How Do You Make A Living In Thailand?

[Ruperts]

I spent 5 months in Thailand and completely fell in love with the north, especially Chiang Mai (and some female, obviously).

Now i've been away for over 2 months and i'm desperate to get back there, and maybe make a few baht whilst there so i can stay for longer. I don't think i want to be there for the long haul but a couple of years would be nice.

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

[kiakaha]

wake up in morning, go to office, go home at night, collect pay check, pay tax. repeat.

[jayjayjayjay]

I spent 5 months in Thailand and completely fell in love with the north, especially Chiang Mai (and some female, obviously).

Now i've been away for over 2 months and i'm desperate to get back there, and maybe make a few baht whilst there so i can stay for longer. I don't think i want to be there for the long haul but a couple of years would be nice.

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

Life would be an absolute nightmare without setting yourself up properly. Recommend looking at all Chiangmai websites for job vacancies, do what you can to secure a job with a written guarantee of a work permit and salary agreed before you leave. Do not rely on board runs as you visa option. A Non Im-B visa required before leaving your home country with mulitple entry option. Good jobs in Chiangmai are few-and-far-between. Only go for teacher option if you are a qualified person and enjoy teaching, do not use it as a reason to set up camp. What is your area of expertise? Investment in any form of business would need a minimum of 3 million baht, this includes paid up capital, handling visa and work permits, cashflow to meet legal commitments etc and all working capital for basic 18 month running v. small business. Any less and you will probably kiss the whole lot good bye!! Cheers.

[Ruperts]

I spent 5 months in Thailand and completely fell in love with the north, especially Chiang Mai (and some female, obviously).

Now i've been away for over 2 months and i'm desperate to get back there, and maybe make a few baht whilst there so i can stay for longer. I don't think i want to be there for the long haul but a couple of years would be nice.

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

Life would be an absolute nightmare without setting yourself up properly. Recommend looking at all Chiangmai websites for job vacancies, do what you can to secure a job with a written guarantee of a work permit and salary agreed before you leave. Do not rely on board runs as you visa option. A Non Im-B visa required before leaving your home country with mulitple entry option. Good jobs in Chiangmai are few-and-far-between. Only go for teacher option if you are a qualified person and enjoy teaching, do not use it as a reason to set up camp. What is your area of expertise? Investment in any form of business would need a minimum of 3 million baht, this includes paid up capital, handling visa and work permits, cashflow to meet legal commitments etc and all working capital for basic 18 month running v. small business. Any less and you will probably kiss the whole lot good bye!! Cheers.

Hi, thanks.

I don't have an area of expertise yet, i'm waiting a few years till i'm 25 to decide what career i want to persue (23 now).

I'm not looking to make any money at all, literally just enough to cover living costs, 500baht a day would do. I can make that playing poker online..... but then lose it of course.

There must be something i can do to make such a small amount of money.

I met quite a few folk running small export operations while i was there, would that still require such a large capital investment? I can't see how it would.

[t.s]

wake up in morning, go to office, go home at night, collect pay check, pay tax. repeat.

admirably concise

[qualtrough]

If you are going to set up a company the capital (3 m or whatever) doesn't really have to be paid up in most cases that I know of, including my own (almost 10 years now). If you are thinking about that route you should get the straight dope from the folks at Sunbelt. You can get good info here, but you will get a lot of bad info too, and you will have trouble knowing the difference.

[blizzard]

hey dont knock online poker. you should be able to make what a low paid thai makes.

im telling you boy, thailand aint gonna look so good if your finances not taken care of.

[CarlBkk]

I don't think the chap is going to consider finding 3m baht and starting a business at 25 after one trip. If you're happy living hand to mouth for a while to experience things try:

1. Teaching English (there's a new idea!)

2. Playing the stockmarket abroad on the net (gambling)

3. putting in for voluntary redundancy if you get the chance, and using the money to live off in CM for a while

4. e-commerce work (if that's your thing)

5. beg/borrow from parents or bank to try out living here for 6 months

[lannarebirth]

If you have a university degree, you can probably find work as a poorly payed English teacher. If you are a veteran you may be able to use veteran education benefits to enroll in university here. If you are neither, why are you waiting till 25 to decide what you want to do?

[qwertz]

LOS is not yet a migrant worker-friendly place. I judge from your age that you have no pension plan and a slender savings account, if any. As you're young and barely initiated maybe a few tips on what not to do would be more suitable, i.e.

Don't fall prey to a woman making high demands on your budget.

Don't listen to dodgy farangs or Thais speaking good English and making tempting business offers.

