# Ideas for Job Searching?



## shaydovgreen (Nov 13, 2009)

I'm moving to Koh Samui in January and I need some fresh ideas as to how to go about job searching.

I am recently certified as a childrens yoga instructor (ages toddler through teen)... I'd love to be able to do this in Thailand - Where are some good places to apply? Do children speak English? (I intend to learn Thai, but it may take some time)

I'm also a Reiki Master, Raw food chef, and nutritionist. Anything in these fields in Koh Samui? 

Any help, links, connections, or ideas would be so appreciated  

Many thanks and blessings!!


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## Guest (Nov 13, 2009)

shaydovgreen said:


> I'm moving to Koh Samui in January and I need some fresh ideas as to how to go about job searching.
> 
> I am recently certified as a childrens yoga instructor (ages toddler through teen)... I'd love to be able to do this in Thailand - Where are some good places to apply? Do children speak English? (I intend to learn Thai, but it may take some time)
> 
> ...


The main difficulty is all the many restrictions on employing foreigners, not how able and qualified you may be personally. Thailand is highly protectionist in this respect, and will always give jobs to Thais by preference. Getting a work permit/visa is no easy matter. There are restrictions on how many foreigners may be employed by a company (a quota of several Thais per farang is enforced in certain circumstances, with the same applying to setting up in business in one's own right).

When you say you are moving to Koh Samui, what type of visa are you getting? How long for?


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## shaydovgreen (Nov 13, 2009)

frogblogger said:


> The main difficulty is all the many restrictions on employing foreigners, not how able and qualified you may be personally. Thailand is highly protectionist in this respect, and will always give jobs to Thais by preference. Getting a work permit/visa is no easy matter. There are restrictions on how many foreigners may be employed by a company (a quota of several Thais per farang is enforced in certain circumstances, with the same applying to setting up in business in one's own right).
> 
> When you say you are moving to Koh Samui, what type of visa are you getting? How long for?


Wow, I had no idea it was so complicated. :-/

I guess if I can find something I'll jump through hoops and get a work visa. Otherwise I suppose I'll have to get a tourist visa and make border runs.


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## shaydovgreen (Nov 13, 2009)

What would be involved with starting a business and running it from Thailand? I make clothes and jewelry, and making enough to survive on in Thai terms would not be difficult, if that's possible...?

Just a thought... I'd still rather find a place of employment first if possible.


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## Guest (Nov 13, 2009)

Again that's pretty problematic - setting up a legitimate business in Thailand is something of a minefield! 

You have one advantage as an American citizen - privileged status under the Amity Treaty between the US and Thailand, which although expired, has maintained certain conditions, eg the one allowing an American citizen to be a majority shareholder in his business (Europeans cannot).

But that's the 'easy' part. Scroll down to the visa 'B' (work visa) section of this page to get an idea of the constraints on companies wishing to employ a non-Thai!

There's lots more on René Philippe's site, but for the time being, I reckon your best bet would be to enter on a three month tourist visa and spend a lot of time picking the local expat businesspeople's brains, even if they are not in the line of work you are considering.


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## oddball (Aug 1, 2007)

After you have jumped through all of the hoops as shown above , on Koh Samui you will realise your problems have only just begun , read up on it and your jaw will drop to your knees .


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2009)

I have a business in the USA as a resident (as well as being UK resident) and there is very little paperwork involved. 
I worked in Thailand with an Indian who was able to get a business through the Thai Board of Investment, I also worked with a Brit who used a law firm to open his business. In both cases there seemed to be more paperwork per day in Thailand than per year in the USA. 
A lot of people discover that whilst living in Thailand is a dream come true, (girls on demand)working there is a nightmare. I found it was best to separate the two and work elsewhere keeping Thailand as my base.


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## puresilver (Nov 11, 2009)

*permit*



shaydovgreen said:


> What would be involved with starting a business and running it from Thailand? I make clothes and jewelry, and making enough to survive on in Thai terms would not be difficult, if that's possible...?
> 
> Just a thought... I'd still rather find a place of employment first if possible.



hi shaydovgreen,if you are wanting to make clothes in thailand then you want to be in bangkok,i did it for 5 years making t shirts for bars and restuarants,and you wont need a work permit so just keep it to yourself,the thai`s in bangkok are alot different,they are business people and just want your cash,they are not interested in why or what you are doing hear...


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## Guest (Nov 18, 2009)

puresilver said:


> hi shaydovgreen,if you are wanting to make clothes in thailand then you want to be in bangkok,i did it for 5 years making t shirts for bars and restuarants,and you wont need a work permit so just keep it to yourself,the thai`s in bangkok are alot different,they are business people and just want your cash,they are not interested in why or what you are doing hear...


With the caveat that this is illegal, and ExpatForum cannot of course condone foreigners working in Thailand without a work permit, even if it is clear they can get away with it under certain circumstances. If caught, there have been some pretty severe penalties, or at best, some major bribes to the authorities paid... :frown:


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## puresilver (Nov 11, 2009)

frogblogger said:


> With the caveat that this is illegal, and ExpatForum cannot of course condone foreigners working in Thailand without a work permit, even if it is clear they can get away with it under certain circumstances. If caught, there have been some pretty severe penalties, or at best, some major bribes to the authorities paid... :frown:



sorry about that frogblogger...


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## benw (Nov 19, 2009)

*Remote work?*

Reading this through, it's clear work visa is needed for working for a business in Thailand, or selling goods while in Thailand.

Meanwhile, I'll be visiting for 6-12 months (leaving Nov 25th!) and would need to make phone calls and connect with people stateside to manage a business. Occasionally this would include providing 'consulting' to clients who were in the US. The income I receive will go to a US address and I'll pay US taxes.

So, as an American citizen, working/consulting for a US business remotely, and not registering an address in Thailand, will I still need a work visa? 

While I'd bet nobody would care about a few calls back to the office while someone was on vacation, staying so long might invite some skepticism.

A bit paranoid here, as I'd really like to avoid getting involved with the law.

Just throwing it out there. Thanks,
-Ben

PS. This is my first post on the forum. I've already scoured the forums for information and will share a bit more about my situation once I arrive. A hint though: I met an American-born Thai woman who is taking me back with her!


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## oddball (Aug 1, 2007)

There is a vidio phone being introduced into Thailand early in the new year that gives you all day phoning for no charge other than the North American registered monthly fee for the phone number , maybe this could solve some of your anxiety . Imagine doing conference calling where you could all chat to each other and comment on what ever who is looking like today at next to no cost . PM me if you want more information . Colin


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2009)

Legally yes, any work carried out in LOS requires a work visa. Trouble is though that for the sort of business you are engaged in, it would be virtually impossible to get one. There are all manner of hoops to jump through for a work visa, including setting up the Thailand entity which isn't cheap and obliges you to employ Thais. As an American you at least can have a majority shareholding in your business, which doesn't apply to Europeans etc, but that's about the only plus. 

If the business doesn't involve contact with Thai companies, suppliers etc, ie you are purely managing a US business from afar which you are in LOS, then there are those who would say "who's to know". I know someone not a million miles away from where I'm sitting right now who did just that for three years, for his UK-based business, from which he derived his income - but which had no presence, commercially or otherwise, in Thailand.

Of course if you aren't married then you still have the problem of getting a long-stay visa.


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