farangchris

I have a temporary 2-years driving license.

Can i now ( after a month ) just change this 2-years to a 5-years license, to get the international driver license? 

On the website from the land transport office, there are no information about when i can change the license.

Only that i can change a 2-years to a 5-year: https://www.dlt.go.th/en/two-year-license/

And the international driver license is only possible with the 5-years license: https://www.dlt.go.th/en/international-driving-licence/

Has anyone verified information about how to get the 5-years license?

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP could you clarify your question

In some countries, you need a clearance certificate from the police if you leave the country after X months

Hi,

I was now in Thailand for almost 9 months.

Do I need any Thai Police Clearance Certificate or anything like that if I fly out of the country of the country?

On 11/22/2018 at 6:12 AM, Oxx said:

Forget about learning the alphabet.  Learning to read takes longer than the time you have available.  After four weeks you'd be just about able to decode words - nowhere near fluent reading.

 

Get hold of the Pimsleur Thai course and try talking to Thai people (ordering food, buying goods).  That's all you need to do at this stage.

 

As for "I don't want to become overly-stressed with getting the proper tone on a word for now", you need to be aware that getting the tones right is vital if you're to be understood.  

 

 

Sorry - But this is not true. You can't say to someone "Forget it" or "Do it like this or this".

Everyone has it's one learning curve and his way to learn a language .....

Learning a language also includes to read and write of course. And reading is not that difficult, if you know the Thai Alphabet. How should you read a Thai Menu, if you can't read it? ...

In my case, the first Step is to learn the Thai Alphabet. Then you can slowly start with a few simple sentences and also learn more about the different tones.

On 11/18/2018 at 5:34 PM, dcnx said:

As a software developer who doesn’t need a co-shared office, that means you’re working from home. No one is going to know you’re working if you work from home. There are plenty of agents that can get the ED and you don’t have to go to school, and it costs much less. Works out to around 4000b per month or so. They can shove their 10k + 10% tax baht or 30% if all you need is a way to stay and work from a condo.

 

But if your goal is to do local business then you’ll absolutely want to be above board on all of this. 10k per month might be cheaper than getting a lawyer and having ghost employees.

Even with an ED visa, you would need for example your own company to invoice your clients.

So you would have the costs to run a legal company and you pay probably also taxes with this company.

Of course there're other options like a company in Hong Kong, Canada LP, maybe a UK LLP etc.

But you still need also manage your company which takes time and which will also cost you some $ per year. A HK company will cost you maybe 1.000 to 1.500$ per year. Plus you will have problems to get a bank account. There're solutions like Neat for example. But then you're also paying for each transaction, exchange fees etc. etc.

I am currently working from my Condo and i'm on my ED visa - That's fine for now. But if i want to live here for a longer period - I would need a proper visa.

Currently i've to pay 5.000 baht each 3 months to extend my ED visa. Plus 20.000 Baht for 200 lessons / 1 year.

So 40.000 Baht per year in total for the ED visa.

On 11/18/2018 at 12:06 PM, onera1961 said:

If understand it correctly, if my income is 65K per month from outside Thailand (50K salary to myself + 10K coffee asia fee + 5K taxes), coffee asia is going to give me a B visa and WP. And with that WP, I can work remotely for a foreign client. Is my understanding correct?

I am on an O-A visa (cannot work in Thailand) but if I get an offer for consulting work (software architecture/design/development etc.), at present, my plan is to fly back to the USA and finish the project and then come back again to Thailand, provided the offer is lucrative enough for me to save at least 60K per visit living in the USA for two/three months. Most of these work can be done online with one or two visits to clients for maximum of a working week. 

If my understanding is correct (65K/month income), I see some benefits at least for me and others who want to be semi-retired for SS to kick in for full retirement. It will also keep me engaged at least 30-40% time in earning some money while I am in Thailand. Other benefits I see are free medical coverage in Thailand (Government Hospital), SS for the future (meagre amount, I suppose). 

Any comments?

The taxes are depending on your Income. If you earn between 750 and 1.000.000 Baht per year, you're paying 20% income tax in Thailand. You can read more about the tax rates here -> https://www.thethailandlife.com/income-tax-thailand

So if you earn 65.000 Baht per month = 780.000 per year = 20% income tax.

65.000 Baht - 20% Income tax = 13.000 Baht

So you have 52.000 - 10.000 for Cooffice = 42.000 Baht 

With Iglu:

65.000 - 30% ( everything included ) = 19.500 = 45.500 Baht

So Iglu is even cheaper! ????

And they're doing everything for you. File taxes, taking care of your taxes, invoice your clients. You can focus yourself 100% on your work. But with Iglu you need to earn at least 2.500$ per month or 82.000 Baht.

