I am 55 and instead of retiring I would like to move to Thailand and teach English to adults either at the post secondary level or to those in the hospitality industry. I plan on completing the CELTA (English language Certification) course in Canada first and take a Thail languange course before I move to Thailand. I was thinking of going to Thailand first with a Non Immigrant Visa, take some time to find a job teaching and then apply for a Work Permit. My question is: Once I have a job offer, who applies for the Work Permit and how much time does it take for the Permit to be issued? Any comments appreciated. Thank you.

You apply for the work permit with the help of your employer (often they handle the paperwork) and the time varies by the area you are in but seems to run one-three weeks I believe.