Can Farang Cook/Chef in your Own Restaurant ?

[paddyjenkins]

I was once frying bacon and eggs in Bangkok, in the kitchenette area of my serviced apartment room, when there was a loud banging on the door. So I opened the door and three immigration officers burst in to demand to see a work permit. Luckily I had anticipated the possibility of a fry up on my trip and had obtained a work permit before arriving. In my panicked flurry to find my paperwork I was slapped about the face several times by the officers, two short fat ladies and a man, but I did find it in the end, I had it in one of those little pockets of my rucksack. So on that occasion I was okay, but it just goes to show how careful you need to be.

One of the delights of TV, people are free to post rubbish like this.

Personally I dont believe a word of the above.

Whats more worrying than this post, some readers may actually believe this post.

Utter tosh.

I agree, good points

[wabothai]

Other than making your own meals you need a work permit.

[wabothai]

Yes, it gets sticky !!!

[wabothai]

window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());

I have several clients who own restaurants and either work as Chefs or employ foreign chefs. They all have work permits.
Also, "Chef" or similar does not appear to be on the restricted list.
1. Work in agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry or fishery excluding specialized work
2. in each particular branch or farm of supervision;
3. bricklaying, carpentry of other construction work;
4. wood carving;
5. driving mechanically-propelled carried or driving non-mechanically-propelled vehicle, excluding international aircraft piloting;
6. shop attendance;
7. auction;
8. supervising, auditing or giving services in accountancy excluding internal auditing on occasions;
9. cutting of polishing jewellery;
10. haircutting, hairdressing or beauty treatment;
11. cloth weaving by hand;
12. weaving of mats or making products from reeds, rattan, hemp, straw or bamboo pellicle;
13. making of Sa paper by hand;
14. lacquerware making;
15. making of Thai musical instruments;
16. nielloware making;
17. making products from gold, silver or gold-copper alloy;
18. bronzeware making;
19. making Thai dolls;
20. making mattress of quilt blanket;
21. alms bowls casting;
22. making silk products by hand;
23. casting Buddha images;
24. knife making;
25. making paper or cloth umbrellas;
26. shoemaking;
27. hat-making;
28. brokerage or agency excluding brokerage or agency in international trade business;
29. engineering work in civil engineering branch concerning designing and calculation, organization, research, planning, testing, construction supervision or advising excluding specialized work;
30. architectural work concerning designing, drawing of plan, estimation, construction directing or advising;
31. garments making;
32. pottery or ceramic ware making;
33.
cigarette making by hand;
34. guide or conducting sightseeing tours;
35. street vending;
36. type-setting of Thai characters by hand;
37.
drawing and twisting silk-thread by hand
38. office of secretarial work;
39. legal or lawsuit services.http://www.bdo-thaitax.com/bdo/employment-foreigners

I particularly like nr. 30 advice in construction !!! Like 90 degree corners.

[transam]

Read and search the forum, answered many times. As a member with over a thousand posts, you should not need a newbie like me to tell you the proper etiquette here.

There are other sites that also cover this in detail, Google them.

You been promised a Mod job, or in training not to be a newbie.....

Folk can ask what they want "here", thats why most of us read "here"...........Gawd...

[khunPer]

Being Farang chef or cook…?

I think it’s a question of the menu, Thai or foreign. Not that I can answer your question if the job is restricted to Thais, but where I live (Koh Samui) are numerous foreign chefs at the restaurants, even a former British chef for Queen Elisabeth (some they advertise), but I presume they are in charge of a foreign menu or supervisors. Numerous restaurants here advertise in glossy gourmet guides and magazines with name and picture of their foreign chefs…

Wish you good luck...

[thailiketoo]

The OP said an Amity Treaty Company. So I would think poster with no experience with the Treaty of Amity are just blowing smoke. Just my opinion of course.

[stoli]

Read and search the forum, answered many times. As a member with over a thousand posts, you should not need a newbie like me to tell you the proper etiquette here.

There are other sites that also cover this in detail, Google them.

So dhream, from your response, you don't have an answer to the topic, but thanks for posting anyways. Non-replies help the OP a lot.

