Eight Reasons Thailand Is The Best Digital Nomad Destination

[eisfeld]

6 hours ago, balo said:

This is legal as long as you have a visa to stay here. 

 

I agree with you mostly but it's definitely *not* legal to work here without a work permit unless you are Thai. A visa alone doesn't suffice. Online work for foreign countries is tollerated, the law not enforced. But it's not legal. I wish the government would create a way for these people to become legal and pay tax here without resorting to workarounds. It would inject hundreds of millions into the economy. Heck they could even try to create something akin to Chinas SARs, a little Hong Kong where there's ease of business and a place to foster high education.

[Rc2702]

51 minutes ago, seancbk said:

To successfully sell on eBay or indeed anywhere online, you need to know how to do digital marketing, design, coding, SEO and a whole slew of other 'digital' skills.  

 

Nah I know tons of eBay guys who know how to list an item and use keywords. Thats it.Some are over 500k feedback if that is how an ebayer is measured as a success. Digital nomads are just people who work without dependency on location.  (from anywhere) virtual assistants  might be classed as a low level skillset but can be location independent (DN)

[anotheruser]

It is a grey area. It isn't strictly speaking legal but nobody cares. Looking back over the 8 reasons is pretty funny. I would say the main attraction for digital nomads out of all of these 8 things that are unique to Thailand only would be.. they take shopping seriously. I am sure that is in the forefront of most digital nomad's minds when considering a country to go to.

 

There’s a landscape for everyone                 Sure like many places.

Fast Internet and good co-working spaces     This is probably the one that is the most meaningful

Extremely affordable                                        It can be 

Easygoing, friendly locals                Yes, sure of course.

Strong English                                      krub

Plenty of other nomads                    ????

They take shopping seriously         lol

Amazing Weather                           not really

 

So they get perhaps 2 out of 8 on this list that actually mean anything.

[Fabricus]

1 hour ago, seancbk said:

To successfully sell on eBay or indeed anywhere online, you need to know how to do digital marketing, design, coding, SEO and a whole slew of other 'digital' skills.  

 

Nope, completely wrong.

 

See:

 

1. https://www.shopify.com/

2. https://www.bigcommerce.com/

3. http://www.3dcart.com/

 

All stores offer ready-made templates, most of which are SEO-friendly.

 

Store owners need no knowledge of CSS, HTML, PHP, AJAX, SQL, graphic design etc, though they'd probably need a basic knowledge of Photoshop to make a logo.  

[balo]

4 hours ago, eisfeld said:

I agree with you mostly but it's definitely *not* legal to work here without a work permit unless you are Thai. A visa alone doesn't suffice.

 

And I disagree with you.  

Is it legal for an author working on a book to come here on holiday and write it under a palm tree ?  I know someone who did that and published it when he returned to his country.

If i send an e-mail to a possible customer from anywhere in the world why the heck would I need a work permit to do that ?  In this digital world online communication is a part of life and since my business is outside of Thailand I can see no reason why they would even try to stop that. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 11, 2017 by balo

[eisfeld]

11 minutes ago, balo said:

 

And I disagree with you.  

Is it legal for an author working on a book to come here on holiday and write it under a palm tree ?  I know someone who did that and published it when he returned to his country.

If i send an e-mail to a possible customer from anywhere in the world why the heck would I need a work permit to do that ?  In this digital world online communication is a part of life and since my business is outside of Thailand I can see no reason why they would even try to stop that.

 

They don't try to stop you. In practice they wont mind and wont prosecute anyone for these kind of things. In most cases at least. But according to the law it's still illegal. And that's what some Phuket immigration/police officers are using to shake down folks for a nice amount of cash. Latest story that I heard of was a guy asking someone else to turn on a water hose and handing it to him while he was fixing something on his boat. The officer claimed that this lifting of a hose and turning it on constituted work which the guy had no work permit for. Friend of mine got shaken down for lifting some box with groceries inside his own restaurant. They claim his work permit only allows him to manage. Another restaurant owner in Rawai got stung because he cleaned a coffee machine. So to sum things up: they don't care until they smell the opportunity to make money out of it (or you piss someone off).

[rubl]

Interesting this topic about working in Thailand without proper papers. Silly me would have thought that to be illegal as in against the local law.

 

Amazing the support for 'of course people can do it'. Might I ask if some of the members here from the UK or USA follow the news at home about 'foreigners taking all the jobs', 'illegal work', etc., etc. Equally nonsense to require people over there to have papers ?

[YeahSiam]

5 hours ago, rubl said:

Interesting this topic about working in Thailand without proper papers. Silly me would have thought that to be illegal as in against the local law.

