My Thai wife has a small restaurant under her name. 

She's the only employee and clears approximately  50,000 baht per month 

She pays her taxes every year and contributes into social security every month.

I'm a Chef by trade and want to start helping her in the kitchen. 

Can she hire me as an employee, and if so would I be able to get a work permit? 

 

I’ll say No.

Are you on a extension of stay based upon marriage? If yes and her business is registered as a sole proprietor it is possible for you to apply for a work permit.

She would need to ask the local work permit office what is required since it can vary from office to office.

It can also be done if you and your wife form a 51/49% partnership with 1 million baht of registered capital.

9 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

I’ll say No.

And you would be wrong.

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

And you would be wrong.

Let’s hope they’ve got the Million then.

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Are you on a extension of stay based upon marriage? If yes and her business is registered as a sole proprietor it is possible for you to apply for a work permit.

She would need to ask the local work permit office what is required since it can vary from office to office.

It can also be done if you and your wife form a 51/49% partnership with 1 million baht of registered capital.

Yes I am on a extension of stay based upon marriage. 

I want to avoid going down the 51/49% partnership with 1 million baht of registered capital route. 

8 minutes ago, lucky2008 said:

I want to avoid going down the 51/49% partnership with 1 million baht of registered capital route. 

If not already check with the local work permit office about the sole proprietor requirements.  And then register the business as one.

This is interesting bet there would be a lot of guys interested in this. Explains why sometime I have seen a farang openly selling at a stall etc. I assume it has to be a marriage visa? I am on a parent of a Thai child visa. And getting the work permit doesn't mean you have to change your visa type or class same as say a teacher working here? Was talking to a mate before and he had one of these working in Phuket with his wife and said you are very limited as to what you can do on a marriage work permit. Maybe only go and get supplies etc? I wonder if you can cook in the restaurant....work front of house etc? What sort of tasks can you do?

20 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

This is interesting bet there would be a lot of guys interested in this. Explains why sometime I have seen a farang openly selling at a stall etc. I assume it has to be a marriage visa? I am on a parent of a Thai child visa. And getting the work permit doesn't mean you have to change your visa type or class same as say a teacher working here? Was talking to a mate before and he had one of these working in Phuket with his wife and said you are very limited as to what you can do on a marriage work permit. Maybe only go and get supplies etc? I wonder if you can cook in the restaurant....work front of house etc? What sort of tasks can you do?

You can work for any of the allowed professions.That does include teaching.

There is no restriction based upon the type of non immigrant visa or extension of stay you have. For some you might have to change the reason for your extension of stay (for example retirement or education) after getting the work permit application approved.

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can work for any of the allowed professions.That does include teaching.

There is no restriction based upon the type of non immigrant visa or extension of stay you have. For some you might have to change the reason for your extension of stay (for example retirement or education) after getting the work permit application approved.

I wouldn't have thought a profession like helping in a restaurant, cooking etc would be allowed? I believe even if you can get a permit you are very limited in what you can do. Does anyone know what tasks you could actually perform helping your wife?

On 11/10/2021 at 2:35 AM, Kenny202 said:

Does anyone know what tasks you could actually perform helping your wife?

Plenty, but that's best in the privacy of the home and not at the restaurant. ????

3 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Do you have any info on the Amity Treaty as it applies to Yanks and the ability to own your own business in LOS....

No

But I do know that it can be difficult to do and takes a good deal of time to get it done.

9 hours ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

Plenty, but that's best in the privacy of the home and not at the restaurant. ????

I went out with a girl in Pat that owned a restaurant.  Got supreme <deleted> from her when I went to clear a table for her.  Her understanding was that if one of the other shops saw me and complained the authorities could shut her down. 

 

All I was allowed to do was talk to people drink and eat or just sit there waiting for her.

There are lots of foreign chefs in Phuket.

There are two Italian men who make and cook pizzas at the place I go to, in full view.

The restaurant has been open for a few years now.

 

I'm sure that some of the large, luxury hotels in Bangkok have foreign chefs.

