Hi there. How does it work for Foreign freelancers in thailand? i.e. journalists, photographers etc etc.

I've recently returned to Thailand and am hoping to be able to work in VFX but a lot of that work is freelance based even in the UK and most other countries. I mean there are companies that will properly hire, but they're hard to find as when it comes down to it the companies themselves have to constantly hunt for and win projects, so they usually like to pay their workers on a project to project basis.

If I could get something where I was hired fulltime obviously that would be ideal; if not, how does freelancing work here?

My understanding ANY WORK that is done in Thailand if your a foreigner you must have a work permit.

I have to agree

Your best bet is to find a foreign media agency - newspaper, magazine, wire service, news agency, etc - to sponsor you for a non-B or non-M visa (doesn't matter which one, even though M is supposedly for media) as a stringer or correspondent. There are no non-immigrant visa provisions for freelancer journalists.

If you manage to get a sponsor letter, you can use that to obtain a non-B or or non-M visa at a Thai embassy/consulate in your country (preferably) or in a third country (many Thai embassies and consulates outside your home country will refuse; Vientiane is still good). Once in Thailand you can then fill out papers at the foreign ministry, undergo a short interview there, and be issued three sealed letters to immigration, the dept of labour and the dept of public relations. You take the first two letters to the One-Stop Visa and Work Permit Centre and they will issue a one-year extension of stay along with a work permit. The third letter you take to the dept of public relations to receive your official international press card.

There is always 1000 opinions about work permits and the law

Thai Airways regularly has engineers or specialists come from the USA and the UK to work on the aircraft at Suvarnabhumi Airport

GE, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney are a few of the companies that send support here almost every single month or anytime a specialist is needed

They do not have work permits or get work permits

They get security level 6 pass at the airport which is the highest level to come and go as they need

So there must be some other cases where a WP is not required?

Easy to get a temporary work permit for 14 days.

Artists, athletes and specialists use this.

GE, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney just make a stop at BOI one-stop service for temp WP and B-visa.

To get a a 1 year WP is another thing.

Edited July 4, 201016 yr by PoorSucker

Easy to get a temporary work permit for 14 days.

Artists, athletes and specialists use this.

GE, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney just make a stop at BOI one-stop service for temp WP and B-visa.

To get a a 1 year WP is another thing.

Correct, the rules for the "emergency" WP say it is limited to 14 days and you are suppose to only get 1 per person/per year, but from the practical stand point, it depends on who is asking and for what reason, as know of people who have had extensions to the emergency WP and more than 1 per year issued.....these where all related to specific/specialised technical skills needed.

Typically what happens is a person is issued an 1 year Non-imm B and the emergency WP (s) is issued on the back of this

For somebody living in Thailand and wanting to Freelance, dont believe this is a viable option, you may get away with it once, but multiples of 14 days highly unlikley as a general rule

There is always 1000 opinions about work permits and the law

Thai Airways regularly has engineers or specialists come from the USA and the UK to work on the aircraft at Suvarnabhumi Airport

GE, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney are a few of the companies that send support here almost every single month or anytime a specialist is needed

They do not have work permits or get work permits

They get security level 6 pass at the airport which is the highest level to come and go as they need

So there must be some other cases where a WP is not required?

So there must be some other cases where a WP is not required?

Thai visa moderators:D

I think as regards freelancing the OP has the proverbial cart before the horse; if he finds a Thai-company willing to hire him on a short term VFX project for which he is uniquely suited (as opposed to just hirng a Thai person), he can exit the country and do most or all of the work it in Malaysia or Bali with the money then wired to an account ex-Thailand... WP is then not an issue.

There is always 1000 opinions about work permits and the law

Thai Airways regularly has engineers or specialists come from the USA and the UK to work on the aircraft at Suvarnabhumi Airport

GE, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney are a few of the companies that send support here almost every single month or anytime a specialist is needed

They do not have work permits or get work permits

They get security level 6 pass at the airport which is the highest level to come and go as they need

So there must be some other cases where a WP is not required?

So there must be some other cases where a WP is not required?

Thai visa moderators:D

1. Diplomat or representing a foreign goverment in some capacity

2. Military excercises...ie Cobra Gold

3. Banged up in the Bangkok Hilton

4. Aircrews for commerical airlines

5. Merchant seaman operating in Thai waters, but beleive if working specifically/only in the Thai O &G business a WP is now required

Edited July 5, 201016 yr by Soutpeel