 

Amazing the support for 'of course people can do it'. Might I ask if some of the members here from the UK or USA follow the news at home about 'foreigners taking all the jobs', 'illegal work', etc., etc. Equally nonsense to require people over there to have papers ?

 

Nope

In the UK, according to conventional populist "wisdom", foreigners are responsible for taking all the jobs and all the welfare benefits.

How they manage to do it at the same time is anyone's guess.

 

In any case, this topic is to do with online work.

Digital nomads aren't doing locals out of work since much of the time, they're working for clients and customers that Thais have little or no access to.......

Even if they could, they'd still be competing with the same people regardless of whether those people were based in Thailand or in London, New York or wherever.

[seancbk]

10 hours ago, Fabricus said:

 

Nope, completely wrong.

 

See:

 

1. https://www.shopify.com/

2. https://www.bigcommerce.com/

3. http://www.3dcart.com/

 

All stores offer ready-made templates, most of which are SEO-friendly.

 

Store owners need no knowledge of CSS, HTML, PHP, AJAX, SQL, graphic design etc, though they'd probably need a basic knowledge of Photoshop to make a logo.  

 

 

Go ahead a slap up a store and see how far you get without any marketing.   Try doing any modifications to the basic template without some html or css skill.   See how well you do relying on a template being SEO ready if you don't know what SEO is or know how to read and interpret your analytics.

It is not as easy as some people will claim.

 

[seancbk]

11 hours ago, Rc2702 said:

12 hours ago, seancbk said:

To successfully sell on eBay or indeed anywhere online, you need to know how to do digital marketing, design, coding, SEO and a whole slew of other 'digital' skills.  

 

 

Nah I know tons of eBay guys who know how to list an item and use keywords. Thats it.Some are over 500k feedback if that is how an ebayer is measured as a success. Digital nomads are just people who work without dependency on location.  (from anywhere) virtual assistants  might be classed as a low level skillset but can be location independent (DN)

They are exceptionally lucky if they have a product that sells just by being listed, without any other marketing or having a custom sales page.   

Competition in most product categories is brutal these days and if your ebay sales page looks amateur then people will skip it, even if your pricing is great.

 

 

 

[rubl]

14 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

Nope

In the UK, according to conventional populist "wisdom", foreigners are responsible for taking all the jobs and all the welfare benefits.

How they manage to do it at the same time is anyone's guess.

 

In any case, this topic is to do with online work.

Digital nomads aren't doing locals out of work since much of the time, they're working for clients and customers that Thais have little or no access to.......

Even if they could, they'd still be competing with the same people regardless of whether those people were based in Thailand or in London, New York or wherever.

 

Ah, so it's not taking away other peoples jobs, it's just illegal activities according to the law of the land here and not only here. Except in Continental Europe of course, freedom of goods, labour and movement for those with the right passport or visa and other papers.

 

Coming to Thailand as a tourist and doing work? Absolutely forbidden. Even promoting such on this Thailand forum based in Thailand is borderline [sic]

[Fabricus]

1 hour ago, seancbk said:

Go ahead a slap up a store and see how far you get without any marketing.   Try doing any modifications to the basic template without some html or css skill.   See how well you do relying on a template being SEO ready if you don't know what SEO is or know how to read and interpret your analytics.

It is not as easy as some people will claim.

 

I can see you don't really understand the issues here.

 

First, marketing can be as simple as advertising on Facebook. It's cheap and effective.

 

Second, templates offered for the likes of Shoppify are generally quite good. If you need to tweak or customize the design, just hire someone who specializes in e-commerce templates. It's not expensive.

 

Third, just about anyone can read and interpret Google analytics. 

 

Modern e-commerce platforms are designed to be simple: they're aimed at ordinary people who want to sell online. If they were as fiddly as you're trying to make out, they wouldn't have a combined customer base well in excess of  a million users. 

 

  

[geronimo]

This is just a taste of how technology is changing the way we live. Pretty soon, most non-essential face to face workers will be remote, goods will arrive by drone, and before very long, larger versions will take us where we want to go. The laws need to keep abreast of the reality and I agree with some other posters that it is almost impossible to keep track on who is doing what online.

 

Digital nomads come in many forms, and the advantages of working remotely are many. I'm just happy I wasn't born 30 years earlier, otherwise I would have known nothing outside the punch and clock routine.

[YeahSiam]

1 hour ago, rubl said:

 

Ah, so it's not taking away other peoples jobs, it's just illegal activities according to the law of the land here and not only here. Except in Continental Europe of course, freedom of goods, labour and movement for those with the right passport or visa and other papers.

