knowing: Hello Nanny (concierge service), FamBear (premium VIP plan), Eden Recruitment, Helping Hands Asia.

How it works: You sign up on a mobile app or website, browse candidate profiles, message the ones you like directly, then video call before hiring. No coordinator in between.

Cost: Pricing models vary:

• HelloNanny Plus: 1,000 THB/month, browse free, pay only when you start messaging. Cancel anytime.
• FamBear: Tiered VIP plans with additional surcharges (after-hours, extra child, food allowance). Not publicly listed.

Pros:

• Much cheaper than agencies if you use the app for multiple months
• Browse the entire candidate pool yourself (2,000+ profiles in some cases)
• Direct chat with candidates — no waiting for a coordinator
• Video call built in for pre-hire interviews
• Auto-translation in chat (useful for Japanese/English families hiring Burmese or Thai nannies)
• Flexibility to post multiple needs (weekday regular, weekend spot, travel coverage)

Cons:

• You do the work yourself — picking, vetting, deciding
• Less hand-holding for first-timers
• App quality varies between platforms

Best for: Families who want control, are comfortable making their own judgment calls, or have hired before and know what they want. Also great if you have multiple short-term needs (weekend babysitter + occasional travel help) — the per-message-not-per-match model is much cheaper.

4

Method 3: Facebook Groups

How it works: You join Bangkok-focused expat groups (Bangkok Mums, Bangkok Expats, Japanese-Mums-in-Bangkok, etc.) and post a "Looking for a nanny" message, or browse posts from candidates / agencies advertising themselves.

Cost: Free.

Pros:

• No fees at all
• Active communities — replies usually come within hours
• Real reviews from other parents in the group
• Often candidates come pre-recommended by another family

Cons:

• No vetting. You're on your own to check references, ID, work permits
• Visibility — your post gets buried fast in active groups
• Scammers and unqualified candidates exist; sorting through replies takes time
• Communication is split across DM, comments, WhatsApp — easy to lose track
• No replacement guarantee if hire goes wrong

Best for: Families who already have some expat-network experience and know how to vet a candidate themselves. Good as a supplementary channel.

Major FB groups in Bangkok: Bangkok Mums and Babies, Bangkok Expats, BNI Bangkok, バンコクママ友, Bangkok Japanese Wives.

How it works: Your friend's nanny has a sister who's looking for work. You meet, agree on terms, and hire her.

Cost: Free — though it's polite to give the referring friend a small thank-you gift.

Pros:

• The candidate comes pre-vetted by someone you trust
• Cultural and language fit is usually known in advance
• High success rate when the network is strong
• Often the candidate is already familiar with expat family expectations

Cons:

• Depends entirely on luck and network size
• Hard to compare options — you take what you get
• If the relationship sours, it can affect the friend who referred her
• Newer expats with smaller networks rarely have this option

Best for: Long-term expats with multiple friends who already employ household help. If you just landed in Bangkok, this method is probably closed to you for the first 6–12 months.

How it works: Browse Thai-language job boards (ThaiJobsDB, JobThai, Maeban.com), or pin up "Help Wanted" ads near your condo. Candidates contact you directly.

Cost: Free (or minimal for paid listings).

Pros:

• Access to candidates not on any English-language platform
• Often cheaper salary expectations (these candidates have direct access to families)
• Some agencies post here too — you might find premium candidates without paying agency fees

Cons:

• Thai language required for the entire process — listings, replies, interviews
• No screening, no background check, no protection
• Time-consuming — high volume of irrelevant replies
• Steepest learning curve for new hires

Best for: Thai-speaking expats or those with Thai partners. Realistically a small minority of expat families.

What looks "cheap" upfront isn't always cheap over the relationship:

| Months | Agency (6,000 THB upfront) | App (1,000 THB/month) | FB Group (free) |
| 1 month | 6,000 THB | 1,000 THB | 0 |
| 6 months | 6,000 THB | 6,000 THB | 0 |
| 12 months | 6,000 THB | 12,000 THB | 0 |
| 24 months (replacement needed) | 12,000 THB | 1,000–12,000 THB | 0 |

Key insight: If you hire once and the relationship lasts 1+ year, agencies and apps are about equal cost. If you need replacements or hire multiple times, the app model often wins. If you never have a hiring problem and you're networked, FB Groups win on price (but lose on safety).

8

Which One Fits You? (Quick Decision Guide)

You just arrived in Bangkok, kids start school next week → Traditional agency. You don't have time to learn the market. Pay the premium for speed and hand-holding.

You've hired before and know what works → App platform. You don't need a coordinator. You'll be faster and cheaper picking yourself.

You need a weekend babysitter or a 5-day travel cover → App platform. Agency placement fees don't make sense for short-term needs.

Your budget is tight and you have local friends with strong networks → Word of mouth first, FB Group second. Free, lower-friction, but requires vigilance.

You speak Thai fluently and like to negotiate → Direct hire via Thai classifieds. Skip the middlemen.

For full transparency: we operate both a traditional Concierge service (Method 1) for first-time hires who want hand-holding, and HelloNanny Plus (Method 2), the app platform for self-driven families. Same vetted candidate pool, different levels of support, very different pricing.

If you want the agency experience: [Hello Nanny Concierge](/en/services/concierge). If you want to browse candidates yourself: [HelloNanny Plus app](/en/services/app) at 1,000 THB/month, browse free.

Either way, the first conversation is free — we'll help you figure out which path fits your family.

Bangkok has more options than most parents realize. The trap is paying for "convenience" you don't need, or saving on something that ends up costing you when a hire goes sideways.

Be honest with yourself about:

1. Your time — how much can you spend on hiring vs. having someone do it for you? 2. Your network — do you have local friends who can refer? 3. Your confidence — do you trust your own judgment on a stranger? 4. Your tenure horizon — short-term flexible help, or long-term core staff?

Match those answers to one of the five methods above, and you'll skip months of trial and error.

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*Have questions about hiring in Bangkok? Drop us a line at [info@hellonanny-san.com](mailto:info@hellonanny-san.com) — we'll point you toward the right method, even if it's not ours.*