Foreigners wanting to work in Thailand need to have employers to sponsor their work permit. Once having a Thailand work permit, the foreigners cannot perform any function other than that described in their work permit.

Generally if the employer is a Thai company, it has to have at least Baht 2 million registered and paid up capital for each foreign employee. In case of foreign companies (which have to obtain the foreign business license before they can operate in Thailand), they have to have at least Baht 3 million capital for each foreign employee. If the foreigner is married to a Thai national, the capital rule is more lenient.

Some companies have obtained BOI (Board of Investment) privileges, some of which grant more relaxed rules regarding Thailand work permits for the foreign employees.

The employers must report changes in employment, transfers and termination of all foreigners in their organization within 15 days.

Thailand work permit holders must obtain a prior permission to change their occupation, and/or place of work. Change of employer location or the residential address of the work permit holder must be properly endorsed in the work permit by the Thai labour authorities.

The Thai law does not prevent foreigners from working in more than one field or for more than one employer. They have to have their Thailand work permit covering all the jobs or employers.

We have summarized here Thailand work permit rules.