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Can expats host a yard sale in Thailand?

Thailand Visa Rules Yard Sale Regulations Farang Restrictions Selling Goods as a Foreigner Community Advice Expat Life in Thailand

Aug 6, 2024

5 months ago

Jasmine **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi, are you allowed a ‘yard sale’ type thing as a Farang? I have bought too much clothes and just want to sell it outside my friends house. It’s not a business, just a one off sale

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The consensus among commenters is that hosting a 'yard sale' as a foreigner in Thailand is generally not allowed without a proper work visa and permit, even if it's a one-off sale. However, enforcement seems to be lax in practice. Alternatives suggested include selling items on Facebook Marketplace or giving clothes to charity. Some also advised getting a Thai friend to organize the sale or pretending it's their sale to avoid potential legal issues.

Jason *******

If you live in a building you can leave stuff neatly in the trash room and the workers will for sure make sure it doesn't go to waste. Same thing as giving it away.

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Carlos *********

FB market place and phuket for sale boards work. I thought about a garage sale myself but I don't think it would get many people unless you ran it for awhile.

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Steve *******

Probably easier and less illegal to drive to a second hand market where you live and sell all of it to one of the vendors.

You won't get nearly as much for it, but you won't risk your neighbors calling immigration on you.

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Andy **********

Just get a Thai friend to help you, be there just to supervise, give your friend some money or free clothes for helping out, in the unlikely event of the authorities coming along to question what is going on, just say it is your friend selling the clothes not you, you're just there to keep them company, you will be fine.

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Kool *******

Most everyone in your situation uses Facebook marketplace to sell their junk. That is the virtual garage sale, as vending is illegal for a foreigner

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Jo **********

yes you can, its not a business you just selling something

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Greta *****

Just pretend that it's your local Thai friend's sale and not yours

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William **************

Give to a local orphanage

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James *******

Yes that' fine.

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Us *****

I saw a little girl playing on a cpu keyboard without an attached computer while her mom was cleaning the garage in my condo. I went up to my unit and gave her my iPad as a gift. Give away your clothes, it makes you feel better than to get a few baht for it.

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Jim ********

Got any more iPads you want to give away? I'm sure I could find someone who would like one, and I wouldn't have to look too far! 😆😆😆

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Us *****

I always give away electronics as I like to upgrade. I will keep you in mind on my next upgrade.

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Lee ***********

nice reply

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Lee ***********

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Giraffe *********

So you can’t mow your own lawn

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Jim ********

@Giraffe ********

If a neighbour complains you can be in the shit. If you own the land, it's ok. But farang can't own the land, so you're in effect working for someone else. Sounds stupid but that's how it works.

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Paul *******

Sounds great to me. Could you tell my girlfriend? I don't think she's going to believe me. 😂

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Paul *******

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Anne *******

@Giraffe ********

, actually your not allowed to do that. There was a case in Phuket where a guy was arrested for mowing his own lawn.

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Craig *********

lol doubt that

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Craig *********

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Michael ********

Use marketplace

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Peter *********

Sell on fb marketplace easy

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Graeme **********

Give the clothes to charity and support the poor

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Chris ****

@Graeme *********

where?

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Graeme **********

don’t know. However a Google search might show some results. Pretty sure there are charities in Thailand🙏

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Jasmine **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Graeme *********

I’ve given a lot of it away to freebird in chiang mai , but it’s just a few pieces I’d like to sell 😇

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Chris ****

@Graeme *********

you’d be surprised how many I tried and wanted nothing to do with used clothes. You should Google.

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Chris ****

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Stuart *********

You can’t do any form of work within Thailand (paid or not) without a relevant visa and work permit.

That said, whether anyone would enforce that for a “yard sale” is debatable. If you have a Thai friend they could organise the sale on your behalf. As long as you aren’t “working” then there’s not really anything anyone could do about it.

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Judy *******

It's been discussed in the past and the consensus was that it's not allowed

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Christiaan *******

have a Thai friend there. If something happens, it's their clothes.

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Jasmine **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

ah okay, thank you so much 😊

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Bob **********

@Jasmine *********

donate them to people in need

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Jo **********

@Jasmine *********

yes you can, its not a business you just selling something

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Jo **********

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