Opening company with thai wife.

[jeff270476]

HI all,

 

I have a question , it's a business and visa question so i ask it right here and hopefully it's right place.

My Thai girlfriend and i would like to get married and also open a business together. I'm a digital nomad , web developer and i'm kind of lost with the requirement necessary for such project , more about how to get a work permit knowing that i can handle the job myself, it's online so basically no office ( the principle of nomad ) and does not required me to hire Thai people (though i know i need to hire some but the job is handle by myself ).

I'm aware about tax that must paid but does that worth the try? 

 

I saw and old post here ( 2016 i guess ) that basically said if my girl go for a sole proprietor it could eventually make possible for a WP permit for me. But we are in 2019. 

Anyone have clue about this? Any advice welcome and if it sound too complicated, let me know...

 

Cheers to all.

[hugocnx]

Just PM'ed you.

 

[Lacrimas]

Yeah I'm considering to do the same for future citizenship application. Do we really need to hire the Thais if it is only me and my wife in the company? 

[jimn]

In all seriousness. If you are a digital nomad and all your work is done online, then why bother. If your work involves anything other than that then yes a work permit.

[William Osborne]

Do your online thing and thats it.....dont start messing around with Thai companies and don't get your thai gf/wife involved......you don't want those complications in your life. 

Edited November 9, 2019 by William Osborne

[NightSky]

The minimum amount you will pay after shopping around a lot and lots of trial and error is approximately..

 

8k/month for tax, social fund and to pay a very cheap accountant.

 

Then you will need annual audits about 12k, work permit renewal about 10k

 

So I would suggest the absolute minimum cost is about 120k/year and more like 150k probably.

 

Edited November 9, 2019 by NightSky

[Lacrimas]

16 minutes ago, NightSky said:

The minimum amount you will pay after shopping around a lot and lots of trial and error is approximately..

 

8k/month for tax, social fund and to pay a very cheap accountant.

 

Then you will need annual audits about 12k, work permit renewal about 10k

 

So I would suggest the absolute minimum cost is about 120k/year and more like 150k probably.

 

Thanks, not really affordable then

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, NightSky said:

So I would suggest the absolute minimum cost is about 120k/year and more like 150k probably.

I think that would include all the paperwork to get a extension of stay based upon working for a company.

A person married to a Thai would not require for all that paperwork since they would be on a non-o visa or extension of stay based upon marriage,

[tgw]

49 minutes ago, NightSky said:

The minimum amount you will pay after shopping around a lot and lots of trial and error is approximately..

 

8k/month for tax, social fund and to pay a very cheap accountant.

 

Then you will need annual audits about 12k, work permit renewal about 10k

 

So I would suggest the absolute minimum cost is about 120k/year and more like 150k probably.

 

In case of a foreigner not married to a Thai and therefore requiring a non-B visa, depending on where the company is, immigration also does yearly inspections before granting the non-B extension. "Inspection fees" can greatly vary, 20k is a good estimate.

Edited November 9, 2019 by tgw

[kralledr]

1 hour ago, NightSky said:

The minimum amount you will pay after shopping around a lot and lots of trial and error is approximately..

 

8k/month for tax, social fund and to pay a very cheap accountant.

 

Then you will need annual audits about 12k, work permit renewal about 10k

 

So I would suggest the absolute minimum cost is about 120k/year and more like 150k probably.

 

lol 8k per month never for a co.,ltd you not pay that much.

[Muzarella]

1 hour ago, William Osborne said:

Do your online thing and thats it.....dont start messing around with Thai companies and don't get your thai gf/wife involved......you don't want those complications in your life. 

Good advice!

[Destiny1990]

Why your urge of forming  an expensive and time consuming company & work permit for a online business?

How about you test ur online business first without these stuff.

Then after one or two years just report back here !

Edited November 9, 2019 by Destiny1990

[NightSky]

1 hour ago, kralledr said:

lol 8k per month never for a co.,ltd you not pay that much.

