Non-b Non-resident Visa

[NightOwl888]

I am planning to apply for a 1-year non-resident visa to Thailand. I will be working in Thailand for a company in the USA by using the Internet. I contacted Siam Legal about how I should approach this and they recommended to get a "Non-B" visa.

After looking over the Thai Embassy website here in the US, I don't see "Non-B" as an option. Has anyone done this and if so could you provide info on the process?

Thanks in advance.

Edited September 15, 2008 by NightOwl888

[Lite Beer]

I am planning to apply for a 1-year non-resident visa to Thailand. I will be working in Thailand for a company in the USA by using the Internet. I contacted Siam Legal about how I should approach this and they recommended to get a "Non-B" visa.

After looking over the Thai Embassy website here in the US, I don't see "Non-B" as an option. Has anyone done this and if so could you provide info on the process?

Thanks in advance.

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2492

http://www2.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-Img.aspx

Edited September 15, 2008 by Lite Beer

[dotcom]

It helps if you use the correct terminology. Good one LB.

[NightOwl888]

It helps if you use the correct terminology. Good one LB.

No, I am using the terminology that was given from Siam Legal exactly. I chatted with them online a few weeks ago, but unfortunately their system doesn't send a transcript of the conversation. I am sure he said "Non-B" because I was taking notes.

Foreigners who wish to conduct business in Thailand must provide the following documents:

- Passport or travel document with a validity of not less than 6 months.

- Completed application form.

- Recent passport-sized photograph (4 x 6 cm) photograph of the applicant taken within the past 6 months.

- Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family) for the duration of stay in Thailand

- Letter from the applicant's company indicating the applicant's position, length of employment, salary and purpose of visit(s) to Thailand.

- Documents showing correspondence with business partners in Thailand.

- Evidence of financial status in the case where the applicant is self-employed.

- Letter of invitation from trading or associated partners/companies in Thailand.

- Corporate documents of associated partners/companies in Thailand such as:

1) business registration and business license

2) list of shareholders

3) company profile

4) details of business operation

5) map indicating location of the company

6) balance sheet, statement of Income Tax and Business Tax (Por

Ngor Dor 50 and Por Ngor Dor 30) of the latest year

7) value-added tax registration (Por Por 20)

The problem here is that none of the information in red even applies to me. I will be working for a company in the USA, not for a company in Thailand. This is why a "Non-B" visa was suggested by Siam Legal.

[Lite Beer]

You can also work on a Non O Visa.

You need a work permit to work.

If you say you are working online that is a whole new subject covered many times on here.

Technically you need a work permit.

Edited September 15, 2008 by Lite Beer

[NightOwl888]

You can also work on a Non O Visa.

Ok, so by "Non O" are you referring to a "Non-Immigrant O" type visa? Sorry, it occurred to me that maybe I just didn't understand the shorthand.

[Lite Beer]

You can also work on a Non O Visa.

Ok, so by "Non O" are you referring to a "Non-Immigrant O" type visa? Sorry, it occurred to me that maybe I just didn't understand the shorthand.

'

Yes. Non Immigrant 'Other' Visa. To be factually correct.

To be honest I find trying to work out 'normal' Visas difficult enough let alone trying to work here.

How anyone gets through the Work Permit plus Visa regulations is beyond me.

Hopefully someone will come along soon.

Mario where are you?

Edited September 15, 2008 by Lite Beer

[NightOwl888]

To be honest I find trying to work out 'normal' Visas difficult enough let alone trying to work here.

How anyone gets through the Work Permit plus Visa regulations is beyond me.

Yea it seems like there are a lot of requirements, but Siam Legal made it sound like it was pretty simple. At least, they are willing to make it simple for me for a modest $489 US fee (not including the visa application fee). I would rather do it myself if I can figure out how to dot the i's and cross the t's correctly.

Still, I can't be the only one working over the Internet in a foreign country while living in Thailand...someone must have figured this paperwork out.

[Lite Beer]

Still, I can't be the only one working over the Internet in a foreign country while living in Thailand...someone must have figured this paperwork out.

Most people Telecommuting here keep there head down and keep quite as no one will really know what they are doing.

But technically you do need a Work Permit to do any kind of work here. Even unpaid voluntary work.

[NightOwl888]

Most people Telecommuting here keep there head down and keep quite as no one will really know what they are doing.

