Can I perform maintenance and gardening at my own home in Thailand without a work permit?

DOnt listen to everything you hear most guys dont know shit

My partner has a work permit as a CHEF COOK so anything is possible with the exception of real main excluded jobs

Chill out and think Thai. Be respectful and you should have no problem. You have a lot of learning to do so relax and enjoy the ride. I’m

We call them the "patronizing angry old fart". Do not listen to them. Even some of the mods have gone rogue and spreading non sense.

Wife will have to make my coffee all day then

Open my beers is there anything I can do think some one has got this wrong

The other day I fixed the closet door in my Condo.

Was I afraid of being deported?

Hell no and doing the fixing did nothing for my “physical and mental well being”

Of course you can repair your own house and do the garden , it’s best if you have a house book -

It’s ok to do normal household maintenance. I always have and no problems.

I have made it a point to be friendly with our neighbours and the people in the village shops etc.

Become part of your community.

Enjoy 😁

Your asking the wrong people, half the people on here don't know and just make up shit to feel important. Go ask a Thai legal professional

Yes it's just a push , somehow the 3 Rd world country is terrified people are leaving their professional work in the first world to take labouring work off the 3 Rd world .

Just politicians showing how wonderful they are for their voters , no sense .

The level of petty here is over 9000. This guy is clearly not trying to make money from the work he's doing. Just let him be.

I fixed my sister in laws auto security gate when I was.there no problem. And anothers.sliding door

Hi Jaco, so same as others I have heard some stories about people getting in to trouble for changing a light bulb in a bar, but not heard any deportation stories, the Thai law simply says a farang cannot work without a work permit so it's potentially very open to interpretation and this happens a lot, but the general idea of this law is to try and protect Thai jobs it's not to get people in to trouble, so I think a reasonable common sense approach needs to be taken, general house work and laundry and cleaning are a part of everyday life so common sense for most would me they are ok, doing garden work that takes you couple of hours to do probably ok, but where it becomes gray would be if mowing would take you all day, then some would say you should get someone in to do, or if painting whole house then pay someone to do, at the end of the day paying someone to help you with bigger tasks is quite cheap here so if it's going to take a while pay someone to do it, but under 2-3 hour tasks probably are ok, and if it's a bigger task and your paying someone to do it then they probably won't complain if you help a bit as long as you don't try to pay less, so always agree a fixed price first for bigger jobs, hope this makes sense and helps

Real talk! To the you "can't lift a finger to help or do chores in and around your house or wash your car people" , please link the sources of these deportations, fines, arrests etc etc cases here so we can see them. Not a "i heard this one guy once" cases, ACTUAL links directly to news or immigration articles ACTUALLY doing these fines, deportations, warnings etc etc.. thank you! Amd NO, government websites showing restricted JOBS AND WORK isn't the same! Lol.

I have a big house in Bangkok and I take care every day...no problem...

Mate, don't read to much into people's comments 🙂, even mine. But from personal experience, I can assure you that nobody can or will stop you from doing anything here unless you try to obtain employment, that is, a paid job, without the proper clearance. Anything you do on your property, or any property you wish to help out with, is your business and no authority in Thailand will ever bother lifting a finger to bust you for this or any other reason unless you directly piss them off.

Just relax and due what you like dueing why are you telling the world your private business get on with life in beautiful in Thailand and chill man 🇹🇭

If you do work inside your house, unless you plan to rat on yourself... who knows? Also it's not just qualified English teachers, but always some type of highly skilled work, which there is a shortage of thais, but again that's for a work permit. If you here on retirement or many other forms of visa, it's not possible. You either here claiming retirement or working, there's no hybrid models.

I take my grandson and grandaughters to school and pick them up in the afternoon

If neighbors report could cause visa issues

What Counts as “Casual” Activity on a Farm Without a Work Permit in Thailand?

“Casual” activities generally refer to informal, non-commercial, and hobby-like tasks that do not constitute formal work. Thai authorities may interpret these activities differently, so it’s important to stay cautious. Below is a detailed explanation of what might be considered “casual” and permissible versus what could require a work permit.

Examples of Casual Activities Likely Permissible

1. Hobby-Style Involvement:

• Watering plants or flowers.

• Feeding animals as part of family life, not as part of a business operation.

• Helping with light, irregular maintenance (e.g., fixing fences, cleaning small areas).

2. Non-Essential, Non-Economic Tasks:

• Picking fruits or vegetables for personal consumption, not for sale.

