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2020: Crackdown on tourists working without work permits - 50K fines and deportation awaits

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2020: Crackdown on tourists working without work permits - 50K fines and deportation awaits

 

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Labor Minister MR Chatumongkol Sonakul said that 2020 will be a year of going after foreigners illegally working in Thailand.

 

"Mom Tao" - as he is affectionately known - will especially be targeting foreigners on tourist visas without work permits, reported Bangkok Biz News (BBN). 

 

The public has been asked to report law breakers by phoning a hotline as a four pronged approach by the authorities is promised. 

 

Jail terms and fines of up to 200,000 baht await employers while tourists caught working without the necessary paperwork could face a 50,000 baht fine and deportation. 

 

Chatumongkol's Department of Employment that issues work permits will be teaming up with the Royal Thai Police, the Immigration Bureau and the Department of Provincial Administration to flush out lawbreakers from Thailand. 

 

DoE chief Suchart Pornchaiwisetkun said that those seeking employment must have non-immigrant visas - those with tourist visas or visitors in transit can't  work in Thailand.

 

BBN mentioned male and female fashion models,football players and coaches in particular in their article.

 

The fine for working without a work permit is 5,000 to 50,000 baht plus deportation. 

 

Employers face fines of 10,000 to 100,000 baht for each illegal person they employ.

 

Prison terms await repeat offenders who are employers along with fines of 50,000 to 200,000 baht and being unable to hire workers again for three years. 

 

The public have been urged to contact the DoE to report offenders on 02 354 1729, contact ten regional offices or phone the hotline on 1506 extension 2. 

 

Source: Bangkok Biz News

 

 

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-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-01-06
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  • shadowofacloud
    shadowofacloud

    As a happy digital professional, working remotely from TH for a few months every year*, I say: come get me!   It really would be a fun experience, something to write about in a few years, pl

  • Dont get caught cleaning your windows

  • I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

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  • Popular Post

I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

  • Popular Post

Don't dare kick a ball 

  • Popular Post

Dont get caught cleaning your windows

  • Popular Post
8 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

There are many. Some don't get paid and think this is no problem then. But it is not important if you get money or not. It is important that you do something that could be classified as work. 

  • Popular Post

As a happy digital professional, working remotely from TH for a few months every year*, I say: come get me!

 

It really would be a fun experience, something to write about in a few years, plus the maximum fine of 50k isn't a major issue (most likely 5-10k under the table would solve the problem anyway).

 

[*] on tourist visas, of course. If the indolent authorities came up with a proper visa+work permit scheme for digital professionals (say, 1k usd pa), they would already be a few thousand USD richer.

Edited by shadowofacloud

  • Popular Post
3 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Dont get caught cleaning your windows

George Formby would have been deported within days.

  • Popular Post
2 minutes ago, shadowofacloud said:

As a happy digital professional, working remotely in TH for a few months every year, I say: come get me!

 

It really would be a fun experience, something to write about in a few years, plus the maximum fine of 50k isn't a major issue (most likely 5-10k under the table would solve the problem anyway).

Not sure if they provide internet in the deportation cell ????

  • Popular Post
1 minute ago, Beggar said:

Not sure if they provide internet in the deportation cell ????

A little digital detox never hurts.

  • Popular Post
20 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

maybe out in the sticks but here on koh phangan are at least 100

 

 

  • Popular Post
3 minutes ago, mariohh1 said:
24 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

maybe out in the sticks but here on koh phangan are at least 100

Right.....expect a SWAT team there next week.

I'm guessing you've been keeping tabs if you know there's definitely so many.

  • Popular Post

It the modus operandi of most schools here in Thailand. When coming from abroad, you get a tourist visa first, start working as a teacher and after probation the school will apply for work permit.

 

Wonder how Thailand will find the 'needed' foreign teachers with this new crackdown.

  • Popular Post
35 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

The constantly raid chinese businesses who do something illegal here in thailand like online scamming in china or taiwan.

 

This is not about westerners i bet, they even should be happy if they want to work here so the thai can learn a lot about how to work professionally.

  • Popular Post
3 minutes ago, fruitman said:

so the thai can learn a lot about how to work professionally

 

 :-). I am very much impressed by your optimism, even if I don't share it.

