Remote Work And Visas

[kupsu]

Hi,

Which are options if you are working remotely and you are staying in Thailand? Example you are writing a book or work as it-support remotely. The case would be: You are working in your home and that company is nothing to do with Thailand.

My case: i'm 29y (single) from Finland and company located in Finland. They don't have any offices here in Thailand.

I tried to ask Immigration but they don't have any idea about that.

I mean staying in Thaialnd log time. Min 11 months

I´m currently in Thailand and I don't have a plan to go back my home country in near future. I know that I can get trible-entry tourist visa from there or probably one year non-b.

Can I get a non-? somewhere else in this case? Or what I should do?

[LivinLOS]

None legally short of full company formation and wp and tax.. Then having annual accounts, perhaps thai employees, etc etc etc. Thats what it takes to get legal.

Its a tough one as the systems are not set up for this.. Many people just fly under the radar.

[kupsu]

None legally short of full company formation and wp and tax.. Then having annual accounts, perhaps thai employees, etc etc etc. Thats what it takes to get legal.

Its a tough one as the systems are not set up for this.. Many people just fly under the radar.

Yes. I know that setting up a comppany is one way, but nowadays it's quite "heavy" thing to do.

[LivinLOS]

Well as a non Thai its the only fully legal way.. Heavy or not its how the protect thier own trades and keep the playing field that much more uneven for a farang to work here.

[WAERTH]

My advice would be ....

Have your Finnish company write a letter for you that you are based in Bangkok to do work for them and get a one year non-imm B with that. It isn't exactly a 100% legal, and there is always a chance you will get arrested, but normally as long as you make no enemies in Bangkok (especially amongst other jealous expats) you should be fine. Most Thais, including immigration, are really not interested in you, or screwing you around anyway. Takes away the sanuk.

Many immigration officers (highranking ones) have told me the following unwritten rules:

* Don't be violent or criminal

* Don't damage Thailands name

* Don't send money out of Thailand

* Don't piss anyone off to the intent that they press charges for illegally working here

* Don't overstay your visa ever

And chances are very small any immigration officer will ever bother you about what you are doing here! To much hassle and paperwork for them. Remember this is unofficial advice.

Waerth

[Cyberstar]

There might be a shortcut, however. The Finnish company, paying the expenses of your salary, etc., could - maybe - make a mutually beneficial arrangement with a Thailand registered company, that could use that arrangement as an "item" in their list of undertakings as to boost credibility when marketing.

The important thing, regarding operating "legally" in Thailand, is to maintain a credible paper trail - compliance with written laws is second to that (just ask the tax-officers, checking up on your yearly audit). In case your Finnish company should be IT-related, feel free to PM me (if you merely want to write a book or anything else that hasn't anything to do with computers - don't bother).

[kupsu]

Hmm...funny I called Thai embassy in Finland. They told me that you can remotely work legally with tourist visa and we will give you 3-entery touristvisa...sounds a bit strange...

I think that I don't have any problems with immigration-officers, because I'm currently living in country side in the north and the nearest immigration office is about 200km away and I'm only farang here

Cyberstar: I'm not a writer, mostly I work as an IT-support, but I will contact you later...thanks!

[theseveredhead]

id just play the game as waerth describes. anyone that goes through all the hassle and expense of setting up a company is pretty foolish unless s/he is looking to also use it for long-stay visa purposes (business visa) or needs to hire an educated person...

[girlx]

And chances are very small any immigration officer will ever bother you about what you are doing here!

Immigration doesn't give a rat's ass about this... I talked to 2 officers at length about it and they see nothing wrong with a person telecommuting from Thailand on a tourist visa.

It's the Ministry of Labor that might care. But how likely are you to run into them anyway? Besides which, your spending your foreign-earned money in Thailand is only a benefit to all.