Potential Work

[oldgeezer]

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.

[lopburi3]

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.