Unpaid Work Visa

[mrsjock]

Hi I hope someone here can help

My brother wants to be able to build a bungelow on land owned by the mother of his thai girlfriend

This will be unpaid work

What visa does he need to get so that he can do this without getting into trouble and where does he get it from

He already has a type o non immigrant visa

Many thanks for any advice offered

[lopburi3]

A visa does not allow anyone to work - only a work permit would do that but he is unlikely to receive for construction of a house. It would be much better if he has local Thai doing the work and he and girlfriend provide the instructions. That will likely be a full time job and not flag him as working.

[mrsjock]

Hi

Thanks for replying

My mistake

Brother did say to ask about work permit and not visa

He wasnt sure if he needed a work permit as unpaid work

So you dont think he will be given a work permit to work on the house himself then ?

Edited October 22, 2007 by mrsjock

[lopburi3]

No I do not believe he will. A work permit requires a company or organization to sponsor.

[mattias33]

Let me just say, completely off topic, that i lift my hat out of respect to lopburi3!! I myself get a headache from reading visarules in 3 minuites(only my own case!) but you just seem to keep on going and keeping yourself updated and helping us all out!! I read this forum regulary and i learned a great deal from you!! Thanks for your great advises and keep it up!!

Respect

[mrsjock]

ok thanks for letting me know

I will tell him

[stevemiddie]

WP is not allowed for foreigner to CONSTRUCT house. This is work that can be done by Thai,s and is a restricted occupation.

No problem with supervising though. ( just don,t pick up a shovel to help for 5 mins )

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello.

Off-topic but related - are these rules really THAT screwed up? That you need a work permit to do some (un-paid!!) work on a family member's house?? For example, i stay with my boyfriend (and gays can't marry here so we are, paper-wise, unrelated) and i would fix his mum's washing machine (which i did already), would that be considered "illegal work"..?? On the grounds that "a Thai could do that"..????? Yeah, but that Thai demands $$ for doing it while i didn't ask for anything (and still got a nice home-cooked dinner).

How about i am using my motorbike to bring my boyfriend (i.e. "stranger") to his office, i am de facto taking away the job of a thai motorbike taxi driver - would it require me a work permit to do so..?? If some cop asks stupid questions, is photographic evidence accepted? (I've got photos on my phones that verify that during the last almost seven years i was together with this guy).

How about i am using a sunday afternoon to fix my very own car - i am taking the job of some thai mechanic. Need work permit??

Is it actually still permitted to let a fart in this country without some sort of permit?

Best regards.....

Thanh

[somtaamgaiyang]

Hi I hope someone here can help

My brother wants to be able to build a bungelow on land owned by the mother of his thai girlfriend

This will be unpaid work

What visa does he need to get so that he can do this without getting into trouble and where does he get it from

He already has a type o non immigrant visa

Many thanks for any advice offered

I would assume that he is going to have some paid local help, in that he isn't going to build the whole thing from scratch himself?

I doubt very much if a spot of digging and DIY would get anyone into trouble, or should we be aware of the cops sitting outside homepro when we pop in for a washer for the bathroom? It is going to be his bungalow?

[abdulrahman]

Well,every kind of menial work is off limits for farangs in Thailand.

You shold let unqualified people mess about your home,your car,the bloody plumbing;and pay them for a wretched job!

On the other side TiT and nobody will control what you are doing at home.

Unless you have too many nosey neighbors.

[stevemiddie]

Well,every kind of menial work is off limits for farangs in Thailand.

You shold let unqualified people mess about your home,your car,the bloody plumbing;and pay them for a wretched job!

On the other side TiT and nobody will control what you are doing at home.

Unless you have too many nosey neighbors.

That,s as maybe....................but hey..............their country, their rules. Get over it.

[sniffdog]

Wasn't this discussed before? Even if it's unpaid, but he profits from it indirectly like getting free accomodation, food and drinks, a WP is required.

[Hawkup2000]

Is it only me who see the beefits from these rules? No cleaning, washing ect. Changing a flat tire in Nakhon nowwhere? "I sorry dear but that is illegal. I can not do that. You do it."

[stevemiddie]

Is it only me who see the beefits from these rules? No cleaning, washing ect. Changing a flat tire in Nakhon nowwhere? "I sorry dear but that is illegal. I can not do that. You do it."

As above....its their rules. Stupid or not.

You are exaggerating a little with the tyre change and washing etc. They are somewhat different from going onto Thai land and building a family home.

Edited October 24, 2007 by stevemiddie

[stingray]

I got caught 4 months ago for fixing my kickdown cable on my own car in a gasstation in Pattaya (20 minute job). I even have a work permit, but not for this kind of work and not for this adress. They took me to the immigration office and only a very "well connected friend" could solve the problem foe me.

[jstumbo]

I got caught 4 months ago for fixing my kickdown cable on my own car in a gasstation in Pattaya (20 minute job). I even have a work permit, but not for this kind of work and not for this adress. They took me to the immigration office and only a very "well connected friend" could solve the problem foe me.

Did they say if it would have been OK if you had been doing it at your residence instead of at a gas station? If they are not going to let you work on your own car, then it seems things like working in your yard, cleaning your house, painting your fence, and other things like that could get people in trouble.

[Patriciachas]

I got caught 4 months ago for fixing my kickdown cable on my own car in a gasstation in Pattaya (20 minute job). I even have a work permit, but not for this kind of work and not for this adress. They took me to the immigration office and only a very "well connected friend" could solve the problem foe me.

