Sheer curiosity - What happens when one is caught working without a work permit

[inbangkok]

No, I am not working without a work permit.  I am just wondering, what happens when (especially a westerner at a teaching job) is caught working illegally?  I have been to several job interviews and been offered several jobs that do not supply work permits.  I have turned them all down as I simply do not think it is worth the risk and it is obviously a blatant violation of a very reasonable law.  

 

So like I said, I am just curious what happens if caught.  It sure seems like a hell of a lot of westerners are still teaching at both language centers and schools with no work permit.

[Brit_Doggie]

It simply a case of hauled to the police station as my friend who has a shop after 3 hours a rap on the knuckels and 5k fine ty sir see you next month.

[inbangkok]

Whats the "see you next month" part?

[bertty]

Whats the "see you next month" part?

Tea money I reckons

[ColdSingha]

Whats the "see you next month" part?

 

i think he's implying if you don't have a work permit when we come back next month it's another 5K

[inbangkok]

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Whats the "see you next month" part?

Tea money I reckons

 

 

 

 

Whats the "see you next month" part?

 

i think he's implying if you don't have a work permit when we come back next month it's another 5K

 

 

Lol....got it

[ColdSingha]

the only guys i've ever known to be caught working illegally in 12 years being here were a couple of djs working at a beach bar on samui

 

immigration took photos of them from the shoreline (lol) then came in hauled them off the decks and fined them 10K each at the local police station.

 

no further action

[inbangkok]

the only guys i've ever known to be caught working illegally in 12 years being here were a couple of djs working at a beach bar on samui

 

immigration took photos of them from the shoreline (lol) then came in hauled them off the decks and fined them 10K each at the local police station.

 

no further action

 

Is this what is supposed to happen (legally)?  Or just a way for the cops to make some money?

[chiang mai]

I disagree, if you are found working illegally, especially now, you become an export, end of.

[ColdSingha]

I disagree, if you are found working illegally, especially now, you become an export, end of.

 

do you have an example or is this your opinion?

[ubonjoe]

Up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine of up to up to 200,000 thousand baht plus a possibility of being deported.

See section 51 of  Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008) 

[inbangkok]

Up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine of up to up to 200,000 thousand baht plus a possibility of being deported.

See section 51 of  Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008) 

 

Good god....this is exactly why I will never, ever take the risk.  My luck.....I will get caught by the one honest cop in sight and my ass will be behind bars for the next 5 years......lol

 

Thanks for that, ubonjoe

Edited August 10, 2014 by inbangkok

[chiang mai]

 

I disagree, if you are found working illegally, especially now, you become an export, end of.

 

do you have an example or is this your opinion?

 

 

A few links below. And yes, I do know of two individuals over the years who have been deported, one was a real estate developer (on a fairly large scale) in Patong who was set up by his Thai partners but deported nevertheless - set up/blackmail is the key risk I think. But (my opinion) since backhanders are rapidly going out of fashion, I think the risk has increased.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/541734-new-deportation-condition-changes/

 

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=deported+from+thailand+no+work+permit&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&gws_rd=cr&ei=xxbnU5rEL4Po8AWPqIHABg

[Mario2008]

The law favours that you pay a fine and leave the country. Normally you will only go to court if you can't or won't negotiate a fine with the labour officials. Under the current regime the risk that you will be backlisted is great.

[Tomtomtom69]

I'd say as long as you are willing and capable of paying a "fine", all is well (at least up until now). The same goes for migrant workers, whose employers would rather pay a measly 2000-5000 fine rather than hire more expensive Thais who over time would cost them far more than these migrant workers.

 

However, with the current crackdown things may not be as easygoing as they used to be, but I can't imagine that despite the rhetoric all corruption in relation to this issue or other issues in Thailand will be eliminated. Hell, what am I saying - as if corruption will ever be completely eliminated. Reduced yes, but eliminated, especially in such a short time? Highly, highly unlikely. Though now with martial law this isn't the time to experiment with this issue.

