“Working” around the house & garden, Work permit needed or nonsense?

[PhineusFreek]

If you buy something in 711 and they put it in a bag for you, you carry that in the street effectively advertising for 7/11. Even though one is not getting paid for that is that considered working? Is a work permit needed for that?

[xtrnuno41]

professional work. What is the definition of that one then?

If you are volunteer in Thailand, you need  a work permit, you do all kinds of work in which you arent professional all the time.

So there goes professional work. 

Once asked Siam Legal what was the definition of work. Of course they didnt answer. 

In Thailand they keep it hidden, so they can use it against you sometime, somehow, when they think it is needed. Or not?

I met a Canadian once in Thailand, His gf asked to move a tv and he refused, due to "cant work". Was afraid (said so) to loose visa then doing this. Dont know if he really ment it then, was just a fake story or was lazy..   

In fact if you are alive, your body is working and even if you die (you rot),

So only time not working is when you turn to bone.

 

 

[Hummin]

The day I start reading about expats getting in trouble for doing stuff home, painting cause and working on family farm, is the day I'm moving to a new country! In the meantime I try my luck!

[thailand49]

Personal you got it right the guy is on his soapbox I lived here like you 15 plus years surrounded by Thais I've painted my house, apartment, fix the roof, each morning sweep the road in front of my house and apartment I do it all including fixing whatever is needed in the apartments for my tenants,  I trim my trees and put the trimming in a empty lot to burn. Ten years ago I was reported Nongprue Police came I listen went in the house got my lawyer number in BKK,  called handed the phone to the guy a few minutes later it was handed back I spoke hung up during that time the police Wai said in Thai sorry and left that was the last time I was bother. 

These are expats scared 

 of their own shadows I know many who get together sit around and talk about their past " I tell you exactly what to do " but do the complete opposite. The same guys who tell you in a accident you always in the wrong when it happens cry the loudest for help. 

Go about your business because that is exactly what it is your business but be respectful!  

These guys think you need to hire a Thai to hold their failing dicks too pee! ???? Life is short live enjoy go out with a bang. 

[problemfarang]

geee.. i was thinking how many times i washed my car in my garage, changed oil and did some service by myself.. including helping the 54 year old thai man who was having problems with his car brakes and the other couple i helped with painting the house walls and cut the grass or trim trees in my garden JUST in this month... i must be the most wanted by the immigration

[problemfarang]

6 hours ago, thailand49 said:

I do it all including fixing whatever is needed in the apartments for my tenants,  I trim my trees and put the trimming in a empty lot to burn. Ten years ago I was reported Nongprue Police came

i mean i know this post is funny and kinda joke but.. tbh what you posted is.. yes actually you cannot do that if you are not a thai citizen. you seriously need a work permit to what you are describing. You sad 'my tenants' which means you have some place to rent and belongs to you, and the way you wrote seems its not belong to you which means you are doing a business even all the things are on your wife's name.. be careful with that. whatever you do looks like a working man doing, it counts you are working there. Before i had a friend doing kebap with his girlfriend in chonburi. all he was doing is sitting there at the stand and his gf was doing the things, he was just sometimes putting the things in to the plastic bag but then chonburi immigration said its working without work permit and charged him because it was obviously not helping, he was doing it like almost every day. 

the truth is, things are not as you think it is true but what reality is. example is my house situation. some part of my garden is next to the soi in my village. yes, normally you think its in front of your house, right? well.. it turned out.. no! so its not like what i think but what it is. now after many talks it turned out legally people can park their car there and i cannot do anything. yes, it is in front of my house, but it is not. all i can do is politely ask them not to. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by problemfarang

[mbenson]

On 2/7/2022 at 8:08 AM, Peterw42 said:

Any of these stories' about cant wash your own car etc, are rubbish. They are always told 3rd hand, and there always ends up being more to the story, ie: the guy had an actual car wash business and was washing 20 cars a day etc.

 

Someone will pop on with a story of a guy they know, who knows a guy, who knows a guy who got arrested for making a cup of coffee. The real story will be the guy was working in a restaurant, serving, cooking, waiting etc, and got caught.

Then the guy said he was only making a cup of coffee for himself.

 

Nobody has ever been arrested for washing the car, mowing the lawns etc

 

I think it all goes back to that guy that who supposedly got deported for helping his wife sell food. I remember seeing articles about that, but sort of story takes on a life of its own (obviously) and becomes distored with the retelling as you have observed.

[mbenson]

15 hours ago, TaoNow said:

While many of these examples are frivolous, there are some scenarios that could cause trouble.

