Long term visit to Thailand

[Okeanos]

I have just had this forwarded to me, it won't affect anyone who is going on holiday to Thailand, but it will affect anyone wanting to go there for the winter, maybe even doing a bit of work. Work permits are not easy to get hold of and most people just work and hopefully don't get caught.

Previously people who stay there for extended periods nip across the border to get their passport stamped and then back to Thailand (Visa runs), this could be done indefinately, NOT ANY MORE. If this is you or what you want to do, READ BELOW.

PHUKET: Phuket's Immigration Chief has confirmed that Thailand will crack down on foreigners working illegally in the country by ending its policy of issuing an unlimited number of consecutive visas on arrival! - tourist visas that allow the holder to stay a maximum of 15 or 30 days.

The crackdown is intended to stop foreigners - typically bar owners and other small businessmen without work permits - from using the visas to stay in the country indefinitely while working illegally.

Pol Col Bunphot Kongkrachan, Acting Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Office, told the /Gazette/ that, from October 1, onward Immigration checkpoints around the country will limit to three the number of consecutive visas on arrival they will grant a single visitor.

After the third consecutive visa on arrival has expired, the passport holder must leave the country and wait 90 days before being allowed back into Thailand on the same type of visa.

The move effectively limits the length of stay for those entering the country using this visa class to 45 or 90 days.

The 41 countries whose citizens qualify for visas on arrival include Thailand?s top sources of tourists, including almost all Western European countries, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore and many more.

Col Bunphot said that all Immigration chiefs nationwide have been ordered to attend a meeting at Immigration headquarters on September 15, during which the new stricter regulations will be explained in detail.

"I will make a more detailed statement about the new situation within a week of returning from the meeting," he said.

Suwalai Pinpradab, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand's South Region 4 Office in Phuket, downplayed the potential impact of the new rule on Phuket?s all-important tourism industry.

"I don't think it will affect tourism revenue in Phuket very much because foreign businessman holding work permits will still be able to work. The only ones who will be affected will be people who are working illegally and prolonging their stays by making visa run after visa run," she said.

"My concern is about the coming high season. I sympathize with Immigration, which has too few officers. I am afraid that they will be swamped with work and that there will be a slowdown in service [at Immigration checkpoints]," she said.

Executive Visa Run conducts visa runs to Ranong and recently started a service to Penang in Malaysia. A representative there, who requested anonymity, told the /Gazette/ that word of the new regulations had created a great deal of confusion.

"Immigration here in Phuket doesn't know what going on because they've not received any guidelines yet from Bangkok - Yesterday when we made inquiries, nobody there could tell us anything," he said.

When asked if there were a lot of people making 'visa hops' to get new visas on arrival, he said, "Oh, there's a lot. Really. It's unbelievable, the amount."

He added, "I think it will have a huge impact. You listen to all this about how they only want the rich people to stay here. There are a lot of people who stay here on low incomes - and they cause no problems, they just get on with their lives," he said.

Brought to you by:
The Phuket Gazette
17:42 local time (GMT +7)

I know people in Thailand that this will affect, I was hoping of one day popping over for 6 months to do a bit in the industry, I'll have to get a work permit if I want to now.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Okeanos[COLOR=Blue

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I know people in Thailand that this will affect, I was hoping of one day popping over for 6 months to do a bit in the industry, I'll have to get a work permit if I want to now.

If you read it again you will see that you would only be stuffed if you were relying on tourist visa's, if you had a business visa you get a 3 month stay so you could do 6 months with one visa run. You just need an offer letter from a Thai company...or a TEFL school or similar to get a business visa.


Ian

[Okeanos]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

If you read it again you will see that you would only be stuffed if you were relying on tourist visa's, if you had a business visa you get a 3 month stay so you could do 6 months with one visa run. You just need an offer letter from a Thai company...or a TEFL school or similar to get a business visa.


Ian

Business Visa's are not always that easy to get, a TEFL school is an easy one, especially if you have done a TEFL course. Diving schools are allowed 2 work permits there isn't any other jobs I would fancy doing.

The laws are constantly changing, they are having a big purge on dive centres all over Thailand. If I can find that article I'll post that as well.

[stevenl]

If you read it again you will see that you would only be stuffed if you were relying on tourist visa's,

Partly correct, the tourists visa rules stays the same as it was. What will change is the visa on arrival and visa exempt entry rule (the latter e.g. for most european countries and the US): max. 3 entries/2 renewals.

