From: sl2k+@andrew.cmu.edu (Schitt Laowattana)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Foreign Experts: a commitment needed to bridge technology gaps
Date: 4 Oct 92 07:38:44 GMT
Organization: Doctoral student, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA


    There are several key commitments which we need to bridge technology
gaps and to build future technology in Thailand. They are listed below:

    1. Information Services
    2. Education and Training
    3. Support for the Technology Transfer Center
    4. Linkage between Industry and Infrastructural Agents
    5. Foreign Experts
    6. Support for Local Consulting Firms
    7. Independent Government Certified Testing Agencies
    8. Publicity for Scientific and Technical Achievement
    9. Advertisement of Available Government Services
   10. Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
   11. Removal of Tax on Analytical and R&D Equipment
   12. Removal of Over Protection
   13. Stimulation of R&D
   14. Government Regulatory Agencies

    I will post, in detail, in all other items if I have enough time or
someone requests.  This post is about "Foreign Experts".

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    [5] Foreign Experts

    Current barriers to the entry and exit of foreign scientific and
technical experts include cumbersome work permit, visa and tax clearance
procedures.  For example, "excessive scrutiny" and tiresome prying
interview often regarding private matters (Where did you meet your Thai
wife?) are sometime conducted by the tax clearance devision.  These are
superfluous when a gurantee has been provided.  Such procedures are
unnecessary, unfruitful, annoying and intimadating.  They should be
streamlined and sped up in keeping with regulations of more progressive
competing nations in the region (e.g., Singapore).  Decision regarding
residence of specialists and disputes regarding the same should be made
by a committee with contains relavent specialists.  Needed scientists
and technologists who wish to imigrate should be facilitated.

    In certain fields where there is need, special concessions should be
given to retired technologists from industrialized countries if they
wish to work in Thailand.

    The work permit and visa procedures for scientist and technologists
in the private sector should be eased equally, whether firms in question
have BOI privileges, or not.

    The procedure to issue work permits and visa should not be
interlinked.  In current practice, a work permit candidate must apply
for a permit in coordination with his or her visa.  Visa applications
and extensions usually require two or three short extensions during a
consideration period at the Immigration Devision.  Each short extension
for consideration required a similar short extension of the work permit
and this must accomplished before the expiry of the previous work permit
extension.  Even a one day delay results in the necessity of
reapplication for a new work permit and all the related paper work and
cost.  The result is an inconvenient and stressful period of running
back and forth between agencies.  There is no need for this requirement.
 The labour department can decide on whether an application may work and
for how long.  The Immigration Division can decide whether an
application may stay and for how long. 

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    The above suggestion is proposed in the same report(of my previous
posts) from TDRI.


Posted by

    

Schitt(DJ)  Laowattana

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Current Address in USA:

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
USA
Tel. No. 268-8880
Fax. No. 268-3348
e-mail: sl2k@andrew.cmu.edu


Permanent Address in Thailand:

Center of Operation for FIeld roBOtics Development(FIBO)
King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Thonburi
91 Suksawasd 48  Ratburana  Bangmod
Bangkok 10140, Thailand

Tel. No. 428-3374, 427-4421 and 4270151-9 Ext. 461
Fax. No. 427-8077, 427-8787

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