But technically you do need a Work Permit to do any kind of work here. Even unpaid voluntary work.

I will get whatever is required for my working there to be legal activity. I wasn't planning to do this on a tourist visa. I am still here in the US now and have a little time to apply, I just need to figure out what specific visa to apply for and how. Siam Legal said I have to get a "B" but I am unsure how to proceed because I don't meet most of the requirements.

The work permit is a given, but thanks for the advice about it anyway. From what I understand, this is quick and easy to obtain in Thailand given you have the proper visa.

[Soutpeel]

Most people Telecommuting here keep there head down and keep quite as no one will really know what they are doing.

But technically you do need a Work Permit to do any kind of work here. Even unpaid voluntary work.

I will get whatever is required for my working there to be legal activity. I wasn't planning to do this on a tourist visa. I am still here in the US now and have a little time to apply, I just need to figure out what specific visa to apply for and how. Siam Legal said I have to get a "B" but I am unsure how to proceed because I don't meet most of the requirements.

The work permit is a given, but thanks for the advice about it anyway. From what I understand, this is quick and easy to obtain in Thailand given you have the proper visa.

Problem is these days understand you need a receipt of proof that you have applied for your WP to be submitted with your paper work

before they issue a Non-imm B at a lot of consulates.

You could get a Non-imm B based on the fact up want to persue a possible business interest in Thailand, but if you are running a business here you still need a WP. Believe you could also get a WP on a Typ O visa as well

Getting WP's and extensions of stay based on employment etc are not quick and easy to obtain if you don;t qualify.....bear in mind the Work permit is a separate goverment department and is nothing to do with the immigration dept..

[NHJ]

if you wanna do it legally, setup your own company, good prices are 25000 bath including the paperwork, the stamps, the vat card anything more expensive is useless(for a two million bath capital).

then you'll have to find an accountant and apply for your work permit, if it's a "personnal" company(understaning just to issue a work permit) the accounting fees shouldn't be higher than 1000 bath a month and 10000 bath for the annual balance sheet.

this is what i pay in samui and samui is known to be more expensive than other places.

[NightOwl888]

if you wanna do it legally, setup your own company, good prices are 25000 bath including the paperwork, the stamps, the vat card anything more expensive is useless(for a two million bath capital).

then you'll have to find an accountant and apply for your work permit, if it's a "personnal" company(understaning just to issue a work permit) the accounting fees shouldn't be higher than 1000 bath a month and 10000 bath for the annual balance sheet.

this is what i pay in samui and samui is known to be more expensive than other places.

From what I understand, I need to apply for the visa before I get to Thailand as they don't issue them once there. So what you are saying here is I need to set up a company within Thailand from the US before I apply for the visa?

The work permit from what I understand can only be acquired once I get to Thailand (provided I have a B or O type visa), so getting an accountant once I am there and taking care of the work permit shouldn't be an issue.

Problem is these days understand you need a receipt of proof that you have applied for your WP to be submitted with your paper work

before they issue a Non-imm B at a lot of consulates.

You could get a Non-imm B based on the fact up want to persue a possible business interest in Thailand, but if you are running a business here you still need a WP. Believe you could also get a WP on a Typ O visa as well

Getting WP's and extensions of stay based on employment etc are not quick and easy to obtain if you don;t qualify.....bear in mind the Work permit is a separate goverment department and is nothing to do with the immigration dept..

Like I said, from what I understand the visa is something I have to get before I get to Thailand and the WP is something I obtain once I am there. So how is it that you are suggesting issuing the visa is dependent on whether I have a work permit since I can't apply for the proper visa legally once I am inside Thailand?

From http://www2.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-Img.aspx under type "B" visa:

· A copy of Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Labour and alien income tax or Por Ngor Dor 91 (only in the case where applicant has previously worked in Thailand)

Since I have never worked in Thailand, it would seem that I won't need the work permit to get the visa. I realize I need to get a WP once there, but that is a seperate issue provided I have the correct type of visa to apply for it.

Edited September 15, 2008 by NightOwl888

[Lite Beer]

As far as I know (I am no expert) You have to apply for the Work Permit before applying for the B Visa.

You can enter the country on an O or Tourist Visa to get the ball rolling.

Why don't you get in touch with forum sponsers Sunbelt Asia and get a second opinion.

