Here’s an example of a most recent handyman bill and the story behind it:

The mounting of my sliding carport gate came adrift and needed three welds and my guest bedroom sink was leaking water because its drain and stopper had never been correctly installed and needed replacing.

Our Concierge tech team, two guys, showed up unannounced (everyone in Thailand shows up unannounced) welded the gate and took the sink away. They returned it with a handsome new chrome drain and stopper correctly installed and hooked it up to the plumbing and the problems were solved. Then they handed me the bill, which I read as 7,365 baht (US$225) fair, thought, for such repairs, especially since it included better quality plumbing hardware than the original. I handed the guys 8,000 baht and was about to tell them to keep the change when they burst out laughing and pointed to the numeral I had read was ‘7’. It’s the locals’ way of writing ‘1’.

Typical Expat Monthly Budgets. Our most recent survey shows that twenty-three percent of expats in Thailand have monthly budgets of 25K-45K baht a month. Forty-eight percent have budgets over 65k baht and ten percent with over 145K baht to spend.

When I wanted to create a Budget for Living in Thailand in 2018 I turned to an expert on Thai budgeting, Nancy Lindley. With years of bookkeeping experience, she makes personal budgets and also keeps to them. Better still, she keeps careful note of unexpected expenses and keeps her finger on the pulse of Thailand’s cost of living. Happily, a cost of living budget in Thailand is pretty easy to figure out. It’s been predictable since the Asian Financial Crisis (you’ve probably forgotten; Thais haven’t).

Significantly, Nancy has a second calling: she cares for expatriates who fall on hard times. She visits them in hospital, contacts their relatives, talks to the consulate and spends countless hours repatriating very sick people who cannot afford long-term or major medical care in Thailand and must go home for treatment. She has seen a side of expatriate life that few of us even think about, so my Thai budgeting conversations with her are always sobering.

I asked Nancy to draw up two budgets for living in Thailand , one for the average Thai and one for five times the average Thai’s cost of living budget, and to comment on each. I’ve added my own comments after hers. Both budgets are for living in Chiang Mai (learn more). For Bangkok add 15%; for the countryside subtract 15%. These figures are current as of 2014. E-mail me, godfree@trh.superfasttests.com if you have questions. I lived on this budget for 12 months:

Budget for Average Thai Salary of $500/mo

Nancy’s Comments on the $600 Budget for living in Thailand: “I’ve seen single people lead nice, pleasant lives on this budget. Here’s how they do it”:

• They have a fan (no a/c) room on the lower, east side (cooler) floor in the old city,
• They walk or bicycle just about everywhere,
• They use the AUA library for books,
• They breakfast at the Pub where they watch American, Australian and British sports.
• They take Thai lessons at a wat (temple), etc.
• There’s no room for a steady girlfriend or regular beer-drinking habit.
• You must have savings/insurance for medical costs which are not reflected in this budget.
• I’ve known several guys who have a pension of 30,000 – 40,000 baht/month who live on a 15,000 baht budget and save the rest for medical emergencies and to build a bank account to justify a retirement visa. This takes discipline, which disappears if they acquire a Thai girlfriend who learns about the existence of a savings account!”

Cost of Living in Thailand Examples:

Medical: Two farang friends have just delivered babies – girls – in Chiang Mai hospitals. Each had a private room, one for four days. Their total was pre-agreed: 60,000 Bt (US$1700) each. Both were delighted by the care they received which, in one case, included an autographed photo of the entire delivery team gathered around the bed of the exhausted mother holding her baby for the first time. Another friend got bad food poisoning and went to the hospital. She needed intensive care but every bed in the hospital was full, so the doctor, not wanting to put her back in an ambulance, had his desk removed from his office and a bed installed for her. The bill next day was 1400 Bt (US$40). When she protested that this was too low, staff told her it was because she did  not have a ‘proper room’. A nurse called her at home that night to check her progress.
Automotive: I’ve been doing a lot of fast driving through mountainous roads lately and can assure you that even remote roads are well maintained in the Kingdom. But taking thousands of curves stresses wheel bearings, apparently, because one of mine went out. I discovered this when I went to have the Toyota’s front alignment checked after I hit a pothole (in the middle of town!) and the steering went weird. The shop fixed the affected wheel and moved it to the rear, then balanced and aligned the front wheels. They refused payment because I’d bought the Michelins (3000 Bt each) from them and the work was covered by their lifetime warranty – a pleasant  surprise. There was no denying the wheel bearing problem (the grinding noise was obvious once they pointe it out) so the next day they came and picked up the car. It was back a few hours later along with a bill for 2,000 Bt. and the old bearing in the factory box that held the new bearing. Don’t worry too much about the cost of owning a car in Chiang Mai: it’s far less than you’re accustomed to at home.

Rick, Who Lives on $600 Budget in Thailand

Budget for Living in Thailand on Five Times the Average Thai Salary

 Nancy’s Comments on the $2,400 Budget for Thailand

There is much more room to play with this budget. In it I assume:

• The couple is renting a condo in town.
• Housing is cheaper further out but transportation costs are higher–making a car a necessity.
• No sane retiree is going to rely solely on a motor scooter [see the note below].
• The couple is fairly healthy,
• They eat local cuisine. They don’t have to eat expensive imported food for every meal.
• Drinks wine/beer very moderately [wine here is imported and expensive]

My Observations and Nancy’s Responses

• I lived on $1240/mo. during my first year in Thailand. I made lots of mistakes and wasted lots of money but, after 6 months, found I could live quite comfortably on $600. For example,
• I rented a long-term studio in town for $80/mo. [see photo below] Utilities added $10.
• My long-term scooter rental, $100/mo. includes registration and insurance, servicing, new tires as needed, and a new scooter every 12 months. I’ve had no scooter problems. But see Nancy’s observations about scooter danger, below.
• I stay within the $200 food budget and have never eaten a better diet in my life.
• All my regular medical and dental expenses are out-of-pocket because I’m over 70. Thai health care is excellent and cheap. I just paid $600 for a root canal and crown.
• Toiletries are cheap. An organic skin cream costs $4 a good haircut $7.
• ‘Entertainment’ is up to you. I like wandering around observing Thai culture.
• The Internet provides plenty of information and entertainment, and I went to the pub to watch major sporting events since I don’t like having TV at home.
• Cel phones are cheap; overseas calls are not. Skype or use Google Hangouts to call home.
• Nancy is not kidding about Thai girls and savings accounts. They’re not mercenary, it’s just part of Thai culture. You are a rich farang whether you think so or not.
• There are decent restaurants where you can have three bottles of ice-cold beer served at your table for a total of $5.33, and good meals for $3
• You’ll notice the absence of a clothing budget. Clothes are so cheap here and you wear so few of them – shorts, tee-shirt, flip flops – that it’s not an issue.
• So budget! Thailand’s cost of living is still a steal! Work out how you want to live, then just do it!

Budget for Living in Thailand Costs vs. Scooter Danger

When I shared my observations about scooters with Nancy her response was, as usual, grounded in a reality that I’ve never experienced. Here’s what she said: “I stand by my original observation the elderly shouldn’t use motor scooters. It isn’t a matter of “if” they’ll have an accident, but rather “when” and “how bad”. Just come with me to the orthopedic wards at Suan Dok hospital to see what a motor scooter accident can do. These aren’t the guys with the head injuries – they’re in another part of the hospital”. See my web page on scooter dangers in Thailand.

Video: Budget for Living in Thailand

More about Thai Budgets and Cost of Living

• Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full break down of the cost of living in Thailand, specifically as an expat living in Chiang Mai–includes specific food, rents, internet costs and what those expenses buy you on the road. … **Alternatively, before you get too far into what this buys, consider that my friends also living here shared their Chiang Mai cost of living for two people living a bit more luxuriously than my budget. They spent under $1500 per month (jointly) and had a beautiful apartment and full kitchen, and also …
• How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – This budget cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand, is just a taste of living possibilities. I understand that we all have differing priorities, lifestyle comforts, wants and needs – but if you really want to make something happen, …
• Cost of living Thailand: Living in Chiang Mai for $505 a month – Cost of living in Thailand: Living in Chiang Mai for $505 a month. A break down of expenses … I have become accustomed to not eating large amounts of meat, which keeps my food budget low. Still, the steak is cheap if you …
• Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in … – The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it. The most essential part of a family’s budget is food. We cannot live without it and, in the Western world, the cost of food has skyrocketed …
• If beachside living is your thing, read The Best places in Koh Samui.

So there’s food for thought for your budget for living in Thailand. Do you think you can make it?

Chiang Mai Cost of Living

The post Budget for Living in Thailand appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

Most companies oppose the government’s plan to raise the minimum daily wage nationwide to Bt400, US$13, or $300/month, as it will hurt small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Chamber chairman Kalin Sarasin said that from the chamber’s discussions with many business operators, it was found that most of them worry over the impact of a further wage rise. He said that only the major companies could make the adjustments to accommodate higher wages due to their massive capital holdings. Most of the companies canvassed by the chamber would rather see the government focus on upgrading labour skills. Kalin said the government should promote more border trade, which is a key way to boost exports. After the government’s policy announcement, the chamber will talk with Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to propose its opinions on economic issues. Remember, folks, unemployment among native born Thais is 1%. That’s right: one percent!!

Wages in Thailand seem low to Western visitors, but Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines. for example). The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai wages are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment. There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai doctors’ wages?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals. Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

Thai Luck,Wages and Dowries

More on Thai Wages

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.
• For more reading:
• • Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
  • Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
  • Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
  • Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
  • 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
  • How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
  • The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
  • Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

Wages in Thailand seem low to Western visitors, but Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines. for example). The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai wages are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment. There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai doctors’ wages?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals. Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

Thai Luck,Wages and Dowries

More on Thai Wages

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.
• For more reading:
• • Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
  • Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
  • Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
  • Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
  • 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
  • How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
  • The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
  • Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

Wages in Thailand seem low to Western visitors, but Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines. for example). The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai wages are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment. There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai doctors’ wages?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals. Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

Thai Luck,Wages and Dowries

More on Thai Wages

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.
• For more reading:
• • Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
  • Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
  • Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
  • Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
  • 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
  • How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
  • The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
  • Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

Thailand’s official unemployment rate, 0.56 percent, is among the lowest in the world, (it’s 9.4 percent in India and 6 percent in the Philippines, for example). Thailand employment is high and doctors’ salaries are low. The jobless rate in Thailand has been under 1 percent since 2011. How did it get so low?

