What are the ways to make living/money as an expat in Thailand?

[iluvthailand]

Hello! I am researching and compiling a list of ways to make a living as an expat in Thailand, so I am hoping I can query y'all on ways to do that?

Besides the obvious jobs like being an English teacher and working for a a foreign company, what are some unique/novel ways that you've seen of expats doing to get by in the land of smiles?

I am into internet marketing and my big idea (ha!) which I am sure many others have had a go at in the past is to set up a website about Thailand and garner enough traffic to attract advertisers.

Yeah, I know. It's a great idea and I am so glad I am the first person to ever thought of it. Lawyers and other people are working on obtaining the global patent as we speak on my behalf.

Edited November 8, 2013 by iluvthailand

[isawasnake]

I have currently been working here for a few years now, and my current "solution" is to go back to my home country, make money and bring it back here. There is just too much BS when you work for any Thai business that it is hard to fade. I do like investing here however, which is a significant plus for me. That is my answer, or lack of one anyway.... short version is, unless you get hired overseas and come here, the job will probably be more trouble than it is worth.

[BKKdreaming]

if you get hired at Thai wages or 2-3x Thai wages you will hate life !

and do you speak Thai ?

I doubt legally there are many ways to make a western living in Thailand,

If you can do internet work thru Europe USA and get paid Western wages that would be the best,

Best thing is keep your mouth shut around Thais about what you do for work if its working in Thailand ,

they seem to think every Falang working is taking a job from a Thai......

[iluvthailand]

well, one of the ways to make money in thailand is to put up a forum like thaivisa.com. look at all the advertisers!

[BKKdreaming]

this website has been on for years ,

look at other Thai related websites that are 6 months-1 year old and see how many ads they get !

as they say , if it was so easy we would all be rich

but really the best way is to keep being paid Western wages while living in Thailand,

but in a year or so speaking English will not be a big plus because all the Phillipinos, Malaysians etc will be able to come and work much cheaper "legally" in Thailand.

I wish I knew , I might move there then

Edited November 9, 2013 by BKKdreaming

[iluvthailand]

i think doing a website or something online where the "product' is only information and not a physical product is the best way to go. that way you can be very mobile. anywhere there is an internet connection could be your office.

bitcoin mining/trading is also anther source. or buying/selling domain names.

the sky is the limit.

i love bangkok!

[brit1984]

running a religion can be a nice earner but you may have to wake up early

if you are not really a morning person you could try prostitution instead

[somtampet]

Go to Bangkok,and have a transgender op, u will earn a fortune mate.The Bangkok swingers love a ladyboy, so i hear

[iluvthailand]

Go to Bangkok,and have a transgender op, u will earn a fortune mate.The Bangkok swingers love a ladyboy, so i hear

Oh my boy, I'm sure you've more than "heard". Admit, you are not only a fan, but a participant. Or as they say around the campfire, a "partaker".

[iluvthailand]

running a religion can be a nice earner but you may have to wake up early

if you are not really a morning person you could try prostitution instead

Wait, you've got me all confused. I was taught that religion and prostitution were one and the same. Am I wrong? The mind is blown.

Edited November 9, 2013 by iluvthailand

[olfu]

Other way is to work offshore--month on, month off.

But you need health and related profession.

[Crossy]

I am into internet marketing and my big idea (ha!) which I am sure many others have had a go at in the past is to set up a website about Thailand and garner enough traffic to attract advertisers.

That would be Thaivisa.com then

[infinity11]

I have currently been working here for a few years now, and my current "solution" is to go back to my home country, make money and bring it back here. There is just too much BS when you work for any Thai business that it is hard to fade. I do like investing here however, which is a significant plus for me. That is my answer, or lack of one anyway.... short version is, unless you get hired overseas and come here, the job will probably be more trouble than it is worth.

here here

IMHO Thailand is at least 2 countries.

1-For fun and relaxation leisure entertainment enjoyment etc...

2-Business work money getting things done properly logically well or with competence

Like it was said a log time ago, Land of Contradictions.

Or maybe because of the one there is the other?

What DO the locals take seriously???

[happynthailand]

buy a few poor village girls,open your own red light house

real good money in that

[brit1984]

set up a company, any company, do bad customer service, wait for the customers to complain about you online then sue for damages

[Denim]

I make a modest salary selling things bought in Thailand on the internet. It is not easy and is very time consuming but it can be done from home and you are your own boss. The first year was a big learning curve and a few times I felt it wasn't worth the effort I was putting in but eventually I found the niche I was looking for and things are pretty stable at the moment. Certainly a lot preferable to teaching English IMO.

[kiniyow]

Make a Mint and buy a Bar~~

[skills32]

Tf you want to make a small fortune in Thailand bring a big one............... Oh yeah!!!....... that's been done before.

[iluvthailand]

I make a modest salary selling things bought in Thailand on the internet. It is not easy and is very time consuming but it can be done from home and you are your own boss. The first year was a big learning curve and a few times I felt it wasn't worth the effort I was putting in but eventually I found the niche I was looking for and things are pretty stable at the moment. Certainly a lot preferable to teaching English IMO.

Are you doing it through eBay? I thought that river dried up years ago.

[CharlieH]

I make a modest salary selling things bought in Thailand on the internet. It is not easy and is very time consuming but it can be done from home and you are your own boss. The first year was a big learning curve and a few times I felt it wasn't worth the effort I was putting in but eventually I found the niche I was looking for and things are pretty stable at the moment. Certainly a lot preferable to teaching English IMO.

Are you doing it through eBay? I thought that river dried up years ago.

