The reserved-occupations list: 40 jobs foreigners cannot (freely) do

The current list is the Notification of the Ministry of Labour re: Prescribing Work Prohibited to Foreigners, dated 1 April B.E. 2563 (2020), published in the Government Gazette (Vol. 137, Special Part 92 Ngo, 21 April 2020) under section 7 of the Foreigners' Working Management Emergency Decree B.E. 2560 (2017). It superseded the 39-occupation list under the Royal Decree of B.E. 2522 (1979) that many websites still quote. It has 40 items in four annexes. Annex 1 lists 27 jobs absolutely prohibited everywhere in the Kingdom, including wood carving, driving vehicles (except international aircraft and forklifts), auctioneering, hairdressing and beauty work, Thai massage, hawking goods, tour guiding and tour organising, secretarial and clerical work, making Buddha images, and legal services (with narrow arbitration exceptions).

Annex 2 (accounting services, civil engineering, architecture) is conditionally open — foreigners may do this work under international agreements binding Thailand, notably the ASEAN mutual recognition arrangements, with certification from the relevant professional council. Annex 3 lists eight skilled and semi-skilled jobs (agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, fishery; bricklaying, carpentry and building construction; mattress, knife, shoe, hat and garment making; pottery) allowed only when working for an employer. Annex 4 (labouring work; shop-front sales) is allowed only with an employer and lawful entry under a government-to-government MOU — this is the channel for manual workers admitted under Thailand's government-to-government MOUs (in practice Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam). Clause 6 adds that where a Thai law requires a professional licence, the work permit comes only after that licence.