Farm Supervision

[garrya]

Hello there, I was wondering about how much work i am allowed to do in farming.

I paste the relevant line from the Foreign Employment Act :

Prohibited occupations for foreigners in Thailand

Under Thai Law foreigners are prohibited to engage in any of the following occupations.

- Manual work

- Work in agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry or fishery excluding specialized work in each particular branch or farm supervision

etc

I am particularly interested in specialized work and farm supervision.

Does this mean I can work on the farm or gives me a certain frame to do supervision, or am I permitted to open a business with specialized work conditions?

Or is a work permit application entirely within the official's discretion? He decides whether to accept or deny it?

Edited January 18, 2012 by garrya

[Pond Life]

Have a search thru Maizefarmer's old posts, I think he covered this question a few years back, I can't remember the details.

[jamescollister]

No expert on work permits, but it's the type of work you are doing that counts. If you say you want to sweat and toil in the fields no chance. If you are down as a management consultant or expert adviser no problem. Like all things it's a money thing. BOI can help by pass things, if it is a benefit to Thailand. These rule are there to protect Thai jobs, if you are offering some thing they want or need, you should be fine, if you only want to work a little hobby farm, you will not get a permit. If you live in the middle of now where, no one will care if you have a permit or not. Jim

[garrya]

No expert on work permits, but it's the type of work you are doing that counts. If you say you want to sweat and toil in the fields no chance. If you are down as a management consultant or expert adviser no problem. Like all things it's a money thing. BOI can help by pass things, if it is a benefit to Thailand. These rule are there to protect Thai jobs, if you are offering some thing they want or need, you should be fine, if you only want to work a little hobby farm, you will not get a permit. If you live in the middle of now where, no one will care if you have a permit or not. Jim

hmm, it will be a bit in the middle of nowhere , but anyway, I dont want to sweat and struggle a lot, but to make sure things go well I would need to get involved even in the manual work. To be honest we (with the missus) would like a kind of business that supports us, we have some lands, ideas, money, family members to help. My missus would like to keep working so I will have to look after that place.

Seemingly, my chances are to get WP for farm supervision.

thanx for the reply

[jamescollister]

No expert on work permits, but it's the type of work you are doing that counts. If you say you want to sweat and toil in the fields no chance. If you are down as a management consultant or expert adviser no problem. Like all things it's a money thing. BOI can help by pass things, if it is a benefit to Thailand. These rule are there to protect Thai jobs, if you are offering some thing they want or need, you should be fine, if you only want to work a little hobby farm, you will not get a permit. If you live in the middle of now where, no one will care if you have a permit or not. Jim

hmm, it will be a bit in the middle of nowhere , but anyway, I dont want to sweat and struggle a lot, but to make sure things go well I would need to get involved even in the manual work. To be honest we (with the missus) would like a kind of business that supports us, we have some lands, ideas, money, family members to help. My missus would like to keep working so I will have to look after that place.

Seemingly, my chances are to get WP for farm supervision.

thanx for the reply

You need to have Thai employees and a company to work for. Most Thai farm workers are in fact day labor, they will not be paying tax etc. Plenty of farangs work small farms with out a WP, but don't think you will make money. Jim .

[WatersEdge]

Hi Garrya,

Getting a job as a Farm Supervisor in Thailand is not going to happen.

I did what you talk now about for seven years

Minus the Thai Missus and her family

There is no one out there, rich or poor,

who wants to know what a Foreigner thinks,

and even if it was a fabulous idea,

they still would not do what you told them.

I formed my own company, hired a full time farm manager

who in turn hired day laborers,

and we did a great job at a 7 acre place for more than four years.

I could not turn my back and know that things would happen well.

I talked with large farmers,

sharing solid engineering principles to make their operations much more profitable

mainly through the efficient use of irrigation pumps and sprinkler systems

but they never reached the point of putting anything to actual practice.

They still are not anywhere near energy efficiency

but it works in the old way so they are content at that.

The farm manager offered to show the neighbor farmers how we do it,

so that they could simply copy our system.

No one did.

Thailand is a naturally wealthy nation that lives in relative poverty

because they have no desire to know more.

It is my belief via experience that there is no hope for greater things.

The much touted legal prohibition of foreigners working in Thailand is a non issue.

I sweated in the mud and in the sun all those years,

and no one ever cared, much less stopped me.

I clearly declared my purpose, and not even the Labor Department raised a single question.

It was on my Work Permit application and renewal every year.

