# My Question



## sammii (Sep 3, 2008)

Firstly let me introduce myself, I'm Sammii, 18, living in London. I used to live in China for 8 years, so I'm pretty experienced and know what its like to live as an expat. I've visited Thailand previously when I was younger, and ever since I've been in love with everything about it.

I'm currently planning a holiday with my boyfriend, Brook, 22, in January. We will visit Bangkok, Koh Samui and end up in Koh Tao. 

We've been talking about moving to Thailand, as Brook's sister currently lives in Bangkok, and we both feel it would be a right move in our lives. We were thinking of either making a business, or to just get a work visa. I know the many complications of getting visas in Thailand through my research, and setting up a business seems like a hard option.

I currently work as an office admin for a security company. I have a self study Sage Accounts course on the go, as well as being extremely literate in computers and Sage Payroll. I also have a background of childcare with 0-5's. My boyfriend is in trade - building, decorating, tiling, carpentry etc. He also has a background in cooking - being a kitchen manager for 4 months.

Neither of us really have any solid qualifications except GCSE's and a couple of A-Levels (English education). 

Below are our current ideas for business and work:

For a Business:

1.A Bed and Breakfast, eventually hotel. Some areas of Thailand have limited hotels. During the peak season I think this would be a good business to start off with and eventually have a bigger premesis etc if all goes well. Durnig the non-peak season, I was thinking about teaching English to cover our expenses.

2. An English restraunt. I'm not too sure how the restraunts are in Thailand...as in if there are many people with English restraunts, etc. I know that in Koh Samui there is an Irish pub. 

3. A sports bar. There must be loads of these scattered around, but I guess its just a matter of finding a less busy area and hope that we get tourists. 

4. A furnature trade. I havent done much research regarding this, but I'm sure we would need a UK outlet so we could export from Thailand and despatch to the UK.

(Any other ideas, advice on these is MORE than welcome!!!)

For Work:

1. In a hotel as a secutary or something in accounting, payroll, or trainee manager. I have looked on numerous Thai job sites, and most want someone over 23, and to have a degree in customer services. As for the boyfriend's job, something in cooking such as a kitchen manager, head chef, etc. 

2. ESL teachers. I've looked at a ESL course online that costs around £100 and gives you a certification. YET, I've heard of people that dont have a certification in ESL, and still manage to find a job over there teaching English.

3. Anything else that will get us a work visa!

Anyhow, those are the options in our heads at the moment. If anyone has any advice, ideas, questions, feel welcome to post!! It would mean alot! 

Thanks guys!

Sam + Brook


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## ben_mac (Sep 2, 2008)

My cousin is opening a restaurant in Khao Lak in October. He is looking for a chef and restaurant manager, I could put you in touch with him if you want?


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## sammii (Sep 3, 2008)

That would be really nice of you!

What kind of food is he planning to do? 

If you've got anymore information, let me know.


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## ben_mac (Sep 2, 2008)

Whats your email address?


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## sammii (Sep 3, 2008)

email address removed. It really isn't a good idea to put an e-mail address in the open text of a public forum. Please use the private messaging system or e-mail system attached to your userid.


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## ben_mac (Sep 2, 2008)

Ive emailed my cousin, so look out for an email from Tim Acton in the next few days. 
Good luck!


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## Winkie (Aug 8, 2008)

Sorry to add some dampeners to your plans. But I think you'll have trouble withh all of your suggestions. All of the work options, are in the restricted list, i.e cannot be done by frieogners, as they can be done very well by Thais. The only route you have to bypass this is with a lot (a lot) of experience AND recongnisable qualifications.

For the business solutions, firstly you'll need Thai Partners holding 51% (possible 61% if you plan to own property). Even with this business established and with a Thai Partner, you may still fail to be eligable for a Work Permit.

IF you can mange it, take a long holiday here, get more familiar with the places, look around, see what opportunities there are for employment. The building industry, I think will be a very tough one to enter, but there are many international contruction firms here that may offer some opportunities. Catering, I think would be very difficult with teh very limited experiecne that you mention. Teaching without proper qualifications will only draw you a small salary, as you will only be able to find casual and illegal emplyment, as you'll nor qualify for a Work Permit.

Don't give up, but do more research.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Please spend some time reading the many threads that address working or starting a business in Thailand. You need a work visa to work legallly in Thailand, and they require degrees. The fake degree no longer works, as the Thai government will contact your university before granting the visa. Work visas are not granted for any job that can be performed by a Thai. You cannot own a business yourself, nor can you own land.

As do the majority of the people who post here, you have skipped the most critical issue, how to stay in Thailand.


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## singto (Sep 15, 2008)

Let me save you alot of time Sammii....