Don't go the English teacher route unless you're qualified and experienced. Otherwise it can be very hard, low paid work.

Don't even consider investing in a bar.

Don't invest in a "family" business.

Don't overstay your visa.

Don't marry without due and long consideration of local mores.

Don't get into dope and alcohol.

Don't fail to learn some necessary Thai e.g. counting, polite address etc.

Don't discount the wealth of good advice you can pick up from this forum.

If many of these don'ts sound familiar it's because most of these basic rules of caution are applicable on any foreign turf.

Good luck and many happy returns.

[blizzard]

i dont think this guy has to worry about too many thai women who want his hand in marriage. his payment to family going to be a billy goat...............lol.

[Matthew31140]

I spent 5 months in Thailand and completely fell in love with the north, especially Chiang Mai (and some female, obviously).

Now i've been away for over 2 months and i'm desperate to get back there, and maybe make a few baht whilst there so i can stay for longer. I don't think i want to be there for the long haul but a couple of years would be nice.

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

Life would be an absolute nightmare without setting yourself up properly. Recommend looking at all Chiangmai websites for job vacancies, do what you can to secure a job with a written guarantee of a work permit and salary agreed before you leave. Do not rely on board runs as you visa option. A Non Im-B visa required before leaving your home country with mulitple entry option. Good jobs in Chiangmai are few-and-far-between. Only go for teacher option if you are a qualified person and enjoy teaching, do not use it as a reason to set up camp. What is your area of expertise? Investment in any form of business would need a minimum of 3 million baht, this includes paid up capital, handling visa and work permits, cashflow to meet legal commitments etc and all working capital for basic 18 month running v. small business. Any less and you will probably kiss the whole lot good bye!! Cheers.

Hi, thanks.

I don't have an area of expertise yet, i'm waiting a few years till i'm 25 to decide what career i want to persue (23 now).

I'm not looking to make any money at all, literally just enough to cover living costs, 500baht a day would do. I can make that playing poker online..... but then lose it of course.

There must be something i can do to make such a small amount of money.

I met quite a few folk running small export operations while i was there, would that still require such a large capital investment? I can't see how it would.

Ruperts,

take a look at this:- http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=51477

(sorry couldn't resist!!)

If you are serious in working and earning a little bit of money then maybe the Teaching route would be better for you? Or just work your As* off in your home country - save - then look at your options again. You can still go to LOS on holiday's while you save! As mentioned by Qwertz: steer well clear of buying a bar or setting one up! A lot of Ferang's think they make money but unfortunatley some do not.

Cheers, Matt.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Matthew31140

[lazeeboy]

I spent 5 months in Thailand and completely fell in love with the north, especially Chiang Mai (and some female, obviously).

Now i've been away for over 2 months and i'm desperate to get back there, and maybe make a few baht whilst there so i can stay for longer. I don't think i want to be there for the long haul but a couple of years would be nice.

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

Life would be an absolute nightmare without setting yourself up properly. Recommend looking at all Chiangmai websites for job vacancies, do what you can to secure a job with a written guarantee of a work permit and salary agreed before you leave. Do not rely on board runs as you visa option. A Non Im-B visa required before leaving your home country with mulitple entry option. Good jobs in Chiangmai are few-and-far-between. Only go for teacher option if you are a qualified person and enjoy teaching, do not use it as a reason to set up camp. What is your area of expertise? Investment in any form of business would need a minimum of 3 million baht, this includes paid up capital, handling visa and work permits, cashflow to meet legal commitments etc and all working capital for basic 18 month running v. small business. Any less and you will probably kiss the whole lot good bye!! Cheers.

Hi, thanks.

I don't have an area of expertise yet, i'm waiting a few years till i'm 25 to decide what career i want to persue (23 now).

I'm not looking to make any money at all, literally just enough to cover living costs, 500baht a day would do. I can make that playing poker online..... but then lose it of course.

There must be something i can do to make such a small amount of money.

I met quite a few folk running small export operations while i was there, would that still require such a large capital investment? I can't see how it would.

Ruperts,

take a look at this:- http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=51477

(sorry couldn't resist!!)

If you are serious in working and earning a little bit of money then maybe the Teaching route would be better for you? Or just work your As* off in your home country - save - then look at your options again. You can still go to LOS on holiday's while you save! As mentioned by Qwertz: steer well clear of buying a bar or setting one up! A lot of Ferang's think they make money but unfortunatley some do not.

Cheers, Matt.

