Minimum Salary in 2019 - no exceptions from the 50,000 Baht rule?

[zappalot]

Are there any news about the minimum salary for a work permit?

 

I am needed in a company as a quality adviser. I already have a work permit. But I only need to work about 30 hours a month to achieve my goals/the company's goals. That does not really lift me up after the 50,000 baht limit mentioned in my work permit application. I could work more but I better let the work be done by fellow Thai staff I delegate the work to.

 

I found this thread only from 2015: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/799137-getting-work-permit-without-earning-minimum-salary/?tab=comments#comment-9052735

 

I completely understand that there is a difference in order to get a work permit and to get a extension of stay. For me it is only the extension of work permit next time. I do not need an extension of stay. I found some exceptions from this 50,000 baht rule for example if a foreigner is married to a Thai and live together which would apply to me.

 

Anyway I was not satisfied in finding that in English only. I wanted to have a source in Thai language, best from some official Thai website or trustworthy source.

 

We didn't find anything helpful and so my wife called the Labor Department here in Bangkok. They said the Royal Thai police issued strict advice to the Labor Department not to accept any exceptions from the 50,000 baht minimum salary for foreigners, no matter what. End of story.

That was today, March 13, 2019

 

So now, do I have to work more and steal the work from fellow Thai staff in order to stay legal when I apply for the extension of my work permit next year?

[sanmyintmaung]

Some companies use a work around of paying the expat a salary of 50000 and subtract penalty of 20000 for working less than minimum required hours. So when you look inside the payslip, the salary is reported as 50000 bahts in one line, penalty of 20000 bahts in next line and the actual payout of (50000 - 20000) = 30000 bahts in third line.

[zappalot]

Thank you very much, Sanmyintmaung - so you also know that the employment office accepted this workaround the law when it came to extend the work permit for another year?

[sanmyintmaung]

Proof of minimum salary is required for one year extension of stay at Immigration Office with the reason of Employment. However, Employment office does not require proof of minimum salary for extension of work permit for another year.

 

Required documents for work permit renewal can be found in Employment Office website link below.

 

https://www.doe.go.th/prd/assets/upload/files/kamphaengphet_th/0448105dd74c53f7969dd643c920ff83.pdf

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

 

[chrisinth]

On 3/13/2019 at 12:06 PM, zappalot said:

For me it is only the extension of work permit next time. I do not need an extension of stay.

If you do not need an extension of stay, why are you even involving immigration?

 

It is not the work permit that requires minimum salary, minimum salary is only needed for extension of stay based on employment.

[khunPer]

On 3/13/2019 at 6:06 AM, zappalot said:

So now, do I have to work more and steal the work from fellow Thai staff in order to stay legal when I apply for the extension of my work permit next year?

To my knowledge, from what has been posted in TVF, there are no minimum salary for a WP, its for extension of stay only, and variate depending of nationality, list here.

 

Its mainly a question of paying income tax, so just pay withholding tax – and social security, which is wise, at it covers health also – of 50k baht, even your paid salary might be less (re. the penalty mentioned above). The income tax og 50k baht is a few thousand baht a month, read more about Thai income tax here.

[oobar]

42 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Its mainly a question of paying income tax, so just pay withholding tax – and social security, which is wise, at it covers health also – of 50k baht, even your paid salary might be less

This is correct.  They only care about squeezing you for taxes on 50k.