Did they say if it would have been OK if you had been doing it at your residence instead of at a gas station? If they are not going to let you work on your own car, then it seems things like working in your yard, cleaning your house, painting your fence, and other things like that could get people in trouble.

Are we saying that you cannot do your own painting,gardening and other jobs round your own house?

[lopburi3]

That's what we say - at least to our spouse.

[Artisi]

That's what we say - at least to our spouse.

Spot-on

[Artisi]

Work is work in the eyes of the officials - bear in mind that after the Tsunami, foreign volunteers needed work-permits.

If you want to extend the rules to their utmost, painting your house, fixing your car, mowing your lawns etc is WORK

Their country their rules.

[stingray]

I got caught 4 months ago for fixing my kickdown cable on my own car in a gasstation in Pattaya (20 minute job). I even have a work permit, but not for this kind of work and not for this adress. They took me to the immigration office and only a very "well connected friend" could solve the problem foe me.

Did they say if it would have been OK if you had been doing it at your residence instead of at a gas station? If they are not going to let you work on your own car, then it seems things like working in your yard, cleaning your house, painting your fence, and other things like that could get people in trouble.

They din't say anything and i din't asked anything. I guess somebody called them. Otherwise they wouldn't know. Maybe in the future you can not even clean your house or your swimming pool anymore. It's WORK!

[Firefan]

Brushing your own teeth?

Cheers!

[sabaijai]

I got caught 4 months ago for fixing my kickdown cable on my own car in a gasstation in Pattaya (20 minute job). I even have a work permit, but not for this kind of work and not for this adress. They took me to the immigration office and only a very "well connected friend" could solve the problem foe me.

Did they say if it would have been OK if you had been doing it at your residence instead of at a gas station? If they are not going to let you work on your own car, then it seems things like working in your yard, cleaning your house, painting your fence, and other things like that could get people in trouble.

They din't say anything and i din't asked anything. I guess somebody called them. Otherwise they wouldn't know. Maybe in the future you can not even clean your house or your swimming pool anymore. It's WORK!

Sounds fishy to me. Immigration police have no jurisdiction over work permits.

[Hawkup2000]

Is it only me who see the beefits from these rules? No cleaning, washing ect. Changing a flat tire in Nakhon nowwhere? "I sorry dear but that is illegal. I can not do that. You do it."

As above....its their rules. Stupid or not.

You are exaggerating a little with the tyre change and washing etc. They are somewhat different from going onto Thai land and building a family home.

I still think I was not too far off the mark. My example of changing a flat tire is quite similar to Stingrays kickdown cable situation and for that he got busted.

Honestly, where is this all goning to end up? Will I be able to cut my own nails in the future or must I go to the saloon? Infact I am surprised they allow farangs to drive a car here and even rent a flat. Next step: rent apartment or driving? Then you need a WP?

You may ignore it now the same way people would ignored me if I told them five years ago that immigration would put a limit on tourist visas.

[astral]

Sounds fishy to me. Immigration police have no jurisdiction over work permits.

This is correct.

Work Permits are the responsibility of the Labour Dept.

That does not alter the basic truth that you can be arrested for working without a permit.

Local labour is generally cheap, so why not sit back.

Supervise, if you must.

[stingray]

Sounds fishy to me. Immigration police have no jurisdiction over work permits.

This is correct.

Work Permits are the responsibility of the Labour Dept.

That does not alter the basic truth that you can be arrested for working without a permit.

Local labour is generally cheap, so why not sit back.

Supervise, if you must.

Yes i had the same idea, usally guys from labour departement and and an undercover police checking for work permits. But in my case was undercover immigration. By the way, labour is cheap, i know, and they fixet the kickdown cable 2 days ago, and it came off again, because they broken some plastic part, so i have to go to bangkok on that day and i had no time to go see the local workshop again, so i fixed the kickdown cable temporary in the gasstation.

[tgeezer]

A visa does not allow anyone to work - only a work permit would do that but he is unlikely to receive for construction of a house. It would be much better if he has local Thai doing the work and he and girlfriend provide the instructions. That will likely be a full time job and not flag him as working.

Gosh I had no idea; I built-in a kitchen in our condo in Bangkok about fifteen years ago, I tried to buy one but didn't like the choices. I built it from plywood in the underground car-park curious security guards few residents (mostly at work) I had to drive to Prachnarumit road many times for wood, tools and , bits and pieces and noone batted an eyelid. Being a law abiding Brit. I have always envied foreigners the ability to ignore the rules but can't be proud because it was done in ignorance. We have moved to a house now and I carry on with washing the car cleaning etc. I don't think that many of the Thais know about the rules, but we are east of Dover.

[torrenova]

Are people saying that if I want to build on my wife's land I cannot lift a shovel ?

If depriving a Thai from a job I understand but if the alternative is nothing gets built then no-one orders materials and the Thais have less income.

[jstumbo]

Sounds fishy to me. Immigration police have no jurisdiction over work permits.

This is correct.

Work Permits are the responsibility of the Labour Dept.

That does not alter the basic truth that you can be arrested for working without a permit.

Local labour is generally cheap, so why not sit back.

Supervise, if you must.

All the supervisors that I have known never did any work, so I think you would be safe there.

[Artisi]

Think we all need to use a bit of common-sense, I think it very unlikely you would run foul of the law doing a bit of your own work at home - however, TIT.