The law is so ambiguous, it would only take someone who you'd p'ed off or someone your friend p'ed of or was jealous of, and they do seem to like to make an example of someone every now and again.

A couple of posters have pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's not against the law to invite a friend to join you for a cup of coffee, at your house or in public somewhere. Whatever you discuss whilst drinking the coffee is up to the pair of you. I've found people who know English quite well, but need to speak to a native English speaker to listen to how conversations flow don't need a notebook to write things down, they seem to adjust to any irregularities in your speech straight away.

And as a reserve; you're not helping your friend with English, your friend is helping YOU with Thai language, or explaining Thai history or politics to you when you meet up.

The law is so ambiguous...

Not really. The issue is how consistently is it enforced and under what circumstances.

By the way, JT already specified the friend is not Thai.

So a guy wants to help some friends with their english. To do that legally, he has to create a non profit organization first and then apply for a work permit

A retired condo owner wants to sit on his condo commitee. To do that legally, he has to cancel his retirement visa, create a phony company, give fake employment to 4 thais, then get a business visa, and finally apply for a work permit

As for online workers, they have to obtain a business visa which is impossible to do without providing fake documents, then hope that they will obtain the super rare and basically unheard of 'freelance work permit'

The answer from phuket officials are so ridiculous. The problem is I'm not even sure they realize how stupid they sound. Well, it's not their fault that the laws are retarded...

On a side note, I liked that when a guy complained that Khun Boy was unwilling to assist him, the answer he got was to contact Khun Boy.

All that is not specifically permitted is not allowed...

Are there any possible legal issues with this, work permit wise? Visa issues (for retirement visa/no work rule)?

technically you would need a WP, but if no one says anything you should be ok, so I would be suggesting to your aquaintance to keep their mouth shut about what you are doing

This is wrong. It's not work, so you don't need a work permit. I help friends all the time, and they help me. That's a normal part for socialising. It's certainly not work. Obviously there's a grey area between help and work, but stop overthinking these things. No-one cares if you help a friend with grammar. We'd all have to sit home alone frightened to talk to anyone if we needed a WP to talk to a friend.

Get some common sense into this debate. Immigration aren't out to get people for helping friends.

Jeez.

Talking to someone is consulting, by the legal definition it is absolutely 100% work

and so is brushing your teeth and having sex with your wife.

If you're being paid for it, i guess it is! lol

Are there any possible legal issues with this, work permit wise? Visa issues (for retirement visa/no work rule)?

technically you would need a WP, but if no one says anything you should be ok, so I would be suggesting to your aquaintance to keep their mouth shut about what you are doing

This is wrong. It's not work, so you don't need a work permit. I help friends all the time, and they help me. That's a normal part for socialising. It's certainly not work. Obviously there's a grey area between help and work, but stop overthinking these things. No-one cares if you help a friend with grammar. We'd all have to sit home alone frightened to talk to anyone if we needed a WP to talk to a friend.

Get some common sense into this debate. Immigration aren't out to get people for helping friends.

Jeez.

Talking to someone is consulting, by the legal definition it is absolutely 100% work

and so is brushing your teeth and having sex with your wife.

If you're being paid for it, i guess it is! lol

Paid or unpaid, it's the same. Still "work" lol

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this: there are thousands of people GETTING PAID to teach English - not in any covert fashion - without a work permit. I think someone getting into trouble for teaching a friend is about as likely as, say, doing 14 months in IDC (or even a day) for giving directions.

The question is...WHO is paying them to teach????

People with money, power, connections.

If it comes down to it and police are involved, the mentioned above will PAY off concerned officials....is said foreigner able, willing or prepared to do that?

The rich and powerful mentioned above have NOTHING to worry about with regard to people ratting on them, can said foreigner say the same thing?

These are the issues you need to think about here, common sense and logic don't work here, so don't think using them works.

"...common sense and logic don't work here, so don't think using them works."

This is worthy of framing somewhere on the forum for all to benefit from. So true.