Bank of Thailand spokesman Chirathep Senivongs Na Ayudhya explains: ”Our unemployment rate has been low not because of a different definition from other countries, but because of structural problems,” said . “The agricultural sector absorbs laborers and those who can’t find work can always look for jobs in the informal sector or do something on their own.”

If you’ve been making regular payments into the national unemployment program, Thai unemployment benefits are 50% of your final salary – for a maximum of 180 days. Thai salaries are low (see MDs’ salaries, below) so there’s little incentive to stay jobless. Those who lose their jobs often enter the ‘informal sector’ or seek out a part-time job, and so they’re counted as employed.

And 40 percent of Thais are engaged in agriculture, where there is a high percentage of underemployment and seasonal unemployment. The underemployed – estimated at about 0.5 percent – are counted among the employed. So if you lose your job as a store clerk and return home to help out on your family farm for at one hour a week, you are counted as employed.

Then, too, Thailand’s fertility rate from 2010-2015 is estimated at 1.4 by the United Nations Population Fund compared with 3.4 in the Philippines. Plus, its population aged 60+ rose from under 7 percent in 1994 to 15 percent last year, so more people are retiring and fewer entering the workforce. (in Japan, more than a quarter of the population is over 65, has 3+ percent unemployment.

There are thought to be 3 million mostly undocumented migrant workers in Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The government is beginning to register foreign workers, but the language barrier and lack of skills is a challenge to increasing their numbers.

And here’s the biggie: the informal sector of the Thai economy – anyone who’s not covered by formal work arrangements – accounted for more than 64 percent of the total workforce. This includes everyone from street vendors to taxi drivers, self-employed: they’re counted as employed.

The government doesn’t plan any major labor-market policy changes this year or next, and the inflation rate is falling (it’s forecast to breach 1 percent) there are no worries about the jobless rate, so expect it to stay very low.

What are Thai salaries like?

Let’s look at the salaries of upper middle-class professionals: physicians, whose salaries vary depending on whether they work in public or private hospitals.

Public hospital salaries range is 20,000 – 30,000 Baht/month.

Overtime on 1 or 2 evenings and, say, Saturday, can add another 20,000 to 30,000. Depending on experience or expertise there may be some extra income from pharmaceutical manufacturers for various services which could bring in a further amount of money a possible range 10,000 to 30,000 Baht/month.

Doctors’ salaries in Thailand vary greatly. A private, Bangkok, hospital like Bumrungrad pays 60,000 – 150,000 depending on hours, experience and skills. With some private clinic work on top (most physicians spend time at these), a private sector doctor could earn 2 – 3 million baht a year, or $100,000. Given the purchasing power parity of the Thai baht, that’s an effective income of about $250,000.

• For more on the state of the Thai economy, look at this sobering article from the Bangkok Post: Household debt keeps Thailand Southeast Asia’s sick man
• For more statistics on the cost of living in Thailand, take a look at this site, Numbeo
• For a video about the cost of living in Thailand, watch this.

For more reading:

• Cost of Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand – A Little Adrift – A full breakdown of the cost of living in Thailand as an expat living in Chiang Mai. Includes food, rent, internet costs and what those expenses buy you there.
• Thailand Cost of Living | Expats in Thailand | Expats in Thailand – Thailand Cost of Living. One of the most important things to take into account when picking a place to live has to be the cost of living. The most wonderful spot on the planet can only be the place to live if you can afford it.
• Thailand cost of living | Travel via Thailand – CURRENCY. Thailand’s currency is BATH (THB). $1 is about 32.75THB. COSTS. Thailand is one of the countries with the lowest cost of living. The prices depends on where you are. Like a bottle of beer in the Silom or …
• Cost of Living in Thailand | Chiang Mai Solicitor – Cost of Living in Thailand, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings. Incoming search terms: chiang mai cost of living · chiang mai thailand cost of living · cost of living in chiang mai thailand. Related Posts. Amphur Offices in Thailand (1.000) …
• 4 Countries Where Expats Can Live For Cheap – Business Insider – Seventy-four percent of survey respondents consider Thailand’s cost of living to be good or excellent, well above the global average of 35%. Housing is cheap, too: 85% of expats report that they are happy with the affordability …
• How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month – Сейчас […] Reply · Useful links for working & living in Thailand : Thailand Lad says: April 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm. […] http://migrationology.com/2011/07/cost-of-living-in-bangkok-thailand/ – Cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand […].
• The real cost of living in Thailand – Keyframe5 – Thailand cost of living for a single man. Please note: this post was created on December 2014 with the currency rate at $1 USD = ฿32.9 THB. For the sake of this post and to make it easier to calculate, I’ll covert the currency as …
• Thailand – Cost of Living – FlippTravel – Price List of the Basic Commodities – Average Costs in $ Milk (regular,1 liter) – 1.41 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 1.13 Rice (white, 1kg) –

The post Thailand Employment Salaries appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

I know about twenty Soi dogs in Thailand (so named because they hang out in alleys, or sois). They’re not well cared for  and, if this story moves you, sign the petition to improve their lives. If you’re in Chiang Mai you can volunteer or adopt a dog from Care for Dogs. They do heroic work caring for lost dogs who need homes.

I walk two miles around my neighborhood at dawn each morning. The streets are quiet and empty except for dogs. Soi dogs in Thailand are an independent lot. As far as they are concerned they have as much right as any Thai to walk or lie on the road and they expect humans – especially drivers – to respect that. Thais generally do, though there are enough limping, three-legged, and even two-legged dogs around to suggest that their rights are not always respected. though they do a fine job of barking at strangers, they have limits. If it is too early in the morning–before 5 am–or late in the evening– after 11 pm–they prefer to sleep. (Thai cats are well aware of this, as are the pigeons who know the cats will vanish when the dogs appear). Thai dogs will not bother you if it is raining, or chase you if the grass might wet their paws, or if it is too hot, or too cold, or if you are accompanied by a dog bigger than them.

Many people are on a budget, and are looking for a cheap dog fence. That is certainly understandable. However when it comes to the well-being of your pets, why take a chance on a cheaply-made product? Most dog owners see their dog as a member of their family. Doesn’t your family member deserves the best dog fence? Why take a risk when it comes to your dog’s health? While considering a fence in general consider the potential negative consequences of using an electric stimulation device on your pet.

People who’ve never gotten to know dogs find Soi dogs in Thailand frightening and I suspect that they’re responsible for most of the negative stories about them. If you like dogs you won’t have a problem with them. They’re more assertive than house dogs, since dogs are territorial animals and the soi is their territory and they have to hustle for scraps every day. Happily, Thais love dogs – though they rarely pet them, which Thai dogs are OK with – and I’ve never seen an emaciated one.

They’re numerous because Thais don’t commonly spay or neuter dogs. One reason that there aren’t too many dogs is a big market for dog meat in northern Vietnam. Dog-catching has been privatized by dog catchers who smuggle thousands of them across the border every month.

Like everything in Thailand, there’s a dog hierarchy, too. At the top are companion dogs: well-groomed, well-fed, often purebreds that are allowed to socialize with street dogs for a few minutes each morning under their owners’ watchful eyes. These are the friendliest dogs I meet each morning. They approach me fearlessly and enjoy being petted and talked to.

Below the companion dogs are guard dogs: serious looking and larger than the companions. They run loose in the yard and, in return for a protected space and regular meals, bark at passersby and, presumably, bite intruders. Below them are ‘gate dogs’ who  have adopted a house, live in the street by the gate as auxiliary guards. They stick so closely to ‘their’ gate that I assume that house owners feed them on a ‘no obligations’ basis. Both householder and dog retain their independence while deriving benefit from the relationship.

Next down are real soi dogs who live entirely in the street. They live in strictly hierarchical packs for mutual protection are most vulnerable to dog catchers since they’ve nowhere to hide. It is these guys who accompany me on my morning walks and whose social arrangements keep me entertained. When I arrive in their alley they congregate around me, apparently simply happy to be acknowledged by a human. At first they all wanted to be petted but, over the months, the novelty of petting has worn off. Now our greetings are largely verbal: warm words from me; yipping and tailwagging from them. Then we set off for a block or two so they can show off their human friend to the guard- and house-dogs. Then, with their status raised, they peel off and start exploring the exciting new smells that the morning brings. They’re as individual as any human and I find their interactions a constant source of interest and amusement.

Below soi dogs are the wretched of the earth: the strays. These poor creatures have neither turf nor a pack to protect them. Something has displaced them and they literally have nowhere to call their own. They slink around, ears pinned back, with anxiously wrinkled brows desperately looking for food and temporary shelter. Packs of soi dogs pursue them and, if they catch them, attack them viciously. Here’s a video I made of my local dog pack. Sometimes they accompany me for a few blocks; sometimes they ignore me:

The Vinegar Cure

The worst dogs I’ve encountered are the racists (surprised?). They ignore Thais but hate foreigners and feel it their patriotic duty to attack them. There’s one guard dog on my morning route and I would walk quietly past his house, enduring his bloodcurdling snarls and barks. One day his gate was left open and he came after me. I escaped unharmed but my morning was ruined. Happily, Thailand is the home of the water pistol. Thais consume more water pistols per capita than any nation on earth because, in Thailand’s climate, they’re fun, s’nuk. After choosing a compact, high capacity weapon (60¢ at the supermarket – always on sale) I loaded it with diluted vinegar. The next morning I heard the same racist threats but I had my equalizer ready. A few squirts (avoiding his eyes) followed by the sound of baffled, indignant whimpering. He seemed as much upset by our switch in status as anything! He was no longer the aggressor and he obviously hated smelling of vinegar which, to his doggy nose, must have been intense.

I repeated the treatment on Soi dogs in Thailand the next morning and that was the end of it. He still barks at me, of course, but his bark lacks conviction. The racist insults and threats of dismemberment have ceased. We encountered each other out in the street last week and, after a few halfhearted barks he backed defiantly into his open gate.

