Work Permit For Ebay

[qazwsx38]

Hello everyone,

Can anybody tell me if I need to get a work permit if I plan to sell things on ebay from here in Thailand? And, if a work permit is needed, what documents would I need to obtain a work permit.

Thanks In Advance,

[wana]

you are supposed to have a work permit for any work ,business ,enterprize you can imagine

even voluntary work should not be undertaken without permission or you could be jailed and eventually deported

[CharlieH]

Oh please !

[impulse]

This is a good question. I'd love to sell some things on EBay that are not normally available in Thailand. But I could envision a knock on the door and a one way trip to the airport for doing anything not specifically covered by my work permit- especially if I were to compete for the same revenue as some well connected locals. Any input is appreciated.

[Gone]

OMG man give it a break. just post it on ebay and sell it. Don't worry about WP's etc. The labor board might die of laughter if you as for a WP to sell on ebay.

Please refer to my signature

[benbear]

I don't sell stuff on E.bay, I promise

[Chivas]

Oh please !

Perhaps he is being a little dramatic however he is of course completely correct. To the OP I would give one single piece of advice. Keep your mouth shut and tell absolutely NO ONE not even your own family.

I openly sold from ebay certain products for years whilst in Thailand but I kept it to myself completely. On an aside a friend who was huge on ebay is returning to the UK after realising that its not easy to make a living from it based in Thailand.

[qazwsx38]

@Gone: Dont mean to sound like an idiot about the work permit thing. I am just asking to make sure because Im now currently teaching in Thailand and wanted to try something new other than teaching next term. My wife is Thai and also a teacher and I have two kids, one just born Jan 7. I wouldnt want to ruin my chances of living here by getting deported or something.

-Thank you!!!!

@Chivas: Thanks for the suggestion. This was the kind of information I was looking for.

[Gone]

@Gone: Dont mean to sound like an idiot about the work permit thing. I am just asking to make sure because Im now currently teaching in Thailand and wanted to try something new other than teaching next term. My wife is Thai and also a teacher and I have two kids, one just born Jan 7. I wouldnt want to ruin my chances of living here by getting deported or something.

-Thank you!!!!

@Chivas: Thanks for the suggestion. This was the kind of information I was looking for.

I can understand and appreciate what you are saying however I would just do it and like someone here already said just don't tell anyone not even your coworkers.

Posting here was your first mistake however just do it. You sound like you are an upstanding person here and concerned for your family and life but if anyone ever DID ask just tell them you are only doing marker research for your teaching lessons.

Don't worry mate you won't get in any trouble.

The internet is a www and if you use a personal email account and not your work's email then you are fine. You are not actually working in Thailand by doing this and NOT taking away a job from any Thai's.

PS: I'm sorry if I came across a little to strong. Guess I have been here to long.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Gone

[qazwsx38]

@Gone: Dont mean to sound like an idiot about the work permit thing. I am just asking to make sure because Im now currently teaching in Thailand and wanted to try something new other than teaching next term. My wife is Thai and also a teacher and I have two kids, one just born Jan 7. I wouldnt want to ruin my chances of living here by getting deported or something.

-Thank you!!!!

@Chivas: Thanks for the suggestion. This was the kind of information I was looking for.

I can understand and appreciate what you are saying however I would just do it and like someone here already said just don't tell anyone not even your coworkers.

Posting here was your first mistake however just do it. You sound like you are an upstanding person here and concerned for your family and life but if anyone ever DID ask just tell them you are only doing marker research for your teaching lessons.

Don't worry mate you won't get in any trouble.

The internet is a www and if you use a personal email account and not your work's email then you are fine. You are not actually working in Thailand by doing this and NOT taking away a job from any Thai's.

PS: I'm sorry if I came across a little to strong. Guess I have been here to long.

No problem about coming across a little too strong bro. I do tend to try to do everything too much by the book same like my wife. Thanks for your added suggestions though. Your suggestion on how not taking jobs away from the Thai people and using my personal email makes perfect sense. Now I can rest assured.

Take Care

[jambco984]

Just do it, hush hush is the key. I was a successful seller in the UK but it will be a different ball game over here but I think Ebay is a shop where everyone and anyone can sell things.

I bought things from the US, Hong Kong and Singapore off of Ebay and it is commonly known as a International auction website. Unless Thailand has taken itself off the International stage then crack on.

Contact Ebay to check, they are good and will get back to you

[Monty68]

I guess you wouldn't receive any work permit, because its the most difficult document in Thailand for an - sorry I just say - 'ordinary' foreigner....

Uhm as long I don't know some other documents, which are even harder to get.

Ok, maybe you can try to apply for, but better you just forget it and do whatever you want to do as long you DO NOT appear as a seller in Thailand outside of your 'Keyboard Area'.

As I believe (and as I have experienced or heard from other sides), this is the more important rule to follow here. - if not even the only rule as long you have the permit to stay in Thailand.

Thailand is not Iran - BUT Iran is in Thailand....

