working

[chelsea]

steve G I was most dissapointed when I clicked the link and all I found was kettles and dishes

[sandman67]

I heard an interesting one about a farang out on soi 102 who got busted because as the Imms were going home one of them spotted him cutting his lawn.....don't know how true that is but knowing their bloody minded mindset, and greed for tea, they would pull a stunt like that.

A separate incident I know definitely happened involved a bar owning mate who got busted for nailing a flagpole up outside his bar.....of course that wasnt on his permit so they arrested him and fined him 40,000 bht. He's also been told he cant even sit at the end of his bar and talk to customers

....seems someone else nearby has it in for him and regularly grasses him up.


As Buksi says this is the kicker....

to engage in work by exerting energy or using knowledge whether or not in consideration of wages or other benefits.

Their reading of this would make me giving my missus a lift to work illegal, or even helping a Thai mate correct his English spelling.

And yes, the bar and business scene here is "that bad". There are some dumb sods here that think grassing up or spreading crap is a legitimate business method to stifle competition.

I have fallen foul of this rumor mill recently and as a result had my collar felt by the Imm boys.... unfortunately (for the grasser) the bar in question is not owned or run by me, and I have a legitimate retirement income that supports me here. I also employ a rather fierce (by Thai standards) lawyer in BKK to deal with authority....not cheap but effective all the same.

I got a curt apology and they sodded off. Hopefully they went and bollocked the grasser who had led them astray...I doubt it.

Personally I wish anyone that plays patsy with the MIBs or Immigration gets their comeuppances someday and has it done to them. Maybe in a few years when HH stops booming we will see an end to this.....

We can live in hope eh?

[lomuamart]

Lomu, I remmember the 1st year I was in HH, there was a londener guy that used to run the Shed Bar. I knew he owned the bar and was sitting with me having a drink.
When I wanted a drink, he said to me we would have to wait till his bar lady came back from getting some food as he had also had a warning about opening a bottle of beer for someone. There was no way that he would even think of going anywhere near the bar or the fridge to get a beer.

Just as I said, in Samui it is like being in a different country with the way that they run the bars there.
We had an Irish bar called Sruffy Murphy's next to our hotel and they actually had an Irish guy in their running the place just like a manger does here and in the UK. It was one of the busiest pubs on the Island and there was no hiding the fact that was what he was doing.

Just seems strange all the grief that people get in HH, perhaps not enough tea money being paid in the right places.

I had a good few beers with that bar owner recently when he came back to visit with his Thai wife. All of them, including the son, are doing well.

[chelsea]

Lomu thanks for that, glad he is still doing OK. I had heard through the board that he had gone back to the UK, but no one knew any more than that at the time.

[johnnyk]

here's a list of jobs that a foreigner can not perform him/herself (but he/she can own a company and employ thai's to perform though)

its from the 'Alien Employment Act Royal Decree B.E. 2522 (1979)' and not to be confused with the 'foreign business act':

1. laboring
2. work in agriculture, animal breeding, forestry, fishing and farm supervision (excluding specialized skills for the branch, farm supervision or in the maritime fishing field)
3. masonry, carpentry or other construction work
4. wood carving
5. driving of motor vehicles or non-motorised carriers (except piloting international airplanes)
6. shop attendant and window salespeople
7. auctioneering
8. accountancy supervision, auditing or services in the accounting field (except occasional internal auditing)
9. gem cutting or polishing
10. hair cutting, hair dressing or beautician work
11. hand weaving
12. mat weaving or fabrication of wares from reed, rattan, kenaf, straw or bamboo pulp
13. manual fibre paper making
14. lacquerware making
15. Thai musical instrument fabrication
16. nielloware fabrication
17. goldsmith, silversmith, or other precious metalwork
18. bronzeware fabrication
19. Thai doll making
20. mattress or padded blanket fabrication
21. alms bowl fabrication
22. manual silk product fabrication
23. Buddha image fabrication
24. knife making
25. paper or cloth umbrella fabrication
26. shoemaking
27. hat making
28. brokerage or agency work (except international business)
29. engineering work, civil engineering branch involving designing, drawing, calculation, organization, research, planning, testing, construction supervision or advisory work (except work requiring specialized skills)
30. architectural work involving designing, drawing or estimating, also as construction supervision or advisory
31. dressmaking
32. pottery or ceramics
33. manual cigarette rolling
34. tourist guide or tour organizing agency
35. hawking business
36. Thai character typesetting
37. clerical or secretarial work
38. legal or litigation service.

Some people here are going to be in deep doo-doo!

[sandman67]

33. manual cigarette rolling

bugger.....missed that one. Thats me busted then......

[Super Joe]

sandman,

you'll just have to employ a thai to do it for you mate
.

[buksida]

you'll just have to employ a thai to do it for you mate

I think you'll need to hire 4 Thais to do it for you, you'll need a baccy quality controller, filter manager, paper fitter and roller.

You'll also need to pay 4 lots of "health insurance" just incase they all become chain smokers ... occupational hazard you know!

[Cowtown Comedy]

dont forget you'll need a parking attendent in full SWAT gear..

[ozuncle]

It is interesting that super joe's list doesn't specifically mention the bar and catering industry.
I would have thought that a trade such as "cook" would have been one of the first.
or did I miss it?

[lindosfan1]

I been in one bar in Hua Hin where the owner regularly does the DJing.
In fact one night a policeman came in and started doing the DJ as well. That has happened for the last 4 months.

[Super Joe]

It is interesting that the list doesn't specifically mention the bar and catering industry.
I would have thought that a trade such as "cook" would have been one of the first.
or did I miss it?

one of large wellknown law firms in bangkok (criticized by some people mind) maintain they have obtained 'many' work permits for foreigners to own, and work, in their own bars
management of an establishment is not prohibited

ditto restaurants

maybe a misunderstanding is that, as many bar owners believe they are not allowed to work 'at all', they do not obtain a work permit in the first instance
then as they do not have a work permit, they are not allowed to do anything, ie: help translate a customers order, write the football up on the board, organise staff etc
.

[g.tott]

what about sitting on your p.c. allday when you should be doing other things do u need one for that

[Super Joe]

good to see the wi fi's back on in u-turn

to answer your question though, i think a work permit would be required, as the government's definition is:

"Work" means to engage in work by exerting energy or using knowledge whether or not in consideration of wages or other benefits

you should be exempt though, based on the part in bold
.

[niggle]

I may be mistaken but I think that cook / chef is ok as there is a shortage of trained chefs
I think thats the reason its not included in the list.