Prevention

1. Let sleeping and eating dogs alone.
2. Don’t approach dogs you don’t know. You’re probably entering their territory and dogs are territorial.
3. Don’t go near dog hangouts at night, like temple grounds, abandoned buildings, building sites, car parks and empty spaces.  Darkness is their friend, not yours.
4. Carry an equalizer. A rape alarm works fine. Umbrellas and pieces of bamboo are fine. Often picking up a rock is enough to discourage them.
5. Don’t run. It excites their hunting instinct. Walk purposefully as you draw yourself up to your full height
6. Fold your arms or raise them slowly above your head. This keeps vulnerable hands away from sharp teeth.
7. Don’t smile or squeal. Your smile resembles aggressive teeth-baring and squealing sounds like a wounded animal. Command them in low, strong tones.
8. Be wary of turning your back on them. Don’t hang about.  Commotions attracts other dogs. Walk on, possibly backwards.

There are tons of Soi dogs in Thailand, but Deputy Dog is a favorite. This golden labrador is a well-known character around Chiang Rai, the beautiful town 5 hours drive north of Chiang Mai. Richard Berry, who combines an idyllic Chiang Rai life with manufacturing the ultra-natural English Organics cosmetics (you can eat them – literally) snapped a few shots with his cellphone.

On a Lighter Note

There are tons of dogs in Thailand, but Deputy Dog is a favorite. This golden labrador is a well-known character around Chiang Rai, the beautiful town 5 hours drive north of Chiang Mai. Richard Berry, who combines an idyllic Chiang Rai life with manufacturing the ultra-natural English Organics cosmetics (you can eat them – literally) snapped a few shots with his cellphone. There’s no story behind this as far as Richard has been able to discover. This is simply how the dog likes to sit while waiting for his master to finish shopping. Here’s how deputy dog looks when he sees his master approaching:

Monks Kindness to Dogs

Thai temples are a traditional refuge for stray and hungry dogs and the monks beg for food for them every morning as they walk the streets, barefoot. Here’s what happens at feeding time:

The post Soi Dogs in Thailand appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

Here’s another beautiful elephant moment in Thailand: the elephant is blind:

And they also make music, as you’ll learn from National Geographic.

The post Thai Elephant Lullaby appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

Getting work permits in Thailand can be really tricky. Seventeen foreigners have been arrested for not having work permits, working illegally following a raid on a condominium in Chiang Mai. The raid, which took place at 12.30am on Friday found 17 Westerners of various nationalities providing online English classes to people in China from a room in the ground floor of the Riverside Condo. The farangs were asked to produce their passports and work permits and, while twelve produced passports, they were unable to produce work permits. Among them were three Americans, a Canadian, a German, a Dutch national, two Irish women, two Britons and two Australians. A fourth American was on overstay.

The remaining foreigners had passports and valid work permits but were in breach of work conditions: the foreigners had been hired by BOI 360, but the online language school was found to be operating without permission. The foreigners now have of face charges of working illegally in Thailand and are currently being held at Mae Ping police station. In order to work legally in Thailand farangs must have valid work permits and the appropriate Non-Immigrant visa/extension.

How does a farang get a legitimate work permit in Thailand? Why, find a specialist.

All Thai lawyers specialize in a niche of the law. Asking a non-real estate lawyer to do real estate work for you is to invite disaster. He won’t be up to date on regulation changes, which occur weekly, and he won’t have a sympathetic friend in the Land Office to guide him through the maze of paperwork.

My visa gal is great for residency visas and works miracles with the Thai Bureau of Immigration because she’s a former Immigration inspector. But ask her about work visas and she becomes hesitant because she doesn’t know anyone in the Labor Department – which is where Thailand’s work visas are issued. So I’ve been looking for a work visa specialist for over a year then, last week, a British friend introduced me to his labor lawyer and it was love at first sight.

His name, wonderfully enough, is Mr. Big. (That’s his Thai chue-len (ชึ่อเล่น) ≠ which is usually translated as ‘nickname’ but it’s much more than that. Thais use chue-len because they change their family names relatively frequently. And nicknames are a holdover from the belief that evil spirits (ปีศาจ ปีศาจ) are always looking for newborns to abduct and control, so using a chue-len instead of a normal Thai name confuses the spirits and helps to keep the child safe. The use of nicknames remains so widespread in Thailand that it’s not uncommon for friends to know each other for years and yet not know each other’s real name and surname).

Thai work permits allow you to work or operate a business in Thailand as a skilled professional or an employer. Without a Thai work permit working in Thailand can have severe consequences. Foreigners arrested for working without a permit are usually fined or imprisoned.

Thailand’s Labour Ministry and the Immigration Bureau have together launched the first smartphone app for expats to lodge requests for work permits and have them approved–though you will still need to make at least two “offline” trips to specially set up centres to complete the procedure. The app, Thailand Digital Work Permit, was introduced to companies and foreign employees last Friday. The first person to be digitally granted a work permit was Japan’s Koichiro Suda. The permit was approved by Waranon Pitiwan, director-general of the Department of Employment (DOE). Mr Suda works as a domestic sales coordinator for Minebea Thailand Co Ltd, one of the firms supported by the Office of the Board of Investment (BoI).

The app resulted from a project jointly launched by the BoI, the Labour Ministry and the Immigration Bureau called Single Window.

According to Thai regulations a successful work permit application depends on the hiring company’s registered capitalization. Money talks. Thai ‘Business Entities’ wanting to apply for work permits for foreign employees must have at least two million baht fully paid-up registered capitalization. If you have a Thai spouse you only need 1 million baht, or US$30,000. Here’s what the regulations say:

Foreign Business Entities who had operated their business in Thailand can apply their employees for work permit if they bring at least three million baht per employee into the country. The business entities may be granted a maximum of 10 work permits each. Before you can apply or be issued with a work permit you must first have a non-immigrant visa. This is required to apply for a Thai work permit in the Kingdom. Ideally, it should be acquired prior to your arrival in Thailand. We can assist you in obtaining it in your home country or in country close to Thailand. In addition, we can help you convert a tourist visa to a non-immigrant visa without leaving Thailand.

But Mr. Big can get you a work permit for almost anything, under almost any circumstances. A friend who wanted to teach a crania-sacral adjustment workshop here in Chiang Mai was able to get a temporary work permit to do just that. It cost her just 1500 Baht plus Mr. Big’s fee, and she had it in 48 hours!

To apply for a work permit, you must have either a non immigrant visa or a residence permit. Ideally, you would also have a non-immigrant visa before entering Thailand, since residence permits are usually granted only after you have lived in Thailand for at least 3 consecutive years under a non-immigrant visa. Your employer or potential employer may file an application for advance permission to work before you arrive in Thailand. However, the work permit itself will not be issued until you arrive in Thailand on a valid non-immigrant visa. You file the application at your nearest Provincial (Changwat) Department of Employment Office. The following documents must be submitted when you apply for a work permit. Note that Thai labor officials make changes in the list of required documents whenever they consider appropriate. All supporting documents usually must be translated into Thai with appropriate certification.

• Application form (Tor. Thor. 2) and 3 ID photos, front view and 5×6 cm. in size (taken not more than 6 months).
• Letter from employer certifying employment and reasons for not employing Thai national.
• Employment agreement.
• Copy of the company’s affidavit certified by the Commercial Registration Department (taken not more than 6 months).
• Copy of list of shareholders certified by the Commercial Registration Department (taken not more than 6 months).
• Copy of certificate of incorporation.
• Copy of Taxpayer Card, VAT certificate or Phor. Por. 01 and 09.
• Copy of current balance sheet with profit and loss showing total assets.
• Copy of Phor. Ngor. Dor. 50 (Corporate Income Tax Return) including receipt.
• Organizational chart.
• List of all expatriate(s) in the company indicating position and work permit number(s).
• Copies of educational certificates and letters of recommendation from previous employment.
• Copies of all pages of passport showing the valid Non?Immigrant Visa (B or O).
• Copies of all pages of the work permit of the authorized director showing the valid date (if the authorized director is a foreigner).
• A medical certificate certifying that the applicant is free from prohibited diseases (taken not more than 3 months).
• Power of attorney affixed with Baht 10 duty stamp.
• Map of the company’s location.
• Official form for notification of commencement of work (Tor.Thor. 10).
• Other relevant document(s), if any.
• Copy of Phor. Por. 30 for the previous 6 months including receipt (for new companies only)

All photocopies of documents must be certified as true copies by the authorized director(s) and affixed with the company seal. If the application is to be filed by another person, a valid Power of Attorney in the prescribed form must be attached with an affixed Baht 10 duty stamp.

On the application form, the job description entry must be completed with a detailed description of the job to be performed, how it is related to other employees, and what materials will be used in the said job. If the job applied for requires a license under a particular law in addition to the Alien Employment Act, a photocopy of such license, e.g., a teacher’s license, physician’s license, press card from the Public Relations Department, certificate of missionary status from the Religious Affairs Department, etc. must also be attached.

If you are married to a Thai national, the marriage certificate must be presented along with your spouse’s identity card, birth certificates of children, household registration certificate, and a photocopy of every page of your passport. If you are applying for a position previously held by another foreigner, a photocopy of your predecessor’s work permit, together with his/her notice of resignation from the company or a letter confirming his/her intended date of departure must be presented.

Previously, foreigners who needed to obtain a work permit in order to work were prohibited from doing any work, for any employer, anywhere, and under any such conditions if such were not detailed and, therefore, permitted in the work permit itself. That is no longer the case.

Until last year Thailand regulated foreign work permissions under the Alien Workers Act (2008) (the “Act”).

In 2017 the Emergency Decree on Non-Thais’ Working Management Emergency Decree, (2017) (“Decree No. 1”) repealed the Alien Workers Act (2008).

Decree No. 1, however, incorporated much of the repealed Act’s provisions and kept in force most of the regulations issued under it.

Then, on 27 March 2018, the Emergency Decree on Non-Thais’ Working Management (No.2) (2018) (“Decree No. 2”) was issued. Decree No. 2 amended Decree No. 1.

Section 70 of Decree No. 1 (and the Act) provided that “a person who is granted permission for working may not carry out the work of the type, with the employer, in a locality or on any working condition that is different from that specified in their work permit unless permission under Section 71 is obtained.”

Section 71 of Decree No. 1 (and the Act) provided that “a person who is granted permission for working, and who intends to change or add the following particulars, must obtain permission from the Registrar: (1) type of work (2) employer (3) location or (4) working conditions.”

