If you want to work in Thailand legally - whether as employee, company owner or investor - you must have a work permit! There are, however, exceptions.
Those who are exempt include members of the diplomatic corps, members of consular missions, and representatives of member countries and officials of the United Nations and its specialised agencies. Personal servants coming from abroad to exclusively work for the latter parties are also exempt, as well as those entering Thailand for the performance of any duty or mission for the benefit of education, culture, arts or sports, those with special permission by the government of Thailand, and those who perform missions and duties under the agreement between the government of Thailand and a foreign government or international organisation.
A work permit appears as a passport sized booklet detailing where the individual is allowed to work, the job description and the dates covered. Work permits can be acquired in different ways, but always require non-immigrant B status. If you are coming to Thailand under the sponsorship of a company, under normal circumstances, they should guide you through the application processes.
When you come to Thailand to work, your employer should instruct you and apply for your work permit. You should enter the Kingdom on a non-immigrant visa, usually a non-immigrant B for business employment. This visa application requires a letter from your employer that must be presented to the Thai embassy or consulate in your country, which will issue the visa. The non-immigrant B visa can be applied for prior to your arrival, but may also be arranged if you for whatever reason are already in Thailand. However, you must visit a Thai Consular Office outside of the country, e.g. Penang, Kota Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Phen, Vientiane, Ho Chi Min City, Hanoi or Manila.
It is always best to get a multiple-entry visa. Like this you won't have to waste time and expense on visiting a consulate for a new Thai visa every three months, which may happen in the event there is some problem or delay with your work permit paperwork or you cannot get a one-year visa.
If you wish to operate your own business, you can obtain a work permit for yourself by setting up a company. Hereby, you may enter the country on any kind of visa. Once you've set up your company, you can create the required letter on your company's letterhead and exit Thailand to apply for a non-immigrant B visa based on this letter as well as copies of your company's official paperwork. Once you return with your non-immigrant B visa, you can apply for the work permit.
Generally, it is advisable to check with current regulations before you apply.
For further information about work permit matters, you may contact:
Alien Occupational Control Division
Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
Mit-Maitree Road
Bangkok 10400
Tel: +66 (0) 2 245 2745
One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit
Department of Employment
3rd Floor, Krisada Building
207 Ratchadapisek Road
Bangkok 10400
Tel: +66 (0) 2 693 9333-9
Fax: +66 (0) 2 693 9348
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