500 b a day so you are going to sleep rough ask strangers for money not wash and eat from bins come on 500b wasnt enough to live on 15 years ago cheapest room 3000b a month cheapest food 30b a meal soap shampoo deodorant razor blades etc you can do it for a week or two but thats it ,no girl will want you when you cant at least buy them a drink ,wake up go to work and think about coming in 5 or so years

[obsession]

I dont think you can access internet poker sites from thailand. They are blocked. I asked about it before, but couldnt fully understand how to get round it.

Why dont you spend the summers in the uk working and saving, and go to los from sept/ october to April. I know it isnt ideal, but its difficult to find work in los.

[qwertz]

Quote Ruperts: But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

I hope you're not the Rupert who does that moronic English course on Thai tele. If you are, say so now and I can delete my good advice to you forthwith. If you are not he, you may PM me for my recipes for perfect boiled rice and rogan josh curry.

Edited May 11, 2007 by qwertz

[roblin]

I dont think you can access internet poker sites from thailand. They are blocked. I asked about it before, but couldnt fully understand how to get round it.

Why dont you spend the summers in the uk working and saving, and go to los from sept/ october to April. I know it isnt ideal, but its difficult to find work in los.

All major Poker Clients are working from Thailand. Before some sites were blocked, then you need a friend on msn/irc to send the client to you regularly if the server requires an updated client.

I would go with poker. Just make sure to have really good BM and tiltcontrol. Try to have at least 6months expenses in a bankaccount all the time and follow general bankroll recommendations.

I have played poker in Thailand for 12months on 2 diffrent journeys. So its doable. But make sure you can handle a 100k hands downswing both economically and emotionally.

[solent01]

LOS is not yet a migrant worker-friendly place. I judge from your age that you have no pension plan and a slender savings account, if any. As you're young and barely initiated maybe a few tips on what not to do would be more suitable, i.e.

Don't fall prey to a woman making high demands on your budget.

Don't listen to dodgy farangs or Thais speaking good English and making tempting business offers.

Don't go the English teacher route unless you're qualified and experienced. Otherwise it can be very hard, low paid work.

Don't even consider investing in a bar.

Don't invest in a "family" business.

Don't overstay your visa.

Don't marry without due and long consideration of local mores.

Don't get into dope and alcohol.

Don't fail to learn some necessary Thai e.g. counting, polite address etc.

Don't discount the wealth of good advice you can pick up from this forum.

If many of these don'ts sound familiar it's because most of these basic rules of caution are applicable on any foreign turf.

Good luck and many happy returns.

Some good advice given, but family business is great for me, but I know Thailand a little bit better than the OP

[solent01]

I spent 5 months in Thailand and completely fell in love with the north, especially Chiang Mai (and some female, obviously).

Now i've been away for over 2 months and i'm desperate to get back there, and maybe make a few baht whilst there so i can stay for longer. I don't think i want to be there for the long haul but a couple of years would be nice.

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

Life would be an absolute nightmare without setting yourself up properly. Recommend looking at all Chiangmai websites for job vacancies, do what you can to secure a job with a written guarantee of a work permit and salary agreed before you leave. Do not rely on board runs as you visa option. A Non Im-B visa required before leaving your home country with mulitple entry option. Good jobs in Chiangmai are few-and-far-between. Only go for teacher option if you are a qualified person and enjoy teaching, do not use it as a reason to set up camp. What is your area of expertise? Investment in any form of business would need a minimum of 3 million baht, this includes paid up capital, handling visa and work permits, cashflow to meet legal commitments etc and all working capital for basic 18 month running v. small business. Any less and you will probably kiss the whole lot good bye!! Cheers.

Hi, thanks.

I don't have an area of expertise yet, i'm waiting a few years till i'm 25 to decide what career i want to persue (23 now).

I'm not looking to make any money at all, literally just enough to cover living costs, 500baht a day would do. I can make that playing poker online..... but then lose it of course.

There must be something i can do to make such a small amount of money.

I met quite a few folk running small export operations while i was there, would that still require such a large capital investment? I can't see how it would.

Ruperts,

take a look at this:- http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=51477

(sorry couldn't resist!!)

If you are serious in working and earning a little bit of money then maybe the Teaching route would be better for you? Or just work your As* off in your home country - save - then look at your options again. You can still go to LOS on holiday's while you save! As mentioned by Qwertz: steer well clear of buying a bar or setting one up! A lot of Ferang's think they make money but unfortunatley some do not.

Cheers, Matt.

500 b a day so you are going to sleep rough ask strangers for money not wash and eat from bins come on 500b wasnt enough to live on 15 years ago cheapest room 3000b a month cheapest food 30b a meal soap shampoo deodorant razor blades etc you can do it for a week or two but thats it ,no girl will want you when you cant at least buy them a drink ,wake up go to work and think about coming in 5 or so years

Your right, but as a back packer it is do-able, just.