And Section 73 of Decree No. 1 (and the Act) provided that “no person may allow a foreigner to work in a manner different from the requirements specified in the work permit.”

However, and very significantly, Section 37 of Decree No. 2 repealed Sections 70, 71, and 73 of Decree No. 1.

Furthermore, Section 28 of Decree No. 2 provides that a work permit holder may engage in any work that is not specifically prohibited to all foreigners on the “Official List” of work prohibited to foreigners.

When I arrived here I didn’t have much choice about making money in Thailand. My $1240 Social Security check was enough to live on but travel was not an option and I couldn’t even afford a car. So I pestered all the local expats who would listen and asked them what they did to make ends meet. The stories they told me about their mistakes, wins, and losses were inspirational and helpful: I adopted two of them for myself and also found that they’d given me enough material for a book. Here’s an outline of what it covers:

• Fifteen ways to start a Thai-based business
• How to sell Thai products back to your home market
• How the Thai government helps you make money
• Where to find products to sell
• What kinds of products sell best
• How to sell your services in Thailand
• How to sell your skills abroad from Thailand
• Getting a job and a Thai work permit the moment you arrive
• How to understand Thai culture…and fit in
• The 15 biggest pitfalls for doing business in Thailand

DETAILS BUY ($4.99)

• “His wide-ranging knowledge of the expat community is evident from the real-world examples that give the book an authentic flavor.The book is written with the charming immediacy of someone who is passionate about the lifestyle he has chosen and wants to make the advantages of living as an active retiree in the land of smiles available to others”. – “Superb Guide to Retirement financial planning in Thailand” – Ian D. Griffin   “This is a great book to show you how easy it is to make money in Thailand through many well thought out and well described ideas. it is a second great book to read after reading his “how to retire in Thailand”  – Brilliant retirement in Thailand and making money to boot!!! – By Nick Ash   WANT TO KNOW…  What to Do Before Coming to Thailand? What it costs to live in Thailand? How to get a work visa in Thailand? Thailand’s business pitfalls and opportunities? What kinds of money-making opportunities are available? How Thailand’s business culture works. (Hint: not like ours). How to export from Thailand? What to export? Fifteen Ways to Start a Thai Business? What jobs are available in Thailand? What to pack and what to leave behind? Who you’ll meet when you get here? How to meet other entrepreneurs in Thailand? Real Success Stories from Real People How to interact with the bureaucracy?   Then download “Making Money in Thailand: a Retiree’s Guide”. It’s the best business investment you’ll make.   Plus…useful charts, step-by-step checklists, links, budgets, helpful guides and reviews you can use.   “If you’re considering moving to Thailand so you can enjoy a comfortable retirement based on having a small American retirement income (from Social Security alone, or perhaps with a small pension too) you should be interested in this book. Although many Americans and Europeans report that they can live a decent life in Thailand on approximately $1,200 per month, most would agree that having a bit more cash is always a good thing. Author Godfree Roberts has had this experience and, in this insightful, detailed and often witty book, explains to retirees how to make money in a nation that differs markedly from the Western world”. USEFUL BOOK BY A MAN WHO KNOWS – By M. LATORRA “Gozen” (Las Cruces, NM USA)
• 112 pages

Also: Useful Charts, Step-by-step Checklists, Links, Budgets, and Helpful Guides to Preparing to do business in Thailand. And you’ll get useful reviews and smart tips to help you get started.

This Is How You Do It

Making money in Thailand is surprisingly easy. The economy is growing at 5% and the Thai Post Office goes so far as to make easy to sell Thai goods on EBay (door to door tracking and signature). Even though most of us who come to Thailand have at least a $1200 monthly income – the same as a Thai engineer makes – for two reasons we often get the urge to make a little more:

1. The first is to afford the semi-luxuries that make life enjoyable, like travel. Now that you’ve got the time, why not take advantage of the local budget airline’s mid-week special fare of $29.00 to Bali, for example? Or spend the hottest month at one of Thailand’s fabulous beaches? Fares are $60 from anywhere to anywhere in Thailand, and accommodation is ridiculously cheap.
2. The second reason is to have something to do, a challenge that gets you up in the mornings. Creating a new business from scratch in a new culture is certainly a challenge! But I’m enjoying it and so is almost every other expat I know here. That’s because there are so many opportunities.

Video

So, if you want to get work permits in Thailand, let me know and I’ll introduce you to Mr Big. Now here’s some advice from a fellow expat:

The post Work Permits in Thailand appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

My current favorite studio is Satva Yoga, two minutes from the Maya Mall, which teaches Aerial Yoga. What’s Aerial Yoga, you ask? Well, take a look at me doing the Batman Asana, above, and that’ll give you an idea: it lets you do poses that you simply cannot do on the ground. And best of all, it’s fun and much easier than, say, Ashtanga Yoga or Bikram Yoga.

In 1970, I started doing three hours of yoga a week and have never regretted it. (Holy cow! That’s 6,500 hours on a yoga mat!) I’ve never been hospitalized, taken pharmaceuticals nor needed to diet. More important, I feel good – bodily – all the time. I’ve noticed that feeling good all over is not a big priority for most people. (They seem to be content to merely be breathing). But it’s my first priority. It’s not that I love yoga. I don’t. But I love, love, love the way yoga makes me feel all day, every day. Keeping me out of the clutches of doctors, pharmaceuticals and hospitals is just a bonus.

If you’re an experienced yogi you’ll love falling into Chiang Mai’s community of like-minded adventurers, the endless parade of famous teachers and the neverending classes, workshops and special events. If you’ve never done yoga before you’ve also come to the right place – many people dip their toes into yoga’s waters for the first time here in Thailand – so you’re sure to find a class and teacher that’s right for you.

Whether you’ve been practicing for ages or don’t know what a downward dog is, this guide will help steer you in the right direction and make the most of yoga in Chiang Mai.

Types of Yoga

More than just a way of stretching or getting some gentle exercise, yoga is a complex practice combining mind, spirit and body to create complete wellbeing from the inside out. With a centuries of history, there are naturally many types of yoga – each focusing on different aspects of your alignment, flexibility and breath. Here are some of the most common types of yoga:

• • Hatha – Hatha refers to any yoga practice that combines poses, known as asanas, with measured breathing techniques, known as pranayama. The connection between breath and movement creates a deeper sense of relaxation. Most often, teachers will lead you through a series of postures that flow together. The class intensity will depend on how quick or slow the teacher keeps the pace.
  • Iyengar – B.K.S. Iyengar systematized 200 classical yoga poses and 14 different types of Pranayama (with variations of many of them) ranging from the basic to advanced. This helps ensure that students progress gradually by moving from simple poses to more complex ones and develop their mind, body and spirit through a step-by-step approach.Iyengar Yoga often makes use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids in performing asanas (postures). The props enable students to perform the asanas correctly, minimizing the risk of injury or strain, and making the postures accessible to both young and old. Satva Yoga holds regular Iyengar classes at 8 am Mon-Sat.
  • Vinyasa – Sometimes called “power yoga”, vinyasa focus on constantly keeping the body in motion with quicker-paced flows base around the famous “sun salutation” series of postures.
  • Ashtanga – One of the more challenging types of yoga, ashtanga uses a set series of 70 postures and requires both strength and endurance.  
  • Yin – If you’re looking for something slower paced, try yin yoga. Centered around stretching and relaxation, yin is a restorative form of yoga good for calming the mind, improving posture and increasing flexibility. Just because it’s slower doesn’t mean it’s always easy though, you’ll often hold deep stretches for up to several minutes to give your joints and muscles enough time to truly release and stretch.
  • Bikram (hot) – Named for Bikram Choudry, this is a single, set series of difficult poses done in a room heated to 104ºF. Definitely worth a try!
  • Restorative – You may see classes listed as “restorative yoga”. These sessions may involve different aspects of several different practices but focus on relaxing and rejuvenating your body. Instead of pushing it into a pose you may use supports and props to comfortable relax into a pose that helps your body rest and repair itself.
  • Laughter – If you haven’t heard of laughter yoga you will once you’re in Chiang Mai. Consisting of prolonged, self-induced laughing and yogic breathing techniques, laughter yoga lets you connect with your more carefree, playful side and even has been proven to help benefit your cardiovascular system and overall mood.
  • Aerial – Poses that suspend you off the ground so you can do things that would otherwise be impossible. Satva Yoga’s aerial yoga classes are limited to four students and run from 4:00-5:30 Monday through Saturday.

Yoga Studios in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai has evolved from a backpacker haven to a sanctuary for health conscious travelers. Among the plethora of organic cafés and wellness centers that have surfaced within recent years, yoga classes and retreats have become a popular and plentiful option for yogis. They range from beginner to the most advanced classes and offer yoga styles in an impressive variety.

Satva Yoga is two minutes from Maya. Regular

Namo Yoga –has moved to its new, central location on SRIDONCHAI RD. inside MANINARAKORN HOTEL, 10 minutes walk from the old location and 5 minutes from the Night Bazaar.

Freedom Yoga – Adam and his partner, Ning have been running a new yoga studio in chiang mai for about 8 months now. They told me it’s been a challenge but extremely rewarding at the same time. It’s a relatively new yoga studio located just east of the famous Thapea Gate in a refurbished traditional Thai House. Freedom yoga has a relaxed and friendly vibe, with the yoga studio situated upstairs and Freedom cafe and Juice bar below serving up pre and post yoga juices and healthy meals. Freedom offers a thorough yoga schedule covering a variety of classes with something to suit students of all experiences. Their classes have a strong emphasis on correct body alignment and correct breathing. Their schedule:

Monday:  10am-Vinyasa          6pm-Hatha Flow

Tuesday: 10am-Hatha Flow      6pm-Hatha Yoga

Wednesday: 10am-Vinyasa      6pm-mixed flow

Thursday: 10am-Hatha yoga     6pm-Yin Yoga

Friday: 10am-Vinyasa              6pm-Hatha yoga

Saturday: 10am-Mixed dynamic flow

Sunday: 10am-mixed level flow

6pm-gentle and restorative yoga

The Yoga Tree – Enclosed within a lush garden area in the southwest corner of the Old City, this studio’s peaceful surrounding is prized by its students. With special focus on Beginner and Restorative/Yin Yoga styles, instructors also emphasize proper breathing and correct poses without being overbearing. The Yoga Tree frequently changes its yoga class line-up, which also includes dance and movement meditation classes. Don’t forget to check out their events, small festivals, trainings and workshops, which are held several times a month.

