Prohibited Occupations 
and Work‑Permits in Thailand (2025 Update)

A work permit is issued by the Department of Employment (DOE), Ministry of Labour. It is personal: one foreigner, one clearly described job, one employer, one location.

Your intended job must not fall within the reserved (prohibited) occupations for foreigners, as defined in the Reserved‑Occupations Regulation 2022 issued under the 2017 Foreigners’ Working Management Decree.

Source: Department of Employment (DOE), Ministry of Labour – Reserved‑Occupations Regulation 2022 (Gazette 3 Feb 2022)

In practice some employers use broader job titles, e.g. “advisor” instead of “legal consultant” or “secretary” yet the DOE judges a case by the actual duties. If the work itself falls inside a reserved occupation, the permit can still be refused or revoked.)

Minimum–salary rules

• Department of Employment (DOE): Alien Employment Regulations page  (Thai)
  , lists the current internal regulations, including the “Minimum Income Requirement for Work‑Permit Approval by Nationality” circular; scroll to the PDF dated  1 July 2004 (still in force).
• Royal Gazette: Ministerial Regulation No. 10 (B.E. 2547/2004)
  the official announcement that sets the monthly minimum‑salary bands (THB 25 000 – 50 000) used by immigration and DOE. Document is in Thai; this is the legal basis repeatedly referenced in DOE practice manuals.

• work permit requirements for foreigners employed in Thailand

original article source: samuiforsale