[ubonjoe]

According to section 54 of the act minimum fine is 10k baht per employee up to 100k baht.

[Tomtomtom69]

According to section 54 of the act minimum fine is 10k baht per employee up to 100k baht.

 

Yes but how many of these cases would make it to court? I would imagine in the vast majority of cases, it's settled "under the table". Much the same way as traffic offenses here - as long as no one was injured or died, if you merely committed the "crime" of speeding at 200km/h on the Bang Na expressway and were caught, you might get a fine (very unlikely as there are few working speed cameras, but you never know) but I can't imagine going to court over such an issue. Thailand isn't Australia, the USA or the UK.

[Expattaff1308]

 

According to section 54 of the act minimum fine is 10k baht per employee up to 100k baht.

 

Yes but how many of these cases would make it to court? I would imagine in the vast majority of cases, it's settled "under the table". Much the same way as traffic offenses here - as long as no one was injured or died, if you merely committed the "crime" of speeding at 200km/h on the Bang Na expressway and were caught, you might get a fine (very unlikely as there are few working speed cameras, but you never know) but I can't imagine going to court over such an issue. Thailand isn't Australia, the USA or the UK.

 

But do you want to chance being the one?? Hell of a Gamble giving the current situation!

[inbangkok]

 

 

According to section 54 of the act minimum fine is 10k baht per employee up to 100k baht.

 

Yes but how many of these cases would make it to court? I would imagine in the vast majority of cases, it's settled "under the table". Much the same way as traffic offenses here - as long as no one was injured or died, if you merely committed the "crime" of speeding at 200km/h on the Bang Na expressway and were caught, you might get a fine (very unlikely as there are few working speed cameras, but you never know) but I can't imagine going to court over such an issue. Thailand isn't Australia, the USA or the UK.

 

But do you want to chance being the one?? Hell of a Gamble giving the current situation!

 

 

Lol....this was my entire point to begin with.  I love living here in Bangkok.  However, this is not a country that I want to end up incarcerated in.....even for just a few hours.  I believe every horror story I have heard about Thai prisons........

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed.

[bluesofa]

My two cents worth...This is regarding two guys I knew, both of these instances were within the last five years.

As other posters have said in this thread, the situation now is very different.

 

First one was employed by a construction company with a work permit as a supervisor. He left, and later on he started doing the same sort of work on a "freelance" basis (as in: no work permit). As he was visiting a lot of different construction sites, he felt that not being in a static location, there was no chance of being caught - until he was.

That resulted in "negotiating" a 40K Baht "fine" with the labour department to make all the charges disappear, with no black marks or any paperwork.

 

Second was a guy who had a bar and blazenly would sit behind it with no work permit. That again was just a matter of time until immigration came in and photographed him "working". Another negotiated "fine" of 50K Baht, and told not to do it again.

 

(edited due to misprit)

Edited August 11, 2014 by bluesofa

[mataleo]

Russians in tour box were nicked in jomtien. It took 5h negotiations till late night. They wanted 500 000.

Ended up paying 200 000k

I think it was security money to let them out till court case...

Other cases i know they come get 20k on the spot any go.

Pattaya

Important is try not to get arrested and go with them. Try pay on spot. Much cheaper.

Try avoid being photographed.... Edited August 11, 2014 by mataleo

[mataleo]

Whats the "see you next month" part?

 
i think he's implying if you don't have a work permit when we come back next month it's another 5K

5k is nothing

I know tour paid 200k after 5h negotiations till 5am

They wanted 500 000

I think they were caught 2nd time..

[Deacon Bell]

Depends on the job, the Thai that shopped you in, and the officers.

 

For English teachers it almost never, ever happens. 

 

However I know of a lad that was shopped to Immigration by a Thai teacher he was banging and broke it off with, she then shopped him. They came to the school, took him away, fined him 500 baht and let him go.

 

 

Non-teaching jobs that don't really benefit Thai people, take the jobs away from Thai people, decrease other Thai's income.... it will be a lot more.