Considering trying to live/work in Thailand, need advice on living costs/work options

[snottgoblin]

We certainly have a number of good candidates for Jeremy Kyle who have recently arrived on TVF

[JB300]

Jump into the unknown with however much you happen to have at the time. Works for me.

Very apt nickname, for somebody who has that approach to life, I can just see you shouting "Geronimooooooooo" as you jump into the unknown [emoji4]

[radiochaser]

Oh heck. I clicked the page and reported my own post!!!

Your sound like a perfect guest on the Jeremy Kyle shoe

You are poking at me, aren't you?

[kannot]

sell eggs, everyone likes eggs here

[Lancashirelad]

It does seem some posters here are unable to correctly interpret the law regarding aliens and employment in Thailand.

Lets have a look at a hypothetical situation:

I own a garage business in the uk. For 3 months of the year I go to Thailand and leave my very capable workshop foreman in charge running the business. However every day I take an interest in the business, communicate via email and telephone with the foreman and give him instructions. I also sometimes make changes to the co. web site.

I am employed by MY OWN Uk company as managing director. That company pays me a salary. All of the company's business is conducted within the uk, but I give the orders no matter where my location.

Would you consider I am working in Thailand?

The alien employment prohibition laws are all about protecting the jobs that the Thais can do. They are NOT about preventing you having an interest in a business based outside Thailand. No one in Thailand is employing you or paying you and you are not running a business in Thailand.

[JB300]

It does seem some posters here are unable to correctly interpret the law regarding aliens and employment in Thailand.

Lets have a look at a hypothetical situation:

I own a garage business in the uk. For 3 months of the year I go to Thailand and leave my very capable workshop foreman in charge running the business. However every day I take an interest in the business, communicate via email and telephone with the foreman and give him instructions. I also sometimes make changes to the co. web site.

I am employed by MY OWN Uk company as managing director. That company pays me a salary. All of the company's business is conducted within the uk, but I give the orders no matter where my location.

Would you consider I am working in Thailand?

The alien employment prohibition laws are all about protecting the jobs that the Thais can do. They are NOT about preventing you having an interest in a business based outside Thailand. No one in Thailand is employing you or paying you and you are not running a business in Thailand.

Agree, but would it make a difference if you were in Thailand 6,9,12 months of the year?

Here's another scenario, you're a freelance programmer who gets his work over the Internet, you base yourself in Thailand for 12 months of the year you're not taking a job of a Thai & only do work for non-Thai companies.

Are you running a Business in Thailand?

Should you have a work permit/pay tax in Thailand?

[Soutpeel]

It does seem some posters here are unable to correctly interpret the law regarding aliens and employment in Thailand.

Lets have a look at a hypothetical situation:

I own a garage business in the uk. For 3 months of the year I go to Thailand and leave my very capable workshop foreman in charge running the business. However every day I take an interest in the business, communicate via email and telephone with the foreman and give him instructions. I also sometimes make changes to the co. web site.

I am employed by MY OWN Uk company as managing director. That company pays me a salary. All of the company's business is conducted within the uk, but I give the orders no matter where my location.

Would you consider I am working in Thailand?

The alien employment prohibition laws are all about protecting the jobs that the Thais can do. They are NOT about preventing you having an interest in a business based outside Thailand. No one in Thailand is employing you or paying you and you are not running a business in Thailand.

Legally speaking, if you make changes to the website, deal with emails etc while in Thailand you are working, this is very clear under the law, so the only question which remains is.....will you get caught

In terms of the labour law, where how or even if you get paid are completely irrelevant

[JB300]

It does seem some posters here are unable to correctly interpret the law regarding aliens and employment in Thailand.

Lets have a look at a hypothetical situation:

I own a garage business in the uk. For 3 months of the year I go to Thailand and leave my very capable workshop foreman in charge running the business. However every day I take an interest in the business, communicate via email and telephone with the foreman and give him instructions. I also sometimes make changes to the co. web site.

I am employed by MY OWN Uk company as managing director. That company pays me a salary. All of the company's business is conducted within the uk, but I give the orders no matter where my location.

Would you consider I am working in Thailand?