Free Advice.

http://www.sunbeltlegaladvisors.com/

Another thread here might help.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Non-Visa-Wor...om-t212713.html

Edited September 16, 2008 by Lite Beer

[digitalchromakey]

As far as I know (I am no expert) You have to apply for the Work Permit before applying for the B Visa.

You can enter the country on an O or Tourist Visa to get the ball rolling.

If the OP intends to work and applies for a multiple entry one year non immigrant B visa, then often a far away Thai Consulate like Hull in the UK or Houston in the USA will normally issue such a visa on the basis of an invitation letter only from a Thai company (this could be a law firm) explaining that the OP needs to start a business and/or apply for a work permit.

It is important to understand that the visa contains no information as regards the invitation letter or the company that signed it and this is never cross-checked when you eventually apply for a work permit.

The rest you can sort out once with a reputable law firm, once you arrive here.

[scifi]

Agree ^

1. Before arriving in Thailand, get sponsorship letter from Thai legal firm (Siam Legal, Sunbelt, etc. Sunbelt is my preference).

2. Use letter to get Non-Immigrant B visa in your home country (as people have said, you can't do it this way after arriving in the region). If you are not planning to marry here, get multiple entry (ME), and renew each year (MEs might only be available from your home country/UK/etc, i.e. somewhere far away). When/if you get married to a Thai, you can get extension of stay based on support of Thai wife.

3. Arrive in Thailand, set up Thai company.

4. Apply for WP (note, if you are working solo, you do not need Thai employees to get WP - the company is eligible for one WP without employees, but additional WPs will require employees, presumably not required in this case)

5. When WP is issued, start work.

6. If sending work to overseas customers, invoice as export, zero VAT (your accountant will clarify the exact requirements)

7. Pay tax, and have happy life with what is left over.

This is how I did it.

Edited September 16, 2008 by scifi

[NightOwl888]

digitalchromakey and scifi, thanks for the info.

I found this post on Lonely Planet that concurs with what you say and I think the picture is getting much clearer for me now. It seems like getting the attorney is by far the simplest route in my case being that I will need that invitation letter to get a Non Immigrant B visa and it would be difficult for me to achieve that otherwise.

Siam Legal's office is only about 30 minutes from my apartment and for that reason I am a little more inclined to use their service vs. hiring an attorney who is physically located in Thailand.

I should also mention that the person I chatted with at Siam Legal also said I won't need to get a work permit for the type of work I am doing (web development and marketing for a US company). I will not be working with any Thai companies directly, will not be competing against a Thai company or taking away or providing any Thai jobs. I will have to get confirmation of this when I hire an attorney though.

I am also not sure if Thai income taxes apply to me since I will be having money deposited in my US bank account from a company in the US and only transferring living expenses into Thailand. This income falls under US income tax laws. In a sense, this situation is not much different than a tourist or a retiree.

[scifi]

Ok, well every situation has its own complexities, and opinions about this kind of work vary widely, but as for:

the person I chatted with at Siam Legal also said I won't need to get a work permit for the type of work I am doing (web development and marketing for a US company).

... in my view they are telling you to work illegally. I have my own reasons for not using Siam Legal; and this quote is a big one to add to the list. I would stay well clear. There have been several questions about this kind of working lately, and there is no clear answer. You can do it as Siam Legal suggest, but I think this is illegal: in my view, if you are working in Thailand, irrespective of where that work is going, you need a WP. On the other hand, it is possible to set yourself up legally. If you are planning to stay here long term, that should be one of your objectives anyway. If you want to be legal, I'd suggest stop listening to Siam Legal. Just my opinion.

[Soutpeel]

digitalchromakey and scifi, thanks for the info.

I should also mention that the person I chatted with at Siam Legal also said I won't need to get a work permit for the type of work I am .

I am also not sure if Thai income taxes apply to me since I will be having money deposited in my US bank account from a company in the US and only transferring living expenses into Thailand. This income falls under US income tax laws. In a sense, this situation is not much different than a tourist or a retiree.

I would go back to Siam legal and ask them to show you this in writing direct from Thai law, as this one is an old chestnut, which has been done to death on TV and dont have a wish to resurrect this one again. The law says you need a work permit if under taking work whether paid or un-paid in Thailand, per the definition you will be deemed to be working in Thailand, therefore you need a work permit. So whether you are being paid in or outside of Thailand is irrelavant..

