Interview with the Deputy Director-General of the Consular Department about DTV

[ricklev]

It's too bad he felt the need to pretend that people would be taking vacations after the 180 days instead of clearly asking if border bounces would be allowed or ask what kinds of courses would qualify for the visa.  Would a one week cooking course work?  It does clarify a lot, but of course each embassy will assert their own requirements.  

[Lorry]

This is the third time within 24 hours I see this video posted on AN.

 

I have actually read the regulations about the DTV.

I also went through the relevant threads and read this guy's facebook post, that was quite useful. Thanks for the poster who at the time posted the link.

 

Here, the same information again, for people who are not able or willing to read, audible, 3 times .... for vloggers, muay thai warriors and cooks.

[ricklev]

25 minutes ago, Lorry said:

This is the third time within 24 hours I see this video posted on AN.

 

I have actually read the regulations about the DTV.

I also went through the relevant threads and read this guy's facebook post, that was quite useful. Thanks for the poster who at the time posted the link.

 

Here, the same information again, for people who are not able or willing to read, audible, 3 times .... for vloggers, muay thai warriors and cooks.

You are welcome and thanks for your time.    

[LivinLOS]

Great video.. fully confirming what I believed to be the case from the royal gazette. Unlimited entries and 1900 thb being the primary ones. 

The only tiny caveat left is he is from the MFA, who issues the visa, NOT from immigration who process arrival and extensions. It 'should' all go that way now, but we know how variable it can be. 

[TaoNow]

Just a few comments.  The vlogger featured here used to (still does?) have a page called "Retired Working for You."

 

And, if you watched any of the early posts, this is someone who speaks no or little Thai language, lives as a tourist in Thailand, and seemingly has never gotten the proper visa for his purpose for living or visiting, or working in Thailand on an extended basis.

 

Also, if I was going to visit a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, I would at least dress more politely than this person does. 

 

Can't he even tuck in his shirt?

 

Especially for a video interview which he posts to the Internet? 

 

Spare me.

 

'nuff said.

[Presnock]

38 minutes ago, TaoNow said:

Just a few comments.  The vlogger featured here used to (still does?) have a page called "Retired Working for You."

 

And, if you watched any of the early posts, this is someone who speaks no or little Thai language, lives as a tourist in Thailand, and seemingly has never gotten the proper visa for his purpose for living or visiting, or working in Thailand on an extended basis.

 

Also, if I was going to visit a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, I would at least dress more politely than this person does. 

 

Can't he even tuck in his shirt?

 

Especially for a video interview which he posts to the Internet? 

 

Spare me.

 

'nuff said.

I was wondering why he never asked about the taxes if they stay over the 180 days in a calendar year.  Since the nomads can't work for a Thai company, they will have to remit foreign income and I wonder if they are getting a tax exemption too or not.

 

[Caldera]

3 hours ago, TaoNow said:

Just a few comments.  The vlogger featured here used to (still does?) have a page called "Retired Working for You."

 

And, if you watched any of the early posts, this is someone who speaks no or little Thai language, lives as a tourist in Thailand, and seemingly has never gotten the proper visa for his purpose for living or visiting, or working in Thailand on an extended basis.

 

Also, if I was going to visit a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, I would at least dress more politely than this person does. 

 

Can't he even tuck in his shirt?

 

Especially for a video interview which he posts to the Internet? 

 

Spare me.

 

'nuff said.

 

And yet, he got to interview the senior official, while you waste your time moaning about him here. Get a life.

[Rob Browder]

7 hours ago, Presnock said:

I was wondering why he never asked about the taxes if they stay over the 180 days in a calendar year.  Since the nomads can't work for a Thai company, they will have to remit foreign income and I wonder if they are getting a tax exemption too or not.

The MFA guy would not get into the tax-issue.  There is no tax-break in the law for this visa, so the 180 days/year in Thailand rule would apply.  What is owed, if anything, depends on the income-source/type, applicable deductions, and/or dual-tax treaties.

[Presnock]

7 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

The MFA guy would not get into the tax-issue.  There is no tax-break in the law for this visa, so the 180 days/year in Thailand rule would apply.  What is owed, if anything, depends on the income-source/type, applicable deductions, and/or dual-tax treaties.

As a matter of fact, the MFA guy mentioned that all visa are affected by the tax laws but he just didn't specify whether or not once the DTA holder is incountry over 180 days during any one calendar year he then is a tax resident and currently there is no provision for making it a tax-free visa or exempted tax visa by the TRD or Royal Decree.  Guess the guy didn't want to tread on the TRD interpretations.

[Ben Zioner]

7 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

What is owed, if anything, depends on the income-source/type, applicable deductions, and/or dual-tax treaties.

Totally correct, therefore it should steer away from Thailand anyone with a bit of common sense.

[Caldera]

39 minutes ago, Presnock said:

As a matter of fact, the MFA guy mentioned that all visa are affected by the tax laws but he just didn't specify whether or not once the DTA holder is incountry over 180 days during any one calendar year he then is a tax resident and currently there is no provision for making it a tax-free visa or exempted tax visa by the TRD or Royal Decree.  Guess the guy didn't want to tread on the TRD interpretations.

 

If they had wanted to make the DTV special with regards to taxation, they would have done so when they created it, as with the LTR visa. They haven't.

[Presnock]

1 minute ago, Caldera said:

 

If they had wanted to make the DTV special with regards to taxation, they would have done so when they created it, as with the LTR visa. They haven't.

