ijmenevado Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Hello everybody!im new to the forum and this is my first post. (its gonna be a long one so thank all of you in advance for taking the time to read it. im sorry if it turned into a full on essay but...if you happen to have some time to kill during your morning coffee,give it a read. if not,just skip...TLDR would be a totally appropriate response) basically ,i have a lot of questions regarding living and working in thailand(that are very specific to my particular situation). i would like to know if certain things are even possible to achieve or if theyre just pipe dreams(and things dont really work that way). ive already done a lot of research on this topic..but the information i got from the more "official" sources are all very strict,filled with bureaucratic and legal mumbojumbo(which i know i would EVENTUALLY have to inevitably deal with),and governmental goodie-two-shoes/by the book ways of doing things...while the information ive read on various forums(from actual people) are all contradicting each other and have left me more confused than when i started. i want to live in thailand,and i would like to get the REAL 411 on the questions that "bedevil" me. first of all,i always liked Thailand...A LOT.but only after i met some thai people it really sunk in how UNBELIEVABLY affordable (to a westerners eyes) things are there...when i heard of 25.000$ condos and 30 baht meals i was incredulous.the more we talked the more intrigued i was...so,being the wide-eyed idiot that i am...i figured.."buy a condo,get an online job that pays western wages,work for two hours a day online from my home in thailand,and earn as much money as the average thai person makes in an entire work day ,marry a thai girl,get citizenship and live happily ever after"..easy-peasy..."perfect plan",right? so,i started meeting new thai people,made a lot of friends(thai people are unbelievably friendly),started learning thai ,trying to absorb as much of their culture and ways of doing things as i can,learn how life works in thailand and so on and so forth. now ,on some level,i always knew it wasnt gonna be that easy...but i made the conscious decision of NOT looking into it too much or start digging JUST YET. because i was afraid of the bureaucratic bs i would have to face and i didnt wanna discourage myself so early on.(so i decided to live "the fantasy" for a while). live the delusion instead of facing the harsh reality(at least for a while)...until ive learned enough thai and made enough meaningful connections with thai people to make me feel invested(in a "point of no return sort of way") however,inevitably,the time came for me to start looking into these things with a realistic eye...and cash the sobering slap that was coming. and just like clock work...it happened...thailands immigration laws are brutal(way too brutal for a country in that region of the world).especially seeing how most of their neighbors are extremely lenient devil-may-care types... so all of a sudden,i realized i have next to ZERO options. i am uneducated,have no official work experience and have no connections in thailand(at least as far as government officials or employers go). however im a decent looking guy(people person),27 years old,healthy,big,strong,very affable,witty,"street smart",adaptable...been through hell and back(a lot of real life experience).im the type of guy that always lands on his feet and can make it work anywhere...i would do any given thing ,at any given time.ive been working and living on my own ever since i was 14 years old.but none of that counts for anything in the eyes of thailands immigration laws(obviously)..a "folksy minstrel song and a dance" is not gonna charm them..however,in spite of my "lack of conventional education",im not a moron.i am 100% fluent in 3 languages(native level),80% fluent in a 4th one,can communicate in two more,albeit poorly(and currently i am studying thai...and if things keep going the way theyre going i should be able to understand and make myself be understood in thailand without a problem by the end of 2016).basically..."i catch on quick" i am a hard worker.punctual,dependable,reliable,i do the job,dont ask any questions..i have experience working with sales, wood and electronics.ive built quite a few arcade cabinets from scratch(as a hobby/pass time)..i produce music(however its more of an underground thing...so the compensation is usually symbolic..if ANY).im a jack of all trades,master of none..i dip my foot in many waters(im into a lot of different things,and i have an entrepreneurial spirit).what i got goin for me is my determination ,tenacity and willingness to work.i got what "common place,banal movie cliches" refer to as "heart".and im sorry if im sounding like a pompous and arrogant ass by "tooting my own horn" but given how i dont have degrees and official work experience and references to speak for me,i have to be my own "cheerleader"...especially when looking for employment..and thats what im hoping to do here...maybe find a foreigner who was able to make it work in thailand...owns his/her own business and is looking for somebody to scrub the toilets,wash the dishes or any other brain-dead menial labor from dusk till dawn...now i know this is a very very long shot. so i would be content with just meeting some people that have been around the block and can tell me how things REALLY work for uneducated foreigners,with no official work experience in thailand.give me some pointers(maybe tell me to just give up and move on) for a while there,i thought my saving grace was gonna be getting a TEFL teaching certificate.however,thai law requires you to have a 4 year bachelor degree(which i dont have).so that is out of the window...now,i know theres ways around it,little loopholes..but i wanna do this legit.have a certain level of security.go through the proper channels.do it officially...i dont want to walk a fine line and always be afraid of "falling". so border runs,clandestine employment and all of that are out of the question.i wanna own my own condo,have a wife,be able to apply for citizenship one day. i have options to get married with a thai girl...but as far as i can tell that wouldnt really solve anything...all it does is reduce your monthly salary prerequisite from 80,000 to 40,000 baht when seeking citizenship.