Work Permit Needed For True Internet

[MartinBKK]

When i came to Bangkok 2 years ago i had no problem obtaining the internet in my apartment. I just filled out a form and no work permit was needed.

However, a good friend of mine is trying to get a TRUE Home High Speed internet connection in his new apartment and they are insisting he cannot have one without a work permit. He has spoken to customer service on 2 occasions and each time been told the same. He does not have a work permit as he works online not in Thailand. I am now wondering how all the retired guys are going to feel when they find out they can't get internet without a work permit?

This is not the first thing like this to happen recently. I am starting to feel a lot less welcome in Thailand. Anybody else share my feelings?

[rainman]

He probably mentioned to them that he works online, therefor they want to see a work permit. I know of several people who have recently applied for True Internet and none of them needed a work permit.

[Kyosuken]

Maybe because it was about time to "clean" the status of some people taking advantage of a too lax system (not speaking about the retired here). Anyway these companies are there to make "money" if someone shows a work permit then they can be somewhat assured that they will sell service for more than one month or two, or your friend wanted to get internet "faster" and used as excuse that he needed internet asap because of work ?

Edit: Damnit slow internet, Rainman said what i wanted to say

Edited April 8, 2007 by Kyosuken

[skippybangkok]

Maybe just a nutter. Try a different sales person. I doubt its policy

[Crushdepth]

It may be a (sloppily enforced) policy, as I've been asked for a work permit by True before. They eventually agreed to accept a 'letter from my employer' instead (which is a legit org by the way).

Edited April 9, 2007 by Crushdepth

[Jockstar]

I used to live in Thailand. I also went to get TRue and took the wife with me. They wanted all kinds of things. So i sacked it. But after speaking to a couple of people who also had True and had no work permit. I tried again but this time i went on my own and basically got it. I paid the direct line but it wasnt under my name. I signed something and had it connected with in 4 days. Easy. Try again and dont mention work.

[MartinBKK]

Just to clarify - i spoke to my friend again and he assured me he didn't mention anything about work.

He has called twice to customer service, each time speaking to a different agent and they have both requested the work permit before he can have a HOME service.

[Jockstar]

Just to clarify - i spoke to my friend again and he assured me he didn't mention anything about work.

He has called twice to customer service, each time speaking to a different agent and they have both requested the work permit before he can have a HOME service.

Dont call as they will tell you whatever on the phone. Go into one their branches away from the usual places. Less chance of many of them speaking English. This is one of those times its good to play the dumb farang. They dont want to lose face so will try to keep you happy and you should get what you want. Just what i done and a few others i know.

[bkkandrew]

Never had any problems when I signed up with them about 8 months ago... That was before the current visa circus though...

[MartinBKK]

Just to update everyone on my original post. I went to a couple of TRUE shops with my friend and we both have been told in no uncertain terms that no work permit = no internet. This is also clearly printed on the application form.

I applied for the internet around 6 months ago and was not required to produce a work permit so this change has obviously been introduced recently.

Whether this is the same with all the internet companies i don't know but am now going to start making enquiries.

I would anticipate a lot of retired guys with no TGF are going to be really inconvenienced in the next few months. Thats right folks, you can own a property here and live here legally on a non-imm visa but you won't be able to get TRUE internet in that brand spanking new condo. I guess you won't be watching UBC either seeing it is the same company and no doubt the new regulation will apply to that too!!!!! Amazing Thailand indeed.

[Strap]

Just to update everyone on my original post. I went to a couple of TRUE shops with my friend and we both have been told in no uncertain terms that no work permit = no internet. This is also clearly printed on the application form.

I applied for the internet around 6 months ago and was not required to produce a work permit so this change has obviously been introduced recently.

Whether this is the same with all the internet companies i don't know but am now going to start making enquiries.

I would anticipate a lot of retired guys with no TGF are going to be really inconvenienced in the next few months. Thats right folks, you can own a property here and live here legally on a non-imm visa but you won't be able to get TRUE internet in that brand spanking new condo. I guess you won't be watching UBC either seeing it is the same company and no doubt the new regulation will apply to that too!!!!! Amazing Thailand indeed.

Hi,

From my own accounts today ( Friday) went to true shop in ratchada ( Fortune town ) and got new service ordered and a new line to be installed. No problem at all copy of the lease and my thai DL. they asked for my passport and i gave them my DL and said i forgot it. no problem 4 meg line and a 4 port WI-Fi router . about 2,500bt all done.

I think they just want your friend to show them something that would indicate that he will still be here in a year when the contract is up.They no longer require a deposit like before. you buy the hub/router and sign a 1 year service agreement.

PS: I did see on the form it asks them what visa you have.

Strap

[Jimjim]

MartinBKK, does your friend have a non-immigrant visa?

[MartinBKK]

This is very interesting and just confirms to me that TRUE is a mickey mouse company. What is policy for one customer is clearly negotiable for another.

In both the shops we approached he was asked for a work permit. When we explained the situation we were flatly told that they could not help. There was no effort to ask for a copy of his lease, there were no questions about the sort of visa he had in fact there was no attempt to help whatsoever (he has a 2 month tourist visa). No work permit = no internet or phone service.

Quite clearly written on the application form is that a work permit is required. It doesnt say anything about a copy of lease being acceptable where a work permit is not possible. After the discussion we held in the shop im quite sure that if another document was acceptable that this would have been suggested to us. I guess you never know though as this is Thailand!!!!

