Duped by an employer - working legally or not?

[phazey]

Maybe 15 years ago, I got offered a job in Bangkok, nice multi story office on Silom, walking distance to Patpong and Soi Convent. Sat practically on top of TGIFridays - My first Thai gig, i felt awesome! I worked maybe a year for this company before moving on to greater things, a big multinational with many foreigners working there. All on a non-imm O visas.......I didn't know it was illegal, my passport would be taken away by the local Thai HR and stamped, so all is fine, right ? I guess years later, looking back on all the horror stories i'd refuse to lift a paperclip unless all the documentation was signed and checked, but at the time - who knew..........

Not a bash, but this was a BIG company, not a mom & pop 7/11......

[CharlieH]

MOVED to jobs/Business

[wooloomooloo]

Maybe I'm missing something but the OP doesn't make complete sense. I get the huge multinational corporation bit with highflying yuppies quaffing champers and that you're above mom & pops, 7Eleven and Watson's. I'll bet you're too good for Tops as well.

[Fab5BKK]

I've got an interesting experience:

Been approached by a Thai company (Thai Directors, Thai-owned) recently. Package was fine: W. European standards-like. However, one of the Thai directors said: "we'd prefer not to go through work permit, etc." My answer was: no thanks!

Dodgy people around!

[technologybytes]

I assume then that when you arrived and filled in the TM card you accurately described your reason and did NOT tick Tourism !!

[Soutpeel]

All on a non-imm O visas

Which in its self is not illegal per se, the question is did they have WP's ?...this is the bit which determines the legality of what they were doing..

my passport would be taken away by the local Thai HR and stamped

and this happens to me to this day, but I know I have a WP and extension because, I have the documents in my possession, some companies will keep the WP

[claffey]

And your point is?????

[khun custard]

I've got an interesting experience:

Been approached by a Thai company (Thai Directors, Thai-owned) recently. Package was fine: W. European standards-like. However, one of the Thai directors said: "we'd prefer not to go through work permit, etc." My answer was: no thanks!

Dodgy people around!

Only to be expected Fab5BKK when one's corporate self importance & connections is bigger than the law (or fears caused by the most recent requirement by the Immigration / Labor depts. for the employing company to provide full P&L and tax declarations signed by the owner/ director with every application for a foreign work visa)

This has and will stifle many a Falang's ambitions to contribute to the Thai biz community.

On the up side, you didn't get to 2nd base where you would have needed to made a moral (potential time in the monkeys cage) judgement, some time just before the 1st pay packet, where the arrangements would be renegotiated to a deal which could look like 50% in the bank and 50% in a brown paper bag.

Thai family bIz = No thank you!!

[IMA_FARANG]

I've got an interesting experience:

Been approached by a Thai company (Thai Directors, Thai-owned) recently. Package was fine: W. European standards-like. However, one of the Thai directors said: "we'd prefer not to go through work permit, etc." My answer was: no thanks!

Dodgy people around!

-----------------------------------

Just your average Capitalist Pig.

[Soutpeel]

I've got an interesting experience:

Been approached by a Thai company (Thai Directors, Thai-owned) recently. Package was fine: W. European standards-like. However, one of the Thai directors said: "we'd prefer not to go through work permit, etc." My answer was: no thanks!

Dodgy people around!

Only to be expected Fab5BKK when one's corporate self importance & connections is bigger than the law (or fears caused by the most recent requirement by the Immigration / Labor depts. for the employing company to provide full P&L and tax declarations signed by the owner/ director with every application for a foreign work visa)

This has and will stifle many a Falang's ambitions to contribute to the Thai biz community.

On the up side, you didn't get to 2nd base where you would have needed to made a moral (potential time in the monkeys cage) judgement, some time just before the 1st pay packet, where the arrangements would be renegotiated to a deal which could look like 50% in the bank and 50% in a brown paper bag.

Thai family bIz = No thank you!!

