Organizing a mastermind retreat in Thailand

[Nordude]

I'm on an Elite Visa with funds from my online business overseas. Usually, all interaction with my clients is virtual, over the internet. But I've been thinking about arranging a week-long mastermind event where we meet physically. Renting a mansion in Hua Hin and flying everyone in from Europe seems like a good option.

 

How can I do this legally, or at least without being arrested?

 

The story from last week about the bodybuilder working illegally in Pattaya is similar to what I'm thinking about doing (though, only once a year for me).

 

If the answer is "need work visa", then my next question is: how can I get a work visa for this?

[tlandtday]

You want do to this with the covid virus situation in thailand the air travel? 

[Nordude]

2 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

You want do to this with the covid virus situation in thailand the air travel? 

It takes time to organize, so it's not going to happen at least before next dry season. Plenty of time to observe the virus situation.

[Swiss1960]

Yes, you need a work permit and no, you can't get one under your Elite Visa,  as this is classified as a tourist Visa and thus does not allow for a work permit 

[HashBrownHarry]

1 hour ago, Swiss1960 said:

Yes, you need a work permit and no, you can't get one under your Elite Visa,  as this is classified as a tourist Visa and thus does not allow for a work permit 

As i understand OP, it's only a meeting?

 

WP still required?

[Nordude]

9 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

As i understand OP, it's only a meeting?

 

WP still required?

Yes, it's a meeting with some tourist activities in the evenings. But I would charge money for it, like the bodybuilder who got arrested.

 

Is getting a work visa incredibly difficult and expensive for a one-person company?

[ubonjoe]

Not sure a work permit would be required.

Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZYhf0Xt6ktzXVILU1G7Kxuo3RKop00k8/view

[NCC1701A]

4 minutes ago, Nordude said:

Yes, it's a meeting with some tourist activities in the evenings

maybe you could book out a hotel and tell them you are all employed at the same company and this is company function.

 

there is a new mansion between HH and Pranburi that is really nice. it had a for rent sign. not sure what duration. 

 

[johng]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure a work permit would be required.

Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZYhf0Xt6ktzXVILU1G7Kxuo3RKop00k8/view

Yes but...wasn't there a couple of news items recently about "seminars" being raided and shutdown whilst in progress ?

[NCC1701A]

13 minutes ago, Nordude said:

Is getting a work visa incredibly difficult and expensive for a one-person company?

yes.

 

how many people are you hosting?

 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, johng said:

Yes but...wasn't there a couple of news items recently about "seminars" being raided and shutdown whilst in progress ?

Not that I can recall. It might depend upon what the seminar was about.

[NCC1701A]

3 hours ago, Nordude said:

Renting a mansion in Hua Hin and flying everyone in from Europe seems like a good option.

 

also rent would require first, last and deposit and make sure the landlord files the TM30 form for everyone staying at the house.

[Caldera]

Don't .... where you eat! Have your retreat on Bali and you won't need to worry about jeopardizing your Elite visa.

[Metapod]

2 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Don't .... where you eat! Have your retreat on Bali and you won't need to worry about jeopardizing your Elite visa.

 

Exactly. Just do the retreat in a nearby country. Then you have nothing at all to worry about. 

 

Get a villa in Bali. Ez.

[ChouDoufu]

can you hire a local tour guide to "organize/run" a conference.

[johng]

47 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not that I can recall. It might depend upon what the seminar was about.

 

[Nordude]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

how many people are you hosting?

It would be around 10 the first time.

[Metapod]

10 minutes ago, Nordude said:

It would be around 10 the first time.

 

Just do it in another country like Vietnam / Bali / Philippines etc

 

Could you get away with doing it here? Yes.

 

Could it turn out bad for you if you get caught doing it here? Yes.

 

Is it worth the risk? Up to you to decide.

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, johng said:

 

It states this in the article "It was discovered that the employment seminar had been organised without the necessary licences."

Nothing to do with needing a work permit. It may of been a seminar about recruiting people to work outside the country that requires a license.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post.

 

[ThomasThBKK]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It states this in the article "It was discovered that the employment seminar had been organised without the necessary licences."

Nothing to do with needing a work permit. It may of been a seminar about recruiting people to work outside the country that requires a license.

 

yes, this was basically a boilerroom scam, trying to peddle investment to investors, prolly one of the cryptocurrency MLM shemes.

 

Here my comment from back then, op should have no issues in what he plans to do, especially if he doesn't charges people to attend it.

 

[BritTim]

it might be technically legal to organise a seminar in Thailand without a work permit, if it is of short duration, and such seminars are infrequent. I think Thailand, in principle, wants to arrange trade shows (including side seminars) where participants definitely are not expected to have work permits. Anything of short duration that is educational also tends to be looked on favourably. The problem is that one senior official who takes it into his head that you are doing something improper can put you in a world of hurt. Any time the law in Thailand is unclear, and your activities will be highly visible, the best advice is to play it safe.

[Eibot]

Where is your online business located for official papers? 

 

If you have a registered company overseas, you can do the sign up (read organizing) in that country. All payments will need to be done in that country and then I don't see any issues. 

 

Travel agencies overseas also don't need a Thai working permit when putting together a tour. However, better safe than sorry and organize something in the neighboring countries. 

[SEtonal]

22 hours ago, Nordude said:

Yes, it's a meeting with some tourist activities in the evenings. But I would charge money for it, like the bodybuilder who got arrested.

 

Is getting a work visa incredibly difficult and expensive for a one-person company?

Tourist attractions? Taking paying customers to tourist attractions could lead to being arrested for illegally working as a tour guide.

 

"Thai girl arrested while on Tinder date at Wat Pho." https://thairesidents.com/local/thai-girl-arrested-tinder-date-wat-pho/

[Nordude]

1 hour ago, SEtonal said:

Tourist attractions? Taking paying customers to tourist attractions could lead to being arrested for illegally working as a tour guide.

Perhaps if I hire a legit Thai tour guide company to take us around. I wasn't planning on doing the guiding myself anyway.

[Unify]

There's some relevant info in this thread.

 

[CartagenaWarlock]

On 3/2/2020 at 5:36 AM, Nordude said:

If the answer is "need work visa", then my next question is: how can I get a work visa for this?

I think it is similar to organizing a seminar or or workshop. Still be very careful without any permission. They had previously busted a Malaysian team for doing that. You need to go to university and ask a professor or to gather information. This can be done easily without any lawyers inputs or expenses. Based on that information, you can hire a lawyer to get permissions/work permit etc. 

[fourpack]

On 3/2/2020 at 1:32 PM, Swiss1960 said:

Yes, you need a work permit and no, you can't get one under your Elite Visa,  as this is classified as a tourist Visa and thus does not allow for a work permit 

Why would he need a work permit to bring Friends across for a holiday?.

What they and he do when they are on holiday is up to them. They may talk work that doesn't require a WP.

They may also talk Sport.

[CartagenaWarlock]

On 3/2/2020 at 9:12 AM, Metapod said:

Exactly. Just do the retreat in a nearby country. Then you have nothing at all to worry about. 

Bali is a preferred retreat place. Have seen lots of retreats advertised for Bali. Most of these Mastermind programs are how to be a digital nomads and earn money online. 

[emptypockets]

39 minutes ago, fourpack said:

Why would he need a work permit to bring Friends across for a holiday?.

What they and he do when they are on holiday is up to them. They may talk work that doesn't require a WP.

They may also talk Sport.

You don't normally charge your 'friends' for the privelige of going on holiday.