NB. One of the shops we went in was also Fortune in Rathchada.

Edited April 21, 2007 by MartinBKK

[Jimjim]

Ah, it seems clearer now. My guess would be if he had a non-immigrant visa valid for one year he wouldn't need to show a work permit. I think it's because he has a tourist visa. I think this would be the same in most countries.

That said, it's been known to get such things like UBC and internet without any sort of visa.

[lennois]

Hello all, thought I would add my 2 cents worth seeing as I am the friend in question.

I have now been two a total of four True shops including one in Fortune town (same as strap) with my mate Martin. At EVERY shop I was told in no uncertain terms a work permit was required. I never mentioned work and always offered to show them a copy of my long-term lease agreement. As Martin says the requirement for a work permit is VERY clearly stated on the top of their new application form.

"My guess would be if he had a non-immigrant visa valid for one year he wouldn't need to show a work permit." I do not believe this to be the case. I am here on a Tourist visa but that has certainly never come into question. Not once have they asked what Visa I'm on nor have I told them. They simply say they need a work permit. End of story.

Oh and a little about their service. I called them on 6 seperate occasions over the space of 2 weeks and EVERY time received "all our operators are busy leave your number" etc. They never called back.

Truely a third world company. Pun intended.

Edited April 21, 2007 by lennois

[brianinbangkok]

Hello all, thought I would add my 2 cents worth seeing as I am the friend in question.

I have now been two a total of four True shops including one in Fortune town (same as strap) with my mate Martin. At EVERY shop I was told in no uncertain terms a work permit was required. I never mentioned work and always offered to show them a copy of my long-term lease agreement. As Martin says the requirement for a work permit is VERY clearly stated on the top of their new application form.

"My guess would be if he had a non-immigrant visa valid for one year he wouldn't need to show a work permit." I do not believe this to be the case. I am here on a Tourist visa but that has certainly never come into question. Not once have they asked what Visa I'm on nor have I told them. They simply say they need a work permit. End of story.

Oh and a little about their service. I called them on 6 seperate occasions over the space of 2 weeks and EVERY time received "all our operators are busy leave your number" etc. They never called back.

Truely a third world company. Pun intended.

Indeed seems a typical TIT thing , only thing they know here is farang must have workpermit....

I have even had a Thai government agency refusing to accept my Thai permanent residents certificate as proof of me living in Thailand , they wanted a letter from my embassy , this is a letter just about anybody can get and just says "this person has indicated he lives on this address in Thailand" but this costs me money and time of course !

TIT -> no common sense .... get used to it

Try and work around the problem.

Ask the appartment owners to apply for a phone line + internet 4 u

Just make sure the bills come to your house and pay em on time and nobody will ever know as they do not check who pays the bill.....

Edited April 21, 2007 by brianinbangkok

[Strap]

Hi,

Just to get a better idea on how to help , does your friend have a phone line already? If yes who's name is on the bill? thats who has to order service. If you don't have a phone line have the building owner or your landlord order the line and add internet service after that. Most of the time you don't have to go anywhere at all. I don want to go into much details about my self but other than Friday i have never been to a shop to order any service.I didn't want to wait for the router to be delivered in a week. I have ordered telecoms/UBC/True over the phone for 4 different places over time here and just faxed a copy of passport/lease ect. I didn't have a work permit until about 8 months ago but have been here for 7 years consistently. If your in a condo have the person you pay rent to order the service on the phone that is already there (if there is one ) and you pay the bill.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers

Strap

[lennois]

Hi,

Just to get a better idea on how to help , does your friend have a phone line already? If yes who's name is on the bill? thats who has to order service. If you don't have a phone line have the building owner or your landlord order the line and add internet service after that. Most of the time you don't have to go anywhere at all. I don want to go into much details about my self but other than Friday i have never been to a shop to order any service.I didn't want to wait for the router to be delivered in a week. I have ordered telecoms/UBC/True over the phone for 4 different places over time here and just faxed a copy of passport/lease ect. I didn't have a work permit until about 8 months ago but have been here for 7 years consistently. If your in a condo have the person you pay rent to order the service on the phone that is already there (if there is one ) and you pay the bill.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers

Strap

Hi,

Thanks all for advice. It's not a huge problem as I can get a TOT line with any other ISP no problem (probably csloxinfo.) None of these require a work permit. I can also just get True under my GF's name - but why would I? True are an absolute joke.

[brianinbangkok]

Thanks all for advice. It's not a huge problem as I can get a TOT line with any other ISP no problem (probably csloxinfo.) None of these require a work permit. I can also just get True under my GF's name - but why would I? True are an absolute joke.

I suggest you check out some of the other treads here in the internet section.

TOT international access speeds have been in the 5 kb/s range for me for last 3 weeks , generaly True is faster then TOT.

I am now back to normal speeds and hope things improve , I know TOT are trying to improve things.

But I have been on 9k6 modem speeds for weeks now on my TOT ADSL so think about it

Edited April 21, 2007 by brianinbangkok

[lennois]

I suggest you check out some of the other treads here in the internet section.

TOT international access speeds have been in the 5 kb/s range for me for last 3 weeks , generaly True is faster then TOT.

I am now back to normal speeds and hope things improve , I know TOT are trying to improve things.

But I have been on 9k6 modem speeds for weeks now on my TOT ADSL so think about it

Not intending to get TOT ADSL. Looking to get CSloxinfo. Any experiences with them would be appreciated.