(and maybe speed things up a little)...but still...before that process can even begin,i need to be at least 5 years in thailand on a work visa....now how could a person like me pull that off?what are my options? is there some long term pro-bono charity/volunteer work that i could do that would grant me a work visa? (i would come up with the money i need to live on my own free time...i have set up a few things here that earn me passive income and i also have an online job) on top of savings etc...i think i would be considered financially secure for thai standards(maybe i got a rich grandma who send me 600 dollars every month...i dont...but you get the point).i would have money for food,necessities etc. coming in...so on that front i would be ok.. what i need tho',is a way to stay in the country legally. given how i dont have any official special skills or education ,my only option to get a foot in the door is "networking"...ask around,try to make some connections. see how other people have done it?get somebody to point me in the right direction...what should i even look for?where to look?what is my best course of action given my situation...if there even is one?(keep in mind that i would do anything...except for things of a "questionable nature").i would even go to thailand on a vacation visa and work a month for free to prove my worth. my thai friends are extremely upset over this and are desperately trying to help as best as they can...but obviously,they are thai citizens,so thei never had to concern themselves with things like immigration,work permits and visas(so they dont know much about the subject)..thats why im turning to you guys! anyway,thank you in advance for your responses(i wholeheartedly appreciate any help im gonna get)...again,sorry about the long winded dissertation...but im kinda desperate and discouraged at the moment,so i figured,might as well put all my cards on the table in one fell swoop. (also,im not sure if its against forum rules to actively seek employment here but...thats not exactly what im doing..im not trolling for an actual job..im networking) seeing if anyones heard anything or knows anyone...you know how it is...cant hurt to try Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirtless Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Why are you fixated on Thailand , Cambodia you can work and build a business without the problems , Thailand is not interested in helping anyone ,You have all the qualities to do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colabamumbai Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Why don't you become a writer....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KunMatt Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Stopped read at the part when you wanted to get citizenship. Do some more research on Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/116-job-wanted-in-thailand-hire-me/ JObs wanted - Hire me! section of this forum is linked above for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puukao Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 The "problem" is you might end up getting a job where an employer knows he can really make you work very long hours for nothing.......and you wouldn't have leverage to do anything about it. so i would "solve" that non-degree issue....how, i'm not sure. and get the tesol just to have it.....and do youtube and teach english so they can see your value. if you aren't passionate enough for youtube, then i would forget teaching and go to a country where you can make money and come back every year. until it's all sorted. i know you want it to work, but if i said the only job was scrubbing chemicals for 20-hours a day at 300 baht a day i'm not sure you would be that happy anymore..... let's think realistic......let's say you die at the age of 85. So you have about 57+ years.....I would imagine you could go home, get a real degree, figure out a passion, make some money, and still see Thailand every year until ready to make the plunge. That might take 7 years.....gives you FIFTY years in Thailand.. honestly, right now, i think you are doomed....merely surviving isn't fun in the LOS......you aren't 85..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetime Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Why are you fixated on Thailand , Cambodia you can work and build a business without the problems , Thailand is not interested in helping anyone ,You have all the qualities to do well. As I read his post I was going to tell him, the best place to start in Thailand, would be at the Poi Pet border crossing, with his back to Thailand, leaving. He's much to adventurous, on the surface of it, to want to be subservient after/if he wakes up and sees what the dim reality of life in Thailand offers. He should go somewhere where he can live more freely. Thailand ain't it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipi Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Dreams are great to try to follow, and congratulations for setting these goals. However, they rarely go exactly to plan. There is the heat, that stomach bug you hadn't thought about, the Thai lady who will catch your eye etc etc etc.. Maybe take a real long holiday in Thailand and surrounds, and then decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgphuket Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Living well in Thailand is not for those who want it, but those who earned it. Unless mommy gives you her credit card, or you sold your dotcom, coming to Thailand with little and expecting everything to be easy and wonderful is not likely. The old geezer who wander around here like their the cock of the walk are as boring and cliche as hell, but at least they slaved for 40 years to bank money. I am always amazed by the 20-somethings (not addressing the OP specifically) who come with no skills, talents, or much brains and expect the country to fall at their feet because they are young and white.