| Official wording | Professional architectural work concerning project study, design, construction management and supervision, inspection or consulting, except for professional architects and architects regulated under the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for architectural services as well as other international agreements on cross-border architectural services from the Architect Council of Thailand or licensee of controlled architecture profession under the Architect law. |
|---|---|
| In plain terms | architecture; ASEAN-MRA architects certified by the Architect Council of Thailand and licensed controlled architects are excepted |
| Group | Allowed only under an international agreement |
| Condition | Prohibited unless the foreigner works under an international agreement or obligation that binds Thailand, with the professional council's certification where the item says so (Clause 3). |
| Source | Notification of the Ministry of Labour RE: Prescription of the Prohibited Occupations for Foreigners (2020), English text hosted by the Department of Employment, read 28 October 2026 |
How this is applied
Architect: conditional. List 2, item 3: open to ASEAN-MRA architects certified by the Architect Council of Thailand and to licensed controlled architects, under the Council's conditions.
Penalties
- A foreigner doing listed work, or work outside the permit: a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 baht, then deportation; the Department of Employment also states a two-year bar on applying for a new work permit (sections 8 and 101 of the Foreigners' Working Management decree as amended in 2018, per Department of Employment statements)
- The employer: a fine of 10,000 to 100,000 baht for each foreigner; for a repeat offence up to one year in prison or 50,000 to 200,000 baht or both, and a three-year ban on employing foreigners (sections 9 and 102 as amended in 2018)
- Superseded figures still quoted online: the original 2017 decree carried up to five years' prison or 2,000 to 100,000 baht for the foreigner and 400,000 to 800,000 baht per foreigner for the employer; the 2018 amendment replaced them (not current)
Others in the same group
Controlling, auditing, performing or providing accounting services, except for the following occupations: (A) Occasional internal audit work; (B) Work under international agreements or obligations to which Thailand is bound, for which the Professional Association provides a certificate of qualifications, Civil engineer work concerning counselling, project planning, design and calculation, construction supervision or manufacturing, inspection, administration work to organize the system, research and test, except those who are registered as a professional engineer under the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) as well as other international agreements related to cross-border engineering services, or licensee of the controlled engineering profession in the field of civil engineering under the Engineering law..
Full list and the jobs expats ask about: occupations closed to foreigners. Income test for your nationality: working in Thailand.