Diving schools are allowed 2 work permits there isn't any other jobs I would fancy doing.

Incorrect, all employers including diving schools are allowed 1 workpermit for every 2 mio Baht invested capital and 4 Thais working. So for 8 mio Baht invested and 16 Thai: 4 work permits.
This rule has not changed at all. Here on Phuket most of the instructors are working with a permit already after immigration crackdowns the last few years, on places like Koh Tao and Koh Phi Phi most of the instructors are staying visa exempt, making border runs every month and therefor working without work permit, so there will probably be changes there.

On Phuket most of the instructors work around the system, and start their own company thereby gettinga workpermit. This takes about 1 month and costs 30,000 Baht, so there are still ways (and will always be ways) around the system.

[Okeanos]

Originally Posted by Phuket Gazette

Dive regulations published

PHUKET CITY: The Phuket provincial authorities have today released details of the new dive industry regulations that came into effect on Friday, when they were signed by Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura.

The new regulations, which underwent a legal review before being signed by the Governor, consist of three parts.

The first is the announcement ordering dive operators to comply with the new regulations and citing the laws to back the regulations. It also stipulates that organizers of “boat races and speedboat races” must obtain permission.

The second part sets out the procedure dive operators must follow in order to register, while the third is the registration form itself.

As announced previously, dive operators must present, along with the re gistration form, the company’s registration documents and tax information, the work permits of foreign staff, all boat registration documents including the names of captains and crew members, records of salaries and wages, and details of any related website, the company’s payment systems, diving courses and students.

Dive businesses that are granted permission to operate from the province will also have to submit monthly reports giving details of income, current staff and dive trips made.

Businesses that fail to submit reports, or that are deemed to have submitted inadequate reports, will risk having their permission to operate withdrawn.

One major addition to earlier versions of the regulations is that dive operators must also state officially which dive sites they use, and update this information whenever there are changes.

All dive operators are required to register at the Phuket Marine Office by September 30 this year.

Hmmmm! Investing £250,000 for 4 permits in a company in Thailand is not my idea of a good investment, personal choice, then having to employ 16 Thai's as well. Setting up your own company with £447 sounds better, I'd would have to sort out the Thai partners correctly.

I thought they had changed the rules to 1 Million Baht, that's what my mate had to use a capitol for setting up a new business, then he was charged tax on his investment!

[stevenl]

I thought they had changed the rules to 1 Million Baht, that's what my mate had to use a capitol for setting up a new business, then he was charged tax on his investment!

Still 2 mio, and I think if it will be adjusted it will be adjusted upwards.

Yes, we also have to pay taxes here on everything, but at least the % is not as high as back home.

Regarding the partners and the 30,000 Baht (447GBP) companies: who cares about the partners, these companies are a way around the law, and only used to get a work permit, there is nothing of value in the company anyway. So if you have a wrong partner and he cheats you out of the company: leave a bit of tax debt, and you won't have lost anything, and simply start a new one.

[Okeanos]

If I decide to come over for an extended stay I might pop in and see you for a little advice on work permits.

[stevenl]

Sure, you're welcome.

[stephenphuket]

If any one needs advice on work permits then please mail me, i have been in thailand for neary 2 years and have always had a work permit through my own company. You are correct in the fact that you have to set up yur own company which is approx 30,000 baht but then you still have to get a work permit for 15,000 baht. A big problem comes in obtaining the correct visa if you enter thailand on a tourist visa then become an instructor i.e. complete your idc you then need to switch to a 12 month non-b visa, which you get get in malaysia however on the 1st october last year the laws changed and you can only obtain this in your home country with the proof you have a job i.e. letter. So the other option is to go to singapore or malaysia and get a 3 month visa but that means every 3 months you still have to leave but go to an embassy and get another. The biggest piece of advice is go to A PROPER LAWYER/ACCOUNTANT it may be more expensive to start and more expensive per month but you know the company is legite.

I know of a friend who had his permit for over a year and when immigration stopped him at the pier his permit actually stated he could only teach diving to thai nationals who were employed by the company who issued his permit....dont ask! Remember these permits are printed entirly in thai and no one explains them to you..if people would like more adivce then please PM me