# Some advice



## Dino100 (Jul 10, 2008)

Hi all

Been quite a well since i came on here but i wanted some advice if anyone can help?

I\'ve been an expat for about four years, mainly Dubai based until teh last year when my company sent me to West Africa to work on a project. My job is semi unique but essentially i work in real estate for a large hotel investment company that owns and asset manages about 20 5* hotels around the world, this is on behalf of a private individual (a very wealthy one). I am responsible for a shopping mall, office leasing, building management, marketing etc etc.

My partner (we're unmarried) is based overseas working for a large hotel chain who has been offered a role (with a lot of travel) in BKK. I've been to BKK several times, but my real concerns are:

Job market-are there a range of roles, anyone involved with real estate industry give tips? 
Visa-I know as a Brit national i can get tourist visa, is that 30 or 60 days, been some conflicts on this site and also, can you do "visa runs"? I'd imagine there's some multiple entry visa available but what is the limit and can you continue to get these?
Are there decent recruitment agencies i can talk too?

We will have substantial savings (due to expat living) and accomodation and all benefits will be provided by my partners employer but my career is still vital plus my salary has always been larger 

Any tips whatsoever and also how you found BKK and what roles people are doing would be useful.

Cheers


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## stednick (Oct 16, 2011)

*Difficult*

Dino100:

Difficulties. You need a long-stay visa to live in Thailand. Tourist visa's are for visits. Visa runs are possible, they are work, and, are uncertain. Rules and enforcement policy change randomly and at any point in time you may be denied entry. You really cannot count on visa runs as a viable method or staying in Thailand for an extended period of time.

Long stay visas, your age doesn't qualify for a retirement visa. 

If you married you could get a long stay visa to accompany your spouse. You should consider this as a method in getting a long stay visa. 

Another long stay visa option is an education visa while you attend a school in Thailand as a student.

Long stay employment visa - you need a formal job offer to obtain one. As far as employment. Highly regulated in Thailand. Foreigners need a work permit. Employer procures the work permit. So, you need a unique skill in short supply along with an employer with an opening who will get you the work permit. This qualifies you for a long term business visa.

Read the sticky threads; "Thailand - visits and tourist visas" and "Employment: Restricted occupations for foreigners" (this sticky contains a link to a dozen job search websites with openings in Thailand).

An option to consider is teaching English in Thailand (low pay but you can get a work permit). Teaching is a common topic of threads in this forum.

Another valuable resource is the Royal Thai Embassy, Royal Thai Embassy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This is where you will apply for your visa. Visit the website, or the embassy itself, for legal information concerning your situation. Visas available, criteria, employment rules, requirements, etc.

Also read through this forum much information available. Use the "search this forum"tab on center green bar to get more info.

Hope this helps. Good luck in your investigation.


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## Dino100 (Jul 10, 2008)

Thanks steadnick for taking the time to respond. It seems a little more difficult than i thought...in the UAE it's more than viable (not that I've had to do it) to do visa runs and continue to stay in the country and i know a lot of people who have done it but perhaps Thailand is more strict on this stuff.

Thailand has never been somewhere on my list of expat placements, again this is something i need to consider as I've been used to having the "expat" jobs for several years now, doing a "locally" paid job would not be something i am happy to do.

I guess continuing a long distance relationship, at least in the short terms, will have to suffice unless i can get a well paid placement with a MNC in BKK

Thanks again


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## cnx_bruce (Feb 2, 2010)

Hi Dino. Stednick has already given you good advice, but perhaps a few additional points:

1. lol. yes i guess thailand would have to be a bit stricter about keeping out drifters and fun-lovers as compared to UAE 

2. there are some expats working in the big multinational real estate firms in BKK (cbre, knight frank, etc) and it would be great if you could speak to some of them .... would take some angling or networking but it's do-able. Don't think any are active in this forum, but there are many other thailand expat forums some of which have active real estate sub-forums.

3. yes there are probably some recruitment firms that are worth talking to, but whether they will be willing to speak with you is another matter (nothing personal, it's just that in my experience they are terrible about replying to emails etc). Just google on thailand recruitment firms and you will probably recognise many of the names. A quick visit to the respective web sites will soon tell you which ones cater to expats to a greater or lesser extent, and which industries they specialise in. Many advertised positions are not open to expats (assume they are not unless it states otherwise) even if advertised in English.


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## Dino100 (Jul 10, 2008)

Thanks CNX-Bruce for your help. I've started looking at CBRE/Colliers/DTZ/Jones Lang and will also look at asset management co's that specialise in commercial/hospitality real estate sector too.

Even though a potential move will be a year away, or at least till ive closed the current project im working on in Africa, i want to have some guidelines in place way before hand, im a big planner! 

Thx again


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