Confused About What To Do In Thailand

[Taiji]

Hi all,

This is my first post here, i found myself here after searching around the net for Thai related business etc.

My story is that I met my girlfriend (Thai) four years ago in England where we live, I am 26 and she is 24. It took me until just a month ago to finally go to Thailand with her, and yes guess what I fell in love the country.

So now i am racking my brain for a job that i could do in Thailand, my Thai language skills are very limited at the moment, surely knowing the language would help a great deal in getting work? any opinions?

So far I have three options, so i hope some of you could comment on them or suggest other avenues.

1. Teaching English as a foreign language, but i have no experience with this yet, however it seems the most common option.

2. I am very experienced in Taijiquan (Tai Chi) and have a natural abilty to practice and teach. I am very unsure of the demand for learning Tai Chi in Thailand, it seems popular in most SE Asian countries apart from Thailand. My thoughts were that it might be an ideal relaxation activity for foreigners on holiday.

3. Whilst living in England i have become a very keen user of EBAY and have made some tidy profits from it. Does anyone know the legality or know of any problems that i would face if i was to move to Thailand and use EBAY as my income. Basically I would be buying Thai goods locally and then traing them on EBAY. Would I need to registar myself as a trading company? My EBAY account is UK based so I would only be selling to people searching ebay.co.uk or .com and in theory no one would no, the only indication would be that I was visiting the post office three times a week with lots of parcels.

If any of you could find the time to post any advice, contacts, websites etc I would be most grateful.

One more thing, the areas of Thailand that appeal to me the most currently are Bangkok, Pattaya and Koh Samui.

Thanks Again

Ed

[uncle_ernie]

Taiji -

Props for thinking of something other than teaching english.

The E-Bay idea sounds good, but remember that customs add duty to items worth more than 1000B & the person receiving the package pays this.

I think the tai chi chuan idea is worth following. I find the lack of alternative (other than muay thai, thai is) martial arts training frustrating.

Gor for it, man.

[en184]

Work in ENgland.

Save enough pounds to buy a good business in thailand. (about 30,000 gbp). Then buy a great business with good cash flow and live happily ever after..

No great secret to it..

[caughtintheact]

1. Without any prior quals in English teaching, you would most likely get the worst jobs around, but at least you would have some proof of income (even if you don't get paid regularly or on time). Recommend you take a look at www.stickmanbangkok.com to get info on teaching here.

2. Teaching Tai Chi or working Ebay will give you no documentation of a steady income for the Immigration people, although doing Ebay trading through a company might work...no guarantees that Immigration will accept it, as it is out of the usual.

3. Also keep in mind that if you are working here, you are required to have a work permit. With more and more people becoming aware of this, you are taking a risk of being caught, fined and deported. If that happens, then forget anything you have bought the lady...it will become hers. So if you are going to work here, try and do it legally and especially patiently. You may not get rich, but you will not have to live every day in jeopardy.

4. Coming here for a short visit as a tourist is very different than living here full time. If the relatuionship is for real, the girl will wait a reasonable amount of time for you to get here in good financial shape, which you need to be in before applying for the non-immigrant visa.

5. Knowing The language helps, but having the right attitude and doing your homework on what is required to come here helps more.

[32x]

Hi

Why dont you offer your skills as an ebay assistant?.

There are plenty of ebayers out there in Thailand and im sure you might find someone who needs help full time.

Bring a turbo lister cd with you!!.

Good luck.

[Khun ?]

You are number 1,550,000 this year with similar ideas. One thing different is you met your girl outside of thailand. save save and then save some more. Wages are very low in Thailand and most likley you will not get a long term visa at least on dreams. 800,000 baht in the bank age 50 or several million baht to invest or the elite card at $25,000.

Good Luck

[Taiji]

Thanks everyone for the replys it has been of some benefit. I have been thinking and realise its stupid to rush in so i will continue to save here, until i have enough for a proper investment. I think legal is definately the way, i would be worrying constantly about getting mixed up in there legal system.

Maybe i could just do the Taiji part time to help calm some expats

thanks again

ed

[dr_Pat_Pong]

IF you ever marry her, your visa position is simple

[Taiji]

I had been unsure about what benefits a non-Thai would get if married to a Thai, I didn't think that you got any special treatment.

