Re: Query on moving to Thailand for good.

[Kristoff]

Hi there!

 

I'm Kristoff, 29 years old. A Filipino. I am a college degree holder in Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. An Engineer by profession as well for 6 years already, and taking up Master of Science in Engineering with the specialization of Structural Engineering in a government-owned university institution in the Philippines. 

 

Now, I will look forward to move to Thailand for good but, I do not know where to start with. I would just like to ask your guidance or probabilistic procedures on applying for: (a) Visa; (b) residency, and/or (c) permit to work. Also, I'm thinking if it's a good idea to study there? I'd like to take another Master Degree in a University there.

 

Thank you in advance, this would mean a lot to me.

[YTP]

Not sure, but I believe civil engineering is reserved for Thais unless you have a recognized license.

 

Furthermore, I am also not sure if ASEAN nationals have special privileges with regard to the above or not.  

 

Anyway, something to check before solidifying your plans.  Good luck.

[timendres]

Residency, I believe, will not be possible for you for some time. The requirements are high, and one of them is earning a minimum income and paying taxes for a number of years. As mentioned by @YTP you need to check if you can actually get a job in civil engineering. The rules were changed recently, so I would look online for a recent summary.

[Why Me]

2 hours ago, Kristoff said:

(a) Visa; (b) residency, and/or (c) permit to work.

You want that backward. Come with a job.

 

2 hours ago, Kristoff said:

Also, I'm thinking if it's a good idea to study there? I'd like to take another Master Degree in a University there.

To study for a Master's here as a foreigner you'd have to enroll in an international program like AIT, which is expensive. I would leverage your job experience to get a job first. Then after a couple of years when you have the funds you can decide if to go to school again.

 

Of course, if you can afford it then getting an MS here might be a quicker way to employment. But there is no guarantee. And the virus economy is going to suck for sometime.

 

Whatever you do don't burn all your bridges. Because visiting a country is different from living in it.

[Don Mega]

Get a job, the employer will sort the visa and work permit.

[blazes]

 

 

Don't. Don't.  Don't.

 

Try somewhere where the degree will mean something, as in Japan or S Korea or even Vietnam or China.  Those places are expensive however, but so too is Thailand by now.

 

 

 

 

[Venom]

I would think twice before relocating to Thailand. We are actually looking into relocating to the Philippines as the air quality in Thailand is the worst on the planet 6 months of the year and it's not going to be getting better any time soon under the current regime. 

[ubonjoe]

38 minutes ago, Venom said:

We are actually looking into relocating to the Philippines as the air quality in Thailand is the worst on the planet 6 months of the year and it's not going to be getting better any time soon under the current regime. 

That depends upon where you are living. The air quality here is Ubon is good all year.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, blazes said:

 

 

Don't. Don't.  Don't.

 

Try somewhere where the degree will mean something, as in Japan or S Korea or even Vietnam or China.  Those places are expensive however, but so too is Thailand by now.

 

 

 

 

China????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[jojothai]

You will not get a business working job here in your engineering discipline unless you have specialist or lengthy experience that they need, that they cannot give to a thai.

Perhaps your better bet may be to research jobs in educational establishments because they may need the tutors in english.

If you want to get involved in working structural engineering then  you should expect that you will need to become a thai registered structural engineer.

That you have to do in thai. So you will need to commit to learning thai well. I know of some westerners who have done so.

Do your research on potential of getting jobs before you can make a decision.

[miamiman123]

Are you ok?

thats the last choice

tty Vietnam or anyplace else 

 

[Toscano]

I doubt you would get a job here in Thailand unless you had something exceptional to offer and likely you would not be able to stay on a permanent basis . Thailand may seem a little more polished the Philippines , but I wouldn't recommend you to move to Thailand .

[Mbaki]

3 hours ago, Venom said:

I would think twice before relocating to Thailand. We are actually looking into relocating to the Philippines as the air quality in Thailand is the worst on the planet 6 months of the year and it's not going to be getting better any time soon under the current regime. 

Air quality is bad only in certain parts of Thailand not the whole country.

[ThaiWai]

5 hours ago, Venom said:

I would think twice before relocating to Thailand. We are actually looking into relocating to the Philippines as the air quality in Thailand is the worst on the planet 6 months of the year and it's not going to be getting better any time soon under the current regime. 

Obviously false information. When you chose a smokey province the information was already known. People incapable of doing their own research shouldn't be giving poor advice to others. 

[DJ54]

If it interests you .. maybe get some classes in Aerospace Engineering if youre good at it... fairly easy to move around 

to different countries/cities in countries. A few friends who

are team leaders and chose where they want go..

 

example one US,Indonesia,Hong Kong, China now in US. Ive

worked in aerospace field 35 years.. 

 

Best of luck and as said look into places of interest throughly 

before taking the jump...

[Iron Tongue]

I'm reading the OP's post as someone looking for greener pastures anywhere besides the Philippines, probably with hopes of securing a big fat expat's compensation package.  

 

If this is indeed the case, start knocking on doors of multinationals and see if you can secure a job with transferability to countries you want to live in.  If this is the case, you would have to start in your own country and get enough experience & expertise to be marketable.

