Charity Workers Must Get Work Permits

[sriracha john]

RDN, additionally former American presidents GWB I and Clinton are coming as reps of the U.N.

Will they they be tossed into a Immigration Detention Cell for not having WP's?

[Scott]

I agree that people who are volunteers need to have a "legal" status in the country. I have worked in a large number of countries for charitable organizations and nearly all required something akin to a work permit. Most had some rather easy process or a special person/agency to expedite the paper work, but none-the-less, it was required.

I think what is not good is putting it in the paper or publicizing it in the manner that they do. Easiest just to contact the parties/organizations etc. and give them specific instructions. Otherwise it sounds not so good.

[Felt 35]

lawbreakers.

Now this begin to be a sensitive and possible "lose face" subject.

We are talking about people which help out of free will, right.

Suddenly they are "lawbreakers" in a country where braking the law is more common than to follow the law!!

Halleluja

[LivinLOS]

So I assume Ricky Martin, Martina Hingis, and Chester Bennington were all informed and forced to get work permits right ???

Or were they fawned over by local officials hopeing to get thier name printed next to them in the press or the TAT ???

[RDN]

So I assume Ricky Martin, Martina Hingis, and Chester Bennington were all informed and forced to get work permits right ???

Or were they fawned over by local officials hoping to get their name printed next to them in the press or the TAT ???

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I think the latter ( - the one about 'fawning'). Still, if it keeps the tsunami disaster in people's minds.... It certainly appears to be a "dead" story as far as the BBC and CNN are concerned now.

[Wandering]

New information!

Recently Travel agents have been offering a tourist package with a special - help those poor trunami victims - 2 day package. You only have to pay the tour operator a few thousand baht for the privalege.

Counteracting this is what the new law is about.

For those of you who are already assisting or wish to assist as a part of a recognized charity or mission work then don't worry you are safe.

Thai laws often seem to be created with more harshness than how they are enforced.

Many people would like to go and help, but really only those who can speak at least some Thai would be able to offer any help of long term benefit. Unless, of course, you have a bunch of money and somehow know how to best direct it.

[vxtaylor]

I am very disapointed that Phuket Gazette and Thai Visa are playing Chicken Little and telling everyone that the sky is falling. Shame on you! Check the FACTS!

The first day I saw this posted on the Thai Visa website and the Phukete Gazette website I went down to the Employment Service Office (ESO) to check the facts. Unfortunately, Khun Sayan was at his fathers funeral so I had to go back the next week. I wanted to speak with him directly to hear it from the horses mouth. He gave me a very simple form, FORM 11, APPLICATION FOR DUTY UNDER ARTICLE 7. It's a very simple form asking for name, address, and passport information. You sign it, attach your picture and a copy of your passport, and turn it into the Employment Service Office. If you are with a volunteer organization, the organization can submit it for you, or if you are a private individual, you can submit it yourself. The ESO keeps the form on file, and you are free to continue working as an emergency volunteer.

Khun Sayan made a very good point. He said if a volunteer hesitates to submit a copy of their passport, or doesn't want their picture taken, you've got to ask yourself why, and consider if you really want them around your organization or working with the tsunami victims. There are a lot of pedophiles, rapists, and theives out there who could have a hay-day in a situation like this.

Khun Sayan was very helpful, I was in and out of his office within 10 minutes.

Please, I and many other people rely on Thai Visa for factual information. In the future, get the facts straight.

[RDN]

^^ Can you tell us what facts in the Phuket Gazette's original report were not straight?

[LadyinRed]

In that case does anyone knows someone from Phuket Gazette who's available for a coffee session with K. Sayan?

Sounds like the original news article on work permit needs to be 'updated'.

[RDN]

In that case does anyone knows someone from Phuket Gazette who's available for a coffee session with K. Sayan?

Sounds like the original news article on work permit needs to be 'updated'.

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I have noticed that the Phuket Gazette does tend to write some stories in a way that appears to "stir things up". Maybe they "selectively" quoted K. Sayan?

[fxm87]

“There can be no exceptions. Work is work, even if it is for charity,” he said.

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So I can use this excuse when I don't want to help the wife clean up the apartment, right?