Wild Rose Yoga – Housed in a gorgeous traditional teak wooden home, Wild Rose Yoga is known for its range of intermediate to advanced weekly classes and specialized workshops. Classes are lead by various local and international teachers emphasizing and usually offered 3-4 times a day during the week and 1-2 times a day on weekends.

Yoga Kuukan – Known for its positive energy and beautiful space, Yoga Kuukan offers several styles of  Yoga in addition to Tai Chi and Chi Kung. The instructors encourage balance and exploration and teach with the basic intention to improve the health of both the mind and body. Located in the northeast corner of the Old City in a quaint teak house, this studio encourages drop-ins and private lessons.

Blue Garden – This small yoga and massage studio is hidden down a quiet street in the center of the Old City near Wat Pha Kaaw. Step into a beautiful open-aired garden studio and stretch, strengthen, and tone your muscles with flow, hatha or yin yoga. Classes are lead by Remco, an instructor who brings his knowledge of healing and abdominal Chi (Chi Nei Tsang) and Thai massages to his yoga practice. His style also emphasizes restoring energy balance and detoxifying the body.

Weena’s Yogasana – This small friendly studio is easily accessible and nestled in the up and coming Nimmanhaemin area of Chiang Mai. Lead by Weena herself, she emphasizes simplicity and focuses on four types of yoga: yoga asana, hatha, vinyasa flow and power yoga. Weena’s style delicately balances a challenging but supportive environment for students and accommodates skill levels ranging from beginner to more advanced.

Loft Yoga  at  Kantary Terrace – If you’re staying close to Nimmanhaemin Road, check out Loft  Yoga on the second floor of Kantary Terrace. You can call 081-377-7306 for more information and a class schedule.

Mahasiddha – Just north of Suan Buak Hat park in the southwest corner of the Old City, Mahasiddha Yoga school focus on meditation and tantra yoga. Through the practice of tantric yoga one gains awareness of who he truly is and what he can become. Whether you are a complete novice or a well-travelled practitioner, the classes, courses and events of Mahasiddha Yoga will help you attain your happiest, most fulfilled and sincere self. Every week, Mahasiddha Yoga offers a (long term) tantra course, hatha yoga classes and workshops along with a FREE activity every Sunday night, such as a hatha yoga class, a movie night or biweekly kirtan. In addition, the school aso organizes monthly retreats. Mahasiddha Yoga can be found at 19 Samlan Soi 6 (green house, with a green gate – or use these GPS coordinates in Google Maps: 18.783397, 98.980086).

Wise Living Yoga Academy. This yoga academy is based in the beautiful countryside of Chiang Mai which offers regular yoga teacher training programs, ranging from around 200 to 500 per hour courses. They are registered with the international Yoga Alliance and affiliated to The Yoga Institute of Santa Cruz, Mumbai which is the world’s oldest yoga institution.

Om Ganesha Yoga. This yoga teaching academy takes a different approach to yoga. They focus more on the therapeutic side of yoga and focus on the benefits it could lift to each and every person that practices this holisitc approach. All levels of classes are open and offered in a traditional Thai wooden sala set in a relaxing garden.

Yoga Retreats in Chiang Mai

Along with yoga studios and classes, Chiang Mai and the surrounding region is also a popular place for yoga and meditation retreats held by teachers from around the world.

Thailand Yoga Holidays

Naturally, my favorite retreats are run by one of my own teachers, Christophe Cappon, a Canadian instructor who’s been living in Chiang Mai for the past eight years. Not only is Christophe one of the best yoga teachers I’ve ever met – his adjustments are among the best in the world and he has a killer sense of humor – he also knows how to truly appreciate and take advantage of everything Thailand has to offer (especially its food. The boy knows how to eat). Thailand Yoga Holidays runs 10-night retreats that combine a yoga focus while taking full advantage of the true beauty of the north and all that Thailand has to offer with stops in places like Pai, Chiang Dao, a permaculture farm and even a floating retreat center. By discovering the area through one of the Christophe’s retreats, you’ll practice yoga in some unbelievable places you never would have found on your own while also learning more about the country, culture and, of course, eating delicious food. You can check out Christophe’s upcoming yoga retreats in Chiang Mai here and see where Christophe teaches, in this dreamy video:

Feldenkrais in Chiang Mai

The world’s funniest (ha ha) yoga+Feldenkrais teacher, Tara Eden, sent me this: “If you’re interested in adding Awareness Through Movement to your routine, I am starting Feldenkrais classes at Yoga Tree on Fridays at 130. I am sure you’re retiree community would benefit greatly from this class too”.

And remember, when it comes to yoga in Chiang Mai, there are always a wide range of workshops and retreats going on around town. Every yoga studio or vegetarian restaurants will have a bulletin board with notices and fliers promoting various offerings so see what catches your eye.

Hotels and Fitness Center Yoga Classes in Chiang Mai

While there are a few standalone gyms and fitness centers throughout Chiang Mai, the workout scene here is quite different from the more fitness-oriented countries in the West. It’s popular for expats to sign up for monthly memberships at one of Chiang Mai’s larger hotels and use not only the fitness area but the additional facilities such as the pool and sauna, too. Many of these centers also offer classes that include yoga. Here are a few:

Duang Tawan Hotel – Located across the street from the Le Meridien Hotel on Loi Kroh Road, Duang Tawan Hotel has a well-equipped fitness center with an excellent assortment of free weights, newly fitted machines, and cardio equipment. The fitness center also runs nightly group classes, including step aerobics and yoga. Outside is a saltwater pool that offers views across the city and of Doi Suthep with a nearby café serving up a light fare and fruit smoothies. To top it off, members and visitors can relax in the saunas or giant jacuzzi.

Fitness Thailand – One of the largest gyms in town, Fitness Thailand has a beautiful view of the city from it’s 8th floor location and evokes the feel of a Western gym with it’s bright spacious rooms and thumping background music. It has an excellent assortment of classes (up to seven per day) that are split between group exercise, yoga and spin studio rooms. To top it off, Fitness Thailand also has a personal trainer program and a health and juice bar.

Touch Shape and Fitness Center – Located on the fifth floor of the Maya Lifestyle Shopping Center on Huay Kaew Road, this fitness center features high quality machines, plenty of cardio equipment, and specialty classes such as Spin, Hammock Yoga and TRX. It’s modern design evokes a hip and energetic feel that will sure to keep you coming back for more. Personal trainers are also available onsite to assist in your fitness goals and offer training techniques.   

Dhevi Spa & Wellness Centre – If you’re looking to really splurge, the Dhara Dhevi Resort offers a Wellness Retreat Programme featuring a Ayurvedic Healing, Lanna Wellness, Yoga, and Meditation Retreats that include access to a steam room, sauna, fitness center and even hydrotherapy. Their entirely holistic approach to wellness will stretch and strengthen both your mind and body. Hatha yoga and children’s yoga are among the classes taught. If needed, personal training is available on request.

Free and Donation Yoga Classes in Chiang Mai

Yoga doesn’t have to cost you. It’s not unheard of for locals, expats and visitors to participate in or even lead free yoga sessions in Chiang Mai. What’s even better, is that these classes often take place in a wide outdoor area that make for a unique experience! For example, The Yoga Tree usually runs a weekly laughter yoga class, but you’ll often see fliers or Facebook events with donation-classes at the park or around town.

Again, keep an eye out for notices around town, or try joining some of the Chiang Mai events, yoga and wellness groups on Facebook such as What’s Happening in Chiang Mai and Chiang Mai Wellness Community. With so many different offerings, you’re sure to find something that fits with your ability and preferred style!

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Creating a form, thousand-armed, each with a weapon,
Mara on the elephant Grimekhala roared frightfully with his soldiers.
The Lord of Munis conquered him by means of Dhamma-giving and so-on:
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

More than Mara making war all night
Was the frighfulness of Alavaka the yakkha, impatient and arrogant.
The Lord of Munis conquered him by means of well-taming with patience:
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

The noble elephant Nalagiri became quite mad,
Very cruel, like a forest fire, wheel-weapon or a thunderbolt.
The Lord of Munis conquered him by means of sprinkling the water of loving-kindness:
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

Very cruel, with a sword upraised in his expert hand,
Running three leagues along the path he was, Garlanded-with-fingers.
The Lord of Munis conquered him with a mind performing marvels:
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

Having made her belly like a pregnant woman (by tying on) a piece of wood
Cinca spoke lewdly in the midst of the people.
The Lord of Munis conquered her by fair and peaceful means:
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

Saccaka, whose speech habitually departed from the truth,
Raised up, like a flag, his theory with a mind become completely blind.
The Lord of Munis conquered him by wisdom’s shing lamp:
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

Nandopananda the serpent of wrong understanding but great power,
The (Buddha’s) son, the Elder (Moggallana) serpent-like set out to tame.
The Lord of Munis conquered him by means of a demonstration of power:
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

Like a serpent well coiled about the arms were the wrongly grasped views
Of the Brahma-god named Baka of pure light and power
The Lord of Munis conquered him by means of the medicine of knowledge
By the power of this may you be of wholesome victories.

These are the eight verses of the Buddha’s wholesome victories.
Which should be chanted and recollected every day without laziness
(So that) being rid of the many kinds of obstacles
The man of wisdom can attain Liberation and happiness.