• Helping with small, one-time tasks like planting a tree for family use.

3. Occasional Assistance:

• Lending a hand during an emergency or special occasion, such as a family gathering where extra help is needed temporarily.

4. Supervisory or Observational Roles:

• Overseeing work being done or providing opinions without engaging directly in physical labor.

What May Be Considered Work (and Require a Permit)

Even if unpaid, the following activities could still be classified as work:

1. Commercial or Economic Contributions:

• Assisting in farming tasks that directly contribute to income, such as planting, harvesting, or packaging products for sale.

• Helping with farm operations that support a business (e.g., managing equipment, selling at markets).

2. Ongoing or Regular Tasks:

• Repeated involvement in daily operations, even if unpaid, could be interpreted as work.

• Tasks that are seen as integral to running the farm, such as maintaining crops or livestock for sale.

3. Physical Labor:

• Anything that visibly resembles labor intended to produce goods or services, regardless of scale or intention.

Legal Risks

Thailand’s interpretation of work is stri

Limit activities to casual, not formal

Buy an expensive full face mask. ?

Even if the work is unpaid, Thailand’s labor laws broadly define “work” as any physical or mental effort exerted for the purpose of producing something or providing a service. Therefore, engaging in any form of work on your wife’s farm—paid or unpaid—may still require a work permit.

Key Points:

1. Definition of Work:

• Under Thai law, “work” includes any activity, regardless of compensation. This means unpaid assistance, such as helping on the farm, could technically fall under the definition of work.

2. Exceptions for Family Activities:

• If your involvement on the farm is strictly personal and limited to casual, family-oriented tasks (e.g., gardening or feeding animals as a hobby), it might not be considered “work” in the legal sense. However, this is a gray area, and interpretation can vary.

3. Risks Without a Work Permit:

• Foreigners caught working without a permit—even on their spouse’s property—could face fines, deportation, or bans from re-entering Thailand.

4. Cultural and Practical Realities:

• Enforcement varies by location. In rural areas, local authorities might be more lenient, especially if the work is minor and visibly informal. However, relying on leniency carries legal risks.

Recommendation:

To avoid potential legal issues:

• Consult a local labor lawyer to

ChatGPT: In Thailand, any form of work—whether paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time—requires a valid work permit, regardless of marital status. This means that as a foreigner married to a Thai national, you must obtain a work permit to legally engage in any work activities on your wife’s farm. 

The Thai government mandates that all foreign nationals secure a work permit before undertaking employment or business activities. This requirement applies universally, irrespective of the nature of the work or the employer’s identity. 

However, being married to a Thai citizen does offer certain advantages in the work permit application process. Typically, a Thai company must have a registered capital of 2 million THB and employ four Thai nationals to hire one foreign employee. For foreigners married to Thai nationals, these requirements are reduced to 1 million THB in registered capital and two Thai employees. 

In summary, to legally work on your wife’s farm in Thailand, you must obtain a work permit, even if the work is unpaid. Your marriage to a Thai national may facilitate this process by easing certain regulatory requirements.

Nobody cares if you plant a couple rose bushes.

The rule of thumb, you can't take a job away from a Thai person.

If this were the case then even cooking your own meals at home would be questionable without the relevant work permit. Whatever the law actually states, i believe you are at very minimal risk if doing things at home only and for no financial gain.

Get a grip, pal

of course maintenance of garden and house isnt classified as work. thousands of us need to do it, its normal

My point exactly.. I too don't want to crack a beer at 9am listening to other loud mouthed farangs who think they own Thailand because they've lived there 10 years

Gardening as a hobby etc is ok. But work in fields (produce will be sold) , or helping in anything that sells for money is a NO NO. if you are gardening veg n wife sells means helping a biz w/o a work permit. Got it!!!

I think a fair bit of what you can and can't do on these posts, is all hearsay and Chinese whispers, I asked at my local immigration office in kamphaeng Phet and they told me I can do what I want at our residence which included 3 Ria of corn and 4 Ria of rice but said don't help the neighbours, whether this is his opinion or law I don't know. But I asked the question and that's what I got.

Find a hobby. Maybe knitting?

I am calling your mother about this 😊

You can do jobs around the house but you need a maids outfit and a pink feather duster😇

Whatever anybody says on this thread or on Facebook is irrelevant.You don't even know if they're up to date and things change from day to day sometimes in thailand. Talk to immigration and tell them what's going on and ask them if it's OK, it's pretty simple, not rocket science don't overthink it.

