I have been retired here in Pattaya for 14 years and own a few condos, the rents of which supplement my meagre UK state pension. During this time I have served on each of the owners' committees, known as CoCs or Co-Owners Committees. I have also served as Chairman of the CoC at each of the condos where I sign documents regularly on behalf of the owners.

The village in which I live is about to be handed over to the owners after 18 years being operated by the developer and a Home Owners' Committee (HOC) has been formed in preparation of the handover. One of the committee members is insisting that the Chairman must have a work permit to be able to act in the position. My believe is that, as volunteers not receiving any remuneration, we are not obliged to do so, and have not done so in the condos without any such problems.

Getting any information out of the Labour Department is like getting blood out of a stone.

Can anybody with knowlegde/experience of such situations please assist?

Thanks

Would a lawyer not offer better advice on this?

I am on my Condo's Committee and did serve as Chairman for a while. Our legal advise was that we did not need work permits

Many thanks for your input. Much appreciated.

According to Grok:

In Thailand, the requirement for a work permit for foreigners participating in a condo owners' committee or serving as its chairperson, particularly for unpaid roles, is a nuanced issue. Based on available information and Thai legal frameworks, here’s a clear answer:

 

Thai law, under the Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008), defines "work" broadly as engaging in any physical or mental activity, whether paid or unpaid, unless explicitly exempted. This includes volunteer or charity work, which generally requires a work permit unless specific exemptions apply. However, the application of this law to unpaid roles in a condo owners' committee is not explicitly addressed in most legal texts, leading to some ambiguity.

 

...

 

In practice, many foreigners serve on condo committees without work permits, especially if the role is unpaid and involves co-owners managing their own property. Authorities have not been reported to enforce work permit requirements strictly in these cases, as the role is not seen as competing with Thai labor or affecting national interests.

The village where I've lived for the last 14 years has had a number of foreign Chairmen of the HOA. I know them all well and none of them has ever had a work permit simply to act as Chairman of the HOA. 

One of them, though, did like to do various jobs around the village himself, partly for exercise, but he was advised by several owners and, I think, the Juristic Person, that he should not do things like painting or gardening in the public spaces as they do require a work permit.

For what it's worth, about 19 years ago I visited the Labour Dept office in Chonburi to ask about this.

 

I was informed by a senior person that no work permit was required.

 

I asked if I could have written confirmation but this was declined. 

3 hours ago, AsiaCheese said:

According to Grok:

In Thailand, the requirement for a work permit for foreigners participating in a condo owners' committee or serving as its chairperson, particularly for unpaid roles, is a nuanced issue. Based on available information and Thai legal frameworks, here’s a clear answer:

 

Thai law, under the Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008), defines "work" broadly as engaging in any physical or mental activity, whether paid or unpaid, unless explicitly exempted. This includes volunteer or charity work, which generally requires a work permit unless specific exemptions apply. However, the application of this law to unpaid roles in a condo owners' committee is not explicitly addressed in most legal texts, leading to some ambiguity.

 

...

 

In practice, many foreigners serve on condo committees without work permits, especially if the role is unpaid and involves co-owners managing their own property. Authorities have not been reported to enforce work permit requirements strictly in these cases, as the role is not seen as competing with Thai labor or affecting national interests.

My barrister lawyer assure me she knowns of cases of prosecution of foreigners on condo committees. 

Although not common internal conflictsn among owners

Just now, jippytum said:

My barrister lawyer assure me she knowns of cases of prosecution of foreigners on condo committees. 

Although not common internal confliction among owners has led to action from authorities leading to visa cancellelation. 

I am a committee member presently. 

 

On 5/24/2025 at 8:25 AM, maddermax said:

I have been retired here in Pattaya for 14 years and own a few condos, the rents of which supplement my meagre UK state pension. During this time I have served on each of the owners' committees, known as CoCs or Co-Owners Committees. I have also served as Chairman of the CoC at each of the condos where I sign documents regularly on behalf of the owners.

The village in which I live is about to be handed over to the owners after 18 years being operated by the developer and a Home Owners' Committee (HOC) has been formed in preparation of the handover. One of the committee members is insisting that the Chairman must have a work permit to be able to act in the position. My believe is that, as volunteers not receiving any remuneration, we are not obliged to do so, and have not done so in the condos without any such problems.

Getting any information out of the Labour Department is like getting blood out of a stone.

Can anybody with knowlegde/experience of such situations please assist?

Thanks

Sounds like you have some really nasty people in your condo building on your committee no you don't need to work permit to be on the committee or a chairman. The director of your management company should be able to assist you with this.

It's not a job you don't have a contract and you're not getting paid the minimum of the $50,000 per month