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 .....   ? 

Of course its totally normal to do this, do you think all these models that go to fashion weeks, music videos etc get a work permit in every country they visit? lol no, normally no one gives a <deleted> and no country cares. Same for DJs and co.

 

Do you think a DJ from the US gets a work permit for a dj gig on ibiza, london and co - nah only the big ones, it's a pain in the ass and really no one gives a damn if they have one or not. they fly from one country to another every day in a plane, logistically impossible to get work permits everywhere.

 

 

 

Except thailand.

Edited January 6, 20206 yr by ThomasThBKK

This isn’t so bad, it just means all those people with nice cars, houses, establishments ,etc .... have to have all the right documents in order for their foreign workers; it always goes bOth ways......????

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 .....   ? 

There are a lot of jobs you never see: media for instance.  Because of low production costs but good production infrastructure, Thailand is a regional hub for producing TV commercials, movies, TV series and promotional videos. Commercials targeted at markets in India, Pakistan, The Gulf States, Australia and Eastern Europe are frequently produced in Thailand and 90% of the talent used are younger expats from Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Jobs range from extra at about B1500+/day to leading roles that can pay B30,000+/day.  WP's are never asked for.

1 hour ago, mariohh1 said:

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

 

 

Will you be phoning the hotline?

12 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Of course its totally normal to do this, do you think all these models that go to fashion weeks, music videos etc get a work permit in every country they visit? lol no, normally no one gives a <deleted> and no country cares. Same for DJs and co.

 

Do you think a DJ from the US gets a work permit for a dj gig on ibiza, london and co - nah only the big ones, it's a pain in the ass and really no one gives a damn if they have one or not. they fly from one country to another every day in a plane, logistically impossible to get work permits everywhere.

Except thailand.

Most countries have special category visas for people temporarily working within their borders. Entertainers, sportspeople, businessmen, etc.

I believe Thailand also has these visas.

I think this is about people working illegally while on tourist visas. 

What punishment can a Thai expect working cash-in-hand & not paying any taxes?

 

What's next for those of us that are (still) here legally?

Edited January 6, 20206 yr by evadgib

2 hours ago, webfact said:

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. 

That explains the recently-awarded contract to build a big extension at the IDC.

1 hour 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.

They don't want any English teachers really, it's just a facade

Crackup at all these crackdowns????

40 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Most countries have special category visas for people temporarily working within their borders. Entertainers, sportspeople, businessmen, etc.

I believe Thailand also has these visas.

I think this is about people working illegally while on tourist visas. 

yes this is true, germany even has an eSport visa now.

 

Thailand has only the non-b visa with work permit, only this is excluded from having to need a work permit: 

 

Quote

Originally, the Decree provided that foreigners who enter Thailand occasionally for the purpose of attending meetings shall not be required to apply for work permits.  The amendment to the Decree broadens that list of activities to be exempt from a work permit to include:

 

• organizing or attending a meeting, conference, or lecture; issuing expressions of opinion, or presenting at a meeting, training, workshop, or seminar; performing art and cultural activities; or participating in sports competitions or any activities to be prescribed by the Council of Ministers;
•  
• establishing a business or making an investment, or possessing knowledge, ability, or a high level of skill (“high level of skills” – see KPMG Note section), which will be beneficial to Thailand’s development, as prescribed by the Council of Ministers; and
•  
• serving as a representative of a foreign juristic person licensed to operate business under the foreign business law. 

 

The article mentions

 

Quote

such as models, foreign coaches or foreign footballers who will play in the Thai league Must apply for a work permit in the same criteria as migrants who come to work in the country.

 

 

Lol i wonder how many foreign football stars are playing in the thai league without work permit??? ...

 

This whole thing just sounds made up to me, someone has nothing better to do than giving non sense interviews... 

2 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

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.

I think it only applies to those paid by Thai companies. If you sit on the beach and write website codes and get paid from overseas into your foreign bank account then you are invincible

32 minutes ago, Sticky Wicket said:

They don't want any English teachers really, it's just a facade

The phillipina

4 minutes ago, Filipplenoir said:

I think it only applies to those paid by Thai companies. If you sit on the beach and write website codes and get paid from overseas into your foreign bank account then you are invincible

Yeah, exactly the case (apart from the "website codes" ;-)).

2 hours 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.

It doesn't sound like they're targeting schools who do this.  While technically illegal, it's common practice for teachers to teach while they're paperwork is being sorted out, although sending them out to get a B visa first is preferable.

3 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Don't dare kick a ball

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Dont get caught cleaning your windows

2 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

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.

