Temporary Work Permit

[thaibeachlovers]

Hi,

thinking of going to Bkk to help out, but of course there is the old "not allowed to do voluntary work in Thailand without a work permit" thing.

Anyone been able to get a temporary work permit for that purpose?

If it is possible, can I get one in Chiang Mai, or do I need to apply in Bkk?

Thanks.

[lopburi3]

I am sure nobody is checking work permits for emergency volunteers. Yes I know an official said otherwise a few years ago. Officials sometimes do say things that they regret later. I suspect that was on of them.

[Mario2008]

A temporary work permit is issued to personswho travel to Thailand to do for example an emergency repair on an aircraft or some machine. For volunteering you need a regular work permit, trough a registered charity or government agency.

Edit:

As Lopburi said, the chance of it being checked and followed up on is very, very small. (Makes bad plublicity)

[Rimmer]

Pointless and argumentative posts removed from view, anymore stalking will get that person a suspension, be warned.

[thaibeachlovers]

A temporary work permit is issued to personswho travel to Thailand to do for example an emergency repair on an aircraft or some machine. For volunteering you need a regular work permit, trough a registered charity or government agency.

Edit:

As Lopburi said, the chance of it being checked and followed up on is very, very small. (Makes bad plublicity)

Actually I was thinking along the lines of the temporary work permits, or whatever they were, that the Chiang Mai Immigration were referring to in the case of the musicians that were doing jam sessions. If you remember they were arrested for working illegally.

[Mario2008]

I remember that, but not sure what kind of WP's they referred to. Anyway, a WP requires an employer in your case a government agency or registered charity and that wil be hard to find.

[lopburi3]

Illegal activity post removed per forum rules.

[thaibeachlovers]

I remember that, but not sure what kind of WP's they referred to. Anyway, a WP requires an employer in your case a government agency or registered charity and that wil be hard to find.

As I have been finding! Been searching the internet, and nothing specifically for the flood. Well no rush, as the troubles will be around for some time to come.

Probably go down anyway, as my wife wishes to help and she has no W P worries.

[Sunbelt Asia]

In order to be totally legal a temporary work permit can be obtained from any Work Permit office but a letter from the sponsoring organization will be necessary for the application. Officials may or may not check, but as pointed out earlier, volunteers after the tsunami encountered difficulties.

[sunbelt][/sunbelt]

[emilyb]

It depends on what you're doing, but only a subset of Thai Visa denizens actually think that the Thai government is looking to actively go after people trying to help Thai people in a crisis. For example, see the news thread:

TRTV Reports: Volunteers at Don Mueang DO NOT need a work permit, according to Work Permit Office Bangkok 02 5043186

[thaibeachlovers]

It depends on what you're doing, but only a subset of Thai Visa denizens actually think that the Thai government is looking to actively go after people trying to help Thai people in a crisis. For example, see the news thread:

TRTV Reports: Volunteers at Don Mueang DO NOT need a work permit, according to Work Permit Office Bangkok 02 5043186

Thank you for that information. I had not yet seen the news report.

As for your first sentence, I do not think that the GOVERNMENT would be actively looking, but I have no doubt at all that some ( but not all, by any means ) members of a certain well known organisation would have no hesitation in arresting me in the hope of extracting a large sum of tea money to let me go.

[emilyb]

It depends on what you're doing, but only a subset of Thai Visa denizens actually think that the Thai government is looking to actively go after people trying to help Thai people in a crisis. For example, see the news thread:

TRTV Reports: Volunteers at Don Mueang DO NOT need a work permit, according to Work Permit Office Bangkok 02 5043186

Thank you for that information. I had not yet seen the news report.

As for your first sentence, I do not think that the GOVERNMENT would be actively looking, but I have no doubt at all that some ( but not all, by any means ) members of a certain well known organisation would have no hesitation in arresting me in the hope of extracting a large sum of tea money to let me go.

I wouldn't let it worry you. There's a lot of ridiculous - absolutely ridiculous - scaremongering on Thai Visa. Sure, there are occasions where someone gets busted for volunteering, but it's so much the exception as to be non-notable. I've volunteered in various capacities here for years as have many people I know. Organizations like Rotary, Chamber of Commerce and just about every other thing you can imagine put on volunteer events all the time. During the Bangkok cleanup day, for example, I was interviewed on Thai TV, in the paper and was about 5 meters from Bangkok's Governor as he gave interviews - not to mention sitting in the middle of the street scrubbing things all day and eventually (I found out from friends) having my pictures posted on a number of social sites and such. Nothing happened then, it's unlikely anything will happen now. I raised THB 40,000 the other day on Facebook and gave it to a friend who was distributing supplies in Korat- I doubt they're going to be beating down my door.

