Step By Step Idiots Guide Needed For Uk To Thailand :)

[toodkeng]

Hi Everyone,

This is my 1st post on thaivisa so id just like to say hi .. and hopefully ive posted in the correct place

I've been reading as much as i can on all the forums and other websites ,ive contacted several thai legal advisors for information too , but i seem to be getting nowhere fast so thought id try here just to seek some wisdom from those who have been there done that , and maybe cut a few corners on my path learning from your mistakes

My situation is this ;

I am 30 , living in uk , (currently at parents house as im in the process of selling everything i dont need ), .. My girlfriend is thai national , also 30 , and living in thailand ,she is a primary school teacher , while i am currently helping my father with building work when needed.

My Goal is this;

I want to move to thailand to live .. with the longterm vision of permanent residency.. id like to set up a small business ,of which i have several ideas and id like to marry my gf in thailand too.

My problem is;

Basically which step to take 1st , the answers are probably staring me right in the face from all the information i've gathered so far , but ive always been a meticulous person and just seem to be having a brain block at the moment putting the steps into order and wondering if im missing something vital .

I know its not the best way to do things .. but i'm just wondering if anyone has tried/done it this way.. i obviously want to be with my gf as soon as possible .. so with that in mind could i just hop on a plane to thailand with a multiple entry non immigrant o visa , and as a way of making money could i invest to buy some items /materials etc for selling , and while my girlfriend is the one doing the selling , id be the one helping her carry the stuff and doing the heavy lifting to take it all to the local market and set up on a stall etc .. and when the money starts building up we could then look for a premises to make the business into a nice shop ,eventually into a ltd company .

what would be the best way to approach this ? ..basically being able to be in thailand with my gf and start to build a life up from scratch ..

or am i better off starting up a ltd company straight away and trying to sort out a work permit for myself etc before i even get to thailand??

i have so many questions .. and hopefully i dont sound to dumb already .. but as the saying goes ''he who asks a question is stupid for 5 minutes.. he who doesnt ask remains stupid forever''

Thanks in advance

Scott

[meom]

Before starting any business just come over and live here for a while let's say 6 months - year.

[thaimate]

AT 30 its going to be bloomi hard to live here ,its getting harder all the time as well ,take her to Britain and save up loads of money .sorry to be a spoilsport but its the way it is.

best of luck

[toodkeng]

i have already lived there for a year .. from april 08 to april 09 .. i was living in jomtien near pattaya while training to become a PADI Divemaster , but travelled all over thailand and lived inland at my gf's for a good period of the year .. so i know what some might say about how pattaya isnt really thailand so dont judge what its like to live there on that ..lol.. its a whole other world outside that place .. which it is .. and im madly in love with the country and its people , every country has its problems but im willing to learn how to love those too ..

as for living in uk and saving up money .. lets pretend that isnt an option ..lol.. id rather lick pavements for food on the streets in thailand than live here any longer ..lol..

my gf has a degree in business management , clever little sausage compared to me .. would it be more easy to set up business in her name and me as an investor so that i can obtain the visa's to stay there ? ( im fully aware of the risks involved with that .. so please refrain the comments about trustworthy relationship advice ) lol

[meom]

I would guess the easiest way to stay here would be to marry your girlfriend and obtain visa extension based on marriage.

[thaimate]

i have already lived there for a year .. from april 08 to april 09 .. i was living in jomtien near pattaya while training to become a PADI Divemaster , but travelled all over thailand and lived inland at my gf's for a good period of the year .. so i know what some might say about how pattaya isnt really thailand so dont judge what its like to live there on that ..lol.. its a whole other world outside that place .. which it is .. and im madly in love with the country and its people , every country has its problems but im willing to learn how to love those too ..

as for living in uk and saving up money .. lets pretend that isnt an option ..lol.. id rather lick pavements for food on the streets in thailand than live here any longer ..lol..

my gf has a degree in business management , clever little sausage compared to me .. would it be more easy to set up business in her name and me as an investor so that i can obtain the visa's to stay there ? ( im fully aware of the risks involved with that .. so please refrain the comments about trustworthy relationship advice ) lol

can you come and lick them outside our house? they need a good clean sorry just couldnt resist. sorry i am not competant to advise re buisness here as the one i used to run was from Britain ,my partner ran the BKK END . hope someone else can help .