Too bad my drawing skills aren't for sh!it or I'd crank out a pretty cartoon. Fat farlang on the beach can't raise a finger to help... But wait -- drawing a cartoon might be considered work!!!

Reminds me of when I used to work as an "independent contractor" in the USA. When the monthly Costco order was delivered on a pallet everyone was expected to help carry it in. We "contractors" coyly apologized "uhhhhm... my insurance doesn't cover that".

Edited February 26, 2005 by fxm87

[Peewee]

This topic has been of both concern and amusement to many - thanks to vxtaylor coments on the matter we now have some sence made of the situation.

Hopefully volunteers will not be put off going to assist if they see an opportunity to do so. After all, whats a bit of formal paperwork if you are realy intersted in helping out those displaced?

[richard10365]

I am a volunteer working somewhere in Thailand. I don't work with any organization. I just want to help Thai people. I dont get any money. I only work Saturday and Sunday. I help teach english to poor farm kids.

Now, the kids I teach seem like family to me. I don't like breaking the law, but not sure how to help the children.

How do I keep helping them legally?

Six months on, a plea for more volunteers

PHUKET: -- Six months after the tsunami disaster, volunteer workers are still needed in the southern provinces on the Andaman Sea.

After attending to the material needs of the local people, the work of the volunteers will focus on education, career skills and psychological healing, the organiser of the Tsunami Volunteer Centre (TVC), Soontara Kaewpongpok, said yesterday.

Over the past six months, more than 1,500 volunteers from all parts of the country and around the world have arrived at the heart of the tsunami-affected area - at Khao Lak, in Phang Nga’s Takua Pa district - to offer their help.

About 100 of them are still there, although their work does not, these days, receive public attention.

And without public attention, many people might be tempted to believe that the work of volunteers is over, the situation is stable, the number of dead and missing people is finalised, those still suffering are known and help is being organised by the authorities, Soontara said.

In fact, it is not.

“Since February, efforts have concentrated on reconstruction, and many construction projects will run through this year and into next year,” she said.

At present, volunteers are helping to build 50 permanent houses at Ban Nam Khem and helping to make more than 50 boats in the Cape Pakarang Boat Yard. Over the past six months, volunteers have been involved in discovering corpses as well as identifying and consoling victims.

However, about 20 projects are presently under way and the volunteer force is focused on house construction, teaching English to local kids, and psychological and spiritual support - trying to encourage victims to think positively and to resume normal lives.

Responding to local needs, the volunteer centre has also been teaching English skills to local people because most of them will return to work in the tourism industry, once the industry recovers.

“We have been sending English teachers to train them since February,” Soontara said. “We are preparing them for the high season, or when the jobs come back.”

Many local people in Khao Lak have turned to earning money from making traditional products like batik and baskets woven from plastic, and the TVC helps them by distributing the products.

Volunteer schoolteachers have also been working in Khao Lak’s schools since February, especially native English speakers.

American volunteer Joa Keis, 25, who has been part of the TVC’s education project since February, said he regarded his job as an important one.

“Teaching language skills to the kids is important, because we know that in the future this place will rely on tourism. That will be a source of money for a lot of local people.

“In September, we expect there will be more American students on semester break who will come to join us,” he said.

At Ban Nam Khem’s World Vision temporary camp, a Christian group from Love in Action Foundation has been consoling the victims with religious teaching since January.

“We focus on helping locals relieve their trauma by consoling them with God’s words,” said Christian volunteer Chanakan Chanaphun, 40, from Hat Yai. “We plan to set up a church in Nam Khem, as well as opening an Internet centre.”

Sombat Boonngarm-anong, one of the TVC’s founders, said 80 per cent of the volunteers at Khao Lak had been foreigners. Thai volunteers are getting fewer every day.

He said the centre planned a public campaign to attract more Thai volunteers, especially from students, because there is much work waiting to be done.

“It would be great if university students could turn their traditional rab nong mai [freshmen initiation activities] and other student activities into joining the tsunami volunteers for a while,” he added.

--The Nation 2005-06-26

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Kyusens]

I would like too know about the teaching availability there...(Thailand)

I have Taught at Vietnam Hanoi university.

I have also taught At the AMES in Australia ...and now Teaching Students from Japan and China...

I would like to know where to apply too and where to get info on teaching there,,,english. [email protected]