Transcript of the above video:

We talk a lot on this channel about Work Permits and work authorization because it really is important. Work authorization in Thailand is a key factor in remaining long-term in Thailand. It's also one of the key factors that sees people get arrested and deported from Thailand, or I should say lack of work authorization.

To that point I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Bangkok Post, that is bangkokpost.com, the article is titled: Illegal migrants caught at Pattaya Market. Quoting directly: "Police managed to round up 30 migrants. However, 23 were found to have Work Permits. The other seven had neither travel documents nor Work Permits." They go on to say that those folks were detained or it appears they were detained.

Yeah look work authorization in Thailand is key. If you are going to come to Thailand and you want to live here, you want to live here long term and you want to try to make your way and make a living, you have got to get a Work Permit, or work authorization I should say. I know there's sort of a community out there that's "well don't worry about that, you can just live here on tourist visas!" Yeah, I have been here 15 years; I have heard that in waves about four different times throughout the time I have been here and it all goes in the same cycle. People start saying that, they start thinking they can do it, they become complacent and then another crack down from Immigration comes around and they are all disabused of that notion very, very quickly. Now I am not saying I think that is going to happen imminently or anything of that nature but long story short, Thai Immigration and the Employment Office under the Labour Department are very serious about not only maintaining foreigners in Thailand in lawful status but also there's a protectionism element and as a naturalized Thai, I have got no problem with that. Thailand wants to protect its labour force and rightly so. Thailand's labour force, the notion that it has to compete on some sort of flat open playing field against the rest of the world is ridiculous. No it shouldn't especially not here and not for Thais in Thailand. So again, just bear that in mind. Thai work authorization, if you are looking to work in Thailand is critically important.