Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing, "I don't need a Work Permit', the quote I hear not infrequently here in Thailand. I'll hear people say "oh I don't need to worry about a Work Permit, I'm not going to be actively involved in the company, or they'll just say straight up "I don't want a Work Permit"! 

Well look, I have done the videos in the past. Work is defined very broadly here in Thailand. And as we have even discussed with some of the new visas, I have discussed my own issues and I have actually seen correspondence related to the issues associated for example with the LTR Visa and how that strictly speaking is not work authorized notwithstanding what is said to the contrary. Meanwhile, there are also issues associated with the DTV Visa wherein the Interior Ministry has actually said anything that impinges upon the Thai economy requires a Work Permit, and again, the DTV is its own kind of mess with regard to work authorization. It will be interesting to see how that plays out or doesn't; I expect it probably won't. And again by the way, I called all this stuff in the beginning and people kind of hated me for it for bringing it up and then it all seemed to pass and I guess people still hate me for it, so whatever. 

With regard to those visas though, if you want to sort of play games in the gray area, whatever, but long story short, if you have a problem with a workout authorization issue, it is going to be dealt with in a very clear manner, and you can find yourself in problems even if you think you are not going to. Which brings me to the whole issue of the video which is again work is broadly defined. I have done a video which is "what is the definition of work in Thailand" and it's virtually anything. And if you want to work in Thailand, you need a Work Permit. This is especially the case I would say if you are going to go ahead and set up a corporate entity here to do some sort of business and you are trying to like work around needing a Work Permit by saying, oh, I am only a shareholder, or I am a silent, I always hear "silent partner" when I often hear this quote because first off, partner has its own legal ramifications; that is not the correct term because you are not in a partnership, you are in a corporation, but whatever. 

Long story short though, you should not just presume you don't need a Work Permit basically because you say so, okay. And trying to play games by not engaging directly in this or that, it can be a problem. If you are around the operation, and you know if you are working basically, and if you are trying to play games with that issue you can end up in a bad position. So again, understand if you are working in Thailand and the definition of work is exceptionally broad here in this jurisdiction, you are going to need a Work Permit in order to do so.