Thai work permit, visa proposals get positive response

[webfact]

Work permit, visa proposals get positive response
Erich Parpart
The Nation

• Procedures to be improved for foreign investors
• two-year visa for teachers
• online 90 day reporting
• improved procedure for work permit application

BANGKOK: -- The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking has given an update on its proposals to amend the country's visa and work-permit regulations, which it says have received a positive response - with some areas already having been fixed by government agencies.

Issara Wongkusolkij, president of the JSCCIB and chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, yesterday said the main amendment to the work-permit regulations proposed to the government concerned the separation of regulations for unskilled immigrant workers and foreign investors, in order to provide more support for investors, alongside the improvement of various business and foreign visas.

Kalin Sarasin, secretary-general of the Chamber, said there had been a meeting between the interior minister, the Labour Ministry, the Immigration Bureau, the Foreign Ministry, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the JSCCIB, among others, on September 10.

The outcome of the discussion has already led to some changes in the visa and work-permit regulations, he added.

These include an improved procedure regarding applications for work permits, an online option for 90-day reporting, and the exemption from work-permit regulations for a foreign businessperson merely in the Kingdom for a meeting, although a business operator who wants to have authorisation power will still require a work permit.

Business operators who want to visit an exhibition in Thailand will also be exempted from having to get a work permit, but they will still need one if they want to open a booth or trade at a fair.

However, if it is a state-run exhibition, such as "Thai-Fex World of Food", any foreign operator who wants to open a booth or trade at the event will not require a work permit.

Meanwhile, foreign teachers can now apply for a maximum two-year visa, but they need a work permit guaranteeing their employment.

Foreign students will still need to apply for a year-on-year visa, while foreigners who want to visit to use the healthcare service in Thailand will be granted a permit to stay up to 60-90 days, with an extension possible with the presentation of a doctor's certificate.

However, Kalin said the information regarding work-permit and visa regulations, procedures and applications still needed to be more widely available and much easier to understand, and the JSCCIB urged government agencies to increase the use of technology in order to provide better access for foreigners.

Darren Buckley, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, said he appreciated every government effort to simplify the procedure for getting a work permit and the improvement of visa requirements for businesspersons visiting Thailand on a temporary basis, as the system had overcomplicated matters.

If the system is simpler and better organised, it would improve foreign investors' sentiment, he said, adding the impact of the new regulations remained to be seen, however, as they were only introduced last month.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Work-permit-visa-proposals-get-positive-response-30244996.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-08

[Mango Bob]

Some good news here if its true. Let see how long it takes them to implement these changes.

[ATF]

Yeah a massive change long overdue

[pinkpanther99]

A very positive move indeed and long overdue.

Fingers crossed this actually happens.

[Crossy]

IF it happens a definite move in the right direction.

Even just the online 90 days report would be a major boost for most of us.

Now, about those longer visas for those married to a Thai or retired

[khwaibah]

Go back and re read.. No mention of Immigration, Ministry of Interior or police orders. Just a news media dream story.

[ATF]

Go back and re read.. No mention of Immigration, Ministry of Interior or police orders. Just a news media dream story.

I was being sarcastic.

[CraigSchuler]

That's nice.....How about a work visa for a foreigner married with a Thai?

My wife lives in America and she's able to work....Why can't I take care of my family if we chose to live in Thailand?

[crazykopite]

90 day report on line would be a great move it would stop all this needless paperwork pity they did not go a step further by offering a five year visa to expats who have resided in the Kingdom for over 3/5 years maybe one day !!!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Kalin Sarasin, secretary-general of the Chamber, said there had been a meeting between the interior minister, the Labour Ministry, the Immigration Bureau, the Foreign Ministry, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the JSCCIB, among others, on September 10.

The outcome of the discussion has already led to some changes in the visa and work-permit regulations, he added.

These include an improved procedure regarding applications for work permits, an online option for 90-day reporting, and the exemption from work-permit regulations for a foreign businessperson merely in the Kingdom for a meeting, although a business operator who wants to have authorisation power will still require a work permit.

If you read these two pghs together in context, it's suggesting there ALREADY has been some kind of change, somewhere, to allow "an online option for 90-day reporting."

The only thing even remotely close to that that I'm aware of are some online appointment scheduling systems for online reporting, including the one in BKK. You can't report online, you can only make your appointment to go to CW online. Hardly the same.

[kkup]

With tourism on the slide it's probably a smart move.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Really, you think these are changes? The online 90 day report was set to go under Thaksin, the medical visa, was in place, some hospitals even have immigration people on-board to extend, and the work permits have always been easy, if you work for a legit organization. So... it seems to me, there is a skirting around the real issue, enforcing employers to take responsibility for work permits is still being avoided. Visa runs are still happening, hiring people with/out permits still happening...the wheels go round and round. New boss, same as the old boss.

[yellowboat]

Needing a work permit to exihibit at a trade show ? Sorry, but that is seriously retarded. Was in Beijing in June for a trade show. No such laws exist in China. "

How does that even work ? How long does it take to get an exihibtors work permit ? Also there are different sets of regulations for state run and private trade shows ? It would appear that there are two different economies in Thailand; the state and what is left over.

"Business operators who want to visit an exhibition in Thailand will also be exempted from having to get a work permit, but they will still need one if they want to open a booth or trade at a fair".

"However, if it is a state-run exhibition, such as "Thai-Fex World of Food", any foreign operator who wants to open a booth or trade at the event will not require a work permit."