You do pay that much for tax on a 50,000 baht salary (must be at least this for foreigner or 40k in some instances to support the work permit) plus social fund for minimum 2 Thais if married or 4 Thais if not and accountants fee on top.

 

8k is cheap for all the above.

 

A cheap accountant alone is maybe 1000 to 2000 baht only but don't forget the social fund payment for 2 or 4 Thais and taxes you have to pay on a minimum salary not including the Thai minimum salaries.

 

Instead of dismissing real life experience go ahead and tell us how much you believe all this to total every month?

Edited November 9, 2019 by NightSky

[khunPer]

If you are not US citizen, and not married to a Thai – for example having a Thai girlfriend "only" – it's getting complicated to start a business in Thailand.

 

In short and generally you need:

• A company limited with minimum three shareholders
• Foreign shareholder(s) can maximum own 49%, i.e. 51% Thai ownership of "your"company
• Minimum 2 million baht shareholder capital for one foreigner's Work Permit
• 4 Thai employees for one foreign Work Permit
• If married to a Thai 1 million baht shareholder capital, and 2 Thai employees (to my knowledge, please correct me, if I'm wrong)

 

The digital nomads I know – i.e. single person self employed operation with online work only for foreign customers that pay their bill to a foreign account – just work "under the radar" and keep silent; officially living form their savings, and staying on either a non-O visa with extensions based on retirement, or based on married to a Thai, or they are staying on an Elite Card membership visa.

 

Foreign income brought into Thailand the following year after being earned, or later, is considered savings, and legally tax free; whilst foreign income brought into Thailand same year as earned is taxable. Staying in Thailand more than 180 days a year, i.e. 183 days, makes one theoretically taxable in Thailand, but applying for a TIN (Tax Identification Number) is difficult, if you don't have a Work Permit (only about 11 million Thais are registered for tax-return, and about 4 million pay income tax, according to recent news in this forums news-section). I you have no income taxable Thai income you are not of interest for "the tax man"; bank interest and equity dividends are taxed at source and tax is withheld, you don't need to do more.

 

Even if you are US citizen, and thereby can use the Thai-US amity treaty, or married to a Thai, it might be cheaper and more problem-free just to work as digital nomad under the radar.

 

It has been widely discussed both here in Thaivisa forum, and in other forums and in the news, if digital nomads need a WP or not. There are different answers, but not a clear solution; however, many answers – also from official sources – points at that digital online work for foreign clients only is not something the authorities looks deeply into, if visa and extension of stay are in order.

????

Edited November 9, 2019 by khunPer

[khunPer]

2 hours ago, NightSky said:

You do pay that much for tax on a 50,000 baht salary (must be at least this for foreigner or 40k in some instances to support the work permit) plus social fund for minimum 2 Thais if married or 4 Thais if not and accountants fee on top.

 

8k is cheap for all the above.

 

A cheap accountant alone is maybe 1000 to 2000 baht only but don't forget the social fund payment for 2 or 4 Thais and taxes you have to pay on a minimum salary not including the Thai minimum salaries.

 

Instead of dismissing real life experience go ahead and tell us how much you believe all this to total every month?

That sound fairly correct, 8k baht a month.

• 2 x SS for minimum salary = 2,000 baht/month
• Income tax for one foreigner circa 3,000 to 3,500 baht/month
• SS for foreigner (wise to have, as include health insurance): 1,500 baht/month
• Accountant minimum 1,000 baht a month

That is 8,000 baht per month.

If you need 4 Thai employees it will be additional 2,000 baht in SS, or minimum 810 baht. And if you also need to employ the four Thais that could be between 33,000 baht and up to 40,000 baht more per month...????

[ericthai]

5 hours ago, kralledr said:

lol 8k per month never for a co.,ltd you not pay that much.

why so much for work permit renewal? Our company has always paid about 3000B per work permit.

