From what I understand, marriage with a Thai does not affect your work permission status in Thailand in any way. Is that correct? Is there no inherent provision at all for married men to be able to work (self employment, etc.) to support their spouse?

For a company, being married reduces the number of Thai workers required (from 4 to 2) per work permit at some locations and for applying for an extension of stay. Otherwise, get a job or start your own company, the marriage also reduces the captialization requirements.

Edited September 9, 201114 yr by beechguy

But no it does not provide any right to work. You must find a job that allows a work permit to be issued and obtain that permit the same as any other foreigner.

But no it does not provide any right to work. You must find a job that allows a work permit to be issued and obtain that permit the same as any other foreigner.

I see. That is a pretty poor deal. Even in the US last time I checked once you marry you do get permission to work while you wait for your green card to be issued. I read that you still have to do visa runs every three months as well regardless how long you are married. Really poor. Why even get married?

With a Thai spouse you can get 12 month extensions and not have to leave the country.

With a Thai spouse you can get 12 month extensions and not have to leave the country.

Assuming you have 400k in a Thai bank for at least 2 months before applying - or 40k a month income (no mix like retirement OA allows).

But no it does not provide any right to work. You must find a job that allows a work permit to be issued and obtain that permit the same as any other foreigner.

I see. That is a pretty poor deal. Even in the US last time I checked once you marry you do get permission to work while you wait for your green card to be issued. I read that you still have to do visa runs every three months as well regardless how long you are married. Really poor. Why even get married?

Yes it's pretty naf - I guess it's intended to stop poeple marrying for imigration purposes, but this is easy to defend against by giving one year WP/Extensions for as long as you're married to a Thai or are supporting Thai kids. There is simply no carrot for them (government) to make it better, we don't vote, mostly marry people with little power (i.e.poor) and because of the endless scapegoating, are not very marketable (I.E. it doesn't make for a good election promise as the average Thai could not care less about us or our Thai families). Our governments don't care either, so no political pressure is applied either. So, pretty unlikely to change soon - or in our life times either most likely.

Same could be said for co-owning our domiciles (including land) and so on. Thai governments do very little in reality to help there own people in real terms anyway, so worrying about mixed familes breaking up under such pressures is not even on their radar. Thailand is NOT a fair or even particularly friendly state - they make it very difficult to get citizenship or even residency (no citizenships to non-Thais since 2006 I believe!), and this in a shrinking population.

But no it does not provide any right to work. You must find a job that allows a work permit to be issued and obtain that permit the same as any other foreigner.

I see. That is a pretty poor deal. Even in the US last time I checked once you marry you do get permission to work while you wait for your green card to be issued. I read that you still have to do visa runs every three months as well regardless how long you are married. Really poor. Why even get married?

Maybe because you love your wife?