[Soutpeel]

my gf has a degree in business management , clever little sausage compared to me .. would it be more easy to set up business in her name and me as an investor so that i can obtain the visa's to stay there ? ( im fully aware of the risks involved with that .. so please refrain the comments about trustworthy relationship advice ) lol

If you have THB 10 million to invest you can get a visa based on this (h*ll of a chunk of change to tie up!!)

My advice, if you havent run a business before, be very careful getting into business in Thailand, as the path is full of massive potholes you will end up falling into, Thailand is not an easy country to do business in, even for experienced business owners.

Although the saying in Thailand of "how to make a million in Thailand is to start with two million", is said tongue in cheek, it is a very valid comment.

You would be better as your starting point to marry the GF, Get your Non-imm O based on this and then look at a business set up.

"and as a way of making money could i invest to buy some items /materials etc for selling , and while my girlfriend is the one doing the selling , id be the one helping her carry the stuff and doing the heavy lifting to take it all to the local market and set up on a stall etc .. and when the money starts building up we could then look for a premises to make the business into a nice shop ,eventually into a ltd company"

However the statement above that worries me the most...you realise you need a WP for what you intend to do here, and if you look around the markets in Thailand, do think you would ever get in the position to have the "money building up" ??....a lot of stall holders in Thailand are living hand to mouth...

For your work permit, you basically will need a Ltd company to even start this process, granted our GF could try for a sole prop and try get a work permit, but based on income from a market stall, dont even thing you would meet the income requirements to be granted a WP.

You may be better coming here as an English teacher, get your WP and then look at your options as regards a business on the side.

In summary, you ask the question, whether you can start from scratch in Thailand and build a life ??...answer is yes...but not very easy, if you have a lump of money, easier

[AjarnChan]

i have already lived there for a year .. from april 08 to april 09 .. i was living in jomtien near pattaya while training to become a PADI Divemaster , but travelled all over thailand and lived inland at my gf's for a good period of the year .. so i know what some might say about how pattaya isnt really thailand so dont judge what its like to live there on that ..lol.. its a whole other world outside that place .. which it is .. and im madly in love with the country and its people , every country has its problems but im willing to learn how to love those too ..

as for living in uk and saving up money .. lets pretend that isnt an option ..lol.. id rather lick pavements for food on the streets in thailand than live here any longer ..lol..

my gf has a degree in business management , clever little sausage compared to me .. would it be more easy to set up business in her name and me as an investor so that i can obtain the visa's to stay there ? ( im fully aware of the risks involved with that .. so please refrain the comments about trustworthy relationship advice ) lol

Personally I think that moving to live in Thailand is a very risky proposition, and I live here ;}

I have a Thai wife, and 12 years of marriage, we survive by Teaching English. Things are very unsettled here for all kinds of reasons, but there really does seem to be a steady effort by the 'establishment' to 'thin our numbers' [ie. evict as many Farangs as possible]. It surely must be one of the most difficult times in recent history to make the move.

So far as 'buying things for your wife to sell' ~ well of course you can do that, and you might make a decent living, at least to start with; but be aware that in Thailand all 'successful' business ideas are mercilessly copied. Anything you do that makes you a good living will be imitated ad infinitum. It is the Thai/Asian way.

Anyway Good Luck, get yourself a Non Imm Visa from Hull and come on over

[Lite Beer]

A Non Imm O Visa Multi Entry from Hull would give you up to 15 months to sort things out.

You could stay indefinitely with 12 monthly extensions based on your Marriage. If you have 400,000 Baht in a Thai bank OR 40,000 Baht a month income.

As for setting up a business? Most fail. Not all.

