Pattaya Reports

[BionicMan]

I worked for a large company (over 20,000 nationwide). We had a separate department dedicated to security and monitoring activities. They would have easily caught on to people working outside the country. It's really not that hard. IP address gives the geo location of the connection. And the last thing a company (small or big) wants to deal with are tax fraud cases. So it's in their best interest to catch people working in another country and firing them.

I can't see the tax issue if your salary is paid (and taxed) in your origin and working country. On the other hand companies don't like the moral association of an employee supposed to be at home to work from a holiday resort whilst others stay in the office or work from real home. It can create frictions HR don't want to have to deal with. One must be in a very special situation or status to do so, as well as outperforming so bosses close eyes (up to a certain extent). I had such sort of privilege but always worked out not to show off and looked after business even if I was on short holiday breaks during overseas trips, for instance.

[SinfullyKorean]

Most multinationals would not care because they have VPN access points all over the world. There is no point to check. One or two months working internationally should not incur any tax issue. Salespeople do that already.

I've asked management before and it was a flat out no. This was when everyone was working from home.

[Nounce]

I worked for a large company (over 20,000 nationwide). We had a separate department dedicated to security and monitoring activities. They would have easily caught on to people working outside the country. It's really not that hard. IP address gives the geo location of the connection. And the last thing a company (small or big) wants to deal with are tax fraud cases. So it's in their best interest to catch people working in another country and firing them.

Most multinationals would not care because they have VPN access points all over the world. There is no point to check. One or two months working internationally should not incur any tax issue. Salespeople do that already.

[Mogwai]

Would your company object if they knew you were working from Thailand? If you can do your job at no added cost to the company, why would they care? Can you be sure no face-to-face meetings will be needed?

I never asked but I'm pretty sure that our general manager would object. Not so much because of face-to-face meetings, as the majority of them can be done with Zoom, but it's more a 'social cohesion' thing. He wouldn't like it when a part of his employees would work abroad, a part of them at home, and another part in the office. Ideally he likes all of us to come to the office as much as possible. Pre-Covid anyway. In the past two years he didn't mind, and even encouraged people to work from home, but now that the restrictions are lifted more and more, I'm sure he expects us to come to the office again in the near future. If we're lucky we are allowed to work at home for one or two days a week.

And the tax reasons that SinfullyKorean already mentioned, could also be an objection.

[HorseTrader]

I have thought about doing this, because I'm working from home for almost two years now. But I work for a rather small company, and am afraid (or pretty certain actually) that our IT guy can see that I'm logging in from Thailand instead of my own apartment. He might even be able to see that I'm logging in from Pattaya, and that's the last thing I want for obvious reasons.
People who work for a big international company for example are more 'anonymous', and nobody might even notice or care where they are logging in from.

And beside that I'm afraid that the wifi in most hotels in Thailand is too slow or restricted for my company's programs.

Would your company object if they knew you were working from Thailand? If you can do your job at no added cost to the company, why would they care? Can you be sure no face-to-face meetings will be needed?

If you work for a USA company and have technical information, you might need to deal with export control laws. That is important and can be a pain in the ass. I don't know if other countries have similar laws.

[SinfullyKorean]

I have thought about doing this, because I'm working from home for almost two years now. But I work for a rather small company, and am afraid (or pretty certain actually) that our IT guy can see that I'm logging in from Thailand instead of my own apartment. He might even be able to see that I'm logging in from Pattaya, and that's the last thing I want for obvious reasons.
People who work for a big international company for example are more 'anonymous', and nobody might even notice or care where they are logging in from.

And beside that I'm afraid that the wifi in most hotels in Thailand is too slow or restricted for my company's programs.

I worked for a large company (over 20,000 nationwide). We had a separate department dedicated to security and monitoring activities. They would have easily caught on to people working outside the country. It's really not that hard. IP address gives the geo location of the connection. And the last thing a company (small or big) wants to deal with are tax fraud cases. So it's in their best interest to catch people working in another country and firing them.