[mikebell]

14 hours ago, NightSky said:

Then you will need annual audits about 12k, work permit renewal about 10k

My audit company got me to sign a paper in Thai, gifting my wife 51% of my house.  Don't do it.

[kralledr]

12 hours ago, NightSky said:

You do pay that much for tax on a 50,000 baht salary (must be at least this for foreigner or 40k in some instances to support the work permit) plus social fund for minimum 2 Thais if married or 4 Thais if not and accountants fee on top.

 

8k is cheap for all the above.

 

A cheap accountant alone is maybe 1000 to 2000 baht only but don't forget the social fund payment for 2 or 4 Thais and taxes you have to pay on a minimum salary not including the Thai minimum salaries.

 

Instead of dismissing real life experience go ahead and tell us how much you believe all this to total every month?

i run my company 9 years now i surely never paid that much...

[Stef]

38 minutes ago, kralledr said:

i run my company 9 years now i surely never paid that much...

I have also run my small company for 20 years. I think NightSky's annual cost estimation is very reasonable if everything is legal (at least employee income tax, accounting cost and social security). If you can do much better I am interested to know how you do it.   

[Lacrimas]

2 hours ago, kralledr said:

i run my company 9 years now i surely never paid that much...

Do you plan applying for Thai citizenship or PR?

[William Osborne]

4 hours ago, Lacrimas said:

Do you plan applying for Thai citizenship or PR?

Its next to impossible to be Thai resident or PR.....apart from elite visa (unlimited tourist) you get yearly visa/extension only..

[sillyfool]

22 hours ago, Lacrimas said:

Yeah I'm considering to do the same for future citizenship application. Do we really need to hire the Thais if it is only me and my wife in the company? 

digital nomad citizenship ? hahahah best post this week.

[kralledr]

6 hours ago, Stef said:

I have also run my small company for 20 years. I think NightSky's annual cost estimation is very reasonable if everything is legal (at least employee income tax, accounting cost and social security). If you can do much better I am interested to know how you do it.   

 I do have 15+ employees, but i NEVER paid 8k PER PERSON per month just for tax etc... that is insane!

[NightSky]

3 hours ago, kralledr said:

 I do have 15+ employees, but i NEVER paid 8k PER PERSON per month just for tax etc... that is insane!

If you read the op’s post he is asking about minimal costs to operate a business legally. the minimum price to be legal is 8k/month in fees and taxes - in total. Not per person!

[kralledr]

8 hours ago, NightSky said:

If you read the op’s post he is asking about minimal costs to operate a business legally. the minimum price to be legal is 8k/month in fees and taxes - in total. Not per person!

even i not pay 8k a month ^^

[Lacrimas]

18 hours ago, sillyfool said:

digital nomad citizenship ? hahahah best post this week.

I'm not a digital nomad. Mine will be a legit business. 

[Lacrimas]

19 hours ago, William Osborne said:

Its next to impossible to be Thai resident or PR.....apart from elite visa (unlimited tourist) you get yearly visa/extension only..

No true. If you are working in Thailand, earn enough money and speak Thai you can get it. Even the citizenship.

[NightSky]

21 minutes ago, Lacrimas said:

I'm not a digital nomad. Mine will be a legit business. 

As you mentioned in another separate post, If you’re thinking about applying for PR after several years paying taxes with your own business I read on here that the business would need to hire and pay salary to real Thai employees (not just on paper) as the business would be scrutinised for legitimacy during the application process.

 

In this case add the minimum wage for 2 or 4 Thai employees to the monthly costs.

Edited November 11, 2019 by NightSky

[Lacrimas]

4 minutes ago, NightSky said:

As you mentioned in another separate post, If you’re thinking about applying for PR after several years paying taxes with your own business I read on here that the business would need to hire and pay salary to real Thai employees (not just on paper) as the business would be scrutinised for legitimacy during the application process.

 

In this case add the minimum wage for 2 or 4 Thai employees to the monthly costs.

OK thanks for the valuable info.