I would ask Siam Legal to confirm the above statement in writing and cite the relvant paragraphs in Thai law which will allow you to operate without a work permit, but I have a strange feeling they will decline...

[NightOwl888]

I just had an online chat with Sunbelt Asia and confirmed the following things...

1. The type of visa required for this activity is Non-Immigrant B.
   
2. A work permit is not required to apply for the visa for the first time.
   
3. A lawfirm such as Sunbelt Asia or Siam Legal can legally sponsor you so you won't need a letter from a prospective employer to get the Non-Immigrant B visa.
   
4. A work permit is required before you can legally work in Thailand, and can be obtained after you enter Thailand.
   
5. Setting up a Thai business is required if you wish to hire Thai employees, but is not required if you are working for a foreign company by yourself.
   
6. If you do not set up a business, a work permit can be issued on the basis of a Non-Immigrant B visa entry status alone.
   

All of the above statements (except for the one about the work permit requirement to work) are inline with what Siam Legal said.

I am going to wait until their "specialist" contacts me before asking about income taxes.

I am also having a friend in the legal industry check with the California state bar to see if there are any complaints registered against Siam Legal.

Edited September 16, 2008 by NightOwl888

[NHJ]

I just had an online chat with Sunbelt Asia and confirmed the following things...

1. The type of visa required for this activity is Non-Immigrant B.
   
2. A work permit is not required to apply for the visa for the first time.
   
3. A lawfirm such as Sunbelt Asia or Siam Legal can legally sponsor you so you won't need a letter from a prospective employer to get the Non-Immigrant B visa.
   
4. A work permit is required before you can legally work in Thailand, and can be obtained after you enter Thailand.
   
5. Setting up a Thai business is required if you wish to hire Thai employees, but is not required if you are working for a foreign company by yourself.
   
6. If you do not set up a business, a work permit can be issued on the basis of a Non-Immigrant B visa entry status alone.
   

All of the above statements (except for the one about the work permit requirement to work) are inline with what Siam Legal said.

I am going to wait until their "specialist" contacts me before asking about income taxes.

I am also having a friend in the legal industry check with the California state bar to see if there are any complaints registered against Siam Legal.

number 6 is a big joke, the work permit is a complete application that requires a load of papers more than 19 different papers from the company.

[NightOwl888]

number 6 is a big joke, the work permit is a complete application that requires a load of papers more than 19 different papers from the company.

You may be right about this.

I spoke with someone at Siam Legal today on the phone. He said that I won't need a work permit because I will not be earning income from a Thai company. He also said that Thai income taxes do not apply in this scenario.

When I asked about getting a work permit "just in case", he made it sound like this wasn't possible without setting up a business within Thailand.

Both of these points were contradictory to what Sunbelt Asia said. This is as clear as mud.

[scifi]

This is as clear as mud

That's for sure There is a narrow path to definite legal status in your situation (similar to mine). However, that path requires a degree of financial input and a commitment to staying in Thailand for a long stretch. For these reasons it doesn't appeal to everyone, and no-one is at all sure what the rules are if you try to do things differently. Good luck with your plans. PM me if you want more details about how I did it, but steps 1-5 of your previous post are pretty much it.

[NightOwl888]

From the horse's mouth:

I called the Thai consulate in LA today and this is what they told me. Since my employer does not require me to be in Thailand to perform my duties, I do not qualify for a "B" Business visa. Their recommendation is to apply for a 60-day 2-entry Tourist visa.

The tourist visa allows me to stay for 60 days, then apply for a 30 day extension which wll allow me to stay for 90 days total. Without re-applying for a visa, I can then exit the country (after 90 days) and get another 60 days. At the end of the second 60 day period I can apply for another 30 day extension. So, essentially this 60 day Tourist visa is good for almost 6 months, provided I make 1 trip out of the country and 2 trips to Bangkok to get extensions.

At the end of the 6 month period, I can then exit Thailand and apply for another 60 day tourist visa, which if I follow the same procedure will carry me through another 6 months. Although she said I can apply for a new visa in Malaysia, it may not be legal to be in Malaysia for a few days without my passport while I wait for the visa to be approved.

I confirmed that I do not need a work permit or need to pay taxes in Thailand if I am not working for a company that has a presence or other purpose in Thailand.