If you have the funds to be involved in Thailand,

then on an official level, that's what they want to see.

Are you generating Tax Revenues...it's all they want to know.

[garrya]

Hi Garrya,

Getting a job as a Farm Supervisor in Thailand is not going to happen.

I did what you talk now about for seven years

Minus the Thai Missus and her family

There is no one out there, rich or poor,

who wants to know what a Foreigner thinks,

and even if it was a fabulous idea,

they still would not do what you told them.

I formed my own company, hired a full time farm manager

who in turn hired day laborers,

and we did a great job at a 7 acre place for more than four years.

I could not turn my back and know that things would happen well.

I talked with large farmers,

sharing solid engineering principles to make their operations much more profitable

mainly through the efficient use of irrigation pumps and sprinkler systems

but they never reached the point of putting anything to actual practice.

They still are not anywhere near energy efficiency

but it works in the old way so they are content at that.

The farm manager offered to show the neighbor farmers how we do it,

so that they could simply copy our system.

No one did.

Thailand is a naturally wealthy nation that lives in relative poverty

because they have no desire to know more.

It is my belief via experience that there is no hope for greater things.

The much touted legal prohibition of foreigners working in Thailand is a non issue.

I sweated in the mud and in the sun all those years,

and no one ever cared, much less stopped me.

I clearly declared my purpose, and not even the Labor Department raised a single question.

It was on my Work Permit application and renewal every year.

If you have the funds to be involved in Thailand,

then on an official level, that's what they want to see.

Are you generating Tax Revenues...it's all they want to know.

Thanks mate, this really is a gripping portrayal from you. To be honest, I dont want to be a wealthy landholder just to create and run something that gives me some revenue and pay some tax to satisfy the officials.

The time will tell what direction to take but first of all I am gonna outline my plans to the officials if it gets rejected then work for wife as a consultant.

I am sure I will find my account in farming and if not then something else will come.

[WatersEdge]

Hi Garrya,

One reason that I was as successful as I was,

on the infeasible small scale we operated

I avoided official contact at all cost.

Didn't ask anyone for anything, just got her done.

As a result, when my associates had continual requests for this contribution and that from the local officials,

I never had one visit,

and never one moment of interference.

They never approached me and I certainly never went looking for them.

Everyone knew exactly who I was and where I could be found.

I was known over the whole area as Chowna Falang (Farmer Foreign)

with perhaps additional adjectives as spice.

The Burmese laborers also knew me far and wide as,

"Englishman",

never mind that I'm American,

all white guys are Englishman to them.

One man I knew not far away did as you propose.

Always consulted with the puyaiban.

His project was continually up against expensive delays,

and ultimately his entire pig barn project was scuttled

on the grounds that the zero effluent elaborate sewer system he planned was not known to anyone local.

The real plan was that the PuYai had a friend with a pig barn for rent...or something like that.

He is the nicest, most conscientious, most eager to do everything the right way

and he was raked over the coals nonstop,

no matter how good a man he is.

His Attorney couldn't / wouldn't help him,

some might observe she even helped skin him.

He was against any unpleasant publicity, so it was nonstop.

The local official may claim to be your path to solutions,

but solutions are not necessary unless there is first a problem created,

an expensive problem typically

I understand they present themselves with silky words initially,

"If there is anything you need help with,

you just come to me and I will make it happen for you."

It's the kiss of death...

the guy does not want to help you in the sense you think.

He wants to help himself to your bankroll.

The two legged ATM as the metaphor goes

Some have called me cynical,

and that's a label I'm wiling to bear,

but I also might be realistically experienced.

[oldestswinger]

Very wise words from Waters Edge. Don't have any personal contact with officialdom and they'll leave you alone. Leave all business contacts to your lady and just potter on quietly in the background.

[garrya]

Very wise words from Waters Edge. Don't have any personal contact with officialdom and they'll leave you alone. Leave all business contacts to your lady and just potter on quietly in the background.

All right, I will take your advice. I am gonna be as quiet as a grave and let my missus handle the officials. thx

[RedBullHorn]

It helps when one is keeping his nose clean, stay low profile and under the radar...it has been a good 10 years of farming for me~

[ozzydom]

Hi Garrya,

Getting a job as a Farm Supervisor in Thailand is not going to happen.

I did what you talk now about for seven years

Minus the Thai Missus and her family

There is no one out there, rich or poor,

who wants to know what a Foreigner thinks,

and even if it was a fabulous idea,

they still would not do what you told them.

