ways to live permanently in thailand with my girlfriend

[pbonline]

Tombuk.

Are you good in computers?

Do you know anything about html code?

[rwdrwdrwd]

You tell me what Thai people cant do and what you can do better than they can?

Then maybe I will choose the same career as you.

Lots of people on here saying do computer programming as other things related but from what I have seen in the 2 years of living there, Thai people can also do this.

There are very, very few strong Thai computer programmers. In my opinion this is because the Thai education system is not conducive to the qualities required for the profession. Thai companies do regularly seek western programmers, however - my recommendation of that as an option was not in order to find work as a programmer in Thailand and compete with the local 'talent', since whilst it is possible, it is also relatively badly paid.

The point of my suggestion was to get to a good enough level where you can work remotely for western companies - there are plenty of western organisations seeking senior developers on a remote basis. Easy to get 100k US a year with 10 years experience.

Problem is that you do not have 10 years experience, and to be frank, you're not displaying the necessary ability to think laterally in your responses - something that you would need to make a real go of it.

The question you need to answer is not 'what can i do to live permanently in Thailand', it is 'what do I enjoy doing that I could get so good at that I would be in demand internationally' - the next and hardest step is to get that good.

Edited September 8, 2015 by rwdrwdrwd

[nithisa78]

The man who would know ubonjoe , did not reply to you.

Ask the lawyer. Otherwise, you're a young man, avoid Thai Visa.

[beachproperty]

So OP .....at 16 you joined the Army ....ie your formal schooling ended at 16...In the States that would mean you don't even have a High School education (usually 18 when graduate)

You have no skills (other than what you may have learned in the Army ....discipline I assume)

You want to know how some of us made it ......Personally my formal education went WAY beyond 16...10 years to be precise (university, MBA, JD)....and doing this while working either full or part time.

So, my advice, go back to school, take anything....but learn something, because now it seems you can't even decide on what it is you want to do, especially if you have to go on a forum and ask strangers what you should do.

[danstarr]

Although there is work you can do in Thailand which doesn't require one, getting a degree would be a wise step: either knuckling down to get one at home or maybe doing one out here or via distance learning. Might be an idea to do some psychometric tests first to discover the types of career to which you are most naturally attributed, then you'd be better informed as to which course of study to take.

[YeahSiam]

And therein lies your problem......You DON'T have a clue.

At 23 I was already married with a child on the way. Worked since I was 13 in numerous unskilled labor jobs ....BUT always willing to work and do what it took to get by. It's called "work ethic"!

Paid my own way thru school (night school) while working during the day...... and things worked out for me good. FOCUS!

At least now you seem focused ....problem is ...ONLY YOU can determine what it is you want to do or have you just always had things handed to you and haven't really had to think about until now?

Only advice I can give you is do something you "love doing" .....then it won't seem like work and over time the money will come. Otherwise ....working at a job you hate will seem worse than prison ....only you get to go home to eat and sleep.

This is 2015, mate, not

1941. The world just

doesn't work that way any

more. The days of being

able to "get on your bike"

and land a reasonably

well-paying job are long

gone. If you had a clue

about the issues that face

young people in Western

countries when it comes to

work and careers, you

wouldn't have been so

patronising.

[Stevemercer]

If you are a qualified chef, or have western cooking experience/bar tending, and speak basic Thai, you will be able to get a job in most of the tourist areas of Thailand. Starting salary will only be about 15,000 Baht per month, but once you're in the trade other opportunities will come up. Within 6 months you should be up to a basic wage (30, 000 Baht) with good prospects. But you will have to keep moving around. Hopefully your girlfriend can start working in a few years.

You should aim to save at least 500,000 Baht before you come over, to go yourself a head start.

Or, as another poster suggested, go to Australia and work in the hospitality industry for a year. You should be able to save the required amount and it will give you a good start.

[beachproperty]

And therein lies your problem......You DON'T have a clue.

At 23 I was already married with a child on the way. Worked since I was 13 in numerous unskilled labor jobs ....BUT always willing to work and do what it took to get by. It's called "work ethic"!

Paid my own way thru school (night school) while working during the day...... and things worked out for me good. FOCUS!

At least now you seem focused ....problem is ...ONLY YOU can determine what it is you want to do or have you just always had things handed to you and haven't really had to think about until now?

