Staying In Chiang Mai Full Time

[market trader]

Does a 10 million baht investment in Bangkok bank and PTT via the stock market also qualify for the investment route?

[jacktrip]

edu visa

(next...)

[ThaiFraiGai]

I am wondering what kinds of and amounts/availability of work there is in Chiang Mai, as opposed to Koh Samui, which seems a bit hard for finding work. Any feedback from members? I'm an older guy, so it'd be a bit harder push for teaching English, and I actually have a RETIREMENT VISA. Though I don't have my TESL/TEFL/TESOL/<deleted>, I do have a Bachelor of Arts in English (from a USA University). So, I'm wondering 1) if it would be easy to get into teaching in a University or other ADULT student setting (don't wants screaming kids), or 2) if there are government work options there (teaching English or letter-/email-writing skills) 3) if there are other options, RE hotels (for management), PR firms or other places needing back-up English writing, editing, etc. (I've done this online already), other businesses...and, I've heard about "call center" work, but I'm thinking this is minimum wage for kids and it might be illegal or for Burmese workers, dunno. Ideas? Tips? Advice for one very tight on cash, for starters....whew, thanks! - TFG

[KRS1]

Just buy a condo, you can legally own one 100%.

About talking to the chief at immigration, it's a benefit that they know you by name firsthand and you'll never have to wait on line again for visa issues. Giving a little donation is customary.

The bad part is you will be known to have a substantial amount of money attracting attention and vultures that will be constantly trying to engineer a way to extract it from you, even worse they will be affiliated with legal authorities in which you will have little room to fight back.

[hellodolly]

To be honest CM web, I am being told off too many people that its not possible to make me think that there isn't a simple way round it. I've not been in Thailand that long but it seems things are a lot more hassle than some of the countries I have made substantial property purchases, please send me a message with at least a hint of how you can get round the land laws as your website is very vague on the subject. The other problem I have with your site is that you say I can contact you to look at houses you have for sale/rent, but it seems that you haven't updated your website since may 2012, so how successful have you been in the real estate market in Chiang Mai?

Well I could be wrong but I was told if you had a legal business here in Thailand you could own property. Naturally you would have to file tax returns. Of course being retired you might not be interested in that route.

All so I believe it is not that easy to do. But you would certainly need a good lawyer. Maybe some business owners here can jump in on this.

With the amount of money you are willing to put into a home you could have some acreage and hire people to maintain it as well as a small tasteful nursery for the business. I believe you have to have 4 Thai's for every non Thai's.

At any rate welcome to Chiang Mai.

Edited September 18, 2012 by hellodolly

[realthaideal]

Plenty of good advice already. I'll just reinforce the two most important points.

1) Come here and take a Thai course and get an ED visa. Easy enough to do, efficient use of funds, and Thai will make your life here easier/ better/ more fun.

2) DON'T BUY ANYTHING IN YOUR FIRST YEAR ! Please, slow down a bit. There are plenty of amazing pieces of land with trees and water running thru them. Plenty of lovely houses too. TAKE YOUR TIME ! There's no hurry. Many a fool come in an pay top baht only later to realize they were taken, and then realize say, they should have bought up the adjoining land too, as now a cheap ugly apt bldg is going in to one side, and the other side of the adjoining picturesque rice field now has a string of late-night karaoke bars beside it. What can you do with your 20 mil baht house that's now in the middle of shitsville ? Just grin and bear it. So take your time, dude.

[NancyL]

I am wondering what kinds of and amounts/availability of work there is in Chiang Mai, as opposed to Koh Samui, which seems a bit hard for finding work. Any feedback from members? I'm an older guy, so it'd be a bit harder push for teaching English, and I actually have a RETIREMENT VISA. Though I don't have my TESL/TEFL/TESOL/<deleted>, I do have a Bachelor of Arts in English (from a USA University). So, I'm wondering 1) if it would be easy to get into teaching in a University or other ADULT student setting (don't wants screaming kids), or 2) if there are government work options there (teaching English or letter-/email-writing skills) 3) if there are other options, RE hotels (for management), PR firms or other places needing back-up English writing, editing, etc. (I've done this online already), other businesses...and, I've heard about "call center" work, but I'm thinking this is minimum wage for kids and it might be illegal or for Burmese workers, dunno. Ideas? Tips? Advice for one very tight on cash, for starters....whew, thanks! - TFG

Sorry, but perhaps if you started your own thread you'd receive some replies to your questions.

[moe666]

To be honest CM web, I am being told off too many people that its not possible to make me think that there isn't a simple way round it. I've not been in Thailand that long but it seems things are a lot more hassle than some of the countries I have made substantial property purchases, please send me a message with at least a hint of how you can get round the land laws as your website is very vague on the subject. The other problem I have with your site is that you say I can contact you to look at houses you have for sale/rent, but it seems that you haven't updated your website since may 2012, so how successful have you been in the real estate market in Chiang Mai?