The alien employment prohibition laws are all about protecting the jobs that the Thais can do. They are NOT about preventing you having an interest in a business based outside Thailand. No one in Thailand is employing you or paying you and you are not running a business in Thailand.

Legally speaking, if you make changes to the website, deal with emails etc while in Thailand you are working, this is very clear under the law, so the only question which remains is.....will you get caught

In terms of the labour law, where how or even if you get paid are completely irrelevant

I know Thailand is different but the only rules around this I'm familiar with are for the UK where you're allowed to spend a maximum of 31 days "Working" (defined as spending 3+ hours per day) in the UK whilst still being considered as working full time overseas (providing you meet the criteria of the 1st 2 automatic overseas tests & spend no more than 91 days in the UK during that tax year) Edited June 9, 2014 by JB300

[Grindting]

There are some real bitter gits on this board

How about you guys 'managing' your properties rented out in the UK from Thailand, via your agents in the uk? That's how you earn your money, how is that any different from managing sales on eBay where goods are being sold to and in the UK? Or any other such enterprise.

If the boarder control question the whereabouts of his income he can just say exactly that; it's from his property rentals in the UK. Then go about his business. They're only trying to throw a curve ball to catch out the occasional idiot.

I am on the other hand not discounting the fact the OP is a deluded dreamer who will not last 3 months in LOS. There are 100s like him and some do seem to survive. I just chose not to converse with such folk when I come across them from time to time, they do my head in.

[JB300]

There are some real bitter gits on this board

How about you guys 'managing' your properties rented out in the UK from Thailand, via your agents in the uk? That's how you earn your money, how is that any different from managing sales on eBay where goods are being sold to and in the UK? Or any other such enterprise.

If the boarder control question the whereabouts of his income he can just say exactly that; it's from his property rentals in the UK. Then go about his business. They're only trying to throw a curve ball to catch out the occasional idiot.

I am on the other hand not discounting the fact the OP is a deluded dreamer who will not last 3 months in LOS. There are 100s like him and some do seem to survive. I just chose not to converse with such folk when I come across them from time to time, they do my head in.

Letting an agent manage the rental of your #Home# in the UK ("Passive Income") is nothing like #Actively# buying & selling goods on eBay & I'd bet that most of the guys on here who get income from property in the UK are doing just that.

I wish the OP the best of luck but do also think he's going to struggle & should make a decision as to whether to come for a long time or a good time, on those kind of numbers I fear it's one or the other.

Edited June 9, 2014 by JB300

[notforme]

It does seem some posters here are unable to correctly interpret the law regarding aliens and employment in Thailand.

Lets have a look at a hypothetical situation:

I own a garage business in the uk. For 3 months of the year I go to Thailand and leave my very capable workshop foreman in charge running the business. However every day I take an interest in the business, communicate via email and telephone with the foreman and give him instructions. I also sometimes make changes to the co. web site.

I am employed by MY OWN Uk company as managing director. That company pays me a salary. All of the company's business is conducted within the uk, but I give the orders no matter where my location.

Would you consider I am working in Thailand?

The alien employment prohibition laws are all about protecting the jobs that the Thais can do. They are NOT about preventing you having an interest in a business based outside Thailand. No one in Thailand is employing you or paying you and you are not running a business in Thailand.

Well said, and exactly the point I was making.

The guy is on about coming for 5-6 months (not 12 months or more as someone used as an example) and would in effect be updating some listings on ebay now an again.

Immigration would probably tell him to stop wasting their time if he went down and admitted it.

[Soutpeel]

It does seem some posters here are unable to correctly interpret the law regarding aliens and employment in Thailand.

Lets have a look at a hypothetical situation:

I own a garage business in the uk. For 3 months of the year I go to Thailand and leave my very capable workshop foreman in charge running the business. However every day I take an interest in the business, communicate via email and telephone with the foreman and give him instructions. I also sometimes make changes to the co. web site.

I am employed by MY OWN Uk company as managing director. That company pays me a salary. All of the company's business is conducted within the uk, but I give the orders no matter where my location.

Would you consider I am working in Thailand?

The alien employment prohibition laws are all about protecting the jobs that the Thais can do. They are NOT about preventing you having an interest in a business based outside Thailand. No one in Thailand is employing you or paying you and you are not running a business in Thailand.