Only advice I can give you is do something you "love doing" .....then it won't seem like work and over time the money will come. Otherwise ....working at a job you hate will seem worse than prison ....only you get to go home to eat and sleep.

This is 2015, mate, not

1941. The world just

doesn't work that way any

more. The days of being

able to "get on your bike"

and land a reasonably

well-paying job are long

gone. If you had a clue

about the issues that face

young people in Western

countries when it comes to

work and careers, you

wouldn't have been so

patronising.

Patronising?????

What ...getting an education and working while you do that? that's "old school"?

Never said I "landed resonably well-paying job"....if fact in the beginning they were mostly minimum wage ($1.35/hr)...only thing was I had no problem doing what I had to do (earn money however and doing whatever)

Oh yeah ....I forgot this is the "milennials age" ....want everything handed to them .....the "age of expectancy" ...they want to start out "at the top"... don't want to pay their dues

....if so....I'll take the old days anytime!

Edited September 8, 2015 by beachproperty

[smotherb]

And therein lies your problem......You DON'T have a clue.

At 23 I was already married with a child on the way. Worked since I was 13 in numerous unskilled labor jobs ....BUT always willing to work and do what it took to get by. It's called "work ethic"!

Paid my own way thru school (night school) while working during the day...... and things worked out for me good. FOCUS!

At least now you seem focused ....problem is ...ONLY YOU can determine what it is you want to do or have you just always had things handed to you and haven't really had to think about until now?

Only advice I can give you is do something you "love doing" .....then it won't seem like work and over time the money will come. Otherwise ....working at a job you hate will seem worse than prison ....only you get to go home to eat and sleep.

This is 2015, mate, not

1941. The world just

doesn't work that way any

more. The days of being

able to "get on your bike"

and land a reasonably

well-paying job are long

gone. If you had a clue

about the issues that face

young people in Western

countries when it comes to

work and careers, you

wouldn't have been so

patronising.

Please do enlighten us about the "the issues that face young people in Western countries when it comes to work and careers"

[oncearugge]

YeahSiam

Yes it is 2015! And the world is a tough place for those with minimal educational qualification and no demonstrable skills!

Opportunities are available for young people to equip themselves with skills even if they only possess modest educational qualification.

The links below give some insight.

http://www.rolls-royce.com/careers/students-and-graduates/apprenticeships.aspx

http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/25236.aspx

Edited September 8, 2015 by oncearugge

[Cypress Hill]

Go home. Start a good career. Save a bunch of money. Return to Thailand when you can afford a decent lifestyle. Otherwise you're battling an uphill battle financially in Thailand at your age.

You mean come back to Thailand when he's old, bald, overweight and entitled to a goat-cheese pension that'll just about cover 3 squares a day at a food hall and a stipend for a slightly rotund bargirl?

Christ, if that's all he's got to look forward to, he should kill himself right now.

[sead]

Ok. Reality check. Dont do it just because you are afraid of loosing her. Jealousy can kill you. If you come here to stay with Little or no money you are soon to be in a difficult position in both home and here. Her family would respect you more if you tell them you want to save and get better education before moving to Thailand. You can do the following.

Save money. Move to your parents home. Dont spend.

Talk to your family about a loan and start something with your gf.

Don't loose your work at home. Many companies can give you free for education or other reasons.

Take a big loan yourself and come here. You will be hunted by bank when you come back home but that's the options I can think of currently.

Your money should stay in your pocket.

Opening a company in your name costs about 40.000bht. That gives you work permit.insurance etc.

Gl

[YeahSiam]

And therein lies your problem......You DON'T have a clue.

At 23 I was already married with a child on the way. Worked since I was 13 in numerous unskilled labor jobs ....BUT always willing to work and do what it took to get by. It's called "work ethic"!

Paid my own way thru school (night school) while working during the day...... and things worked out for me good. FOCUS!

At least now you seem focused ....problem is ...ONLY YOU can determine what it is you want to do or have you just always had things handed to you and haven't really had to think about until now?

Only advice I can give you is do something you "love doing" .....then it won't seem like work and over time the money will come. Otherwise ....working at a job you hate will seem worse than prison ....only you get to go home to eat and sleep.