You could get a B visa and have to leave every 90 days for a visa runs, a friend of my does this every year in the states thru a visa service. He is under 50 and that is how he gets arond it, buying a property in your name is impossible you can own the house but not the land under it. I would assome there are visa services in the UK who will do this for you inregard to the b visa. good luck

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Does a 10 million baht investment in Bangkok bank and PTT via the stock market also qualify for the investment route?

10m Baht in a single transaction noted to BOI prior to doing it not after the fact. And sitting in a bank account in your name is not an investment, it is a deposit

[underthemoon]

Thank you again for all the advice, some great information for me to take in and or ignore in some cases. Thank you to the 8 people who private messaged me wanting to sell me houses and land, thank you to the 4 people who messaged me who wanted me to sponsor them, or invest in their companies here in Thailand, sorry guys but you certainly don't want me on board as im a complete nightmare to work with, its my way or no way. But the biggest thanks goes to T-Dog for his message, the best advice without doubt from someone who seems to have more than enough experience. Cheers Everyone, looking forward to meeting you all at the party.

[elektrified]

Foreigners cannot buy land in Thailand. There are various methods to get round this law, some perfectly legal, othere more dodgy. Be careful who you deal with, you will need a Thai national involved in any scheme.

Best you plan on making visa runs every 2 or 3 months. Arrange a non-immigrant visa or tourist visa in your home country. And yes you would be in someone's pocket if you take the 'irregular' route.

Sorry to dissagree with you but there are a few ways you can. BOI has a few programs.

1 way is to transfer 30m Baht into thailand, then you can purchase up to 1 rai land for a home.

other ways are Land and home has programs approved by the government as well as the new Singapore developer (is it Alps or Alpine I forget)

It is a 40,000,000 THB investment in government bonds, not 30 and must be approved by the Ministry of the Interior. The property is non-inheritable. Sorry but successful investors keep their money overseas in Switzerland (no longer an option for Americans), Singapore, etc. in shares, funds, and/or other money making investments rather than Thai government bonds earning 1-3% - 20-30 years.

[Nobelcat]

Retirement Visa and Tourist Visas have the same problem. Sure, with one you don't need to leave every 3 months, but there's really no big deal with leaving every 90 days. For under 2,000 baht you can sleep in a car while it goes to the border and then sleep on the way back. Or better yet, work on your laptop while tethered to your 3G cell phone. But the problem with both is that they don't allow you to work.

My goal, though I just arrived in Chiang Mai, is to get a Business Visa. I don't care to get a Work Permit, but just a regular Business Visa. Then I'm allowed to work and stay for a year, but I do need to do VISA runs every 90 days. Otherwise, while you're coming up with your next big idea, you will always run the risk of being in violation of your non-working visa.

So skip the investment and find a Thai business to do business with. That will get you your Business Visa without the need and expense of getting a work permit. You'd just be visiting another local business.

At least this is my 0.02. I could be wrong about a lot of this, but that's at least my current plan.

[daoyai]

I am wondering what kinds of and amounts/availability of work there is in Chiang Mai, as opposed to Koh Samui, which seems a bit hard for finding work. Any feedback from members? I'm an older guy, so it'd be a bit harder push for teaching English, and I actually have a RETIREMENT VISA. Though I don't have my TESL/TEFL/TESOL/<deleted>, I do have a Bachelor of Arts in English (from a USA University). So, I'm wondering 1) if it would be easy to get into teaching in a University or other ADULT student setting (don't wants screaming kids), or 2) if there are government work options there (teaching English or letter-/email-writing skills) 3) if there are other options, RE hotels (for management), PR firms or other places needing back-up English writing, editing, etc. (I've done this online already), other businesses...and, I've heard about "call center" work, but I'm thinking this is minimum wage for kids and it might be illegal or for Burmese workers, dunno. Ideas? Tips? Advice for one very tight on cash, for starters....whew, thanks! - TFG

Retirement visa specificly forbids working in any capacity. Edited September 19, 2012 by daoyai

[jacktrip]

Retirement Visa and Tourist Visas have the same problem. Sure, with one you don't need to leave every 3 months, but there's really no big deal with leaving every 90 days. For under 2,000 baht you can sleep in a car while it goes to the border and then sleep on the way back. Or better yet, work on your laptop while tethered to your 3G cell phone. But the problem with both is that they don't allow you to work.

My goal, though I just arrived in Chiang Mai, is to get a Business Visa. I don't care to get a Work Permit, but just a regular Business Visa. Then I'm allowed to work and stay for a year, but I do need to do VISA runs every 90 days. Otherwise, while you're coming up with your next big idea, you will always run the risk of being in violation of your non-working visa.

So skip the investment and find a Thai business to do business with. That will get you your Business Visa without the need and expense of getting a work permit. You'd just be visiting another local business.

At least this is my 0.02. I could be wrong about a lot of this, but that's at least my current plan.

getting involved with a thai business is not a good idea for a newcomer. we all know the stories.

my motto: dont build build bridges to your money in thailand no matter who it is. use cash if possible.