Following up on another posting today about attending a business conference located within Thailand, there are many trade show with booths staffed by foreigners who actively engage in selling their company products and services to people attending such conferences. Similarly, there are many people from other countries who attend and indeed give a presentation at various Chamber of Commerce and other such meetings in Thailand for the purpose of offering products and services to attendees. This will continue to expand with the AEC around the corner and many more people visiting from different countries. Question 1: Are the people in conferences and other networking events in violation of the Work Permit laws in Thailand? Question 2: When is Thailand going to wake up and realize it is not the 19th Century anymore and the travel for conducting business in such a global economy will grow the GDP here, benefiting Thailand? Some of these old laws to "protect" the Thais so foreigners will not take away their jobs must be changed to accommodation the free travel and working of AEC member countries as well as other countries. Who is looking into making these changes? If you have a law which cannot be enforced, then why have such a law?

Question 1: Are the people in conferences and other networking events in violation of the Work Permit laws in Thailand?

Yes....they should have and can obtain a temporary WP, good for 14 days, issued free, and typically issued in 24 hours

Question 2....Not a question...

Yes, technically illegal as so many people (especially those with work permits) just love to keep reminding people over and over again!

An official statement in exhibitors guide for Impact Muang Thani EXPO hall event organizers told attendees from abroad that work permits are not required for exhibitors and they can enter on a 30 day visa waiver if eligible.

It is common sense at the end of the day, do you really think Immigration are going to swoop down on people in a tradeshow?

Re Q2 "Don't they realize ...." Yes. They realize.

Yes, technically illegal as so many people (especially those with work permits) just love to keep reminding people over and over again!

An official statement in exhibitors guide for Impact Muang Thani EXPO hall event organizers told attendees from abroad that work permits are not required for exhibitors and they can enter on a 30 day visa waiver if eligible.

It is common sense at the end of the day, do you really think Immigration are going to swoop down on people in a tradeshow?

What is the temporary work permit for then ?

Yes, technically illegal as so many people (especially those with work permits) just love to keep reminding people over and over again!

An official statement in exhibitors guide for Impact Muang Thani EXPO hall event organizers told attendees from abroad that work permits are not required for exhibitors and they can enter on a 30 day visa waiver if eligible.

It is common sense at the end of the day, do you really think Immigration are going to swoop down on people in a tradeshow?

What is the temporary work permit for then ?

In hindsight, just tried to google it and came across the exhibitors guide for Bangkok Motor show, which says the exact opposite.. so maybe wise to be careful.

When my client asked the EXPO organizers about temporary work permits, they laughed..