Is there anything to stop me working remotely (from Thailand) with Non-O extended based on Marriage?

One of my options to relocate is to be transferred to my employer’s Singapore office. I would work there two months and then relocate to Thailand and work remotely, travelling back in Asia once a month.

As I understand the law, as it’s not working for a Thai employer there would be no need for a work permit. Is that the correct reading in this instance?

Yes, I’m aware that I could get a DTV but I would prefer a sense of permanence and I want a Thai bank account. My other option is LTR based on working remotely. I qualify based on income, but it seems the process for applying can be quite cumbersome - maybe it’s something I can do after I have the marriage option sorted.

Arguably it's not allowed, hence they introduced the DTV for this very situation. But, if you don't make it obvious, get paid outside Thailand. Don't tell anyone. And tell your wife not to either. Nobody will know or care.

You could glide under the radar in the manner proposed. I'm aware of others that are here on annual Non O marriage extensions; maintain a Thai bank account, have overseas employer pay salary into Wise account; mostly working from home with occasional use of workspace facilities in central Bangkok; and overall not attracting unnecessary attention.

If you work for a large corporation they're likely going to want to check the legal status of your situation which leaves only the LTR option.

Thai officials have previously declared that it if has nothing to do with Thais or Thailand, even a Tourist Visa is okay, and you can even do it from those Co-Working spaces that are popular with the great unwashed.

https://www.techinasia.com/digital-nomads-chased-out-of-punspace

If you are a ‘digital nomad’ running your own business on the internet, the immigration office says you can do this on a tourist visa.

they thought PunSpace was illegally hiring western staff without work permits. They did not know the concept of a co-working space or why we would pay to use an office, or check our email at a coffee shop or in our hotel.

Accordingly, they were interviewed about their work and visas, but were released afterward without any repercussions. Those who did not have their passports on hand were also not fined.

No problem. Some posters that actually believe they work for immigration and the department of labor may say there is a problem. The actual departments say there isn't.

5 hours ago, Larkin said:

Is there anything to stop me working remotely (from Thailand) with Non-O extended based on Marriage?

One of my options to relocate is to be transferred to my employer’s Singapore office. I would work there two months and then relocate to Thailand and work remotely, travelling back in Asia once a month.

You did not ask, but I assume you have thought through the taxation aspects, and that you plan on spending less than 180 days per year in Thailand. If you spend more than 180-days in Thailand, and if you remit the income to Thailand, then dependent on the money source and dependent on the Thai-Singapore DTA (or your Thai-income-source-country-DTA), the money you remit to Thailand could be taxable in Thailand.

Hence if you spend more than 180-days in Thailand, you many wish to structure your finances in regards to your legal taxation exposure.

Savings from outside of Thailand, saved from before 1-Jan-2024 are nominally not taxable in Thailand per Thai Revenue Department (RD) ministerial directives POR.16.1/162,

5 hours ago, Larkin said:

My other option is LTR based on working remotely. I qualify based on income, but it seems the process for applying can be quite cumbersome - maybe it’s something I can do after I have the marriage option sorted.

One advantage of LTR, is if, for example, you are on the LTR Work from Thailand Professional, ... then you are, I believe, exempt Thailand income tax on your Singapore income when you remit that money to Thailand - even if it is remitted in the year in which you earned it. This, I believe, is different from the LTR-Wealth Pensioner (or LTR Wealthy Global Citizen) visa where the foreign money remitted to Thailand is Tax exempt only if remitted to Thailand in a year OTHER than which it was earned.

I think the Type-O/OA (based on marriage) requires one to apply for a work permit in Thailand if one wishes to work in Thailand. But I suspect that applies to working for company's registered in Thailand (and not from a digital nomad style job) ... but I am unsure.

In my view, the DTV and LTR visas give you the most solid legal grounds. With a Type-O you likely could slide under the RD radar, but one never knows what sort of enforcement the future may, or may not, bring.

I have an LTR-WP visa. I took me a while to get it, but given most of the application process (for the Visa) was done from the comfort of my seaside condo balcony (with my laptop), sipping a glass of wine and over looking the sea, I did not find the application process that annoying, despite having a lot of back and forth with Thaland BoI.

2 hours ago, Packer said:

Thai officials have previously declared that it if has nothing to do with Thais or Thailand, even a Tourist Visa is okay, and you can even do it from those Co-Working spaces that are popular with the great unwashed.

One alleged quote from an official following a botched up raid 12 years ago. I don't think I'd be hanging my hat on that.

1 hour ago, treetops said:

One alleged quote from an official following a botched up raid 12 years ago. I don't think I'd be hanging my hat on that.

But are there any publicized counter examples, people who did remote work while in Thailand and got prosecuted for it? I don't know any myself.

11 minutes ago, Caldera said:

But are there any publicized counter examples, people who did remote work while in Thailand and got prosecuted for it? I don't know any myself.

There's a few but it's usually something else that attracted the attention of the authorities like it being crypto or fraud activities, and this guy that got dropped in it by his girl but only after immigration got on his case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNmn0PoqpVs

Doubtful if there's (m)any doing as the OP get busted (assuming his Singapore employer is above board).

