Hello Lynne and Happy New Year 2009 to Siampinoy
Information provided by Erick is handy enough but in addition to that, what you need to know also is what you are about to do is technically illegal but sometime this is the only way to scout for potential job here. I'm not trying to discourage you but I think you need to know what you are up against. To sum up everything.
Visa RunUpon your arrival in Bangkok (at the airport) you will be given thirty days exemption stamp on your passport. By the way, this is thirty days stamp is not a visa. It's a previlege we get from Thailand for being a member of ASEAN and also it is a policy of this country to promote tourism with other countries. Anyway, when your 30 days stamp is about to expire you will have to:
1. Travel by land to nearest neighboring country with Thailand. It's either Laos, Burma, Cambodia, or Malaysia depends on what part of Thailand you are during that time. If you are in Bangkok, it will either be Cambodia or Laos. This is what most people called "visa run". By the way, this time you will get only 14 days stamp. Unless you get job before 30 days expire, you will have to do this borderun until you get the job or until your money run out
My advice? Don't get your passport stamp all over with 14 days stamp. It's a give away to migration officer that you are here looking for job or;
2. You can fly out to nearest neighboring country with Thailand and come back. This way you will have another 30 days stamp.
Option 1 - it is cheap (about BHT 1,000) per round trip but time consuming (1 whole day). Option 2 - it is more costly but you'll get 30 days stamp. Choice is yours.
Getting Job and the LawTry to go thru legal mean to get job because if you were able to get a job but doesn't have work permit that suppose go along with it then if you get caught you will either be jailed for not more than 5 years or fined from BHT 2,000 to BHT 100,000 or both imprisonment and fine. Your employer will also be in trouble as he/she will be fined twice for employing you and also for employing you who doesn't have a work permit (if caught).
Visa is directly related to work permit, the immigration will not give you visa (non-immigrant) unless you have to work permit. If you work here without having a permit then you become an illegal alien. This is how immigration law comes into effects, as anybody who provides residence or support in anyway to help you from getting caught is liable of imprisonment of not more than 5 years and (not or) fined of not more than BHT 100,000. That means the owner of the apartment or condo or your friend who rent the place are liable.
My advice? Scout for potential job and go thru legal channel. Don't short cut the process. It's painfully time consuming but in the long run it will save you lots of heart (and head) ache. So, Good Hunting Lynn!
