Yes, this can be done if you are a teacher with a guaranteed job offer but surprise! surprise! there is a certain amount of hassle involved.

A lot of the responsibility rests with your employer, who will need your paperwork in order to apply for a letter from the Thai Ministry of Education. This letter can take anything from 3-6 weeks to obtain.

Because of the hassle involved, many employers take the easy option of asking the teacher to go to a neighboring country such as Laos or Malaysia and apply for a new non-immigrant B visa from a Thai consulate or embassy in that country.

The requirements can vary from embassy to embassy.

Decide which Thai embassy you are going to and then take a look at their website for the latest updated requirements.

If you are relying on a school to provide you with documentation, then the school should know exactly what is required.

A non-immigrant 'B' visa is generally the visa you need to obtain if you are looking to work here as a teacher.

If you are applying for a non-immigrant 'B' visa, it's a good idea to call your nearest embassy or consulate ahead of time and find out exactly what they require if you want to apply for a non-immigrant B, - although this information is usually on their website and updated regularly.

You need a school backing you up in order to get yourself a teacher's license. If the school can't do the paperwork then your own chances of doing it will be slim to non-existent.

Many schools do not actually know how to get licenses and work permits for foreign teachers, or do not have a member of staff who has ever done it. In this case things can get very drawn out with the application being postponed indefinitely. If you're the first or only foreigner in a school, good luck.

The actual process need not take a long time. The important thing is to get the teacher's license because that will enable you to file your work permit application, which is then enough to extend your visa.

The process shouldn't take more than a month according to several school admin people that I have spoken to.

We put this question to some Thailand teachers on social media. As one teacher was quick to point out - legally, you can't work a single second of time without the correct visa or a work permit. However, as another teacher said - I would allow a maximum of three months. You're allowed to work on your single entry non-B visa, as long as the company can prove your work permit is in process. Another teacher kind of agreed by saying - legally you can't work without a work permit, but we all know that's unrealistic as many schools like to stall the process to make sure you've got what it takes to become one of their teachers. I'd also plan for three months.

A consulate or embassy run is when a foreign teacher in Thailand travels to a neighboring country like Laos, Cambodia, or Malaysia to apply for or renew a Thai visa at a Thai embassy or consulate outside the country. This is often done when you're changing visa types (for example, from a tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant B visa) or when your current visa is expiring and you can't renew it within Thailand.

These trips are usually short - just a few days - but they involve submitting documents, waiting for visa approval, and then returning to Thailand with the new visa stamped in your passport. While it’s a common part of the expat teaching experience in Thailand, it's important to plan ahead and make sure you have all the correct paperwork before making the trip.

Yes, some people do teach on tourist visas in Thailand - though it's technically illegal. This usually happens when schools are unwilling or unable to sponsor a work permit, or when teachers are in the country temporarily and want to earn money without going through the full legal process.

Some teachers may also accept jobs on tourist visas while waiting for their paperwork (like the Non-Immigrant B visa or work permit) to be processed. Others may work this way knowingly, often for small language centers or schools that operate under the radar.

While it might seem convenient, teaching on a tourist visa is risky. If caught, both the teacher and the employer could face fines, deportation, or even blacklisting. Immigration enforcement in Thailand has become stricter in recent years, so relying on this approach long-term is not advisable.

There is no officially mandated minimum number of working hours required to qualify for a work permit in Thailand. However, in practice, employers typically expect foreign workers to engage in full-time roles to justify the administrative and financial efforts involved in sponsoring a work permit. While some sources suggest a minimum of around 16 hours per week, this is not an official requirement and may vary depending on the employer and the nature of the job. 

It's important to note that, although there isn't a set minimum for working hours, there are minimum salary requirements for foreign employees, which vary based on nationality and job type. Employers must also meet certain conditions, such as having a specified amount of registered capital and employing a minimum number of Thai staff, to be eligible to hire foreign workers. Therefore, while part-time work is not explicitly prohibited, securing a work permit for such positions can be challenging due to these associated requirements.

If you're considering part-time employment in Thailand, it's advisable to consult with potential employers or legal experts to understand the feasibility and legal implications of obtaining a work permit for such roles.

Yes, at the time of writing, if you're a non-native English speaker, having a TOEIC score or another recognized English proficiency test score such as IELTS or TOEFL is often required when applying for a Non-Immigrant B visa to teach in Thailand. Typically, a minimum TOEIC score of 600 is expected, especially for teaching jobs in public schools. However, requirements may vary slightly depending on the school or employer, so it’s always best to confirm directly with them or the Thai embassy or consulate in your country.

It's common for schools to hang on to your teacher's license (both the permanent version and the version issued to that school for your current contract period) while you're working there. Schools sometimes like to hang on to your passport and your blue work permit book too, officially for safekeeping, unofficially perhaps in an attempt to stop you disappearing at the end of the month.

Remember that your passport is yours, the school has no right to keep it and it should be kept with you.

The work permit has to be kept with you OR at your place of work during working hours: again the school has no automatic right to keep it in the school safe forever.

At the basic minimum, keep a copy of the work permit in case you need it to refer to the number or issue/expiry date.

When you leave your work, the school must give you your permanent teacher's license (but not the current one issued for your employment) whether you leave Thailand or remain to go on to a new job.

Check you have the original license with the original photograph and stamp on it. They have no right to keep the original permanent license and give you only a copy. It's yours, not theirs.