A Practice Built on Process
We help employers and employees navigate the Thai work permit regime clearly and without unnecessary difficulty. Our work is methodical, our advice is plain, and we stay with each file until it is closed.
Back to HomeHow Mekong Counsel Came About
Mekong Counsel was established in Bangkok to address a practical gap in the legal services market. International firms relocating staff to Thailand frequently found that general law firms handled work permit applications as a minor administrative task, often delegating the work to junior staff with limited knowledge of the Department of Employment's current procedures. The result was delays, incomplete files, and employers left uncertain about their own obligations.
The practice was founded with a different approach: to treat each work permit matter as the primary engagement rather than a by-product of corporate legal work. This means dedicating experienced counsel to document review and preparation, maintaining close communication with both the employer and the case officer, and providing clients with written summaries at each stage of the process.
Our work covers the full spectrum of the Thai work permit regime — single employee applications for small firms taking on their first foreign hire, structured compliance programmes for companies managing a team of expatriates, and coordinated engagements for senior executives and Board of Investment cases where multiple authorities are involved.
The name references the Mekong River, whose principal tributaries run through or near each of the countries from which many of our clients originate: China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand itself. It reflects the cross-border character of the work we do.
Our Mission
To make the Thai work permit process navigable for any firm, regardless of size, by providing clear preparation, honest communication, and precise follow-through on every file.
Our Values
- Methodical preparation over shortcuts
- Plain advice, no unnecessary complexity
- Transparency on scope, cost, and timeline
- Continuity — the same person sees each file through
Counsel & Staff
Priya Lakshminarayan
Principal Counsel
Eleven years advising international firms on Thai labour and immigration matters. Leads all senior executive and BOI-routed engagements.
Nattaporn Wongchai
Senior Filing Coordinator
Manages document preparation and Department of Employment liaison for individual and employer compliance cases. Fluent in Thai and English.
James Harrington
Compliance Adviser
Designs and delivers the Employer Compliance Programme. Works directly with HR managers to build internal procedures for ongoing permit management.
How We Conduct Our Work
Regulatory Currency
We monitor changes to the Work and Employment of Alien Act and related ministerial notifications to keep our file preparation aligned with current requirements.
Client Confidentiality
All personal data submitted as part of a permit application is handled in accordance with Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act and shared with authorities only as required by the filing process.
Pre-Submission Review
Every file undergoes an internal review before submission to verify completeness and consistency, reducing requests for additional information from the case officer.
Written Scope of Engagement
We provide a written scope document at the start of each engagement setting out what is included, the fee, and expected timeline, so there are no surprises.
Dedicated Case Contact
Each client is assigned a single contact person who manages the file from opening to close. You do not need to re-explain your situation to a different person each time you make contact.
Renewal Tracking
We maintain a renewal schedule for active clients and provide written reminders ahead of permit and visa expiry dates so nothing lapses without adequate preparation time.
Work Permits in the Thai Regulatory Context
The Thai work permit framework sits at the intersection of labour law and immigration administration. A permit is issued by the Department of Employment under the Ministry of Labour and must be held by any foreign national performing work in Thailand, including individuals on long-term business visas. The process requires documentation from both the prospective employee and the employer, and the employer carries ongoing legal obligations even after the permit is issued.
For firms operating under Board of Investment promotion, a separate one-stop service route is available at the BOI office or at approved zone authorities. This route can consolidate work permit and visa renewal into a single visit and may allow for different documentation requirements. Senior executives and technical specialists at promoted entities are typically handled through this channel.
Mekong Counsel advises on the choice of route, prepares the complete documentation file for both parties, attends the relevant office on filing day where useful, and corresponds with the case officer until the permit is issued. For multi-employee engagements, we build the internal administrative capacity so the company's HR team can manage subsequent applications with a clear procedure in place.
We work with firms across a range of sectors — manufacturing, technology, financial services, trade, and professional services — as well as with individuals making standalone applications. Our Bangkok office on Sukhumvit Soi 49 is accessible from major business districts in Watthana and Khlong Toei, and we regularly attend the Department of Employment's Makkasan office and the BOI one-stop service centre.
Speak with a Work Permit Adviser
We are happy to spend a few minutes on the telephone to clarify which engagement fits your situation before any commitment is made.
Arrange a Consultation