Thai government to offer Start-up Camp visa to foreign IT and tech experts

The Nation

 

 

The Thai government is to offer Start-up Camp visa to foreign IT and tech experts, according to PM Office Minister Kobsak Pootrakool.

 

This would include areas such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Eastern Economic Corridor.

 

The government will also revamp the tax to encourage start-ups to stay here instead of later moving to low tax regime countries such as Singapore.

 

Kobsak also told MIT/GSW-Sasin forum that there will be a new package of regulations to encourage regional R&D activities by multinationals.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30341740

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-26

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The government will also revamp the tax to encourage start-ups to stay here instead of later moving to low tax regime countries such as Singapore.

Sounds like Singapore has nothing to fear, as this sounds like just a lot of talk.  As a foreign tech worker, there are some good people and resources in Thailand, but dealing the government is still going to be your biggest challenge.   They are vibe killing wet blankets.

No need to invite foreign experts. Lots of local experts here, especially the ones running the government.

Too late...
Its not a Tax issue for us, but more so the difficulties of Visa issues and the underlying naivety of immigration officers to what the laws are as opposed to what they make up when they do not know. Then pointing out the facts and rules, seem to fall on deaf ears as you just cant reason with these people.... 

 

Then on top of that is the IT infrastructure that is restricted the the Govt itself.
I have sent emails to officials and still waiting for replies years later.. (sarcastic, but factual comment, as they simply do not reply)

 

Trying to get Thai staff, somewhat competent, to meet the Farang/Thai quota is not worth it has having underperforming staff, just for the sake of the requirements, doesn't help matters at all.... And we do not have time or the inclination to teach some basics (we tried that one time and failed miserably)

Are they running out of Thailand 4.0 geniuses already?

Why on earth would the Thais need Foreign Experts ?

 

Most of the Thais I know, dont need to be taught anything, as they know everything alreaady, because " its the way we do it here in Thailand ", said with a sneer.

 

 

Rather than thinking you know what is needed to pump up the IT business here Why don't you ask the IT world what they need and want

to make a successful venture here

 

That will never happen since Thais know better than the rest of the world

How does someone get in touch with the Visa IT start-up?

Removed a troll post.

So what will the tax for IT-startups be in Thailand and how much is it in Singapore?

 

For me it would be a no-brainer....Singapore of course where everybody speaks english and where's no cheating/scamming and a real policeforce.

Forget it- next 

so the new smart visa isn't smart enough?

22 hours ago, Thian said:

So what will the tax for IT-startups be in Thailand and how much is it in Singapore?

 

For me it would be a no-brainer....Singapore of course where everybody speaks english and where's no cheating/scamming and a real policeforce.

it depends where the clients are based really. the cost of office space, accommodation and general living costs for yourself and staff are a lot more in singapore as are the earning requirements for foreign staff. so if i was an IT bod doing business with companies not in thailand i'd register the company in singapore or elsewhere using a ghost office and VOIP etc and stay in Thailand. grey area i know but who cares

23 hours ago, GDub said:

How does someone get in touch with the Visa IT start-up?

Try contacting the BOI

http://www.boi.go.th/newboi/en/smart_visa/

 

 

The visa is just part of the package. Still need BOI company for 100% ownership, might need Thai workers, etc. Although Singapore has gotten tighter with employment passes, it's still light years ahead. The only reason to set up in Thailand would be cheap labor, which you really don't want to use in IT. 

 

Make the BOI rules standard for all foreign-owned companies without any extra red tape, scrap the requirements for Thai workers, scrap all immigration reporting requirements, grant PR within 6 months. Until then, keep yer "startups".

Id be more worried about staff behaviour here, they seem to have  no morals  or  good work ethics heads  buried in phones. I wouldnt choos e Thailand for any business start up

On 3/26/2018 at 5:19 PM, GDub said:

How does someone get in touch with the Visa IT start-up?

send em an e mail, sit  back and wait.......................forever!

1 hour ago, Happy enough said:

it depends where the clients are based really. the cost of office space, accommodation and general living costs for yourself and staff are a lot more in singapore as are the earning requirements for foreign staff. so if i was an IT bod doing business with companies not in thailand i'd register the company in singapore or elsewhere using a ghost office and VOIP etc and stay in Thailand. grey area i know but who cares

Yes renting living/workingspace costs a lot more in Singapore but the good IT-companies will be able to afford it i assume.So the less good companies go to Thailand.

Singapore is fluent in english, try to get anything done in BKK without a Thai speaker, even going to immigration, the hospital, or getting a drivinglicense, using a taxi is next to impossible.

 

Also i doubt if the foreing staff would want to live in Thailand at all, i have loads of friends who even won't come here on holidays and they are IT-pro's who travelled a lot (to other western countries that is).

 

But i'm still curious how much the tax in TH will be, they didn't state a number...it has to be cheaper than Singapore or the best companies will sure go there. 

 

I just read the post from another farang on this forum who was refused the extension of his workpermit...that's Thailand..Don't know if Singapore also has issues like that but for me that would be a disaster and get me out of concentration for many weeks (read cost me a load of money).

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 minutes ago, Thian said:

Yes renting living/workingspace costs a lot more in Singapore but the good IT-companies will be able to afford it i assume.So the less good companies go to Thailand.

Singapore is fluent in english, try to get anything done in BKK without a Thai speaker, even going to immigration, the hospital, or getting a drivinglicense, using a taxi is next to impossible.

 

Also i doubt if the foreing staff would want to live in Thailand at all, i have loads of friends who even won't come here on holidays and they are IT-pro's who travelled a lot (to other western countries that is).

 

But i'm still curious how much the tax in TH will be, they didn't state a number...it has to be cheaper than Singapore or the best companies will sure go there. 

 

I just read the post from another farang on this forum who was refused the extension of his workpermit...that's Thailand..Don't know if Singapore also has issues like that but for me that would be a disaster and get me out of concentration for many weeks (read cost me a load of money).

 

 

 

 

 

 

don't know the tax figure. i have plenty of friends and family that come here and love it. with regards driving license, hospitals, immigration and getting a taxi. well you must be doing something wrong. i had no probs even before i could speak thai. also, Singapore is incredibly boring. larger companies may well prefer Singapore as many do now but i got the impression this was aimed at hitech start ups.

4 hours ago, Happy enough said:

also, Singapore is incredibly boring. larger companies may well prefer Singapore as many do now but i got the impression this was aimed at hitech start ups.

3

I just came from there. Far from boring and extremely easy to get around. Must be skint packbackers if they think it's boring.

1 minute ago, DrTuner said:

I just came from there. Far from boring and extremely easy to get around. Must be skint packbackers if they think it's boring.

555 my company has an office there. hardly a skint backpacker. that was a long time ago. great times. i find the place incredibly boring hence why i live here. but each to their own i guess

For those who asked about taxes: https://www.iras.gov.sg/irashome/Businesses/Companies/Learning-the-basics-of-Corporate-Income-Tax/Corporate-Tax-Rates--Corporate-Income-Tax-Rebates--Tax-Exemption-Schemes-and-SME-Cash-Grant/

 

And it's transparent without any surprises.