Film extras and work permits

[Grumpy Old Man]

Yesterday myself and a number of other westerners had a very interesting offer to work as film extras, potentially a very interesting adventure and maybe my fifteen seconds of fame.

 

Have a very basic knowledge of the foreigners working in Thailand legislation the key word is "WORKING" be it voluntary or in receipt of payment or goods for your service it is still "WORKING" and a work permit is required.

 

I did the normal Google search on work permits in Thailand and also film extras in Thailand but I couldn't find a direct connection between them.

 

Am I missing something, is there a loophole in the Thai work permit system and film companies that they can employ foreigners as film extras on a daily basis without a formal work permit ?

 

I have been told there is more film extra work coming soon and I'd be interested to have the experience if only to tick it off of my bucket list but I'll not risk my "Extension to stay" for 1000THB, free bar and BBQ.

[norrska]

Based on your avatar, you have a certain Donald Pleasance aura about you, very photogenic, but unfortunately quite often cast as a villain.....

[blackcab]

Q: Is there a loophole in the Thai work permit system and film companies that they can employ foreigners as film extras on a daily basis without a formal work permit?

 

A: No

[scorecard]

 

There have been threads may times before about this. Here's two examples I can remember:

 

- Fashion models coming to Thailand - need to have and can easily get a one day  / one show  / three days? WP. 

 

- Off shore concert performers / pop performers - need to have and can easily get a one day / one show  / three days? WP. 

 

- Movie extras?  Maybe same as above.

 

 

[Daffy D]

Some time ago I was a fim extra for just an evening.

 

At the end of the shoot we showed our passports and a signed a paper and were given 1000Bt.

 

Easy money for just a couple of hours "work"

 

Don't know what the "Work Permit" situation would be for more than an evening.

 

 

[roo860]

Some time ago I was a fim extra for just an evening.
 
At the end of the shoot we showed our passports and a signed a paper and were given 1000Bt.
 
Easy money for just a couple of hours "work"
 
Don't know what the "Work Permit" situation would be for more than an evening.
 
[emoji2] 

Didn't know Walt Disney was back in town.

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[jackdd]

5 minutes ago, Daffy D said:

Some time ago I was a fim extra for just an evening.

 

At the end of the shoot we showed our passports and a signed a paper and were given 1000Bt.

 

Easy money for just a couple of hours "work"

 

Don't know what the "Work Permit" situation would be for more than an evening.

 

 

Just a guess:

The paper said: "I hereby declare that i have a work permit for this work" so that the company can't be fined for employing somebody without work permit and probably they also need to declare for their taxes who they gave the money to.

Of course you still worked illegally and could be deported for this, but that's not the problem of the company anymore at this point. In reality nobody will check this kind of stuff, but if somehow once the wrong person gets involved...

[Daffy D]

4 minutes ago, roo860 said:

 

 

Didn't know Walt Disney was back in town.

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Nah! If it had been Walt I would have been naturaly been the star 

[roo860]

Nah! If it had been Walt I would have been naturaly been the star 

Yep, you and Goofy!

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[Daffy D]

6 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Just a guess:

The paper said: "I hereby declare that i have a work permit for this work" so that the company can't be fined for employing somebody without work permit and probably they also need to declare for their taxes who they gave the money to.

Of course you still worked illegally and could be deported for this, but that's not the problem of the company anymore at this point. In reality nobody will check this kind of stuff, but if somehow once the wrong person gets involved...

I realy don't care.

 

It was some years ago I didn't care then and I do not care now. It was acouple of hours fun that I got paid for.

 

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Daffy D said:

Some time ago I was a fim extra for just an evening.

 

At the end of the shoot we showed our passports and a signed a paper and were given 1000Bt.

 

Easy money for just a couple of hours "work"

 

Don't know what the "Work Permit" situation would be for more than an evening.

 

 

 

And there's also the possibility that the production company knew the laws about work permits but deliberately chose to ignore the law or planned to plead ignorance of the laws, or just didn't want to spend the time, the money and resources to get the WPs.

 

Ultimately, water under the bridge.

 

 

 

 

[Suradit69]

15 hours ago, roo860 said:

Didn't know Walt Disney was back in town.

 

14 hours ago, Daffy D said:

Nah! If it had been Walt I would have been naturaly been the star 

 

"Sufferin Succotash !"  Daffy is under contract to Warner Brothers. Never worked for Walt Disney. Donald Duck would never have allowed it.

 

[Daffy D]

A couple of brown envelopes would have fixed that 

[roo860]

A couple of brown envelopes would have fixed that  [emoji106]

Would that have been your 'bill'?
[emoji106]

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[jumbo]

We have a lot of models coming in for our business, they come through agencies that provide them work permits...

[exemplary21]

17 hours ago, Daffy D said:

Nah! If it had been Walt I would have been naturaly been the star 

 

Why?

 

You've always worked for Warner Brothers, Daffy...

