Chang Mai alternatives for living/writing?
Replies: 35 - Last Post: Jan 16, 2013 7:32 PM Last Post By: PleistoceneMega...
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PhiMeow, a regular tourist visa will be fine for me. I won't be employed by any Thai company.It's not legal to work in Thailand when you hold a tourist visa. Work includes volunteering (even if you don't earn any money).
See this official link about Non Immigrant Vis a'B' visas. Read section 2 and 3.3
Looks like the moral authorities are out on the forums. Thank Buddha someone see's it as their duty to keep others in line.. lol
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@PleistoceneMegaFaunaLooks like the moral authorities are out on the forums. Thank Buddha someone see's it as their duty to keep others in line.. lol
It's not a matter of morals. It's written in black and white as law!
I think it is important that the OP knows where he stands wrt to the law as his misunderstanding of the law was obvious from his reply a regular tourist visa will be fine for me. I won't be employed by any Thai company.
Now the OP can make his own decision based on correct information.
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Does working in Thailand equate with being in Thailand while you work? My mother lived for some time in Chiang mai. While there, she worked on an academic publication for which she will ultimately be paid. Did she break the law? If someone is sitting on a beach writing a travel blog from which they derive income, are they breaking the law? I have a friend who has been paid to attend meetings and conferences in Bangkok. Was he breaking the law? I'm not being facetious. I'm genuinely curious whether these grey areas are explicitly covered under Thai law?24
@seafluxWhile there, she worked on an academic publication for which she will ultimately be paid. Did she break the law?
Depends on the visa your mother holds, as well as whether she has a work permit or not.If someone is sitting on a beach writing a travel blog from which they derive income, are they breaking the law?
According to Thai law, yes.I have a friend who has been paid to attend meetings and conferences in Bangkok. Was he breaking the law?
Again, depends on the visa your friend holds. You can get Non-Immigrant B visa for business purposes
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How many tens of thousands of foreign travelers happen to be earning some sort of income from an outside, unrelated business while in Thailand? Tens of thousands. Does the Thai government have access to their foreign bank accounts? No. Are these people taking jobs away from Thais? No. Is there any point in pointing out the possible technical illegality of it? I don't think so.Does a guy who owns an ice cream shop in New Jersey need to have a work visa while visiting Thailand because he sends a few work-related emails while vacationing? Wouldn't that be ridiculous?
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But, back to the original topic- are there cheap, Chang Mai-style studio apartments available in the south, too? Is there any chance of finding a monthly rental on, say, Koh Phangan or Koh Lanta for less than $500/month?27
^^ I've been working in Thailand for years through American businesses back home. It's NOT a problem.I've also led tours in Thailand (which foreigners are not supposed to do) while being employed by American universities and brought students to government offices to interview officials. They don't give a shit. Mostly only cops care if you are doing something like bartending and they can get a quick bribe from you.
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@OPIs there any point in pointing out the possible technical illegality of it? I don't think so.
Is there any point? I guess not.....until you get caught. As I have said before, I'm not passing judgement on what you chose to do but just stating a fact. What you do is up to you. Suffice to say that a friend of mine in Bangkok had a run in with Immigration and Labour depts as some jealous farang dobbed him in for working while on tourist visa. It did not end well.
@DS86
applause
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I've heard about those cases of jealous farang or locals calling immigration and ratting out people working illegally. But, that really can only happen if a person is teaching English illegally or something where they can be fully caught in the act. If the police come and interview a person, all you have to say is you don't work and not say anything more than that. Every question: I don't work. I personally have never run into anybody so spiteful to rat somebody out.You'd think that they'd make it easier for westerners to get work permits at this point as it shows how much money westerns can bring into the country. Of course, the Thai government is eternally doing stupid stuff that they think will give them the upper hand while obliviously shooting themselves in the foot.
