Work Permits

[andy1308]

Just though I would share the experiences of the company I work for in the publishing/media sector.

We have been told today (I assume by the Dept of Labor) that because we are in the publishing/media industry, we will not be allowed to apply for any additional work permits. The three we have at the moment (including mine) are fine and will be renewed, but no additional members of staff requiring WPs will be approved.

This has nothing to do with capital or profit; it's down to the industry we are in. I am aware that journalism is one of the 'protected' areas for employment but this covers all positions - not just reporters.

The fact is, as I am finding out personally right now, is that there are very few (if any) Thai people will the level of experience we need. We've just licensed an international magazine to publish in Thai here and that requires one or two people with 'Western' media understand and experience. The fact that we, or others, will be unable to recruit new talent and thus unable to create new jobs for around 30-40 Thai people seems to have escaped someone.

Has anyone else come across this? Is it just someone trying their luck at the Dept of Labor? Is this just another media crackdown?

I await your comments with interest ... <smiles>

[JoeyBonaparte]

We have been told today (I assume by the Dept of Labor) that because we are in the publishing/media industry, we will not be allowed to apply for any additional work permits. The three we have at the moment (including mine) are fine and will be renewed, but no additional members of staff requiring WPs will be approved.

<smiles>

Over the last few years work permits in the media industry have become more restrictive, for example from allowing permits for "managers" to not allowing them, but allowing "writer" for instance. During the political turmoil of the last year, even tighter restrictions may have been imposed. All candidates have to have an interview at the Press Office of the Foreign Ministry. Acceptance or rejection might be sensitive to job title and whether you are an established Thai company. It might take two applications with the job title changed.

In the worse case, you might use the three positions that you already have as managers or coordinators and outsource the rest to elancers located at some indeterminate point in cyberspace to which the notion of work permit might not really apply. Good luck.

[andy1308]

Thanks Joey. I know what you mean about job titles (Manager instead of Editor, etc) but from what we have been told this morning even that isn't going to work. It appears they are restricting all new applications from any media/publishing companies.

I might be jumping the gun with that last sweeping statement; it might just be the company I work for that is being picked on, but I doubt that. Regardless of whether we want an English-speaking writer, marketer, circulation exec, media auditing exec, Japanese-speaking secretary .... none will be approved according to what we have learned today.

[Sir_Sanuk]

I work as a writer and editor for a magazine here and my company also had problems with my work permit (last year).

The first time my application was rejected (I think on the grounds that a Thai person could do my job), but then after hiring the assistance of a very good local lawyer the second application was approved immediately - although the position declared on my work permit is the ambiguous term 'English literature specialist'.

So despite your recent discovery I would suggest that where there is a will there is still a way...

[andy1308]

Sir Sanuk, I tend to agree with you. I think it's worth fighting and I think it's easy for us to prove a case that no Thai has the kind of experiences required for one or two very specific positions. I just wonder how much notice will be taken?

Perhaps I am worrying too much and it's nothing new, but I wrote about it to see if anyone else has had any recent similar experiences.

[cclub75]

The first time my application was rejected (I think on the grounds that a Thai person could do my job), but then after hiring the assistance of a very good local lawyer the second application was approved immediately

So despite your recent discovery I would suggest that where there is a will there is still a way...

I agree 100%.

Never assume that what a lawyer is going to tell you ("oh difficult to get new work permit") is true. Or even connected to some facts, or even to some kind of distorted reality...

The bottom line is : you don't know. You don't know what really said or thought the officer at Labor dpt. The problem is not you (or your application), but may be the lawyer himself, within his relationship with Labour dpt.

Take another lawyer, try to change a bit the application, find another way.

"We have been told today (I assume by the Dept of Labor) that because we are in the publishing/media industry,"

This sentence is the perfect example of the traditionnal bullshit a thai lawyer could say (in order to close the case, here : no more WP) if he face a difficulty.

Again : never take it for the truth.

[andy1308]

Sorry, I should have explained. This didn't come from a lawyer. It came from someone from the Dept of Labour in a direct conversation with our HR dept this morning. We've always done our own WPs because we have the staff capable of doing it - perhaps in future we need some gentle help from a good and experienced lawyer.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Just though I would share the experiences of the company I work for in the publishing/media sector.

We have been told today (I assume by the Dept of Labor) that because we are in the publishing/media industry, we will not be allowed to apply for any additional work permits. The three we have at the moment (including mine) are fine and will be renewed, but no additional members of staff requiring WPs will be approved.

This has nothing to do with capital or profit; it's down to the industry we are in. I am aware that journalism is one of the 'protected' areas for employment but this covers all positions - not just reporters.

The fact is, as I am finding out personally right now, is that there are very few (if any) Thai people will the level of experience we need. We've just licensed an international magazine to publish in Thai here and that requires one or two people with 'Western' media understand and experience. The fact that we, or others, will be unable to recruit new talent and thus unable to create new jobs for around 30-40 Thai people seems to have escaped someone.

Has anyone else come across this? Is it just someone trying their luck at the Dept of Labor? Is this just another media crackdown?

I await your comments with interest ... <smiles>

We never have had any work permit applications rejected in Bangkok. No work permit, no fee charged by us. If you are in Bangkok, the professional fee is 6,500 Baht plus 7% Vat plus government fee.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com