Thailand's Alien Employment Act explicitly reserves a long list of occupations for Thai nationals only. If you're planning to work in any of these fields, you won't get a work permit. This isn't about company preference — it's law.
Occupations closed to foreigners:
General labor work
Agriculture, farming, forestry, fishery (general)
Bricklaying and carpentry
Other construction work
Wood carving
Driving motor vehicles (except piloting international aircraft)
Front-of-shop retail sales
Auction sale work
Accounting and auditing services
Cutting or polishing gemstones
Haircutting, hairdressing, beautification
Handwoven cloth making
Mat weaving or reed/rattan/bamboo crafts
Handmade rice paper making
Lacquer work
Making Thai musical instruments
Niello ware making
Goldsmith or silversmith work
Stonework
Making Thai dolls
Making mattresses or quilts
Making alms bowls
Making silk products by hand
Making Buddha images
Knife making
Making paper or cloth umbrellas
Shoemaking
Hat making
Brokerage or agency work (except international trade)
Civil engineering design and consultation
Architectural design and cost estimation
Dressmaking
Pottery
Cigarette rolling by hand
Tour guiding and conducting
Hawking goods
Thai hand-typesetting
Unwinding and twisting silk by hand
Clerical and secretarial work
Legal services (Thai law)
The 4-to-1 quota rule
Any Thai company that wants to hire a foreigner must employ a minimum of four Thai nationals for every one foreign worker, up to a ceiling of five foreign employees total. In practice, this means smaller Thai businesses usually can't or won't bother with the paperwork — the overhead isn't worth it for them. This is why many foreigners end up working at large multinationals, international schools, or major hotel chains — they have the staff count and HR infrastructure to support the hire legally.
Sectors most open to foreigners: Information technology, petrochemicals, medical technology, manufacturing, engineering, financial services, trade, and hospitality. These sectors regularly employ foreigners in senior or specialist roles that are difficult to fill locally.
Working hours
Thailand's official working week runs Monday through Saturday, though many companies have moved to Monday–Friday. The legal maximum is 48 hours per week. Jobs in tourism and hospitality often have irregular schedules.
Su su!
(keep fighting!)
–Tim