 

 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

I was a farang doctor in a Thai soap for one episode about thirty years ago - 500 Baht and no WP; I still quake in my boots every time the doorbell rings.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, roo860 said:

 

Would that have been your 'bill'?


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Daddy Daddy there's a man at the door with a bill

 

That's no man son, it's a duck in a suit!

 

Sorry.................... 

[Baerboxer]

I've been to numerous castings with my daughter over several years. Depending on what for, there was often quite a few 20 something farangs, women and men, waiting to be auditioned. Mainly East Europeans.

 

Apparently these were "models" who showed at lots and lots of auditions - films, TV, adverts etc etc. Don't think anyone ever checked if they had WP's or what visas they were here on. 

 

But they all seem to have gone now.

 

There are quite a lot of foreign students in Thailand and some of these might be tempted for some extra money.

 

But although perhaps no one bothers too much, should an individual cross the wrong person, then something could be made of it. 

[thecyclist]

I think you worry too much:The chances of the the labor  department or immigration knocking on your door for working for a few days as an extra are infinitely smaller than being run over crossing a road in Thailand.I have done lots of extra work for both Thai and Hollywood production companies over the years. They never worry about work permits, and for that very reason neither should you.

[simon43]

They never worry about work permits, and for that very reason neither should you.

LoL, Yes I'm sure that they have your best interests at heart... :)

[Daffy D]

5 hours ago, exemplary21 said:

 

Why?

 

You've always worked for Warner Brothers, Daffy...

 

 

          DO NOT CONFUSE ME  AhAAAaaaaaa!!!!

 

 

 

[Eaglekott]

On 3/5/2018 at 11:43 AM, Grumpy Old Man said:

Am I missing something, is there a loophole in the Thai work permit system and film companies that they can employ foreigners as film extras on a daily basis without a formal work permit ?

When I was sitting for a day and waited for my VISA at Chaeng Wattana Immigration they had several posters on the walls with texts to remind you that if you want to be an actor or model in Thailand you MUST have a valid work permit.

[Mansell]

On March 5, 2018 at 12:43 PM, norrska said:

Based on your avatar, you have a certain Donald Pleasance aura about you, very photogenic, but unfortunately quite often cast as a villain.....

When I worked spasmodically in the Industry, I knew somebody who either knew Donald or was his agent.......he told me that Donald would work on any film and his fee was always 250,000 pounds, whether it was two months or whatever. I like that, he wasn't a greedy man, and he gave value for money, and he didn't price himself out of the market. Smart man. 

Had some friends doing extra work on Phuket on a pretty regular basis, no work permits involved.....but it is the entertainment biz and they march to a different drummer.

[norrska]

43 minutes ago, Mansell said:

When I worked spasmodically in the Industry, I knew somebody who either knew Donald or was his agent.......he told me that Donald would work on any film and his fee was always 250,000 pounds, whether it was two months or whatever. I like that, he wasn't a greedy man, and he gave value for money, and he didn't price himself out of the market. Smart man. 

Had some friends doing extra work on Phuket on a pretty regular basis, no work permits involved.....but it is the entertainment biz and they march to a different drummer.

interesting.  I particularly liked him in the Great Escape and THX1138

[lemonjelly]

considering the expense of employing camera crews, make-up, sound technicians, catering etc etc... the cost of keeping the lads in brown looking the other way is negligible i’d imagine


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[dddave]

I've worked as an extra many times, mostly in commercials made here and the phrase "Work Permit" has never been uttered within my earshot.  The usual rate for a full day, often starting at 4am and ending sometime after 6pm is B2000 "in hand", that is after the 30% agent fee and 7% tax is deducted. With the proliferation of young Russians and Eastern Europeans desperate for any kind of work, if is sometimes as low as B1500.  TV soap operas often pay as low as B1000. Thais get paid considerably less.

Extras are always paid at the end of the last working day, in cash.  Signed copies of passports are required to be paid.

[tryasimight]

Makes a refreshing change from the SAS/SEAL/MI6 types...... Now we have ex Hollywood wannabes posting too. 

C'mon Tom Cruise/ Hanks..... What is you TVF poster name? 

[norrska]

7 hours ago, dddave said:

I've worked as an extra many times, mostly in commercials made here and the phrase "Work Permit" has never been uttered within my earshot.  The usual rate for a full day, often starting at 4am and ending sometime after 6pm is B2000 "in hand", that is after the 30% agent fee and 7% tax is deducted. With the proliferation of young Russians and Eastern Europeans desperate for any kind of work, if is sometimes as low as B1500.  TV soap operas often pay as low as B1000. Thais get paid considerably less.

Extras are always paid at the end of the last working day, in cash.  Signed copies of passports are required to be paid.

I wouldn't get of bed for those rates mate?  There must be a better way to earn a buck!

[jackdd]

21 hours ago, thecyclist said:

They never worry about work permits, and for that very reason neither should you.

This is definitely one of the most stupid things i have read on Thaivisa