Workpermit/business visa

[Nickesson]

I am working for an American company and will be in Thailand on and off during a year to work up a network of distributors.

I need of course a business visa, but do I also need a work permit? We don't have or will have any office or such in Thailand and I will work with several different customers/becoming distributors doing trainings, customer support etc.

Hope that anyone knows, because I don't...

Nick ???

[Indo-Siam]

One man's opinion:

Thai hotels, and Thai Airways are full of tens of thousand foreigners doing the same thing - that's why hotels have "Business Centers."  If you are just staying a week or two at a time, do not even worry about it - and you needn't even bother with a "working class" visa.

I came and went to Thailand for five years as "Pacifiuc Rim Sales Manager" doing the same thing.on 30 day "visas on arrival" - no problem.

In countries that really want you to "jump through the hoops", they place restrictions on visits to factories and such by foreigners without a "business visa" - I have been through this drill in both Mexico (Tiajuana) and Malaysia (Penang) when they turned up the screws temporarily.

Others on this board will swear that you need a work visa, to avoid being dragged off to jail.  I'm not sure what Thailand they live in.

If you want/need to stay longer than 30 days at a time, then the story starts changing.  This is the point where you need a work visa.

You literally cannot get a work permit unless you have an employer based in Thailand, with Thai registration papers (this even includes volunteer work for NGO's).  No Thai employer - no way to even complete the forms.

Good luck - and enjoy yourself!

Steve

Indo-Siam Group