Can I work online from Thailand on a tourist or retirement visa?

This page is for Visa Advise. The only one who can answer all your possibilities of is this working or not is the Ministry of Labor in your area. Pay them a visit with all these scenario's and just ask the question.

The Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Foreigners (No. 2) B.E. 2561 (2018) came into effect on March 28, 2018, and is the third significant reform to Thailand’s law on work permits in the past three years. The new amendments are aimed at addressing the concerns of foreign workers over penalties related to work permit requirements imposed by the Royal Decree (No. 1) B.E. 2560 (2017) earlier in 2017. The key changes introduced by the amendments are detailed below.

Definition of work. The definition of work has been reworded, and now reads: “To perform any professional work, regardless of whether or not there is an employer, but excluding the conduct of business of foreign business license holders according to the Foreign Business Act.”

Additional work permit exemptions. The amendment provides for work permit exemptions in certain cases, as follows:

Foreigners who occasionally enter Thailand to organize or attend a conference; to discuss, speak, or present at a conference, training, workshop, or seminar; to perform art and cultural activities; or to participate in sports or any activities to be prescribed by the Cabinet.

Foreigners who enter Thailand for the purpose of establishing a business or investment, or who possess knowledge and a high level of skill, which will be beneficial to Thailand’s development, as prescribed by the Cabinet.

And for those who have a valid work permit already:

Furthermore, Section 28 of Decree No. 2 provides that a work permit holder may engage in any work that is not specifically prohibited to all foreigners on the “Official List” of work prohibited to foreigners.

The Official List outlines, the limited number of activities for which a foreigner cannot obtain work permission for in any case. (The current Official List is the same as was last issued under the Act.

As a consequence, any foreigner who has a work permit in Thailand may now, work anywhere, for anyone (including themselves), under any conditions, and do any type of work, that is not excluded by the Official List.

The Royal Decree on Managing the Work of Foreigners (No. 2) B.E. 2561 (2018)

Work is defined by local immigration!

It is very difficult to give a good definition of what is work. If you're enjoying your holiday and you're business partner calls you with a problem in the webshop (or any business) is this work? I would say no, but if you live in Thailand and run the webshop (or any online business) I would say yes.

Unfortunately this topic has been bandied about the internet incessantly.

What you or I think constitutes work may vary greatly from what the powers-that-be think constitute work

There was a meeting by the Department of Labor and immigration officers up in Chiang Mai and they basically said they are not going after people who work online and get their wage paid in another country.

Keep in mind that's only up in Chiang Mai but I would imagine people who are here legally, and work on the interweb are pretty far down on the list of people the powers-that-be are going after

The new definition of work, according the changes of 27 March 2018: The definition of “work” has been revised to "performing any profession, whether or not there is an employer, excluding business operations of a foreign business license's holder under the Foreign Business Act"