Living in Thailand Guide

Foreigners that intend to engage in work of any kind require a work permit. Work permits are issued by the Department of Employment, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

The Thai Ministry of Labour define work as anything that exerts one's physical energy or employing one's knowledge, whether or not it is foe wages or other benefits. Working without a work permit is a criminal offence; persons that violate the law face fines of up to 60,000 baht or potentially a term in jail.

Once you have obtained a work permit, you can run a business legally, receive income from earnings, open a Thai bank account, import personal belongings such as vehicles, apply for loans and credit cards. It is important to remember that once you have obtained a work permit you are liable for Thai income tax. The Thai work visa is valid to 12 months and must be renewed each year before the expiry date.

Types of entry visa

There are 2 types of Non-Immigrant entry visa's

Single Entry Visa

A single entry visa is valid for only 3 months from the date of issue and entitles the user to enter Thailand on a single visit for 90 days, after which they must depart. Further visits require new visas that can be obtained from the Thai embassy of Thai consulate. However, it is possible to extend a 90 day entry visa without leaving Thailand by applying for an extension from the immigration office.

Multiple Entry Visa

A Multiple Entry Visa is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. The Multiple Entry Visa allows the user to enter Thailand as many times as required within the 12 month time frame. However each visit must be for a maximum of 90 days.