What doesn't suprise me: the Thai lawyers were claiming that I need a type B visa because there is no way I can get one without their help and paying their fee. They told me 2 different things because one of them provides help to set up a business to get the work permit (for which they will charge me additional fees) and the other does not.

What does surprise me: this is legal to do on a Tourist visa according to the Thai consulate.

[digitalchromakey]

From the horse's mouth:

I called the Thai consulate in LA today and this is what they told me. Since my employer does not require me to be in Thailand to perform my duties, I do not qualify for a "B" Business visa. Their recommendation is to apply for a 60-day 2-entry Tourist visa.

The tourist visa allows me to stay for 60 days, then apply for a 30 day extension which wll allow me to stay for 90 days total. Without re-applying for a visa, I can then exit the country (after 90 days) and get another 60 days. At the end of the second 60 day period I can apply for another 30 day extension. So, essentially this 60 day Tourist visa is good for almost 6 months, provided I make 1 trip out of the country and 2 trips to Bangkok to get extensions.

At the end of the 6 month period, I can then exit Thailand and apply for another 60 day tourist visa, which if I follow the same procedure will carry me through another 6 months. Although she said I can apply for a new visa in Malaysia, it may not be legal to be in Malaysia for a few days without my passport while I wait for the visa to be approved.

I confirmed that I do not need a work permit or need to pay taxes in Thailand if I am not working for a company that has a presence or other purpose in Thailand.

What doesn't suprise me: the Thai lawyers were claiming that I need a type B visa because there is no way I can get one without their help and paying their fee. They told me 2 different things because one of them provides help to set up a business to get the work permit (for which they will charge me additional fees) and the other does not.

What does surprise me: this is legal to do on a Tourist visa according to the Thai consulate.

Consulates have been known to give extremely inaccurate information themselves as well. For example it is quite legal to be without your passport in Malaysia (while you wait for your new visa). Also at the moment, in this region, only Vientiane in Laos will issue double entry tourist visas. You can also extend a tourist visa at any immigration dept, you don't have to go to Bangkok.

Labour may well take a different view to the LA Consulate and would probably not give a lot of weight to a reported telephone conversation. Don't risk working here without a work permit, unless you are 100% certain that you are not on the 'radar' (i.e. nobody knows what you are doing)

[NightOwl888]

Consulates have been known to give extremely inaccurate information themselves as well. For example it is quite legal to be without your passport in Malaysia (while you wait for your new visa). Also at the moment, in this region, only Vientiane in Laos will issue double entry tourist visas. You can also extend a tourist visa at any immigration dept, you don't have to go to Bangkok.

Labour may well take a different view to the LA Consulate and would probably not give a lot of weight to a reported telephone conversation. Don't risk working here without a work permit, unless you are 100% certain that you are not on the 'radar' (i.e. nobody knows what you are doing)

First of all, the woman on the phone did not volunteer that information I only confirmed it. I used Bangkok and Malaysia as hypothetical examples and she said yes that is possible. I didn't get the information about it being illegal to be without a passport in Malaysia from her either (I read it somewhere else on this forum). I wouldn't expect her to know that Vientiane is the only place where I can get this type of visa.

Seconly, her view is that I am "on vacation" and don't have a valid business purpose in Thailand. This is hard for me to disagree with. This situation is not much different than a holiday tourist taking his laptop with him so he can join meetings and create the occasional report between lying on the beach and Wat sightings. Certainly you wouldn't expect someone in this situation to get a work permit, would you? The only difference between our hypothetical traveler and me is the length of time I will be staying and the type of dwelling I will be staying in.

As far as staying "under the radar", I am not sure that is such a big concern. After all, if I am "on vacation" what business does anyone have with the type of work I am doing for an overseas company? I won't be working for, with, or against any Thai interests so it is unlikely anyone will have a complaint of my presence in Thailand. As long as I am not hiring employees or trying to source suppliers of the product my company sells, I am only a tourist doing his work while on vacation.

[CWMcMurray]

It looks like you have made your decision...

All I can say is by going the route you are suggesting you are going to be in the realm of "should be, probably, most likely and it stands to reason that..."

If you follow scifi's advice you will be in the realm of "certainty and according to police order xxx I am authorized to..."

But it is completely up to you which path you prefer.

Just wanted to add one more piece of info...

