@Darrel ********

there is no law. Each bank sets its own policy and each branch of the bank makes up there own...there is no uniform rule in thai anything...

@Aikins ******

the only way you can get a visa or extension, is by going to immigration and smiling for the camera. There are limited exceptions to this like being hospitalized (required documentation).

Do the agents you are talking about get visa/extension without the person going to immigration? That should probably answer your question.... most agents and most things they do are actually fraudulent, doesn't means it well enforced or that you will get in trouble...but it is accurate.

Agents, lawyers, a lot of fraudulent services are offered here. Opening a business to buy land, open a business with nominees, "employees" as a service. Get a retirement visa without 800k baht.. how many decades were the volunteer give out under the table like candy?

@Aikins ******

I think you mean, you know two agents who can no longer fraudulently open bank accounts. Why are getting bank policy from an unrelated 3rd party? There has been no law changes, each banks set their own policy which is often varies branch to branch and day to day....it laughable to think they all sudden became unified 😂😂

Someone has posted "foreigner can't open bank account now" every week for last 10 years.

Agents work contrary to the law, who cares what they say. Immigration isn't putting a hold non-o application.

Banks set their own policy. There is no law that say they can't. Each branch seems to make up your own policy, muchless each bank...and no, not every branch at every bank in the country all the sudden changed and became unified in anything thr last week.

Retirees, elites, ltr holders all have bank accounts....even tourist. Anyone that told you needed a work permit just lied to you. Opening an account is a little hard. Search this group, great past advice on how best to do this on 1000s of posts just like yours.

@Pygo *******

Thailands rules really aren't different. Most countries would require a work permit, even for volunteer position.

@Pygo *******

I looked one up online, it looked like couch surfing of volunteer type thing. Saw volunteer in exchange for room or board at farms. It's definitely not legal. I never heard anything about these program being raided by authorities, but it's a real risk that could get you deported and blacklisted.

How long is the volunteer program?

Sounds like an illegal program. Under the letter of the law you need a work permit to sweep your own floors. A staffed volunteer position would absolutely require a workpermit and id enforced because it taking a job away that could go to a Thai person and be paid if you didn't volunteer.

If it's working exchange of room/board, and no work permit...that a not something that would be consider legal at all and would likely be taken seriously by immigration police.

If you just here on holiday and you take a few hours to some kind of volunteer task every now and then, that's not really an issue. Spending weeks or months with a regular schedule would be a serious issue.

My advice...don't do it. No one wants to see the conditions of immigration jail first hand.

@Danny ******

ah, I get it. So you can open a coffee shop here without a permit because you are not stopping thai from also opening a coffee shop 😉

Every cup of coffee you sell is taking away a coffee that could have been sold by a Thai person. The same thing applies to views/videos. Every video you make, every ad you display, every sponsored video could have been done by a Thai but instead was taken by someone without work authorization in the kingdom.

The OP even mentioned promotion thai businesses, that called marketing. No matter how one trues to justify it, you are trying to find a way to run a business without following the laws.

I don't make the rules. It doesn't matter your opinion or my opinion on the rule. The law says no. Running a YouTube about Thailand from inside Thailand without a work permit will get you in trouble...which means immigration jail then deportation. Take your chance if you want.

@Chris ********

if you are making content about Thailand in Thailand, that could be done by a Thai person. That is how you could be taking away a thai job. It's the same with any job, if you sell coffee on the street its the same effect.

If you are planning on promoting Thai business and Thailand, you need to start a company and get a work permit. Not doing so would likely land you in trouble.

If you make content about UK football, then it's still illegal under the letter of the law but no one would really care and it's unlikely you would ever get introuble.

Regarding contribution to economy, no one cares your 3k pounds.