Khun Jean

Well, you have been warned. ? ? ?

Maybe print it out and save it and read it again in 15-20 years.

Work your ass off while you are between 20 and 40. Save like crazy. Have some holidays to relax.

Resist the urge to buy a new car, large house, to many fancy clothes etc.

Then when you are 40 either have a large sum saved or a huge amount of experience that can be monetized. If you wait to long then your saving and learning/experience building period will be skipped and you end up much much less comfortable. And in your older days, comfort is the greatest good.

It is always best to go right to the source. "Department of labor" in this case.

I did that also, few times even. Unfortunately no exceptions.

Compared to Europe, my wife got a 10 years permission to stay for 60 euro (Austria) and was allowed to work. We foreigners in Thailand get a bad deal.

If i was to hit some bad times, long enough to use up my savings, i have no other option then to return to my home country. I can still work, over 50 would be difficult to get a job but i would not mind cutting grass, painting houses, having a food cart, driving a taxi etc as i am not a lazy person and have many usable skills. But no, the answer will always be "Get the $%^# out".

What you HAVE TO DO in Thailand is save for that moment, so you can at least try something.

Better is to have some investments (we own many small condos) that will provide enough income IN Thailand and is not depended on an exchange rate. Hopefully my strategy works, and i know it will....... as long as i am healthy. Once you get sick........ it will be "Get the $%^# out" very quickly again. So for that reason i did not burn all my bridges and have some fallback in my own country. (For instance i still pay into the social security/healthcare/retirement fund in my own country).

Maybe this is just because i am 53, because then you realize how important those safety nets are.

I am married to a Thai and live in Thailand a long time. A workpermit is just as difficult for me as one who just steps of the plane the first time. Time learned me about what businesses NOT to start and areas to NOT live in. Valuable by itself....

So you either do it the proper way with a work permit or ... well there is no other way.

If you are a good cook, first goal is to make more money, save it and then invest in your own restaurant. Who cares if it takes one, two or three years or more to accomplish it. Start now! Not tomorrow!

If it requires you to go work somewhere else (other country, cruise line, big hotel etc) to be able to get that good salary, then do it.

Thailand sucks when you not have enough money, so make sure you have enough of it.

Once you got the money needed then start a business.

Two waiters, one assistant cook, one  cashier and you are set. Sure it will cost some investment but ANY restaurant that serves good food for a good price will manage to make money.

Don't fall into the Thai trap of 'i can not do it now, so it will be forever impossible'. Think like a foreigner and plan your future. Even if it requires some sacrifices.

But if it is the easy live style you like which requires little effort..... well ..... give it a few years and you will go mad because you will only go backwards with less and less opportunities to change it.

1 minute ago, duanebigsby said:

Requiring an investment, 4 Thai employees, and a work permit.

Yes, that is now a known fact . But what else...... only thing left is finding a job.

If you are a good cook, and have a good plan, find someone to partner up with if you do not have the money to invest.

Yep, probably looking for a job in the wrong places. A good cook will always make good money in Bangkok and elsewhere.

Maybe you need to polish up your negotiating skills.

Any restaurant worth to work for will get you a workpermit.

Rent a small place and sell online. Connect to Foodpanda to do the logistics.

Well if you are happy with 18.000 baht a month, good for you.

It can be sufficient for now, but what about a bit of security. Health insurance, an emergency, saving etc.

I think it is a salary that is way to low.

I expected an experienced Italian cook making at least 30-40000 a month.

I understand the wish to work for yourself. Even with a push cart you will make more.

But alas..... workpermit.....

It's per YEAR. If salary is so low, then what the $%&# are you doing here? Even a simple office job for a Thai gets 15.000 easily.

You are correct when you want it the easy way.

But here a quote from Thai embassy website (Siam legal International)

offers another option.

An expatriate who has an income and duty to pay personal income tax to the Revenue Department of equivalent or more than 18,000 Baht, or already paid personal income tax in the past year of equivalent or more than 18,000 Baht.

As he already had a job before he would probably qualify for this.

Teach your girlfriend how to cook and let her do it. ?

A company is not really necessary as you can also start a partnership with your friend. This does not need shareholders, registered capital etc. You still need the four Thai employees though.

But if you marry her, two employees would be enough.

Here is the catch. The officials who have to do this for you will not do it, because they do not know their own laws and just keep things simple for themselves.

