Do you need a work permit for teaching on line for English

[jwest10]

Technically,  I think it is illegal to do so but have not heard or read any instances of this happening but one would never be sure and more than likely it would and could apply to anyone.
Seeing a lot of on line adverts and believe one has to have Non B immigration but if already here in Thailand heard reports that one would have to out of the country to obtain this and surely this can be done inside Thailand at Immigration.
Thanks for any advise and yes one who goes by the rules of the country.
Appreciate any views or experiences and thanks all.

[blackprince]

Your work permit covers the work you are legally entitled to do.

Anything outside of that is illegal.

I personally know of a bungalow compound where half the residents were teaching English online. They were all deported.

[Chris.B]

Where will you be paid? A foreign bank abroad or in a Thai bank?

[Chris.B]

2 minutes ago, blackprince said:

Your work permit covers the work you are legally entitled to do.

Anything outside of that is illegal.

I personally know of a bungalow compound where half the residents were teaching English online. They were all deported.

Where and when was this and how were they caught?

 

[Pravda]

I thought those gigs were over due to China crackdown

[blackprince]

By the way, the issue isn't where you are paid or where your students are, it's whether you are doing the work in Thailand or not.

There are no ifs or buts, despite the numerous shades of grey that people might try to introduce.

Actually, there is one "but": where someone who is genuinely here on vacation and continuing to teach online. But then of course it wouldn't really be a "vacation" would it.

I also know of farang teachers from government schools who were deported for teaching privately face to face in the evening, and of a couple of guys who who even set up a shopfront (quite a nice one actually, at some expense) and started teaching face to face there without a permit. They were also deported and lost all of their investment of course.

Edited November 5, 2021 by blackprince

[simon43]

What subject will you teach?  English?

[Ralf001]

36 minutes ago, blackprince said:

Your work permit covers the work you are legally entitled to do.

Anything outside of that is illegal.

I personally know of a bungalow compound where half the residents were teaching English online. They were all deported.

Whilst Iam not a teacher I do work here and my work permits states the work I do.

 

It does not state a location or company so in theory I could do the same work anywhere I want.

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

work permit specific to sponsoring employer. cannot legally do same work concurrently on another basis.

[Scott]

Troll post removed.

 

[Chad3000]

11 hours ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

work permit specific to sponsoring employer. cannot legally do same work concurrently on another basis.

This sums it up.

 

If paid into a Thai bank that is possibly incoming funds from account not in your name on consistent basis (which you are not paying tax on).

 

Sent to home country you may not only be subject to taxation but heavy taxation and paperwork. In US this would fall under independent contractor work. Nightmare.

[billsmart]

How about teaching English online to someone not living in Thailand? Or, performing some other service online for someone not living in Thailand, like creating a website for them?

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

I highly recommend you don't. Not because of the legality, but because there are too many of us doing it already. It was bad before, now terrible after the Chinese crackdown, resulting in a surplus of online teachers. I've watched my online income drop by about 1/3rd.

[bradiston]

18 hours ago, blackprince said:

By the way, the issue isn't where you are paid or where your students are, it's whether you are doing the work in Thailand or not.

There are no ifs or buts, despite the numerous shades of grey that people might try to introduce.

Actually, there is one "but": where someone who is genuinely here on vacation and continuing to teach online. But then of course it wouldn't really be a "vacation" would it.

I also know of farang teachers from government schools who were deported for teaching privately face to face in the evening, and of a couple of guys who who even set up a shopfront (quite a nice one actually, at some expense) and started teaching face to face there without a permit. They were also deported and lost all of their investment of course.

That's a lot of deportations you know of. Is there anywhere one can corroborate your statements, or are you just scaremongering to ward off potential competition?

[blackprince]

17 minutes ago, bradiston said:

That's a lot of deportations you know of. Is there anywhere one can corroborate your statements, or are you just scaremongering to ward off potential competition?

Well the deportees are hardly likely to brag about it publicly are they, and the individual cases are too insignificant to get into the national press, or even the local press. The consequences of deportation are not insignificant for the deportees themselves though as I'm sure you understand.

My information comes directly from senior staff at the Ministry of Education, and that's just one three month period in one region.

My original point is crystal clear and will be obvious to anyone who actually has a work permit: your work permit covers all the work you are entitled to do. Anything outside of that is illegal.

 

[RafPinto]

19 hours ago, blackprince said:

By the way, the issue isn't where you are paid or where your students are, it's whether you are doing the work in Thailand or not.

There are no ifs or buts, despite the numerous shades of grey that people might try to introduce.

Actually, there is one "but": where someone who is genuinely here on vacation and continuing to teach online. But then of course it wouldn't really be a "vacation" would it.

I also know of farang teachers from government schools who were deported for teaching privately face to face in the evening, and of a couple of guys who who even set up a shopfront (quite a nice one actually, at some expense) and started teaching face to face there without a permit. They were also deported and lost all of their investment of course.

What about all those "youtubers" who live in Thailand and only film in Thailand and some make a decent amount of money.

It's not just filming during your holidays, it's filming where they live.

 

If they pi....  off the wrong person, things will change.

[khunPer]

20 hours ago, jwest10 said:

Seeing a lot of on line adverts and believe one has to have Non B immigration but if already here in Thailand heard reports that one would have to out of the country to obtain this and surely this can be done inside Thailand at Immigration.
Thanks for any advise and yes one who goes by the rules of the country.
Appreciate any views or experiences and thanks all.

In principle, if you are teaching online English to Thai students from Thailand, to my knowledge you need a work permit.