The crackdown is not about anything you guys are talking about. As the two top comments are totally useless and irrelevant, they are not worth getting into.

 

@shadowofacloud Ido not know how you believe they can crack down on you for that. Your occupation is not mentioned as something that is regarded as work in Thailand, either in the Labour Law/Labuor Act or in the Immigration Act.

Therefore they can not put any liability on you, due to that they do not recognize digital nomads and working remotely on Internet as a description of work in any of the acts.

Really! If they actually oculd do this, by enforcing the law. Don´t you think it would have been done long time ago?

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

 

@shadowofacloud I do not know how you believe they can crack down on you for that. Your occupation is not mentioned as something that is regarded as work in Thailand, either in the Labour Law/Labuor Act or in the Immigration Act.

Therefore they can not put any liability on you, due to that they do not recognize digital nomads and working remotely on Internet as a description of work in any of the acts.

Really! If they actually oculd do this, by enforcing the law. Don´t you think it would have been done long time ago?

My comment was a little bit tongue in cheek, probably even a bit provocative. ????

Lazy Monday, sorry.

 

I don't believe they have the technological means to identify digital professionals (be it nomads with more ad-hoc jobs, or people working remotely on a full-time basis), I also don't believe they really care about this "demographic". So you are absolutely right.

 

As you've said, and it was mentioned multiple time in the threads on digital nomadism, they do not see this as work, as the influence on the local job market is extremely minor. Not many Thais could do my job, as the skill set required is hard to find even in some EU countries. If you add the language barrier (proficient English is an absolute must), then I really cannot see myself as any kind of competition for the locals. The illegal construction workers from Myanmar or Cambo (not that I have anything against them) are a much bigger problem in this context.

so working on a tourist visa was allowed in 2019?

Is helping put up the cloth racks for ones wife once a week and bringing them back to the car at evenings considered as work? Then I'm busted!

2 hours ago, evadgib said:

What punishment can a Thai expect working cash-in-hand & not paying any taxes?

 

What's next for those of us that are (still) here legally?

I've never heard of that happening in the UK!????

I suspect that crackdowns will only happen to those employers who are not paying the right officials to look the other way.

Is there a reward for reporting them?

I’ve seen two in the last week one in a shop in China town and one yesterday at Chutachak. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

will especially be targeting foreigners

More reasons to move to Vietnam, a more robust economy and you are not targeted.  More signs of poorly selected goals and objectives by the junta.   Xenophobia can be cut with a knife. 

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

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

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

I was on phi phi a couple of years back and there were dozens of young white kids

working in and around the dive shops there and I would be surprised if they had permits.

 

I know 3 young guys who worked in dive schools who I know for sure didn't have permits.

The money wasn't great, covered/extended their holiday but still against the rules.

 

I'm not seething with anger at their actions, yet don't see a problem with the authorities

here enforcing their laws either.

3 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Of course its totally normal to do this, do you think all these models that go to fashion weeks, music videos etc get a work permit in every country they visit? lol no, normally no one gives a <deleted> and no country cares. Same for DJs and co.

 

Do you think a DJ from the US gets a work permit for a dj gig on ibiza, london and co - nah only the big ones, it's a pain in the ass and really no one gives a damn if they have one or not. they fly from one country to another every day in a plane, logistically impossible to get work permits everywhere.

 

 

 

Except thailand.

Anyone flying halfway across the world to play some records at a disco probably

has an agent and legal team who would attend to such mundane matters, or failing

that would grease the appropriate palms.

5 hours 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 more than that on TV, look at all the digital "nomads"

Edited January 6, 20206 yr by FritsSikkink

4 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

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.

Like they are worried about a few thousand USD, see if you like the deportation too.

21 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

More reasons to move to Vietnam, a more robust economy and you are not targeted.  More signs of poorly selected goals and objectives by the junta.   Xenophobia can be cut with a knife. 

Still need work permits there...and isn't it max three months then have to leave?....or can you stay and work there without any problems?, 

Off the subject I just when to my bank and all 4 of my bank books where taxed they sure like making money off us in any new way they can think of 

11 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Like they are worried about a few thousand USD, see if you like the deportation too.

Think bigger. It's not about the few thousand USD they would get from me.

 

If such a visa was introduced and promoted in relevant circles, they would be earning (tens of) millions USD pa. Remote work is a major trend in the workforce these days and is predicted to grow steadily in the next decade.

 

And being deported would be part of the fun - would most likely be stressful, but an interesting experience to reflect on in a while.