"My Mate Nate" doesn't have a work permit - but lucky break means he won't be prosecuted for working

[Propellerhead]

It is, is it?

 

After the row he's caused, I'd expect his ass to be tossed out of the country by now if he didn't have a lawyer. I don't care what country you live in, if your in custody the first phone call you make is to your lawyer. His past apologies lack any contrition so I doubt he sweet talked his own way out. Do you think he brokered a 5000 baht fine on his own?

 

How do you suppose he set up a Thai company and secured a business visa at the not so ripe age of 24 years? He certainly wasn't beggaring for advice on TV, was he? I'm all ears to hear your analysis. Anoint me oh wise one.

 

 

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[Meljames]

50 minutes ago, Propellerhead said:

I'm all ears to hear your analysis. Anoint me oh wise one.

 

He's a little kid with no sense or respect, I have no idea about a deal if any that he's made with the authorities,, nor do I have any interest in what he does.

 

Carry on. 

[Propellerhead]

He's a little kid with no sense or respect, I have no idea about a deal if any that he's made with the authorities,, nor do I have any interest in what he does.
 
Carry on. 

Lol, so why waste time or keystrokes on the subject?

For what it's worth, I agree that he is disrespectful.

I will also say that despite what others have suggested, Nate understands Thai culture very well and is playing them for every satong he makes from the increased views this publicity is gaining him. He's stolen a page out of Howard Stern's playbook where people even people who hate him will tune in just to see what outrageous crap he pulls next.


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[domgaf]

This a complicated issue. The guy has a visa to stay in Thailand. I don't know which visa he has. Apparently he's not married. Apparently he has a business known as "My Mate Nate Studio." However, the authorities are saying he doesn't have a work permit. 

Personally, I find him to be annoying and irresponsible and I discourage my two boys from watching his videos, but I will try to avoid personal opinions from clouding my judgement.

The contentious issue here is digital nomads. I am not one, however I can understand that those living legally in Thailand may want to supplement their income by subtlety conducting overseas work over the internet. These people do so without negatively affecting the lives of Thai nationals.

This chap in the news is not within this category. He is blatantly and publicly making money from from his actions within Thailand. He affects the lives of Thai nationals, so much so that many thousands have signed a petition to have him deported.

Whether or not he has broken any immigration laws remains to be seen. I'm sure that he is wealthy enough to have a lawyer, but will that lawyer be immune to influence from higher powers?

[Tilacme]

The Thai legal system has found in favour of a ting tong farang, that in itself should be of great comfort to many.

[BuffaloRescue]

17 hours ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

I have a work permit and pay more then 40.000 per month on tax for my company and i not drive a Mercedes convertible, so why shouldn't he pay taxes of money earned in Thailand ?

I think the point is most digital nomads are paying income tax in their own country but living in Thailand. Theres usually a double taxation agreement in Thailand so that tax is Thailand is NOT due. They are NOT EVADING TAX. Even they stay more than 180 days per year they are still NOT liable for tax in Thailand since they paid tax in their own country or country where the enterprise is based

 

However they may still be "working" since the work is done for an overseas enterprise.

 

Tax is NOT due in Thailand. And theres no possibility to get a work permit for it

 

So basically the options are 1) Stay without work permit. 2) leave.

 

Edited July 19, 2017 by BuffaloRescue

[sgracer]

give Nate a break, he looks like hasn't reached puberty yet

[williamgeorgeallen]

11 hours ago, NanLaew said:

But he is 'exerting effort' and that's pretty much all the Thai Labour Department needs to know.

 

There are those who think that meeting your mates for a beer at the moobahn mom and pop store is contributing to the Thai economy. Then there's the reality of it all. Even the husbands who build family homes in Nakhon Nowhere are totally missing the plot if they claim that they have contributed anything meaningful beyond the x million baht to local Thai builders merchants.

bit off topic but the western guys who build new houses on their thai girlfriends land are thailands wet dream. they bring a load of money into thailand and help the trade balance. each house must be the equivalent of many hundreds of tons of rice that needs to be exported. anyway, back on topic. there is good money to be made from these digital nomads. many are paying 35000thb per year for their study visas i am sure they would be willing to pay 50 000thb for an online working visa. thats a lot of money in a country where most people only earn 120 000 working full time for a whole year.