 

Coming to Thailand as a tourist and doing work? Absolutely forbidden. Even promoting such on this Thailand forum based in Thailand is borderline [sic]

 

Who's promoting?

It's a discussion.

Personally, I don't give a shit if people choose to do online work to support themselves while in Thailand but then again, I'm not a Thai official so strictly speaking, it's none of my damned business.

It's none of yours either.

Edited January 12, 2017 by YeahSiam

[JLCrab]

The reason there are not more hospitable options for non-Thai persons to do online work in Thailand for ex-Thailand purposes has been stated by Thai IT officials and is simple: They want skilled non-Thai IT persons to come to Thailand to help create jobs for Thai persons and to help Thai persons enhance their IT skills. Anything else may be tolerated but maybe don't expect that situation to change anytime soon.

[rubl]

1 hour ago, YeahSiam said:

 

Who's promoting?

It's a discussion.

Personally, I don't give a shit if people choose to do online work to support themselves while in Thailand but then again, I'm not a Thai official so strictly speaking, it's none of my damned business.

It's none of yours either.

 

A discussion of illegal practises and even a promotion with the off-the-cuff remark that it's none of our business?

 

So, stop discussing.

[rubl]

Digital Nomads are profiting from the existence of infrastructure. They may pay for use but for sure without taxes they don't pay for the laying down of the infrastructure or it's upkeep.

 

Profiting, simple as that.

[Fabricus]

9 minutes ago, rubl said:

Digital Nomads are profiting from the existence of infrastructure. They may pay for use but for sure without taxes they don't pay for the laying down of the infrastructure or it's upkeep.

 

Profiting, simple as that.

 

Seriously, get a life.

 

Digital nomads are just youngsters bumming around the world.  They harm no one. I doubt they earn much, but at least they're happy.

 

I can never understand why people are so obsessed with digital nomads. It's not just here on ThaiVisa, either. Over on the BigLoony forum they're just as obsessed.

 

 

Edited January 12, 2017 by Fabricus

[eisfeld]

1 hour ago, rubl said:

Digital Nomads are profiting from the existence of infrastructure. They may pay for use but for sure without taxes they don't pay for the laying down of the infrastructure or it's upkeep.

 

Profiting, simple as that.

 

All the income that these folks bring into the country directly helps the Thai economy. Each of these guys surely spend tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Baht every month. This more than balances their use of infrastructure and that's exactly also the reason why they are tolerated. And if the government gave them an easy way to get a proper visa and work permit, they'd even get more in form of taxes. Everyone would win.

 

PS: marking your whole post in bold makes it a bit silly, as if it's more important than the other posts.

[JLCrab]

28 minutes ago, eisfeld said:

<snip>

And if the government gave them an easy way to get a proper visa and work permit, they'd even get more in form of taxes. Everyone would win.

<snip2>

File that one under the "Don't They Realize?" category of general purpose ThaiVisa responses.

[Rc2702]

4 hours ago, seancbk said:

They are exceptionally lucky if they have a product that sells just by being listed, without any other marketing or having a custom sales page.   

Competition in most product categories is brutal these days and if your ebay sales page looks amateur then people will skip it, even if your pricing is great.

 

 

 

Terapeak is a good source for ebayers and again I disagree. Some people are just savvier than others regards keywords and ebay is all about price unfortunately, and good feedback.sure if you want a more professional look it will help but it will not ensure success but price point of products and spotting emerging trends or products which are HTF or not open source might.

[YeahSiam]

3 hours ago, rubl said:

 

A discussion of illegal practises and even a promotion with the off-the-cuff remark that it's none of our business?

 

So, stop discussing.

 

If you don't like the discussion, you know what you can do, don't you?

[YeahSiam]

3 hours ago, rubl said:

Digital Nomads are profiting from the existence of infrastructure. They may pay for use but for sure without taxes they don't pay for the laying down of the infrastructure or it's upkeep.

 

Profiting, simple as that.

 

More asinine commentary

How do you know they didn't pay for the laying down of infrastructure?

What do you think VAT is if not a tax?

Where do you think the fees paid for visas, re-entry permits, extensions, VOAs etc go if not into the government's coffers?

Nothing you or any other curtain-twitching busybody says is going to change what digital nomads do.

Only the Thai authorities can change what goes on and, so far, they don't consider it worthy of the effort so sit there and grind your dentures if you like; no one gives a shit.