This is 2015, mate, not

1941. The world just

doesn't work that way any

more. The days of being

able to "get on your bike"

and land a reasonably

well-paying job are long

gone. If you had a clue

about the issues that face

young people in Western

countries when it comes to

work and careers, you

wouldn't have been so

patronising.

Please do enlighten us about the "the issues that face young people in Western countries when it comes to work and careers"

For one thing, economies

aren't expanding. Zero-hours

contracts are everywhere in

the UK. Graduates are

leaving university with huge

debts and ending up stacking

shelves in Tesco or sweeping

the streets. Demand for

decent entry-level jobs

outstrips supply by a mile.

I'm not saying it's impossible

because it's not but

employment markets are

vastly different from when

most of us were in our 20s. I

spent most of mine fooling

around but was still able to

get serious and land a well-

paying job at 30. Very difficult

do that in today's ultra-

competitive jobs environment.

[beachproperty]

For one thing, economies

aren't expanding. Zero-hours

contracts are everywhere in

the UK. Graduates are

leaving university with huge

debts and ending up stacking

shelves in Tesco or sweeping

the streets. Demand for

decent entry-level jobs

outstrips supply by a mile.

I'm not saying it's impossible

because it's not but

employment markets are

vastly different from when

most of us were in our 20s. I

spent most of mine fooling

around but was still able to

get serious and land a well-

paying job at 30. Very difficult

do that in today's ultra-

competitive jobs environment.

That's VERY patronising of you.....no need to be. Especially considering you were a worthless lout until you were 30.

Each era of history has had its own problems and limtations regarding the job market....even in the 60's and 70's when I was entering the job market......

The main ingredient that differentiates those that get the job and those that don't is "education"....that is, of course, unless you learned a trade....then it's dependant on how good you actually are, whether you make it or not.

[carter1882]

I came to Thailand when i was 23 and now I am 54 and still here. Save some money first. You dont need too much. Use the money to study Thai. Learning this will set you up for the future. Do something, anything to gain experience while you study. Not having much but having desire will concentrate the mind. Be optimistic and open and work hard when the opportunity arises. Whatever you do, dont listen to old fogies who say it cant be done. It can be done and a positive attitude will lead to success.

[RBOP]

At your young age with little education or any particular trade or skill your probably not going to get a work permit unless your willing to work as migrant labourer and be a slave. Your best bet is to get adopted (no joke).

On the other commenter about getting a job in the oil field... Not a chance. Low oil prices with hundreds of thousand of experienced oilfield hands being laid off.

[YeahSiam]

For one thing, economies

aren't expanding. Zero-hours

contracts are everywhere in

the UK. Graduates are

leaving university with huge

debts and ending up stacking

shelves in Tesco or sweeping

the streets. Demand for

decent entry-level jobs

outstrips supply by a mile.

I'm not saying it's impossible

because it's not but

employment markets are

vastly different from when

most of us were in our 20s. I

spent most of mine fooling

around but was still able to

get serious and land a well-

paying job at 30. Very difficult

do that in today's ultra-

competitive jobs environment.

That's VERY patronising of you.....no need to be. Especially considering you were a worthless lout until you were 30.

Yeah, insults really bolster

your chicken shit argument.

Not

[beachproperty]

For one thing, economies

aren't expanding. Zero-hours

contracts are everywhere in

the UK. Graduates are

leaving university with huge

debts and ending up stacking

shelves in Tesco or sweeping

the streets. Demand for

decent entry-level jobs

outstrips supply by a mile.

I'm not saying it's impossible

because it's not but

employment markets are

vastly different from when

most of us were in our 20s. I

spent most of mine fooling

around but was still able to

get serious and land a well-

paying job at 30. Very difficult

do that in today's ultra-

competitive jobs environment.

That's VERY patronising of you.....no need to be. Especially considering you were a worthless lout until you were 30.

Yeah, insults really bolster

your chicken shit argument.

Not

No arguement from me....just staing the "facts' as profounded by you about YOUR life.

What part do you disagree with....Education as a differentiating factor in getting a job? .....Importance of Education?... .....

