Work Permit Benefits?

[Mario2008]

Contact the social security office for more details, but yes you can and some members have done so.

[dingodingo]

My experience is completely limited in this country so take anything I say with a grain of salt...

I think the Work Permit greases the wheels of getting stuff done as it seems to be what every business wants in order to establish a relationship with me. Having only been here for a few weeks and trying to do things like rent a temporary appartment, open a bank account or establish post pay mobile phone service, the first thing they ask for from me is my passport and work permit.

I'm here on an O-A Retirement Visa, which specifically says that employment is prohibited, so I don't have a work permit. So getting a temporary home, opening a bank account and having post pay mobile phone service became possible, but only after I convinced and cajoled.

I'm just noticing that the Work Permit might make things smoother because you are more recognized as a member of the country in a way. Because I don't have one, I sometimes get the feeling they think I'm a tourist.

[lopburi3]

Actually the retirement does not eliminate work, immigration is not interested in your work status - but normally labor office will not issue a work permit - but there are and have been a number of exceptions noted in this forum over the years.

[bkk_mike]

A work permit does not entitle you to a mortgage with a Thai bank....but what a work permit will do is allow you to co-sign a mortgage on behalf of a Thai national (if you qualify financially) and have your income considered as part of the application, in essence you cannot apply for a mortgage via a Thai bank in your own name

You don't need a work permit to co-sign. You can act as guarantor with offshore income without a work permit. (I've done it twice now for flats that my wife rents out.)

Admittedly it would have been easier with a work permit as that is more common, and I think if I didn't work for a big multi-national, it would have probably not happened.

[TerryLH]

"Indeed, but... retirement mean you loose your work permit, so how is it possible to continue paying social security?"

When you stop paying Social Security through employment you have 90 days to sign up to pay on your own. Very easy to do.

432 baht per month is the regular price. It's been a little less than that over some of the last couple of years because of government subsidies, but is scheduled to return to 432 in January.

Terry

[sirchai]

"Indeed, but... retirement mean you loose your work permit, so how is it possible to continue paying social security?"

When you stop paying Social Security through employment you have 90 days to sign up to pay on your own. Very easy to do.

432 baht per month is the regular price. It's been a little less than that over some of the last couple of years because of government subsidies, but is scheduled to return to 432 in January.

Terry

At some places even possible within six months. Full medical coverage for almost nothing.--

[TerryLH]

."At some places even possible within six months."

At KKC it's 90 days. At least it was when I signed up a couple of years ago.

They even gave me an information handout that spelled that out.

Perhaps anyone planning on going this route should talk to their local SS Office themselves, as has been suggested above.

The only six month window I'm aware of is that your coverage will continue for 6 months after your last payment.

Terry

[sirchai]

."At some places even possible within six months."

At KKC it's 90 days. At least it was when I signed up a couple of years ago.

They even gave me an information handout that spelled that out.

Perhaps anyone planning on going this route should talk to their local SS Office themselves, as has been suggested above.

The only six month window I'm aware of is that your coverage will continue for 6 months after your last payment.

Terry

Yes you have to go there in person. Should it be 2-3 months too late, leave a tip and it will get fixed. A white envelope speaks its own language here.

[marstons]

Bangkok Bank will allow you to increase your daily cash ATM limit up from the 50,000 THB us commoners are allowed

Ayuttaya give me 100k per day as a commoner. must vary with banks. has to be 2 x 50000 withdrawls though but can be done at same time.

[marstons]

You can easily register a car, motorbike, helicopter on your name. If the wife goes, your vehicle stays.---

can do that easily without a work permit, well bike and car, just proof of address from immigration

[Spoonman]

Did not know Ayuttaya atms give out 50 notes, thanks for the heads up.

[sirchai]

You can easily register a car, motorbike, helicopter on your name. If the wife goes, your vehicle stays.---

can do that easily without a work permit, well bike and car, just proof of address from immigration

Guess the question was what goodies a work permit has. People want to see a work permit in some provinces to register a car/motorcycle. A friend wanted to bring a bike to Thailand, but couldn't get it in, because he had no work permit.

I don't pay more money than a Thai when going to a national park etc...\ Usually excluded from the rip offs.

[lopburi3]

Personal flame and replies removed.

[wayned]

One of the biggest, yet unstated, benefit of a work permit is that if you are working and have a work permit and get "raided" you won't end up fined, in jail or deported!