Agriculture Work Permit

[Maxxamum]

I am an American married to a Thai woman. I am 60 and she is 35. We plan to move permanently from the United States to Udon in 2011. We (I) have already purchased in my wife's name considerable land are are growing eucalyptus trees. I plan to "help" my wife and family on the plantation but not for 'personal gain' as I will not be a paid employee. I am not all that sure what I will want to do since farm labor is affordable but I cannot just sit and watch the grass grow so I may drive tractor/truck/weed whacker I am not sure. And they it will only be when I am bored. I may nelp cut or plant or prepare the land for planting when we acquire more parcels.

Do I need a work permit? Can I even get one in agriculture? The plantation is not a registered company so I cannot even qualify as an 'accountant' or 'finance manager' for a company that does not exist.

Any suggestions?

Maxx

[ubonjoe]

See the lists starting on page 15 of this document.

http://www.boi.go.th/english/download/busi...stment-laws.pdf

The answer is no. But you might discover that there are some that are doing what you want to do without a problem because they are so far out in country nobody even notices or cares.

[markg]

Just to also let you know that 'work' does not actually need to include any personal gain. Doing work for free is still doing work and you are prohibited from doing it.

I'm sure that helping out every now and again will be overlooked, especially up-country, but toiling away for a significant number of hours means you've taken a potential job away from a local. Which is exactly why its prohibited i guess.

If you dont know what you're gonna do when you get here then are you sure it's the right move?

If you're gonna retire - then retire !!

The country life may suit you, though i personally found it all rather boring, but that's cos i m a city boy. I found it was a repetitive cycle of, work,eat,snooze,eat, work, eat, play cards, eat, bed by 9pm. The next day would be more exciting as they would play cards at a neighbours house.

Starting to learn Thai now will stand you in good stead for when you arrive too.

My advice would be to forget about doing any manual labour and get yourself a hobby to while away the days with.

[ubonjoe]

The plantation is not a registered company so I cannot even qualify as an 'accountant' or 'finance manager' for a company that does not exist.

Any suggestions?

Maxx

It does not have to be a company. Your wife could establish a business. You could then get a work permit for the business. It would require the business to have 2 Thai employees and meet an income requirement.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

How is that when you are doing work purely for yourself? Like in this case - it's his own (well wife's) land/farm..... or, in my own case, what if i'm sitting in a motorbike shop with the arms full of oil and fixing a motorbike which just happens to be my own - would i need a work permit for that?? I always do that at the shop because i can use their tools and machinery, which i don't have.

Best regards.....

Thanh

[Lite Beer]

Hi

How is that when you are doing work purely for yourself? Like in this case - it's his own (well wife's) land/farm..... or, in my own case, what if i'm sitting in a motorbike shop with the arms full of oil and fixing a motorbike which just happens to be my own - would i need a work permit for that?? I always do that at the shop because i can use their tools and machinery, which i don't have.

Best regards.....

Thanh

You are fixing your motorbike. He is running a business. A work pemit is even needed to do unpayed volunteer work.

[pnustedt]

The country life may suit you, though i personally found it all rather boring, but that's cos i m a city boy. I found it was a repetitive cycle of, work,eat,snooze,eat, work, eat, play cards, eat, bed by 9pm. The next day would be more exciting as they would play cards at a neighbours house.

Playing cards is also illegal

[Thanh-BKK]

You are fixing your motorbike. He is running a business. A work pemit is even needed to do unpayed volunteer work.

Hi

When i read his post correctly, he is not running a business but only helps his wife or his family..... now, for example, if i'd fix my boyfriend's motorbike (or his mum's)??

T.i.T. comes to mind

Best regards.....

Thanh

[markg]

The easy way to think about it is this. Doing work? = need a work permit. It doesnt matter if it's paid or unpaid. Business or not. "Helping" the wife's family or not. It's work, and you need a work permit.

HOWEVER, believe it or not, the authorities use a little discretion.

For example. Me doing the washing up at home = no WP. Me doing the washing up in the wife's restaurant = work permit (irrespective of it being paid work or not)

Me planting 4 chilli bushes at home = no WP. Me ploughing 2 rai of land and planting chilli bushes = work permit.

Me painting my window frames at home = no WP. Me attending a building site and painting other people's window frames = work permit.

It's kinda context relevant and also a grey area.

I'd think long and hard about being seen on a regular basis "working on your land" unless it's clearly a private garden. It would be hard to argue that you are not working, when clearly you are working on agricultural land which sells produce for profit.

That's working.

It dont matter if you are paid or just helping out.

You would be walking a fine line in my view!

[PoorSucker]

“ Work ” means to engage in work by exerting energy or using knowledge whether or not in consideration of wages or other benefits.

- An alien who performs work that is prescribed by the Royal Decree B.E. 2522 which prohibits alien employment in certain occupations and professions is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine from 2,000 to 100,000 Baht, or both penalties.

source: Ministry of labour