– Translation by Ven. Khantipalo

And here’s a video of Thai monks chanting The Buddha’s Wholesome Victories:

Some reading about Thai monks chanting The Buddha’s Wholesome Victories

• Learning Pujas from Gen-la | Tsem Rinpoche – And Tibetans, and have you seen the Thai monks chant? Oh, wow, when they start chanting and they pass down that cord to bless you, it’s like wrap me around twice, I love it! Have you seen the Japanese monks chant?
• Wesak a day to reflect on the teachings of Buddha – Health … – Thai Monks Chant New Home Blessing 1 of 2 in USA. Buddhist Theravada Thai monks from Wat Washington Buddhavanaram chant Pali blessings in recently rented house. From left to right they are: Ajahn Padet, Ajahn …
• Theravada Buddhism (TB): Imee Ooi – The Chant of metta ( Lyrics … – May (6). Buddha Puja · Thai Monks Chant 2 · Thai Monks Chant · Is Nibbana Guaranteed? The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta [Part one] · Imee Ooi – The Chant of metta ( Lyrics: Pali & Eng… ▻ 2010 (4). ▻ December (1).
• Could Luis Suarez be Arsene Wenger’s Cantona … – Present a wisp of fairy spirit?The fairy spirit is really extremely precious, common of Ning palace monk, which afraid is a core pupil to want to acquire 1 wisp, all through his entire life don’t necessarily have this opportunity. …… Strong suits are regional Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese, but don’t stop there – Las Vegas is jam-packed with Thai restaurants, many of them better than you might be used to back home, unless home is, say, Thailand. Procedure is …

The post Thai Monks Chant The Buddha’s Wholesome Victories appeared first on Thai Retirement Helpers: Retiring in Thailand Made Easy.

But before you do, a few words of advice:

To enter Thailand with the purpose of doing volunteer work you must have a Non-Immigrant O Visa. Here’s what you’ll need to apply at your local Thai consulate or embassy:
Your original passport with at least one empty page (I recommend having at least four empty pages as, if you stay in Thailand for a year or longer, you’ll be surprised how many visas you end up getting stamped in it).

A visa application form, which you can download from here.

Two photographs taken within the last six months (2″ x 2″).

Evidence of at least $500 in funds (In actuality, you will need a lot more than this if you’re not getting paid as nobody can survive in Thailand for a year on $500 (currently less than 18,000 baht)

A letter from the organization you’ll be volunteering with, confirming they’ve offered you a volunteer position and that they are requesting approval of a temporary stay for you. All legitimate charities and foundations in Thailand are used to creating these so, if the organization you want to work with can’t get one for you, they’re not an agency you should volunteer with as you’ll end up having to volunteer without a work permit – against the law in Thailand.

After you arrive and before you begin volunteering, you must apply for a work permit and receiving a work permit can take up to two months, although once it’s applied for you are allowed to begin volunteering.

All genuine charities, foundations or schools in Thailand know you must have a work permit. If an organization refuses to apply for one for you, don’t work for them and find a charity, foundation or school that will. There are tens of thousands of them all over Thailand.

And don’t sign up with a ‘charity’ in Thailand that’s asking you to pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of volunteering. That’s not a volunteer position, it’s an organization making money off people’s kindness and should be avoided at all costs.

Children & Family

Schools of Hope – The temple takes in orphaned or neglected Shan migrant children from the surrounding area and provides them with shelter, food, community, education and empowerment opportunities. I am constantly amazed at how well Noom and his children are able to advocate their cause throughout Chiang Mai. One reason Schools of Hope is so special to me is that Noom not only provides the kids with standard education, but really encourages them to express themselves artistically. One of the kids self-taught himself how to play a number of instruments by observing others and simply listening to the tune of a song. These kids are seriously talented.

Childlife – Mae Sai. Children’s charity in MaeSai.

Magical Light Foundation: A non-religious, nonprofit organization devoted to building schools for children who wouldn’t normally have a chance to receive an education. Volunteers will spend their time teaching English classes, visiting local orphanages and refugee camps as well as helping to plan the construction of schools for hill tribe communities. Magical Light is most interested in volunteers who can commit for a long time. Lodging is provided, but it is an unpaid position that involves some travel outside of the city.

The Life Skills Development Foundation (TLSDF or Rak Dek) Indigenous/hill tribe community and skills building related to child rights, early education, HIV/AIDS awareness & stigma reduction, coalition-building and advocacy. We often accept interns from universities in Chiang Mai. Email: jessicatlsdf@gmail.com.

Inter Mountain Peoples Education and Culture Thailand (IMPECT).  All Indigenous Peoples advocacy and knowledge and have effectively established their place as the source of inter-tribe collaborations.  

Foundation for Applied Linguistics (FAL) – FAL works to promote the integration of Indigenous People’s mother-tongue languages with school curriculum. It addresses a complicated dilemma in the Thai education system regarding migrant, hill tribe and indigenous learning.

Baan Nok Kamin Foundation: welcome help from volunteers with teaching English to the children at Baan Nok Kamin and also to their Thai employees. Other roles include building houses out of mud, organic farm projects and coaching sports. Volunteers pay 300 to 500 baht, depending on how long they stay, towards lodging and two meals a day.

Cultural Canvas Thailand: Teaching English in Rural Schools Program, volunteers are placed in two local elementary schools in Chiang Mai to assist the Thai teachers in delivering English language instruction to children aged nine to 12. Programme fees include orientation, board and accommodation and start at $1500 for three weeks.

Raks Thai – These guys are a ton of fun and have a fairly extensive operation throughout northern Thailand. Their focus is on sustainable development within disadvantaged and marginalized communities. I’ve only observed their Power Teens group during an HIV/AIDS awareness event and they were pros at media outreach!

Kids Ark Foundation:. Helping disadvantaged children whose lives have been affected by poverty and/or hiv/aids. Kids Ark works to keep children with their extended families in their villages while they continue with their education.  Some of the children have no parents at home due to causes, such as hiv/aids, and may otherwise be at risk to be sent to an orphanage.  In later years Kids Ark has expanded to provide after school programs and day care for children. Though they do not cite a specific volunteering need, they do accept donations and you can also help to sponsor a child in need!

Big Brother Project:. Matches disadvantaged youth with older mentors who might help to guide them through difficult situations using education and play as a means of connection. The organization seeks out volunteers who are ready to spend a significant amount of time with their new found partners in crime.

Child’s Dream: Empowers marginalised children and youth in the Mekong Sub-Region, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. Initiatives of the organization range from health interventions for children to reduce child mortality, construction of educational facilities to provide universal basic education, youth employment centers to high school and university scholarships. Volunteers are readily welcomed in either the office in Chiang Mai or the office in Siem Reap. Typically, a stay of at least one full school semester (4-5 months) is required. The position is unpaid and housing is not provided.

Skill Center Chiang Mai: Help disabled children by giving them free horse riding therapy. Their second concern is to help children from impoverished backgrounds receive training so that they might acquire well-paying jobs. Though they do not cite a specific need on their website for volunteers, if you are familiar with horses or horse riding therapy, it would certainly be worth it to contact the organization!

Pestalozzi Children’s Foundation Thailand (PCF) – Huge supporters of coalition building amongst child rights-related NGOs in Chiang Mai, they also take the lead in promoting multilingual education in indigenous schools and have access to a huge network of orgs in northern Thailand and Switzerland. PCF is Swiss-based.

Agape Home: Chiang Mai home that takes in children affected by HIV/Aids, either those living with the disease or those greatly at risk. The staff and its volunteers act as a family for 100+ children annually, working as teachers and mentors for the children. Volunteers are always needed, though the organization requires a minimum 6-month commitment. Volunteers live at the home with the children.

School for Life: Provides a home and education to children in difficult circumstances. Volunteers take on a variety of roles including helping to teach English and German, and are asked to pay 240 Euros per month towards their food and lodging. Volunteers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are asked to attend an interview in person, otherwise a telephone interview is required.

Volunteer in Chiang Mai to Stop Human Trafficking

Daughters Rising: Works to prevent sex trafficking by empowering at-risk girls through education, training programs and scholarships. Volunteers are needed for: teaching English in the local Karen village, teaching workshops on the effects of pollution, and designing reworked garments made from traditional handcraft elements. For more info please email kayla.gill@gmail.com

COSA House: Prevention of human trafficking and child exploitation through education and community empowerment. The home is located outside of Chiang Mai, where both volunteers and children live. Volunteers spend time engaging with the children through English classes as well as community outreach projects. COSA House requires a minimum 6 week commitment, but volunteers can stay on for at least a year. To maintain the household and the organization, volunteers must pay a small fee.

Urban Light:. A faith-based organization serving boys who are victims of trafficking and exploitation. Regularly seeks volunteers to help teach English classes as well as to act as mentors for the boys. The position is unpaid and housing is not provided, but their location near Tha Pae gate makes housing readily accessible.

Union for Civil Liberty (UCL): 7/1 Thiphanet Rd. Soi 2 – 053-275035

Women’s Issues

Wildflower Home: Provides shelter and other services to single mothers. Volunteers are readily welcomed and help with tasks as varied as construction, English teaching, garden work and grant writing. Wildflower Home requires a 4 week minimum commitment from its volunteers and can provide room and board at the home, with a small fee.

Chai Lai Orchid. : A social business and eco-resort located next to an elephant camp in Mae Wang, which provides paid training in the hospitality industry for local at-risk women. Specialized volunteers are needed for: mentoring community members in beekeeping; building a bat house, chicken coop and rabbit run; and turning a defunct swimming pool into a swimmable natural pond. For more info please email explore@chailaiorchid.com.

We Women: Education and well-being of unrecognized refugee women from Burma. The Foundation targets women whose passions, goals and motivation implicate them as future leaders of Burma. We women provides a much needed service to women from Burma by offering them the opportunity to succeed in higher education. The long-term aim of the We women from Burma project is to assist unrecognized refugee women into obtaining higher positions within policy making or influential organizations, so that they can empower women and their communities, in their own terms as policy making positions are still often held by outsiders. The organization is currently looking for volunteers with administrative skills who speak fluent English and have education experience.

Women’s League of Burma: Promotes participation of women in the struggle for democracy and human rights, promoting women’s participation in the national peace and reconciliation process, and enhancing the role of the women of Burma at the national and international level. Though they do not cite specific volunteer needs on their website, their programs are extensive and often involve other organizations with volunteer needs.

Volunteer in Chiang Mai and help Migrants

Migrant Learning Center: Offers Thai Language, English Language, Burmese Language and Computer training. Anybody regardless of race, gender, age, language, education, religion, political belief and social background are free to take these classes and pay no tuition. Volunteer teachers are always needed and email contacts are provided on the home page.

Burma Study Center: Pperates a lending library of books, reports, and documentary films about Burma and Southeast Asia, offers free English and computer classes for migrants, and coordinates community information-sharing/awareness raising events. Volunteers who are based in Chiang Mai for at least a few months are sought to help with our teaching programs, and also to contribute news, human interest articles, and book/film reviews for our newsletter and website.