[seancbk]

2 hours ago, Rc2702 said:

Terapeak is a good source for ebayers and again I disagree. Some people are just savvier than others regards keywords and ebay is all about price unfortunately, and good feedback.sure if you want a more professional look it will help but it will not ensure success but price point of products and spotting emerging trends or products which are HTF or not open source might.

 

eBay isn't the best example to argue my point as I agree with you it is all about price and you can just slap up a few pictures and a description, if you have a good price you will sell.

But for people who want to make money online with their own site or sites, the need to know a bunch of digital skills definitely comes into play.

What comes second nature to you and I (I have over 20 years of experience working in internet services) doesn't come as easily to people who barely know how to do anything more than open Internet Explorer.

[rubl]

6 hours ago, Fabricus said:

 

Seriously, get a life.

 

Digital nomads are just youngsters bumming around the world.  They harm no one. I doubt they earn much, but at least they're happy.

 

I can never understand why people are so obsessed with digital nomads. It's not just here on ThaiVisa, either. Over on the BigLoony forum they're just as obsessed.

 

 

 

first an attack then an 'innocent people'  and ending with a mere suggestion of someone being obsessed.

 

Anyway, watch the movie Tron for real digital nomads and lost bits 

Edited January 12, 2017 by rubl

[rubl]

3 hours ago, YeahSiam said:

 

More asinine commentary

How do you know they didn't pay for the laying down of infrastructure?

What do you think VAT is if not a tax?

Where do you think the fees paid for visas, re-entry permits, extensions, VOAs etc go if not into the government's coffers?

Nothing you or any other curtain-twitching busybody says is going to change what digital nomads do.

Only the Thai authorities can change what goes on and, so far, they don't consider it worthy of the effort so sit there and grind your dentures if you like; no one gives a shit.

 

Well thank you for your succinct comments. Really eye opening. Somehow it suggest you're one of those digital brethren and feel threatened by reality.

 

Profiting, plain and simple.

 

PS I assume a slight oversight you forgot to mention the costs of acquiring a work permit 

 

Edited January 12, 2017 by rubl

[rubl]

4 hours ago, eisfeld said:

 

All the income that these folks bring into the country directly helps the Thai economy. Each of these guys surely spend tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Baht every month. This more than balances their use of infrastructure and that's exactly also the reason why they are tolerated. And if the government gave them an easy way to get a proper visa and work permit, they'd even get more in form of taxes. Everyone would win.

 

PS: marking your whole post in bold makes it a bit silly, as if it's more important than the other posts.

 

Excuses for the bold setting. That was not on purpose, must have touched the button without noticing.

 

As for the 'big' advantage of having these folks here in Thailand, I doubt they spent hundreds of thousands of Baht each month, or even close to hundred thousand. Low cost of living would not be an issue if they would.

 

As for 'easy way' to visa and work permit, never had a problem so don't really understand how or even why it should be made easier. Do you realise the global trend is to make it more difficult?

[rubl]

3 hours ago, YeahSiam said:

 

If you don't like the discussion, you know what you can do, don't you?

 

Well now,  since you wrote it not to be your business and also added "It's none of yours either.", may I wonder why you continue?

[YeahSiam]

12 minutes ago, rubl said:

 

Well now,  since you wrote it not to be your business and also added "It's none of yours either.", may I wonder why you continue?

 

This forum is here for people to engage in discussion.

It doesn't matter whether the issues being discussed are anyone's business.

 

28 minutes ago, rubl said:

Somehow it suggest you're one of those digital brethren and feel threatened by reality

 

That's none of your business either.

[eisfeld]

50 minutes ago, rubl said:

As for the 'big' advantage of having these folks here in Thailand, I doubt they spent hundreds of thousands of Baht each month, or even close to hundred thousand. Low cost of living would not be an issue if they would.

 

As for 'easy way' to visa and work permit, never had a problem so don't really understand how or even why it should be made easier. Do you realise the global trend is to make it more difficult?

 

I'm not into the Digital Nomad scene but if these western folks can't make 50k THB at least per month then I dunno, they must be doing something fundamentally wrong. But no matter if it's 20k or 200k, I think they are clearly a net plus for the Thai economy. Nobody said they are a big advantages, they are miniscule compared to the tourist, car, manufacturing etc industries. Doesn't negate the fact that they are a positive thing.

 

You not having any troubles to get a work permit is nice if you work for a local company. But these folks are working for foreign companies for which it is impossible to get a work permit. It shouldn't need to be made easier for them to get visa+work permit, it should be possible in the first place.

 

The global trend is to make it more difficult? On a global scale... maybe. The other countries around Thailand seem to make it easier. And even if everyone was to make it more difficult, that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. "A thousand flies can't be wrong"?