Can anyone tell me what the rules are for setting up a company in Thailand and employing foreigners (from laos)?

Minimum salary limit and what kind of company and minimum capital?

 

 

 

 

Speak to a Thai accountant; the chat should cost you nothing. 

Better to get that advice from a qualified professional.

On 1/27/2025 at 4:35 AM, sweden4ever said:

Minimum salary limit and what kind of company and minimum capital?

"...what kind of company...?"

Your question is sooo shady.

You definitely need to talk to accountants and lawyers specializing in whatever you are trying to do.

Talk to a LAWYER

I am NOT a lawyer.

 

VERY basic rule that  I understand:

For every foreigner owning or working at a company, 4 ....THAIS.... on payroll full time and taxes being paid.

Since company ( in theory ?) would be Thailand (?) based, WHY would you ONLY want foreign workers - does not compute.

 

YOU can own a company even if you do NO work at that company - hummmmm, how does that jive?

On 1/27/2025 at 7:35 PM, sweden4ever said:

Can anyone tell me what the rules are for setting up a company in Thailand and employing foreigners (from laos)?

Minimum salary limit and what kind of company and minimum capital?

 

 

 

 

 

UI do not know the details but I work for a Thai company.

 

We employ many from Laos.... through a labour hire company, there is a few I asked to make fulltime company employees (they damn good workers) but was told nearly impossible to employ direct.

51 minutes ago, edwardflory said:

Talk to a LAWYER

I am NOT a lawyer.

 

VERY basic rule that  I understand:

For every foreigner owning or working at a company, 4 ....THAIS.... on payroll full time and taxes being paid.

Since company ( in theory ?) would be Thailand (?) based, WHY would you ONLY want foreign workers - does not compute.

 

YOU can own a company even if you do NO work at that company - hummmmm, how does that jive?

He might have sinister plans? I hope not😳

7 hours ago, edwardflory said:

Since company ( in theory ?) would be Thailand (?) based, WHY would you ONLY want foreign workers - does not compute.

 

YOU can own a company even if you do NO work at that company - hummmmm, how does that jive?

 

TNX for your reply

It is a small company, at the beginning it is only my thai girlfriend and my friends girlfriend from Laos will be working.

You cant work at all unless you have a non imm b permission to stay.

 

For you to get a work permit for your company you would need 3 thai or legalized foreigners (laos) employees before you can get a permit. Your staff would all need to be registered for ss and health and paid min wage.  If you do get a permit you can only do managerial type work no labor depending on the industry.

 

VAT kicks in at some point but can't remember when (baht of sales)  you can be a partner on paper owning 49%. You do not have to register an ordinary partnership agreement but if you want "legal " prote tion on some areas you can. Check out the license required for you business type and get them.  If not a brow. Envelope will be in your future.i have more but you post was vague so hard to give full Info. 

There are some things to know and you can do because of the pending tax on income that can benefit you as a business and foreigner but thats a separate issue 

22 minutes ago, sweden4ever said:

 

TNX for your reply

It is a small company, at the beginning it is only my thai girlfriend and my friends girlfriend from Laos will be working.

No, you won't. And not your friend's girlfriend either, not until you have shown significant revenue, and hired at least 4 (or is it 7) Thai employees. Until then you are not going to get a work permit, not for you nor the Laos national. So of all 3 of you, only your girlfriend is allowed to work.

29 minutes ago, sweden4ever said:

 

TNX for your reply

It is a small company, at the beginning it is only my thai girlfriend and my friends girlfriend from Laos will be working.

 

The easy way to do is that your Thai girlfriend opens a Co. Ltd company. She needs one other shareholder. She can be i.e. 99% shareholder and someone else, i.e. the accountant can be a second shareholder.

Then the company employs people. I have no idea about employees from neighboring countries.

 

After all is setup if you want to be up to 49% shareholder you can do that. Just buy the shares.

 

Cost to setup and run a company vary tremendously. Most likely a Thai accountant is the cheapest option.

And if you need only Thai language then that is obviously cheaper.

 

If a farang should work in the company that adds lots of conditions and extra cost.

 

 

How do the bars get round employing foreign managers ?

3 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

How do the bars get round employing foreign managers ?

One option is obviously to pay donations to the BiB. 

And some of the managers are not really managers. They just sit in the bar and drink beer. 😉 

9 hours ago, edwardflory said:

YOU can own a company even if you do NO work at that company - hummmmm, how does that jive?

Being a director and majority shareholder of a company is generally regarded as a 'grey area' - if all you do is attend shareholders meetings and keep any eye on the income, you don't actually do any work. Therefore you should not need a Work Permit and indeed, many in that position don't have one.  If you start directing staff and you are on Thai soil, you do require a Work Permit.

Just a little bit of info that might help you.  If you were to be married to a Thai citizen, then in many areas you would only need 2 Thai employees to obtain a work permit. I'm not sure if your wife was shareholder, if she could count towards that but if she does, then you would only need 1 other Thai employee.

 

You need to speak to the Ministry of Labour in your area to find out what THEIR requirements are. If you are using a lawyer to set up the company (recommended), let them do it, they might get entirely different answers to those that you get.

 

 

A small addition to the above - according to my lawyer in the case above, your wife can be a shareholder, director and one of the 2 employees required.  Again with the caveat that you need to check with your local Ministry of Labour Office - as we all know from other situations, different government offices of all types may vary the rules.

 

I would recommend letting your lawyer or accountant (who may know already) ask questions of the Labour Office. As I said above they may well get a very different answer than you do.