What are the current regulations on volunteer visas and work permits in Thailand?

Volunteer Visa NON-O Visa Work Permit Visa Extension Immigration Policy Thailand Expat Regulations

Jul 14, 2018

6 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

I just left the country to change my status from dependent visa to a volunteer O visa. I did this because I was not allowed to volunteer on the dependent visa. I got back here a few days ago and now hear they are no longer issuing volunteer work permits on a volunteer visa. Does anyone know if this means we just don't need a work permit any more to volunteer or if we need to get a different visa to be able to apply for one. Also, will I still be able to extend my stay on a volunteer visa or is this also affected? Thanks for your help.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The conversation discusses the recent changes in Thailand regarding volunteer work permits and visas. A user mentions transitioning from a dependent visa to a volunteer O visa due to the inability to volunteer on the dependent visa. However, it appears that volunteer work permits are currently frozen or not being issued, particularly in Chiang Mai. Multiple comments clarify that a work permit is still necessary for volunteering, despite some rumors to the contrary, and uncertain regulations may affect visa extensions as well. Users express their frustrations over the bureaucratic challenges and suggest that without work permits, more unregulated volunteering may occur.

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Shayne **********

I went to the meetings and should have paid more attention I suppose. I missed the meeting yesterday, but there are no volunteer work permits being granted or extended.

This is good!

However no volunteer extension of stays are being processed if you don't have a work permit.

This is bad!

Volunteers having to get visa extensions every three months is just stupid! The amount of government red tape we have to go through to get an extension is stupid! So I can see a lot of volunteers "working" in other provinces and bypassing Chiang Mai.

Fun fact - each year, one of the three government departments "looking after" volunteers makes up a stupid rule which confuses the daylights out of everyone and then, they plough through with the new bright idea or they rescind it and everything goes back to normal until someone up there has another "brainwave".

It's like another who changes their mind every two weeks.

One of the main problems is there is always challenges between the province and the central government, so cowboys just do whatever they want.

I work quite hard as a volunteer and I wish things were a little easier, but we have several dodgy organizations and they try many things to get rid of them. Whilst it's hard to have to do all the reporting, I suggest not having work permits will flood this part of the world with more dodgy volunteers because they have less checks and balances.