Thai work permit, visa proposals get positive response

[somchaismith]

Don't get all excited - they're only proposals,

[wabothai]

It's still a proposal, let us wait and see.

Have to take the flag out of the linen closet.

[kleelof]

Yeah a massive change long overdue

Long overdue indeed.

Massive, no.

These are very small changes when you consider what changes would need to be made to make Thailand up to date with other countries.

[phantomfiddler]

I don,t know how many posters here have ever had a work permit here, though I suspect only a few. If everything was legitimate I think there would be no problem and many could and would apply. The actual work permit costs only 800 Bht, but in the course of the application I was made to sign a form saying that I was making at least 80,000 Bht per month, and would therefore be taxed as such. As you all may be aware, in the leaner months many of the bar businesses are making absolutely diddly, especially if one pays the new minimum wages or more as I do. This therefore condemns one to an almost certain loss situation, and this is why so many people avoid the work permit route. What is the point of working in order to make a loss just to be legal ?

[DekDaeng]

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.

& abolish the pointless exit permit.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I live in Thailand (retirement extension) but am sitting here in Cambodia this morning. Yesterday I applied for a multi-entry Business visa, which will arrive Friday in my passport. Ordered it from a Khmer at a bar. A work permit may or may not be necessary depending on my activities. The visa is, at the moment, endlessly renewable.

I agree with some who don't see much "give" in the announcement. Indeed, I see mostly extravagant wrapping for some tinkering.

When I see generous accommodations for long-time retirees and married folks, then we can break out the champagne.

[virtualtraveller]

The way I read it teachers can get a maximum 2 years, then what? Must leave the country? Or does it mean that you don't have to renew every year but every other year? I can't think of anyone in the country who doesn't have to report to immigration at least once a year.

[GuyL]

[...] 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.

I wonder whether or not sex addiction qualifies in this case.

[Songlaw]

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.

Talk about missing the point entirely... Whoa.

[madmitch]

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.

& abolish the pointless exit permit.

No chance. That's the biggest money spinner of them all.

1900 baht for a visa, 3800 baht for a mutliple re-entry permit.

[attrayant]

I foresee schools wanting to lock teachers into two-year contracts now. I suppose good for those who want job security but bad for teachers who want to renegotiate salary and such after a year like we do now.

[razer]

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."

Almost every year for 20 years I attended the company exhibition at the (OTC) Offshore Technology Conference held all over the world and never needed a work permit in any country. This seriously reveals Thai Immigration's ignorance of the real world outside Thailand.

[Songlaw]

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.

& abolish the pointless exit permit.

No chance. That's the biggest money spinner of them all.

1900 baht for a visa, 3800 baht for a mutliple re-entry permit.

A sensible solution would be to split the difference by charging 2850 THB or so for the visa, with maybe two reentries already included. Most probably wouldn't use the reentries, and the overall revenue stream would increase with a minimal amount of whinging as it would give the appearance of offering a carrot along with the "stick."

[yankee99]

I don,t know how many posters here have ever had a work permit here, though I suspect only a few. If everything was legitimate I think there would be no problem and many could and would apply. The actual work permit costs only 800 Bht, but in the course of the application I was made to sign a form saying that I was making at least 80,000 Bht per month, and would therefore be taxed as such. As you all may be aware, in the leaner months many of the bar businesses are making absolutely diddly, especially if one pays the new minimum wages or more as I do. This therefore condemns one to an almost certain loss situation, and this is why so many people avoid the work permit route. What is the point of working in order to make a loss just to be legal ?

Maybe because im on a marriage visa but dont remember salary being a wp issue. Seems the Social Security dept is much harder to deal with then the wp dept in my experience.

[brfsa2]

the 90 days report is a real pain sometimes, I was late 5 days and they made me pay 2,000 baht!

this is only used for showing your face and confirm your address.

Online 90 days report will be so good.

[Chupup]

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

Agreed, there was also a lot of ho har about lottery ticket prices which the good General stated should cost no more than Bht 92, seems that the sellers in Udon Thani never got the message and still sell at Bht 110, talk is cheap in LOS, action, now that's a different kettle of fish

[spermwhale]

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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?