[Dakhar]

Teachun englesh.

Just kidding, if I did it would be a crime.

[Maigo6]

My advice would be this ;

As you don't appear to have a lot of money, you would rely on trying to scrape enough together to survive each month, therefore I would suggest you get a job in your own country, save all you can then take 6 months off and come to Thailand with money in your pocket, Thailand will still be here.

Cos believe me, if you are skint in Thailand, it's no fun, and you can't go to the Social Security office and get a handout, have an accident of any kind, no money, what will you do?

The chances are that if you could scrape enough together teaching English, you would be working without a work permit and would be risking arrest and deportation all to get a survival wage, is it worth it?

Work at home bro, save save save, then come with money. I know it's not what you want to hear, but in my opinion, it's the way to go.

Good Luck whatever you decide on.

[solent01]

My advice would be this ;

As you don't appear to have a lot of money, you would rely on trying to scrape enough together to survive each month, therefore I would suggest you get a job in your own country, save all you can then take 6 months off and come to Thailand with money in your pocket, Thailand will still be here.

Cos believe me, if you are skint in Thailand, it's no fun, and you can't go to the Social Security office and get a handout, have an accident of any kind, no money, what will you do?

The chances are that if you could scrape enough together teaching English, you would be working without a work permit and would be risking arrest and deportation all to get a survival wage, is it worth it?

Work at home bro, save save save, then come with money. I know it's not what you want to hear, but in my opinion, it's the way to go.

Good Luck whatever you decide on.

He can get an insurance policy back home, before he leaves, but again good advice. How can he entertain his lady freind without money?

[Maigo6]

Thailand is a great place to be when you have enough money to live the lifestyle you choose to live, be it an expensive lifestyle or a moderate lifestyle, if you're happy that's all that matters.

But being broke and worrying about how you're going to pay the rent and worrying about the next visa run expenses is no fun at all.

If you struggle for money in Thailand, you will get all bitter and twisted blaming Thailand, Thai people, your girlfriend, the taxi drivers, the shopkeepers, the National Park Commitee, the Police , The Immigration Police, the government, the press etc etc...........

Work at home, save , then come.

You may still like Thailand in a few years time that way.

[jEFFREYk44]

"Just make sure to have really good BM and tiltcontrol"

We all desire that..........and if you are set, no need for visa runs Maigo6

Edited May 11, 2007 by jEFFREYk44

[ColPyat]

500 b a day so you are going to sleep rough ask strangers for money not wash and eat from bins come on 500b wasnt enough to live on 15 years ago cheapest room 3000b a month cheapest food 30b a meal soap shampoo deodorant razor blades etc you can do it for a week or two but thats it ,no girl will want you when you cant at least buy them a drink ,wake up go to work and think about coming in 5 or so years

Rubbish.

I did it about 15 years ago in Bangkok on that money for quite some time until i had some additional income sorted, and that was also not regular then. House was 2000 Baht a month, cheapest food stall i knew was 12 Baht a plate in the flower market (mostly ate at home though), and getting around town by bus, and every three months a visa run because then i didn't have a WP.

The wife didn't leave me, and still is with me.

Many Thais today manage on less than that even in Bangkok. When one is just 23 and starts life out this is not too little.

Edited May 11, 2007 by ColPyat

[Neeranam]

I dont think you can access internet poker sites from thailand. They are blocked. I asked about it before, but couldnt fully understand how to get round it.

Why dont you spend the summers in the uk working and saving, and go to los from sept/ october to April. I know it isnt ideal, but its difficult to find work in los.

All major Poker Clients are working from Thailand. Before some sites were blocked, then you need a friend on msn/irc to send the client to you regularly if the server requires an updated client.

I would go with poker. Just make sure to have really good BM and tiltcontrol. Try to have at least 6months expenses in a bankaccount all the time and follow general bankroll recommendations.

I have played poker in Thailand for 12months on 2 diffrent journeys. So its doable. But make sure you can handle a 100k hands downswing both economically and emotionally.

First off, good luck with whattever you choose to do. If it is cheap to live where you are you shouldn't have to much trouble making 500 baht a day. But here are my tips if you are interested in doing this for a living.

1) If you are still learning you are going to have to dedicate your self to becoming a student of the game. Read as much as you can, watch others play, practice practice practice, and study study study. Learn everything you can about starting hands, position, tells, odds, outs, underbets, overbets, slow-playing, bet patterns etc. The more you understand the game the better off you will be.

