Thailand and Work Permits

Foreigners wanting to work in Thailand must have a work permit.

Getting a work permit is a lengthy and cumbersome process. It is not practical at all for the visitor who wants to pick up a few extra baht to extend their holiday.

The thought of a working holiday leads many foreigners to bypass the procedure. This is not a good idea. There are unscrupulous people who offer training and equipment, then "guarantee" jobs for certain skills when their training is finished. Scuba diving is one example.

What they usually fail to divulge is how difficult obtaining a legal work permit is. Some dive instructors in Thailand dodge the Immigration Bureau for years while trying to get a work permit.

If you are caught working illegally, you will be put in jail and/or fined up to 5,000 baht. This is as true for the foreigner who steps behind the bar to help the bar staff, as it is of the English teacher working at a language school with no work permit.

While arresting teachers is rare, it does happen.