[metisdead]

A post containing a link to Bangkok Post has been removed:

 

26) The Bangkok Post and Phuketwan do not allow quotes from their news articles or other material to appear on Thaivisa.com. Neither do they allow links to their publications. Posts from members containing quotes from or links to Bangkok Post or Phuketwan publications will be deleted from the forum.

 

 

An off topic post has been removed. 

[gk10002000]

OK all you long term stayers that are variants of digital nomads.  Take note. One Thai agency has ruled what they consider illegal work. So post your travel blogs, youtube adsense hooks, etc..  Few of you made any sizable monies so take things to heart.    If you made a few bucks on line, good for you.  But how much did you save for retirement?  How much did you put into your Roth IRA?  Oh and how much of your income did you report to your countrie's tax or revenue service.  Many things don't come easy.  I get hanging out in Thailand.  I have been over a dozen times.  But get properly funded, cash flowed or whatever.

 

  Now for other people that maybe trade stocks online, manager their portfolios, or worse, those that straight out work online by running meetings, hosting webinars etc.  some of you should be concerned also.  You guys are likely to be more in the spotlight now.  And if push comes to shove, may have some issues.  Stay out of trouble and out of the limelight.

[owl sees all]

10 hours ago, spambot said:

The foreigner was threatened with prosecution and with a max penalty for working without work permit - 2 years in prison and/or fine up to 100K THB. - He paid a 100K THB fine and did not go to prison.

Very interesting this one. He was not prosecuted but still had to pay 100K fine.

Hardly in the same league as the routine 200 Baht traffic fee. 

 

Do you think there is more to this one than was reported?

Edited July 19, 2017 by owl sees all

[gk10002000]

23 hours ago, JAG said:

It will be very interesting to see whether the large amount of money this fellow makes from his Utube activities which now require a work permit, and the widespread benefits which may result, will be sufficient to overcome authorities antipathy to social media!

What large amount of money?  How much does he make or claim to make or is known for sure to make?  I get what the article says but it takes an awful awful lot of clicks and subscriptions to make decent money.  Oh and just how much of that income did he report to his country tax man?  Does he do anything responsible?  How much does he save for retirement?  Does he have accident or travel insurance?  Does he have medical insurance?  Just curious

[charmonman]

12 hours ago, PhuketSarah said:

 I think the coin was more about who's image is on it.

I think I read they were all "foreign" coins, but who knows?

[Stargeezr]

Nate was indeed working in Thailand. He was working on the railroad,  just like the song says.

  Deport the bum.

Geezer

[Sandy Freckle]

Geeze this thread has some legs..., surely Nate and/or his millennial/hipster mates is/are somewhere in the background(sandbagging).., sniggering and having his/their ego's massaged even more. 
Possible future headline....,
"He died with a selfie stick in his......, hand "

Edited July 20, 2017 by Sandy Freckle

[Kasset Tak]

First rule if you are breaking the law is to stay under the radar.... In all countries!!!!

If you are stupid enough to do public stunts and keep being in the spotlight  then be sure you are wearing bout belt and suspenders!!

[sandemara]

I thought the amnesty applied for unregistered immigrant wqrkers from s[ecified neighbouring countries. Nothing to do with western tourist/missionary visitors.  

Still, someone in envelope land must have realised quick enough that this chap had gathered a sizeable fortune from his enterprose and was ripe for the plucking.  

Is this speculation cynicism or realism?  

It will be interesting to see how long the charming, charismatic snake oil salesman remains in LOS now. 

Unfortunately it seems his own lack of taste finally brought about his downfall.

[flyingdoc]

Or he could start up a company with 2 million baht authorised capital, and he would be eligible for 1 work permit!

[dcnx]

On 7/19/2017 at 10:16 PM, Propellerhead said:

 

How do you suppose he set up a Thai company and secured a business visa at the not so ripe age of 24 years? He certainly wasn't beggaring for advice on TV, was he? I'm all ears to hear your analysis. Anoint me oh wise one.

 

 

Why is this a mystery? 

