Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing whether or not Work Permit issues will drive business setups? What are we talking about? Well notwithstanding all the hyperbole out there regarding all these new types of visas, in order to work in Thailand it remains a requirement that you have a Work Permit, that's just how it is.

As we've discussed at length in other videos, even when folks have been discussing this new Destination Thailand Visa, they made that clear. Retirement Visas are not work authorized. At the end of the day the LTR says they are, they have no legal basis for that statement that I can see anything out there because at the end of the day it's the Labour Department that issues work authorization, not under BOI's own ability to issue visas; they don't have a work authorization component per se. We are going to set that aside, the LTR is kind of its own thing.

That being said, yeah basically normal rules apply, if you want to work in Thailand you're going to need a Work Permit. Well if you need a Work Permit, generally you're going to need a corporate sponsor and that's why you basically need to set up your own company. Now foreigners who are not Americans may have to deal with the Foreign Business Act; American citizens and American businesses can avail themselves of the provisions of the US-Thai Treaty of Amity which grants National treatment to companies that are certified as Americans doing business here in the Kingdom. 

That being said, do I think it's going to drive a lot of business set up? Probably not moving forward. But that said, work authorization for those who really do want to engage in business activity here in the Kingdom is a necessity for a foreigner, so I could see some new businesses being formed so foreigners can work here in the Kingdom of Thailand.