Can a Foreigner Set up a Chiropody Business in Thailand?

[Bardeh]

My mother is 57 and a fully trained, accredited Chiropodist in the UK. I live here in Thailand - she is thinking about semi-retiring and coming to live here with us so as to spend more time with her Grandson, and she'd like to set up a clinic here. Does anyone have any insight into the legality of it? I can't see Chiropodist or anything like it on the list of banned jobs, so it should be fine as long as we go through the right channels and do it all legally with regards to work permit etc, shouldn't it? We are going to talk to the government health office today to see what they say, but I thought I'd ask here too to see if anyone has any insight or advice.

[tonray]

I remember a friend going to an expat Chiropodist in Pattaya at a Hospital so I guess as long as one got the proper license it is possible.

[sinbin]

Just do it. Plenty of foreigners/farangs working in/on their farms. Farangs working in their restaurants/cafe's. Farangs working in shops/stores. I've never heard of one ever being caught and told to stop. None have permits.

[tonray]

30 minutes ago, sinbin said:

Just do it. Plenty of foreigners/farangs working in/on their farms. Farangs working in their restaurants/cafe's. Farangs working in shops/stores. I've never heard of one ever being caught and told to stop. None have permits.

I think setting up a doctor's practice is a bit different than working on your farm or pub. 

[sinbin]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

I think setting up a doctor's practice is a bit different than working on your farm or pub. 

It's work full stop but who's going to report her? She's going to do it part-time so unlikely to have a full blown practice employing others. Or am I misreading the OP's question.

[esprit]

Well just try and touch your foot in the water and see how it turns out

[impulse]

2 hours ago, tonray said:

I remember a friend going to an expat Chiropodist in Pattaya at a Hospital so I guess as long as one got the proper license it is possible.

 

Huge difference between working for a hospital, and setting up a foreigner owned business to do it on your own.

 

But it does go to show there's more than one way to skin a cat.  Sometimes, success doesn't look like we expect going in.

 

In fact, working for a hospital at first would be a good way to get the lay of the land, before deciding how to proceed in the long term.

 

[perthperson]

From memory such a clinic would require registration from the Thai Ministry of Health. 

 

Also unless your mother reads, writes and speaks fluent Thai she would experience great difficulty in securing Thai recognition / registration of her British qualifications. ( I presume she is currently registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (UK) 

 

All that is also compounded by the difficulties she would experience in forming/registering a Thai company/business and securing a work permit. 

 

Sorry to be the purveyor of not so good news. 

[dotpoom]

9 hours ago, tonray said:

I remember a friend going to an expat Chiropodist in Pattaya at a Hospital so I guess as long as one got the proper license it is possible.

Also a European Dr. runs a clinic in Pattaya.

[RBOP]

I would expect its similar to setting any kind of business in Thailand. 51% Thai, 2 million baht registered capital,  4 Thai employees etc. But for practicing medical your Mom would probably need to get licenced from the Thai Health Department. We once hire a safety man who was actually a Medical Doctor from Myanmar but not licensed to practice in Thailand.  

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

9 hours ago, sinbin said:

Just do it. Plenty of foreigners/farangs working in/on their farms. Farangs working in their restaurants/cafe's. Farangs working in shops/stores. I've never heard of one ever being caught and told to stop. None have permits.

They closed an illegal foreign clinic a week ago on Samui. Israeli thugs wwas involved. All over the news.

[sinbin]

1 minute ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

They closed an illegal foreign clinic a week ago on Samui. Israeli thugs wwas involved. All over the news.

There's a difference between a clinic and someone doing it part time from their home. 

[SiSePuede419]

Are Thai Charlatans in such short supply we must import Farang Charlatans? ?

[Ulic]

Work an extra year in the UK and then retire in Thailand. The amount she would make in

Thailand and the difficulty doing it legally it would not make sense. 

[AgMech Cowboy]

I look forward to her coming to Thailand. Be sure to advertise on this site so we who have feet problems can go see her.

[Rhys]

Need a work permit... but her choice, go for it?

 

[Tinker2]

To the Ag Mech Cowboy. If you need chiropody care there is a French fully qualified Podiatrist /Chiropodist available in BKK and he also visits Hua Hin to see clients. This is his contact number ; 0971171708 suggest you message him first as he may be with clients.

[gk10002000]

chiropodist versus podiatrist?

[perthperson]

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

chiropodist versus podiatrist?

"Podiatry" is an American term which found acceptance outside the USA.  In the UK "chiropody"  was a more popular term (and still is ? ) for "podiatry" although the name "podiatry" was formally accepted in the UK in the early 1990's(??).

[Tinker2]

A podiatrist may also have further qualifications in orthotic foot wear/support. Particularly develop custom made orthotics. 

[Bardeh]

She's a Podiatrist, but whenever I use that term people don't seem to know what it is, so I tend to just say Chiropodist. 

 

@perthperson Yes, she's registered with the HCPC. We went to see the health office here in Chiang Rai yesterday, and the manager there was very helpful. He did mention getting registered with the Ministry of Health, but hadn't ever heard of Chiropody or Podiatry and so couldn't give us any specific advice. There are some clinics already in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, so she'll call up a couple of them and see if they're looking for staff, or are willing to offer any advice.

 

@sisepuede419 I'm not sure why you consider my mother's profession to be that of a charlatan, are you even aware of what a Podiatrist/Chiropodist does? Or are you getting it mixed up with Chiropractor? 

 

[hugh2121]

I don't see why not. There is an American chiropractor in Pattaya.

[dddave]

Over the years, there have been inquiries on this forum for Chiropodists/Podiatrists, usually not very successful.  Maybe the Thai aversion to feet makes it an undesirable speciality.  There was one very old practitioner on Sukhumvit 71 in Phra Khanong but I believe he is long gone.