Edited September 8, 2015 by beachproperty

[nitpicker]

If its true love....... ........and its gotta happen,

Then you have a much better chance of doing it the other way round, she gets a holiday visa comes to see you, & like the other 1.2 million people, forgets to go back..................she will find work in a Thai restaurant easy.......time will pass....family will get larger with British citizens......etc ....etc

Then of course, once there she may find someone with a bit more drive & go ahead than you who doesn't

have a dead end job & sits around moaning...............etc etc .....

.

Either way your problem will be solved....................................

Tombuk, I had to smile at this posting because the "find someone else" does happen when farangs take their Thai wife back to UK. However, I also liked the positive "true love" comment.

Assuming your girlfriend's English is good enough, two young people both working in the UK can make quite a good living in a location with relatively inexpensive housing. Getting married seems the best option to me and if your wife can help with household expenses, perhaps you can afford a slightly lower paid job with the prospect of training and promotion. I haven't any advice on which career might eventually get you work in Thailand but I agree with the poster who suggested you try something you enjoy.

I appreciate that your girlfriend's current circumstances do not permit her to go to the UK and also realise that, if she did, she would very likely be expected to send money back to Thailand, particularly when the family find out how much more she's earning than at home.

[Nemesis7]

I understand your emotional feeling, but if you really dont mind me saying, Please dont rush in to such decision so fast. You have hardly seen the life. I would request you to get skilled and try to make a living with it first. Or simply take time off and see where it leads you but don't waste precious time fro your life chasing a rainbow.

[ggt]

Break all the rules...defy immigration reporting...live off of your girls family...and just be all that you can be...what you will likely be is miserable...

[nitpicker]

Ps. I don't want to be one of the other 98% of foreigners there who finally get to live there at the age of 40, fat and balding, wearing a white vest with this mornings beans down the front and and 5 kids tagging along and my wife that doesn't look all that happy.

now you've just lost any help or advice on this thread from as you say 98% of foreigners who finally get to live here.. You need to get real. Study or train and earn a living. Maybe put some away for your old age or the time when you are able to be part of the 98% who earned their right to be here.

Yes, daft comment, Tombuk.

However, I ignored it when I decided to give you advice.

[swissbie]

Did you bother to learn any Thai during your two years there ? I moved to Hong Kong out of Uni. I took Chinese in College. Also went the IT / industrial automation route. Thailand is a mess and is pretty much the place where ambition goes to die. Most people in the region work in more dynamic places and use Thailand as a second home or did.

You really need to find a life's calling. Then you need to obtain skills that allow you to do what you want to do. The easiest language to learn is probably Malay which is also spoken in Indonesia. Indonesia will be the second largest economy in Asia.

There is a world food shortage, so if you have an interest in agriculture, that may be something to look into. There is a bit o tech in farming these days as well.

If you apply yourself, look further afield than Thailand toward its neighbors, you will fair better.

OP wants to live in Thailand because his gf is living and bound here. Indonesia is the biggest economy in ASEAN, but will surely never be the second largest in Asia, that's farer than pluto.

[ericthai]

I came to Thailand on and ED visa as i studied Thai language for 2 years and was also teaching English in a kindergarten but it was only 15k baht a month as I only reached 3 days a week. Before I came to Thailand I was in the army but just as an infantry soldier. So I used the money I had saved and money from my settlement to stay here.

Obviously I came back to the UK when my funds got low.

I have thought about bringing my girlfriend here but her father is critically ill so she spends all her time caring for him whilst her mother is the one who goes out to work.

I am not looking at trying to get back to Thailand as soon as possible but trying to see what opportunities there is to live there. I am not really bothered what country we live in as Thailand and England both have pros and cons. My girlfriend is still at university at the minute so has no income.

I am open to going to college to learn new skills but I'm not sure what I could do that is in demand in Thailand. ( I don't want to do something that is going to get me nowhere)

I suggest checking into working in the oil industry. I'm sure there are some schools in England. I have several friends that live in Thailand that work in the oil industry. One work for an oil company

as a manager working in an office in Bangkok. The others I know work for companies all over the world working on rigs. They work 30-40 day on 30 days off or so sometime a longer time off it the oil rig is being moved. Other wise go to school to be an Engineer. I worked in Thailand for 20 years as an engineer. Mostly contracted with companies overseas to work on projects for them in Thailand.

These would be good paying jobs. Other options working online, being a teacher, international sales manager, but most of these you will work for peanuts. Good luck.

