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As the title of this video suggests we are discussing the Thai Business Visa. We are also discussing Thai Work Permits and a question often posed is "Do I have to have a Thai Business Visa in order to get a Work Permit?" 

Let's be clear, there's a difference between work authorization and a Work Permit per se. At one time, there was no difference. There have been a few overhauls, things like the Smart Visa and now we are looking at the possibility of so called Long-Term Residence Visas which we have not fully seen the regulations rolled out on those so I am going to leave the LTR out for now. But for example the Smart Visa, it has work authorization built in, okay? So understand that when you have the work authorization built in, it's a very different scheme from the standard Business Visa, the standard Work Permit scheme, so we will sort of set that aside. The Smart Visa is what it is, off on its own. Another thing to bear in mind those who work for Representative Offices here in Thailand, you may not need a Work Permit. We have discussed this in other videos. Folks who head Rep. Offices here in Thailand may not need work authorization, well they may have work authorization again built into their role as the head of a Rep Office here in Thailand. Again, setting that aside, that is kind of an anomaly. 

Mainline Business Visas and Work Permits, long story short is yeah in most cases you are going to need a Business Visa to act as a platform for work authorization in the form of a Work Permit here in Thailand. Now the thing to keep in mind with respect to this is there is the other option. Some folks may be in Thailand on an O Marriage Visas and they may be able to get a Work Permit on an O Marriage Visa; not any other type of O Visa, not an O Retirement Visa, even certain kinds of O Visas like in the past for owning condos in Thailand and things, No, No, No, No, just an O Marriage Visa. It may be possible for one who is on an O Marriage Visa to get a Work Permit. That also can act as a platform. But, if you are not married to a Thai and you are looking get a standard Thai Work Permit then the Thai Business Visa, yeah that's going to be the requirement, it's basically going to be your platform if you will, your travel document platform; you need that B Visa in order to be able to apply and obtain a Work Permit here in the Kingdom of Thailand.