1) Think like you were moving to your own country. That should immediately cut out quite a few jobs...

2) If a Thai can do it - whatever it is - then you can't do it in Thailand unless you're a specialist.

3) If you've got some decent capital, then you'll have a chance. Most small businesses fail - you have the same chance except you're in a foreign country...think about that. 

I've got a few friends that own bars, one or two that own restaurants, another that owns a big hotel in Koh Chang....all are struggling. Tourism is down in Thailand. There's political problems, there's economic problems, and generally you get the worst foreigners working here or the best. 

The worst tend to be those dying to live here because the country is exotic, they love the country, the women, or whatever...most of these types inevitably fail and go back home.

Assuming you're not the worst type, then you either get a job working for a major company or maybe as a correspondent, or you need to start your own business. Exporting has gotten alot more difficult than in the past because of shipping prices, the always rising fuel prices, exchange rates, competition, etc. It can be done but it's tough. 

Your ideas:

1.A Bed and Breakfast, eventually hotel. Some areas of Thailand have limited hotels. During the peak season I think this would be a good business to start off with and eventually have a bigger premesis etc if all goes well. During the non-peak season, I was thinking about teaching English to cover our expenses.

Plenty of hotels and bed and breakfasts. In order to have any chance of making it work you need more than just a bed and breakfast. In addition, you need a mini-mart, travel agency, transportation service, souvenir shop. Not only does are there additional start-up costs, there are other costs associated with these services and goods. But believe me, a bed and breakfast is going to cost more than you think to start up AND it's probably not going to make all that much. If you're ok with living there, living and wondering if you're going to make ends meet, then go for it...it's a big gamble. 

2. An English restaurant. I'm not too sure how the restraunts are in Thailand...as in if there are many people with English restraunts, etc. I know that in Koh Samui there is an Irish pub.

You're not sure about the restaurants in Thailand??? First - come visit now - not in 3 years, and spend 6 months here. Just 6 months. Do your research. You'll find there are more than enough restaurants to service foreigners, plus there are quite a few English pubs and restaurants. Most pubs double as restaurants and vice-versa. Teaching English may help you eat, but teachers don't make much and you aren't going to make $2000 or more a month, especially if you're seasonal. 

3. A sports bar. There must be loads of these scattered around, but I guess its just a matter of finding a less busy area and hope that we get tourists.

Again - plenty of these - more than enough. And most Thais are not going to run out to your place watch a fight, or football game, or whatever....they generally just don't go out and eat chips, drink beer, and watch sports like foreigners...if you're geared towards foreigners, again, risky.

4. A furnature trade. I havent done much research regarding this, but I'm sure we would need a UK outlet so we could export from Thailand and despatch to the UK.

First learn how to spell furniture! Second - if you do your research you'd know that while furniture may sound good, you're either going to make peanuts (maybe not if you're lucky or know what you're doing) or you'll need to ship containers of goods to save on the shipping. You're talking high ticket items so you'll need to spend alot just to get going.

(Any other ideas, advice on these is MORE than welcome!!!)

For Work:

1. In a hotel as a secutary or something in accounting, payroll, or trainee manager. I have looked on numerous Thai job sites, and most want someone over 23, and to have a degree in customer services. As for the boyfriend's job, something in cooking such as a kitchen manager, head chef, etc.

You need to learn how to spell or how to use a spell checker if you want to be a secretary. Thais have the ability to read, write, speak, and even speak English so they don't need you to be their secretary. They can also add...and they honestly have trainee managers - probably more than in the UK. 

2. ESL teachers. I've looked at a ESL course online that costs around £100 and gives you a certification. YET, I've heard of people that dont have a certification in ESL, and still manage to find a job over there teaching English.

I believe to teach you need a certificate in TEFL, not ESL. If you want to teach, do it because you love it, not because you want a work permit. Also, you need to learn to spell, learn how to write properly, and have people looking up to you because they want to be able to read and write as well as you do.

3. Anything else that will get us a work visa!

Basically - you need to have skills that will make the Thai government think you're valuable. Teaching English is marginal unless you're trained to be a teacher and take it seriously, not as someone who just wants to find something that will get you a work visa! 

I just noticed your 18 years old...that says alot....How much money do you think you'll need to start a bed and breakfast? Do tell...

Let me give you some advice...save your money, around $10,000 should do it. With that you can buy two airline tickets to Thailand and have money to live comfortably in Thailand for a good 6 months. This is the bare minimum you'll need to figure out living in Thailand is not the same as visiting. Then, after 6 months (it should be a year really), hopefully by that time you'll have made some decent contacts and you'll be able to find work. Otherwise, you can go back home and find a way to make yourself valuable enough (in the eyes of the Thai government) to easily get a visa...Good luck.


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