[toodkeng]

Some great responses here .. thanks for taking the time to enlighten me with your views.. so far its helping a lot .. and nobody really putting any dampers on the situation so far which is also great .. hard enough making choices without people kicking you while your down..lol .. anyway ..

as far as building money up goes .. the market selling was more of an example for me to use just to keep things simple ..i wondered about work permits for that type of situation because i dont see helping a friend or family member carry stuff around for them while ''they'' are working to sell it as doing a job .. more as a favour .. but reading the BOI sites etc .. they all say that working in thailand includes pretty much everything .. from physical to mental .. does this include anything you dont get paid for ? .. like cutting the grass or cleaning your inlaws windows ?..lol

Well it seems the idea of gettin non imm O visa .. get there .. get married and stay via that while sorting out business and living off what we can sell will atleast enable me to be with my partner .. and focus on other things while there , like setting up an internet based income or something .. being apart for long periods of time is harder than having to work hard for a low income so i think thats probably how i'll do it .. like has already been said .. thailands not an easy place to do business even for experts .. so i sure as hel_l dont wanna rush into it

Thanks for the help guys .. much appreciated

[ilovefashionTV]

If you have never ran a business in England and have no idea of what you wish to do over here i cant see whatever your plan is working. If your Mrs wanted to go to England and she came on here asking a similar question what would you say to her?

Unfortunately the only way to make money is to work hard or get lucky ..... i was in the latter but now am having to resort to the former to make a living.

Edited June 4, 2009 by ilovefashionTV

[Soutpeel]

.. does this include anything you dont get paid for ? .. like cutting the grass or cleaning your inlaws windows ?..lol

Yes...technically cutting the grass or cleaning the outlaws windows would be classed as work, and therefore you would need a work permit as the rules currently stand.

As a point of reference and example, after the Tsumani, voluteers where required to a have WP in the early stages, this was of course retracted after after Thailand was seen to be shooting themselves in the foot in the worldwide media...again..LOL...sad but true...

On your internet idea, contray to what people think, again you would need a WP, but provided you stay below the radar and dont upset anyone to the point they report you, you should be ok without one

[toodkeng]

i have so many ideas for businesses in thailand, they are coming out of my ears ..lol .. but obviously i don't want to provide more detail than i need to on an open forum discussion .. just incase any thai's are reading and copy them to infinitum ..lol .. but seriously the reason why i never run a business in uk is cos it seems even more confusing that doing it in thailand ..lol

[MEGALITHIC]

Hi Everyone,

This is my 1st post on thaivisa so id just like to say hi .. and hopefully ive posted in the correct place

I've been reading as much as i can on all the forums and other websites ,ive contacted several thai legal advisors for information too , but i seem to be getting nowhere fast so thought id try here just to seek some wisdom from those who have been there done that , and maybe cut a few corners on my path learning from your mistakes

My situation is this ;

I am 30 , living in uk , (currently at parents house as im in the process of selling everything i dont need ), .. My girlfriend is thai national , also 30 , and living in thailand ,she is a primary school teacher , while i am currently helping my father with building work when needed.

My Goal is this;

I want to move to thailand to live .. with the longterm vision of permanent residency.. id like to set up a small business ,of which i have several ideas and id like to marry my gf in thailand too.

My problem is;

Basically which step to take 1st , the answers are probably staring me right in the face from all the information i've gathered so far , but ive always been a meticulous person and just seem to be having a brain block at the moment putting the steps into order and wondering if im missing something vital .

I know its not the best way to do things .. but i'm just wondering if anyone has tried/done it this way.. i obviously want to be with my gf as soon as possible .. so with that in mind could i just hop on a plane to thailand with a multiple entry non immigrant o visa , and as a way of making money could i invest to buy some items /materials etc for selling , and while my girlfriend is the one doing the selling , id be the one helping her carry the stuff and doing the heavy lifting to take it all to the local market and set up on a stall etc .. and when the money starts building up we could then look for a premises to make the business into a nice shop ,eventually into a ltd company .

what would be the best way to approach this ? ..basically being able to be in thailand with my gf and start to build a life up from scratch ..

or am i better off starting up a ltd company straight away and trying to sort out a work permit for myself etc before i even get to thailand??

i have so many questions .. and hopefully i dont sound to dumb already .. but as the saying goes ''he who asks a question is stupid for 5 minutes.. he who doesnt ask remains stupid forever''

Thanks in advance

Scott

Question: How do you make a small fortune in Thailand?

