Thailand Visa question No. 042/24: Paid or voluntary help at school is that allowed or do you need a work permit?
Questioner: Ralph
We have been living in Thailand for several months to care for my Thai mother-in-law. My visa does not allow me to work in Thailand. Now the local primary school and the mayor have asked me if I would like to be present at the school for approximately 3 hours a week to allow the children (5-7 years old) to become "acquainted" with a foreigner (to remove fear). ) and get used to the English language in a playful way. As many people know, a Thai learns English at school, but is often far too afraid to actually speak it.
I am Dutch myself, but I have a good command of the English language. The school can and wants to provide a small compensation for this from a special government fund, but I don't think that is necessary: I think it would be nice to add this added value to the environment.
The question then is: is it allowed? Paid or voluntary, or do you need a work visa + work permit?
Who has experience with this and wants to share it with me?
Reaction RonnyLatYa
In principle you need a work permit, even as a volunteer, and to obtain this you must have a visa that allows you to obtain a work permit. Normally this is also possible with a Non-immigrant O Thai Marriage. But now you have to completely convert your visa and apply for a work permit... for those 3 hours in a school every now and then. Personally, I would ask that school to put this in writing and go to immigration together.
They just have to explain what they want from you and if they agree to you being there for a few hours on a voluntary basis, I don't think there will be a problem.
You can do nothing now and assume that everything will be fine, but all it takes is someone who sees an opportunity and you can get into trouble.
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