Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand • Hacker News Board

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#91

Post by slayed0 » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 3:53 PM UTC

toomuchtodo wrote: post #68

slayed0 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a developer in SF and work in finance. We are all in the office before 6am PT to be ready for the market-open at 6:30am. No one leaves for lunch as the market is still open. These things change quite a bit industry to industry, shop to shop. It's not necessarily a developer thing, just a business culture thing.

That actually sounds terrible :/ Quality of life and all that jazz.

Well I get off work at about 2:45pm which leaves ~5 hours of daylight after work. I go to bed at about 9pm and feel much better than I ever have energy-wise. You can argue that these were not choices I got to make, and maybe I just have stocklholm syndrome, but I sure do not miss browsing the internet until late into the night and waking up groggy every day. Plus on the weekends I wake up with the sunrise, which actually is sleeping in for me, and get much more out of the day. If you have flexible working hours I highly recommend forcing a schedule like this on yourself for a few months. I think most people would find they feel much happier and energetic.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#92

Post by geomark » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 3:59 PM UTC

technomancy wrote: post #79

znq wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Taking aside the current legal situation and trying to look at it from a purely financial aspect, wouldn't it be beneficial for countries like Thailand to allow those kind of people in for a limited amount of time and have them spend their money there? Assuming Thailand will crack down on those temporary remote workers, they will just go some other place. EDIT: fixed typo.

It's not financially motivated; it has more to do with nationalistic pride. They are very proud of the fact that they're the only SE Asian nation never to have been conquered by a western power. They are rightly wary of western power being exerted now through corporations rather than through a military, because that's how things work these days, so they limit the ability for western companies to make inroads here. (F…

I often hear that bit about Thai pride over never being colonized. It's laughable in light of actual Thai history. Like the events of 1893 when the French sailed two gunboats up the Chao Phraya river, aimed their guns at the royal palace, and said we're taking everything east of the Mekhong River. The Thais gave it up without a fight. The French colonzied it and never gave it back. When they left it became what is now known as Laos.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#93

Post by xj9 » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:02 PM UTC

obstacle1 wrote: post #33

Hytosys wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I predict there is much more to parenthood besides fostering adventure, unfortunately. Educational and social stability come to mind. Relocating your family for two entire months is easier said than done.

The kids get two months off every summer. Take them then. Consider it a vacation. The most capable, adaptable, and accomplished adults I know moved around a bunch as kids. It forces you to learn how to live in the world and get out of your comfort zone. The most anxious, bitter, and underperforming adults I know grew up in the prototypical suburban bubble environment. End meaningless personal anecdote.

I can vouch for the moving thing.

I haven't lived in one place longer than two years since I was eight or so. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world, but I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't grown up that way.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#94

Post by znq » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:03 PM UTC

ashconnor wrote: post #83

znq wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you can do though is travel to the US for business purposes.

Business purposes is things like signing contracts and participating in meetings. Not doing actual work.

For some people that is their work.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#95

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:04 PM UTC

nthState wrote: post #7

I've always dreamed of having a company (that was making money) where I could relocate my team once a month every month to a different place on the planet. London, Tokyo, Singapore, China, San Francisco, Iceland, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, India, Canada... We could be a travelling startup. That would be so cool!

[deleted]

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#96

Post by plg » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:13 PM UTC

a comment by way of someone (me) who is getting a bit on in age... nice idea, but what about medical care? being in a large north american city, access to high quality and high-end medical care is something that I've taken advantage of several times and it sure makes me sleep better at night

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#97

Post by plg » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:13 PM UTC

a comment by way of someone (me) who is getting a bit on in age... nice idea, but what about medical care? being in a large north american city, access to high quality and high-end medical care is something that I've taken advantage of several times and it sure makes me sleep better at night

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#98

Post by plg » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:13 PM UTC

a comment by way of someone (me) who is getting a bit on in age... nice idea, but what about medical care? being in a large north american city, access to high quality and high-end medical care is something that I've taken advantage of several times and it sure makes me sleep better at night

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#99

Post by geomark » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:14 PM UTC

ashconnor wrote: post #87

znq wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No, you stated you were working Noticed the smiley? Nevertheless, how do you differentiate between holidays and work and where to draw the line? If you're responding to a work emails while being on holidays, does that count towards the taxable income in that country you're visiting? > Did you file a tax statement and did you pay any taxes on income earned while you were residing in Thailand? Absolutely. We're not e…

>In European countries for example you only become a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days there. Pity Thais cannot easily come to Spain and work illegally. Despite what you've said it's blatant public abuse of the tourist visa system in Thailand. Honestly when I see blog posts like this my opinion of the author and company goes down considerably. Breaking the rules and publishing the fact that you are makes m…

Yes, what they did violates immigration law in Thailand. And the comments of a senior immigration official don't change the law; they just indicate that at least in that region the enforcement is likely to be rather lax.

But there's really nothing to get bent about. No locals were out of a job. They lived there as tourists so paid a lot more into the local economy than locals, including a lot more taxes in the form of VAT on all their purchases.

The only real issue is that they were at risk even if they didn't sense it, because what happens now and then is someone gets pissed off (usually another foreigner) and rats someone out. Then the police see an opportunity to collect an extortionate "fine" before they get deported.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#100

Post by znq » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 4:16 PM UTC

ashconnor wrote: post #87

znq wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No, you stated you were working Noticed the smiley? Nevertheless, how do you differentiate between holidays and work and where to draw the line? If you're responding to a work emails while being on holidays, does that count towards the taxable income in that country you're visiting? > Did you file a tax statement and did you pay any taxes on income earned while you were residing in Thailand? Absolutely. We're not e…

>In European countries for example you only become a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days there. Pity Thais cannot easily come to Spain and work illegally. Despite what you've said it's blatant public abuse of the tourist visa system in Thailand. Honestly when I see blog posts like this my opinion of the author and company goes down considerably. Breaking the rules and publishing the fact that you are makes m…

Actually Thai people can do exactly the same.

While from a legal perspective it might be all correct what you're saying, I think that most people simply have more important matters to worry about.

For example, it's also illegal to cross a red traffic light as a pedestrian at 3am in the night on a deserted street. That doesn't mean that it is immoral or that it causes harm to anyone.

And I wouldn't even want to know all the "illegal" things you're doing that you are not even aware of. Just saying.