Well said, and exactly the point I was making.

The guy is on about coming for 5-6 months (not 12 months or more as someone used as an example) and would in effect be updating some listings on ebay now an again.

Immigration would probably tell him to stop wasting their time if he went down and admitted it.

Not if he admitted it to the phuket DOL they wouldn't, in fact there was a query posted on TV between an Australian and the phuket DOL not so long ago, and he started he intended to come to Thailand for 3 months and asked if working on his on line business based in Aussie was illegal and the response was yes its illegal and they recommended he didn't work in Thailand

So for me at least the answer is pretty definitive in the case of the phuket DOL

[snottgoblin]

People are missing the point. It is illegal to,work here without a work permit, irrespective as to what or where the entity is based. The Phuket example of Soutpeels is a good example. The law is too ambiguous to be honest, and a lot of it is ridiculous. Are people working on line likely to get caught? Probably not. I would assume that a moderator based in Thailand would technically require a work permit.

People can say so and so is being bitter, or it's a crock of <deleted>, but the law is interpreted by the Labour department, and they could easily be within their right to say the law is being broken, even just by answering emails, and phone calls, as stupid as it sounds.

[Soutpeel]

People are missing the point. It is illegal to,work here without a work permit, irrespective as to what or where the entity is based. The Phuket example of Soutpeels is a good example. The law is too ambiguous to be honest, and a lot of it is ridiculous. Are people working on line likely to get caught? Probably not. I would assume that a moderator based in Thailand would technically require a work permit.

People can say so and so is being bitter, or it's a crock of , but the law is interpreted by the Labour department, and they could easily be within their right to say the law is being broken, even just by answering emails, and phone calls, as stupid as it sounds.

This is a key point to this whole question, currently the way the law is written its down to the individual DOL official or department to decide what is or isn't considered work, TV posters can rationalise all they want, and can talk to as many lawyers as they want ( who can only offer an opinion BTW) but if a DOL official gets on your back and decides your working, your working, see you in court.....its really that simple

[snottgoblin]

Even volunteering is classed as work, for those that have been here a while, they'll remember the nonsense after the Tsunami in 2004.

[OnMyWay2]

you have $2000 can you even afford the plane ticket?

[Lancashirelad]

People are missing the point. It is illegal to,work here without a work permit, irrespective as to what or where the entity is based. The Phuket example of Soutpeels is a good example. The law is too ambiguous to be honest, and a lot of it is ridiculous. Are people working on line likely to get caught? Probably not. I would assume that a moderator based in Thailand would technically require a work permit.

People can say so and so is being bitter, or it's a crock of <deleted>, but the law is interpreted by the Labour department, and they could easily be within their right to say the law is being broken, even just by answering emails, and phone calls, as stupid as it sounds.

You are dead right there, also as you later post, about volunteers (people are willing and able to help the Kingdom improve) needing a WP - daft!

[Lancashirelad]

People are missing the point. It is illegal to,work here without a work permit, irrespective as to what or where the entity is based. The Phuket example of Soutpeels is a good example. The law is too ambiguous to be honest, and a lot of it is ridiculous. Are people working on line likely to get caught? Probably not. I would assume that a moderator based in Thailand would technically require a work permit.

People can say so and so is being bitter, or it's a crock of <deleted>, but the law is interpreted by the Labour department, and they could easily be within their right to say the law is being broken, even just by answering emails, and phone calls, as stupid as it sounds.

You are dead right there, also as you later post, about volunteers (people are willing and able to help the Kingdom improve) needing a WP - daft!

[Lancashirelad]

People are missing the point. It is illegal to,work here without a work permit, irrespective as to what or where the entity is based. The Phuket example of Soutpeels is a good example. The law is too ambiguous to be honest, and a lot of it is ridiculous. Are people working on line likely to get caught? Probably not. I would assume that a moderator based in Thailand would technically require a work permit.

People can say so and so is being bitter, or it's a crock of <deleted>, but the law is interpreted by the Labour department, and they could easily be within their right to say the law is being broken, even just by answering emails, and phone calls, as stupid as it sounds.

