AngThong Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 With the ongoing crackdown, let's assume the following: - You're young (well below 50) - Single and not interested in marriage, no Thai friends / relatives - You work online and make your money in some other country, but your physical whereabouts don't matter (you're essentially in Thailand only because you happen to like the climate/food/prices/culture/whatever) What would your options be for staying long-term (months, years) in Thailand if consecutive tourist visas are out? ED visa? Cambodia is looking mighty attractive all of a sudden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mrtoad Posted July 14, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2014 Cambodia is probably where you should go, with this circumstances. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post PoorSucker Posted July 14, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thailand Elite card. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtoad Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thailand Elite card. Work Permit? Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngThong Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thailand Elite card. Yes... Was reading about it yesterday. A bit too much of an investment (500k baht) for me, especially given the political etc. situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Soutpeel Posted July 14, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thailand Elite card. Yes... Was reading about it yesterday. A bit too much of an investment (500k baht) for me, especially given the political etc. situation. Political situation ? Thailand is politically more stable today than it has been in years, 500k, 5 years stay hassle free for less than the Thai minimum wage of THB 300/day If you read the posts from the on liners they are always spouting off they are doing well, flush with cash, so 500k "invested" shouldn't be problem 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post AngThong Posted July 14, 2014 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2014 (edited) Political situation ? Thailand is politically more stable today than it has been in years, 500k, 5 years stay hassle free for less than the Thai minimum wage of THB 300/day If you read the posts from the on liners they are always spouting off they are doing well, flush with cash, so 500k "invested" shouldn't be problem They may be doing well and be able to easily afford 500k; I'm not. Maybe in a few years. It's a good thing that the Elite card exists but I'm more likely to head to Cambodia or the Philippines while I work on improving my finances. I don't know how common my situation is, but I have met dozens of young online freelancers like myself in Thailand so it can't be very uncommon. Maybe 500k isn't an issue for many of them, IDK. Edited July 14, 2014 by AngThong 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsuptome Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Saigon is a hot spot for online workers right now and the visa situation in Vietnam is considerably easier than Thailand. An ED visa will get you permission to stay in Thailand for about 30,000/year (go to the classes and be a legitimate student if you do it, don't be a wanker and ruin it for everyone else). It will not give you permission to work and a work permit cannot be obtained on an ED visa. I've never heard of immigration enforcing the work restriction against someone who was working online from their home, not making too much noise about it, and not doing work related to Thai companies or Thai people, however. (Has anybody?) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hobz Posted July 14, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2014 you can get employed by a thai company that allows you to keep freelancing but in their name. they usually take a cut of your income and pay tax and arrange work permit and visa for you. there's some here in this forum. pm me if interested. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shocky2004 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Young? Freelancer in Thailand? White? Does your domain contain computer and cards? :P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngThong Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 Young? Freelancer in Thailand? White? Does your domain contain computer and cards? Neither :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritsSikkink Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 your physical whereabouts don't matter Yes they do, you need a work permit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grindting Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 What does working online even mean? What kind of work is it? Like programming for computer games etc making codes? Or web design? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 What does working online even mean? What kind of work is it? Like programming for computer games etc making codes? Or web design? Yes all you have stated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HidyHo Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 They may be doing well and be able to easily afford 500k; I'm not. Maybe in a few years. It's a good thing that the Elite card exists but I'm more likely to head to Cambodia or the Philippines while I work on improving my finances. At least you are somewhat honest about it ... I know a lot of people working "online" and more doing "freelance" work (we call it contract work in USA) and I don't know anyone in that line of work who can't afford 500,000 baht for 5 year visa. Especially if it can be written off as business expense. I can understand some who are NOT willing to pay for it considering other issues (political blah blah ... work permit/legality ambiguity) but it seems like there are more that simply cannot afford this option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JLCrab Posted July 14, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2014 Internet speeds in Asia: http://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/Images/TSOL/Photos-Gallery/Nation/2014/05/04/net%20speed.ashx 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattaya46 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Internet speeds in Asia: ...Yes, and?International Internet access is largely good enough for any online work. Even Poker player can use it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLCrab Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Internet speeds in Asia: ... Yes, and? International Internet access is largely good enough for any online work. Even Poker player can use it No and. