List Of 39 Prohibited Jobs And Activities For Foreigners In Thailand

A Royal Decree in 1973 listed 39 occupations and professions that were then prohibited to foreigners. This list has been amended on several occasions by subsequent Royal Decrees, the latest one in 2005;

1 Labor work, except crewmen engaging in fishery activities included under Item 2 below;

2 Cultivation, animal breeding, forestry and fishery work, except for labor work in maritime fisheries and work requiring specific skills in farm supervision;

3 Masonry, carpentry, or other construction work;

4 Wood carving;

5 Driving motor vehicles or non-motorized carriers, except for piloting international aircraft;

6 Shop attendant;

7 Auctioneering;

8 Supervising, auditing or giving services in accounting, except occasional international auditing;

9 Gem cutting and polishing;

10 Hair cutting, hairdressing and beautician work;

11 Hand weaving;

12 Mat weaving or making of wares from reed, rattan, kenaf, straw or bamboo pulp;

13 Manufacture of manual fibrous paper;

14 Manufacture of lacquerware;

15 Thai musical instrument production;

16 Manufacture of nielloware;

17 Goldsmith, silversmith and other precious metal work;

18 Manufacture of bronzeware;

19 Thai doll making;

20 Manufacture of mattresses and padded blankets;

21 Alms bowl making;

22 Manual silk product making;

23 Buddha image making;

24 Manufacture of knives;

25 Paper and cloth umbrella fabrication;

26 Shoemaking;

27 Hat making;

28 Brokerage or agency work, except in international business;

29 Engineering work, civil engineering branch, that concerns planning and calculation, systemization, research, planning, testing, construction supervision or advisory work, except work requiring specialized skills;

30 Architectural work concerning designing, drawing, estimating, construction supervision, or advisory work;

31 Dressmaking;

32 Pottery or ceramics;

33 Manual cigarette rolling;

34 Tourist guide or tour organizing agency;

35 Hawking business;

36 Thai character type setting;

37 Manual silk reeling and weaving;

38 Clerical or secretarial work;

39 Legal or litigation service, except

(a) Working as arbitrator

(b) Conducting law suits in Arbitration Court in cases where the law which enforces the dispute is not Thai Law or in cases that do not require judgment of Arbitration in the Kingdom of Thailand

Source: LEGAL ISSUES FOR INVESTORS – WORK PERMITS, Official website of the Board of Investment (BOI)