[hiller]

Lots of executive chefs in hotel are foreigners. Local Rimping(Chiang Mai)used to have a foreign chef.

The real answer here is: If you are willing to spend the big bucks, hire a lawyer and grease the right palms you can get a work permit as a Chef. However you will only, by the terms of your work permit, be allowed to supervise and train kitchen staff. Not hardly worth the effort for a small operation. The fine is the same for not having a work permit as working outside the terms of your work permit. Fine will cost you B30,000 +.

[SDM0712]

Lots of executive chefs in hotel are foreigners. Local Rimping(Chiang Mai)used to have a foreign chef.

The real answer here is: If you are willing to spend the big bucks, hire a lawyer and grease the right palms you can get a work permit as a Chef. However you will only, by the terms of your work permit, be allowed to supervise and train kitchen staff. Not hardly worth the effort for a small operation. The fine is the same for not having a work permit as working outside the terms of your work permit. Fine will cost you B30,000 +.

If he's serious about setting up he should get a lawyer to have it all "done" properly. Mine wanted 90 for the company and two permits, all in. From memory the work permits were 18 each. (real price 3100 each, but lawyers cost plus tea took it up)

SDM

[yankee99]

Lots of executive chefs in hotel are foreigners. Local Rimping(Chiang Mai)used to have a foreign chef.

The real answer here is: If you are willing to spend the big bucks, hire a lawyer and grease the right palms you can get a work permit as a Chef. However you will only, by the terms of your work permit, be allowed to supervise and train kitchen staff. Not hardly worth the effort for a small operation. The fine is the same for not having a work permit as working outside the terms of your work permit. Fine will cost you B30,000 +.

Total nonsense!

No big money unless you think a couple thousand dollars is big. No payoffs and you will be able to cook.

[gerry123]

Read and search the forum, answered many times. As a member with over a thousand posts, you should not need a newbie like me to tell you the proper etiquette here.

There are other sites that also cover this in detail, Google them.

As someone who has lived in Thailand for 10 years (and is currently back in N.A. since Before the last Coup), I understand all too well that rules Change, either by Directive or by Application, and No post in this forum that is NOT current, is applicable to the Reality TODAY !!!

As someone that is obvioulsy a Newbie here, you should know this, and not be so Quick to be judgmental... You haven't earned the right yet!!

CS

earn't the rite yet ??my fat arse the biggest load of bo--o--ks i read in a long time

[Fullstop]

and cooking chef of foreign kitchens can get a work permit

You mean I can toss in my job as a teacher and get a gig as a burger flipper at McDonalds?

[yankee99]

and cooking chef of foreign kitchens can get a work permit

You mean I can toss in my job as a teacher and get a gig as a burger flipper at McDonalds?

I think the micky ds job description is a line cook not a chef

[globalmedia8]

To put it more technically:

If - in the work permit application - the job is described like this:

Job Title: Chef/cook

Job Description: Prepares and cooks meals to be served to diners at the company's restaurant

then - the work permit office will most likely not even accept the application (much less approve it).

But - the following work permit job description will fly with no problems:

Job: Chef

Job Description: Assists restaurant manager with menu planning and design; supervises team of three cooks in preparation of Thai and foreign cuisine meals for diners; supervises purchase and proper storage of food supplies and raw materials; ensures proper care, maintenance, and sanitation of kitchen equipment.

By the way - of the venues of the two employers above, which one would you prefer to patronize?

Cheers!

Mais-odni

why would thai meals need to be mentioned? many restaurants are foreign only no thai food on the menu

[Fullstop]

I was once frying bacon and eggs in Bangkok, in the kitchenette area of my serviced apartment room, when there was a loud banging on the door. So I opened the door and three immigration officers burst in to demand to see a work permit. Luckily I had anticipated the possibility of a fry up on my trip and had obtained a work permit before arriving. In my panicked flurry to find my paperwork I was slapped about the face several times by the officers, two short fat ladies and a man, but I did find it in the end, I had it in one of those little pockets of my rucksack. So on that occasion I was okay, but it just goes to show how careful you need to be.

One of the delights of TV, people are free to post rubbish like this.

