Farming Law

[Drifter88]

Hi all,

My wife owns and operates a smallholding in Thailand. I have invested some funds to help her out and give her a hand with it from time to time. I see many foreigners on here are into the farming scene and was wandering if they ever considered if what they are doing is legal. I just found this online: http://www.thaiworkpermit.com/prohibited-occupations-in-thailand.html

which that's working in agriculture for foreigners is not permitted.....I know its unlikely but if the police were to find me helping the wife out on the farm could they arrest me? The police have come around to my place before and and I have never had a problem......

[billphillips]

In short ..... Yes.

[farmerjo]

Dont read to much into it mate.

The thais liken farangs farming here to a thai faulty towers episode,well my place anyway.

[cooked]

I am very obviously building around the house, helping the SIL in the fields, including using a chain saw, and other stuff. I never had any problems.

However it just needs one jealous neighbour that knows about this regulation and a report being made in the right place.

In Buriram, first time retirement extension applications are now also accompanied by a visit from Immigration, they ask the neighbours if the guy is working. I consider the following to be a ridiculous regulation:

Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour

Prescribing works relating to occupation and profession in which an alien is prohibited to engage
------------------------------------------

1. Manual work;
2. Work in agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry or fishery excluding specialized work in each particular branch or farm of supervision:
3. bricklaying, carpentry or other construction work;
4. wood carving;
5. driving mechanically-propelled carried or driving non-mechanically-propelled vehicle, excluding international aircraft piloting;
6. shop attendance;
7. auction;
8. supervising, auditing or giving services in accountancy excluding internal auditing on occasions;
9. cutting of polishing jewellry;
10. haircutting, hairdressing or beauty treatment;
11. cloth weaving by hand;
12. weaving of mats or making products from reeds, rattan, hemp, straw or bamboo pellicle;
13. making of Sa paper by hand;
14. lacquerware making;
15. making of Thai musical instruments;
16. nielloware making;
17. making of products from gold, silver or gold-copper alloy;
18. bronzeware making;
19. making of Thai dolls;
20. making of mattress of quilt blanket;
21. alms bowls casting;
22. making of silk products by hand;
23. casting of Buddha images;
24. knife making;
25. making of paper of cloth umbrella;
26. shoemaking;
27. hat-making;
28. brokerage or agency excluding brokerage of agency in international trade business;
29. engineering work in civil engineering branch concerning designing and calculation, organization, research, planning, testing, construction supervision or advising excluding specialized work;
30. architectural work concerning designing, drawing of plan, estimation, construction directing or advising;
31. garments making;
32. pottery or ceramic ware making;
33. cigarette making by hand;
34. guide or conducting sightseeing tours;
35. street vending;
36. type-setting of Thai characters by hand;
37. drawing and twisting silk-thread by hand
38. office or secretarial work;
39. legal or lawsuit services.

Good luck with that!

[kickstart]

I have been los for a good few years now,3 years ago I was in the uk ,same time as my visa run out ,so I renewed in the in uk, no issue, come back to los, when it ran out ,went to our local Dor-Mor office ,who know us well,where I found out as the non "o" visa come from the uk ,I was classified as a "new farang to los ",as cooked said they come and visted us ,4- 5 of them,asked questions, we had the cattle ,bamboo,field of grass to cut for silage ,misses said, we do this, we do that, you did not need to be Brain of Britain to work that all the work was done be us .

They ,took photos ,againe as cooked said they interviewed our next door neighbor, asked if I was working,he said I do a bit ,injected a few of his beef cows once,took his photo,we signed on the dotted line, and our neighbor ,and off they went ,with a bag of bamboo ,and some veg ,the misses gave them.nothing more done.

I am certain for at least 3 of the immigration officers, it was a day out in to the country side for them.

Faulty Towers ,good scenario.

[BSJ]

I know some people work on the farm, but personally I don't do much at all except take picture's, give advice and fetch some food or drinks with the occasional lending of a hand when all hands are needed. Plus help out financially from time to time.

The wife organises everything, manages on her own, does manual work in the orchard mainly with a little paid help, but employs contractors, workers on the rice and corn blocks.

3 reasons

1/ I don't want to do manual work.

2/ I don't want to run foul of the law, however remote the possibility.

3/ My photo taking skills portray an evolving mega rural enterprise in it's infancy and will be part of the family history for future generations! Who would take those pix's if I didn't?

It means she earns less than if I was more active on the farm, but she and I have agreed it's better not to have any un-necessary ugly surprise!

[RedBullHorn]

French man didn't have a problem...

Farang yum woonsen a hit in Yaowarat (link)

British man Martin Wheeler didn't have a problem too...

The story of a farang man who lives like a rural Thai (link)

It's more on how you project yourself in the eyes of the community and the public, humble and friendliness will propel your status while self-centred and whining will make you an eye sore...

In my case villagers all knew how we live our life and how we make a living, how we treat our workers and comes harvest days we gift neighbours and friends and relative almost 100kg of fishes. It's not about the value of money that the fishes are worth, it's about giving and namjai (น้ำใจ). When they harvest their vegetables and fruits, the same gestures are bestow upon us.

A couple of time i read that authority are not so bothered when you are part of the family and helping out your wife in farming like for example planting paddy in the field. It is hard work under the sun and the authority knows it, they would admire and respect in actual context.

[Mosha]

My only involvement is taking the produce to sell. Usually accompanied by 'er indoors.

[Issangeorge]

Of course the no foreigners involved in agriculture applies to all. However in practice I think it is only invorced against big foreign corporations taking over farm land. I don't think they worry about individual family farms. For me I'm too lazy to work on my wife's farm.