[chainarong]

Unfortunately besides teaching there is not much to be gained in this bout of B/S, they never have said the rules and restrictions on tourist , retirement, business visa's reporting procedures etc have or will be changed for the better , also the right to ownership needs to be balanced, Thailand adopts a head in the sand approach to most things that they would gain from when it comes to inviting foreigners to Thailand , they don't mind the money, but they don't like the foreigner that much or so it appears, to make things easier to stay and enjoy Thailand, what are Thai's afraid of.

[noitom]

Enough loop holes and howevers, ifs, alsos, and other contingencies in here to leave plenty of interpretation and areas for payoffs and corruption. No answers to the big question of what is Thailand's "strategy" for foreign workers. Wait until this appears as a written "policy" in Thai and you will see all the usual suspects line up for figuring out how to make some skim on these what ifs and howevers.

[spermwhale]

They should start also making better visa rules for people who are married here or have lived here long term without any incidents. This annual visa for married to Thai individuals is a joke as are those for people who have been working here for five or more years.

[noitom]

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Needing a work permit to exihibit at a trade show ? Sorry, but that is seriously retarded. Was in Beijing in June for a trade show. No such laws exist in China. "

How does that even work ? How long does it take to get an exihibtors work permit ? Also there are different sets of regulations for state run and private trade shows ? It would appear that there are two different economies in Thailand; the state and what is left over.

"Business operators who want to visit an exhibition in Thailand will also be exempted from having to get a work permit, but they will still need one if they want to open a booth or trade at a fair".

"However, if it is a state-run exhibition, such as "Thai-Fex World of Food", any foreign operator who wants to open a booth or trade at the event will not require a work permit."

You've identified just a few of the inconsistencies and preposterous procedures.

[pisico]

That's nice.....How about a work visa for a foreigner married with a Thai?

My wife lives in America and she's able to work....Why can't I take care of my family if we chose to live in Thailand?

The only antidote to kill Xenophobia is to hit the regime in the pocket book.

When the whole country starts eating a slice of humble pie, Teflon Thailand will rethink its attitude towards foreigners.

So far only blah, blah. From there to action and enacting said proposals is a long, long way. There is no real will to do that.

[konying]

There were many meetings and much noise about removing street sellers.

The result is now have double as many, in Sukhumvit and they take up even more space .

Why do I bring it up? Because seems lots of talk and proposals but nothing has changed

[taony]

That's nice.....How about a work visa for a foreigner married with a Thai?

My wife lives in America and she's able to work....Why can't I take care of my family if we chose to live in Thailand?

And if I remember correctly, if you want to live here with her you have to prove you can support her. When we got my wife her greencard then citizenship, I had to prove I could support her. Of course, I am the citizen sponsoring someone. Why is it the opposite here? If she married a Thai guy who earned 10,000 a month, no one would care!

[CNXTim]

All good news, investors and those creating jobs, advancing technology and building exports should be given a welcome.

[BestBitterPhuket]

This government is doing more in 6 months than other thai governments have done in 30 years. Bravo!

Edited October 8, 2014 by BestBitterPhuket

[taony]

That's nice.....How about a work visa for a foreigner married with a Thai?

My wife lives in America and she's able to work....Why can't I take care of my family if we chose to live in Thailand?

The only antidote to kill Xenophobia is to hit the regime in the pocket book.

When the whole country starts eating a slice of humble pie, Teflon Thailand will rethink its attitude towards foreigners.

So far only blah, blah. From there to action and enacting said proposals is a long, long way. There is no real will to do that.

Could be happening already because many people do get fed up and leave after a while. The place is too unstable and difficult to remain long term. Only a small percentage are able to stand it. The problem is there are no reliable statistics or other information to know the real story and Thai authorities just make things up to suit what they want at any given moment. A lot of new arrivals that believe the hype also make it look like the expat community is alive and well.

Many foreigners do jump through every hoop and stay here long term. Maybe they become important parts of their communities , but they are never able to integrate and contribute to Thai society in the way foreigners can do in other countries. They are just not allowed to advance beyond a certain level (= forking over the cash level) because of the Xenophobia you mention.

[IamNoone88]

I will celebrate when I can get a 5 year visa and 5 year work permit so I can run my business investment in Thailand without having to mess around. The whole foreign business ownership, visa period and work permit needs an overall. This is nothing to get excited about.

[ericthai]

That's nice.....How about a work visa for a foreigner married with a Thai?

My wife lives in America and she's able to work....Why can't I take care of my family if we chose to live in Thailand?

Dont understand your problem. You can work in Thailand, get a job and the employer will provide the work permit if they are a good company. If the company dont want to provide a work permit find another company to work for.

[MikeENZ]

Its still ridiculous that you need a work permit (along with thai staff and registered capital) just to run a booth at a trade show or conference.

[catweazle]

Hopefully it is not just hot air like so many proposals for change to the better in the past. At least they are thinking of positive changes to visa and wp requirements what already is a good sign!

[BSJ]

Simplifying the whole system could be done in a week if they really wanted to.

[taony]

That's nice.....How about a work visa for a foreigner married with a Thai?

My wife lives in America and she's able to work....Why can't I take care of my family if we chose to live in Thailand?

Dont understand your problem. You can work in Thailand, get a job and the employer will provide the work permit if they are a good company. If the company dont want to provide a work permit find another company to work for.

The problem is the "can" "if" and "if" in your post. My wife got her citizenship after three years, could work from day one ANYWHERE she wants and whenever she wants, without being a slave to someone, and is treated same as me. FULL STOP. She has total freedom to live her life. No visa renewals, no reporting nothing. Vastly different than the way we are treated here.

Edited October 8, 2014 by taony

[jamhar]

This government is doing more in 6 months than other thai governments have done in 30 years. Bravo!

I agree with you. Not all home runs, but their misses have been relatively minor and their hits have been home runs so far.

Hopefully they will also hit a home run when its time for them to step aside.