Thanks in advance for clearing something up.

1. I am on my third Retirement visa extension

2. Have not worked previously in Thailand

3. I have an offer to work as part-time advisor to a Thai Contractor that has contracts for Government Project.

4. The Thai company believes I do not need a work permit. A Thai friend with many years of experience in transit work says many expats he worked with in the past did not have work permits.

I was under the impression that one could not obtain a work permit if on a retirement visa, but the last time I extended, the immigration officer said this was not true, and that this was possible.

As I understood it, a work permit is needed for any work whether compensated or not. What is unclear is whether the thai company must meet the capitalization requirements to allow me to obtain a work permit, or does the government issue a letter that will allow them to hire me.

Questions:

1. Can they obtain a letter that will allow me to work without a labor board permit, or;

2. Will a letter from the government authority make obtaining a work permit easier?

Kind of odd I know, but if I proceed with this, I don't want to jeopardize my retirement visa.

I haven't seen this situation come up on this board in the past.

Thanks much.

At least in Bangkok work permits have been issued to retirement extension of stay holders recently from Sunbelt reports. You do need a work permit to work.