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bermannor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 My unimportant advice: Run, run away from any under or semi developed country when you have to make a living without good education or special skills. As an employee, look at the daily wages there. Only self employment with a sound financial background and a niche market I can see a chance. Go back to your developed country where you might get good paid seasonal work, do distant education for a degree and gain professional experience. Then return back and in the meantime make holidays in Thailand. Or play the lottery and wait for the jackpot if the other path is too much effort for you. At this stage, you are a dreamer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Why don't you become a writer....? Lots of material here to chose from unfortunately putting it in words could get you locked up. Keep your fly zippered and both hands on your wallet and you will do just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerbalEd Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) Dear "uneducated schmuck" ... There are no answers for you here on tv.com. Don't be an "educated schmuck." You're still young, so get some education and learn a job skill. Or do you have a pat answer for why you can't do that? Your tome post is a classic symptom of someone who'll probably never make much of themselves in life ... i.e., talk, talk, talk, but no walk, walk, walk. You can't talk ... or dream ... yourself to success. You also gotta work hard and long at it. Can you actually do that, or are you impatient and want to take the short cut? Are you actually up to the task? Edited January 16, 2016 by HerbalEd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorecard Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 If you are interested to get some university education there are adult entry bachelor and masters courses available, all in English. Many of these program have a wide spread of age. I've seen students up to around 55 years old, mostly male. In many of these classes 27 years old would be near the lower end of the age span in the room. This would provide an Education Visa but there are of course rules attached and a maximum time period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTIRIOS Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 ....hmmm..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooner Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Come here and choose a tourist area to live in and see what arises. Know plenty of Westerners who have just came here and ended up getting some decent jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebonykap Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Terribly sorry, too hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonray Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 At only 27 you can have a degree by 31 or 32.....work at a good paying career for 10 years and save enough to live comfortably in Thailand for the rest of your days.....don't make the mistake of many young here.....build your savings and then come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luk AJ Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I would have considered to give you a job interview, unfortunately you are in the first place interested in a legal way to stay here. I need motivated people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksam Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 At only 27 you can have a degree by 31 or 32.....work at a good paying career for 10 years and save enough to live comfortably in Thailand for the rest of your days.....don't government mistake of many young here.....build your savings and then come back. Sort of correct except for the education bit. Your problem is the same as every young man that wants to come live in los. You have stuff all. Your money years are 40 on. There are no short cuts son. You make your money then come. Visit in meantime. BTW it isn't as cheap as yout might think in thailand. I admire young folk notions of rowing a different boat. Just remember there is no free health cover and government assistance. Most people with this plan will bum around in Asia possibly for many years and then go back to farang world where Nanny government will give you a chop out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksam Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Might add to the ridiculous post I quoted. After a degree in sweet f a . In first year earning f a he can retire 10 years. Absolute RUBBISH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksam Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Come here and choose a tourist area to live in and see what arises. Know plenty of Westerners who have just came here and ended up getting some decent jobs. Can you give an example of ONE. Please don't say teaching for 25k baht Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitkof Island Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Trust me you are not ready for Thailand nor Southeast Asia. It is going to chew you up and spit you out. But go ahead . