Work extension for online workers

[brewsterbudgen]

In order to get an Extension of Stay based on Work from an employer, it's necessary for the foreigner to reside in the the same immigration area as the employer.  What's the usual practice for online/home-based workers, for example, employed by a Bangkok-based employer to work from home, who happen to reside in a different immigration province?

Edited August 6, 2023 by brewsterbudgen

[BritTim]

That is a question for the Labour Department. I believe they ignore your home address, even if you frequently (or mostly) work from there. You may rarely visit the office, but that is your assumed place of employment. If you work from your home office in Chiang Mai for an employer in Bangkok, there may begin to be questions of whether the company's regional office (your home) is properly registered.

[FritsSikkink]

In our Bangkok BOI company we have a foreigner living and online working in a province far away. 

Hasn't been a problem. Before Bangkok was mentioned as place of work in my online work permit, now no place of work mentioned in the WP anymore.

Edited August 6, 2023 by FritsSikkink

[FritsSikkink]

10 minutes ago, BritTim said:

That is a question for the Labour Department. I believe they ignore your home address, even if you frequently (or mostly) work from there. You may rarely visit the office, but that is your assumed place of employment. If you work from your home office in Chiang Mai for an employer in Bangkok, there may begin to be questions of whether the company's regional office (your home) is properly registered.

Your home isn't a company's regional office.

[BritTim]

12 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Your home isn't a company's regional office.

That can be your problem when your home is effectively turned into one.

It is still unusual in Thailand for employers to accept 100% remote workers. Usually, they only have remote workers who can represent the company regionally.

[FritsSikkink]

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

That can be your problem when your home is effectively turned into one.

It is still unusual in Thailand for employers to accept 100% remote workers. Usually, they only have remote workers who can represent the company regionally.

Nonsense, as a company to create a regional office there are a lot of requirements. See: Setting Up a Regional Office in Thailand – THAI LTD Some employee working from home has nothing to do with it. During COVID many people worked from home 100%. 

Edited August 7, 2023 by FritsSikkink

[brewsterbudgen]

The problem for us isn't the work permit.  Our employer (based in Bangkok) employs a number of home-based staff, working online.  When attending Immigration to process their annual Extension, our HR staff were told that it could not be extended without a Bangkok address.  Last year this was not an issue, and, although the home-based staff still had to come to Bangkok for the extension, the Extensions were issued for staff with home addresses in Chiang Mai and other provinces.  Apparently, that was allowed due to Covid, but now Covid is over all staff must be based in Bangkok.

[brewsterbudgen]

Bump.

 

Does anyone have experience of working full-time for a Bangkok based organisation, while residing in a different province?   When attending Immigration in Bangkok for their annual extension, what home address do they use, as apparently, it has to be in Bangkok?

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Bump.

 

Does anyone have experience of working full-time for a Bangkok based organisation, while residing in a different province?   When attending Immigration in Bangkok for their annual extension, what home address do they use, as apparently, it has to be in Bangkok?

I am pretty sure you apply for your extension at the local immigration office, regardless of your place of work.

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Bump.

 

Does anyone have experience of working full-time for a Bangkok based organisation, while residing in a different province?   When attending Immigration in Bangkok for their annual extension, what home address do they use, as apparently, it has to be in Bangkok?

Can't they just rent a cheap apartment in Bangkok, possibly shared among several of them, and use that address?

 

The people I know in a similar situation basically do just that, but typically want or require some place in Bangkok for occasional visits anyway. 

Edited August 29, 2023 by Caldera

[brewsterbudgen]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

I am pretty sure you apply for your extension at the local immigration office, regardless of your place of work.

No, you have to apply at the Immigration office where the employing company is based.

[brewsterbudgen]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

Can't they just rent a cheap apartment in Bangkok, possibly shared among several of them, and use that address?

 

The people I know in a similar situation basically do just that, but typically want or require some place in Bangkok for occasional visits anyway. 

It does seem like that might be an option for some larger employers.