Personally I dont believe a word of the above.

Whats more worrying than this post, some readers may actually believe this post.

Utter tosh.

Even more amazing is that you and four others who liked your post didn't comprehend that he was joking.

[Fullstop]

and cooking chef of foreign kitchens can get a work permit

You mean I can toss in my job as a teacher and get a gig as a burger flipper at McDonalds?

I think the micky ds job description is a line cook not a chef

You too.

[CosmicSurfer]

As the OP, let me just reiterate.... A LOT of the information posted on this forum is out of date.... As anyone who actually has lived in Thailand for any extended length of time and has dealt regularly with Thai bureaucracy knows... Check and Double Check all information.

As for your insistence that I search this forum before posting as my Specific question about a Chef/Cook has been answered, I suggest you attempt the search yourself... You will find that the newest post on this Issue is mine... and the Next most recent was in 2006 !!! I think it is time to update this issue.... Even you should agree with this.

http://www.thaivisa.com/content/gsearch.html?cx=partner-pub-8062882927723374%3A743sve-i02s&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=Cook+Work+permit

To all those that actually contributed information and didn't feel the need to Flame me... I thank you!

CS

Read and search the forum, answered many times. As a member with over a thousand posts, you should not need a newbie like me to tell you the proper etiquette here.
There are other sites that also cover this in detail, Google them.

In defense of the OP, this is one of the most difficult to search forums I have ever encountered. What's wrong with just letting somebody who knows provide a simple answer or a link? Some of us like to help each other.

Nail on the head.

People who are here for sport, purely to wind others up with use of insults and slurs should be banned. What's wrong with answering a simple question so a poster avoids having to trawl though thousands of posts.

For those of us who live in the so called Land of Smiles it's hard enough as it is dealing with local officialdom, let alone the others that we are grouped with behaving in such a manner. As the old saying that goes something along the lines "if you have nothing positive to say then say nothing"

If you don't like a post or thread then ignore it.

SDM

"If you don't like a post or thread then ignore it." Pot, meet kettle.

To everyone else: Don't patronize or chastize me just because you have more posts here, find a better reason.

Having said that, I am bemused that those to whom the post was not even directed, were offended. Must have been a quiet Sunday...

I was remiss in assuming most would be familiar with 'forum leeches', and amazed that a 'senior' forum menber would not have used the simple ettiqute outlined below, (maybe not so) familiar to all:

So let me try again:

"Dear OP, this question has been answered many times, please kindly try a search first, or do let us know if you have in fact done so, and come up with poor results, this will aviod irritating those of us who don't suffer fools gladly.

Not that you are a fool, but the internet is replete with lazy people, many of whom are fools in search of a bigger fool, to do their homework for them.

Valid calls for help are one thing, free labour is another. I trust you get where I am coming from as a business person yourself.

I stand by my suggestion that Google will also quickly provide insightful alternatives to here, where many seem to have wasted as much time wagging their fingers at me, as providing valid answers.

I regret that my answer was so brusque as to offend, because now I have to return and re-word my suggestion in the asinine language of an airline in cabin announcement.

So thank you for your attention, and thank you for using Thai Visa today."

Happy now, 'old-timers'?

Edited September 22, 2014 by CosmicSurfer

[CosmicSurfer]

As I mentioned in my OP, I am currently back in N.A. I will probably be returning to LOS on a Retirement (Oa) Visa.... Which will allow me to invest in a business , but exclude me from a work permit.
The work permit I would have included with an Amity Company would be used by a friend from here, who has much more practical Restaurant/Cooking experience than I do.

The required 4 Thai employees would be :
- Prep cook
- Cleaner, Bus Boy
- Waitress
- Manager

If the restaurant grows sufficiently for me to get more Directly involved day-to-day then I would change my visa and get my own WP.
2 Work Permits initially would mean too many Thai Employees.

I am keeping it small initially to test my New Menu Concept for introduction to the Thai market, more than Farang.... Slow introduction & Small menu... adding items as things get accepted and we learn to adapt the menu/recipes to Thai tastes.

Thanks for the interesting and Up-to-Date info!