I formed my own company, hired a full time farm manager

who in turn hired day laborers,

and we did a great job at a 7 acre place for more than four years.

I could not turn my back and know that things would happen well.

I talked with large farmers,

sharing solid engineering principles to make their operations much more profitable

mainly through the efficient use of irrigation pumps and sprinkler systems

but they never reached the point of putting anything to actual practice.

They still are not anywhere near energy efficiency

but it works in the old way so they are content at that.

The farm manager offered to show the neighbor farmers how we do it,

so that they could simply copy our system.

No one did.

Thailand is a naturally wealthy nation that lives in relative poverty

because they have no desire to know more.

It is my belief via experience that there is no hope for greater things.

The much touted legal prohibition of foreigners working in Thailand is a non issue.

I sweated in the mud and in the sun all those years,

and no one ever cared, much less stopped me.

I clearly declared my purpose, and not even the Labor Department raised a single question.

It was on my Work Permit application and renewal every year.

If you have the funds to be involved in Thailand,

then on an official level, that's what they want to see.

Are you generating Tax Revenues...it's all they want to know.

Thanks mate, this really is a gripping portrayal from you. To be honest, I dont want to be a wealthy landholder just to create and run something that gives me some revenue and pay some tax to satisfy the officials.

The time will tell what direction to take but first of all I am gonna outline my plans to the officials if it gets rejected then work for wife as a consultant.

I am sure I will find my account in farming and if not then something else will come.

The taxation system here is entirely different to most western systems,

Income from farming pursuits is a very simple formula, Gross income less 80% cost of production rebate and non taxable component for Thai wife and any children means you have to be turning over big baht to even be taxable.

When the Oz dollar was low ,I wanted to show 10k per month from farm earnings for my visa , it turned out that we needed about 3 million turnover per annum to get the desired result.

[zzaa09]

No expert on work permits, but it's the type of work you are doing that counts. If you say you want to sweat and toil in the fields no chance. If you are down as a management consultant or expert adviser no problem. Like all things it's a money thing. BOI can help by pass things, if it is a benefit to Thailand. These rule are there to protect Thai jobs, if you are offering some thing they want or need, you should be fine, if you only want to work a little hobby farm, you will not get a permit. If you live in the middle of now where, no one will care if you have a permit or not. Jim

Right Jim! I believe this might be more common than not - the indifference of the locals as regulations apply. I'm familiar with a broad variety of Farang farmers that have direct hands-on involvement, indirect financing, or direct distance interest. Nearly all situations will be Thai family related. Officialdom takes a back seat - no work permits are observed. And no one cares.

I personally am involved in some 37 rai of agriculture, horticulture, and stock farming for some time without the overt consciousness of said work permit.

[jamescollister]

No expert on work permits, but it's the type of work you are doing that counts. If you say you want to sweat and toil in the fields no chance. If you are down as a management consultant or expert adviser no problem. Like all things it's a money thing. BOI can help by pass things, if it is a benefit to Thailand. These rule are there to protect Thai jobs, if you are offering some thing they want or need, you should be fine, if you only want to work a little hobby farm, you will not get a permit. If you live in the middle of now where, no one will care if you have a permit or not. Jim

Right Jim! I believe this might be more common than not - the indifference of the locals as regulations apply. I'm familiar with a broad variety of Farang farmers that have direct hands-on involvement, indirect financing, or direct distance interest. Nearly all situations will be Thai family related. Officialdom takes a back seat - no work permits are observed. And no one cares.

I personally am involved in some 37 rai of agriculture, horticulture, and stock farming for some time without the overt consciousness of said work permit.

Not only do they not care, but they don't know you need a WP. I don't do much in the way of labor, but on rubber selling day I can be seen in town helping to unload our rubber. After which sitting down for a cold beer with the local Police Chief, who is there selling his rubber. This is not Pattaya etc. As long as you are not causing problems why would they bother.. Jim

[seanocasey]

Looking at it from a Thai view point

well the farang generates income

everyone wins

the Bart filters into the village

You are more than welcome farang big smilles

No there is no need to worry, farm away

just make sure you can and will turn the other cheek.

[jamescollister]

Looking at it from a Thai view point

well the farang generates income

everyone wins

the Bart filters into the village

You are more than welcome farang big smilles

No there is no need to worry, farm away

just make sure you can and will turn the other cheek.

Don't follow turn the other cheek bit. jim