Most people who come to Thailand have a really good time. So much so that they start to think of ways that they could live here on a permanent or long-term basis. The thing is that as a tourist you are spending money in a different way then you would back in your country where you have responsibilities and a budget. In this article I wanted to share with you the 3 realistic ways you can make money in Thailand as a foreigner:
- Employment & Freelance Jobs
- Making money online (Blogging, Selling products, Marketing)
- Buy a business
And in today’s online world there are more people looking to pick #2 on that list. Working online can be highly rewarding, but it isn’t exactly easy to start. You have to put in a ton of time and effort until you finally figure out what works with you. However, if you get it to work it can be rewarding and give you so much freedom to do work when you want.
The bottom line is that you need to get into a field where you really know what you are talking about and producing quality content. The online world is highly competitive these days. But this is great sign, it means there is potential to make money.
Are you serious about living in Thailand ?
If you are like I was when I first came to Thailand then you need to start thinking or planning ways to make income here. Foreigners sometimes have different standards when it comes to lifestyle, and in order to maintain that you will need to make money – to have a comfortable life while living in Thailand.
Before even going farther into this topic let’s get something out of the way now. You will need some type of long-term Visa if you plan to live in Thailand and make money. You could risk it and try it on a tourist Visa, but there is a high chance the Department of Labor will find out and they can arrest you and charge you for working in the country when you are not permitted to. If you are planning to work for someone else in Thailand then the employer usually gives you a Business Visa. This basically means that for the time that you are working for that company you are allowed to stay in the country. The other way some guys do it is to purchase a business and thus opening up their own Thai company. I know quite a few foreigners that have done this and is the most common I have seen.
Another way is to get a Student Visa. This of course is only if you are actually a student and plan on studying here. Another way is to do border runs when your tourist Visa is about to expire. Upon returning to the country the immigration officer stamps you with a new tourist Visa permitting you to stay in the country until it expires again. This was the “old school” way of doing it but recently it has gotten a bit harder to do. Immigration will not give you a Visa if they see you have too many exit/entry stamps for a tourist Visa. They will suspect what you are doing and might not permit you to enter the country. The best way to overcome this is to actually stay in neighboring countries for longer periods and then return to Thailand. For example, maybe you could stay in the Philippines for a few weeks, then go Cambodia for another couple of weeks and then return. The whole point is that people usually do these thinigs to make it look like they are a travelling tourist and not exiting and returning just for sake of another Visa stamp. I am not advocating you should do this, but letting you know what really goes on.
Once you get the Visa situation out of the way you can start with attempting to make money. The best 3 ways to make money in Thailand are:
1. Apply for employment or freelance type jobs
Basically this means that someone is paying you to do a job for them or you are working for a business/company. Many foreigners planning on living in Thailand apply for jobs such as office work, consulting, teaching English. The amount you can get for these jobs really varies. I know guys here that speak Thai very well and they work in really good companies getting paid salaries in the same range as back home. I also know people in Thailand with less paying jobs such as teachers. Although they don’t make that much money, they are still happy as the lifestyle here is less costly and you can get away with making less money but still having a fun social life.
Live Comfortably For Less
This is the one thing that really is impressive about Thailand: You can still live a comfortable and fun life without spending that much money. This is something that is nearly impossible to do in other “western” type countries. The cost of living is too high for the amount of entertainment you can get in return. Bangkok has a pretty good economy with many international companies. If you are educated with a good resume AND can speak some Thai then it is highly likely you can find a job in Thailand if you try.
Freelance Jobs such as taking DJ gigs, music production, or side jobs are possible too and they are considered freelance work. For example, if you are a well-groomed person with good social skills and are a good at being a DJ then chances are if you look around at the foreign oriented places you can land some gigs or at the very least get some valuable connections.
My point is that the way that you present yourself here can take you far — being a foreigner. But it is the same concept: you are working for someone else and they will pay you in return.
2. Make Money Online in Thailand
As I mentioned before, in this day in age making money online is easier than it once was possible. Technology has gotten better and many businesses can be done from just your laptop and an internet connection. Blog advertising, affiliate sales and marketing, web designing, buying and selling things online are all viable options to make money. In Thailand it is just a matter of having the drive and knowledge to set things up properly and building your connections or target clients.
3. Buy or Start Your Own Business
You would surprised how many foreigners simply come and buy a business here to make money and live in Thailand permanently. This of course becomes a much easier decision if you have met a nice Thai girlfriend or wife. You can live a nice and comfortable life while owning your own business. This approach has some major benefits (and downsides which I will tell you next). It is like killing 3 birds with the same stone. 1) You will open up your Thai company and you can get a Business Visa which allows you to stay in the country. 2) If you are buying a business which already is making money then you can have some assurance of guaranteed income. 3) And finally, you will be working for yourself, and be your own boss. If done right, this method is a great way to go about making money in Thailand. But you need to have some experience in business and know what you are doing. The problem is that many inexperienced guys try to buy or start a business with only making money in mind. Without any knowledge of what to do or how to make a business grow. Don’t forget that you will be in a foreign country, with different personality types. Corruption and a unstable economy (high season/low season) are real issues you can encounter.
Take Smart Risks
I only recommend trying this if you have enough money to risk what you can be bothered to lose. In other words, don’t bring your life savings and attempt this. The guys I have seen do this type of stuff are either pretty well off financially and can afford to take some risks and stay afloat during low season. They are guys that have a lot of experience in business, and they know what they are doing. Lastly, my advice is to always think about everything thoroughly before attempting something like this. You need to do something that you are comfortable with or at least have passion for. Look at things in a worse case scenario and in a best case scenario and then make the best decision for yourself. Listen to your gut it usually is right, and if you have doubts about anything take a few steps back and try a different approach. The most important thing is your own well-being and life. Jump to:
