Phuket Expats Face Tougher Work-Permit Criteria

[webfact]

Phuket expats face tougher work-permit criteria

Salinee Prap

The Nation

PHUKET: -- Following complaints by locals that foreigners were snatching their jobs, the Phuket Employment Office has revealed that 8,635 foreigners in the province currently have work permits - most of them from the United Kingdom and working in tourism.

Phuket Employment Office head Yaowapa Pibulpol explained that Phuket was a tourist city, hence its economy depended on hotels, resorts, accessory shops and restaurants.

newsjs

Of the 8,635 foreigners with work permits, she said the British number were highest with 1,169 persons, followed by 668 Filipinos, 646 Russians and 554 French citizens.

She said the foreign contingent comprised 2,559 managing directors, 2,452 committee chairpersons, 1,423 office workers, 644 teachers, 439 high-level executives, 182 trainees and 936 others.

In line with new government policy, the Phuket office was applying stricter criteria in issuing work permits, said Yaowapa.

Following locals' complaints that foreigners, particularly Russians, were taking their jobs, police in January found 12 foreigners working in violation of the law. Several were working without a permit, while others were working in professions or locations not covered by their permits.

She said her officials had also publicised information that the foreigners were not permitted to work in certain professions, such as tour guide, masseur, or laundry person. Those caught violating these restrictions face a Bt5,000 fine.

-- The Nation 2013-02-05

[Valentine]

I went to renew my WP yesterday & all OK except they are now enforcing an existing rule that requires a medical certificate for extensions. I have previously extended many times without needing a medical certificate. The girls at the front counter were about to pass it but then a guy stepped forward & said they need to see a test for 6 diseases. He wrote them in Thai & when I got home tried to work them out & came up with leprosy. tuberculosis, elephantiasis but could not work out the other 3. I have since discovered & believe they also check for drug & alcohol addiction along with syphilis. So today am off to get these checked.

On another note, when doing visa renewal based upon marriage, my wife was informed her ID card had expired & so I do not have my visa yet. She obviously knew it had expired & tried explaining to the new head lady she had been to the Amphur twice for a new card but told they do not have any. Not only that they did not even have the yellow forms they used to issue for people waiting on ID cards. So today she has to get a document endorsed at the Amphur's so I can then retrieve my passport & visa. I live in hope.

[horsewell]

A 5000฿ fine seems almost laughable... mind you, out of over 8000 people they could only come up with 12 people (so far), and none of them where Russians. It seems like there should be more oversight with the current laws rather than stricter criteria. It's hard not be cynical with these sorts of things. It seems that the locals, that are complaining, have started pricing themselves out of the market, you wouldn't think a "laundry person" wouldn't be profitable enough for it to be an attractive occupation.

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: 8,635 foreigners in Phuket have work permits: British 1,169 people, Filipinos 668, Russians 646 & French 554.

[lemoncake]

Tougher work permit criteria, as if it is not tough enough right now

Its hard enough to get any staff to work, what they worried some work will get done?

Locals are not happy about jobs being taken from them? it should locals locals are not happy with NOT being able to scam people as they use it.

I wonder where they find a Russian Speaking Thai, in Pattaya they offered free Russian lessons to Thai's, i am sure it worked, Somchai the tuk tuk driver learned how to say thank you in Russian, so now he is qualified guide.

Travel agents who can not string 3 words in English serving English speaking customers-good one

[Khun Robert]

It should not be the Criteria but the check up afterwards. Which company is strictly doing their core purpose?

A sign of laundry service brings a friend of me 4.000 Thb a month as extra income. I see here restaurants with the wall covered with brochure and prices for day tours. Every hotel offers pick up service from airport, done by their own staff. Tour desk in hotel, laundry service, massage service. A tailor shop who sells scuba diving courses, cultural day tours and has laundry service. I see Ceo's and GM's of foreign companies driving their customers around and take them on guided tours. His girlfriend cooking at home to provide the lunches.

Talking with locals in my area gives me the information that that is the problem. They do not care that you have work permit as CEO, GM or what ever job is written down in your work permit, but stick to this job and do not play as taxi driver, cook, guide etc etc. And hire the Thai staff into your company what is needed to get the permits and visa. The amount of tourism is going up according TAT, well we see a different kind of tourists. They spend less money and this means the locals making less and getting irritated by all this side jobs done by foreigners.

But for me, it should be better controlled, also by TAT and government and not only for foreign business.

Regulations on amount of shops, not every second shop a restaurant or souvenir shop with inside tour desks, laundry service etc etc etc.

With this overkill of same same shops nobody will eventually make money except the land lord.

[briofoz]

A 5000฿ fine seems almost laughable... mind you, out of over 8000 people they could only come up with 12 people (so far), and none of them where Russians. It seems like there should be more oversight with the current laws rather than stricter criteria. It's hard not be cynical with these sorts of things. It seems that the locals, that are complaining, have started pricing themselves out of the market, you wouldn't think a "laundry person" wouldn't be profitable enough for it to be an attractive occupation.

I know of several laundries who emply Vietnamese.

[kingstonkid]

Khun Robert

A persn taking a guest and showing them their city is not being a t0ur guide it is being a good host. If anyone comes t visit me n matter where I am I do not get a tour guide or take them to a restaurant.

I will always offer accommodations at my house and take them to the places that they want and would like to see.

It is just being a god host. If I have a driver I will have him drive us but other than that there is no difference and with the way that Taxi drivers are ripping people off in Phuket I would definitely not use a local

PS I tell everyone NOT TO GO TO PHUKET

[ChrisY1]

More food (cash) for the authorities.....the whole system works on "who can pay" and "how much to charge" criteria.....no Russians in the list....mmmm..open to thought

[jocko]

I went to renew my WP yesterday & all OK except they are now enforcing an existing rule that requires a medical certificate for extensions. I have previously extended many times without needing a medical certificate. The girls at the front counter were about to pass it but then a guy stepped forward & said they need to see a test for 6 diseases. He wrote them in Thai & when I got home tried to work them out & came up with leprosy. tuberculosis, elephantiasis but could not work out the other 3. I have since discovered & believe they also check for drug & alcohol addiction along with syphilis. So today am off to get these checked.

On another note, when doing visa renewal based upon marriage, my wife was informed her ID card had expired & so I do not have my visa yet. She obviously knew it had expired & tried explaining to the new head lady she had been to the Amphur twice for a new card but told they do not have any. Not only that they did not even have the yellow forms they used to issue for people waiting on ID cards. So today she has to get a document endorsed at the Amphur's so I can then retrieve my passport & visa. I live in hope.

Good luck with your medical I bet you are really worried if you happen to have elephantiasis send me a photo

Cheers

[brianP]

I am so glad to really be RETIRED. To have to work for a <deleted> permit to work. If the Thais don't realize the comfort foreigners have dealing with their own in a very different country and the smooth transition to return again and feel safe and not cheated. i think the competition aspect is good as the baht is getting stronger and other currencies are eroding. Their are many SEA nations where the buck goes a long ways. Oh well this is long term thinking and maybe off the local radar!

[Khun Robert]

Dear Kingstonkid,

If a friend is visiting me I'm a good host to and I hope that we all do. But that is not what I wrote about.

I go around with friends, they pay the net costs of the tour there is no profit making for me, because they are friends.

And I can not and will not believe that if you have 4 walk in customers in a shop that they all good friends where you take care for.

I see daily GM's going out on guided tours with full paying customers and that is as far as I know not the job of a general manager.

[junk1e]

Can somebody tell me where these Thais looking for work are? We currently have several vacancies both skilled and unskilled and offer above average salaries. Despite advertising at the Phuket job center, on the internet etc., it is extremely difficult to fill positions or keep staff when they realise they actually have to work. We have a number of Burmese filling unskilled positions, (legally) and have no problem finding Western staff wishing to fill skilled positions but cannot legally.

[harrycallahan]

Are Beer Bar owners managing directors?

[nakhonandy]

Khun Robert

A persn taking a guest and showing them their city is not being a t0ur guide it is being a good host. If anyone comes t visit me n matter where I am I do not get a tour guide or take them to a restaurant.

I will always offer accommodations at my house and take them to the places that they want and would like to see.

It is just being a god host. If I have a driver I will have him drive us but other than that there is no difference and with the way that Taxi drivers are ripping people off in Phuket I would definitely not use a local

PS I tell everyone NOT TO GO TO PHUKET

Exactly, of course you look after people that come to visit you, that is not taking jobs.

After visiting Phuket last November it appeared to me that the locals are pricing themselves out.

We did not use any expat guides etc.

After visiting Phuket for many many years it does seem to have gone down a long way in the last 5 years.

[robblok]

Dear Kingstonkid,

If a friend is visiting me I'm a good host to and I hope that we all do. But that is not what I wrote about.

I go around with friends, they pay the net costs of the tour there is no profit making for me, because they are friends.

And I can not and will not believe that if you have 4 walk in customers in a shop that they all good friends where you take care for.

I see daily GM's going out on guided tours with full paying customers and that is as far as I know not the job of a general manager.

Why could he not do it, its his job. Its just jealousy they pay tax they do it all. If your prices were more competitive they would go with you. Problem is Thais dont like competition. Give good service at a fair price and you will always have business.

[biplanebluey]

A 5000฿ fine seems almost laughable... mind you, out of over 8000 people they could only come up with 12 people (so far), and none of them where Russians. It seems like there should be more oversight with the current laws rather than stricter criteria. It's hard not be cynical with these sorts of things. It seems that the locals, that are complaining, have started pricing themselves out of the market, you wouldn't think a "laundry person" wouldn't be profitable enough for it to be an attractive occupation.

I wonder how many w/p's have been rejected from foreigners wanting to be 'laundry personel'!!!!!! This is laughable to say the least------ Dougal the Kiwi

[Card]

He wrote them in Thai & when I got home tried to work them out & came up with leprosy. tuberculosis, elephantiasis but could not work out the other 3. I have since discovered & believe they also check for drug & alcohol addiction along with syphilis. So today am off to get these checked.

I think it's only Stage 3 syphilis. If u've got the other stages u will be just hunky dory.

[biplanebluey]

RT @RichardBarrow: 8,635 foreigners in Phuket have work permits: British 1,169 people, Filipinos 668, Russians 646 & French 554.

Sounded a lot at first but its only 3037 Farang and that leaves 5598 presumably all Thai------- not a bad share when you consider all the scams and corruption that comes from them------ Dougal the Kiwi

[steelepulse]

Can somebody tell me where these Thais looking for work are?

You can find them in hammocks, under salas snoozing, while one of their ilk is yelling " taxi, tuk tuk" while mixing up a sang som coke or sang some soda.

[nakhonandy]

Dear Kingstonkid,

If a friend is visiting me I'm a good host to and I hope that we all do. But that is not what I wrote about.

I go around with friends, they pay the net costs of the tour there is no profit making for me, because they are friends.

And I can not and will not believe that if you have 4 walk in customers in a shop that they all good friends where you take care for.

I see daily GM's going out on guided tours with full paying customers and that is as far as I know not the job of a general manager.

The job of a GM is to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Have you ever considered the possibility of unreliable or untrustworthy staff or those that don't even bother to turn up on a regular basis.

With the laws here it is nigh on impossible to get rid of them.

I am sure that any GM doesn't want to be guiding tourists as that probably means they are working long extra hours to catch up on all their other duties.

I have many friends with staff problems, demand too much, unreliable etc. It really is a problem.

Sometimes if you don't do the work yourself it wont get done. Result lost customer, bad business.

[monkeycountry]

Perhaps the article could stop using the word "locals" when they are really referring to the Taxi/tuktuk mafia, most of whom are not locals (not from Phuket), and none of whom work legally. (You need to file a tax return in order to work legally, even if you are Thai, and I bet none of them do).

[gleeglee]

I went to renew my WP yesterday & all OK except they are now enforcing an existing rule that requires a medical certificate for extensions. I have previously extended many times without needing a medical certificate. The girls at the front counter were about to pass it but then a guy stepped forward & said they need to see a test for 6 diseases. He wrote them in Thai & when I got home tried to work them out & came up with leprosy. tuberculosis, elephantiasis but could not work out the other 3. I have since discovered & believe they also check for drug & alcohol addiction along with syphilis. So today am off to get these checked.

On another note, when doing visa renewal based upon marriage, my wife was informed her ID card had expired & so I do not have my visa yet. She obviously knew it had expired & tried explaining to the new head lady she had been to the Amphur twice for a new card but told they do not have any. Not only that they did not even have the yellow forms they used to issue for people waiting on ID cards. So today she has to get a document endorsed at the Amphur's so I can then retrieve my passport & visa. I live in hope.

This is a standard requirement and i have had a work permit for 9 years, always have to give a medical certificate cost 50 baht

[Terry Newman]

What I can't figure out is that every 6 months the Phuket office says this stuff. How come the last crack down didn't fix it ????

[LivinginKata]

I went to renew my WP yesterday & all OK except they are now enforcing an existing rule that requires a medical certificate for extensions. I have previously extended many times without needing a medical certificate. The girls at the front counter were about to pass it but then a guy stepped forward & said they need to see a test for 6 diseases. He wrote them in Thai & when I got home tried to work them out & came up with leprosy. tuberculosis, elephantiasis but could not work out the other 3. I have since discovered & believe they also check for drug & alcohol addiction along with syphilis. So today am off to get these checked.

On another note, when doing visa renewal based upon marriage, my wife was informed her ID card had expired & so I do not have my visa yet. She obviously knew it had expired & tried explaining to the new head lady she had been to the Amphur twice for a new card but told they do not have any. Not only that they did not even have the yellow forms they used to issue for people waiting on ID cards. So today she has to get a document endorsed at the Amphur's so I can then retrieve my passport & visa. I live in hope.

This is a standard requirement and i have had a work permit for 9 years, always have to give a medical certificate cost 50 baht

Applied for WP last month (January 2013). I was not asked for any sort of medical certificate and my WP renewal has been granted. Might be something related to job criteria ?

[PaulHamon]

RT @RichardBarrow: 8,635 foreigners in Phuket have work permits: British 1,169 people, Filipinos 668, Russians 646 & French 554.

Sounded a lot at first but its only 3037 Farang and that leaves 5598 presumably all Thai------- not a bad share when you consider all the scams and corruption that comes from them------ Dougal the Kiwi

British 1,169 people, Filipinos 668, Russians 646 & French 554.

are the top 4, there are a lot of other countries not listed.

[spidermike007]

Just a bit more ludicrous nationalistic nonsense. Just another case of Thais shooting themselves in the foot. When will they realize that Thais are woefully unprepared, and fabulously under qualified for the vast majority of the jobs the foreigners are taking? Perhaps if the locals were to get serious about studying English, Russian, Italian, French, business administration, marketing, accounting, hotel management, food and beverage, wine, and many of the other skills that these foreigners have, there might be some competition. But, if the Thais start pushing out these highly qualified individuals, without getting serious about proper training, and education for their own, they will be killing the very industry that supports them, and allowed Phuket to grow into the place it is today. Oh, sorry, we never thought of that.

[canopus1969]

I went to renew my WP yesterday & all OK except they are now enforcing an existing rule that requires a medical certificate for extensions. I have previously extended many times without needing a medical certificate. The girls at the front counter were about to pass it but then a guy stepped forward & said they need to see a test for 6 diseases. He wrote them in Thai & when I got home tried to work them out & came up with leprosy. tuberculosis, elephantiasis but could not work out the other 3. I have since discovered & believe they also check for drug & alcohol addiction along with syphilis. So today am off to get these checked.

On another note, when doing visa renewal based upon marriage, my wife was informed her ID card had expired & so I do not have my visa yet. She obviously knew it had expired & tried explaining to the new head lady she had been to the Amphur twice for a new card but told they do not have any. Not only that they did not even have the yellow forms they used to issue for people waiting on ID cards. So today she has to get a document endorsed at the Amphur's so I can then retrieve my passport & visa. I live in hope.

This is a standard requirement and i have had a work permit for 9 years, always have to give a medical certificate cost 50 baht

Interesting, can you tell me where you go to get my blood test done for the medical (which you need for the WP) ?

[kikobkk]

many of the Thai owners (thai chinese) of hotels and restaurants use burmese workers and they are clearly illegal immigrants without work permits. but no one complains.

[howzat]

9000 ex pats working in tourism in Phuket. I just don't believe it. They need to tighten up the rules on all the flotsam and jetsom ex pats in Thailand generally and boot them out. Too many hangers on here spoiling it for honest and upright ex pats.