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpinx Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 They may be doing well and be able to easily afford 500k; I'm not. Maybe in a few years. It's a good thing that the Elite card exists but I'm more likely to head to Cambodia or the Philippines while I work on improving my finances. At least you are somewhat honest about it ... I know a lot of people working "online" and more doing "freelance" work (we call it contract work in USA) and I don't know anyone in that line of work who can't afford 500,000 baht for 5 year visa. Especially if it can be written off as business expense. I can understand some who are NOT willing to pay for it considering other issues (political blah blah ... work permit/legality ambiguity) but it seems like there are more that simply cannot afford this option. You've hit the nail squarely on the head -- if the "online work" is so lucrative then an elite card is relatively cheap. Too many candidates for the "young and rich" group who are actually unable to live up to their declared status. Look at the visa you get -- most say very clearly "working not permitted" or similar wording. It seems that "working" means almost anything the thai authorities want it to be. I hear that you can not even volunteer without remuneration without needing a permit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duanebigsby Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Political situation ? Thailand is politically more stable today than it has been in years, 500k, 5 years stay hassle free for less than the Thai minimum wage of THB 300/day If you read the posts from the on liners they are always spouting off they are doing well, flush with cash, so 500k "invested" shouldn't be problem They may be doing well and be able to easily afford 500k; I'm not. Maybe in a few years. It's a good thing that the Elite card exists but I'm more likely to head to Cambodia or the Philippines while I work on improving my finances. I don't know how common my situation is, but I have met dozens of young online freelancers like myself in Thailand so it can't be very uncommon. Maybe 500k isn't an issue for many of them, IDK. It's not uncommon, just illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyman108 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Think best option is ED visa, and is good to learn Thai since you're staying here.......you actually pay for the education or language and hence apply a valid legal visa for it. Stop the visa run and get the right visa. There must be a purpose we want to live in a country, being married, study, working, retired etc, and most if not all will have a right visa for right purpose. But if someone want to work but apply a study visa, then be risk of getting caught. And for your case of living in Thailand working online, is still consider as working whereby u need a work permit and u can apply for non O visa base on your work permit.......but since u feel that u are not working in Thailand company and should not be getting work permit, then best option is to apply education visa or move on to another country that you can legally work online with work permit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinoSabanovic Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 (edited) This is what interest me to. Lets say you "work", example: Building websites, Selling online 3D models made in 3D studio, Youtube partner (get paid by Google), Play games and get paid by doing so, Manager of some company who are not required to stay in the office, Sell on eBay (you sell at your home but decided to come to Thailand for 1-2 or more months) ...... and so on and so on. So by this logic, as soon as you enter Thailand you are in violation of the law, or... ? Can someone explain this to me and anyone who wish to know? Edit: I found out that you are not allowed to even wash your car or some other stupid "work" so by that logic , are you allowed even to carry bags from 7/11? You have to pay someone to carry for you? Edited July 14, 2014 by DinoSabanovic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngThong Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 What does working online even mean? What kind of work is it? Like programming for computer games etc making codes? Or web design? Most freelancers I've met in Thailand have been IT professionals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Issangeorge Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 There is a group of expat authors living in Thailand, I wonder what they do to stay legal? Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattaya46 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 There is a group of expat authors living in Thailand, I wonder what they do to stay legal?I know one of them, well know for his humoristic cartoons, and he has a work permit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyman108 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 And there's still a visa that is call Tourist visa.....so if u step into Thailand with tourist visa, you can still wash your car, carrry a 7/11 bags and go on with you working life to build a website, selling on ebay or whatever work u have (u dun need to resign from work to go on a holiday) as long you have a valid tourist visa. But if someone were to be "tourist" for mroe than 30 days, he's either very rich or he got the wrong purpose in wrong country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Cypress Hill Posted July 14, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2014 They may be doing well and be able to easily afford 500k; I'm not. Maybe in a few years. It's a good thing that the Elite card exists but I'm more likely to head to Cambodia or the Philippines while I work on improving my finances. At least you are somewhat honest about it ... I know a lot of people working "online" and more doing "freelance" work (we call it contract work in USA) and I don't know anyone in that line of work who can't afford 500,000 baht for 5 year visa. Especially if it can be written off as business expense. I can understand some who are NOT willing to pay for it considering other issues (political blah blah ... work permit/legality ambiguity) but it seems like there are more that simply cannot afford this option. You've hit the nail squarely on the head -- if the "online work" is so lucrative then an elite card is relatively cheap. Too many candidates for the "young and rich" group who are actually unable to live up to their declared status. Look at the visa you get -- most say very clearly "working not permitted" or similar wording. It seems that "working" means almost anything the thai authorities want it to be. I hear that you can not even volunteer without remuneration without needing a permit. And you've squarely inserted your foot into your mouth Let's look at your "logic" shall we? If ฿500,000 is so manageable for anyone who works online, shouldn't ฿800,000 be equally manageable for the hordes of fake retirees who use those companies that deposit ฿800k in their account so they can qualify for retirement visas? Seriously, though, surely after a whole phuggin' LIFETIME of so-called "real" work, ฿800,000 should be chump change, shouldn't it? SHOULDN'T IT??!!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrTuner Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 And there's still a visa that is call Tourist visa.....so if u step into Thailand with tourist visa, you can still wash your car, carrry a 7/11 bags and go on with you working life to build a website, selling on ebay or whatever work u have (u dun need to resign from work to go on a holiday) as long you have a valid tourist visa. No, at the point where you go on with your working life you stop being a tourist and must go get a non-immigrant visa outside Thailand or convert your tourist visa entry to a non-immigrant one at an immigration office, followed by getting a work permit. It says "employment prohibited" on the visa sticker, if I remember correctly. There may be a "gray area" consisting of simply answering urgent emails or telephone, the sort of stuff you may have to do on holiday upon emergencies. But it surely isn't tapping away on a laptop developing websites or executing transactions on ebay. This is exactly why the immigration is now cracking down. They don't want people working illegally in Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRascal Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Internet speeds in Asia: http://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/Images/TSOL/Photos-Gallery/Nation/2014/05/04/net%20speed.ashx There's no way these speeds are accurate for Thailand - True claims my internet is faster than that but in reality it's absolutely piss poor, whether this is due to internet monitoring or censorship who knows. I'm visiting the UK now and the Talk Talk crap broadband my mum has is much faster than my True account which is apparently twice as fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpinx Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 They may be doing well and be able to easily afford 500k; I'm not. Maybe in a few years. It's a good thing that the Elite card exists but I'm more likely to head to Cambodia or the Philippines while I work on improving my finances. At least you are somewhat honest about it ... I know a lot of people working "online" and more doing "freelance" work (we call it contract work in USA) and I don't know anyone in that line of work who can't afford 500,000 baht for 5 year visa. Especially if it can be written off as business expense. I can understand some who are NOT willing to pay for it considering other issues (political blah blah ... work permit/legality ambiguity) but it seems like there are more that simply cannot afford this option. You've hit the nail squarely on the head -- if the "online work" is so lucrative then an elite card is relatively cheap. Too many candidates for the "young and rich" group who are actually unable to live up to their declared status. Look at the visa you get -- most say very clearly "working not permitted" or similar wording. It seems that "working" means almost anything the thai authorities want it to be. I hear that you can not even volunteer without remuneration without needing a permit. And you've squarely inserted your foot into your mouth Let's look at your "logic" shall we? If ฿500,000 is so manageable for anyone who works online, shouldn't ฿800,000 be equally manageable for the hordes of fake retirees who use those companies that deposit ฿800k in their account so they can qualify for retirement visas? Seriously, though, surely after a whole phuggin' LIFETIME of so-called "real" work, ฿800,000 should be chump change, shouldn't it? SHOULDN'T IT??!!! I think there might be some confusion. I was not referring to retirement visa requirements, but specifically about the "young and rich" category of under-50's who want to work online, but who have trouble with raising 500k for the Elite card -- assuming the Elite card actually satisfies their requirements in other ways -- which I have not investigated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts