I want to hire a Personal Assistant in my home office.

[bruce_nyc]

Hi, Gang. Long time no see... I live in Bangkok now, and my 2 boyfriends and I live here together. So much to tell you all, I could fill a couple volumes or more...

But the reason I'm posting this topic is.... I want to hire a Personal Assistant... in my home office.

Does anyone have any tips or advice about: how to find someone (in Bangkok) who has a great work ethic, speaks English well, and is smart.

Also, are there any legal obstacles I need to be aware of...? Solutions?

[bucknaway]

What you may need is a Mamasan =))

Good to see you active on the boards :)

Also, are there any legal obstacles I need to be aware of...? Solutions?You're legally able to hire office labour that is you have work permit and an appropriate visa status? Surely you should be asking a legal company with expertise in this area such as Sunbelt or Siam Legal rather than a bunch of sex tourists, English "teachers" and clapped out retirees?

[bruce_nyc]

But I asked here.... and I got your excellent advise. Thanks for the tips and referrals. :)

I already interviewed and hired one..... He starts tomorrow morning at 8:00am..... so I'll get right on those legal details. Thanks.

[Manforallseasons]

[quote="bruce_nyc"]Hi, Gang. how to find someone (in Bangkok) who has a great work ethic, speaks English well, and is smart.

Does that leave out your 2 boyfriends?

[bruce_nyc]

Yes. Because (1) They are my boyfriends..... not my paid staff, and (2) They don't speak English well enough, and (3) They basically barely have any work ethic. More of a "shopping ethic". No news there.... eh?

Good news is: I hired a new PA already. Today was his first day. His English is nearly as good as mine. He has a very strong work ethic. He is happy to work long hours and 6 days a week. And the salary he asked for was significantly less than I was expecting to pay. This allows me to offer him raises and/or bonuses as he proves himself "invaluable". He's not Thai. He is Philippino.

Today was his first day. So far, it went very very well.

By the way, he doesn't speak a word of Thai. At first I thought that might be a disadvantage. However, now I think it's great. English will be spoken in my office at all times.... so I'll have a clue what is being discussed. English hasn't really been a handicap for me in dealing with stores etc in Thailand. Every store has at least one person that speaks enough English to explain the details of a transaction. In fact, I find it better when my boyfriends are NOT there..... because store clerks ways search for the Thai person and direct all communication to him. Then they have this huge long drawn out conversation.... where at the end, NO ONE bothers to tell me anything that was discussed. I have no idea what I just bought or conceded to!

With my new PA, they guess he is Thai and start speaking Thai to him..... which is always amusing.... until one or both of is say, "Sorry. We are not Thai. We only speak English.". Then they magically start speaking English ..... and I understand everything. It's awesome!

[MiniMee]

He is Philippino.

Great! So now not only do you need a work visa, but your PA does too!

There used to be a law that required a company to employ at least 6 Thais for each foreigner they employed. Does anyone know if that is stil the case?

[bruce_nyc]

I'll check with the law firm because we're not a business. He's a personal Personal Assistant. We are operating no business. It would be more similar to hiring a housekeeper for your personal residence. Do people create a Thai "company" just to hire a housekeeper...? I doubt it. But I'll let the lawyers tell me.

I was asking here mainly for ideas on how to find someone... but now that I have, I'm good.

[focusedinthai]

