I repair computers and phones for free for friends, is that a problem?

[John8]

At home my friends and friends-friends kinda know me as one they can come to if they need a pc or phone fixed. I don't have a long line of people outside my door, but once in a while someone comes asking me for help, and I am glad to help.

 

I dont have a work permit in Thailand, will there be any legal issues if I fix my neighbor or friends pc for free? are there any accurate law defining what is work or not? when I tried looking into it I can't find anything precise, it seems to be a grey area.. The information I get is Jail time and big fines only.

Regards John

[richard_smith237]

There will of course be some forum members who tell that you can be arrested and deported for painting your own house as ‘it takes away work from a Thai’... thats one of the more common responses to a thread such as this anyway... 

 

Realistically... No, you're just helping your friends.... In much the same way I’m not ‘working illegally’ if I cook dinner and have friends over... 

 

 

[Mickeymaus]

If you do a job that is reserved for Thais and/or requires a work permit it is not important if you take money or not. Some think that because they don't take money it is not illegal. This is wrong. But as long as nobody has a problem with what you do not much will happen. But if then expect problems.

[liddelljohn]

Dont worry , I fix mates motorcycles  in Pattaya for beer vouchers , never had a problem in almost 30 years

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, liddelljohn said:

Dont worry , I fix mates motorcycles  in Pattaya for beer vouchers , never had a problem in almost 30 years

Lucky you 

[Chicksaw]

Zero risk. As long as you are not in a public space. Example of getting into trouble is working visibly in a Thai partner's business (think bussing tables in a restaurant). Doing favors for friends in the privacy of your home? No problem.

 

Ignore those who try to scare you. They are ignorant or jealous or both.

 

Btw, could you pm me your number as I often get into trouble with my computer. I promise I won't pay you so there can be no trouble that way:-)

[pomchop]

u worry too mutt....

 

ONLY way you are likely to have a problem is if you <deleted> off a Thai (or even some nut job farang)and then they are out to get you but don't tell thai friends/girls what u are doing and highly unlikely anyone would know or care

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There will of course be some forum members who tell that you can be arrested and deported for painting your own house as ‘it takes away work from a Thai’... thats one of the more common responses to a thread such as this anyway... 

 

Realistically... No, you're just helping your friends.... In much the same way I’m not ‘working illegally’ if I cook dinner and have friends over... 

 

 

It's completely different painting one's own house, to painting someone else's house.

 

The problem isn't that he is fixing friend's computers, but that if he "annoys" some Thai, perhaps a Thai that has a business fixing computers, he can get reported and it will be used to get him in trouble.

In Thailand even volunteering, officially, needs a work permit, but for the most part a farang will not be in trouble, unless he "annoys" the wrong people.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

Realistically... No, you're just helping your friends.... In much the same way I’m not ‘working illegally’ if I cook dinner and have friends over... 

It's only "not illegal" if you are doing it in your own home. If you were to cook a meal for them in a restaurant you owned, it would be illegal. I got that from a farang I knew that did own a restaurant- he couldn't even cook his own breakfast in his own restaurant.

[ezzra]

2 hours ago, liddelljohn said:

Dont worry , I fix mates motorcycles  in Pattaya for beer vouchers , never had a problem in almost 30 years

I too fix my young, next door lady plumbing and electrical issues for occasional bedroom favours,

does that mean that i break Thailand labour laws?

[2baht]

Should be OK so long as you don't tell anyone!

[daveAustin]

Be alright 99% of the time but, as pointed out, upset someone (in particular a kompooteeer shop owner) then there is the potential. If it ever came down to having your collar felt, just offer the to fix the copper’s’ kompooteeers too. ????

[Elkski]

Man I hate this about Thailand.  

[HuskerDo2]

I'm pretty sure you'll need to get a "Nice Guy Doing Favors and Helping Others" permit. Those permits don't exist so you are fine.

[OneMoreFarang]

8 hours ago, John8 said:

friends and friends-friends

If you do for free for above group then don't worry. Friends will not report you to the authorities.

 

But somehow I would be surprised if all the people who you work for are friends and friends of friends and if there is no compensation at all.

Sometimes some people are not friends for a long time. And then they remember that that guy is doing illegal work which he is officially not allowed to do. And maybe someone will report you.

Is the risk high? I don't think so. Is there a risk: yes.

[2baht]

15 minutes ago, Elkski said:

Man I hate this about Thailand.  