You need to grow up

Depends on your neighbours. If someone doesn't like you ,they report. I work on our land no problem. Not everyday . But happily with no worries. We hire other villagers for some work so everyones happy.

I think you miss understand some of the reading If you are doing work for yourself and you are not being paid for it that is okay. However if you do maintenance work and you receive any type of income for it then you are breaking the law. The reason is that so many Thai people are out of work and businesses are closing they are trying to keep the lines of income flow open for Thailand people.

This was my interpretation, but I also hoped there would be some leeway for menial tasks at home

From what I have noticed in Thailand: if someone has behavior issues, they are going to have a keen eye on them. They generally don't bother those who don't cause problems...

Any form of contractual 'work' is forbidden without a work permit.. meaning where you are employed by a third party and earn a wage for your toil.. this extends to charity work where you will be labouring on a volunteer basis.. however, there is no law that prohibits you from undertaking routine maintenance on your own home.. or motor vehicle for that matter.. should you wish to do so.. judging by some of the comments here you'd think it was illegal to go out and buy your own groceries.. or even buy a take-away meal and return home to eat it.. because you should have had grab or deliveroo deliver it to keep thai's employed of course!

I've carried out maintenance on my property, cut grass, tended my goats in the fields, plus cared for other personal livestock, duck, fish and chicken I've even ploughed fields both on my property and my mates property. Never had a problem. This is over a period of over 12 years. As long as it's your own stuff it seems to be ok, and nobody appears to be bothered. Even if I possessed a work permit (which I don't) I can still only professionally do work that a Thai cannot do. That's the law. But Thailand is Thailand.

The ban or need to get a volunteer visa totally baffles me. Why would Thailand turn down free labor from happy volunteer farangs?

Surely you can help your wife around the house. I mean I know Thailand is strict but helping ones spouse is surely ok in any country?

5

Utterly hilarious 😂

You need to get out more , and watch exactly where you are living ...

@Jaco ****************

don't worry, nobody is going to keep you from tending to your garden or sweeping the carport, or cleaning the veranda. however such things as washing the car, you should go to designated places

What nonsense....the "advice" you are getting is from wannabe internet lawyers who have no clue. Show me a link with one case of someone charged with such a "crime"

Maintaining your own property is not work...

And how about having a homestay/guestrooms along with your home grown food etc? (With thai wife/thai husband)

You are allowed to do things. You may even volunteer with other organizations. The problem Thailand has is with you trying to make money doing it. Many countries are like this. They want to provide work advantage to the local people ahead of any non-citizen. Why don’t you just do these things for your wife for free? As you said it is for your physical and mental wellbeing as well as to do things with your wife.

I agree with you!!

AI generated answer from ThaiLawOnline:

Your concerns are valid and touch upon a common question for expatriates living in Thailand. Thai law does impose restrictions on work for non-citizens, and the definition of “work” under Thai law is broad. According to the Alien Employment Act (B.E. 2551), “work” includes both paid and unpaid physical or mental exertion, potentially making even unpaid tasks in your own home subject to scrutiny. Here’s some clarity on your specific concerns:

Legal Context

1. Work Restrictions for Foreigners:

• Foreigners need a work permit to engage in any form of work unless the activity is explicitly exempted by law.

• Unofficially, authorities often take a pragmatic approach, but the law is strict, and enforcement can vary by region and individual immigration officers.

2. Household and Garden Work:

• Routine maintenance and gardening in your own home could theoretically fall within the definition of “work.”

• However, such activities, when done personally for non-commercial purposes, are generally not a priority for enforcement.

Recommendations

1. Consult an Immigration Lawyer or Advisor:

• To ensure clarity and peace of mind, consulting a Thai immigration lawyer is a wise step. They can interpret the legal definitions in light of your personal situation.

2. Speak with Local Immigration and labor department Officers:

• Visit your local immigration office and/or labor department. Ask about informal guidelines regarding maintenance and gardening on your property. Their interpretation may align with local norms.

3. Stay Discreet:

• While it’s unlikely that authorities will intervene in non-commercial, personal household activities, discretion is advisable. Avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

That’s bullshit. I brought 2 suitcases full

Of tools to fix my girl condo. Didn’t get questions as to why I was bring them SO anyone saying it’s wrong it’s just a troll hater.

it is also like this in the United States. There are a lot of laws that are not enforced until the focus turns to you. When someone gets focused on you, like an angry neighbor, someone looking for a bribe, if you are doing something else illegal, the laws become weapons. When that type of attention focuses on you, that’s when these laws come into effect. Basically they use the law as a weapon against you if it is warranted in their judgement. The law is not black or white. It’s all sorts of gray. It may be written in black-and-white, but it is not enforced in black-and-white. Prostitution is illegal in Thailand. Think about that for a minute.