Iglu:

82.000 - 30% = 24.600 Baht

Total net income = 57.400 Baht

Cooffice.asia

82.000 - 20% Income tax = 65.600 Baht

65.600 - 10.000 Baht ( cooffice fees )

Total net income: 55.600 Baht

The benefit is: You can legally live here "for ever" without any visa hassles.

And yes: You will be employed by them, to get your business visa+work permit. But you're actually still working for your own clients. If you don't have a company, they will also invoice your clients with their Thai company.

Another benefit would be also, that your spouse is getting also a Visa to stay here. So if you have children they will also get a visa and your wife also, if you're married.

But as i said above: It also depends on your income. Iglu might be cheaper - They charge 30% of your income, but this includes also the 20% income taxes. So at the end, Iglu is only charging 10%.

And sure: You're getting also the national health care. Or you could get a loan from a bank for a car .. 

And: You can work and live here legally for a pretty small amount of money.

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

Only if you lived on savings - not income coming in while living here.  In general, the rule is "income remitted to Thailand in the year earned" - but some claim that if one is physically here while typing on their keyboard, they would still owe taxes on the income (depending on dual-tax treaties and such).

 

Yes.  This is where you would want to do some research into "best value" on all stay-options.  The new co-office offer at least brings the cost close to other stay-options.  One option would be to study Thai language on an EDU visa for 18-months, while mulling-over the options.

I am currently on an ED visa ????

But i need also a work-permit to pay taxes here in Thailand. Because if i can't proof that i am paying taxes where i live / having my tax residence ( Thailand ) - I can get in serious trouble with the tax-authorities from my home country.

But i think Iglu would be a good choice. At the end they're only charging 10% of your income and they do all the work related to a company such as invoices, filing taxes etc. etc. so you can 100% focus on your work ????

They changed the law two month's ago?

Because i already asked the doe a few months ago. And they said it's not allowed. Even if your clients are from abroad, your company etc.

If that would be the case i could live 100% tax-free in Thailand lol ????

But anyway: As i said - It's not only about the work-permit, because you're getting also the Non-B visa.

1 hour ago, balo said:

A small correction, you can work remotely if your company and customers are outside of Thailand and your bank account and income is outside of Thailand. You pay your taxes there. 

 

However you can not live here permanently as you intend to do.,

No you're not allowed to work. The company has nothing to do with the work-permit. You're not allowed to work in Thailand or almost every other country without a valid work-permit.

But even if you would be allowed to work: You're still without a Non-B visa ????

One of the best examples would be maybe the U.S they're really strict.

I know someone who where rejected at the border, because he said he's also working on his Macbook ????  True story .. 

But anyway. So i think in Thailand there's no real other solution then Iglu ... ????

9 minutes ago, balo said:

I only work as a digital nomad so can't really comment. I kept my address in my home country where I also pay my taxes.

Anyway I would go for the Elite visa. 

 

Any DN is working almost illegal. Because you're not allowed to work in almost every country on earth without a work-permit.

And again: An elite visa is just a tourist visa. You're actually not allowed to work here without a work permit.

I know, nobody cares - Me neither ????

But i want to live here legally and work with a work-permit.

On 11/11/2018 at 11:22 AM, JackThompson said:

Consider that the Elite only costs 100K/yr for their 5-year option (500K Baht up-front, though). 

But an Elite visa is still a tourist visa. So you're basically not allowed to work and you don't have a work-permit.

On 11/11/2018 at 11:22 AM, JackThompson said:

The point would be to send into Thailand only the bare-min to meet the visa/extension/ requirements and pay tax on that.  This could be a "salary" paid to you by your company (or other ways) for "work" you are doing for your company. 

 

Any other money your take out of your offshore-corp would be capital-gains.  Thai taxes are only due on money remitted to Thailand in the year earned, so leave any other earnings offshore for a year.

Yes, if you keep the money for almost over a year in the company it would be tax-free in Thailand. But i'm not earning thaaatt much, that i can save so much money in one year that i can also live from this money. So for me it would not make any sense ????

On 11/11/2018 at 11:22 AM, JackThompson said:

To set up your own corporation in Thailand would probably cost as much or more to lawyer/accountant/fees, and requires 2M Baht capital.

Yea .. setting up a Thai company is no option for me. I would love to, but the requirements are a joke ????

On 11/11/2018 at 11:22 AM, JackThompson said:

Iglu's rates were crazy-expensive.

mh ... Their fees are not thaaattt expensive i think. They're charging you 30% of your income, but this includes almost 20% Income Tax. So at the end Iglu is only charging 10% of your income. And if you think about it: It depends all on your Income. 

For example: If you're from a western country you need to earn at least 50.000 Baht per month as a foreigner.

Cooffice.asia is charging you 10.000 Baht per month for their service/work permit. So this is 20% from 50.000 and your Income is still not taxed. If you're earning 50.000 Baht per month, you're paying 15% Income tax. In total you would pay 35% of your income with Cooffice.asia if you're earning for example the minimum of 50k per month.