2) Know which game is your best. Its about making a living now not having fun and you want to play the game where you are most likley to succeed. So if you best game is 5-10 fixed limit, play 5-10 fixed limit.

3) have a bankroll big enough to handle the swings for what ever limit you play. A lot of places will tell you different things but the rule I go by is (usd) 500 BB for fixed limit, 2500 BB for no limit. So if I wanted to play 50/1 nl holdem my bankroll would have to be around 2500$ usd.

3) Patience and Discipline. Two of the most important aspects of being a poker player in my opinion. You will have some big wins and you will take some tough losses. Don't let this aspect of poker drive you crazy, its a roller coaster ride of emotions and you have to be able to mentally handle it.

4)keep your stats, there are a lot of places where you can keep track of your play (ex. Winnings/losses, hand history, and tourney stats). This will give you an additional way to look at how you are doing at the tables and where your best at. try pokertracker or checkyourbets.com these are the best 2 poker stat places I know of.

And once again study study study. You can never learn too much. You may not jump right into the poker world a winner but with patience, discipline, practice, and learning the game you will grow hopefully into a great poker player.

Also, I suggest you work a part time job atleast while you are trying this poker thing out. Make sure its what you want to do.

[MrSnrang]

Really, why live on a wage like that? Is your country so miserable that you would be willing to live a third-world lifestyle?

I'm just curious...

[fanta rood]

You do this poker thing online? Or in real life with a few people. Then you travel around the country visiting illegal poker tournaments? Just like in the movie rounders?

[Rinrada]

wake up in morning, go to office, go home at night, collect pay check, pay tax. repeat.

admirably concise

and a lot of us do that ......

meanwhile in between times we simply jump on a budgie,connect up to CM,stay in a good hotel,have a rented decent set of wheels waiting and spend some time in the weekend cottage in the mountains....

Heard from our gardener that we got a big crop of apples this year....plus bannanas..and mangos ..and ..sapa-rots and...wonder how the king eddies are doing.?...good for proper chips...and those grapes we planted last year......wine on the vin...a la chateau May -On...?

Friday and saturday nights can still be whiled away in the Red Lion...or any all the other 100 hostelries...which makes a change from our miserable "dog and ducks "........yeah life can be rough....

[swain]

My advice would be this ;

As you don't appear to have a lot of money, you would rely on trying to scrape enough together to survive each month, therefore I would suggest you get a job in your own country, save all you can then take 6 months off and come to Thailand with money in your pocket, Thailand will still be here.

Cos believe me, if you are skint in Thailand, it's no fun, and you can't go to the Social Security office and get a handout, have an accident of any kind, no money, what will you do?

The chances are that if you could scrape enough together teaching English, you would be working without a work permit and would be risking arrest and deportation all to get a survival wage, is it worth it?

Work at home bro, save save save, then come with money. I know it's not what you want to hear, but in my opinion, it's the way to go.

Good Luck whatever you decide on.

Hmmm... you appear to have been gone from your home country a long time... Social Security... hand outs.. even food stamps are thing of the past... free lunch is gone in the USA... The only benefit I see to being there as apposed to here when crisis happens is that the hospital emergency rooms cant turn you away. My advice is to try and put together a plan that allows you to pull some dollars from the USA and not rely on wages you would earn here... which really are only survival wages... Unless you have some programming skills or technical skills that are seriously lacking here I would not rely on monies you could make here. The internet is the great equalizer ... and if you take stock in your skill set ... you are likely to find something that you can do remotely via the internet.

I did this very thing... but even took it a step further... I stayed at home in the USA .. didn't go to my office and did everything remotely just to see if I could do it for almost a year... only after I had worked out the problems and the kinks did I even consider coming over here..

You don't have to make alot by USA standards to live comfortably over here.. but you do need to make it in the USA and then get it over here...

[Jamie]

I spent 5 months in Thailand and completely fell in love with the north, especially Chiang Mai (and some female, obviously).

Now i've been away for over 2 months and i'm desperate to get back there, and maybe make a few baht whilst there so i can stay for longer. I don't think i want to be there for the long haul but a couple of years would be nice.

Now i realise there are many many issues to consider, visas, thai business partners etc.

But for now all I want to know is how do you make your rice and curry?

Thanks

You spent 5 months there. What were you doing there? hiking? Just came for vacation? If you were here for 5 months, you obviously had to pay for a plane ticket and have money for meals, hotels perhaps etc. If you go there for 5 months at a pop, why can't you continue doing this? Save up and travel back.