CS

[AnotherOneAmerican]

If you are an award winning chef with your own TV series, running a 5 star restaurant, probably YES.

If you are Joe Bloggs, running a modest greasy spoon, absolutely NO.

[ableguy]

Lots of executive chefs in hotel are foreigners. Local Rimping(Chiang Mai)used to have a foreign chef.

The real answer here is: If you are willing to spend the big bucks, hire a lawyer and grease the right palms you can get a work permit as a Chef. However you will only, by the terms of your work permit, be allowed to supervise and train kitchen staff. Not hardly worth the effort for a small operation. The fine is the same for not having a work permit as working outside the terms of your work permit. Fine will cost you B30,000 +.

Or as much in tea money on a regular basis.

[Gillyflower]

I just love the crazy use of the word 'chef'. To be a 'chef' you have to be top class. If not, you are a COOK.

[choochoo]

two scrambled eggs and bacon are CHEF made...............lol.

[aboctok]

Read and search the forum, answered many times. As a member with over a thousand posts, you should not need a newbie like me to tell you the proper etiquette here.

There are other sites that also cover this in detail, Google them.

As someone who has lived in Thailand for 10 years (and is currently back in N.A. since Before the last Coup), I understand all too well that rules Change, either by Directive or by Application, and No post in this forum that is NOT current, is applicable to the Reality TODAY !!!

As someone that is obvioulsy a Newbie here, you should know this, and not be so Quick to be judgmental... You haven't earned the right yet!!

CS

NO post that is not "current" remains applicable? None? Don't you think some things remain applicable for a (very) long time?

[transam]

http://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDgQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FChef&ei=GzIhVOaqOIK3uASj7oGwCA&usg=AFQjCNGzEcd7RHHMWSmuG1To8AOVIP8jCA&bvm=bv.75775273,d.c2E

[aboctok]

I was once frying bacon and eggs in Bangkok, in the kitchenette area of my serviced apartment room, when there was a loud banging on the door. So I opened the door and three immigration officers burst in to demand to see a work permit. Luckily I had anticipated the possibility of a fry up on my trip and had obtained a work permit before arriving. In my panicked flurry to find my paperwork I was slapped about the face several times by the officers, two short fat ladies and a man, but I did find it in the end, I had it in one of those little pockets of my rucksack. So on that occasion I was okay, but it just goes to show how careful you need to be.

One of the delights of TV, people are free to post rubbish like this.

Personally I dont believe a word of the above.

Whats more worrying than this post, some readers may actually believe this post.

Utter tosh.

Wow. o_O How do you cope with the suspension of disbelief associated with Road-runner cartoons? Err... you do cope... right?

[aboctok]

I was once frying bacon and eggs in Bangkok, in the kitchenette area of my serviced apartment room, when there was a loud banging on the door. So I opened the door and three immigration officers burst in to demand to see a work permit. Luckily I had anticipated the possibility of a fry up on my trip and had obtained a work permit before arriving. In my panicked flurry to find my paperwork I was slapped about the face several times by the officers, two short fat ladies and a man, but I did find it in the end, I had it in one of those little pockets of my rucksack. So on that occasion I was okay, but it just goes to show how careful you need to be.

Obtained a work permit before arriving! I can barely get one, and I'm already here.

[CosmicSurfer]

You obviously have not lived in Thailand for any extended period...
When the latest posts are 6+ years old, they can Not be relied upon!

In today's Thai world, I would double check ANY post more than a Year old!

CS

Read and search the forum, answered many times. As a member with over a thousand posts, you should not need a newbie like me to tell you the proper etiquette here.

There are other sites that also cover this in detail, Google them.

As someone who has lived in Thailand for 10 years (and is currently back in N.A. since Before the last Coup), I understand all too well that rules Change, either by Directive or by Application, and No post in this forum that is NOT current, is applicable to the Reality TODAY !!!

As someone that is obvioulsy a Newbie here, you should know this, and not be so Quick to be judgmental... You haven't earned the right yet!!

CS

NO post that is not "current" remains applicable? None? Don't you think some things remain applicable for a (very) long time?

Edited September 23, 2014 by CosmicSurfer