But avoiding Israel can be safe as well in some cases.... ;p

[qazwsx38]

Just do it, hush hush is the key. I was a successful seller in the UK but it will be a different ball game over here but I think Ebay is a shop where everyone and anyone can sell things.

I bought things from the US, Hong Kong and Singapore off of Ebay and it is commonly known as a International auction website. Unless Thailand has taken itself off the International stage then crack on.

Contact Ebay to check, they are good and will get back to you

Thanks. Ill try to contact them.

[qazwsx38]

I guess you wouldn't receive any work permit, because its the most difficult document in Thailand for an - sorry I just say - 'ordinary' foreigner....

Uhm as long I don't know some other documents, which are even harder to get.

Ok, maybe you can try to apply for, but better you just forget it and do whatever you want to do as long you DO NOT appear as a seller in Thailand outside of your 'Keyboard Area'.

As I believe (and as I have experienced or heard from other sides), this is the more important rule to follow here. - if not even the only rule as long you have the permit to stay in Thailand.

Thailand is not Iran - BUT Iran is in Thailand....

But avoiding Israel can be safe as well in some cases.... ;p

Haha! Good one about Iran. Thanks for the input.

[jambco984]

Just do it, hush hush is the key. I was a successful seller in the UK but it will be a different ball game over here but I think Ebay is a shop where everyone and anyone can sell things.

I bought things from the US, Hong Kong and Singapore off of Ebay and it is commonly known as a International auction website. Unless Thailand has taken itself off the International stage then crack on.

Contact Ebay to check, they are good and will get back to you

Thanks. Ill try to contact them.

If your married can you put the account in the missus name? If not do you trust someone over here?? If the answer is NO, you don't really need to use your name as the username you could call yourself anything "ThaiShopOfStuff" and only you and Ebay will know your real name. Totally legit and safer.

Best of Luck

[mommysboy]

Technically you need a work permit. However in all honesty I can't see that you would be bothered if selling legit goods. Not that I'm speaking from experience you understand .

As has been suggested you could use your wife or girlfriend's name for registration on Ebay, but of late it has become very difficult to establish Thai trading accounts on Ebay and it would be likely you would get very low selling limits.

Thus, best route is farang account and farang paypal account thus, technically the trade is taking place in another domain, and money held offshore.

The only point of weakness would be taking a bag of parcels to the PO. In this instance you are caught working no arguments. I've heard this happens in Pattaya I don't know if it is one of those rumours that does the rounds.

[qazwsx38]

Just do it, hush hush is the key. I was a successful seller in the UK but it will be a different ball game over here but I think Ebay is a shop where everyone and anyone can sell things.

I bought things from the US, Hong Kong and Singapore off of Ebay and it is commonly known as a International auction website. Unless Thailand has taken itself off the International stage then crack on.

Contact Ebay to check, they are good and will get back to you

Thanks. Ill try to contact them.

If your married can you put the account in the missus name? If not do you trust someone over here?? If the answer is NO, you don't really need to use your name as the username you could call yourself anything "ThaiShopOfStuff" and only you and Ebay will know your real name. Totally legit and safer.

Best of Luck

Thanks for the advice. I might just make up a funky Thai name for myself.

[qazwsx38]

Technically you need a work permit. However in all honesty I can't see that you would be bothered if selling legit goods. Not that I'm speaking from experience you understand .

As has been suggested you could use your wife or girlfriend's name for registration on Ebay, but of late it has become very difficult to establish Thai trading accounts on Ebay and it would be likely you would get very low selling limits.

Thus, best route is farang account and farang paypal account thus, technically the trade is taking place in another domain, and money held offshore.

The only point of weakness would be taking a bag of parcels to the PO. In this instance you are caught working no arguments. I've heard this happens in Pattaya I don't know if it is one of those rumours that does the rounds.

Someone else just posted of people running into trouble down below Bangkok. Ill probably just do small amounts at first. Thanks for the heads up though.

[IMA_FARANG]

For all practical purposes you can get away with it. However, just to be clear, it will be a problem if you are caught doing it.

The problem will NOT be with the immigration...it will be with the Thai Tax people.

Although many people say that selling items on ebay from Thailand is not working in Thailand...I assure you, the Thai Tax authorities will NOT accept that.

Because you initiated the effort while in Thailand...no matter that it was completed on the internet or outside of Thailand...in the Thai tax authorities view...you did that work IN Thailand and are therefore eligible for Thai income tax on the profits from that activity.

I agree it's unlikely they will find out, or if it's only a small amount they are unlikely to come after you for tax....but they CAN if they wish for come after you for not paying Thai income tax on work done in Thailand.

And by their interpretation...what you would be doing is work in Thailand...whether you recieve any compensation for it or not.

[anterian]

Many sellers on ebay refuse to send goods to Thailand and many Thai sellers also refuse to send goods to Thailand. When I query them they say it is because the Thai postal service is slow, unreliable and parcels often go "missing".

[belg]

if you are smart, YOU dont sell anything... everything belongs to your Thai wife.... end of problems and worries, right ?

