Hello!

I have been hired by a hotel in Phuket to do an internship for 6 months starting Thursday the 14th. They gave me a bunch of papers and told me I should get a non-immigration ED visa, so I went to the thai embassy and they told me that I couldn't get the thai visa in China since I don't have a Chinese residence and that I should get it in my country.

As you might know, Panama is very very far away and it is not possible for me to go all the way to Panama just to get a visa and then fly all the way back here, plus I'm supposed to start my internship one week from now.

So I was wondering if maybe it was a China thing to screw people over and I could get the non-immigration ED visa in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore (preferably Kuala Lumpur since my flight is Shanghai-KL-Phuket) .

Answers are very very appreciated!

Only a few nationalities have to apply in their own country. I don't believe Panama is one of them.

I would first try to get an ED-visa from one of the other Thai consulates in China, before I would travel to KL.

Check the visa requirements for Malaysia. Note that the airline might not allow you boarding if you don't have a valid visa for Thailand.

Only a few nationalities have to apply in their own country. I don't believe Panama is one of them.

I would first try to get an ED-visa from one of the other Thai consulates in China, before I would travel to KL.

Check the visa requirements for Malaysia. Note that the airline might not allow you boarding if you don't have a valid visa for Thailand.

Well the embassy told me it was a China thing rather than a Shanghai thing.

They can not allow me to board if i don't have a visa for Thailand? I had no idea, not even if I have the plane ticket?

Only a few nationalities have to apply in their own country. I don't believe Panama is one of them.

I would first try to get an ED-visa from one of the other Thai consulates in China, before I would travel to KL.

Check the visa requirements for Malaysia. Note that the airline might not allow you boarding if you don't have a valid visa for Thailand.

Well the embassy told me it was a China thing rather than a Shanghai thing.

They can not allow me to board if i don't have a visa for Thailand? I had no idea, not even if I have the plane ticket?

Immigration rules say you need a visa to travel to Thailand in your case. Tey might let you board to KL (depending on Malaysian immigration rules), but might not let you go to Thailand without a visa. Believe you will not need a visa for Malaysia.

National Panama (PA) /Transit Malaysia (MY)

Destination Thailand (TH)

ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW

Malaysia (MY)

VISA NOT REQUIRED.

Warning:

- Ladies in an advanced stage of pregnancy

For details, click here

- Nationals of Panama not holding a return/onward ticket could

be either requested to purchase one or refused entry.

Thailand (TH)

Passport required.

- Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid

for at least 6 months upon arrival.

Visa required.

Additional Information:

- Visitors who are visa exempt are required to hold documents

for their next destination.

- Visitors over 12 years of age are required to hold

sufficient funds to cover their stay (at least THB 10,000.-

per person or THB 20,000.- per family).

For details, click here

- For those who do not require a visaFor details, click here

Warning:

- Visitors who are visa exempt but do not hold return/onward

tickets could be refused entry.

Interesting. Doesn't internship and hired by hotel = working?

Not if done as part of a training. A lot of foreigners work as interns. But I'm not sure about their legal status or the exact rules regarding this.

Interesting. Doesn't internship and hired by hotel = working?

That is what I thought too and some friends that are doing internships in thailand got a work visa, but my hotel told me to get a ED visa.

Not if done as part of a training. A lot of foreigners work as interns. But I'm not sure about their legal status or the exact rules regarding this.

From an old Sunbelt Asia post:

If you are a non Thai intern for a Thai firm, you are clearly working even if it's for free. In ALL cases we would advocate to get the work permit. Thats the Thai law and that is what we follow in all cases.

Seems the OP might want to inquire first if the hotel will help him with a work permit.