[Nounce]

...Only problem is 9-4 in the USA means you may have to be available for meetings from 9 pm to 4 am Thailand time. That would suck but doable.

It does not suck. You can get the girl to your place during work hour so she entertains you while you work. West coast will be better.

[Mogwai]

With many people now working from home permanently only having to show up for meetings in Zoom calls it's not difficult to have extended trips. I know a few guys doing this. Only problem is 9-4 in the USA means you may have to be available for meetings from 9 pm to 4 am Thailand time. That would suck but doable.

I have thought about doing this, because I'm working from home for almost two years now. But I work for a rather small company, and am afraid (or pretty certain actually) that our IT guy can see that I'm logging in from Thailand instead of my own apartment. He might even be able to see that I'm logging in from Pattaya, and that's the last thing I want for obvious reasons.
People who work for a big international company for example are more 'anonymous', and nobody might even notice or care where they are logging in from.

And beside that I'm afraid that the wifi in most hotels in Thailand is too slow or restricted for my company's programs.

[Banana Boi]

You might get some resentment from Thai customers that you have the money to buy lady drinks.

Can you name the Thai bars you have visited where you see Thai men have no money to buy drinks for the girls? Thai men have bottle service and a smorgasbord of food for the girls. Poor little me buys the girls one beer at a time.

[Mr Enternational]

I've been in Pattaya now for over 2 months, been in lots of bars and I've only seen one Thai man inside a bar and that was at Club 4 which is well off the beaten path.

And that might have been LBM that you had confused for a Thai man!

[Mr Enternational]

You might get some resentment from Thai customers that you have the money to buy lady drinks. And that resentment might, in rare occasions, lead to violence.

So now Thai people are so poor that they can't afford to buy drinks? Maybe they are looking at the foreigner thinking what a sucker he is for buying those lady drinks.

[Explorer8939]

For those of you who have been to Thai bars this is a real concern. I really have to check my ego at the door at these places. Especially true when I'm sitting with a girl a group of early 20's Thai men are waiting for.

Thai men in Thai bars is a different issue than Thai men in Farang bars.

Ladies working in Thai bars either don't go with customers, or their Thai boyfriends don't care if they go with customers. You might get some resentment from Thai customers that you have the money to buy lady drinks. And that resentment might, in rare occasions, lead to violence. But the odds are much lower than if a Thai boyfriend saw his bargirlfriend going with a Farang customer in a Farang bar.

[Breadman]

I've been in Pattaya now for over 2 months, been in lots of bars and I've only seen one Thai man inside a bar and that was at Club 4 which is well off the beaten path. Am I missing these hoards of Thai men out on the prowl that everyone seems so enraged about? I don't think so. Never saw one Thai man set foot inside a soi 6 bar. Hard to tell if Area 39 is allowing them in since its a bigger place. Been to all of the bars in LK metro and not one Thai man sitting at any stool. Where do you see Thai men then? Well they are all sitting outside all of the bars taking a skinny Thai girl and a fat farang on their bikes back to the guys room and charging you double. Now Vietnam is the place where you don't want to approach a girl or two sitting by themselves, they might be waiting for a few Vietnamese guys to join them.

[Banana Boi]

Also, in the past there were potential violent incidences between Thai men and ex pats and other farangs due to cultural and language differences.

For those of you who have been to Thai bars this is a real concern. I really have to check my ego at the door at these places. Especially true when I'm sitting with a girl a group of early 20's Thai men are waiting for.

[Tomasb]

My understanding from talking to expats who have lived in Thailand for many years was the owners have not allowed Thai men in bars for many years as they frequently misbehaved and many of the Thai woman did not like it because they were exposed to possible revealing of their occupation and place of work leading to other unintended consequences. Also, in the past there were potential violent incidences between Thai men and ex pats and other farangs due to cultural and language differences.

So what has changed since Covid? Nothing! So this is not a positive development.

Feels like the bar owners are so desperate for customers that they have eased their stance on this long held position. No good will come of this.

SL.