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2020: Crackdown on tourists working without work permits - 50K fines and deportation awaits


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On 1/6/2020 at 7:10 PM, MeePeeMai said:

Yes it is illegal.  There was a recent report of a foreigner helping his wife sell BBQ chicken on the roadside fronting their home.  His wife went in to go to the toilet and Immigration pounced (as he was the only one at the stall to assist customers).  He was arrested and it turned out that he had warrants in his home country but I don't think they found out about that until later on at the police station.

This menace to society had arrest warrants out in five countries for selling fried chicken at the roadside. 

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18 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Would be good for thailand to set an example, if elon musk comes again to thailand and answers a business call, they should arrest, deport and torture him to make it all clear.

Regarding the torture bit, they've still got his mini-sub here. Maybe they could force him to carry out Vern's suggestion. 

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On 1/6/2020 at 3:06 PM, Beggar said:

There are many. Some don't get paid and think this is no problem then. But it is not important if you get money or not. It is important that you do something that could be classified as work. 

I understand that volunteering is also classified as work and not permitted without a permit. The payment does not determine if it work.

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8 hours ago, humbug said:

The whole thing is a large distraction from the real problems of 2020, terrible economy, job losses and very few positives for employment, Brazilian models taking thai models jobs seems to be in the news every year, there will be a few unlucky people being arrested with a media show, just to keep this shakedown going through the year, while most people will be struggling, just more racist nonsense from this illegal gang

I think the racist is you

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1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

This menace to society had arrest warrants out in five countries for selling fried chicken at the roadside. 

As do at least 50% of the foreigners hiding here if you check their criminal backgrounds. Thailand is no longer heaven on earth for criminals. Cambodia is the new hideout.

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11 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Have you even read it all?

 

The Australian teacher had been living in Thailand for three years, two of those on a tourist visa."

 

   That alone says it all. 

 

     

 

Whats your point ??

He was arrested, charged and deported for working without a work permit.. That happened to him despite working online, having no Thai clients and not being paid into a Thai bank account. 

This example is precisely what many people who evade Thai taxation while working here simply because its online and hard to track, claim is 'legal' and 'many judges have dismissed' such cases. 

 

 

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14 hours ago, balo said:

You are still here LivinLOS? 

So can you find one case where someone sending work e-mails from coffee shops been arrested?  No you can't.  Or from internet working spaces in Thailand.  Not one case and we are more than 100 000 doing it.  Our salaries got nothing to do with Thailand.
Remote freelancers will come and go and Thailand do not care. 
I know it irritates you and always will , but nothing will happen to us. 

  

The case of the online english teacher isnt meeting your 'public spaces' clause I guess.. Despite it being precisely the 'working online with no Thai clients or payments' situation.

BTW it doesnt irritate me that people do it, not at all.. It irritates me that people claim it is legal, when clearly it isnt, and post this miss information repeatedly simply because of self interest. 

Its clearly illegal.. Its also not easily or frequently enforced. 

Edited by LivinLOS
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22 hours ago, rott said:

And do you really think that Thailand would pay the equivalent salary of a NES licensed and certified teacher from the West.? And if they did would there be enough NES licensed and certified teachers available to fill every post.?

 

I think that it would be much more attractive for foreign teachers. Korea and China and Taiwan already offer better packages for foreign teachers with much more stringent rules for being allowed to teach. Back home I would be earning more or less $50k CDN a year... do I think they would pay that here? No. But I would be happy with 60-75 000 bht a month rather than the 30k they offer now. The Thai gvt budgets 40k a month for its foreign teachers but the schools can decide what they want to do with this money and this is why it gets watered down... but this is another story.

 

I wonder... by the tone of your quote whether you are filling a position illegally, or have friends that do...

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It all boils down to interpretation of the word work at the time or the place.

Friend back in UK with his Thai wife who is a very good Thai cook has people come around to the house and she teaches them to cook Thai dishes

( they've got a big kitchen ) That in UK is not classed as working, just people getting together and enjoying a good time. Some drop a few notes in the 'drawer' in the kitchen to help with gas/electric/ingredients etc and if some is left over, well, bonus ????????

Could an expat do the same here without straying into realms of arch criminality and risk being fined, stuck in front of a big sign with duty pointers on shift. Don't think so.

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5 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Regarding the torture bit, they've still got his mini-sub here. Maybe they could force him to carry out Vern's suggestion. 

Ever seen the movie Penance with Robert De Nero? Make him drag his mini-sub, in a big net, into and out of the full length of the cave. ????????

Edited by overherebc
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Anyone arriving in other countries as a tourist and then works without a proper visa or work permit is called an illegal immigrant. Not a tourist.

Visa on arival is just that, a visa to arrive and stay 30 days and do what Thailand thinks tourists "should do" i.e. get ripped off and scammed at tourist hot spots for as much money as possible.

When these "tourists" start taking jobs it is a double slap in the face for the locals as they not only take up a job a local would want they also do it to a standard far exceeding what a local would even dream of reaching.

Hence, the rampant xenophobia.