Build walls. Not cheap, but will do the job

Despite horror stories to the contrary I do not think you will get in trouble for hobby working. People will say 'blah blah it's still work" but if you aren't making a problem or exploiting something I am absolutely certain you are fine.

Isn’t work defined as doing something in exchange for money ? I think you should be ok doing your own gardening unless of course you’re getting paid for it and there is evidence in form of money trail 😊

I wouldn't worry too much mate, it's not a dictatorship , though I did once here of a fella who had a bar in Pattaya who was closed down for changing a cd ! Not sure how true but think it was more to do with local mafia politics.....

Make a point of getting to know the local police chief and invite him round for a few whiskies and air your concerns, he'll probably laugh ! Mai pen rai 🙏

I have lived here for over 20 years, had a number of roles, (tv presenter, journalist, admissions manager for rehabs) all with work permits. Never done any teaching.

Ignore em all buddy they ain’t worth a response they are usually the jealous haven’t made it on their own

Work permits are required whenever a foreigner engages in any form of work, no matter how brief, in Thailand. The term “work” is employed very broadly. Even charitable work requires a work permit. Nothing has been established about what constitutes work. The definition is open-ended.

/29/top-12-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-planning-on-doing-business-in-thailand/

I paint my own home .

Been here 18 years .never had an issue

Im a retired plumber and I have did many things for several people, the key is dont charge money for it. Never had a problem. It keeps my mind and body active.

What? So I can't just go do abit free work on my girlfriends house? I was just talking g about building her a media wall and reboarding the ceiling for her

No problem with that. Keep the jobs for Thais. Maybe if our home countries did the same we wouldn't be in the shit we are. Anyway probably OK if we work on something we own.

Working on your own property is not work you cannot be employed so no deportation can be used for that

Pay someone local to do what you wish you could do... Kick back and watch them all day.. Thats what I do.. Its the same thing isn't it?

I did my own fence and gate ,replace the wood and stained and painted the gate and outside wall 3 years ago in COVID season because many people were sacred to go out or even come close to you ,done and dusted in 4 days !!!!

Helping your wife in her field is a no go . That's taking work away from a Thai national .

You just need someone taking a picture and reporting you to immigration and you are in for a 20 to 40 k fine .

A foreigner has recently been made to pay a fine for helping his wife carrying boxes back to her car after a second hand market she had a stall in .

No one is going to bother you for tending to your own garden .

.but technically any action that could be done by a Thai person against payment can be considered work . Unfortunately I can't afford a private chef to cook me 2 eggs in the morning nor a nurse to wipe my bottom everytime I pop to the loo .

Thankfully prostitution is illegal otherwise I would have to pay a Thai guy to f my wife ....

I would be gone then.i do much of the tidying up outside house,everyday.but get thais in for electrical,painting etc

My son potters about in his garden. Washes his own car. Has done for 13 years. So far he's been fine. It's not an "occupation" it's just daily life.

A lot of people talk in this group that don’t live here and have hardly traveled here. The internet is not the best place for all this info. If you want to know about working and immigration here, go see a Thailand attorney. They will have all clarity and it isn’t expensive compared to the costs of moving here.

I’m not an expert but I would think working around your own house is okay, it’s if you start fixing all the neighbors that would create a problem.

From my personal perspective, I understand that what is specifically prohibited, among other things, are specific occupations reserved for Thai citizens.

Having said this, of course the scope can be much broader and the discretion of the Thai Police/Thai Immigration Police Officer is a major factor, but is really the occasional activity of gardening on the property that is titled in the name of your Thai spouse or performing some maintenance activity within said property prohibited by some particular Thai law or Thai regulation?

If truly so, then I stand happy to be corrected and informed of my misunderstanding, but do quote such particular Thai law/regulation....

> &id=

You can do tasks around your house and farm

Bit of DIY won’t be taking work from a Thai person

There’s a lot of fearmongers on this site scared of their own shadow

I see being a pimp is not on the list or prohibited occupations.