Answer: Start with a large fortune.

Seriously though, do you plan to do things legitimately or on the sly?

The minimum capitalisation for a start up business which has a 49% foreign shareholding is 2 million baht. One million of which has to be shown in your Thai partners bank account for a minimum of six months prior to the registration date of the company. It will cost you in the vicinity of of 200 k baht to set up a business to the point where you get a work permit - this will include accountancy services for filing tax payments and company audits, etc. If you don't have that kind of money then you can do what alot of others doand operate under the radar. It's a lot cheaper to register a 100% Thai owned business. The problem with that is that you can't be seen doing any kind of work that a Thai person could do, or anything at all with out a work permit.

If you get married then you can apply for a yearly visa but you'll still need to comply with all the equirements of getting and renewing it - 400 k in the bank for 6 months leading up to the yearly visa renewal date and a minimum income of 40,000 a month.

So that's it mate. For precise details I'd suggest getting in touch with Sunbelt Asia.

Personally, I think the only way to live in Thailand successfully now is if you are a) filthy, stinking rich you do as I do and work in a well paid profession outside of Thailand for a few months each year c) you have a well paid expats job for a foreign based company.

If you're a diver and only 30 then your best bet is to go and do a commercial divers course at Fort William in Scotland. You will probably be able to get a student loan from the government in the U.K. Once you've done that, and couple of other complementary courses, you'll have a much better chance of getting work in asia in an industry that pays proper wages. Commercial air divers in asia are currently paid around USD 300 - 400 per day.

Good luck.

[Soutpeel]

Commercial air divers in asia are currently paid around USD 300 - 400 per day.

Good luck.

Not sure whether you are working in Asia, but the average air diver these days for offshore O&G, ie philopinos etc are making about US$ 250/day, with the drop in oil price the ar*e has fallen out of the market as regards day rate, go back 18 months some of the guys were making 600-800/day

[MEGALITHIC]

Commercial air divers in asia are currently paid around USD 300 - 400 per day.

Good luck.

Not sure whether you are working in Asia, but the average air diver these days for offshore O&G, ie philopinos etc are making about US$ 250/day, with the drop in oil price the ar*e has fallen out of the market as regards day rate, go back 18 months some of the guys were making 600-800/day

I'm on a job right now in Sarawak and the air divers are on USD 350 per day. People keep saying that the arse has fallen out of the market but I'm just as busy as I was 2 years ago. I'll have 120 days in by the end of the month.

[SKORPiO]

How do you guys handle the change between super cold waters during diving and the heat of Thailand?

regards, Bartek

[BigSnake]

Before starting any business just come over and live here for a while let's say 6 months - year.

Concur, could be TIME well spend, also give you time to get to know the girl friend/family and learn a bit about the THAI work ethic and many other thing about living and working in Thailand.

[weescotsguy66]

You don't have to get married to get a visa, just go for visiting friends (your gf) preferably from the Hull Consulate. with your Non Imm O you have to leave every 90 days but unlike a tourist visa when you go over by land you get 90 days not 15 days.

Helping out in a market stall would be considered as working I am afraid, since if your doing that your wife wouldn't have to.

Best way is to come over here looking for a job as a teacher get the job then apply for a business visa, you will have to take a English teacher course.

weescotsguy66

[Lite Beer]

You don't have to get married to get a visa, just go for visiting friends (your gf) preferably from the Hull Consulate. with your Non Imm O you have to leave every 90 days but unlike a tourist visa when you go over by land you get 90 days not 15 days.