 

The ones who work for multinationals and in consulting that I have known all have degrees from famous universities though and usually start like everyone else, at the bottom.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

I've had the misfortune of working with some Thais with advanced degrees. I soon found why they're next to worthless outside the country.

 

First off was their attitude. Back in my home country, when one reaches this level, you usually notice that with all their hard work and the enlightenment they've gained through their studies, comes a certain level of maturity, both in their demeanor and work ethic. They simply didn't have it. I later found these people, or their rather their parents, simply paid for some or nearly all their coursework.

 

While I certainly believe there have to be Thais who sincerely put in the effort, and their degrees actually mean something, the fact that so many didn't has led to their devaluation, and why you shouldn't rely upon one for professional development.

[sanuk711]

On 5/8/2020 at 10:22 PM, Kristoff said:

I'm Kristoff, 29 years old. A Filipino.

What has made you chose Thailand Kristoff ?

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

2 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

big fat expat's compensation package

Hehe, I overhear them in the Sukhumvit pubs. Salaries in the multiple hundred thousands each month. Waistlines to match. Luxury condos and international school tuition for the kids included. Ah, the life. Sometimes it's nice to be around that and imagine. But then I see their wives in EmQuartier doing their shopping. ???? It's a lot nicer going back to mine, who only asks for somtam and moo money for the market, the cell phone bill, and sometimes the folks' electric bill up in Issan, in my cheap condo on the outskirts of BKK. ????

[NCC1701A]

On 5/8/2020 at 10:22 PM, Kristoff said:

Now, I will look forward to move to Thailand for good

while there are very rare exceptions, you are granted a visa which allows you to stay for a set period of time. as a example if you work permit expires then you have to get out.   

 

I am on a retirement extension of stay and I am granted permission to stay for one year at a time assuming I meet all the requirements every year. If not then out I go. 

 

I was reading in the pre virus days there was a shortage of airline pilots, but Thais trained in Thailand to be pilots can't get hired internationally. Sort of gives you the feel for what your Thai degree will be worth.  

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

I've had the misfortune of working with some Thais with advanced degrees. I soon found why they're next to worthless outside the country.

 

First off was their attitude. Back in my home country, when one reaches this level, you usually notice that with all their hard work and the enlightenment they've gained through their studies, comes a certain level of maturity, both in their demeanor and work ethic. They simply didn't have it. I later found these people, or their rather their parents, simply paid for some or nearly all their coursework.

 

While I certainly believe there have to be Thais who sincerely put in the effort, and their degrees actually mean something, the fact that so many didn't has led to their devaluation, and why you shouldn't rely upon one for professional development.

Then the hiring process in that company sucked.

[Don Mega]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

while there are very rare exceptions, you are granted a visa which allows you to stay for a set period of time. as a example if you work permit expires then you have to get out.   

 

 

Your thinking of an extension based on employment.

[tomazbodner]

Well, OP is young and that goal is achievable.

 

It's in this order though: get a job in Thailand (what you studied doesn't so much matter as many only care that you have a paper, but not in what field). You'd need to have some very specific knowledge that would assist HR in getting you a work permit. If you are good at what you are doing and can have your salary increased to level that grants annual extensions of stay (not sure what it is for Filipinos, but it's less than for western countries where it's 50,000 a month) and then increase it beyond 100,000 THB (about 3000$ up), learn Thai while working here, after 3 years of hanging at 100k level, you could apply for a permanent residence; If your personality is good, your Thai language acceptable, income high, you have a good chance of getting approved. During consideration period you'd get automatic 6 months extensions. And from your salary save up 200k, which you'll need to pay off your PR. Once you're there in 30s, you then have an option of keeping PR, or after 5 years of holding it applying for a Thai citizenship, which will additionally allow you to own land, vote, etc., but you may be asked to promise to give up your original citizenship.

 

PR already would allow you to stay in Thailand permanently, alas without ability to buy land and less likelihood to be able to get a housing loan, for instance, than if citizen, unless you marry a Thai, in which case you could apply for citizenship directly without PR first. Above paragraph was about a single guy. In that case most of requirements will be about your income, education, Thai language skills and personality.

 

Don't do anything stupid though as it'll bite you in the behind later. To apply for PR or citizenship, all documents will need to be certified by your government, translated to Thai and certified by Thai foreign ministry. You'll need to provide copies and show originals of ALL the passports you ever used to enter Thailand, so don't attempt any fake stamps and ensure to follow the rules... that also means no illegal employment, overstays, arrests, etc.

 

Is that reachable for you? That'll depend on your own expertise and what kind of work you have, and where. Generally Thai companies like to hire more but less paid people, to inflate their image, while say Japanese hire fewer people, pay a lot more, but demand a lot more as well. As long as you work with someone that will allow you path to your goal, whether in company or steps towards other employers that get you to your goal, the choice should be quite wide, despite a downturn in global economy.

 

[WalkingOrders]

On 5/8/2020 at 11:52 PM, YTP said:

Not sure, but I believe civil engineering is reserved for Thais unless you have a recognized license.

 

Furthermore, I am also not sure if ASEAN nationals have special privileges with regard to the above or not.  

 

Anyway, something to check before solidifying your plans.  Good luck.

Begin with Thai immigration website and read everything that pertains to you and your needs.