I've had a good look around and i'm still confused on some things, but apologies in advance if any of this is already somewhere on the site.

A friend of mine runs an IT services company and he has some contacts and opportunities he's interested in following up in Thailand. I work for him on and off usually in a consultancy role, and i've put my hand up to go over. So if all goes well i'll have a multi-entry non imm B visa from an embassy here in aus with sponsorship from his company.

It may turn out i'll just meet with people and also do some software development work remotely for the australian company, in which case i assume no need for a work permit as no one in Thailand is paying me.

But if one of the companies i'm dealing with in BKK wants me to consult for them for a while (so they'd actually be paying my friends company with some of that being passed back to me) i assume i'd need to get a work permit. Also, if i like BKK and his work dries up i may look around at getting contracting work directly with a thai company, so once again i need a work permit.

Does the fact my visa is sponsored by a company in aus cause me probs with getting a work permit for a local company? Does it affect things if i'm not employed by the thai company directly?

Thanks for any advice anyone can hand on here, i'm losing it trying to make sense of all this!

If you are working in Thailand, no matter if you are being paid or not, you need a work permit.

Does the fact my visa is sponsored by a company in aus cause me probs with getting a work permit for a local company?

No

Does it affect things if i'm not employed by the thai company directly?

No.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

If you are working in Thailand, no matter if you are being paid or not, you need a work permit.

Ok, but i thought the work permit was for a specific employer? So say you're having meetings with various companies who would be on the work permit? I'm assuming the work permit isn't issued against the australian co?

If you are working in Thailand, no matter if you are being paid or not, you need a work permit.

Ok, but i thought the work permit was for a specific employer? So say you're having meetings with various companies who would be on the work permit? I'm assuming the work permit isn't issued against the australian co?

The visa you are talking about is to explore business opportunities. It is OK for you to have meetings (if you are not being paid for them). It prohibits you from working. I have such a visa.

if you are going to actually do some work then that is a completely different matter and you would need a work permit which would require a new visa for that purpose first. I'm sure Sunbelt will prvodie full info on the best way to structure this - depends on whether yo uare going to work for the Australian Company and be paid by them or work for the Thai Company.

subelt would know best as to if this applies to you, but take a look at the provisions of the Thai Australia FTA http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/...e_benefits.html

Temporary entry of business people

• Thailand will grant a visa and work permit for up to five years' stay for all Australian citizens being transferred to work in Thailand within the same company (to be renewable annually) (previously one year).
  
• Thailand will grant a visa and work permit for up to three years' stay for all Australian citizens entering Thailand to work on the basis of a contract with an Australian or Thai company other than their employer in Australia (to be renewable annually) (previously one year).
  
• Thailand will not require a work permit for Australian citizens who are business visitors conducting business meetings in Thailand for up to 15 days, and up to 90 days for APEC Travel Card Holders.
  
• Thailand will consider applications for visas and work permits submitted by an employer on an applicant's behalf and advise in advance of approval and (with visa to be granted on arrival subject to identity verification).
  
• Thailand will permit all Australian business visitors access to the one-stop visa and work permit service (previously restricted to visitors representing or employed by major investors).
  
• Thailand will permit all Australians who hold work permits to participate in business meetings anywhere in Thailand, including locations not specified in their work permits (previous work permits had to be changed if any work was to be conducted in a location not specified in the permit).
  
• Thailand will reduce the number of documents required from Australians for work permits and renewals and work permits.