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickyboy Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 uneducated and no work experience mmmm must come from the jungle or a cave or maybe the uk where you dont have to work and still get money he in dreamland or a scammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijmenevado Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Living well in Thailand is not for those who want it, but those who earned it. Unless mommy gives you her credit card, or you sold your dotcom, coming to Thailand with little and expecting everything to be easy and wonderful is not likely. The old geezer who wander around here like their the cock of the walk are as boring and cliche as hell, but at least they slaved for 40 years to bank money. I am always amazed by the 20-somethings (not addressing the OP specifically) who come with no skills, talents, or much brains and expect the country to fall at their feet because they are young and white.... well,it seems like you(and most people here)have either misunderstood or didnt read the whole thing(which i completely understand...it was a long-ass essay). so,albeit you might not have "addressed the OP specifically" ...the implication is there. however,to recap...i have my reasons for wanting/having to leave...and second thing(as i said in the post).i have "slaved" long enough(and most importantly smartly enough) to be able to guarantee myself a steady passive monthly income of 600$ without having to lift a finger at the age of 27.maybe i got a 3 bedroom apartment that i can put up for rent and live off that?and thats not counting the cushy online job that earns me around 20 bucks a day for 3 hours of mindnumbingly easy work.on top of the steady every day job that ive had for the past 10 years(and most of the money ive made from it ive saved..so i got money to buy a condo and money for incidentals and whatever may happen).the only reason i need employment in thailand is to conform to their immigration laws which require a work visa(which,at the moment is the only visa i can think of that would allow me to stay).any extra money i would make from that job in thailand would be just icing on the cake...i set things up for myself to guarantee me a decent future.and an even better future in a country with a low cost of living like thailand...why you gotta hate on that? in a perfect world,i could go to thailand right now,buy a condo(save me the hassle of paying rent) and live happily ever after.i dont have to work in thailand to "make money"...i have to work to be able to stay in the country. and how is "me being willing to do any job for ridiculously low pay" "expecting the country to fall at my feet"?its the exact opposite...the whole point is that im willing to do way too much and expecting next to nothing in return from the country(except for IT allowing me to stay there) and now,another thing...and im not addressing you specifically...i dont need to be a genius,dot com mogul,or a veteran with 50 year experience to get a simple humble job as a bartender or a dishwasher...im just a guy with willingness to work tryin' to get a job in another country.a crappy days pay for an honest days work...just like every mexican,albanian or north african in the history of everything ever.yous are all acting like im donald trump,walkin in like i own the place and shouting demands left and right and expecting everybody to bow at my feet...which is the polar opposite of what im tryin to do here.im expecting NOTHING to be easy and wonderful. one scenario(which is a long shot and a lucky break but not so unfathomable to be deemed ridiculous)...foreigner owns a bar in a tourist location.hes short on staff...asks me. do you speak english?yes do you speak enough thai to take orders and talk to customers?yes are you good with customers?yes can you mix drinks?yes gives me a trial run for a day..sees i got what it takes...hires me.BOOM...done. i mean...i got jobs that way before...its a barkeep gig for christs sakes...not a nuclear physicist. i gotta try to start "networking" somehow,no?try to make some connections....whats so wrong with that? connections is what makes the world go round...i will try to do that IN PERSON when i go to thailand on a vacation visa for 30 days. but until then,i will try to do it this way.i see no harm in that (i hope i dont come across as hostile,confrontational or passive aggressive).im just trying to explain my point but text sucks at delivering mood and emotion. so bottom line,its all good...thank you everybody for your input and responses!i appreciate it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luk AJ Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I think your expectations and assumptions are not realistic. It is extremely difficult to get a work permit. Basically the employer has to convince the Thai authorities that the job in question can't be executed by a Thai person. If you have the money and you really want to stay in Thailand the only option is Elite membership. Expensive but no hastle. You can even get one for 20y together with the purchase of a condo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerbalEd Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Living well in Thailand is not for those who want it, but those who earned it. Unless mommy gives you her credit card, or you sold your dotcom, coming to Thailand with little and expecting everything to be easy and wonderful is not likely. The old geezer who wander around here like their