Well we do plan on getting married but we are in no rush, she has duel citizenship so she has no worries, I guess we will get married when we need to (when it benefits us).

ed

[Beckers]

Dr Pat Pong, please can you tell me in what way the Visa situation is simple when you have a Thai wife?

My wife is Thai and we would like to travel and work freely between England and Thailand, this is no problem for her at present, but for me it appears to be a bit of a minefield. We have a house in Thailand (all in her name), but just use it as a glorified holiday home. Is it really simple for me to travel and work because we are married?

Really appreciate any useful advice on this as it is COLD here!

[utapaortnab]

Here is my take, unpopular as it is:

As a non citizen of Thailand you have no more right to work there than the foreigners that come to your country and work illegally, stealing jobs from your citizens.

Foreigners in Thailand have NO right to any job that can be done by a Thai citizen.

Now, working as an English as a 2nd Language position is so low paying that most who do not have other income could not live comfortably on it.

Import-Export businesses ARE legally bound by the tax laws of both countries I believe.

And the worst of all continguencies for those who are not professional pub owners with years of experience is to open yet another bar/club/gogo.

Guess you should plan on continuing to live in England until you can acquire enough steady income to move permanently to Thailand and be satisfied with yearly visits until then.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

Visiting Thailand since 1971

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Dr Pat Pong, please can you tell me in what way the Visa situation is simple when you have a Thai wife?

You apply for a non-immigrant O visa outside Thailand. In Thailand, open a bank account with a minimum balance of 200,000, go to Immigration with a letter from the bank, take the wife, the wedding papers, her ID and passport, and apply for an extension of that O visa. You'll get a one year extension of stay, and you repeat the process each year. Get a multiple entry re-entry permit each year too. It is possible to get a work permit on that visa. And it is warm here. .

[Thaiquila]

I think there is too much negativity about the idea of teaching English. For someone who has a college degree and is willing get to get a TEFL or CELTA certificate (takes about a month), and thus can work legally, it can be a good first, or final, way of working in Thailand. Yes, it is often low paying, but you could say the same thing about teachers in many countries. Also, when done by a native English speaking person, its hard to deny that some social value is added to Thailand's efforts to get on the international English bandwagon. It seems to me that if you have the ability and desire to teach English and you have the government qualifications, you could do much worse (go go bars come to mind). Some of the people who try English teaching because it is the only viable way to find work grow to become dedicated teachers. Of course, most don't, but it is unfair to paint everyone with the same tarnished brush.

[halfpast_2]

If using the internet for selling (exporting) from thailand, would you need then to have a work visa? when married to a thai wife and living on one year extensions?

it seems a foriegners that come to thailand to live teach english by doing a course, is this course reconised worldwide?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Don't mean to offend you half past, but you'd need to do a lot of work on your spelling first.

[Guest IT Manager]

I love it when you use hyperbole Doc.

[beach]

Dear Taijii

you can have my job and I'll move to England. I love that country, the nature, people etc.

I've been working here since 1987 more or less constantely so it's time for me to smell some different air.

For my guess you are too young to think moving here specially when you need to save money.

Stay home, come here for holidays and enjoy

Beach

[halfpast_2]

thanks for picking up on the spelling doc, i thought i was asking a question not taking a test.

to be honest mate i am not interested in teaching but wondered why it is so easy for people to get into.

any ideas on my question about internet business, maybe i can start a internet spell check

[Boon Mee]

Taijii,

Marry your girlfriend, buy a few rai and grow Mangos! Everybody loves mangos and it's easier than teaching English to a bunch of kids who won't understand that you have to break a sentence down into seperate words.

Good Luck

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I love it when you use hyperbole Doc.

Mom says I am always hyper IT

[Beckers]

Dr Pat Pong

Thanks for your earlier reply, apart from the 200,000 baht in bank, do you know how much the visa and multi entry permits would be? Also how "easy" would it be to get a work permit?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I am away from my own comp so I will advise fees later. If you get a job. or start a business, not too hard to get a WP