I agree with your statement but you also must understand that a lot of the users of this forum unless given a specific answer that they want then they will guess that the answer is what they want to hear and may be incorrect most of the time.  I blv that the TRD should report on the DTV tax requirements for those staying in country over 180 days a calendar year as it seem so many people that I have heard talking/writing about this particular visa believe that one can stay within Thailand for almost the entire 5 years without having to do extensions but just go across the border and return for a new entry stamp and I am sure the TRD will have something to say about that since the holders of this visa cannot work for a Thai company so must remit funds to live or carry a lot of cash each exit/entrance.  I really don't care except I just think if the Dir of the TRD makes that clear, then this subject will only get a few pages instead of a hundred pages of repeated questions and guesses.

[Rob Browder]

7 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

Totally correct, therefore it should steer away from Thailand anyone with a bit of common sense.

No, only those with a source of income which might create a tax-liability they do not wish to pay.   They could swap countries every 6-mo - avoiding the similar tax system in Cambodia, for example. 

 

Someone bringing in Social Security income will have no tax-liability in Thailand on that money.  The same is true for other forms of income, if the tax-rate is the same or higher + paid in the country where it is earned, provided there is a dual-tax treaty.

 

This really isn't that complicated.  I don't see why people are upset.  But then, I always did my own taxes in the USA, including for a small business.  It's literally elementary-school math.

[DrJack54]

Off topic post removed

[spambot]

How to qualify as a Digital Nomad requires a suitable submission of "Certificate of employment or any professional portfolio of your work (interviewer asks) so if they have a a portfolio of clients and work they can show this (General Ninnad) yes professional ones of course" - He stated that it is not necessarily to have contracts to support the portfolio "but it would help" -

 

It will be interesting to see how Digital Nomads are actually judged in order to qualify.

[shdmn]

On 7/27/2024 at 6:30 PM, ricklev said:

It's too bad he felt the need to pretend that people would be taking vacations after the 180 days instead of clearly asking if border bounces would be allowed or ask what kinds of courses would qualify for the visa.  Would a one week cooking course work?  It does clarify a lot, but of course each embassy will assert their own requirements.  

I would have have liked to see more questions about that stuff as well.  Still better info than anything else currently out there so the pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place.

[shdmn]

23 minutes ago, spambot said:

How to qualify as a Digital Nomad requires a suitable submission of "Certificate of employment or any professional portfolio of your work (interviewer asks) so if they have a a portfolio of clients and work they can show this (General Ninnad) yes professional ones of course" - He stated that it is not necessarily to have contracts to support the portfolio "but it would help" -

 

It will be interesting to see how Digital Nomads are actually judged in order to qualify.

I am still trying to figure this out for myself.  I would prefer to not give them any financial/tax details of my business but so far I can't see a way around it for my particular situation.

[spambot]

2 hours ago, shdmn said:

I am still trying to figure this out for myself.  I would prefer to not give them any financial/tax details of my business but so far I can't see a way around it for my particular situation.

Yup - Its never easy understanding what the rules are in Thailand and I do not know what business you are in, but if you are digitally focussed and according to the video - providing a decent professional portfolio may simply be enough. If on the other hand if your work is not digital, but simply provide work remotely, its going to be difficult to prove without invoice based evidence.

[shdmn]

2 hours ago, spambot said:

Yup - Its never easy understanding what the rules are in Thailand and I do not know what business you are in, but if you are digitally focussed and according to the video - providing a decent professional portfolio may simply be enough. If on the other hand if your work is not digital, but simply provide work remotely, its going to be difficult to prove without invoice based evidence.

 

Imaging someone remotely reselling dog food online.  Or t-shirts.  Or dildos.  Doesn't matter.   There is no concept of a professional portfolio in that type of business and yet people who do that are still digital nomads.  That is why I said I don't know what to give them. Lots of other people will have the same dilemma.

 

The person doing this type of business is just the middleman btw.  They don't need to fulfill the orders themselves, so easily done remotely.  Or possibly they are reselling something that is fulfilled over the internet.  Like software or some kind of remote service.  Again, there is nothing you can call a professional portfolio in this type of a remote business where they are just reselling stuff.

[spambot]

11 hours ago, shdmn said:

 

Imaging someone remotely reselling dog food online.  Or t-shirts.  Or dildos.  Doesn't matter.   There is no concept of a professional portfolio in that type of business and yet people who do that are still digital nomads.  That is why I said I don't know what to give them. Lots of other people will have the same dilemma.

 

The person doing this type of business is just the middleman btw.  They don't need to fulfill the orders themselves, so easily done remotely.  Or possibly they are reselling something that is fulfilled over the internet.  Like software or some kind of remote service.  Again, there is nothing you can call a professional portfolio in this type of a remote business where they are just reselling stuff.

Yes - I do get your point.

At 9:22 Who qualifies "Category 1 = Freelances, Digital Nomads, remote workers".

At 10:01 "Document that you need for Freelancers, remote workers digital nomads is a letter of 

certificate or employment from a company outside of Thailand."

 

I guess if self employed then a proof of your tax return or other proof of business activity - Since this is for Embassy admin there should be minimum risk for impact on data available to say Thailand Tax authority (or other entities) because of data protection.

 

Begs the question: The definition of Freelances and remote workers could be almost anything and hence the definition of what this actually means and how to prove it will be interesting to see.