If your volunteering extends to rebuilding houses or doing things that take money away from someone else in the long-term you might need to worry, but right now I wouldn't let the paranoid sit-at-home-and-whinge brigade keep you away. They have really no idea what they're talking about outside of a few very narrow contexts and quoting laws that, as anyone here knows, are very selectively applied. As long as they keep quoting laws and keep citing the same 3-4 examples they feel completely confident in scaring people, but when you point out the obvious reality that thousands - no joke, thousands when you think about all the civic orgs, expat wives, religious folks and so on - of farangs volunteer here every week in various capacities, well, they have really nothing substantive to respond with.

Just mind the nature of your volunteerism and use some common sense.

[sbk]

Just as an FYI

It would appear that so long as things are at a crisis level you will probably be ok but anyone staying on after that may not be so welcome.

[Kananga]

Emily, you would be surprised just how much of this paranoid scaremongoring goes on on some of the other forums when people are holding their hand up and offering to help. The thing is the scaremongoring usually comes from ill-informed clueless muppets who are probably just jealous.

#11 In all my years on the planet I have never heard of residence permit holding senior citizens being kidnapped by the Thai authorities for volunteering in national states of emergency. I'm sure you will be fine with whatever level of help you actually end up doing. As Emily says, just use your common sense and you will be fine.

[sirchai]

I am sure nobody is checking work permits for emergency volunteers. Yes I know an official said otherwise a few years ago. Officials sometimes do say things that they regret later. I suspect that was on of them.

I've heard that there would be a temporary work permit up to seven days. But therefore you'll have to go to the local labour department to ask for.

[Arkady]

It would interesting as a test case to try to get a work permit but, if you just want to help, go along and do so. You are not going to get arrested or fined, unless you really piss someone off. The worst case is that you would be asked to leave.

[emilyb]

Just finished filling sandbags and then tossing them for about three hours here in Nonthaburi at the pier - it's sort of a big depot area. Tons of cops and officials around. As usual, the only attention from anyone - including the local authorities - was the occasional "Thank you!" or "jai dii" or whatever, which I try to downplay, but the point is that this is a crisis and all hands are welcome. Nothing's going to happen to you.

One tip, going during the day helps because while it's sunny out there are (for obvious reasons) fewer volunteers. As soon as the sun starts to set it fills up. I'm sure anywhere anyone could volunteer would be appreciated. While I was there I heard the announcer on the PA (more of an emcee really) mentioning different locations that needed people, so it's quite an operation.

It's fun, too, in spite of being a serious operation.

[sirchai]

Just finished filling sandbags and then tossing them for about three hours here in Nonthaburi at the pier - it's sort of a big depot area. Tons of cops and officials around. As usual, the only attention from anyone - including the local authorities - was the occasional "Thank you!" or "jai dii" or whatever, which I try to downplay, but the point is that this is a crisis and all hands are welcome. Nothing's going to happen to you.

One tip, going during the day helps because while it's sunny out there are (for obvious reasons) fewer volunteers. As soon as the sun starts to set it fills up. I'm sure anywhere anyone could volunteer would be appreciated. While I was there I heard the announcer on the PA (more of an emcee really) mentioning different locations that needed people, so it's quite an operation.

It's fun, too, in spite of being a serious operation.

I guess it's everywhere appreciated if somebody- foreigner, or Thai- is helping to do anything to help the flood victims. Even without a work permit. Guess they do have learnt when special units from different countries were helping them to identify the victims after the Tsunami. But nobody will issue a work permit to do so.

[sirchai]

It would interesting as a test case to try to get a work permit but, if you just want to help, go along and do so. You are not going to get arrested or fined, unless you really piss someone off. The worst case is that you would be asked to leave.

Nobody would tell you to leave, if you're helping people who lost all......................

But if you'd like to use the situation to stay longer in Thailand, it wouldn't work out. A visa is still a visa and too many people are making too many problems............