Perhaps you’re sitting beneath wavering palms on a sweep of tropical coastline, laptop perched on your knees, a fresh coconut within easy grabbing distance. Perhaps you’re sitting in an office in rain-drenched Boston or Birmingham. Perhaps you’re at home in a dim room, bathing only in the glow of your computer screen.
Either way, the decision has been made. The existential angst has been dealt with. Friends and family have been notified. For better or worse, you are committed to working in Thailand.
The first question that needs answering is a deceptively simple one.
What can you do?
Or perhaps more accurately—what can you do that Thailand needs done?
After all, this is a two-way deal. Thailand is a sovereign nation, not a charity. If you want to work here, you have to have something to offer Thailand. What can you bring to the country that would make it worth feeding you, housing you, and supporting you financially?
As was said earlier, this is a deceptively simple question. Lawyer? Hairdresser? Auctioneer? Maker of lacquerware? Professional cigarette hand-roller? We’ve got bad news for you—Thailand doesn’t want you. It’s nothing personal. They’re sure you’re a lovely person. You’re certainly welcome to pop in for a holiday anytime.
It just so happens that your job falls under the staggeringly long list of “Occupations and Professions Prohibited for Foreign Workers,” as published by the Thai Ministry of Labor, copies of which can be scrounged up fairly easily online (such as at the Ministry’s official website). 2 A few more examples of restricted positions include:
Some of you may be reacting with some degree of consternation at the moment. You may be wondering how the Thai authorities could be so misguided as to not want your ace knife-making skills. Again, it’s nothing personal. Rest assured, there are reasons. You may disagree with some of those reasons, but they are what they are.
Some of you may even be reacting with furious disbelief. “I know a guy who’s been working as a tour guide here for ten years!” you may well cry, slamming down your coconut. Well, we’re not disputing that there are employed foreigners out there who exist in a—shall we say—grey area of the law. In Thailand, the law tends to be a little more fluid and open to interpretation than in Western countries. There are no doubt reams of information on blogs and forums for how to get involved in those jobs, and if it’s your intent to acquire one of them, we suggest closing this book immediately and seeking them out. This book will not be a How To on breaking Thai law.
So what positions are available to you?
Traditionally, the last resort of the cash-strapped backpacker scoundrel hoping to extend his stay in Thailand was to either don a necktie and proclaim himself an English teacher, or don a wetsuit and proclaim himself a diving instructor. Times have changed, however. The ease of communication that the internet allows has created a veritable banquet of opportunities, from web design to public relations, online marketing to coaching and consulting. All it takes is a little tech-savvy and a decent internet connection. The old traditional fallback of teaching is still available, of course—but whereas in the past it represented a clear dead-end on the career path, for anyone with the gumption to put the work in, gain the experience, and complete some of the many recognized international online teaching qualifications out there, a cushy well-paid position at an international school—and beyond—awaits.
Finally, for those pursuing a more traditional career-path, there are the big multinational companies. Thailand is more than just beaches and buckets of weak rum—Bangkok is a major financial node in the global economy, and Proctor and Gamble, Citibank et al are all present and potentially hiring.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to go about obtaining these jobs, let’s answer a few burning questions.