Thread: Retirement Visa + Work Permit ?

I understand that if I obtained a retirement visa I would not be allowed to work. Yet I also understand that as the "managing director" of the company that owns the land my house sits on I shall shortly require a work permit under tightening rules. These twin requirements appear incompatible. Does anyone have any advice?

Well if they won't issue you a WP because you are retired then I don't see that you have many options.

Get a Non Imm B visa and apply for a WP

I thought they were banning the practice of inactive companies owning houses?

Originally Posted by BobR

I thought they were banning the practice of inactive companies owning houses?

It isn't strictly legal and I believe a lot of the larger players down in Phuket and Smaui got stung by having a company solely for property ownership, but I don't think they've started investigating the small fish YET.

You are 'retired' you cannot obtain a work permit.

Thanks very much for the replies. My take on them is that no one is actually much more certain of the state of play than I am. I have had a Non-Immigrant "B" for years. I think I'll stick to that instead of the retirement visa as perhaps being the safer option in term of maybe needing a work permit, although my interpretation of the work permit situation is that is that neither I nor the company would qualify anyway. I'm not overimpressed with how little the retiremenet visa offers, anyway, considering the capital one has to tie up to obtain it.
I'm all in favor of complying with Thai laws and regulations, but they ought to be framed in such as way that complying with them is actually possible; and situations should not be treated as illegal under present legislation when they were carefully set up as legal under the rules that were in force at the time.

Its possible to get a work permit on a Non Immigrant O (Retirement) Visa. I have a Friend who is having it that way. However should you extend your Retirement Visa with the Reason of being retired (Pension/Income of x amaount or the 800k in a Bank) they will not give you a Work Permit, as your reason to stay in the Kingdom is being retired.

Originally Posted by Andrew1947

I'm all in favor of complying with Thai laws and regulations, but they ought to be framed in such as way that complying with them is actually possible; and situations should not be treated as illegal under present legislation when they were carefully set up as legal under the rules that were in force at the time.

I'm afraid the goalposts are on wheels.

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