I'm aware that many, many people do it. What problems arose when you tried to get a work permit later down the line? I'm don't want to work without a work permit, and am in the process of sorting mine out, but it seems like everyone I meet is working without one, and having an easier time of it than bothering with Immigration. It's not for me, and I don't want to run the risk, but the question is, are these people able to get work permits in the future, or are they always going to have problems when Immigration sees hundreds of those little Cambodian stamps in their passports?

From The Ministry of Labour Website.

3. Aliens who are in the Kingdom of Thailand and wish to work in the Kingdom must comply with the following:

An alien who lives in the Kingdom or receives a non-immigrant VISA to live in the Kingdom can work in Thailand after having received a work permit. (Any violation thereof shall make the employee liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or to a fine not exceeding 5,000 Baht, or to both penalties)

- An alien who performs work that is prescribed by the Royal Decree B.E. 2522 which prohibits alien employment in certain occupations and professions is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine from 2,000 to 100,000 Baht, or both penalties

Thank you, I'm well aware of the legality issue, and I'm not asking the question out of a desire to avoid going through the trouble of Immigration papers, but I'm more curious about the situation here. Will it change, is it changing?

Like I say, I'm in the process of getting my permit - but going through the lengthy and sometimes ridiculous steps towards getting one makes me feel rather unsurprised that many don't bother.

I have and know of many who have worked without a permit, when I eventually got mine there were no problems at all, even when renewing it and my visa extension. And I had quite a few visas from Cambodia.

Edited July 13, 201114 yr by beano2274

If you get caught it's bad. If not, it doesn't matter. Ignore apocryphal stories about this one guy who was doing this one thing and got tossed in jail, but keep in mind that if you do something that visible to other people you are potentially at risk. Work outsourced transparently for a company abroad, you're incredibly unlikely to get noticed. Do something that spreads your name around town in Thailand, you might get noticed. Work obviously and piss someone off, chances go up. Obvious exceptions include areas like Samui that are chock full of people who own bars and work in them illegally and openly and who never experience blowback from it.

I work for a company that did all the work in getting my WP and it was very fast and easy. If you are working for a company that needs you bad enough they should deal with it for you

I've been working legally here for the past four years. I also do outsource work under the same WP, since I am sent as a representative from the institution i work for, so this keeps me legal all around.

I know many people who have worked here for years without a WP and have had no problems thus far.

If a person has been working illegally and then decides to go above board nothing will be questioned, since there is no record of employment. The downside is that if a person had been working for a place for say 2-3 years (illegally) it would probably not be in ones best interest to divulge this, since there is "no official record of employment" to begin with.

Good luck. Mizzi

I was always on non o going to malaysia for years every 3 months, got a job and changed to non b and permit no problems. was in Samui though, pattaya are definatly tighter.

what are you working with>?