You cannot obtain a work permit as individual - i.e. self employed online teacher - you need to either be properly employed in a school or company, or form you own company with the requested registered capital and number of thai employees.

[khunPer]

19 hours ago, blackprince said:

Your work permit covers the work you are legally entitled to do.

Anything outside of that is illegal.

Isn't it recently eased a little bit with how strict the job description in the work permit is, so you actually can do more, or extra work?
I remember that I've seen articles and posts about it within the last few years.

[jwest10]

20 hours ago, blackprince said:

Your work permit covers the work you are legally entitled to do.

Anything outside of that is illegal.

I personally know of a bungalow compound where half the residents were teaching English online. They were all deported.

Ah so it obviously happens. Cheers for letting me know.

 

[jwest10]

58 minutes ago, khunPer said:

In principle, if you are teaching online English to Thai students from Thailand, to my knowledge you need a work permit.

You cannot obtain a work permit as individual - i.e. self employed online teacher - you need to either be properly employed in a school or company, or form you own company with the requested registered capital and number of thai employees.

KhunPer
Many thanks and appreciated

[jwest10]

58 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Isn't it recently eased a little bit with how strict the job description in the work permit is, so you actually can do more, or extra work?
I remember that I've seen articles and posts about it within the last few years.

Yes have read this and IMHO one would be very unlucky to be found out but appears just not worth it but the same slightly off topic those who give false UK addresses etc to get increases in pension but same thing in principle!!

Edited November 6, 2021 by jwest10
correction

[lordblackader]

Quote

 I think it is illegal to do so but have not heard or read any instances of this happening but one would never be sure and more than likely it would and could apply to anyone.

It's all fun and games working illegally teaching online until you get caught. 

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/aussie-teacher-details-horrific-conditions-inside-thai-detention/news-story/d432a704bf0db1def6d79489ae1b830c

 

[jwest10]

6 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

It's all fun and games working illegally teaching online until you get caught. 

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/aussie-teacher-details-horrific-conditions-inside-thai-detention/news-story/d432a704bf0db1def6d79489ae1b830c

 

lordblackader
 

Indeed and yes not worth the risk and soon gets around  and something in life we all have to take risks but yes see where you are coming from
We would get caught but they say it comes around but some people just very lucky.

Edited November 6, 2021 by jwest10
SPELLING

[recom273]

@jwest10 you mention a non-b - just to make this clear, that doesn’t entitle you to work, it just entitles you to do enter the country for business or whatever the terminology is, work permits are issued by the labour office.

 

@CrunchWrapSupreme I’m still mental busy, parents trying to run out their packages before the plug is pulled.

I was expecting weekends to close, so I opened at 5.30 am Thai time, and damn, I got bookings. I draw the line at 15-20 classes on sat/sun but some friends are doing 14-15 hours b2b. 

[recom273]

26 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

It's all fun and games working illegally teaching online until you get caught. 

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/aussie-teacher-details-horrific-conditions-inside-thai-detention/news-story/d432a704bf0db1def6d79489ae1b830c

 

Interesting, did you notice the reason he got arrested is that “a neighbour complained”

I saw a pic in a online teachers group, a note on a door, “I don’t have a problem with you teaching from home, but do you really have to scream and shout all day? - yrs neighbour” that was in a Bangkok apartment.

 

Some people just don’t use their loaf, a few people in our village know what I do, because we ask them to come and do work on the house or garden, but other than that .. I’m retired. 

Edited November 6, 2021 by recom273

[sead]

Do you need to tell people your name and location?

[QPRFC]

I know many many people teaching online in Thailand and they get paid into their PayPal account. 

I honestly think that Thailand is more concerned about getting people back into the country at the moment and not deportation! 

[recom273]

38 minutes ago, QPRFC said:

I know many many people teaching online in Thailand and they get paid into their PayPal account. 

I honestly think that Thailand is more concerned about getting people back into the country at the moment and not deportation! 

I don’t have any reference for you but Thailand has joined some multilateral banking scheme where you will need to declare a tax domicile. 
 

It was put on ice at the start of Covid but it is coming, this may have some effect on online workers in the future. I learned of this in the financial forum a while back. 
 

I don’t get paid via PayPal, I’m glad I don’t have to pay the ridiculously high charges but I do have a monthly transfer of thousands of USD coming via a payment agency every month, no one cares. You would think it’s immigrations job to check bank statements, they questioned me once, asking how I financed my early retirement and why I didn’t use bank transfer, I replied that it was cheaper and mumbled something about deemoney and transferwise and she understood and moved to the next question. 

[JustAnotherFarang]

On 11/5/2021 at 3:03 PM, Ralf001 said:

Whilst Iam not a teacher I do work here and my work permits states the work I do.

 

It does not state a location or company so in theory I could do the same work anywhere I want.

Your work permit does not allow you to teach anywhere you choose, it is linked to a particular place and if you are found working outside of those premises you will be deported.  They are very strict regarding this rule

[JustAnotherFarang]

4 hours ago, recom273 said:

Interesting, did you notice the reason he got arrested is that “a neighbour complained”

I saw a pic in a online teachers group, a note on a door, “I don’t have a problem with you teaching from home, but do you really have to scream and shout all day? - yrs neighbour” that was in a Bangkok apartment.

 

Some people just don’t use their loaf, a few people in our village know what I do, because we ask them to come and do work on the house or garden, but other than that .. I’m retired. 

There lies the problem, any complaints from Thai citizens will be investigated and Immigration will compile photographic and video evidence first before raiding you and deporting you.  Do not think for a moment you are safe, its only a matter of time before they come knocking