Bruce -

You are fine - don't worry - don't let these other 'do gooders' that think they know everything about Thai law try to influence you. The law states you are certainly permitted to work on your own, earning your own money, in your own home as long as you do not have a shop, or rent office space in a complex. There are actually an estimated 5,000 expats in Bangkok alone that work from home, earning their own income via either the Internet or a source out of Thailand. They live here because they enjoy it, but obviously need to earn a living. They are not 'taking a job from a Thai'. Your example of the housekeeper is a perfect example - what you do in your home stays in your home. Work away - Let your Filipino work away. Unless you expand into something bigger and start marketing in a store space or something, you just need a valid visa to remain in the country. PS - how do I know this? I have happily worked at home in Thailand for nearly 10 years. I have had several PA's over the years - some Thai and, yes, some Filipino. We are perfectly within the law to do so, and I have a lawyer that has confirmed this. Ask these other posters if they know what they are talking about, or if they are just spouting the rubbish that the 'so-called' experts are spouting on Thai Visa and other forums. I learned a long time ago not to list to Expats on Thai matters. Ask the Thai's - it is their country as all. People from Texas don't come to Thailand to ask Thai's how to ride a horse...

Cheers -

Jason


I'll check with the law firm because we're not a business. He's a personal Personal Assistant. We are operating no business. It would be more similar to hiring a housekeeper for your personal residence. Do people create a Thai "company" just to hire a housekeeper...? I doubt it. But I'll let the lawyers tell me.

I was asking here mainly for ideas on how to find someone... but now that I have, I'm good.

[billy2bs]

Maybe i am a bit naive but what do you want your PA to do for you. Just curious and nosy that is all.

I'll check with the law firm because we're not a business. He's a personal Personal Assistant. We are operating no business. It would be more similar to hiring a housekeeper for your personal residence. Do people create a Thai "company" just to hire a housekeeper...? I doubt it. But I'll let the lawyers tell me.

I was asking here mainly for ideas on how to find someone... but now that I have, I'm good.LOL. You're working, he's working. It's a business. He's not a domestic servant which is what a housekeeper is. You've got a home office, you're working. Doesn't matter that you don't draw a salary. Every foreigners doing voluntary work for charities in Thailand need an appropriate work permit.

You are fine - don't worry - don't let these other 'do gooders' that think they know everything about Thai law try to influence you. The law states you are certainly permitted to work on your own, earning your own money, in your own home as long as you do not have a shop, or rent office space in a complex. There are actually an estimated 5,000 expats in Bangkok alone that work from home, earning their own income via either the Internet or a source out of Thailand. They live here because they enjoy it, but obviously need to earn a living. They are not 'taking a job from a Thai'. Your example of the housekeeper is a perfect example - what you do in your home stays in your home. Work away - Let your Filipino work away. Unless you expand into something bigger and start marketing in a store space or something, you just need a valid visa to remain in the country. PS - how do I know this? I have happily worked at home in Thailand for nearly 10 years. I have had several PA's over the years - some Thai and, yes, some Filipino. We are perfectly within the law to do so, and I have a lawyer that has confirmed this. Ask these other posters if they know what they are talking about, or if they are just spouting the rubbish that the 'so-called' experts are spouting on Thai Visa and other forums. I learned a long time ago not to list to Expats on Thai matters. Ask the Thai's - it is their country as all. Good luck with your lawyer's opinion when you annoy one of the neighbours sufficiently that they complain to their friend who's a Big Man in the Dept of Labour about "farang in my street working from home, does he have work permit?"

It's a very useful technique back home by the way, I've successfully put the IRS or quivalent onto some of my neighbours who have annoyed me to their considerable grief.

[lukylok]

It's a very useful technique back home by the way, I've successfully put the IRS or quivalent onto some of my neighbours who have annoyed me to their considerable grief.

What a nice man you are ! In other times you would have been friends with the Gestapo or the NKVD.

There is a huge career for you in any dictatorial regime.... :ymsick: :ymsick:

[bruce_nyc]

LOL. You're working, he's working. It's a business. He's not a domestic servant which is what a housekeeper is. You've got a home office, you're working. Doesn't matter that you don't draw a salary. Every foreigners doing voluntary work for charities in Thailand need an appropriate work permit.

If I were cleaning my own toilet, or washing my own dishes, or balancing my own checkbook.... I would consider that "work" too.... so I suppose, by your definition, I need a work permit to do any of those things? If I watch some of these Thai soap operas, that could even qualify as "working"... lol


Maybe i am a bit naive but what do you want your PA to do for you. Just curious and nosy that is all.

