Work permits for unpaid volunteers?

[rhaugland]

I believe that I read that a work permit is required for a position as a volunteer in a school, even if it is unpaid. I expect to soon have a 1-year retirement visa. Is there a prohibition against being a volunteer under these circumstances?

Thanks

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Notionally there is a prohibition. A retiree is retired no work is permitted. Is it a Government School ?

[Serendipity]

Thanks for the response. From another site

http://www.floatinglotus.com/thaiimmigration.html

I find:

Retirement Visa (Nonimmigrant-OA)

The minimum age for a retirement visa is 50. Savings funds and income must come from abroad. Pensions or income paid to those with this visa in their home country do not qualify as minimum income; the money must be sent to one's Thai bank. Residency is not available to those on a retirement visa. Work, including nonpaid volunteer work, is forbidden by Thai law.

I also do not know the validity of "Residency is not available to those on retirement visa."

I have subsequently found elsewhere at thatvisa.com that the work permit for a volunteer seems to be mandatory, even if not always done.

http://www.thaivisa.com/462.0.html

Work permit for charity workers

Foreign volunteer workers with non-profit organizations should have work permits even if they are not paid for the work they do.

Foreigners have to a have work permit for any work they do. It’s not difficult; just have the non-profit organization apply with a document stating that you have joined them as a volunteer.

Foreign volunteers should have work permits because they may become involved with officials.

For example, if you need to report to the police that your wallet was stolen while you were doing volunteer work, the officers may ask [what you were doing when the theft took place]. They may then ask to see your work permit.

The school in question is Moo Baan Dek, which is an alternative school NW of Kanchanaburi. Really not a "government school" and probably not in the favor of the government either because of its unusually progressive teaching methods.

http://www.childrensvillageschool.com/

From this, it looks like I better plan on getting a work permit, even for an unpaid position.