Sorry, I have seen and read many posts on this, but you know how it is sometimes, every situation is different.

I have been offered a job. I have a tourist visa now with more than 2 months left on it.

I will have to change to a B visa and get a work permit...

My employer wants me to pay upfront and then reimburse me (I understand their reasons for this, comments not necessary).

They gave me the quote from an 'accountant', it was more than 51K!! Seems very hefty to me.

I have read that a visa can be changed in country from tourist to B for 2000 Baht - their quote 20,000B

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A work permit could cost as little as 3000 Thb per year - their quote 13,100B

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1 year extension 1900B vs their price 18,000B

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I understand that some of the above prices are the bare minimum and dont take certain things into account, but surely I can do it withotu having to shell out 51K?!

Any thoughts appreciated(other than 'don't take the job!')

conversion to non-B = 2,000 baht

1 year work permit = 3,100 baht

1 year extension = 1,900 baht.

It is not a minimum it are the prices

You can do all of this yourself for very little money. Leave the country go to Vientiane with the proper paperwork, pay the small fee maybe 2,000 Baht, get your Non B visa with a receipt from the Labor office or the W.P. itself. Labor office will tell you what you need or a lawyer can do all of the work for the Work Permit for you for 6,000Baht, but you must pick up the permit yourself.

Thanks Mario, I just figured that having someone else (agency or whatever) do all the legwork/paperwork would add some extra, but not an extra ZERO to the figure! Cheers.

You can do all of this yourself for very little money. Leave the country go to Vientiane with the proper paperwork, pay the small fee maybe 2,000 Baht, get your Non B visa with a receipt from the Labor office or the W.P. itself. Labor office will tell you what you need or a lawyer can do all of the work for the Work Permit for you for 6,000Baht, but you must pick up the permit yourself.

Thank you - a useful response also!

I know this is not the comment you are looking for however living here for 11 years now and dealing with jobs (Both hiring and being employee) etc. etc. I can honestly tell you that if this company is quoting you this 51k then for one, they are a rip off company, 2) They may not know Thailand or maybe are a fly by night company but either way I would not walk but RUN away from them.

Yes you might have your idea of why they might want the money up front or for you to pay then they will reimburse you but any decent company (even low scale company) would not do this. If they need an employee THEY do all the payments, legwork etc.

Something just doesn't seem right here:

1) If they want you to just pay up front then give them the receipts to reimburse you then they obviously dont have a clue what a WP or B-Visa costs here in LOS.

2) If they want the 51k up front to start the process for you then they are either a boiler room or you might as well just piss your money away.

^Agree with DocW.

If your employer thinks 51k for a work permit is reasonable then you really don't want to be working for them

If you are in Korat, Isaan Lawyers, Sebastian will do a Work Permit application for 6,000 Baht, mine was for two years, that is just his cost, the W.P is additional.

I know this is not the comment you are looking for however living here for 11 years now and dealing with jobs (Both hiring and being employee) etc. etc. I can honestly tell you that if this company is quoting you this 51k then for one, they are a rip off company, 2) They may not know Thailand or maybe are a fly by night company but either way I would not walk but RUN away from them.

Yes you might have your idea of why they might want the money up front or for you to pay then they will reimburse you but any decent company (even low scale company) would not do this. If they need an employee THEY do all the payments, legwork etc.

Something just doesn't seem right here:

1) If they want you to just pay up front then give them the receipts to reimburse you then they obviously dont have a clue what a WP or B-Visa costs here in LOS.

2) If they want the 51k up front to start the process for you then they are either a boiler room or you might as well just piss your money away.

Had WPs for nearly 30 years. Yes it looks daunting at first but in reality it's all very simple. The actual application form for the work permit is not complex but you will need some help to get it prepared in Thai language, most of the support documents are from your new employer, copy of company registration etc etc.

51,000Baht is of course very expensive, but if you use one of the big name international law firms then it could be even double, total absolute rip off.

Good luck.