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Getting a Work Permit in Thailand: What Changed in 2026
Thailand's work permit system moved online in a big way in 2026. If you're an expat thinking about working legally in the country, or you're on Koh Lanta helping staff or partners navigate visa questions, here's what the current process actually looks like. Visa status and work permission are two separate legal things in Thailand, a Non-Immigrant B visa on its own does not give you the right to work, and since October 2025 most of the application process runs through a new electronic system called e-WorkPermit.
Visa and Work Permit Are Not the Same Thing
This trips a lot of people up. Holding a visa that lets you stay in Thailand, even a Non-Immigrant B visa, does not automatically mean you're allowed to work. Work authorization is a separate legal process. The same goes for other visa types: a retirement visa does not confer employment rights, and a Destination Thailand Visa should not be treated as work authorization either. Working without the proper permit, regardless of what visa you're holding, counts as unauthorized employment.
The e-WorkPermit System
Thailand launched a nationwide e-WorkPermit system on October 13, 2025. Applications, document checks, status updates, and approvals are now handled electronically. You can still visit a service centre in person if needed, for example for ID verification or to collect the physical permit, but the bulk of the process has moved online. If you're looking at older guidance that references paper forms like WP3 or WP.25, be aware it may be outdated, since the current standard form for ordinary applications and renewals is บต.25, which replaced the old WP.25.
The Main Legal Routes
There are several different legal pathways depending on your situation:
<table> <tr><th>Route</th><th>Who it's for</th><th>Form</th></tr> <tr><td>Section 59</td><td>Foreign professionals employed by an ordinary Thai company (the standard route)</td><td>บต.25</td></tr> <tr><td>Section 60</td><td>Pre-entry approval for employer-initiated applications while the worker is still overseas</td><td>บต.32 (older embassy guidance may still call this "WP3")</td></tr> <tr><td>Section 61</td><td>Urgent or necessary short-term work, normally capped at 15 days, not meant as a shortcut for ongoing employment</td><td>-</td></tr> </table>
There are also special routes outside these sections: BOI, IEAT, or investment-promoted employment follows its own special investment-promotion procedures. Holders of an LTR (Long-Term Resident) visa can apply for an LTR Digital Work Permit. There's a SMART Visa route for qualifying startup entrepreneurs, and a separate statutory route for MOU, border, or special-status workers.
What You'll Need to Apply
On the employee side, the typical documents needed are your passport and immigration records, an employment contract or certification letter, a CV, relevant qualifications, a professional licence if your field requires one, a medical certificate, and any prior Thai work or tax records if applicable.
The employer side tends to be heavier on paperwork. Companies typically need to provide DBD company documents, shareholder information, VAT and tax filings, financial statements, Social Security records, information on their Thai employees, and evidence of an actual workplace.
Summary
Thailand's work permit process now runs mostly through the e-WorkPermit system launched in October 2025, and it's worth remembering that a visa and a work permit are legally separate things, no visa type alone lets you work in the country. Which of the routes above applies to you (Section 59, 60, 61, or one of the special schemes like BOI, LTR, or SMART Visa) depends on your job, your employer, and your current visa status, and the documentation required is fairly extensive on both the employee and employer side.
Information sourced from The Thaiger.