[Soboringtochooseaname]

Ebay is the last place where to sell stuff online...

[Suradit69]

@Gone: Dont mean to sound like an idiot about the work permit thing. I am just asking to make sure because Im now currently teaching in Thailand and wanted to try something new other than teaching next term. My wife is Thai and also a teacher and I have two kids, one just born Jan 7. I wouldnt want to ruin my chances of living here by getting deported or something.

-Thank you!!!!

@Chivas: Thanks for the suggestion. This was the kind of information I was looking for.

Why not just do everything in your wife's name? If she's Thai she doesn't need a work permit.

[rinteln]

OMG please ! There are always people that weigh in with the WP line when its not needed. The chances of being caught in your own home, on an Ebay page, actually doing what they may define as work, by police is so remote its not even worth thinking of. You might aswell worry about being struck by lightning 3 times in a night. In fact you would have to be a complete fool to get caught even if someone did tell the police about you which is unlikely as you are in your own home.

Its simple, you do the internet work in your home, you send the girlfriend to the post office to do the packets, send the money from your Paypal to your bank. A transfer from Paypal could be anything. Job done.

I think there comes a point where some advice is just plain not helpful and advice on these forums should really be a bit more down to earth and realistic as opposed to just quoting the rules all the time.

qazwsx38. I suppose yes the correct answer is technically yes you would need a permit to do Ebay but there is a 99.99999999999999999999% chance you would never be get caught unless you are a complete fool.

Just get on there and sell. Good luck with the business.

Edited February 19, 2012 by rinteln

[qazwsx38]

For all practical purposes you can get away with it. However, just to be clear, it will be a problem if you are caught doing it.

The problem will NOT be with the immigration...it will be with the Thai Tax people.

Although many people say that selling items on ebay from Thailand is not working in Thailand...I assure you, the Thai Tax authorities will NOT accept that.

Because you initiated the effort while in Thailand...no matter that it was completed on the internet or outside of Thailand...in the Thai tax authorities view...you did that work IN Thailand and are therefore eligible for Thai income tax on the profits from that activity.

I agree it's unlikely they will find out, or if it's only a small amount they are unlikely to come after you for tax....but they CAN if they wish for come after you for not paying Thai income tax on work done in Thailand.

And by their interpretation...what you would be doing is work in Thailand...whether you recieve any compensation for it or not.

Wow! So much thing to consider when just trying to sell on ebay. Thanks for the information.

[qazwsx38]

Many sellers on ebay refuse to send goods to Thailand and many Thai sellers also refuse to send goods to Thailand. When I query them they say it is because the Thai postal service is slow, unreliable and parcels often go "missing".

I heard from another guy who was or is selling on ebay now and doing good that the Thai postal service is the way to go and is always faster than Fedex, etc. But when Im sending things back home to Hawaii, the Thai postal service does seem slow and at times very slow. But I havent yet (knock on wood) had any of my parcels sent to Hawaii lost.

[qazwsx38]

if you are smart, YOU dont sell anything... everything belongs to your Thai wife.... end of problems and worries, right ?

Good advice but....my wife is pretty fair with everyhting with me. She makes enough as a teacher here in Thailand. Ebay was just an idea for me to stay here in Thailand other than teaching in which Im doing now.

[qazwsx38]

Ebay is the last place where to sell stuff online...

I heard this from others too. Could you recommend another online selling site?

[qazwsx38]

OMG please ! There are always people that weigh in with the WP line when its not needed. The chances of being caught in your own home, on an Ebay page, actually doing what they may define as work, by police is so remote its not even worth thinking of. You might aswell worry about being struck by lightning 3 times in a night. In fact you would have to be a complete fool to get caught even if someone did tell the police about you which is unlikely as you are in your own home.

Its simple, you do the internet work in your home, you send the girlfriend to the post office to do the packets, send the money from your Paypal to your bank. A transfer from Paypal could be anything. Job done.

I think there comes a point where some advice is just plain not helpful and advice on these forums should really be a bit more down to earth and realistic as opposed to just quoting the rules all the time.

qazwsx38. I suppose yes the correct answer is technically yes you would need a permit to do Ebay but there is a 99.99999999999999999999% chance you would never be get caught unless you are a complete fool.

Just get on there and sell. Good luck with the business.

Good point you made. I will probably do your advice. Thanks for the advice and incouragement.

[anterian]

Many sellers on ebay refuse to send goods to Thailand and many Thai sellers also refuse to send goods to Thailand. When I query them they say it is because the Thai postal service is slow, unreliable and parcels often go "missing".

I heard from another guy who was or is selling on ebay now and doing good that the Thai postal service is the way to go and is always faster than Fedex, etc. But when Im sending things back home to Hawaii, the Thai postal service does seem slow and at times very slow. But I havent yet (knock on wood) had any of my parcels sent to Hawaii lost.

I have no complaints about the Thai postal service, but a few years back parcels often went missing, and I think the image sticks. I was impressed during the floods I had a parcel delivered by canoe!