Each year my wife’s village has a small celebration with street food, balloons, etc. We would like to set up a small tent and give away toys to children. We would like to have her business logo on the tent, or wear T-shirts with the logo. Do I need a WP to give away toys?

Strictly speaking it will be yes, especially if you stand in a company shirt. In reallity, nobody will bother with a one day event where you give away things and are not selling anything.

You are not working, you are helping the wife.

It is like Mario2008 says of course, but it all comes down to how deep your local policemans pockets are...

glegolo

You are not working, you are helping the wife.

That is still considered "volunteering" which requires a WP in real and as Super Mario says "especially if you are sporting the company logo" however he is also right that depending where you are etc. that we would hope no one would be bothered to report you and that you are doing a good thing so not likely the police would do anything as they also have kids.

It's a lovely feeling to see the looks on kids's faces when they get toys. GOOD ON YOU BOTH.

The fact that people playing for free at one offs at open mic nights (in Chiang Mai) were arrested for not having an "entertainment work visa" and that people were told to stop helping after the tsunami in Phuket would make me hesitate on this one. I'd like to say that you'd be okay but I think it depends on the police in your area. If someone wanted to make trouble they legally could and you'd "probably" be in the wrong(legally).

As soon as you're standing in a company tent and wearing a shirt with company logo you're considered "working" and - strictly speaking - would need a work permit. If you'd just walk around in your everyday clothes with a sack full of toys and giving them out to children, that would not be the case.

But as earlier posters have pointed out, it really depends on how vigilant (or lazy or greedy) your local police are and whether they enforce the law or not. If you're living in a small community and are known by the local constabulary, you most probably won't face any problem.

It is like Mario2008 says of course, but it all comes down to how deep your local policemans pockets are...

I would think it depend on how empty your local policeman's pockets are.

Don't worry, I have done this at Children day for 7 years.

Nobody is going to arrest you for an event.

The fact that people playing for free at one offs at open mic nights (in Chiang Mai) were arrested for not having an "entertainment work visa" and that people were told to stop helping after the tsunami in Phuket would make me hesitate on this one. I'd like to say that you'd be okay but I think it depends on the police in your area. If someone wanted to make trouble they legally could and you'd "probably" be in the wrong(legally).

Spot on reply

All the advise posted is good sound advise, the sad thing is that you do, if it were me I would stay well in the background. What I would be concerned with is that some one in the village gets jealous and causes trouble for you.

Kudos on you both for helping the local kids.

I think if they really wanted to push the issue with the WP it's better to just get deported and be done with a country so stuck on their own BS.

If you want to give away toys on your own w/o a company logo I'd think that would be fine. Let the wife do her own thing with the company shirt on and you just help out in another location, or help just by re-stocking the toy bin quietly and incognito.

I appreciate all of your comments. I think it would be best to set up a tent without any company information, have the wife wear a logo shirt, and I will just help out. It may not be perfectly legal, but I’ll take my chances for one day.

Cheers

Shot