Thailand - artist studio in Chiang Rai

[Backpacker]

Very excited for my step son. He has visted Thailand twice before and is now trying to set him self up to live there full time. He has made a good connection with a local artist that is setting up a studio in Chiang Rai.

hope this link works - it is an interview with him about the studio.

[link removed per OP's request]

I post this here as you folks are the only people i "know" that have any ties to Thailand.

I don't understand all the regs to get a work visa but supposedly an employer needs to sign his forms in order to qualify for the work visa. He had offers to teach english but the school would not sign the form for some reason.

My wife is planning a trip to visit him this summer - I am not for sure that I can go as I am tied to the J*B, and summer is our busiest time.

 

[YoungSaver]

Visa is the hardest part (provided you already have the money). I think it will be very difficult to get a work permit for an artist type job unless it is some kind of specialized art work. He will need to really research that.

Educational visa or marriage visa would be easier. I hope the local artist is cute and single

 

[kramer]

I used to live in that area, south of there in Chiang Mai. The earning potential is quite low (which may not matter if that is not his goal). English teachers were making $600 per month four years ago (so that might by $750 by now). The wage scales are quite a bit lower than Bangkok. The English school probably didn't sign his paperwork because it would cost them money and it is an employment commitment.

The Thai government is strict about work visas. A couple years ago the Thai immigration authorities were going around arresting foreigners who were singing or performing in local venues in Chiang Mai, even those working for free. They said Thai people could do the performances. So that completely disrupted the music scene in Chiang Mai. It was pretty unbelievable. I had a friend who used to go there each year and perform for free and now he stopped going because that was the main attraction for him.

And you can no longer stay long term in Thailand just doing back-to-back tourist visas. The only realistic long term visa options for some one under 50 are a work visa or an educational visa to learn the Thai language.

The good thing is that Chiang Rai is basically safe as far as I know (despite being located in the Golden Triangle). It is not like he is in Mexico City or something.

 

[Backpacker]

He just did his first border trip - to Burma to get a 14 day extension. He is planning on a trip to malaysia to try for a longer extension. I do think that he will be working at a restraunt and may be able to get a work visa through that channel. He said to cross into Burma it was 30 baht for a Thai citizen and 500 baht for any one from US or Europe. here is a sample of his art, you can see the asian influence.

 

[Backpacker]

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[audreyh1]

Wow - that looks like fabric! Not surprised considering the SE Asia influence.

 

[eastnortheast]

I see that this thread is four years old. How is your son doing? Still enjoying Thailand? Have spent a lot of time in Thailand due to work, and really like the country.

 

[Backpacker]

Still there, married now. I was trying to unsubscribe from a bunch of threads and messed up and resurrected this one. We are planning on visiting in the spring.

 

[97guns]

Chiang Rai is my favorite area in Thailand, weather is much cooler up there and the tourism is minimal

 

[Sunset]

Chiang Rai is my favorite area in Thailand, weather is much cooler up there and the tourism is minimal

Well now we all know where to go when we visit

 

[brett]

We met an Australian lady who runs a business in Chiang Mai and has done for a number of years. She sends her finished product all over the world, but primarily to the US.

She sources her raw material in SE Asia but employs locals.

I asked her about this. Her comment is that this has not been an issue for a number of years. She went on to say that the Thai authorities really did not care as long as you were not perceived to be taking a job from a Thai. In her case she was employing so perhaps this is why she never had a problem. SJe sold clothing.