2 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

I'm sure that some of the large, luxury hotels in Bangkok have foreign chefs.

And I'm sure they all have a business Visa & working permit!!! ????

I think you are welcome to pay her bills , but don`t tell the autorities that you ar a farang , because then they my be want dubble price !!.

Thai Civil Code book 5

Section 1461

Husband and wife shall cohabit as husband and wife. Husband and wife shall maintain and support each other according to his or her ability and condition in life.

2 hours ago, snowgard said:

And I'm sure they all have a business Visa & working permit!!! ????

Not need non b.... visa to get a wp.

 

 

I got away with training staff for 16 years, got noticed by many but I did not do the actual serving

15 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

There are lots of foreign chefs in Phuket.

There are two Italian men who make and cook pizzas at the place I go to, in full view.

The restaurant has been open for a few years now.

 

I'm sure that some of the large, luxury hotels in Bangkok have foreign chefs.

I think you will find they have WPs as specialty chefs, ie: a skill outside the normal thai only jobs list.

Yeah you could.

Two ways.

If Since you're married, you can get a WP. You're wife needs 1 milion baht in the account to apply for a foreigner WP. Since she is clearing only 50k per month, I'm not sure if you want to invest that money.

Unoficially, you can help your wife out in the kitchen as the changes that you will be caught are next to none. If for whatever reason immigration does walk in, you'll likely get a slap on the wrist or a fine.

In the extreme rare cases, there is a prison sentence attached to it. However, like I said, this is extremely rare. 

Personally I would say go for it, if it's only part-time, and helping a hand here and there. Keep a low profile and keep it low key.

Doom sayers will say don't, and legally there are right of course. Living on the edge ????

14 hours ago, kralledr said:

Not need non b.... visa to get a wp.

 

 

Looks like that the ministry of foreign affairs don't know it. Can you instruct they?

https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/non-immigrant-visa-b

9 minutes ago, snowgard said:

Looks like that the ministry of foreign affairs don't know it. Can you instruct they?

Work permits are issued by the Labor Ministry. A non-b visa is not mandatory to apply for a work permit.

There are many that are married to Thais that have a work permit with a non-o visa or a extension of stay based upon marriage.

Some have used a non-ed visa or non-o visa for retirement have gotten work permits after applying for extensions based upon working or teaching.

23 hours ago, Eibot said:

Yeah you could.

Two ways.

If Since you're married, you can get a WP. You're wife needs 1 milion baht in the account to apply for a foreigner WP. Since she is clearing only 50k per month, I'm not sure if you want to invest that money.

Unoficially, you can help your wife out in the kitchen as the changes that you will be caught are next to none. If for whatever reason immigration does walk in, you'll likely get a slap on the wrist or a fine.

In the extreme rare cases, there is a prison sentence attached to it. However, like I said, this is extremely rare. 

Personally I would say go for it, if it's only part-time, and helping a hand here and there. Keep a low profile and keep it low key.

Doom sayers will say don't, and legally there are right of course. Living on the edge ????

I don't think the money has to  be 8n the bank. The business has to have assets amounting to that amount. It can include value of restaurant fittings, cars, computers and others. 

On 11/12/2021 at 2:00 PM, kingstonkid said:

Her understanding was that if one of the other shops saw me and complained the authorities could shut her down. 

Yeah, that's the beef. That she essentially gets a free worker, whereas if they want tables cleared they'd have to hire another hand.

 

On the other hand, I once tried to hoe the rows of sugar cane apart, I dunno the proper agricultural term. You have to keep spreading the rows of dirt into piles so that water can flow between them. Half a dozen of the farmers from nearby were quite curious as to how the farang would fare. They all had a good laugh when I couldn't last 5 minutes. I was certainly no threat to their livelyhoods.

just lock the kitchen and work without telling anyone, as everybody does...

 

On 11/13/2021 at 10:40 AM, snowgard said:

Looks like that the ministry of foreign affairs don't know it. Can you instruct they?

https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/non-immigrant-visa-b

Yes they have no clue, me included 100s of other people got a workoermit based in non o