Working from home

[JRG23]

Hello. With a Thai work permit are you allowed to work from home?

Or does the permit mandate that you have to work from your office location?

Any advice would be very helpful.

thank you.

[Mr Smithy]

It would depend on the nature of the employment contract

[JRG23]

Understood. But does the actual work permit (as of 2020) make any specifications about "place of work"?

 

Any advice appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

[BritTim]

The work permit does specify the work location. However, backward as Thailand is, the concept of employees working from home is not alien to Thai society. As long as you are working from home for the Thai employer specified in the work permit, you would be OK.

[ChipButty]

You was able to specify in your work permit different locations whether that is correct these days I dont know, long time ago my WP was issued in BKK and I also worked in and around Phuket 

[phantomfiddler]

My work permit clearly stated that I could only work in the 1 shophouse unit that was my place of business ????

[Satcommlee]

I believe that there was a royal proclamation a while back which rendered much of the work permit rules irrelevant. I would be interested to know if this is still in effect.

 

I also work from home and even in a different province to the location mentioned on my work permit...   Neither the labour office or my local immigration seemed to be worried about this when being frank and open with them.

 

But what is scary on my recent renewal of the work permit is that the back page now says that the penalty for non-compliance is now (up to) 400'000 Baht and not 10'000 as it was before.

 

 

[tomazbodner]

My work permit doesn't have specific address and lists Bangkok as place of work. I guess it would depend on how the application was filled out. The previous one had place of work very detailed, but then it was me arranging own work permit who wrote entire address on the form and I guess they just retyped it. If you have a lawyer getting it for you, ask if they can put city/province in the location of work.

[NightSky]

I had a work permit for about 6 years. I showed it to no one in that time and I worked at home behind closed doors. It just cost me every year to renew it and put it back in my drawer. Pointless really.

[Autonuaq]

as far as I know you only are allowed to work at the place mentioned in the work permit. if you work at for example three places like I do then the are all three mentioned in the work permit and per location you have to comply to the same rules and prerequisites as with the first work place. this is the situation as it is with my work permits since 2013.

[Don Mega]

3 minutes ago, Autonuaq said:

as far as I know you only are allowed to work at the place mentioned in the work permit. if you work at for example three places like I do then the are all three mentioned in the work permit and per location you have to comply to the same rules and prerequisites as with the first work place. this is the situation as it is with my work permits since 2013.

My work permit lists a company name but no addresses or location.... I could work from home I assume as long as it is company related.

[zeusbheld]

i suspect it matters what your role / work is and who you work for. 

according to my lawyer my work permit allows me to work pretty much anywhere. however, i formed my own company to do so, and the nature of my work is such that, well, it could happen anywhere. 

[WhereIsMyRyeBread]

I guess the main point is that Thai work permits are specific to one specified company.

 

After I resigned my job in Bangkok, I had to hand back my blue little workpermit book so they could take it behind the counter and shoot it and then burn the remains. 

It's not like some overly generous European countries where you can just get a general work permit and THEN get on with finding a job and work.

So you're meant to work at a place where that company conducts their business to answer your question.
Naturally this doesn't mean you're tied to one address as you may go out on sales calls, take a sicke and work from home on those days. 

I think also maybe we should ask if one needs a workpermit if conducting work from home in the first place e,g making money online like a one wo/man show, Trinity like.

To that the theoretical answer is still YES I guess. (That's why I stopped doing my dishes - no work permit!)
From what I learned, migration cops don't really bust into people's home to check if you're plugging away on your computer in your bedroom without a workpermit - or really just typing an email to mum back in Elbonia. They more often look for workers without permits at commercial addresses.

 

My first post on ThaiVisa after using the site for 9 years without creating an account ????️‍♂️????????????

 

 

 

[tom in bangkok]

If it actually isnt allowed then I suppose I'm breaking the law by taking client calls after hours when I'm already home...

 

Worth noting that extension applications for work usually involve a visit by immigration in the 30 day waiting time.

[tomauasia]

15 hours ago, BritTim said:

The work permit does specify the work location. However, backward as Thailand is, the concept of employees working from home is not alien to Thai society. As long as you are working from home for the Thai employer specified in the work permit, you would be OK.

They will never know unless you have loose lips. I worked for years at home. They wouldn't know what day it was..