If you have a family here and it would really screw up your life if you got kicked out of the country, you would prefer to ensure your position is certain. If you view is, if I get kicked out of Thailand, I'll just buy a plane ticket to another country and work there. Then you may not feel that you need that level of certainty.

Edited September 21, 2008 by CWMcMurray

[gunnyd]

I sounds like you are thinking WAY too hard about this.

The "work" you describe doesn't sound like anyone will figure out that you are "working"

I know of many farang employees that work for large hospitals without work permits because the hospital doesn't want to bother with the money and time of getting them a work permit. I would guess that this is pretty pervasive in LOS.

As for using a service like Siam Legal. You will hear a variety of things about what they do and how they do it. Know this: Me and the Mrs. wanted to stay long term in LOS this year, nothing to do with work or setting up a business.

Contacted Siam Legal, got instructions, sent cash, received paperwork from them and submitted to consul that they specified (located in the US), and 2 weeks later we had our Multiple Entry Non-B visas. We have been here a while, both with Multiple Entry Non-B visas. We have to do a border crossing every 90 days, but that's it. Having been through Thai immigration 4 times so far with our Non-B visas, I can say that it was the right choice. We have had NO PROBLEMS.

Just one thing: after you get your Non-B make sure when you enter Passport Control that immigration knows you have a Non-B visa, and check you stamps before you leave the station. I always do this, and thank goodness I do. Last entry back the immigration officer gave me a 30 day stamp, I saw this and brought it to her attention that I hold a Non-B and she corrected the stamp.

[vision]

It looks like you have made your decision...

Really? To me it looks like a guy who is trying to get information so that he can make a decition and is getting conflicting information form each different source. To my mind getting told you need one document to recieve another and then going to get the first doc and being told "cannot" is a major frustration. If you can afford not to work for a week or two it would probably be easiest to just get here on a tourist visa then once here you will be able to talk to either of the above named agencies or another and work with them to get whatever documentation you and your agent deems you need. That is the route I went and it may end up being more work in the long run but it sure saves on the confustion of trying to ochastrate and everthying in order before you arrive approach.

[NightOwl888]

It looks like you have made your decision...

Really? To me it looks like a guy who is trying to get information so that he can make a decition and is getting conflicting information form each different source. To my mind getting told you need one document to recieve another and then going to get the first doc and being told "cannot" is a major frustration. If you can afford not to work for a week or two it would probably be easiest to just get here on a tourist visa then once here you will be able to talk to either of the above named agencies or another and work with them to get whatever documentation you and your agent deems you need. That is the route I went and it may end up being more work in the long run but it sure saves on the confustion of trying to ochastrate and everthying in order before you arrive approach.

Hmm...right, but from what I understand the one year visa cannot be obtained unless you go back to your home country, only a 90 day Non-Immigrant B visa. If I could do it all in one shot it would certainly be easier. Technically, I wouldn't have to orchistrate getting the work permit from here, only the visa.

That said, I found the "official" website for the Department of Employment in Thailand and here is what the official word is on getting a work permit while not in Thailand:

2. Aliens who are not in the Kingdom of Thailand but wish to work in the Kingdom must comply with the following:

- Contact a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country for advice and recommendation for granting a non-immigrant VISA.

So it would seem that I have followed these instructions to the letter. The interpretation of my situation by my local consulate is that I will be "a tourist on vacation" and will need a tourist visa to do this type of activity (excluding me from qualifying for a work permit).

The only thing is I don't have that in writing, but I could probably visit my consulate in person and obtain the "official" recommendation of my local consulate in writing. Once I have both of these documents in hand, at least I can prove that I followed the "official" instructions to get the proper legal recommendation, and while I don't know about in Thailand, that would be enough to stand up in court in most countries.

If I decide to go the "better safe than sorry" approach instead, I found this (not so official) procedure on how to apply for a work permit. If you read the "Documents needed for a work permit application" section, there is nothing there stating that you have to have a business first before you can apply for a work permit. The only conditions are that you must provide a descrpition of the duties you will perform, a medical certification, a Non-Immigrant visa, 3 passport photos, and the fee. It would seem that Sunbelt Asia isn't leading me astray as far as applying for a work permit without the need to setup a business, the only minor obstacle is filling out the form in Thai, which is something I would need a trustworthy lawyer for.

Did I just say "lawyer" and "trustworthy" in the same sentence?