O-A Visa and work

Think the general rule about this is you should not be making money out of any work done, so what you have listed seems acceptable.

JOHNMELL wrote:

Think the general rule about this is you should not be making money out of any work done, so what you have listed seems acceptable.

Not really, the definition of "work" under the Foreign Employment Act" is very wide, and can be understood in different way.

Working by exerting one's physical energy or employing one's knowledge, whether or not for wages or other benefits.

In other word "intellectual or manual work " with or without salary is considered as work.

For example volunteer without income, must have work permit.

The law does NOT define work as doing something in return for financial or any other reward.

Working without a valid work permit leads to fines, possible imprisonment and deportation out of Thailand.

Having said this, you can have hobbies, but if you build housing and people can see you from the street, denunciations are frequent here, just be careful.

I have heard this discussion previously in Thailand. According to those discussions, technically speaking in Thailand if you are doing work that a Thai could do you are seemingly depriving a Thai from being employed and therefore be in violation of not having a work permit. Then again this violation would seem to occur if a Thai complains to whatever authority. (Which would mean, be friendly to the Thai's around you.) 

Ultimately it's in practice relative to whatever. Don't ask me relative to what because things change so often. Recently the Thai government announced that they have deported a very large number of Burmese people because of them not having work permits, and wanting to demonstrate that they are working to protect the Thai labor market. The flip side of that is that the Burmese were doing a lot of the construction work or other types of modest types of labor. Now there is a shortage of labor in Thailand.

I know of a Farang who has a small Moo Ban with six houses on the land and he rents the houses. His wife holds the title to the land. He does whatever work on the houses or land. I'm sure he even works on machinery at his home. He has never mentioned any problems by doing the work himself.

Personally I would say that you don't have a problem. Just be friendly with the people around you.

Westerners tend to be inherently inflexible.  Rules are rules and there are no exceptions.  Things are either black or white.  You stick to the script word for word and never deviate.  Thais on the other hand are more improvisational and creative in their enforcement of rules.  Rules generally only get used when there is a problem.  No problem…no need to worry about enforcing rules.

That is a concept many expats find difficult to adjust to.  Life is not fair and Thais don't pretend it is.  Not everyone is treated the same.  If people like you then you will be treated better than someone who is obnoxious and generally unlikable.  The good thing is that the game is pretty simple and therefore easy to play if you are willing to adjust your thinking.  If you insist that Thais do it your way, however, it is a constant uphill battle.

So basically I am agreeing with bill kip. "Just be friendly with the people around you."

Thank you everyone for your comments. I did apply for a marriage visa so I could help, but I sent in too much information, so they gave me a retirement one instead. Lol.  I get along well with her family and the people in her small town. I am quick to smile and look for the good things in a situation. Also I can be invisible in a group of three or four. Lol. So I guess things will be ok if I hide behind a tree with my wrenches...

its your house and your motor bike on your property and so what is the problem.
just dont work in your friends or neighbours place