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

[TTom911]

i will list them in the insurance policy as livestock

or maybe insure them as "frozen beef", is cheaper than "livestock"

"frozen" as they are "frozen in fear" of what's gonna happen" and "beef" as that's what they gonna end up being after the act anyways... not even a lie (as in "insurance fraud") if you look at it this way (or just a little lie... )

Edited November 12, 2013 by TTom911

[Fatshark]

If u want to start farming u need to support at least 10 workers on your field financially which means giving out loans etc,..
or nobody will help with your field and you'll need to drive to another village to find workers.
Don't think u will get rich from farming coz farmers get only half of the selling price from the big markets.
I'm speaking out of experience, lost this year 400K, never any neighbour had time to come work on my field, pain in the ass to find any worker
(i'm even not talking bout they being qualified to do a decent job)
and several different factors why an expat should not get into farming...
Learned this the hard way and wished i had someone to tell me "how the mind of a Thai farmer works"

PM me if u would like to chat

[salapau]

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.

This response is spot on, take his as the best possible advice. It's not easy to get work here as a foreigner and if you do you will tend to be ignored and insulted by the Thais.

[jmccarty]

There is good paying work here from multi-nationals but I don't thinnk the OP wanted to include that here.

As for farming, if you are trying to compete with rice farmers or sugar cane farmers, you will lose, and for reasons such as Fatshark's.

If you are a bio-chemist or similar background, or just do your research, there are heaps of things you can grow on smaller plots of land in the tropics that will move you out of the average, or even succesfull local farmer's league.

Grow small batches of spirulina and chlorella until you get the hang of it. Then use your land and the free sun to grow it large scale. It is not labour intensive and once you find a reliable international buyer. You are in business for life!

Edited November 12, 2013 by jmccarty

[TTom911]

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.

This response is spot on, take his as the best possible advice. It's not easy to get work here as a foreigner and if you do you will tend to be ignored and insulted by the Thais.

1. I am glad that a few people have the courage to not sugar coat.

2. I am sad that these warnings have to be issued, I would feel better if it wouldn't be needed, but facts are fact ...

3. If "lifestyle choice" is more important than "business success" then this of course is another aspect. Just make sure that the possible financial implications don't ruin your lifestyle expectations... in plain terms: come with enough income/resources and don't think you will get here what you are missing/needing financially for your future.

[banglassie]

If you are a bio-chemist or similar background, or just do your research, there are heaps of things you can grow on smaller plots of land in the tropics that will move you out of the average, or even succesfull local farmer's league.

Grow small batches of spirulina and chlorella until you get the hang of it. Then use your land and the free sun to grow it large scale. It is not labour intensive and once you find a reliable international buyer. You are in business for life!

Nice one right there! This is the kind of ideas that I like! And yea, I'm not trying to make a fortune. For me 25,000 baht/month is enough, less than that a little rough but I can easily do on 20,000. So I'm not looking for any top-rank works. I'm simply trying to find ways to survive while living there. And I know there's a huge difference between vacation in Thailand and working in Thailand. Which many learn the hard way (by opening a bar or similar in a tourist resort). But my vacation mode ended some years ago there, and now I simply just want to make it my home.

TEFL is of course an alternative, and gives a decent salary if comparing with most local fields. And Although it's a big step to walk from approx 120,000 baht/month to 25,000 baht a month I feel it will be no problem. Norway is truly sucking up my money without me doing anything really. And my lifestyle in LOS is very "local" and I like it that way. Some may hate it, quite understandably, but most my friends are Thais and I have come to love the land as well as the people, disregarding all the problems and backward thinking going on. Nowhere is perfect, Thailand is far from perfect, but I enjoy my life better there, so I will do whatever it takes to move myself there, well aware I loose many benefits and economy I've been having for years (we have a fairly high social security network in Sweden as most u might know, compared with U.S. and the "Obama regime" our right wing block that holds the power at the moment they would appear to be a bunch of communists, which has it's good sides, as well as it's bad, depending on who you are).

[banglassie]

1. I am glad that a few people have the courage to not sugar coat.

2. I am sad that these warnings have to be issued, I would feel better if it wouldn't be needed, but facts are fact ...

3. If "lifestyle choice" is more important than "business success" then this of course is another aspect. Just make sure that the possible financial implications don't ruin your lifestyle expectations... in plain terms: come with enough income/resources and don't think you will get here what you are missing/needing financially for your future.

Good post as well, and spot on for my situation. it's all a lifestyle choice and a choice to live closer to family and friends, and I'm prepared to fight through the backward stream to get a decent normal life regarding Thai middle class standards.

[KonaRain]

I'm new here, but I would like to help..We have enough assets with social security that I don't need to work over here..but I would like to get together with some of you and try too find a way to pull in some cash..more of a workshop for me, until we come upon a good score. I would like to help with some of the web stuff..I have an awesome facebook network..Artists, Producers and Movie folks..We live with locals, and my friend in Hawaii has a Thai wife who WAS doing ebay sales a few years ago..Let's see...Aloha

[Cuban]

Wanna buy some goat cheese ?

Special price !

[jmccarty]

If you are a bio-chemist or similar background, or just do your research, there are heaps of things you can grow on smaller plots of land in the tropics that will move you out of the average, or even succesfull local farmer's league.

Grow small batches of spirulina and chlorella until you get the hang of it. Then use your land and the free sun to grow it large scale. It is not labour intensive and once you find a reliable international buyer. You are in business for life!

Nice one right there! This is the kind of ideas that I like! And yea, I'm not trying to make a fortune. For me 25,000 baht/month is enough, less than that a little rough but I can easily do on 20,000. So I'm not looking for any top-rank works. I'm simply trying to find ways to survive while living there. And I know there's a huge difference between vacation in Thailand and working in Thailand. Which many learn the hard way (by opening a bar or similar in a tourist resort). But my vacation mode ended some years ago there, and now I simply just want to make it my home.