How would this affect people doing charitable volunteer assistance for local schools and shelters? 

  • Popular Post

are there any foreigners left in ThailandM

  • Popular Post
5 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

How would this affect people doing charitable volunteer assistance for local schools and shelters? 

Even volunteers need to have a work permit and the right type of visa. 

  • Popular Post
14 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

It the modus operandi of most schools here in Thailand. When coming from abroad, you get a tourist visa first, start working as a teacher and after probation the school will apply for work permit.

 

Wonder how Thailand will find the 'needed' foreign teachers with this new crackdown.

Don’t need Thai teachers are velly good

  • Popular Post
29 minutes ago, mariohh1 said:

maybe out in the sticks but here on koh phangan are at least 100

 

 

Some of them might be too high on magic mushrooms to realize what they are doing.

 

There'll be the day when no more tourists come to this country. What happened to the former Land of Smiles?

 

It's more The Land of Cries now. 

  • Popular Post
54 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

You'd be surprised how many are, and in the thousands, either no WP or have a an 'agreement and arrangement' with the immigration, seen it in my own eyes...

  • Popular Post

They sure got their priorities right :whistling:

Need to get rid of the young 'professionals' in useless jobs like models, DJs, property agents, teacher agents, boiler roomers, island meditation 'gurus', etc.

  • Popular Post

Oh My - Another crack down? How many evil begpackers will they get this time? And don't play your guitar out in public or on the beach and have people listen. Oh NO-don't do that!

  • Popular Post
1 hour ago, steven100 said:

I'm amazed that this would be a big deal, as i wouldn't suspect too many foreigners on tourist visa's working in Thailand .....  maybe a few but certainly not a hundred or even 30 .....   ? 

You would be surprised, I know of 3 people working for over a year without permits and yes 2 that are not married are only on tourist visas...what gets me is they make no secret about it and I say they should keep it quite.....

  • Popular Post
1 hour ago, webfact said:

as he is affectionately known

exactly who is he affectionately  known by this name?

  • Popular Post
1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Dont get caught cleaning your windows

Can I roger  my WIFE or  is that  only a  job for teenyboy  Thais?

  • Popular Post

This really is not a problem Thailand should worry about.

I Just got back to Malaysia from Thailand. Talked to people there and it's really bad for anything related to tourism. Hotels are almost empty. Yes, there are few Chinese but according to my Thai friend they do not make a penny out of them. All goes back to China or Chinese owned businesses. She also mentioned that many Scandinavians are moving out (selling their houses) like her good friend who can't get a visa anymore as he is over 70 and can't get his insurance sorted out. Does not want to have the hassle anymore. Many did not come at all anymore for this xmas - even they had houses there! High season seems to be the new low season. I think lots of Thais will be quite mad very soon when they run out of money... Almost forgot that when there was a big factory closure due to high bath the government reps said to the people who lost their jobs that "there are many new factories coming in and if they want they can move and go elsewhere to find work. No need to stay in one place." 

 

Personally I would not come to Thailand anymore but I have a place where I can stay for free. However even I notice how expensive stuff is there now. It's ridiculous and then top this with less than friendly immigration etc... Not a nice place to visit anymore.

 

Anyways, this is surely a priority now to go after tourists working... Good luck with that. Scare everyone out and deport the rest. Then you have no problems with foreigners anymore. 

1 hour ago, mariohh1 said:

maybe out in the sticks but here on koh phangan are at least 100

 

 

I point out 30 in one soi in Pattaya ???? 

  • Popular Post

OK Thailand government. We understand.. Crack down on TM28 and TM 30, crackdown on TM47. Crackdown on foreign overstayers. Crackdown on no work permit. Crackdown on not enough cash upon airport arrival. Crackdown on no medical insurance. Crackdown on visa requirements. 

 

How about cracking down on things much more important in Thailand that would benefit all Thai people, maybe foreigners too, and create a safer, healthier and happier place to live? 

 

This sort of news is getting nauseating. 

 

 

they are a few or many who work from the laptop everywhere in Thailand.unless they are watching the internet everywhere. it will always exist,but the work visa is something that is not easy to get and keep.so if u have one u are lucky

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