You are dead right there, also as you later post, about volunteers (people who are willing and able to help the Kingdom improve) needing a WP - daft!

[mozzer3953]

I'm calling troll on the whole thread

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Lancashirelad]

Apologies for the treble post chaps, didn't appear to be uploading. Now when I've discovered it, too late to edit. Perhaps a mod could remove the duplicates?

[snottgoblin]

Apologies for the treble post chaps, didn't appear to be uploading. Now when I've discovered it, too late to edit. Perhaps a mod could remove the duplicates?

Thank you three times

[neil1280]

Well well, some interesting reading there, Ive just came on to gloat and give thanks to the some of you guys with the ebay advice i managed it very well for 3 months but i was mostly in Cambodia, and now iv'e came home to receive a bit more stock and visit family. I kept it very low key, managed fine with what i had saved and only selling a few items a week and not being greedy just earning enough to keep me going, rarely had to properly log in, only to deal with cases, i just went on frequently without logging in to watch the auctions end, i decided the best way was to get him to login and just relist items, as for the paypal issue no worries there either he logged in and transferred straight onto my debit card. Thanks for all the advice, without you guys i would have done the whole wrong approach and probably got caught and account blocked in no time. Time to do it allover again, next stop South America

So was I working Illegally? as far as im concerned.. I was on an extended holiday with an income from home

and to all you many many negheads BOO-YA in yer face ;p

[Lancashirelad]

Thanks for bothering to come back & update us OP, even if it is with rather a high handed attitude.

How long did you stay in Thailand and and what was the attraction to Cambodia?

There are thousands of nomads working online all over the world. Mostly the work relates to their home country. Money is earned in the home country and spent in the host country. No job is taken away from a local.

Script writers, travel writers, proof readers, photographers, forex traders, poker players, share traders, freight forwarders, remote employees, designers, computer programmers and many, many more.

As for those who said £3,000 wouldn't go far, Ridiculous. Earlier this year I stayed in Thailand for 82 days very comfortably. I spent £3800 including the international flight & 2 domestic flights. Stayed in a very nice Chiang Mai hotel with gym & pool for just over a month. Pattaya for a month in in a large room. A total of 9 nights (over 3 visits) in Bangkok. 3 nights in Hua Hin & 4 in Au Nang (Krabi) where I did a lovely full days sailing around the islands on a 2 masted sail boat. That cost £60. (and worth every penny). I like to stay in decent hotel rooms with furniture and a desk. I could cut my room spend by 40% easily.
I don't bother with bar girls much now-a-days, sometimes only eat once a day (trying to lose weight), eat about 30% Thai food but out for a beer about 5 nights a week.

Not everyone is in Thailand primarily to see how many women they can bed.

Someone said: They should be catching people in their place of work

Indeed, like the many farangs working on their own farms, managing bars and selling real estate.

As for visa clamp downs. Thai immigration are (quite rightly) after those who cannot or will not obtain an appropriate visa but have lived permanently in Thailand on repeated back to back land border runs.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Lancashirelad

[TheSpade]

Wait until your online income is a bit higher then make the move out there.

Your budget is doable for 6 months but not living the high life and out partying every night.

You'd need to watch the spending.

And not if you're staying in hotels paying over the odds for things.

If you rented an apartment you could get costs down but it'll take time to source out somewhere to live and most leases are 6-12 months.

Some places allow you to stay for less but you pay more for the privilege.

If you could get 3k in the bank plus up your monthly income a bit beyond the £400 mark you'd be fine.

[geronimo]

I came here 34 years ago with a third of what you have. Go for it.

[Gumballl]

nice edit... unfortunately I know squat about writing, teaching is not an option either. Is scuba not a crowded market now?

Yep, scuba teaching is definitely a crowded market. You should go with the eBay thing... you would surely be the only one doing that!

[Strangebrew]

3 k you planing on one night right? yeah 3 k for a night would be fine if thinking long term forget it you can't work here without work permit period even if online unless your nomad now nomad has to move from country to country unless you got a ton of money forget it. stay where you are. you would be either homeless or in jail in a month.

[neil1280]

@nomad you havent read the post read number #143 lol

@lancashire lad thats exactly as i worked it, easily done...