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On 1/7/2020 at 3:35 PM, Isaanbiker said:

 The Australian teacher had been living in Thailand for three years, two of those on a tourist visa."

 

   That alone says it all. 

Exactly , it got nothing to do with remote freelancers who stay here only a few weeks or maximum 3 months. on normal tourist visas. 

 

Edited by balo
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12 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

The case of the online english teacher isnt meeting your 'public spaces' clause I guess..

No it does not, you can not find one case of anyone been arrested for what I mentioned in my earlier post.  Someone living here for years is a different matter. 


 

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9 hours ago, balo said:

Exactly , it got nothing to do with remote freelancers who stay here only a few weeks or maximum 3 months. on normal tourist visas. 

 

But everything to do with those digital nomads (that actually dont go anywhere else) who say that working online, without Thai payments or customers, isnt illegal. 

He was arrested, charged, and deported for doing precisely that !!! 

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9 hours ago, balo said:

No it does not, you can not find one case of anyone been arrested for what I mentioned in my earlier post.  Someone living here for years is a different matter. 

 

Yet there is evidence of people arrested charged and deported while working online at home.. Why does 'public spaces' have any relevance to the law ??? 

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12 hours ago, balo said:

Exactly , it got nothing to do with remote freelancers who stay here only a few weeks or maximum 3 months. on normal tourist visas. 

From what I've understood these "nomads" stay for years at a time.

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8 hours ago, ChiangMaiNomad said:

IMO there's really no reason for digital professionals to be working in Thailand illegally for long periods of time, especially when there are companies like Shelter and Iglu to help get visas and work permits. Thai taxes are not expensive, and it's worth knowing that you are contributing as a member of Thai society.

 

Great spam !

and yes, it's very important to contribute as a member of thai society that treats us like $h!t !

 

 

 

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20 minutes ago, rech said:

 

Great spam !

and yes, it's very important to contribute as a member of thai society that treats us like $h!t !

 

If its so terrible.. why is it so many dont seem willing or able to leave.. And battle such difficult visa runs and issues ?? 

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Okay so lets assume soneone goes on 4 week Holiday to Thailand, he is Self Employed, like Trading Forex market, Commodities, or Website developer... Someone comes to Holiday and he decides to check about his work or fix something that is wrong... Thai Imm. come and Deports plus 50.000 THB fine for someone who came to holiday but his work is still so important that even in holidays need to be done. As everything in Thailand they should more specify who exactly is Illegal worker there... But as in 2019 even 2020 didnt came with any good news... As far as i saw while i was traveling across Europe people have opened their laptops and doing stock market trading in middle of Train stations, Mcdonalds i really dont see IMMIGRATION COME pack them up and deports them. They should make clear difference in this law between someone who have Company but dont register people who are working and between people who can manage their bussiness themselve even on their Laptop. But ofcourse, Visa crackdown is not in the mood anymore lets bring new stuff, basically all foreigners are criminals, either they overstay, or working illegaly taking jobs from Thai people, poor Thai people really... Everybody is so mean to them

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14 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

Yet there is evidence of people arrested charged and deported while working online at home.

Which people? The online Australian teacher?  He lived here for years.
And we had some Chinese that were operating illegally from private houses. 

I have not seen one case of a westerner working as a remote freelancer that has led to deportation. Staying on a tourist visa , lets say up to 6 months. 
 

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11 hours ago, DrTuner said:

From what I've understood these "nomads" stay for years at a time.

If they stay for years  they are caught because they take advantage of abusing tourist visas, doesn't matter if they work remotely or not, immigration rules will make sure they can't abuse the system anymore. 

However if you are over the age of 50 and have a 1 year multi entry visa, and are semi retired, nothing can stop you for taking care of your business in Europe or the US. As long as you leave Thailand on a regular basis and pay your taxes and follow the laws and regulations in your home country.  




 

Edited by balo
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10 minutes ago, balo said:

However if you are over the age of 50 and have a 1 year multi entry visa, and are semi retired, nothing can stop you for taking care of your business in Europe or the US. As long as you leave Thailand on a regular basis and pay your taxes and follow the laws and regulations in your home country.  

You're Thai tax resident after 183days and are then supposed to pay the income tax here, unless the double taxation treaty says otherwise. I would venture to guess many pay no taxes at all. If the taxman got Capone, they'll get a "nomad".

 

If Thais ever get their <deleted> off their chairs, that is. It's a high probability they'll do sod all to enforce anything, I'd say about 90%. Good odds if you're a gambling man. The introduction of the OECD CRS might make things nastier in the future, as some checks could be automated.

Edited by DrTuner
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9 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

You're Thai tax resident after 183days and are then supposed to pay the income tax here, unless the double taxation treaty says otherwise.

Yes, so make sure to leave Thailand at least 4 times every year.  Not a problem when you're on a 1 year multi visa, you can come and go as you like.

If I hear about one case about arrests and deportation because of this l will reconsider, but so far I feel good about myself and the way I live.
The point is you can own a business and still live most of the year in Thailand , as long as you do not burn your bridges in your home country.  

 
 

Edited by balo
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