[Remi080]

Hey good news for you,,!!

I did ask my gf , i was just read your question, and my gf and her mother work for the ministry of education, and they say that its not a problem for you to go to school and find a job. They have a special international program for young students, and they have more guys and girls from the UK with the same problem like you, get a study in thai, than you get automaticly a ED visa, and the option to work and lern, you ern a low income in the first stage, but all better than sit all day on your gf mother' sofa. In the future its more easy to find a job if you have a degree from thailand.

SIIT tamasat university, ramkamheng university. Try to find online , S.I.I.T .

For more info feel free to ask.

I was 25 when i came to thai, never left to my homecountry. If you really want it you must fight for it.

Good luck.

[chilli42]

Get off your duff and change your life. If you are at a dead end build a road to somewhere. You are only 23 and have a long runway ahead of your. Do not squander the best years of your life scraping pennies off the ground in Thailand. Start a business, learn some skills, move to a country of opportunity (hint that is not the UK or Thailand). When you have experience and skills you can hold your head high and if the desire is still there move to Thailand where you can add to the talent pool. Do not move to Thailand permanently at your age

[maidee]

another dreamer

[FredNL]

Well, you can always become an "English" teacher...

Most (Thai) teachers in Thailand have to grab for a calculator to have the answer on 1+1.

[scorecard]

if your that serious about it, then the best options for you as a couple is to bring her to your home country where you have a job and income.

you already tried things out and it's working. try bringing her to you.

it's really wasted time that gets you in thailand. once that gap is there it's that much harder to develop a career or worthwhile work experience in your home country that will lead to better jobs.

advancement in thailand is a no go, just won't happen.

"try bringing her to you.":

- Worth considering if she can get a visa, and maybe worth while to search for a credible visa agent, and yes it will cost.

- But be very aware that she will very probably suffer some culture shock and you will need to 'hold her hand' a lot, but always remember that successful relationships are not easy, and they are hard work, but worthwhile.

In your overall circumstances regarding work in Thailand at a level to support a good quality of life, there's probably not a quick solution and remember that the total number of foreigners employed in Thailand, in companies, is very small and that's not likely to change.

A much longer-term approach: Perhaps do some research about which UK companies operate in Thailand, and then explore what staff they send to Thailand (professions / skills / experience, etc.,) and see if you can build some knowledge, skills, experience in these areas.

You can start by asking the UK embassy in Bangkok for a list of UK companies that operate in Thailand or perhaps contact the UK Chamber of Commerce in Thailand or the UK - Thai C of C or similar bodies. The next steps is profiling the knowledge / skills experience etc., not so easy but possible. Take your time to do this, you don't need this list / details tomorrow.

- Maybe, when you think your ready then approach one of two of these companies and offer your services:

- As a full expat.

- As a local staff member but without full expat benefits.

- Maybe also approach them to offer to work in the UK or anywhere abroad, as a stepping stone to Thailand.

- Perhaps, if your wife can join you, see if she could develop some skills which could be useful to the company, e.g. expert translation, or enhance a profession / skill she already has. A second income from a different stream is always a good plan.

Also, maybe better to seek out the department managers / directors of the department managers who have the most expats in Thailand and approach them directly, rather than approach. Yes you need to be a 'detective, but hey you can do it. I wouldn't advise to contact the HR dept.. Your chances of speaking to the HR manager are not good and more to the point, in most companies the HR manager only knows about current specific vacancies and has no clue as to future planning / future vision, etc.

Another approach could be to identify a service or product which is needed / will be needed in the future in Thailand and is not well serviced and start to gain some knowledge and skill and experience in this are. don't try to do this in 5 minutes, take your time, and aim to eventually start your own business, but always think about 'how much competition will there be', and 'can I create a competitive advantage'.

Good luck.

Edited September 8, 2015 by scorecard

[tomacht8]

Sell whitening cream.
Buy big containers from different manufacturers.
Combine these with each other.
Fill this in your own tubes or dispensers.
Develop an own label, brand and trademark.
There is a shitload of money in it.

If you have made your first million US,
you have to invite me, as a thank you, to the following 5 G- Clubs:

Pegasus
Sherbet
St. Moritz
The Pent
The Pimp

Good luck.