There is heaps of information online to get you started, google and look for sites like this one: http://www.greenprophet.com/2013/05/grow-spirulina-superfood-at-home-with-a-diy-kit/

You can probably even sell it to Thai purchasers. These guys sell organic spirulina from a Phuket based business for Bht 299 per 100 gram: http://www.phukethealthshop.com/#!/~/product/category=6106254&id=27297917

Start small as I said, and grow to whatever your comfort level is.

I would however register a business, get a work permit as MD and be sure that this is not a "farming" business that is reserved for Thais. If it is reserved for Thais, you will need to register a BOI business and export only in my understanding.

[JeffreyWitty]

For me, as a freelance comic book illustrator, I can work from anywhere and send in my work via the internet. I just sit and draw all day. Right now, I am part-time with that as I make a much better living doing my main job in SK. Full time illustration is the plan when I move to Thailand full time.

[smooth expat]

The internet thing is harder than it looks. Getting people to trust you online is the hardest part to making a living off it. That's been my experience anyways.

[brit1984]

The internet thing is harder than it looks. Getting people to trust you online is the hardest part to making a living off it. That's been my experience anyways.

i'm not sure whether to believe you

[brit1984]

For me, as a freelance comic book illustrator, I can work from anywhere and send in my work via the internet. I just sit and draw all day. Right now, I am part-time with that as I make a much better living doing my main job in SK. Full time illustration is the plan when I move to Thailand full time.

sounds like you have a real/ valuable talent/ skill unlike most of us

can you post some examples?... or are these x-rated comics?

[brit1984]

Wanna buy some goat cheese ?

Special price !

would you consider barter for some pieces of coral?

[timewilltell]

If you are interested in buying a small online business for (1m) that can make 50 - 100k/month and have repeat customer, PM me.

My wife has two sites that are first page in the search engines and have been established for over 10 years. Income verifiable and traceable.

You must be located close to a city to purchase some items to make this doable. We have moved into the country and it is now just to much running around for the wife with all her other activities and commitments.

Sorry this will not be discussed in the forum and only serious parties should PM me for further information. A non-disclose agreement will be required.

I PM'd you!

[ev1lchris]

What about being a programmer?

[TTom911]

What about being a programmer?

you must be joking..... the odds are 99.99% against you

[ev1lchris]

What if I do it remotely for people in the west?

[BKKdreaming]

What about being a programmer?

if you are already a great programmer you can do it from anywhere....

but I would not try and learn programming from scratch to try and make a living in Thailand.

[brit1984]

how about a website with an auction system for the political parties to buy votes?

[copa8]

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

same could be said of americans. they seem to think every foreigner working is taking a job from an american.

[copa8]

Can learn to day trade for a living. with the relatively low cost of living in TH, just making $100/day is more than enough.

[kurnell]

I think the people who are making a decent living here are staying quiet.

[samran]

How do you make money? A half reasonable idea that no one else can do or is doing, hard work, planning and a bit of luck.

[SheungWan]

There are a number of people who have in the past or do currently undertake their Western-based jobs on the internet while in Thailand. Their jobs do not require 100% attendance in the office. It doesn't matter where they are, but really they are not jobs based in Thailand. They could be anywhere. However, in the overwhelmingly majority of cases these guys established their skills and employment networks prior to coming to Thailand. These guys are not the same as those who turn up in Thailand and then look for something to do and essentially fritter away their career progression years all because they have 'fallen in love with Thailand'. Mostly it all ends in a hand to mouth existence, but they are not be dissuaded. Thailand calls!

[ghost writer]

I have started to use Alibaba to sell items from Thailand opposed to ebay - ebay is dead in the water 100% (high charges, fierce competition from China, competitors buying one product from you then giving negative feedback, buyers claiming not to have received goods etc etc). There is a website howtomakemoneyinthailand dot com where you can download a free ebook - I got my idea about Alibaba there. A few other neat ideas in there too, worth a look anyway

best of luck

[MacWalen]

Investing on SET, starting business or joining Walen DCS and doing global business with Walen School.

[JesusLopez]

Buy a SHOP!

[Millian]

1.b. Extending on the above, don't even think of starting "anything digital" (you mentioned a website?). Thai's have absolutely no appreciation for any of that. An iPhone/Samsung is there to feed Facebook and that's the end of the use of IT in Thailand. Websites are regarded a waste of money, no one looks at it, emails are not used by most normal "thai business people". Thailand is a truly "special place" regarding IT, Just forget it........ !!

Yes eCommerce is still in its fledgling stages in Thailand perhaps at 8 years or so behind most western countries, but its growing very fast. You can see this from Thai ecommerce start ups that have recently got funding. wearyouwant.com, $1.4 million, pomelofashion.com, $1.6 million, ookbee.com, $7 million, lazada, $400 + million; one2car.com has just been bought for $14 million. Thailand’s e-commerce market value is estimated to be around US$3billion, last year, total retail sales in the Kingdom reached about Bt3.3 trillion, of which online retail business accounted for about Bt150 billion, so to say 'Websites are regarded a waste of money' is simply not true.

I can't imagine there are many business that don't use email, all the Thai bushiness I have done business with do. Perhaps the Mum and Pop welding shop run out of the front of shop house, but they don't make up the entire business landscape of Thailand.

So a 'digital based' is currently something that can be worth getting into. Obviously it's pretty difficult, but there are many people that make a living doing it here themselves, and there are currently a large number of internet startups and technology companies in the Kingdom which hire westerners on western style wages, or very close, if they have the skills and experience.