BKKSTAN wrote:I know a couple of individuals that have bought old properties and fixed them up fo resale!As a matter of fact,the reason I moved to Nong Khai was because of one of these individuals telling me about his experience and the lack of problems in doing so even though it was illegal!

I am not quite sure that it is illegal for someone to work on their own property or fix up their own property, providing that one is either occupying the house or planning to occupy the house when the work is finished.

If one is living in one house, fixing up another house and then putting up that house for sale when completed, then that would be illegal.

In short, I do believe that it is possible to "split hairs" so to speak on this particular issue.

There used to be a time in Europe when people used this law to fix old houses in europe with cheap east european labor.
People bought the houses and "rented" the houses to Polish or Russians.
These east european workers (renters) renovated the house!!!!
(don't know if they are still doing that. I think not because of the expansion of the EU)

ntvillas can help you on the renovations,he is builder you know.

I agree with Doc (for a change)
Nobody will be put in the slammer for improving their own property themselves, however if you are doing it as a business (so to speak) then it will be viewed differently . And incidentally, dont expect to get the sort of return on home improvements as you do in the west. Those 100% profit margins back in the home countries are what dreams are made of here. You might not even get your investment part back. This is the real world !

Mr Ntvillas2, you do have a bad habit of racking down on Thailand and Thais. Why stay in a place there you are surrounded by plain idiots, Asian or Caucasian?

Take my advice, pack-up and move to a country there the inhabitants match your intelligence and class.. You might even find a place there they can build a house to your specifications!

2 individuals in Bangkok,1 swede and 1 Scot were arrested for painting their own house and the Scot for building his own wall,while I lived in Bangkok!The Scot was deported and the Swede warned and fined!The Scot ,I had met and had some small talk prior to his arrest,The Swede was a friend of a friend!

It may have happened Stan - but I think that up here that would not happen.

Essentially, what they were saying is that if you have money as a falang, you can not do anything, but have to hire a Thai to do the job for you. Just doesn't make much sense to me.

I know plenty of falangs that have made improvements to their houses without any problems at all here in Udon.

Maybe things were different back when you were in BKK - or maybe things have changed since then. Don't know.

Next we will be hearing how someone was arrested for doing their own ironing or making their own coffee or driving the car themselves

I think we have to keep it real.

Paul wrote:Next we will be hearing how someone was arrested for doing their own ironing or making their own coffee or driving the car themselves

I think we have to keep it real.

Technically,I guess the gov't could use those as chargeable offenses I don't know!But the 2 incidents I reported were real,especially to the guys charged

It is a topic that started for me from my first and second trips to Thailand!As my initial reason for coming here was to open a resturant /bar on Koh Chang!Luckily for me,not for one of the guys,2 falangs had negative experiences that I was privy to on my second trip that greatly influenced my decision to not open a business!
It was quite real to the young Frenchman that had a sizeable investment in his business,when he was arrested and deported for doing some legitimate business practice needs to grow a business,even though he had about 10 Thai employees.When you hurt the interests of Thai competitors,especially influential Thais and combine that with a Xenophobic enforcement official,it is REAL
I believe that everyone should have the benefit of others experiences as awareness might help them plan better and prevent a problem from naiveity or ignorance

Well for what it is worth, I paint my own walls, fix up my leaks and designed and installed my comprehensive water system, as for working on your own house I cannot see how that is illegal, I do feel that there might be more to the story about the farangs in BKK.

You definitely cannot work in a shop/bar etc serving customers it is viewed as taking a job a Thjai can do, as for electricans and the like if you fix your problem they still have a job but not with you of course.

The law is meant to stop foreigners from taking jobs Thais can do, however it does not say how good they are supposed to be, therein lies the problem, Thai standards are not in many cases as high as ours and their work ethics are very low, however in many cases they manage to do their tasks with a modicum of success, my house was built 16 years ago and is only now starting to show age in very small places that can be easily rectified.
Build they certainly can, make they certainly can do that , it is the maintainance and other tasks they fall down on.
me I like working on my house and garden, if i cannot do that I would go gaga.

"I do feel that there might be more to the story about the farangs in BKK.("Quote Khun Paul)"

Some years ago. I built a small farmhouse. Done all of it except the roof(Scared heights).Made new concrete drive way outside house,No one ever complained!
These lads maybe mouthed off or something You know Thais dont like farang make them lose face!

I have never heard of anyone in this area being hassled for doing work on their own possessions!

I also believe the law is designed to prevent falangs from taking jobs that Thais do,not meant to prevent us from taking care of our own!But in Thailand,laws are unevenly enforced,used to intimidate and extort and sometimes made up by an authority to use for their purpose!As falangs we can be put to a strong disadvantage even for protesting at the time of the incurrence!

My experience and observations ,while a fulltime resident of bangkok,was that the police had one thing in mind when dealing with falangs and it had nothing to do with ''protect and serve''.The abuse of their power can be very disconcerting and make one realize that we are nearly powerless!

Although,many falangs are involved in their bars/resturants illegally in this area,their does not seem to be a desire to enforce these laws.But different areas of the country have a different attitude and one should always be aware of the environment they are in at the time!
I actually checked out this area and eventually moved to Nong Khai 5 years ago because I met a Kiwi from Nong Khai that told me about the difference in attitude of the police in this area!

Please be aware that Khun Paul has picked up/posted on a thread 2 years old here.

Just for the record,I noticed for some time now, there is a Italian looking type farang working in the centre there.Kind of restaurant serving up snacks.
Been there few years I think.Maybe serves up"Tea" for the BIB?

Morti, I believe I know the fellow you're talking about. He's actually from Turkey and I believe he's a legal immigrant to Thailand... thus he's allow to work.