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Work permit for freelancer

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I am holding a non immi o Visa (married with a Thai) and want to work as a freelancer in Thailand. The job will be in the packaging industry as supervisor

and customer training, so no Thai can do the job. Does anyone know if it is possible to get a work permit for that in Thailand? Got a work permit for this job in the past, but left the company.

Thanks for your comments!

There is no work permit for a freelancer. You have to be working for registered company, partnership or a sole proprietor business.

You could register a partnership with your wife and work for it a company under a contract done with the partnership. You would though need Thai employees though (2 or 4 dependent upon where you apply for the work permit).

  • Author

There is no work permit for a freelancer. You have to be working for registered company, partnership or a sole proprietor business.

You could register a partnership with your wife and work for it a company under a contract done with the partnership. You would though need Thai employees though (2 or 4 dependent upon where you apply for the work permit).

My wife called a lawyer and he said that as long as you get payed from a foreign company (so the sellary comes from outside Thailand) no work permit is required.

Is it true?

Not true. Any work requires a work permit it does not matter where you salary come from.

There is no work permit for a freelancer. You have to be working for registered company, partnership or a sole proprietor business.

You could register a partnership with your wife and work for it a company under a contract done with the partnership. You would though need Thai employees though (2 or 4 dependent upon where you apply for the work permit).

My wife called a lawyer and he said that as long as you get payed from a foreign company (so the sellary comes from outside Thailand) no work permit is required.

Is it true?

Any work undertaken by a foreigner in Thailand requires a Work Permit

  • Author

After talking to different lawyers in Thailand and check up the Thai immigration web side (forget the english translation, very poor) it looks like that there is no law in Thailand about being imployed at companies outside of Thailand and get salary from abroad send into the Kingdom. As always in Thailand as long as you bring money into Thailand you are a good Farang. wai.gif

At your peril

After talking to different lawyers in Thailand and check up the Thai immigration web side (forget the english translation, very poor) it looks like that there is no law in Thailand about being imployed at companies outside of Thailand and get salary from abroad send into the Kingdom. As always in Thailand as long as you bring money into Thailand you are a good Farang. wai.gif

There is, however, a law about working in Thailand, regardless of where you're getting paid, or even if you're getting paid at all. You need a work permit.

  • Author

After talking to different lawyers in Thailand and check up the Thai immigration web side (forget the english translation, very poor) it looks like that there is no law in Thailand about being imployed at companies outside of Thailand and get salary from abroad send into the Kingdom. As always in Thailand as long as you bring money into Thailand you are a good Farang. wai.gif

There is, however, a law about working in Thailand, regardless of where you're getting paid, or even if you're getting paid at all. You need a work permit.

Couldn`t find anything in the www. nor when talking to thai lawyer. Can you privide any links? Would be appreciated very much.

After talking to different lawyers in Thailand and check up the Thai immigration web side (forget the english translation, very poor) it looks like that there is no law in Thailand about being imployed at companies outside of Thailand and get salary from abroad send into the Kingdom. As always in Thailand as long as you bring money into Thailand you are a good Farang. wai.gif

There is, however, a law about working in Thailand, regardless of where you're getting paid, or even if you're getting paid at all. You need a work permit.

Couldn`t find anything in the www. nor when talking to thai lawyer. Can you privide any links? Would be appreciated very much.

Some educational material in the link...........

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

After talking to different lawyers in Thailand and check up the Thai immigration web side (forget the english translation, very poor) it looks like that there is no law in Thailand about being imployed at companies outside of Thailand and get salary from abroad send into the Kingdom. As always in Thailand as long as you bring money into Thailand you are a good Farang. wai.gif

There is, however, a law about working in Thailand, regardless of where you're getting paid, or even if you're getting paid at all. You need a work permit.

Couldn`t find anything in the www. nor when talking to thai lawyer. Can you privide any links? Would be appreciated very much.

Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008) English translation

  • Author

After talking to different lawyers in Thailand and check up the Thai immigration web side (forget the english translation, very poor) it looks like that there is no law in Thailand about being imployed at companies outside of Thailand and get salary from abroad send into the Kingdom. As always in Thailand as long as you bring money into Thailand you are a good Farang. wai.gif

There is, however, a law about working in Thailand, regardless of where you're getting paid, or even if you're getting paid at all. You need a work permit.

Couldn`t find anything in the www. nor when talking to thai lawyer. Can you privide any links? Would be appreciated very much.

Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008) English translation

Understand, but this will apply only for Farangs working for Thai registered companys.

Understand, but this will apply only for Farangs working for Thai registered companys.

It applies to anyone who does any kind of work, full stop.

Understand, but this will apply only for Farangs working for Thai registered companys.

Correct. That is, a foreigner can only work for a Thai registered company. If you for are employed and paid by a foreign company you can only perform a limited set of activities, like:

1. Attending a meeting or a seminar.

2. Attending a fair, an exhibition or a goods exhibition.

3. Making any visit to observe business or to meet and negotiate a business.

4. Attending special and academic lectures.

5. Attending technical training and seminars.

6. Purchasing goods in a good exhibition.

7. Attending a meeting of a board of director of ones company

Source: http://www.naritlaw.com/Resources/New%20Foreign%20Workers%20Act%20Interpretation_NARITLAW.pdf

Anything else will require a work permit and employment by Thai company.

Edited by paz

This is a topic which has been discussed/ debated many times over the years. A search of TV will result in hundreds of hits.

Bottom line ?

Working in Thailand requires a WP no ifs, buts or maybes!

Those who choose to work without a WP do so at there own risk. Penalties for illegal working include fines, imprisonment and deportation

No question here whatsoever, you're working onsite for Thai entities. You need a work permit.

You'll also be extremely visible and liable to getting caught if you try to do so without one.

Edited by rwdrwdrwd

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