Best way is to come over here looking for a job as a teacher get the job then apply for a business visa, you will have to take a English teacher course.

weescotsguy66

As said Hull would issue you with a Multi Entry Non Imm O Visa. Good for up to 15 months.

You can work as a teacher with this if you have a Work Permit.

[andy1308]

I was in a similar situation to you three years ago - living in the UK and wanting to live and work in Thailand and be with my Thai g/f. I know you have aspirations to have your own business but, if you can, the quickest and least expensive option would be to find a company here that will employ you. You might have contacts from the time you've already spent here, and if so use them as best you can.

Obviously in the current economic climate the number of companies that are willing to recruit overseas workers has declined sharply. That's not to say it's impossible to find jobs being advertised for non-Thais, but it really depends on your background and experience.

Good luck with whatever option you choose.

[mommysboy]

Coming in fresh on this one so forgive me if I miss an issue that's already been discussed.

1. Relationship is important. Some of the biggest hard luck stories are typified with the phrase 'and she wasn't even a bar girl".

2. Starting a business. By the sound of it you'd be eaten alive! What about doing some teaching to complement your girlfriend's career.?

3. You have to be strong out here. It takes a few years to toughen up.

[toodkeng]

I'm so glad i decided to ask about this on here .. you guys have all really helped to get things like 80% clearer for me . all i needed was a little nudge and you gave me a kick .... i didnt expect to get even a quarter of the responses , maybe just one or two saying the end of the world is nigh .. but youve come up trumps for me .. so thanks again so far

Not sure i'm cut out for teaching, i had a little go at it cos i always visited the school my gf works at and the kids surround me like im a celebrity .. its pretty overwhelming , its nice ..but also horrifying for the 1st few times , especially when after living in uk you build up a certain amount of fear towards kids , fear of being classed as a paedophile or just subject to a child who knows how to manipulate the laws and cry wolf just to get you sued etc , even fear from the groups of hooded teenagers that you still can't hit back even if they all jumped on you and beat the living daylights out of you , cos your an adult you should know better ...some changes take a while to get used to .. much of this isnt so evident from my year in thailand , but maybe i wasnt there long enough to experience it or maybe just cos the legal system isnt quite as effective yet .. anyway thats a topic for another thread

maybe i will learn a lot more about how to deal with them from taking the TEFL or TESL course which ever one it is ..lol

keep them answers coming

[lopburi3]

QUOTE (MEGALITHIC @ 2009-06-04 20:08:15)

If you get married then you can apply for a yearly visa but you'll still need to comply with all the equirements of getting and renewing it - 400 k in the bank for 6 months leading up to the yearly visa renewal date and a minimum income of 40,000 a month.

That information is false. The requirement is 400k in bank account 2 months (or 3 at some locations) or 40k per month income or a combination of the two. You do not need both and it is not 6 months.

Edited June 6, 2009 by lopburi3

[aussiebebe]

A guide for UK to Thailand would be a good idea. I just googled the topic and there are plenty of 'leaving UK' sites; I discovered that you need to complete a p85 form, and tell the post office to redirect mail, apply for the correct visa at the Thai consulate - I'm not even from the UK and that's a fairly good start for a list. I'd add; sort out travel insurance for at least one year, get immunisations up to date, register with British embassy in Bangkok to let them know where you are going.

Any self-respecting guide would start by asking the 'idiot' where they wanted to be in the future; think about what you'd stand to gain and loose. It's been 3 years for me (Aus to Thailand) and I can sympathise with how the OP feels about his girlfriend; but he should realise that marriage and family will be on the cards sooner than he thinks:

things that start to weigh on your mind will be:

1) education for your kids (better, free schools back home) 2) health care (insurance costs a lot) 3) pension provisions 4) language (you need to learn Thai and be comfortable with your immediate family speaking something other than English all the time).

Bottom line: it's easy this think short and medium term, but far harder to think further ahead.

My Idiots Guide UK-Thailand would be:

1) Learn to read, write and speak Thai