I'm on a non-immigrant "O" visa extension based on marriage to a Thai national. A local school has been asking me to coach some athletics and I said I'd be happy to do it on a volunteer basis if they can give me a work permit. It might actually be a branch of government who would be sponsoring the work permit since the athletic team represents the province. I'm still trying to figure out the details. In any case...

1. Can I obtain a work permit while on my current visa?

2. When I am no longer volunteering, does this have any affect on my visa?

A number of people have reported obtaining work permits while on extensions of stay based on marriage. Not working would not have any effect on your stay, only if you were on an "Extension of Stay" based on employment would your job ending be a problem.

No problem on an extension of stay based on marriage.

If it will have an effect on your visa depends. If you volunteer, you have two option. You can get an extension of stay based on volunteering or on your marriage. If you apply for an extension of sty based on volunteering, you lose your permisison to stay the same day you stop volunteering. That day you must go to the labour office to cancel your work permit and to immirgation to cancel your permission to stay.

But at that moment you can apply for an extension of stay based on your marriage and if need be a 60 day extension first to get all the paperwork/season the money before you go for a 1 year extension of stay based on marriage.

Note that you might not only need a work permit, but also a teaching license waiver. I heard that for a volunteer they should now be easy to get, but have not seen any confirmation of this.

I will always extend based on marriage. Thanks for info.