Working For Monks...need Wp?

[mooy]

I was woundering. I know you need a workpermit to work in thailand. But If you work for free. Is it still work? Helping the community and so on?

/Robin

[Koh_Falang]

I beleive there is some sort of exception for being a monk..... doesnt it exempt u needing to worry about alot of things to do with a Visa???

Does anyone know anything more about this??

"to study, to come on a work study tour or observation tour , to participate in projects or seminars , to attend a conference or training course , to study as a foreign Buddhist monk (Category "ED") "

[Pink Mist]

There was a guy who helped out around the temple here in Adelaide, I think he was an assistant to the "Master" and when the Master returned to Bangkok (due to old age) in Jan 2002 Sam went with him, is still there and not returning from what we hear. He had no set plans and a visa was not required at that stage.

When we return next year my wife wants me to go into temple (cant remember term) with the shaved head and eyebrows for 7 days, has any one done this?

[Koh_Falang]

well ive just been reading around and apparently the monks dont get anymore special expemts then normal...

edited for crassness and flame generation capacity.

Edited December 6, 2003 by IT Manager

[JonnieB]

thai immigration law is very clear. ANY foreigner in the Kingdom doing any more work than lifting a baht note from his wallet to pay for a good or service is considered to be "working."

seriously, the law is indeed quite clear, a foreigner doing any kind of work needs a work permit. PERIOD. it does not matter if it is volunteer work, charity work, or work for wages. the only exceptions are for members of the diplomatic corps, people attatched to recognized international agencies (e.g., world bank, asian development bank, UN, etc), and if memory serves, people officially invited by departments of the thai government to conduct studies/consult or perform other services for gov't agencies or departments.

this information is all available at the official websites of the royal thai police...google it to find it.

[george]

JonnieB, correct!

Quote:

The term "work" is defined very broadly, covering both physical and mental activities, whether or not for wages or other remuneration. Working without a valid work permit even for a day is a criminal offense.

[seethreepio]

This is quite true. I have many friends in Thailand working for charitable organisations. They support themselves, work tirelessly for the benefit of Thailand's AIDS victims, for the poor and orphaned, yet have no special visa exemptions and are also working "illegally" as stated. They appear regularly on Thai television and are not exactly "low profile"

Most of them have thus broken the law and face deportation or worse if they should be caught.

It's all a can of worms. I'm afraid.

[Axel]

seriously, the law is indeed quite clear,

I fully agree to what you said except this part should read

seriously, the law is indeed quite queer,

Another question to all the experts: My former boss and my clients say that I am useless, lazy and never work. Do I still need a WP?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

This is quite true. I have many friends in Thailand working for charitable organisations. They support themselves, work tirelessly for the benefit of Thailand's AIDS victims, for the poor and orphaned, yet have no special visa exemptions and are also working "illegally" as stated. They appear regularly on Thai television and are not exactly "low profile"

Most of them have thus broken the law and face deportation or worse if they should be caught.

It's all a can of worms. I'm afraid.

If such volunteers are holding Non-Immigrant O class visa's, the Immigration and Labour Department practice is to not see them. There's thousands of 'em in Thailand, mostly doing a good job, and I have not heard of 'em having problems. The situation would be much the same for a farang staying in a Temple on an O or ED. The Abbot's connections would ensure no problems.

[virat]

so i guess this also applies if i want to brush the floor in my gf's mom's house or wash the dishes??

I need to know how to ensure i can over come the issue here.

I am going for 4 weeks soon to stay with my gf Xmas break - plus have to go to Middle east for work in the middle,

My gf has made a room in her moms house,

but it needs a new mains socket,

i guess i need a work permit here too? to fit this

or even lift a cupboard

Also i guess i am not allowed to send or receive emails to my place of work.

Although it has nothing to do with Thai people...

I tried to ask the UK Embassy but they have not even replied to the question after 15 days, and i sent it three times.

Please advise..

[Guest IT Manager]

Washing up...hmmm are you male or female. If male..forget it..no one will believe you would.

Re Light swith/power point... are you correctly licensed.. be careful, this could carry a charge.

[virat]

I was kidding re washing up she has plenty nieces to do that, just using as example.

Re adding a socket, qualified here in UK , over qualified more like it. But I guess I can’t lift a finger to help her.

Question

If some one breaks down on side of road, ie gf’s car, can i not help her there either??

But most important is:- I will be sending / receiving work emails through my laptop, Nothing to do with Thailand, no money in or out of there , just keeping on top of things wile I am away from the UK, and have to go to Middle East and back second week Jan.

1: Working on my laptop ? can i or not?

2: Leaving country and coming back as tourist I guess is not an issue and I don’t need to do anything like apply for leaving visa, daft question, but I have seen worst and there are some very silly rules here. Umm

I have been trying to find a job in Thailand, I want to live and work there, but no opportunities for me it seems so off to the Middle East instead rules are not as bad,,

Then retreat Thailand when we can.

Cheer in advance,

[tracer0]

well ive just been reading around and apparently the monks dont get anymore special expemts then normal...

edited for crassness and flame generation capacity.

All I know is that if temple kind of gurantees you to want to be in the temple, you can or could get a special 'monk' visum. thats doing it properly.

However with the many monks having been caught due to girlfriends etc not sure what current status is. If you goto to Thailand on a normal visum, any visum and stay in a temple forever reason, as long as it doesnt exceed your current visum

period and the monks donot boot you out, unlikely anyone will object.

Ofcourse of you want to be in a temple and doing some boozing in the evening, problems are inevitable...

Especially in smaller places, the villages, if you join the local monks for a while it will make you much more accepted in the local community...

Best thing to do is make up your mind as having wife she likely doesnt want you to retire as a monk at this time...

Just a vist for a week, get normal visum as always and do it. Even Mr T will not pick someone up cleaning a temple...

By the way why are so many posts censored???

And I am now noticing I can only post if I preview, no preview, no posts...

[Nam Kao]

JonnieB, correct!

Quote:

The term "work" is defined very broadly, covering both physical and mental activities, whether or not for wages or other remuneration. Working without a valid work permit even for a day is a criminal offense.

THIS IS EXCELLENT ! Where can i find this in Thai font?

I just show that to my wife and no more laundry, dishes, yard work !

"Sorry Darling, I take trash, me go jail! no more chic chic"

Love this place!

[Guest IT Manager]

By the way why are so many posts censored???

And I am now noticing I can only post if I preview, no preview, no posts...

Very very few posts are "censored" unless they contain something that makes an admin grit his teeth. Previewing a post has nothing to do with censorship. That is called "moderating" when an admin checks posts before allowing them through. You aren't being moderated as you can see from the < 0 () 10 >.

If there is a number in the brackets you are on moderation or suspension. You aren't.

The particular post you were quoting was edited for stupidity.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The particular post you were quoting was edited for stupidity.

hmmmm ....... stupidity IT ........ there's more about than usual lately. Is this why they call it the silly season ?