Iglu is charging 30% of your income ( taxes already included ), but you have to earn at least ~ 82.000 Baht per month ( 2.500$ )

Cooffice.asia is charging 10.000 Baht for their service, which makes 12.2% of your Income if you would earn ~82.000 Baht. And then you have to pay 20% Taxes ( total = 32.2% ). 

And: Cooffice.asia is charging 10.000 Baht only if you don't use the Office. With Iglu this is also included in their 30% fee. So you can use their Office with Internet connection etc.

In total Cooffice.asia is even more expensive, isn't it?

In my case i did 3x 30 days stamps at the airport within 12 month's. I extended each stay for another 30 days.

On my 4th trip i had a 10min. discussion with the Airport immigration. They said it was the last time ( i needed the 4th entry because i needed to wait for my ED visa ).

So at the end: 3 entries are okay, but not more within 12 month's. After this you need a "cool down" for 6 month's. 

After 3 entries with the 30 days stamp you could get maybe a normal tourist visa at an embassy outside of Thailand if you explain that you want to visit your friends for a few days/weeks.

PS: I found also this Answer -> https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/88823/thailand-visa-exemption-any-rule-limiting-number-of-entries-per-year

27 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

Only an idiot would use a service like this and pay themselves 2 million Baht per year through the service with their percentage rates and pay Thai tax on top of that.

 

The logical way would be to pay yourself the bare minimum allowed through invoices to your off shore corporation or maybe even personal invoices.

Therefore i said if i would. And Cooffice.asia doesn't charge their fee based on your Income as i said. They're only charging 10k per month unlike Iglu.

And an offshore company would not make much sense, because you have your tax-residence in Thailand. Such a company - for example Hong Kong or even a Canada LP or UK LLP - etc. would only make sense if you don't have a permanent (tax) residence in Thailand or if you live in a country with territorial taxation or a non-dom system ... Like Malaysia, Georgia, Panama, the UAE etc.

Anyway, no reason to to be rude and saying other people are idiots ...

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

You get a visa too

Yes, you get the Non-B Visa + work-permit, but they're not paying anything for the Visa - I pay it at the end.

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

The OP states:

Iglu charges 30% of minimum 2500 USD all included.

Cooffice.asia 10K + 10% tax.

Correct. The taxes of course are depending on your Income. If you earn more then 500.000 Baht per Year it's 15%. 10% tax will only be charged if you're getting the minimum salary. 500k to 750k per year 15% etc. Iglu also provides a Co-working space with an internet connection etc. But i don't need a co-working space.

If i would pay me all out as a salary i would pay 25% ( 1,000,000 – 2,000,000 Baht per year ).

Anyway: So no one knows maybe a cheaper service for a work-permit+B visa?

A Thai Elite visa isn't a work-permit.  Just use google and take a look on their site ...

Quote

Elite Visa is categorized under Tourist Visa, which does not allow the holder to legally apply for a work permit to work in Thailand. The Non-Immigrant Visa must be cancelled before Privilege Entry Visa is validated.

33 minutes ago, mogandave said:

I stand corrected,,,

No you're not. You can't get a work-permit on a Elite Visa. You need to apply for a Non-B visa. It's all on their website.

From their website:

Quote

Member can apply for Non-B visa and work permit to work in Thailand and Elite visa will continue until its expiry date. Therefore, once member get Non-B visa then they have to use their Non-B visa only as per Thai law which allow to hold only one visa. Kindly be noted that visa & 90 day report is totally separate type. Member need to check for their validity both 90 day report & visa.

3 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

In these constructions you are working for them and you seem to have trouble with the minimum wage requirements. Why don't you get a job and earn some good money.

Yes, i know that. But i would only work for them on the paper.

At the end i'm working for my own clients. My clients are paying me / my company, my company pays the Thai company and they'll pay me out my salary here in Thailand.

I don't have any problems with the minimum wage, i'm earning enough.

But in my opinion 10k per month just for a work-permit is pretty expensive, isn't it?

So i already found the Solution to get a work permit+business Visa with Iglu.

But Iglu is pretty expensive, because they're taking 30% of your income for this service and you need to earn at least 2.500$ per month.

Of course in this 30% are also the payed taxes - But it would still cost 600EUR+ per month which is pretty expensive.

I found another option with Coofice.asia, they're charging "only" 10.000 Baht per month if you don't need the co-working office.

And you need to earn at least 50.000 Baht per month during the requirements from BOI for working foreigners. So 50k - 10k for the service - 10% income taxes. That's the minimum.

But in my opinion 10k per month just for the visa & work-permit is still a bit expensive. It's still around 3.200 EUR per year only for the work permit ...

Does anybody knows other and maybe cheaper solutions to get a work-permit + business visa as a freelance software developer?