Dulabhathorn Foundation – Focuses on the development and education of disabled children, a group often discarded by Thai society. Located on a gorgeous estate just outside Chiang Mai, they’re leaders in education for children with Down’s Syndrome and autism.

Nikki’s Place: Home for babies with HIV/AIDS opened in May 1996 and now provides a loving family for over 80. Volunteers spend from six months to a year working alongside Thai nannies helping to care for the children.

Thai Freedom House: Language and arts community learning center in Northern Thailand dedicated to assisting families and individuals who are refugees from Burma and members of minority groups of Thailand. They not only provide education in Thai, English, Shan and Burmese languages and the arts but also house a community resource center with information on where to find valuable resources for people in need.  They run the popular Free Bird Cafe and all proceeds go back into the project.

CBT Network: Uses tourism to improve communities throughout Northern Thailand. Volunteers, referred to as guests by the website, will have an opportunity to experience and learn about the community and the environment through fun, “hands-on” activities led by local community guides. These activities include things such as jungle trekking, traditional fishing, natural dyeing and learning to cook local dishes. Local members of the community manage the groups of volunteers.

Arts

Art Relief International: Offers struggling social groups in Chiang Mai the opportunity to express themselves through an artistic lens. Volunteers support almost every aspect of the organisation, working as grant-writers, office assistants, lesson plan developers, teachers, community artists, and everything inbetween. (Applications via Cultural Canvas Thailand).

Documentary Arts Asia. : Gallery and learning center seeks to advance visual literacy and support underrepresented documentary artists throughout Asia.

Art Speak. : Using art as a tool for underprivileged children and communities to express themselves; to transform and transcend their environment. Volunteers at Art Speak believe that something as simple as a colourful wall mural, a simple little painting on the wall, a communal playground with art randomly placed, a painted post box or dustbin can bring smiles and a sense of ownership to disadvantaged children and adults.  

Health

AIDS Network: Anantasiri Tennis Court 48/1 Chiang Mai-Lampang Superhighway Rd. – 053-222484, 053-222417

Empower: Ramingniwet Village 72/2 Thipphanet Rd. – 053-282504

Family Planning Northern Project: 200/3 Bamrungrat Rd. – 053-249406, 053-262859

Health & Development Networks: 22-22/1 Soi.1 Ratchapakinai Rd. –

North Net: 225/112 Moo 3, Ban Sinthana – 053-380566-7

Northern Development Foundation: 71/1 Moo 5, Suthep Rd. – 053-810623-4

Project HOPE Thailand: 248/28 Maneenopparat Rd., Sahasriphum Place – 053-404259

Sangha Metta Project: 103 Phrapokklao Rd. – 053-814405

Y.M.C.A.: 11 Soemsuk Rd. Soi Mengrairatsami – 053-221819-20

Rain Tree Foundation: Helping the poor in Thailand is on education, water projects and community projects. Long, mid and short term volunteers are required all year round to help out by teaching English, farming, building and with arts and crafts, music and drama and sports activities.

Foundation To Encourage The Potential Of Disabled Persons: Promotes the health, education, employment, and dignity of disabled people in northern Thailand, self-funded, skilled volunteers are sought to help with their aims. At the time of writing the foundation is looking for physical or occupational therapists, Thai to English translators, qualified medical nurses and welders.

Atma Seva: A cultural exchange programme where participants have the opportunity to live and teach English to Buddhist monks in northern Thailand. Fees, covering meals and lodging at either a Buddhist temple or home-stay, range from $700 for one week to $2400 for three months. A no fee volunteer option, suitable for people already in northern Thailand, is also offered.

Nextstep Thailand: An eco-tourism business that arranges volunteer teaching in Karen villages near Chiang Mai.

The Chai Lai Orchid: This nature retreat nestled in the mountains near Chiang Mai is also a social business that works to promote sustainable tourism, kindness to elephants and helping at-risk women take the first step to get out of poverty. English teachers, doctors and nurses and creative are sought.

Warm Heart Foundation: Serving a rural village in the Phrao Valley in northern Thailand, 89 kilometres from Chiang Mai, the Warm Heart Foundation posts numerous positions on their website including writers, managers, farm workers, fashion designers and physical therapists.

Housing

Habitat for Humanity: HfH works across the world, including in Chiang Mai and Thailand, to provide decent housing to people on low incomes. To date, they have built, repaired and rehabilitated over 8,800 houses across the country.

Panya Project: A natural building education center, which focuses on teaching individuals how to create and maintain sustainable homes. To create these homes, they use all natural materials, advertising on their website that a lot of their time is spent “playing with mud.” Volunteers and visitors are welcome, though they do require quite a bit of advanced notice because a lot of their time is also spent hosting schools and other large groups. Volunteers live on the premises and help to educate as well as to construct sustainable homes.

Animals

Care for Dogs: Grooming, walking, playing with the dogs, vet runs, administrative work or helping at fundraising events are some of the tasks undertaken by volunteer staff. CDF can help with arranging accommodation locally starting at 200 baht.   

Lanna Dog Welfare: Dog lovers are welcome to help with field sterilization, learn how to train and catch dogs, produce hand made products for sale and with fundraising activities..

Santisook Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation: Santisook need volunteers to help run their shelter for homeless dogs. Tasks range from giving the dogs a hug to selling merchandise at Chiang Mai’s Saturday Walking Market.

Save Elephant Foundation: Two projects are offered by Save Elephant Foundation to those wanting to get up close to these magnificent creatures. In the first volunteers pay 12,000 baht per week to enjoy up-close and intimate interactions with the 30+ elephants of the herd at Elephant Nature Park. The second programme, called Journey to Freedom, is more physically demanding and encourages Karen villagers to stop leasing their elephants to trekking camps and return them to the jungles of Northern Thailand. This programme costs 15,000 baht and is available from October to June

Elephant Nature Park: An elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre in Northern Thailand where you can volunteer and visit to help. The programmes and costs are the same as those offered by Save Elephant Foundation. There are so many volunteer opportunities with this organization that to list them here would take up way too much space! A few examples include work with a Dog Rescue Project, a specialized Vet Volunteer Project as well as group and class visits that can last for as little as a day and as long as 4 weeks.

Wildlife1. : A nonprofit organization dedicated to monitoring and preventing illegal wildlife trade and deal with conservation issues throughout Asia. Volunteers can stay at the beautiful wildlife rescue sanctuary in Chiang Dao, where free room and board is exchanged for dedicated volunteer work building shelters, caring for endangered animals, gardening, cleaning and other daily tasks.

Chiang Mai Zoo: While looking on the Chiang Mai Zoo’s website the other day to see if they have pandas I not only found out that they do, but that they hire volunteer panda keepers. Volunteers must pay 5,000 baht, not including accommodation and meals, to work as a keeper for two days on Thursday and Friday or Saturday and Sunday.

Organic Farms & Sustainable Living

Sangob Foundation: There are two ways to get involved with Sangob, a sustainable living and permaculture project in Mae Taeng near Chiang Mai. Volunteers stay a minimum of one week and will learn composting, planting, mulching and taking care of the animals. Volunteer contribute 2,500 baht for the first week and 300 baht per additional day towards accommodation and three vegetarian meals a day. There are also a limited number of intern positions lasting over six months.

Panya Project: Though shorter visits are possible, volunteers are encouraged to stay for two weeks or longer to get used to the Panya way of life and be more effective in your stay. A 2000 baht contribution is welcomed for a one week stay, with 250 baht expected each day after, falling to 125 baht per day after a month. Full time paid management positions are also advertised on their site.

Baan Raska: Meaning Happy Healing Home in Thai, Baan Raska is a sustainable living project run by Jim, a Buddhist monk for 16 years and his wife Tea Kumsrisom who own the ten acres of the organic farm. In exchange for three or four hours’ work and a contribution of 150 baht a day they can offer you three meals, clean drinking water straight from the mountains, a private hut or a bed in the dorm.

Pun Pun Center for Self Reliance: A small organic farm, seed saving centre and sustainable living and learning centre. Volunteers help out with whatever work is happening seasonally, such as gardening, weeding, cooking or building, and are asked to contribute 350 baht per day.

Baan Rung Nok: Ryan, a ginger wine brewing photographer and Non, a natural builder, accept volunteers for Baan Rung nok (meaning Birds Nest House in English) via the WWOOF network.

Mindful Farmers in Chiang Mai: Mindful Farmers are still at the early stage with their project and welcome energetic people to join them working on their farm, 75 kilometres to the nor th west of Chiang Mai. Food and basic accommodation is provided in return for your efforts and 150 baht per day.

Phrao Organic Farm: This small certified “Organic Thailand” orchard in Ampur Phrao, 100 kilometres north of Chiang Mai, grows a wide variety of tropical fruits including guava, longan, passion fruit, mango, rose apple, papaya, banana and jackfruits. They accept volunteers via WWOOF.

Dr Tui’s Organic Farm: The organic farm page of Dr Tui’s Bed and Breakfast is currently under construction but progress on the project and volunteer dates are sometimes given on their Facebook page.   

The Traidhos Three-Generation Community for Learning: There isn’t any information on volunteering on their site but Annie Allen’s article in the Chiang Mai Mail describes her time as a WWOOF volunteer in Mae Rim.

Green Net Organic Agriculture Center: Green Net is a Thai social enterprise working to link sustainable farmers and community enterprises with consumers. The centre employs a volunteer Organic Vegetable Seed Production/Processing Assistant. For a placement of one month volunteers are asked to contribute $200 toward food and lodging but this is waived for placements over two months.

Miscellaneous Volunteer Opportunities

Limeleaf Eco Lodge: This off-grid eco-lodge in the hills north of Chiang Mai recruits volunteers via Workaway (though none are needed until October 2013). Volunteers have a variety of options, including working with the Black Lahu hill tribe in the fields or in their village, building mud adobe house, making repairs, or helping the Limeleaf owners in running the camp..

Friends for Asia: Friends for Asia can place volunteers in varied short and long term volunteer projects in either Chiang Mai or Surat Thani. Volunteers can work at elephant camp, in an orphanage, teach English or take on medical or multi-media internships. Fees vary depending on the project.