People fixing phones and computers? ????

[Skipalongcassidy]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

I too fix my young, next door lady plumbing and electrical issues for occasional bedroom favours,

does that mean that i break Thailand labour laws?

Not anti labor... but could be prostitution... 555

[RayWright]

Surely your mate brought his computer paraphernalia over to your place so you both could play Computer Games. Obviously, being the perfect host you "Set up" his computer to obtain the maximum performance.

Nowt wrong with that, m'lud.

[steven100]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

occasional bedroom favours,

what favors exactly ?

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Elkski said:

Man I hate this about Thailand.  

You hate what about Thailand?

[nikmar]

39 minutes ago, steven100 said:

what favors exactly ?

you want graphic details????

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Not anti labor... but could be prostitution... 555

But not illegal, so no issue.  Providing sex for payment, or for payment in kind, is not illegal as she would not be loitering in a public place, advertising her services or gathering at a prostitution establishment to sell sex.  

Edited March 16, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[spidermike007]

You are providing a good service for your friends. Whether it is legal or not, some laws are so lame, so onerous, so ignorant, that they are meant to be ignored. March on. Keep providing a great service to your people. 

[connda]

Is working in my own garden, or helping clean the local temple's ground legal.
Technically?  Maybe; Maybe not.
Realistically?  Ever seen news reports of farangs picking up garbage and cleaning their neighborhoods?  I've never seen a follow-up news report stating that the farang was busted for "working without a work permit."

Doing things for 'family and friends.'   That's pretty much off the radar

My suggestion?  Don't lose any sleep over it.

[connda]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

I too fix my young, next door lady plumbing and electrical issues for occasional bedroom favours,

does that mean that i break Thailand labour laws?

Are you channeling BritManToo? 

[Rimmer]

A derogatory troll post and reply have been removed

[Mickeymaus]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

You are providing a good service for your friends. Whether it is legal or not, some laws are so lame, so onerous, so ignorant, that they are meant to be ignored. March on. Keep providing a great service to your people. 

I think this is a very bad advice. 

 

"Working in Thailand without a work permit entails a penalty on the violator, ranging from a fine, imprisonment and deportation to, in the worst case scenario, prohibition from reentering Thailand. Under the Alien Working Act, a foreigner who engages in work without obtaining the proper work permit is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years and/or a fine from 2,000 baht to 100,000 baht. In practice, however, the authorities usually settle the case and deport the person from Thailand."

 

https://www.tilleke.com/insights/foreigners-beware-penalties-working-without-permit-may-be-dire/#:~:text=Under the Alien Working Act%2C a foreigner who engages in,deport the person from Thailand.

[spidermike007]

26 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

I think this is a very bad advice. 

 

"Working in Thailand without a work permit entails a penalty on the violator, ranging from a fine, imprisonment and deportation to, in the worst case scenario, prohibition from reentering Thailand. Under the Alien Working Act, a foreigner who engages in work without obtaining the proper work permit is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years and/or a fine from 2,000 baht to 100,000 baht. In practice, however, the authorities usually settle the case and deport the person from Thailand."

 

https://www.tilleke.com/insights/foreigners-beware-penalties-working-without-permit-may-be-dire/#:~:text=Under the Alien Working Act%2C a foreigner who engages in,deport the person from Thailand.

I agree. However, he is not really stealing work from the locals. He is helping his friends out. The letter of the law becomes a trap, when applied literally, especially when the laws were written by short sighted, xenophobic morons. 

 

I have never been a respector of badly written laws, and hope I never become one. Some rebellion is needed in this day and age. Some of us really enjoy putting up a fight, in the face of nonsense. 

Edited March 16, 2023 by spidermike007

[NativeBob]

that term "working" is very unclear. Folks pulling dictionaries, wiki pages, Thai2Eng vocabularies and links to webpages. There are urban legends about deportations, there are almost weekly raids at Bang Rak / Silom area and foreigners being arrested at post offices for sending multiple parcels and young girl deported and blacklisted away from her 3 kids.

The worst encounter with IO was about 3,000 THB and happened exactly for kompootar biz as a revenge from computer shop owner (he was ripping my friend company for years).

[petermik]

9 hours ago, ezzra said:

I too fix my young, next door lady plumbing and electrical issues for occasional bedroom favours,

does that mean that i break Thailand labour laws?

I understand that to be taking advantage of someones vulnerability....care to let me know her location so as I may offer my services LOL