I run 2 week, intensive, computer programming training classes and would like to run one in Thailand. I would bring in students from any where in the world and run the class out of a hotel conference room.

Since I will not be sponsored by a Thai company I don't think I’m eligible for a None Immigrant or Working visa.

Does any one have any ideas how to do this legally? I'm a US and UK citizen.

Thanks Steve

You can apply for a non-immigrant business visa. In the US the best places to use are the Thai Consulates in Texas. Use the mails. Your purpose of visit is Business.

Dr Pat Pong

But wouldn't he have to work for a Thai company?

Just entering and setting up shop I think is illegal.

But if the group is assembled in the U.S. and flies here as a two week tour, then it would work.

Dr Pat Pong

But wouldn't he have to work for a Thai company?

Just entering and setting up shop I think is illegal.

He does not have to work for a Thai company to get a Non-Immigrant visa.

My view - He can get a non-immigrant Class B visa - which gets him a 90 day non-immigrant entry permit. This is NO WAY authorizes him to work - any more than if he had a 30-day entry permit on arrival. What it would do is prevent him from committing an immigration violation by working - but he would still be committing a Labor Ministry violation - by working for pay without a work permit.

Immigration cannot authorize work. An ENTRY PERMIT authorizes ENTRY - not WORK. A WORK PERMIT authorizes WORK.

To me, this seems intuitively obvious to the casual observer. But I am forever seeing advice on this board that suggests that a Class B visa authorizes work. It DOES NOT AUTHORIZE WORK. All it does is allow you enter for 90 days, and apply for a WORK PERMIT. It is not a substitute or a way of getting around the need to obtain a work permit - it is simply a required preliminary step toward the normal process of getting a work permit.

There is a provision for obtaining a 15 day short-term work permit from a Labor Department office- see Urgent Work Permit It takes about one hour to obtain, may be obtained with any sort of entry permit (including entry on arrival), is valid for 15 days, and does not have a government fee associated with it. My company charges 1,500 baht to prepare and process such an application.

Technically, the 15 Day Urgent Work Permit does not allow the holder to earn income inside Thailand - it is intended to support company employees from overseas firms who must perform short-term work inside Thailand - such as seytting up a trade show display, or helping install a item of new factory equipment, or presenting a training seminar to local distributors or representatives. Thus - someone trying to run a local seminar for a fee to be paid to him locally would be in violation.

In theory, here would be a "bullet-proof" (if there is such a thing) approach:

1. Find a legal Thai company to promote the training, arrange the venue, invite the clients, and invoice and collect the seminar fees.

2. Thai sponsor company then contracts with consultant overseas to come and present the training.

3. Trainer from overseas comes here as employee of overseas firm, and obtains 15 day urgent work permit. He then presents training to clients.

4. Upon conclusion of training, overseas trainer returns home - where he is paid by his employer, from funds remitted by Thai sponsoring company.

This is the exact sort of project for which one division of my company provides support - see www.bangkokstaff.com. Also, we have copies of the Urgent 15 Day Work Permit form, and we know how and where to process it.

If anyone from outside Thailand is interested in pursuing the above sort of project, they are welcome to contact me, and present their commercial proposal. This public discussion board is what basically protects the interests of the visitors from overseas.

Good luck!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.bangkokstaff.com

Dr Pat Pong

But wouldn't he have to work for a Thai company?

Just entering and setting up shop I think is illegal.

He does not have to work for a Thai company to get a Non-Immigrant visa.

You are correct Indo...but I didn't say he didn't need a WP, I said correctly that he did not have to work for a Thai company to get a Non-Immigrant visa. You seem to overlook the tens of thousands of foreigners that come for business meetings and the like on Non-Imms and have no interest whatsoever in obtaining a WP.

Dr PP -

I concur. What became clear to me, in our interaction with Labor Offices concerning the 15 day Urgent Work Permit was that they prefer that you just ignore the requirement and go away - they do not enforce it. The reason is that no fee is authorized - therefore issuing these permits generates no income for the office - it is purely work for no gain. They'd rather read the newspaper thatn process the 15 day form.

If they ever authorize a fee for this permit - WATCH OUT. That is the moment that enforcement would start. But - I have to seriously doubt that this will ever be imposed - because it would seriously affect "business tourism" - MICE events.

But - there are always people reporting about how some guy got busted down in Phuket, because his work permit was in connection with Bangkok office, and he was caught doing some work in Phuket; or some guys got busted because they were out helping set up a new factory for their company, and this involved "working" at location other than where their work permit said they were supposed to work. Well - the 15 day permits also address those types of situation. I consider those kinds of reports to be "urban myth" - but if someone is the edgy type, the 15 day permit covers their posteriors.

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

Immigration are inclined to ignore someone with a B visa and no work permit. There seems to be no cooperation whatsoever between Labour and Immigration Departments.

Thanks for all the detailed and useful follow up to my post. It sounds like there's the "legal" way to do it and the Thai way to do it. I guess I need to think about my options now.

I really appreciate the thoughtful and thorough response.

Thanks Steve