Bit of a loss, tried going back over loads of post.....

Thai friend [for many years] owns a large apartment block, most renters are English speaking and working here....

I need a work permit ? to go in 2 or 3 x per month to help out with writing everything in English on a volunteer work basis ?

I am retired and on my 5th yearly extension, have never worked here so no idea what is needed Visa and WP wise or how one goes about it

Bit of a loss, tried going back over loads of post.....

Thai friend [for many years] owns a large apartment block, most renters are English speaking and working here....

I need a work permit ? to go in 2 or 3 x per month to help out with writing everything in English on a volunteer work basis ?

I am retired and on my 5th yearly extension, have never worked here so no idea what is needed Visa and WP wise or how one goes about it

You need a work permit to remain legal, voluntary or not. You can't get a work permit on a retirement O-A visa. Your choice then is to consider the risks of crossing to the dark side, e.g. how likely you are to be "dobbed-in" by someone with a grievance, etc, how likely they are to proceed to prosecution, and how well you would stand up to subsequent legal proceedings. Up to you.

Correct, the definition of labour in the lalien workings act is very broad and includes volunteer work. You will need a WP if you do this and with an extension based on retirement it is not worth the hassle.

If you do decide to stay under the radar would advise not going to apartments where some might take an interest in what you are doing.

As I said have never worked here so no idea what is needed Visa and WP wise or how one goes about it?

Reading up you cannot get a WP on a retirement Visa....... So how do you go about getting another Visa? need a 'B' Visa ? but what I can make out to get a 'B' visa you need a WP 1st ? which I cannot get on a Retirement extension..

If I had a WP, then could I also [as have been asked loads of time] help the kids in the Village with there English ? All 8 kids speak some English but poor.. Sat or Sunday afternoons in a carport of one of our houses

For volunteering you will need to get an extension of stay based on volunteering.

However, for that you need to have an organisation that sponsors you and says you will be volunteering from them. that has to be a registered charity or for example a government school.

Volunteering for your friend will not allow you an extension based on volunteering, if you want to help the children you would need to go through the local school and hope they will apply for a WP for you.

Note that a WP only allows you to work for the employer stated in the WP, not for anybody else.

You do not need the B visa to apply for a work permit - only to have it issued. And you do not require a work permit to obtain a B visa - only an application for one.

For volunteering you will need to get an extension of stay based on volunteering.

However, for that you need to have an organisation that sponsors you and says you will be volunteering from them. that has to be a registered charity or for example a government school.

Volunteering for your friend will not allow you an extension based on volunteering, if you want to help the children you would need to go through the local school and hope they will apply for a WP for you.

Note that a WP only allows you to work for the employer stated in the WP, not for anybody else.

Thanks... All 8 kids in the Village go to different schools so guese that option is out. Nearest Government school is 6km away but non of the kids in this Village go there, they all go to different private schools yet not one of the schools has a English Teacher for English... All the kids are under 10 years old, 2 families with Teenagers you only see them at holidays as they study in Australia.