So by your bilious diatribe one assumes you cant find a job in Thailand then, because you have no skills they are looking for and how dare a native not give a job to a lilley white farang ?

or fears caused by the most recent requirement by the Immigration / Labor depts. for the employing company to provide full P&L and tax declarations signed by the owner/ director with every application for a foreign work visa

per the quote as above, this requirement is not recent requirement and has been in place as long as long as I have been working here (14 years) and further there is no such thing as a work visa in Thailand anyway.

in conclusion your little diatribe is inaccurate with plenty of false information, basically poop

[joshstiles]

15 years ago...what the fudge....how about living in the present...do you have any present experiences....?

[dotpoom]

I gather it's in the past, history, no repercussions....so now's the time to live in the present....it's lovely here.

[Shaunduhpostman]

In getting work as a teacher, even the best jobs at so-called international schools or unis, you have to check what HR are doing. Many, many stories, have had narrow misses myself, in which you will be lulled into thinking all is taken care of. What happens is you are told everything is fine, nothing to worry about, process all taken care of.

What I've learned is that translates as everything is fine for us, but you? Who cares? And don't annoy us with your meddling and complaining about needing a work permit, it isn't our problem!

[phazey]

Sorry guys, this topic was a reply to one in a different subforum, but as usual, the inconsistant moderation lost the plot and it got moved here. No point in replying to it now as it's lost its context.

[gemguy]

I've got an interesting experience:

Been approached by a Thai company (Thai Directors, Thai-owned) recently. Package was fine: W. European standards-like. However, one of the Thai directors said: "we'd prefer not to go through work permit, etc." My answer was: no thanks!

Dodgy people around!

I have been telling everyone the same thing for more than 25 years.

When it comes to the foreigners working here in Thailand 2 things have to change first and foremost.

#1: The corporate laws and requirements concerning foreigners working for a Thai registered company have to change and be streamlined making it much easier for a Thai company to hire a foreigner.

#2: The laws and requirements ( and restrictions ) pertaining to a foreigner obtaining a work permit through a Thai company also has to be streamlined making it far more easy to obtain a work permit.

The government has to set up a one stop shop affair where a company and the foreigner they want to hire can submit a request to hire the foreigner and the foreigner submit a request for the extension of stay ( a working visa ) and the work permit from the labor depart ...all at the same time and for an agreed upon fee...maybe as high as say 30,000 baht...for example ...and within 5 working days the requests are approved and the passport stamped and the work permit issued....good for 1 year...for a price which most companies and or potential employees would be happy to pay and simply get the ordeal over and done with....in 5 working days...and working legally...thank you very much.

As it sits now the whole affair is dependent on the Thai company complying with the demands of immigration and or the demands of the labor department while the requirements and demands are such that nearly every Thai company is reluctant or totally uncooperative with the rules or requirements or laws while they would rather avoid going through all the tedious, unnecessary efforts required to do everything necessary to hire a foreigner ...Legally .

So, they do it illegally and continue doing it illegally and then, in effect, the foreigner is also illegal and he is left very vulnerable.

It is the owners and directors of the Thai companies that have to demand the government make changes and make it much easier and far more streamlined to hire a foreigner as the foreigners themselves have no influence to change archaic and out dated rules and laws and unnecessary requirements simply to employ a foreigner.

We all know the reasons why it does not change but until it does change the Thai companies will continue to employ foreigners illegally while foreigners will continue to work illegally......not all...but all too many.

Cheers

[Soutpeel]

extension of stay ( a working visa ) = not a working visa - no such thing as a working visa in Thailand

maybe as high as say 30,000 baht = absolute rubbish, Use of the One stop does not incur any additional fees on top of what one would pay via a normal application

The government has to set up a one stop shop affair where a company = not all companies can use the One stop, typically only BOI and MNC's & high net worth can use these facilties.

Thailand's WP and foreigner labour application process is one of the easiest/quickest and cheapest I have been involved in and i have worked in quite a few countries around the world

​your claim to have been here 25 years, but very apparent you still don't know what your talking about

[VIPinthailand]

simple rule

no work permit = I don't work for you because you can not afford to pay me enough... so f.... u!