 

Nate makes good money on YT and has for a while. He probably makes more than most of the people posting hate here about him.

 

It's not that expensive to set up a company. 

 

 

[Arkady]

Now the Labour department has confirmed that he has been working illegally. Ranon Peetiwan said that though he was doing videos on social media he was earning money from the clicks of viewers of his YouTube channel that amounted to working.

 

It is strange that the Labour Ministry feels the need to cite the receipt of income from clicks as evidence of working, when the definition of 'work' in Thai working of aliens legislation has never been linked to payment.  Perhaps he should brush up on the laws he is supposed to administer.  

 

The issue of receiving income from work performed in Thailand is, however, of great significance to the Revenue Department which will knocking on his door soon, if they are efficient enough.  

[bluesofa]

On 19/07/2017 at 7:48 AM, charmonman said:

The bureaucracy of the labour / immigration departments of this country need to seriously update themselves to the modern world.

I would suggest the words I've highlighted above tend to be an oxymoron, and can't logically appear in the same sentence.

[Propellerhead]

Why is this a mystery? 
 
Nate makes good money on YT and has for a while. He probably makes more than most of the people posting hate here about him.
 
It's not that expensive to set up a company. 
 
 

T'was not a mystery to me.


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[Jdiddy]

There is a chitload of people who live or travel in thailand and other countries where they are prohibited to work uploading videos to their monetized channels

[Oziex1]

Settle down you lot, he's a lightweight. No need to let him get to you.

 

Far worse going on in this place.

 

 

 

[dcnx]

Just now, Father Fintan Stack said:

That should precipitate some of the 'digital nomads' sphincters clenching.

Depends where they are. Chiang Mai head of immigration already said it's OK for them to work in Chiang Mai. Haven't seen anything to contradict that yet. But I wouldn't be in BKK doing it, that's for sure.

 

This is a slippery slope. A lot of people make YouTube (all social media) content for fun and as a hobby. Many others upload content while they travel through Thailand. Arrest them all? Good luck with that, it will backfire just like everything else those baboons do.

[Blinky62]

Many angry chaps on this forum , if you don't like his you tube videos don't watch them , most on here would be too old to understand them anyway. Chill out chaps . As for working illegally, as a earlier post said maybe the Thai tourist department should be paying Nate for all the free advertising of Thailand [emoji1242]. Good , bad or indifferent, it's all free advertising for them.


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[Jester69]

Send the <deleted> home

 

[chado]

On 7/19/2017 at 8:15 AM, ChidlomDweller said:

 If you choose to live in a country and enjoy the public benefits like roads, an educated population, access to a police force when needed, etc., you ought to pay just like the next person.

 

1. Does a digital nomad live in Thailand for free? Eat for free? Live in a condo for free?

2. Does the governemnt help a digital nomad the way it does thais?

3. If a digital nomad happens to fight with a thai and they go to the police, who of them will be taken in jail?

4. How about farang prices?

5. How about more and more diffilties of obtaining a visa?

6. How about corruption?

 

 

Hence, why on Earth does any digital nomad have to pay taxes in a country where he's a tourist?

Edited July 23, 2017 by chado

[Mrjlh]

Reword my question. Doesn't Nat need to file a FBAR every year?  Maybe tax evasion if he's hasn't.  I would assume he is smart enough to file US taxes. But isn't he subject to Thai taxes too?  The Thais said he didn't have a work pernit for his videos but didn't he say he had a WP for teaching?  I'm just curious how he can stay in Thailand and on which Visa.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Mrjlh
reword questions.

[balo]

On 7/22/2017 at 2:30 PM, Jdiddy said:

There is a chitload of people who live or travel in thailand and other countries where they are prohibited to work uploading videos to their monetized channels

I don't see the problem as long as the YT channel was opened in their home countries and that they only spend a few weeks or months here.  The money will get paid into their bank accounts at home. 

 

But with Nate it's different, it' a Thai YT account, he lived here for years so it was a big mistake of him not to apply for a work permit.  He is earning millions of baht on this business. More than 500 million views in total makes him among the most popular Youtubers in the world. Impressive when you know his audience are only Thais.