52 minutes ago, treetops said:

Doubtful if there's (m)any doing as the OP get busted (assuming his Singapore employer is above board).

Exactly

Also nonsense posts re taxation

3 hours ago, oldcpu said:

I assume you have thought through the taxation aspects, and that you plan on spending less than 180 days per year in Thailand

To each their own.

I find this a nonsense.

So please outline your situation re expat in Thailand and concerned re taxation

6 hours ago, oldcpu said:

You did not ask, but I assume you have thought through the taxation aspects, and that you plan on spending less than 180 days per year in Thailand. If you spend more than 180-days in Thailand, and if you remit the income to Thailand, then dependent on the money source and dependent on the Thai-Singapore DTA (or your Thai-income-source-country-DTA), the money you remit to Thailand could be taxable in Thailand.

Hence if you spend more than 180-days in Thailand, you many wish to structure your finances in regards to your legal taxation exposure.

Your a bit behind the times, the revenue dept did a 'u' turn.

11 hours ago, Larkin said:

Is there anything to stop me working remotely (from Thailand) with Non-O extended based on Marriage?

One of my options to relocate is to be transferred to my employer’s Singapore office. I would work there two months and then relocate to Thailand and work remotely, travelling back in Asia once a month.

As I understand the law, as it’s not working for a Thai employer there would be no need for a work permit. Is that the correct reading in this instance?

Married to a Thai you have the right to work, but technically, you still need a work permit for any work performed while physically in Thailand, regardless of employer location.
However if your working from home on a PC, nobody will ask questions and you keep quiet about the fact.

It is very unlikely anybody from Immigration will ever know.

The more you keep private information like how you make money to yourself the better off you are here. Really, if you can fly under the radar while you live here you will be quite happy.

4 hours ago, happydreamer said:

The more you keep private information like how you make money to yourself the better off you are here. Really, if you can fly under the radar while you live here you will be quite happy.

Agree.

In OP example suggest his company pay into Singapore account would be best option.

On 2/10/2026 at 11:39 PM, Liquorice said:

Your a bit behind the times, the revenue dept did a 'u' turn.

Interesting. I am most curious now to learn where I am 'behind the times' and when the 'u' turn was implemented per what legal government document?

My understanding is Thai Tax law section-41, para-2 requires any foreigner residing in Thailand to pay tax on locally earned income and on remitted income if certain tax thresholds and certain other aspects are also met.

ie

Section 41, Paragraph 2 (Resident Rule): States something like:

"A resident of Thailand who in the previous tax year derived assessable income under Section 40 from an employment or from business carried on abroad or from a property situated abroad shall, upon bringing such assessable income into Thailand, pay tax in accordance with the provisions of this Part."

Royal Decree-18 (on Double Tax Agreement tax exemptions) and Royal Decree-743 (on LTR visa tax exemptions), Ministerial directives POR.161/162 on pre-1-Jan-2024 savings remited into Thailand and Thailand tax law on interest earned in Thailand banks (where there was already a withholding tax applied) are very relevant here, and legally they DO exclude many expats from needing to file a Thai tax return and exclude having to pay tax in Thailand (if such the only income). But that does not by any stretch of the imagination legally exclude each and every expat in Thailand from having to file a Tax return (although it does exclude many). Every expat's situation is different.

Before the recent election the Thai government was talking of some new changes, but after the very very recent election there has been no ministerial directives on this yet. There may be soon, but I have as of yet read of nothing.

But you note I am 'behind the times' ... so please provide your precise reference, as clearly, and with all due respect I am interested in learning. I would like to read of any new tax law change, or any new Royal Decree, or any new Ministerial Directive showing me to be behind the times. I think we are all keen to read if the re-elected government continues with their plans, but as I noted, I have yet to read of a formal new document. Is such already 'hot off the press', or are you anticipating?

Until I read the tax law change, or new Royal Decree, or Ministerial Directive - well ... I am from Missouri on this. But I am very keen to read of the specific legal Thai government document which leads you to believe I am behind the times.

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Interesting. I am most curious now to learn where I am 'behind the times' and when the 'u' turn was implemented per what legal government document?

Not wishing to go off topic, I'll send a PM shortly.

On 2/12/2026 at 4:10 PM, oldcpu said:

Interesting. I am most curious now to learn where I am 'behind the times' and when the 'u' turn was implemented per what legal government document?

On 2/12/2026 at 4:10 PM, oldcpu said:

Before the recent election the Thai government was talking of some new changes, but after the very very recent election there has been no ministerial directives on this yet. There may be soon, but I have as of yet read of nothing.

Indeed, the poster is misinformed, or actually behind the times

I presume they are referring to this:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/3028760/thailand-to-amend-tax-on-foreign-income-remittance

But it hasn't got any further than the proposal stage, as you clarified

On 2/12/2026 at 6:18 PM, Liquorice said:

Not wishing to go off topic, I'll send a PM shortly.

I think it's pretty relevant to the topic.

Please share, or create a thread in https://aseannow.com/forum/13-jobs-economy-banking-business-investments/ to share any updates on the situation.