Buddy. It's worse than that. At least in the U.S. once your wife has a green card she doesn't have to check in with the gestapo every 90 days and renew her visa annually. Here they make you run through the same bureaucratic hoops year in and year out and once in a while you get one surly immigration officer who makes your life difficult by demanding more documents or just treat you like you are a rapist parolee.

[binjalin]

lot's of noise but no substance - scrap 90 day THAT would be an improvement, allow foreigners to own land THAT would be an improvement and allow 5/10 year visas and THAT would be an improvement not all these cosmetic band aids

[Soutpeel]

the 90 days report is a real pain sometimes, I was late 5 days and they made me pay 2,000 baht!

this is only used for showing your face and confirm your address.

Online 90 days report will be so good.

Are you sure it was 5 days ?....legally your allowed 7 before the fine become enforceable and typically if no more than a couple days over they will not fine you either, if you got hit for the full THB 2000, you were quite a few days more than 7 days past your due reporting date.

[lemonjelly]

Having a 2 year visa might encourage teachers to stay longer.

[PoorSucker]

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.

There is a temporary work permit for 14 days that is made for this situation, no need for staff and capital.

[Lammbock]

I would appreciate it that not only Teachers get a 2 year visa but also Foreign Directors with 49% of shares and Foreign employees.

[PoorSucker]

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?

There is no visa that allows you to work, only work permits.

You can get a work permit either on a business visa or a visa based on marriage.

[Soutpeel]

lot's of noise but no substance - scrap 90 day THAT would be an improvement, allow foreigners to own land THAT would be an improvement and allow 5/10 year visas and THAT would be an improvement not all these cosmetic band aids

or of course you take PR and eventually citizenship and these problems go away as well

[Pib]

Maybe just a little off topic but around a year ago (maybe less) ThaiVisa collected a bunch of "wants, desires, recommendations, etc.," from ThaiVisa members regarding immigration polices like visas, extensions, 90 day reporting, etc., as ThaiVisa representatives were then going to meet with the new immigration commander to submit those cake-and-ice cream wishes. What ever become of that....I think the meeting occurred...but did we get any feedback? Maybe there was...just point me to the thread. Thanks.

[tingtong]

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.

In mentioned US, there is strong laws against discriminations when hiring employees.

The words equal opportunity comes to mind...

Your suggestion that a foreigner here can apply and get any job they qualified to do, is laughable.

Does US for example has a list of restricted jobs for their thai or other immigrant or has those married to their citizens need to hold aboutlarge amount of money in the bank?

Now replace US to other western countries for the big picture....

[BlackJack]

one of the reason I came to live in Thailand is because of the constant changes

[Soutpeel]

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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?

Buddy. It's worse than that. At least in the U.S. once your wife has a green card she doesn't have to check in with the gestapo every 90 days and renew her visa annually. Here they make you run through the same bureaucratic hoops year in and year out and once in a while you get one surly immigration officer who makes your life difficult by demanding more documents or just treat you like you are a rapist parolee.

OK lets explore this for minute, lets suppose they did away with the current requirements and imposed a vehicle that would provide a "green card" type system and like some countries in the west imposed a financial criteria as some countries in the west do e.g. the UK, in other words the Thai spouse "sponsor's" their husband, sand they need to prove they can support their spouse by having a job paying X amount of verifiable income etc

If they did this one suspects vast numbers of Thai spouses wouldn't be living in Thailand as they wouldn't qualify for settlement...

my point is be careful what you wish for, if Thailand did change things to a "green card" type thing, one would be very naive just think they will give it you just because someone has married a Thai national...

You would half of Bombay and and nationals of various African countries marrying Thai nationals just for the sake of getting a "green card"

[quandow]

I put this right up there with having invented a cure for ebola and hosting the Tour de France. They will say and do just about anything to try and save face, such as torturing Myanmar workers into confessing to murders they didn't commit. Don't hold your breath . . .

[Robby nz]

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 !!!

What paperwork for 90 day reports ?

There is none.

I did mine yesterday, hand them my passport, they scan it, a printer prints out a paper, it is signed and the bottom part stapled into the passport, finish out the door in less than two minutes.

Still doing it online could be easier although don't know the procedure as yet.

Something I would like to see is that someone with a valid retirement or work visa could do short term volunteer work without a work permit.