Wildflower Home

The Best Friend Library

Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education

Thai Freedom House

Documentary Arts Asia

The Gate Theater

The Mirror Foundation

Peace in Burma Now

Helpful People

Avril, a Burmese American resident of Chiang Mai, can help with volunteer opportunities in Southeast Asia. She also administers the Team Chiang Mai Facebook page that often lists locally based volunteer work. A wealth of inexpensive volunteer options in Thailand can be found via VolunteerWorkThailand.org. And more at Free Volunteer Work Abroad.

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Yet despite all that, the streets are safe, clean and well lit, the roads well maintained, infrastructure is always being upgraded, and people are in a good mood 24×7.

Making money in Thailand is surprisingly easy because Thailand’s unemployment rate is 1%, everyone’s in a good mood,and the economy is growing at a steady 5-6%. Gross domestic product grew an impressive 19% last year. Much of that can be credited to the tremendous floods and the consequent rebuilding boom. But even so, the rate of growth surprised everyone. Experts had predicted growth to come in at 12–15% for the last quarter, but the resilient Thais blew that away. Here in Chiang Mai the signs are everywhere: building is booming and almost all of our hundreds of temples is on a major building or renovating tear. Exports are up, and so is domestic consumption. The ‘surprise’ part is probably attributable to the unofficial economy. Most Thai transactions are for cash, and almost all Thais have unreported income. When I rented a car last week, for example, the rental company refused my credit card and insisted on a cash deposit (only $170, on a brand new Toyota!).

After the USA, it’s fun to walk around in a booming economy. Normally happy Thais are now ecstatic. Everyone’s got a job, and everyone’s expecting bonuses. Friends who are hiring complain that most of the Thais who accept positions fail to show up on their scheduled first day – or ever! They’ve found better offers. Strangely, inflation has stayed low. I had an iced coffee, beef with noodles, and a large bottle of cold Singha beer yesterday for 134 Baht–$4.50. So… as the Aussies say, no worries! Here’s an Aussie video talking about exchanging money in Thailand:

And here’s more reading about money in Thailand:

• 7 Ways to Save Money Traveling in Thailand >> – Paper Planes – So we’ve covered the basic monthly expenses for living in the Land of Smiles and some surprising money sucks, now we’re on to how to save money in Thailand. While most things are very cheap, there are a few little ways to …
• Make Money while Living in Thailand for Expats | Thailand Expat … – Therefore, you will look for ways to make extra money in Thailand. This is especially true if you need to make money in your home country’s currency so that you can pay bills outside of Thailand. Thus, methods for earning …
• In Thailand Money comes first! – News from an Asia traveler – Read also: Credit card poker game in Thailand. Tags: ATM, ATM’s in Thailand, Money, Money in Thailand, Thailand · *. Home In Bangkok is an independent website that helps you find your perfect new “Home” in Bangkok.
• Cost of Living in Thailand: 1. Food | Understanding Thailand – Thailand’s culture, history, and present reality (by Godfree Roberts)
• 3 Simple Ways to Earn Money and make a living in Thailand … – Three easy ways for Foreigners to Earn an Income whilst Living in Thailand. With the western world deep in recession, lots of people losing their jobs and homes, there tends to be an air of doom and gloom amongst the …
• Travel in Thailand advice and information | TTN – Thailand Travel … – Before choosing the right time of year for a trip to Thailand, beginning with choosing the right airline that will offer the best prices. Use search engines and travel agency available on the website Thebestofthailand. The number …
• Travel Scam Asia Story And 5 Top Tips | engagingthailandtips Blog – Travel is such a marvellous thing and to open my eyes and learn the cultures and traditions of another people is of great interest to me. However whether a traveller or a tourist the one thing that must be paramount when …

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A British friend who’s making money in Thailand by managing Chiang Mai’s swankest private hotel told me he’s “a slave to TripAdvisor”: as soon as he wakes he checks TripAdvisor. A bad review can wreck months of hard work. You, too, can be such a slave…

May 10, 2016: Several of you have emailed to say you’re interested in local businesses so we’ve been looking been looking for modestly-priced business opportunities around Chiang Mai. Here’s the first: a guesthouse. I haven’t vetted this place, don’t know the owner and receive no reward for bringing it to your attention (the same goes for real estate listings). For this job you would need some hospitality experience and trustworthy local help to audit the books and instruct you about the unique pitfalls of doing business in Thailand.

The financial requirements of this deal are: Deposit 500,000 baht and 120,000 baht monthly. In US dollars, that’s $14,000 and $3,500 monthly. Doesn’t look so bad when you convert it to familiar currency, does it? Term of the lease? Long-term. Sounds like it’s up to you and the landlord to negotiate the term. Location? Soi Rachamanka 3, right in the beating heart of the Old Town. Could hardly be  better. You can contact the owner at +66-(0)83-515-9988 or (0)87-972-9988. But read the rest of this post before you invest a penny…

Starting a Business in Thailand Can be Tricky

One factor that complicates starting a business in Thailand is that, under current law, foreigners and foreign businesses may only own a 49% stake in local companies. The current law forbids foreign majority ownership in sectors where Thai businesses are deemed not ready to compete with foreign companies. Businesses have circumvented restrictions by issuing preferred and common stock options, with preferred shares enjoying more voting rights. Now a draft law put forward by the Ministry of Commerce would restrict foreign firms from using preferred stock to retain control.
“This proposed change would have far-reaching ramifications that would affect thousands of existing firms here, big and small, and would certainly deter future foreign investment,” said Marcus Burtenshaw, executive director of real estate consultancy Knight Frank Thailand.
“My business is one that you can run from literally anywhere. We registered in Thailand because we like the lifestyle here,” said Chris Roberts, who did not provide his real name out of fear of a possible backlash. Roberts runs a small IT firm that specializes in software engineering. His company employs only four foreigners but has over 20 Thai staff. He says that while he has Thai partners who own the majority of the company, they do not have executive authority on the direction of the company. “If they’re going to make it difficult for me to run my business, then I have no problems about packing up and moving somewhere else.”
Resistance from foreign officials and businesses has prompted internal reviews and assurances from the Ministry of Commerce that any changes to the law would be made after consultations with all parties. A source from the ministry said that any changes are still preliminary and that all changes would have to go through both the legislative assembly and the cabinet – adding that compromises with foreign businesses could be made, as a reworked Foreign Business Act could allow foreigners to own a majority share in certain sectors including accountancy, legal services, architecture, engineering, brokerages, advertising, hotel operations, food and beverages and “other service businesses.” The ministry said some restrictions may be relaxed as a compromise for limiting the use of preferred stock options. Yet foreign companies say that is not enough.
“Imposing tighter restrictions would be seen and felt as a step backwards at a time when foreign direct investment levels are low and Thailand’s neighbours are becoming increasingly open for business,” said Burtenshaw.
The various chambers of commerce agree with such sentiments. When rumours circulated about the proposed changes, the American Chamber of Commerce quickly pointed out that the last time such restrictions were discussed in 2007, the stock market dropped 15 per cent in one day as a result.
Stanley Kang, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce, said erecting more protectionist barriers would be going against the tide of increasingly freer trade.
“With the ASEAN Economic Community due to be implemented next year, there is going to be more competition in the region, so we want to see more liberalization of the economy.”
Sources within the Ministry of Commerce said the committee overseeing the draft law is resolute in the belief that it is vital to protect Thai interests.
“To them, this is not about chasing away foreign businesses but protecting Thai ones. More transparency and fewer loopholes can only be a good thing,” one official said on condition of anonymity.
For others, however, the proposed changes come at a bad time. As Thailand’s economy slowly recovers from a decade of political instability and the world comes to grips with the country’s new military government, any changes that rock the boat could only worsen the situation.
“Thailand faces a choice,” British Ambassador Mark Kent wrote in a blog post circulated by the British Chamber of Commerce.
“It can choose to seize the initiative again and make itself the most attractive destination for foreign investment … or it can choose a different path.”

A Thai Startup: Richard’s Cosmetic Business

Richard Berry is launching a new cosmetics business in Chiang Rai, Thailand, about 3 hours north of Chiang Mai, near the Myanmar border. I’ll be following the progress of Richard and his partner, Uwie, over the coming months a posting videos of each stage of their adventure. Here’s some of what he had to say, based on his progress to date:

Me: so, if you’re thinking of doing business here, what are some of the things to do before you commit?

Richard: Okay. Buy Thailand Fever, the book. And by the way, it’ll give you a little bit of insight into how the Thais think differently. You have to understand that their thought process is their actual mentation is based on the five precepts, and an animus society is very, very different from the way we think in the west. The language, okay, we think if you speak the same language. It’s very different. So the key factors that have helped me, and while our business isn’t open yet, we’ve got the product produced, is to find a farang who’s successful in business, who doesn’t moan about the Thais, also, somebody who accepts the culture is very important. Someone who’s not got a business who battles with the Thais. So find someone who accepts the Thai way of life, who’s successful, and go and talk to them. And they’ll always be happy to impart their information to you. So that’s the key factor. You will not learn it from books. You will not learn it on YouTube or any videos. You need to talk to somebody who’s set up businesses out here, and that’s what’s helped me. That’s the key factor.

What about language?

I can get by with basic Thai, and every single new word I’ve learned has made it easier, and you’ll get more respect from the Thais you deal with. So I would say, if you’ve got a predisposition towards learning, and I haven’t really, and even if you haven’t learned the language, go to school. Learn from books. The best book ever is by James Higbie, called Essential Thai Grammar, I think, or the Fundamentals of Thai Grammar, big thick book like this. No one’s ever come near learning from a book, but you need to go to learn lessons, to get the pronunciation right. If you can learn the script, it’s a phonetic language, so if you learn the script, you cannot pronounce it incorrectly. So that would help a lot, and of course you won’t have the wool pulled over your eyes. You’ll get to understand a little bit, and you’ll get so much respect from your Thai business partners and the Thais you deal with in the street. They love it.

Further Reading

How can you do better than to read the classic, Making Money in Thailand?  It describes 22 ways that Westerners who retire in Thailand can (and DO) make extra income. From legal employment to buying a business to starting one. Covers budgets, profit margins, on-line and off-line businesses, visas, legalities, business culture, import and export, and a range of stories and videos by and about Thai expats making extra money,  and more.

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