D1 to D30 on Pearl of the South

D1 to D5: Flat / Bungalow / Condo hunting.

After visiting most of the places where there was a sign ‘for rent’ in the street and every estate agents in Rawai area, I started to have a feel of what I could get for my budget. Simultaneously, I was reading the newspapers to find out about the safe area to live and the one to avoid on the entire island. ‘Rawai (South tip of Phuket) is Phuket’s Beverly Hills’ says an American Estate agent. Some tourists come here for one year at a time or some for 6 months per year. Those tourists had already booked all the best and cheaper places in Rawai. After 3 days, I started to search on line and this is how I found a brand new condo in Phuket town (WIFI, cable, gym and 25m long swimming pool, CCTV camera and security 24H all inclusive) below my set budget!

OK, I have to share all my experiences, including the ‘not so lucky ones’.

On my way to visit this condo, I also got my first driving ticket (£10).  I had left my driving licence in my room and my helmet was hanging on my motorbike. I was not the only one. Thai and mainly expats were queuing to pay the police officers. After that I found out that a team of police officers come in that expats area in the morning at the same place every two or three days. Thai ladies joke on this and say that they the police officers have a nap in the afternoon and spend the morning earned money in bars in the night.

D6 to D10: Five remaining days in Dacha Resort.

I did hang out with expats also called ‘farang’ (foreigner) working on the island, newly arrived expats and a Thai person who lived more than 20 years in Denmark and had just open a resort. Beside that, beach time and plenty of ‘art gallery’ time.

D10 to D15: Move to Phuket town / Installation / Getting my ‘mailed’ boxes.

Although I had free WIFI in the resort, a private bungalow with terrace view on the garden (£20/day), the general resort and Rawai atmosphere was not conducive to work on my various projects. My condo is.

To get my mailed boxes from Heathrow, it took me a day of patience, waiting, paying. As if I did not pay enough at Heathrow. I was well informed about the procedure though and the fees… And to get my boxes mailed from Bethnal Green post office, it took me another day of arguing, negotiating and investigation. I spare you the details. The most important is that nothing was lost, damaged or stolen.  Actually I’m still truly amazed that I got everything I have sent here….

D15 to D20: Getting information / Finding work and advices 

I started getting advices/warnings etc…. from expats living from 5 to 20 years or more in Thailand through LinkedIn. 

A German Estate agent advised me to contact a specific lawyer (on my second day in Phuket). I felt I should follow his advice but then I decided to wait and ‘hear’ what the others expats are saying on LinkedIn.

For an expat to get work in Thailand, there are 2 options. Option 1: Finding an open position (usually a 9 to 5 job), getting hired and the Company is getting the working permit. Option 2: Creating a Company which entails that the ‘farang’ is prepared to follow Thai rules and regulation and all what comes with it. Option 1 was easier in the past years. Option 2 need to be approached with caution. In my field though, there is a demand of Yoga teachers in Spa and Resorts no matter what any expats is trying to tell me on LinkedIn.

D20 to D25 : ’Procedure’ to get own working permit? Further advices / Socialising.

By applying to Yoga centres and Healing centres on Phuket, I found an American person who was trying to sell me a ‘Yoga & Meditation & Retreat business’. He was selling the multiple websites (not the place that he was renting). I later found out that it is common practice here in Thailand to take over someone business. It is actually easier to get a business going when it is already registered and all there is to do is changing the names. (Budget is around £1000). A lot of expats rush into creating a Company and starting a business. Later they realise that they can not comply with the financial ‘obligation’.

On D23, with all the advices/ warnings from experiences professionals and expats actually running a business here, I contacted a lawyer to get free advices over the phone. The budget, she announced to me for the full procedure (Business visa, working permit, setting up Company) is slightly above what I had heard (an extra of £200). Budget: £1000 and to get the business visa, I would need to go abroad (2 days job).

In the meantime, I also started to link with ‘farang’ on expat blog and I also discovered a fully organised network of ladies on Phuket and other area in Thailand (Events and Group of interests included).  They are many websites to link with expats, I still need to discover them.

D26 to D30: Decision / New directions / New projects.

On D26, I finally conclude that setting up a Company in Thailand is not an option for our circumstances. It is an easier option for a mixed couple like Thai - English for example. Still the financial monthly commitments are tough to satisfy the working regulations.

It is not so much setting up a business in Thailand that proves difficult, it’s all the expenses associated with running a business on a monthly basis that can get difficult. To consider also is tax on profits, gross earnings/profits, and VAT. The hardest bit is to show enough profit to satisfy the country giving the ‘farang’ a work permit and allow him/her to continue working legally in Thailand. Most of the time, after having setting the Company with the Thai share it involves, a ‘farang’  would need to hire 4 Thai in the Company which obviously he/she would have to pay monthly and all what comes with it.

Does this explain why eating French or Italian cost four to five (sometimes ten times) the price of eating Thai? (ie: one basic pizza, one glass of wine, one desert: £20)

D27. Considering that working for the government is speeding up the process of getting a working permit while applying in Spa and Resorts, I’m going to apply in schools, hospitals and prisons. I created a tracking table not to lose track of where I applied in the Spa and Resort, they are so many of them. Simultaneously, I’m informing myself in which country in Asia it would be easier for me to run a business. My situation is: 2 expats and may be more who want to join us. Cambodia? Malaysia? Vietnam? Any comments, advices are welcome!

D28. I still bought the book called: ‘How to establish a successful Business in Thailand? I was curious and I started to read it immediately. Highly helpful advices any way…I need to buy the one called: ‘How to establish a successful Business abroad?’ as it was sold out in the shop.

D29. Next week, some expats girls are organising a motorbike tour on the island and I have a spa afternoon planned by another group of ‘farang’ in Patong. So I bought a higher quality helmet as safety measure. I also try to avoid driving at ‘Peak driving time’. Having a good helmet helps with the concentration while driving as it takes away a lot of the traffic noise and the sun which can get highly disruptive and tiring.

By announcing on LinkedIn, my decision of not going forward for creating a Company in Thailand, I received an offer to work in a Spa & Resort in Bangkok! ‘Would you like to be freelance? Is what read in the mail. *smile*. I also received further advices on where there are more chances to find an opportunity for me on Phuket!!! I’m amazed…it feels like working at the European Medicines Agency. (This is where I used to work). There is always someone ready to share a relevant information.

 D30: After my Yoga practice, to cheer me up, after those long days of working behind my laptop, I  went shopping in one of the most fancy shopping centre there is around. I took an appointment at the hair dresser for the following day, had lunch in wonderful Japanese restaurant. (It is my third time in that same restaurant where I have a customer card already: Fuji). By the way it is so easy to eat healthy here. The food is divine. I’m starting a detox phase.  While consulting my mails, back home, I got a phone call from a Resort where I had sent my CV. The news are: I will have my very first interview. This is the place: http://www.theparadise.biz/rooms

I have been jumping up and down like a little girl in my living room after the conversation with this Australian manager. I went swimming to calm myself down…Nore, do I know the terms and conditions neither am I hired yet…still it is a big step forward. What a coincidence today, the day I’m due to send this newsletter. Well to find out if I was hired or not you will need to wait for the news next month or call me on Skype: ‘lefebvresar’.

Beside what would highly interest me is to teach, even one class per week, in a prison. Crime rate has increased dramatically says the Phuket local newspaper and prisons are full, I read…this is another interest of mine which I did specify on my CV.

Thank you for reading this letter and thank you for keeping in touch!

With warm regards from Pearl of the South,

Marie-France

Web: http://www.consciousliving.eu/ (In September 2011 the project was on hold)

Skype: lefebvresar