A lawyer (brrr, the thought.....) should be able to help with that.

Computers that are linked will make sure the Police in Chiang Mai will know that you try to report a stolen passport in Bangkok adding another crime.

Member since 2009 and still don't know about Labor law because that is where it is stated?

You do know that in Thailand it is not the only survival of the fittest but also survival of the informed.

So get informed and read the posts in this thread.

I am allowed to because i am Dutch myself.

I think i will just take the plane to Kuala Lumpur. Cost maybe a 1000 baht more but then it is way more comfortable and does not support corrupt officials.

19 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Actually he is quoting a translation of the Thai law and not an opinion, you are of course free to translate it by yourself:

“ทำงาน” หมายความว่า การทำงานโดยใช้กำลังกายหรือความรู้ด้วยประสงค์ค่าจ้างหรือประโยชน์อื่นใดหรือไม่ก็ตาม

What is your translation of this into english?

Thanks. I am the kind of person that just research stuff before posting it.

More can be found on http://www.mol.go.th/en/anonymouse/labour_law . Click on the first link and see section 5.

But hey, it is just something on internet you can not believe right. ?

Ah yes, insults how obvious. From a Dutchman i think ('Frits') . I thought the Dutch could hold their liqueur pretty well. Thanks for the confirmation.

The closest thing to a bar stool is my drum set seat. ?

Best management is to not hire unskilled people to do a job. There are almost no skilled people available in Thailand. The good ones are so busy and you will not even be able to hire them. So you end up with the unskilled people and lousy results.

13 hours ago, grollies said:

I had a dump this morning and I 'exerted energy'. I don't think I need a WP for this though Jean.

 

''Mowing your lawn, washing your car, installing a new light bulb etc.'' -sorry, rubbish.

Here you go:

According to Thai labor law, the definition of work is "exerting effort" and "employing knowledge", "whether or not for wages or other benefits", and is based on the individual, not employment as in some other countries. This is typical of Thai law -- remaining vague, and leaving flexible judgement to officials, thereby eliminating legal loopholes and haggling.

The flexible judgement can change your 'installing a new light bulb' into renovating the house without a workpermit. The chance that it happens is very very small, but get some Thais upset (neighbor/competitor) and this law can be used to get you.

Well, nothing useful seems to come out of this topic. and again this part of my post was ignored.

I started walking as there was no one around with a van or motorcycle. I expected there to be but there was none. 

After waiting about a half hour i decided that instead of waiting longer i started to walk. While i was walking, about 3rd of the way a car stopped and gave me a lift. For free as they were just being helpful. 

And no you can not use only the last short sentence.

If i stated there was no one around that really means there was NOBODY THERE.

I would not mind paying 500 baht for a ride and some assistance but THERE WAS NOBODY THERE.

Waiting for someone to finally show up was what i did, until more then a half hour passed. The minivan that goes from the Kanchanaburi bus station to the border was scheduled to drive back soon, so what to do? Wait an unknown time or just start walking.

The ride i got was just from someone who transported goods or maybe even bought some in Thailand to sell in myanmar. I don't know. But i was happy they stopped and offered me a ride. and yes I DID NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.

Only when i got back to enter Thailand i was asked for the 500 baht, no transport offered because I ALREADY HAD THE STAMPS FROM MYANMAR. But i DID NOT GET AN ARRIVAL CARD, had to pay the 500 baht, and YES I KNOW THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE.  But if you are caught in no mans land, what do you do. Complain? We all know how that will work out. Ask why, i did that and the answer was for the arrival card. AND YES I UNDERSTAND THAT NORMALLY INCLUDES THE TRANSPORT BUT THEY WERE NOT THERE WHEN I NEEDED IT. So they just wanted the 500 for the arrival card, which should be free. Little scam going on but what can you do. stay in myanmar and complain.

Sorry for the caps, but there are some that do not understand english very well, and maybe they can concentrate on those.

So the question now is, how to obtain an arrival card without paying 500 baht. (Transport included or not).

So you choose to skip this part of the post:

I started walking as there was no one around with a van or motorcycle. I expected there to be but there was none.

After waiting about a half hour i decided that instead of waiting longer i started to walk. While i was walking, about 3rd of the way a car stopped and gave me a lift. For free as they were just being helpful.

So you mean the man who gave me a lift with his pickup loaded with pig food was in on the game.

Wow, incredible.

Maybe it is time to read my posts again after you are sober.