 

For example, let's say you are a retired expat who is a fluent English language speaker. 

 

You might think it would be nice to invite some of the local high school students to your house at certain times outside of school to let them practice English conversation with you.  At no charge.

 

Now, if those students had been paying the local Thai English teacher for tutoring after class or on weekends...well, there might be an anonymous tip sent somewhere.

 

Word to the wise...

I sometimes wonder if you can get in trouble for volunteering without a permit. I was an ESL/EFL teacher by profession (Masters degree). I would love to teach at a temple school, but I think I can get in big trouble without a permit, even if there is no payment involved.

[Meat Pie 47]

Absolutely nonsense I did paint my fence around the house (my neighbor was a cop) I did sell goods at the market with my wife (second hand market) never got harrassed by anybody. But that was a few years ago.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Meat Pie 47

[thailand49]

1 hour ago, problemfarang said:

i mean i know this post is funny and kinda joke but.. tbh what you posted is.. yes actually you cannot do that if you are not a thai citizen. you seriously need a work permit to what you are describing. You sad 'my tenants' which means you have some place to rent and belongs to you, and the way you wrote seems its not belong to you which means you are doing a business even all the things are on your wife's name.. be careful with that. whatever you do looks like a working man doing, it counts you are working there. Before i had a friend doing kebap with his girlfriend in chonburi. all he was doing is sitting there at the stand and his gf was doing the things, he was just sometimes putting the things in to the plastic bag but then chonburi immigration said its working without work permit and charged him because it was obviously not helping, he was doing it like almost every day. 

the truth is, things are not as you think it is true but what reality is. example is my house situation. some part of my garden is next to the soi in my village. yes, normally you think its in front of your house, right? well.. it turned out.. no! so its not like what i think but what it is. now after many talks it turned out legally people can park their car there and i cannot do anything. yes, it is in front of my house, but it is not. all i can do is politely ask them not to. 

Thanks for your story and advice but I don't over think things I just go about my business like I did back home and exactly what my Thai neighbors do each day.

[problemfarang]

10 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Thanks for your story and advice but I don't over think things I just go about my business like I did back home and exactly what my Thai neighbors do each day.

Cheers ????

[Geordieabroad]

It's nonsense.  I get some strange looks from the Thais in our village only because they're surprised to see a not so young white man mowing a large lawn.  And i don't need a work permit for the beers i put away when i'm finished either.

[ChrisP24]

Not so fast, guys, this could be the perfect "out" for all of those things your wives keep nagging you to get done around the house. especially those outdoor projects that neighbors might see and report. 

 

[Hummin]

3 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

Absolutely nonsense I did paint my fence around the house (my neighbor was a cop) I did sell goods at the market with my wife (second hand market) never got harrassed by anybody. But that was a few years ago.

Selling things on marked, then you stretching things a bit!

 

[Hummin]

Just now, Hummin said:

Selling things on marked, then you stretching things a bit!

 

I have seen farangs driving wife and help her rigging up, and even that is in the grey done, but something I might do to if necessary, but my gf have driving license and we hire help when needed.

[ChipButty]

What time was it when they were drinking?

[pomchop]

4 hours ago, mbenson said:

I sometimes wonder if you can get in trouble for volunteering without a permit. I was an ESL/EFL teacher by profession (Masters degree). I would love to teach at a temple school, but I think I can get in big trouble without a permit, even if there is no payment involved.

I was a volunteer english teacher for years in a rural Thai public school...never had a hint of a problem and in fact was treated as a VIP by the entire school staff for being jai dee....just don't go out of your way to be  a jerk or step on toes etc and you will be fine...I never spent ten minutes worrying about it and in fact believe if anyone had tried to cause me problems the teachers and school admin would have defended me and stood up for me.....could i have gotten in trouble?  I suppose so....Could i win the powerball jack pot?  I suppose so.

[brianthainess]

21 hours ago, Hummin said:

Not adjustable wheels? Just had them changed the wheels on my 3 doors yesterday, and also changed one mosquito screen with alu plate protection in the lower section for our dog and cat (not the frame)

 

12 wheels total 2 800,- bath total. And the doors sliding like new again

 

When it comes to work done by falangs I did read a section where it was mentioned foreigners was allowed to work at their property or their wife's property, but not sure where now. Somebody might now, but my best guess, the law is clear as the smoking law! Everybody know the law, but nobody know why they know

 

21 hours ago, Hummin said:

Not adjustable wheels?

