Working as a Consultant for a University, Work Permit?

[Rhys]

To the almighty Sages of TV on this particular area,

 

Please give your enlightenment.. Do you need a work permit if your official title at a Semi-Autonomous  University is in the role of "Consultant'?

 

It was my understanding any time you WORK for a university you are considered an Employee, especially as a westerner / NEST.

 

Interestingly, the duties are the same, teaching the full load. This was an attempt at subverting the 60 year old NOW your OUT of HERE policy.

 

The claim by the university is you are not an employee of the university, but rather a consultant.. OK..  (more BS) thus you do not need a  work permit and we shall pay you by the day, and we guarantee you  X days. .so your salary is  X /month..

 

 

Really do appreciate ALL and EVERY comment.. Cheers Mates, watch for falling coconuts.

[BritTim]

I think what the university is saying is that it may protect them, by employing you as an independent consultant. It may be that it makes you responsible for arranging your own work permit which you basically cannot.

[Card]

If you do any kind of work whilst in Thailand you have to have a work permit. This includes unpaid voluntary work and work on websites that are located, along with all their customers, personnel, products etc, outside Thailand. If it's work that you do and YOU are located in Thailand when you do it, then you have to have a work permit, irrespective of where the tools, products etc are located.

 

The question is "What is work?" Generally that is obvious and I doubt the govt would accept any spurious definitions apart from its own.

 

Without doubt, friend, YOU need a work permit for your consultancy work.

[ThailandLOS]

You need a work permit if working in Thailand. Simple as that.

 

If you you're a consultant, you are still connected to a legal entity of some sort that is receiving the fees from your client. This would be your employer for which you would have to have a work permit.

 

What the university is saying is that they will not have to get involved in your work permit if you work for a consulting company, which is correct but doesn't help your situation.

[recycler]

It is definitely and the university has to provide a work permit for you.

If they don't you and the university are violating the law, but when caught the consequences for you are much more serious than for them.

[ubonjoe]

You job title may be consultant but you are still a contracted employee of the university.

They are still responsible for getting your work permit and providing the paperwork for an extension of stay.

The way they would not be responsible would be if you were working for your own company on a contract issued to the company.

[xtrnuno41]

you also  might look in Thai embassy, if you are allowed to be a consultant !

BUt always need permit

[Maestro]

Quote

It was my understanding any time you WORK for a university you are considered an Employee, especially as a westerner / NEST.

 

Rhys, what does NEST mean in the context of your post?

http://www.acronymfinder.com/NEST.html

[smotherb]

2 hours ago, Card said:

If you do any kind of work whilst in Thailand you have to have a work permit. This includes unpaid voluntary work and work on websites that are located, along with all their customers, personnel, products etc, outside Thailand. If it's work that you do and YOU are located in Thailand when you do it, then you have to have a work permit, irrespective of where the tools, products etc are located.

 

The question is "What is work?" Generally that is obvious and I doubt the govt would accept any spurious definitions apart from its own.

 

Without doubt, friend, YOU need a work permit for your consultancy work.

I am a member of Rotary International and often speak at meetings. A few years ago, I was asked to speak before a Thai member's Executive MBA program course at a local university. One of the students was an immigration officer and asked if I had a work permit.  I told him that I was a retiree and was not being paid. I was simply speaking of my experiences as an executive in global business.

 

He said, it made no difference, I was working.

[Rhys]

53 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

Rhys, what does NEST mean in the context of your post?

http://www.acronymfinder.com/NEST.html

 

 

Sorry Maestro.... Native English Speaking Teacher...  In this case from America, but an Asian/mix.

[Rhys]

Dear Sages, 

 

Thank you for confirmation of what I already know.  In essence the ADM and powers at be are going through the motions and hiding behind institutional discrimination.  

 

Just like to watch and see the wheels of non-action smoking up the hallways as they show, "oh we are working on it we have meeting with the immigration and work permit official on Sept XX  We shall known then"...  I guess the phone service or word of mouth must be full of meconium... Contact ends last day of the month..

 

Well, it is their show; I a prop, exit  up-stage right.

 

Thanks again.. cheers mates

[Rhys]

17 minutes ago, smotherb said:

I am a member of Rotary International and often speak at meetings. A few years ago, I was asked to speak before a Thai member's Executive MBA program course at a local university. One of the students was an immigration officer and asked if I had a work permit.  I told him that I was a retiree and was not being paid. I was simply speaking of my experiences as an executive in global business.

 

He said, it made no difference, I was working.

 

We have a few of thoses... in the MBA and Ph.D program down here as well...