the cock of the walk are as boring and cliche as hell, but at least they slaved for 40 years to bank money. I am always amazed by the 20-somethings (not addressing the OP specifically) who come with no skills, talents, or much brains and expect the country to fall at their feet because they are young and white.... well,it seems like you(and most people here)have either misunderstood or didnt read the whole thing(which i completely understand...it was a long-ass essay). so,albeit you might not have "addressed the OP specifically" ...the implication is there. however,to recap...i have my reasons for wanting/having to leave...and second thing(as i said in the post).i have "slaved" long enough(and most importantly smartly enough) to be able to guarantee myself a steady passive monthly income of 600$ without having to lift a finger at the age of 27.maybe i got a 3 bedroom apartment that i can put up for rent and live off that?and thats not counting the cushy online job that earns me around 20 bucks a day for 3 hours of mindnumbingly easy work.on top of the steady every day job that ive had for the past 10 years(and most of the money ive made from it ive saved..so i got money to buy a condo and money for incidentals and whatever may happen).the only reason i need employment in thailand is to conform to their immigration laws which require a work visa(which,at the moment is the only visa i can think of that would allow me to stay).any extra money i would make from that job in thailand would be just icing on the cake...i set things up for myself to guarantee me a decent future.and an even better future in a country with a low cost of living like thailand...why you gotta hate on that? in a perfect world,i could go to thailand right now,buy a condo(save me the hassle of paying rent) and live happily ever after.i dont have to work in thailand to "make money"...i have to work to be able to stay in the country. and how is "me being willing to do any job for ridiculously low pay" "expecting the country to fall at my feet"?its the exact opposite...the whole point is that im willing to do way too much and expecting next to nothing in return from the country(except for IT allowing me to stay there) and now,another thing...and im not addressing you specifically...i dont need to be a genius,dot com mogul,or a veteran with 50 year experience to get a simple humble job as a bartender or a dishwasher...im just a guy with willingness to work tryin' to get a job in another country.a crappy days pay for an honest days work...just like every mexican,albanian or north african in the history of everything ever.yous are all acting like im donald trump,walkin in like i own the place and shouting demands left and right and expecting everybody to bow at my feet...which is the polar opposite of what im tryin to do here.im expecting NOTHING to be easy and wonderful. one scenario(which is a long shot and a lucky break but not so unfathomable to be deemed ridiculous)...foreigner owns a bar in a tourist location.hes short on staff...asks me. do you speak english?yes do you speak enough thai to take orders and talk to customers?yes are you good with customers?yes can you mix drinks?yes gives me a trial run for a day..sees i got what it takes...hires me.BOOM...done. i mean...i got jobs that way before...its a barkeep gig for christs sakes...not a nuclear physicist. i gotta try to start "networking" somehow,no?try to make some connections....whats so wrong with that? connections is what makes the world go round...i will try to do that IN PERSON when i go to thailand on a vacation visa for 30 days. but until then,i will try to do it this way.i see no harm in that (i hope i dont come across as hostile,confrontational or passive aggressive).im just trying to explain my point but text sucks at delivering mood and emotion. so bottom line,its all good...thank you everybody for your input and responses!i appreciate it You're bragging about being able to afford $600/month ... and making less than $7/hour??? Wow! Very impressive. 55555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksam Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Above comment on your AGAIN very long winded reply sums it up. Btw you won't get $7 an hour. Lot more charming thai guys on beach bars make not much more than that a day. You modified your original op. If you can spend 10mill on a condo you can obtain investment visa. You could buy an elite visa. However you mentioned not a lot of up front cash. Your a dreamer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colabamumbai Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 "Buy a condo and live happily every after." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colabamumbai Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Go to Canada they welcome new immigrants, give you an apartment and some cash every month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Hill Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 If I was the OP, I'd wing it. Why take the advice of a bunch of sour old wheezers who've crawled off a plane at Suvarnabhumi at 60+ with gout, a trick hip and a prostate the size of a beachball? Enjoy what Thailand has to offer with your faculties intact, not worrying that a heavy night on the lash trying to keep up with your 25 year old hotty in the sack will have you laid out on a gurney being wheeled into a government hospital. There are lots of jobs on Craigslist that involve working online from the comfort of your home in BKK. Stuff like article writing, freelance letting agent etc He could do that while doing some kind of distance learning. Forget teaching - that's bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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