Adjusting the wheels will/does not make any difference. The frames are not square !

[brianthainess]

20 hours ago, Grusa said:

I am sorry, friend, by measuring your screens you have deprived a Thai of work. Go to Jail, do not pass Go, do not collect 200. 

 

Or do you have a Get out of Jail Free card?

My get out of jail card would be the missus yak yaking the cops so much they'd give her 200b to shut up and off they'd go. ???? I'm going off now to make my coffee.

Edited February 9, 2022 by brianthainess

[problemfarang]

13 hours ago, mbenson said:

I sometimes wonder if you can get in trouble for volunteering without a permit. I was an ESL/EFL teacher by profession (Masters degree). I would love to teach at a temple school, but I think I can get in big trouble without a permit, even if there is no payment involved.

actually you can do that. But the temple must write an official letter that showing you are a volunteer. And that kind of paper work is already at the temple, they have it and most of them know what to do or how. 

[problemfarang]

13 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

Absolutely nonsense I did paint my fence around the house (my neighbor was a cop) I did sell goods at the market with my wife (second hand market) never got harrassed by anybody. But that was a few years ago.

you were lucky. you cannot sell things at the market with wife. You can sit next to her, yes but actively selling, nope. like i said you were lucky because no one care. My friend has a kebap shop in chonburi, he was sitting next to the shop and his gf was doing all the things sometimes he was putting food into the bag, a month later police charged him. he paid some amount but dont know how much. Now he only sits

[Hummin]

32 minutes ago, problemfarang said:

you were lucky. you cannot sell things at the market with wife. You can sit next to her, yes but actively selling, nope. like i said you were lucky because no one care. My friend has a kebap shop in chonburi, he was sitting next to the shop and his gf was doing all the things sometimes he was putting food into the bag, a month later police charged him. he paid some amount but dont know how much. Now he only sits

Police always ask for tea money, or was this additional to the monthly fee? 
 

as said, police have nothing to do with this. Yes they can make trouble for you, but most all they just want their share

[IvorBiggun2]

48 minutes ago, problemfarang said:

you were lucky. you cannot sell things at the market with wife. You can sit next to her, yes but actively selling, nope. like i said you were lucky because no one care. My friend has a kebap shop in chonburi, he was sitting next to the shop and his gf was doing all the things sometimes he was putting food into the bag, a month later police charged him. he paid some amount but dont know how much. Now he only sits

I don't believe the police got involved with the above event. It's of no concern to a policeman what farangs do when it comes to working. The immigration officers yes, but never your local cop. They wouldn't know the rules/laws of farangs working. 

Been here 16 years and never heard of any farang that has been pulled up for working on their house, on their land/farms, in their shops etc etc. It's all bull especially the 

Quote

a month later police charged him.

The police can't police the highway laws let alone immigration laws.

[problemfarang]

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I don't believe the police got involved with the above event. It's of no concern to a policeman what farangs do when it comes to working. The immigration officers yes, but never your local cop. They wouldn't know the rules/laws of farangs working. 

Been here 16 years and never heard of any farang that has been pulled up for working on their house, on their land/farms, in their shops etc etc. It's all bull especially the 

The police can't police the highway laws let alone immigration laws.

 

yep i mean immigration. sorry

by saying their own farm or land or their home i dont know what you mean. the law is clear you cannot work without a work permit. If you are talking about that funny 2x2 so called fish farm thing some farangs doing back at their house, then yes you are right no one will bother you for that or some farang helping harvest his wife farm again probably no one will say anything (which is actually also need a work permit) but if you have a real pro fish farm and you are seriously doing work there please dont tell me immigration will never visit you, because thats bull too. Also please dont tell me selling veggies in the market with wife is not working?! You might think its helping the wife or you are having a good time, but its not the reality what laws say. if you know someone not visited so far doing some serious work, again he is so lucky. Any time someone can complain about that to immigration. thats it. I heard some people visited by immigration because of these kinda things. the kebap shop at chonburi near burapha university was 1 example i saw with my eyes happened to my friend. The thing is it is not the reality or the truth what you think is correct but the correct thing is what immigration and the law says, full stop.

Im not trying to say immigration will visit you blah blah thing like the drunks in the Op's real topic but all im saying is any kind of work which you make money is illegal without a work permit.

 

cheers

Edited February 9, 2022 by problemfarang

[IvorBiggun2]

7 minutes ago, problemfarang said:

the law is clear you cannot work without a work permit.

The law is also clear that road users obey the rules of the road but..........................................