A hundred things... Shopping, handling deliveries, errands, problems with customer service, maintenance issues, emails, making phone calls, researching things for me, handling my calendar and scheduling, a bunch of little projects, you name it...

[focusedinthai]

Your line of reasoning and is quite bizarre. According to you, anytime a person travels to Thailand on a holiday and they check their company email on the computer - oops - work permit violation. You cannot work in Thailand! Give me a break - this type of nonsensical posting has been circulating on 'faring' forums for years. Again - no basis in reality. If you are working in YOUR home on jobs that have nothing to do with Thailand and you aren't not operating in Thailand, it is not only legal, but it is part of life. Have you ever traveled to another country and done any type of work on the computer? Were you concerned about violated employment laws? Volunteer work is different, as you are out and about performing duties IN THAILAND. Personal assistants are different - they are performing duties FOR YOU - not for a company in Thailand - just like a housekeeper. So, yes, a housekeeper falls into the same category. For another thing - why are you so worried about this anyway? This posting started out by Bruce mentioning his need to a personal assistant. If you had nothing to add, why even bother spouting this work permit nonsense? I am actually quite sad for you if you have to spend you days trying to get the IRS to go after your neighbors in America - what that has to do with life in Thailand, I have no idea - but nonetheless it is sad. Why don't you spend some time worrying about yourself instead of worrying about others - might brighten your outlook on life.



You are fine - don't worry - don't let these other 'do gooders' that think they know everything about Thai law try to influence you. The law states you are certainly permitted to work on your own, earning your own money, in your own home as long as you do not have a shop, or rent office space in a complex. There are actually an estimated 5,000 expats in Bangkok alone that work from home, earning their own income via either the Internet or a source out of Thailand. They live here because they enjoy it, but obviously need to earn a living. They are not 'taking a job from a Thai'. Your example of the housekeeper is a perfect example - what you do in your home stays in your home. Work away - Let your Filipino work away. Unless you expand into something bigger and start marketing in a store space or something, you just need a valid visa to remain in the country. PS - how do I know this? I have happily worked at home in Thailand for nearly 10 years. I have had several PA's over the years - some Thai and, yes, some Filipino. We are perfectly within the law to do so, and I have a lawyer that has confirmed this. Ask these other posters if they know what they are talking about, or if they are just spouting the rubbish that the 'so-called' experts are spouting on Thai Visa and other forums. I learned a long time ago not to list to Expats on Thai matters. Ask the Thai's - it is their country as all. Good luck with your lawyer's opinion when you annoy one of the neighbours sufficiently that they complain to their friend who's a Big Man in the Dept of Labour about "farang in my street working from home, does he have work permit?"

It's a very useful technique back home by the way, I've successfully put the IRS or quivalent onto some of my neighbours who have annoyed me to their considerable grief.

Your line of reasoning and is quite bizarre. According to you, anytime a person travels to Thailand on a holiday and they check their company email on the computer - oops - work permit violation.I've always found it pointless to argue with the reductio ad absurdum brigade. You just enjoy your life on Fantasy Island.

If I were cleaning my own toilet, or washing my own dishes, or balancing my own checkbook.... I would consider that "work" too.... so I suppose, by your definition, I need a work permit to do any of those things? If I watch some of these Thai soap operas, that could even qualify as "working"... lolWhile you're entitled to engage in the fantasy that cleaning your own lavatory constitutes "work" - let's face it, feminists have been arguing for years that women's labour around the home is under-valued - that's not what grown ups consider to be work.

There is a huge career for you in any dictatorial regime.... There's a huge career behind and in front of me in a democracy. How do you think many tax cheats get caught? They can't keep quiet about how clever they think they've been. The old phrase about "some people are their own worst enemies" never rang so true.