For budget-friendly, directed information on Thai visa regulations and legal matters—without the need to engage expensive lawyers upfront—you might explore resources like

@Sebastien **************

Sebastien Brousseau’s AI-powered chatbot, fine-tuned with Thai law databases, can provide initial guidance and help clarify legal questions before you invest in personalized legal counsel.

Been washing my car, mowing my lawn, gardening for years, taking out the garbage etc etc... never had issues, as long as you don't do it for payment etc, i don't see why there would be an issue.. it's PROBABLY just people trying to get out of ANY housework that exaggerated it.. would suggest going to your immigration office and asking, never once been told no, not allowed.. for reimbursement, taking money for said chore yes. Illegal.

Them making excuses about illegal blah blah is just a way to hide the laziness 😂🤣 kinda clever, hiding behind laws that don't apply.. they keep posting the restricted JOBS, you're not taking PAYMENTS or employment, so not a JOB.. help the wife...

I use a bit of common sense guys 😉

Its just another law - as long as you don’t work for money everything is fine - not worry

Hello All, use common sense, your house your kingdom

Of course you can do those things, what next? can't fry yourself an egg, do your own shopping, drive your own car, play your own golf shots....

Interesting! I'm sure you can volunteer somewhere?

I used to do a bit of gardening here, and everyone thought I was crazy. At the time, I thought they were crazy for thinking I was crazy but now I understand I was indeed crazy.

It's ridiculously hot outside, there are all kinds of creepy crawlies all over the place, and there are millions of locals standing ready to do such chores for a pittance.

If you want to do some physical activity, play golf, and bring an umbrella.

As for maintenance inside the house, there is no chance of the authorities questioning this, as they won't know you're doing it, but if you pay someone else to do it, you will have more time for golf.

From personal experience working while volunteering or not, in your own home or not, you will get different answers from different immigration officers.

Would comment but don't want to incriminate myself.

Probably if I was to do chores in return for board and lodging then, as in Australia, would be in breach of your visa. Money does not gave to change hands.

onzin je kan gewoon dingen om je huis doen zonder dat er wat gebeurd met uitzetting en etc

ik heb zelf net een huis laten bouwen en wil nog wat dingen extra doen dat mag gewoon allemaal

Haha. I posted a similar question on a different group. There's no clear answer. I do find it incredibly hard to believe that thai immigration will fine you or deport you for watering your garden or something haha. The way it was explained to me was. If it's your property and not a business that is open or currently "making money" it's fine. I'm purchasing a bunch of land with my wife and building soon. I have a meeting with my lawyer soon to get a real answer.

Have you learned anything about Thailand during your time here?

yeah make sure you carry plenty of cash

"Something substantial...the Immigration office" 🤣

Good luck with anything they tell you, the rules change depending on who is standing in front of you on any certain day!

nobody is going straight to the point. Thailand is highly corrupted, if you get the cop that sees u doing your house work and he decides that you need to bribe him, then u got no chances besides of that. The same goes if a jealous neighbor calls the cops reporting u were working. Technically you can do gardening and minor house work but in practice, if it's a bad day you might end up in jail with cops telling u how much u need to pay otherwise they'll kick u out of the country. That obviously happens more often in touristic places but I know a few guys around udon thani e khon kaen that got into this sort of issues...

My understanding is you can do anything on your property without fear of reprisal. 🤔 correct me if I'm wrong please 🙏

So much bs about this.

You can do whatever you want to your house and you can do many things to help your wife. Even for her business.

You won't be deported for yard work 😂

You're fine, ask to be shown an example of someone actually being deported for this, I have yet to see one that is valid.The examples people have shown me, either the person had an arrest warrant out for them or they weren't being honest about what they were doing.

"Prohibited Occupations in Thailand | Thai Work Permit"

Just work online but keep your trap shut I been working online on a tourist visa for 3 years in Asia . . No one cares unless you start bragging about it at the pub.

Gardening in your own yard or maintenance work of your own home?? Where in Thai language does it state that foreigners in Thailand are prohibited from doing such activities??? Again, printed in Thai language, but in English language is fine as would like to find the source of such information or misinformation....

I've seen this question raise over the years on numerous forums and it has been established that minor maintenance work in and around your family home does not constitute work.

I'm sure if your working on your property or garden as long as you weren't make money would be fine.

There is a list of job which can only be done by Thais, broadly speaking the more skill involved the better chance you have.

Unfortunately it's the case buddy , just keep fit,do gym , walking etc etc and advising ,hire someone to do maintenence tasks under your guidance but let then do them ,

Broadmoor