It did , and with new rules now if you are not an already established seller you have to wait 21 days to get paid until your feedback score is up. Then thats assuming other sellers dont buy to give deliberate negative feedback and stop you that way. Higher percentage fees, crap exchange rate when withdrawing etc, waste of time now, its old news.

[BKKdreaming]

It did , and with new rules now if you are not an already established seller you have to wait 21 days to get paid until your feedback score is up. Then thats assuming other sellers dont buy to give deliberate negative feedback and stop you that way. Higher percentage fees, crap exchange rate when withdrawing etc, waste of time now, its old news.

you need to have Unique items that you make and sell for 5-10 times cost

if you are selling the same stuff as everyone else that you can buy on any street stall in BKK then the profit is going to be slim ,

the other way to do it is own NOTHING , sell items that are in a store close to you , that you can buy when one sells ,

I know a shop that lists 2000 plus items and owns less than 10% , they just order when something sells.

there is more than one way to play the Ebay game and it keeps changing

[iluvthailand]

Oh hey. Oh yeah. Another way to make money in Thailand is to become an "expert" on a certain aspect of Thailand/Bangkok and put that info in an EBOOK and sell it on the internet.

I've seen lots of travelers doing this, although I don't know what their success level is.

For instance, become an expert on riding the subway/BTS and offer to sell that info for 99 cents.

Or put together a list of the top places to eat vegetarian in Bangkok. Sell it. Make lots of money. Buy condo for Thai girlfriend.

[BKKdreaming]

..........and offer to sell that info for 99 cents.

.......Sell it. Make lots of money...........

I guess you need to tell us how much you would like to make , and how many hours you plan on working a week.......

to make Thai wages 10.000 baht a month is not too hard once you get going,

to make low Western wages of $1000-$1500 a month is not that easy unless you already are selling stuff and know the ropes.....

a iPhone / android app might make money , but since there are 100,000 or more apps how do you find something original ?

Well really its probably best to do it the Thai way , find something that works and set up shop next door to them and sell the same thing !

I really hope you can find something , just make sure you have the next item ready when someone copies your first idea ,

selling is like a chess game, you need to be thinking 3 - 4 moves ahead while trying not to get taken !

S

[Denim]

I make a modest salary selling things bought in Thailand on the internet. It is not easy and is very time consuming but it can be done from home and you are your own boss. The first year was a big learning curve and a few times I felt it wasn't worth the effort I was putting in but eventually I found the niche I was looking for and things are pretty stable at the moment. Certainly a lot preferable to teaching English IMO.

Are you doing it through eBay? I thought that river dried up years ago.

It did , and with new rules now if you are not an already established seller you have to wait 21 days to get paid until your feedback score is up. Then thats assuming other sellers dont buy to give deliberate negative feedback and stop you that way. Higher percentage fees, crap exchange rate when withdrawing etc, waste of time now, its old news.

Agreed. Ebay is really cut throat so I've never bothered with it. What you need to do is spend some time looking at what other online market places ( which are legion ) are out there and see if what you want to sell would work there. This takes a lot of time, patience and honest research. If you don't have the time or find it a drag you won't get of the starting blocks.

[Genericnic]

running a religion can be a nice earner but you may have to wake up early

 

if you are not really a morning person you could try prostitution instead

 

 

Wait, you've got me all confused. I was taught that religion and prostitution were one and the same. Am I wrong? The mind is blown.

Not quite the same. With prostitution you get a happy ending

David

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[brit1984]

Oh hey. Oh yeah. Another way to make money in Thailand is to become an "expert" on a certain aspect of Thailand/Bangkok and put that info in an EBOOK and sell it on the internet.

I've seen lots of travelers doing this, although I don't know what their success level is.

For instance, become an expert on riding the subway/BTS and offer to sell that info for 99 cents.

Or put together a list of the top places to eat vegetarian in Bangkok. Sell it. Make lots of money. Buy condo for Thai girlfriend.

Maybe sell an e-book on how to make money from selling e-books.

[brit1984]

contact all local police chiefs (separately) and say you have collected many photos / videos of their team accepting bribes on your phone

offer to sell the phones containing all the evidence back to the chief for a small sum (to be transferred by western union)

if they accept and pay buy a phone and download a bugging app - post the bugged phone to the police station

via the bugging app, listen and record to the police's (probably incriminating) reaction as they check through the phone for the "evidence"

sell the recording of the above bugged conversation to various local, national and international media

repeat the same process again after all has been forgotten (probably around 2 weeks)

[iluvthailand]

contact all local police chiefs (separately) and say you have collected many photos / videos of their team accepting bribes on your phone

offer to sell the phones containing all the evidence back to the chief for a small sum (to be transferred by western union)

if they accept and pay buy a phone and download a bugging app - post the bugged phone to the police station

via the bugging app, listen and record to the police's (probably incriminating) reaction as they check through the phone for the "evidence"

sell the recording of the above bugged conversation to various local, national and international media

repeat the same process again after all has been forgotten (probably around 2 weeks)

Your idea is stupendous. A million dollar venture for sure. Because we all know that there are THREE honest cops in Thailand and the rest are more corrupted than a one legged pimp at Sunday Mass.

[brit1984]

running a religion can be a nice earner but you may have to wake up early

if you are not really a morning person you could try prostitution instead

Wait, you've got me all confused. I was taught that religion and prostitution were one and the same. Am I wrong? The mind is blown.

Not quite the same. With prostitution you get a happy ending

David

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

but there are many similarities... both contribute to the spread of HIV aids around the world but, on the plus side, for those working in these industries, there is the prospect of earning considerable (and very tax efficient) income

[cloghead]

well, one of the ways to make money in thailand is to put up a forum like thaivisa.com. look at all the advertisers

Pimpin' ain't as easy as it seems. Lots of competition and new talent has to be trained properly...