Prohibited Occupations in Thailand

It is true that foreigners in Thailand can work inside the Kingdom as long they have a Thai work permit. But with the given opportunities to foreign workers, it does not mean that every type or kind of work can be given to foreigners.

Thai nationals or Thai citizens are still prioritized and there are specific types of works or jobs exclusive for them and not to be given to foreigners in Thailand for the purpose of national security.

Prohibited Occupations in Thailand

According to the Alien Act Law set by Thailand, the following are the type of work or jobs not allowed to be handled by foreigners working in Thailand and expect that foreigners engaging in such type of job or work will not be granted a Thai work permit:

Pottery
Stonework
Hat making
Knifemaking
Goods selling
Dressmaking
Wood carving
Lacquer work
Making shoes
Front shop sale
Hand-typesetting
Auction sale work
Making Thai dolls
Making alms bowls
Niello ware making
Cloth weaving by hand
Making Buddha images
Cigarette rolling by hand
Making rice paper by hand
Clerical or secretarial work
Tour guiding or conducting
Making mattresses or quilts
Making silk products by hand
Making paper or cloth umbrellas
Making Thai musical instruments
Hand-twisting and unwinding silk
Haircutting, hairdressing, or beautifying.
Brokerage or agency except in international trading.
Labor work, with the exception of fishing boat labor.
Precious or semi-precious stone cutting and polishing.
Goldsmith, silversmith, or gold-and-copper alloy smith work.
Mat weaving or making utensils from reed, rattan, jute, hay, or bamboo.
Whether it’s bricklaying, carpentry, or other types of construction work.
Supervising, auditing, or providing accounting services. Except for infrequent internal auditing.
Professional architectural work concerning design, drawing-making, cost estimation, or consulting services
Driving motor vehicles or vehicles that do not employ machinery or mechanical devices. Except for piloting international aircraft.
Agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, or fishing, with the exception of employment requiring specialist knowledge, farm supervision, or labor work on fishing boats, particularly in the maritime fishery.
Professional civil engineering services, excluding tasks needing specialized skills. But include design and computation, systemization, analysis, planning, testing, construction supervision, and consulting services.
Engaging in legal activity or providing legal services (except arbitration work and work relating to the defense of cases at arbitration level, provided the law governing the dispute under consideration by the arbitrators is not Thai law)

Allowed Types of Works in Thailand for Foreign Workers

On the other hand, here are some specific types of work that Foreigners in Thailand can work with and will be granted a Thai work permit by the Ministry of Labour:

You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you work and are in charge of quality control, procurement, or market research for a representative office.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you are regularly involved in investment consulting, administrative consulting, technical and technology consulting, or internal auditing.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you work as a tourism representative, and will be bringing in foreign visitors to Thailand.
If you work for one of the Bank of Thailand’s licensed international financial institutions.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you are temporarily employed in the entertainment, religious, social welfare, cultural, or sporting industries and are paying income tax to the government.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you are a contractor working on a project for a government agency or a state-owned enterprise.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you are dealing with local raw materials as a critical component of the manufacturing process, or if you are looking for ways to limit the use of imported raw materials.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if your job entails assisting in the export of Thai goods.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you are working on developing new technology that Thai people are not capable of and then distributing and transferring it to Thai people.
You are eligible for a Thai work permit if you are working in a location where Thai labor is in scarce supply.

And here are some of the criteria for foreigners working in a company in Thailand must meet to be granted a Thailand work permit:

Foreigners who work in a company in Thailand with 50 Thai employees. For every 50 Thai employees, a company may hire 1 foreigner, but no more than 5 foreigners in total.
Foreigners who work for a company in Thailand with at least THB 2,000,000 in registered capital. One foreigner can be hired for every THB 2,000,000 in the capital, with a maximum of 10 foreigners.
Foreigners employed by a company in Thailand that has paid the Revenue Department at least THB 5,000,000 in income tax in the previous 3 years. For every THB 5,000,000 in taxes paid, 1 foreigner can be hired.
Foreigners who work for an export company in Thailand that sent at least THB 3,000,000 in foreign currency last year. Every THB 3,000,000 in revenue, a company is allowed to engage 1 foreigner, but no more than 3 foreigners per THB 3,000,000 in revenue.
Foreigners who work in Thailand and make enough money to owe the Revenue Department personal income tax in the amount of THB 18,000 or more, or who have already paid personal income tax in the amount of THB 18,000 or more in the previous year.

Every country has something to protect, either natural resources, human resources, but there is also something that needs to be shared. Some countries have a lot of resources and some countries lack resources. And it is important to note that there is no country that has all the resources.

For that reason, sharing of resources comes into the picture. Sharing of resources saves countries by giving what they have and receiving what is lacking. The development of countries cannot be met without any help from others.

However, with all the sharing, it does not mean that there are no limits. There are boundaries set in every country to protect what they have and prioritize their own citizens. It is only best to respect laws and rules in countries that you visit or work in.

Check the requirements on how to apply for Work Permit in Thailand.