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ResourcesCorporate and Tax AdvisoryThailand Corporate LawIs It Possible to Get a Lifetime Work Permit in Thailand?

Is It Possible to Get a Lifetime Work Permit in Thailand?

Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussion Work Permits here in the Kingdom; we are specifically discussing is the notion of lifetime Work Permits. 

There was a time in Thailand, around the time that the laws pertaining to work authorization for foreign nationals in the Kingdom were promulgated, that it was possible to obtain what can only be described as a lifetime Work Permit. By lifetime work permit we mean a work permit that provides work authorization that has no expiration date.

I think at the beginning of these types of laws and regulations, it basically just was not presupposed that one would stay here and keep work authorization indefinitely. I personally think that the presumption was that one would either retire and not maintain their work permits or cancel it or they would naturalize to Thai citizenship and it would not be necessary. That being stated, work authorization for those in the Kingdom for a prolonged period is necessary if they are working. The thing to take away from this video is "yes, there was a time when lifetime work permits were issued back in the 70s.” It was a relatively short window of time in which those permits were issued but they did exist. They do exist. I have seen them and basically when you are dealing with lifetime work permits, they generally are for basically old hands out here in Thailand; folks that have been out for a really prolonged period of time generally speaking, and while they do exist as a practical matter, they are not issued today nor do I particularly think they are going to be issued any time in the foreseeable future.