Stay in thailand

[jopihu]

Hi!

I am 33 years old and come from Austria. I am very lucky that my business in Austria is extremeley successful and that I have earned enough money to be able to retire (Well, it was not only luck, very hard work was also needed :-)

I visited Thailand quite often the last few years and I fell in love with this country. So my question is: Is it possible for me to live in Thailand?

Here is what I have:

- Enough money to stay in Thailand. When moving there I can use about 200k€ to buy a house and I will get about 3.500€ per month from an investment fund for the rest of my life.

- My girlfriend, she lives with me in Austria, is Thai. We are together for about 2 years now and as happy as on day one!

- I also own a big house in Austria, which I will not sell, so I will always have something where I can go back to.

- There is no need for me to work in Thailand. I have enough money. My girlfriend wants to open a small restaurant and I will pay for setting it up. She is a fantastic cook!

What do I want:

- I want to buy or build a house in Thailand (near a beach).

- I want to buy a car and boat (I am a passionate diver).

- All of that should be secure! I love my girlfriend, but I will never buy land, house, car … on her name. If something happens with us I would lose it all. How can I make sure that my investments in Thailand are secure?

- A resident visa would be prefect, but not very easy to get :-) What is the best visa option I have?

I have read a lot on the Internet about the laws in Thailand regarding visas and buying property. Some of it is easy to understand, but parts are extrememly confusing. What is the best strategy to get what I want?

Thanks for your help,

Josef

[buasaard]

Not easy.

You can't get an non-immigrant visa because you are not married and you do not work in Thailand.

You can't get a retirement permit because you are not over 50 (unless you are a disabled). So you can only apply for a tourist visa for 60 days. It means that every 60 days you must apply for a new tourist visa in a neighbouring country (Penang-Malaysia, Singapore or wherever).

Regarding house, car and boat you have similar problems.

For the house you can only buy a condominium unit or lease a house for a 30 years period(with option for a further 30 years), you can't buy a car because for thais you are just a tourist (but maybe you can risk buying a second hand car in your girlfriend's name ). I don't know about boats.

I think the best is that you go first in Thailand with a tourist visa and then ask a lawyer (maybe your embassy can address you to a trusty lawyer).

[Indo-Siam]

Jopihu -

You asked the question, so I will provide you with an answer.  Disclaimer - I run a business that helps overseas clients incorporate here, and obtain work permits and visas.

You can come here and set up a company - effectively just a holding company.  That company can then buy property, run a restaurant, perform property management services.

You start the company, and then work as Managing Director.  Hire four Thais (one cook, one bartender, one waitress, and your gf as restaurant manager - or a maid, a gardner, a cook, and your gf as property manager) - because you need to employ four Thais earning at least 6,000 baht per month each, to get a work permit.  You also need to bring in 2,000,000 baht as initial capitalization funding, to qualify for work permit.  You may then spend this money - to buy house and furniture, car, etc.  You will also need to pay yourself at least 50,000 baht per month.

Everything I describe above is completely legal.  There is an issue about majority Thai ownership of company - which we can help you work out.

Cost of this approach - roughly 1,600 Euro to start (company registration, work permit, visa) , plus maybe 1,000 Euro to cover establishment of legal office address (office deposits, landlord certificate of occupancy, etc.) plus maybe 800 Euro per month for Thai staff salaries, bookkeeping, office maintenance, etc.

We can get company set up and work permit issued within about five weeks.  Entry permit extension takes about another six weeks.

If interested in further details, contact me at [email protected].

Regards,

Indo-Siam

[jopihu]

Hi!

Thanks for the answer! This is what I expected after reading the related web pages. The best way to go would be to set up a company to be able to get a visa, right to own property ...

Indo-Siam: I will contact you regaing setting up a company, but don't get too exicted yet :-) I plan to move to Thailand in about a year from now and I am still in the process to find the best options.

Josef

[ChiangMaiThai]

If you're ready to spend 200,000 Euros, you should get one #### of a house here, especially if you don't need to live in the typical tourist places. Just make sure you take your time and look around to make sure you're getting your money's worth. No doubt if you start telling people you meet here what you have to spend, you will quickly make lots of new friends who know of a great house you should buy!

[jopihu]

Hi!

I will not buy something in a tourist place! I want to live in a quite and remote area and travel to Phuket or Pattaya if I want to party. Well, maybe no too remote!

As far as buying something is concerned I plan to travel through Thailand for 2-3 month early next year to get an overview of locations and prices. And you are definitly right! As soon as someone knows how much money is involved I will have lots of new friends in no time :-) But be assured that I am aware of that. And by the way: Josef is not my real name :-)

Thanks for the info, ChiangMaiThai!

Josef

[ChiangMaiThai]

Okay, if you don't stay in a tourist place, know that 200,000 euros will get you a great place and maybe not even neccessary to spend that much depending on what you want. Lucky you!

[Sunbelt Asia]

Hi Steve,

Sorry but my understanding is you're mistaken on several quotes

"because you need to employ four Thais earning at least 6,000 baht per month each, to get a work permit. "

No minimum salary is required for the employees to obtain a work permit. It could be a part- time maid making 1,000 Baht.

"You will also need to pay yourself at least 50,000 baht per month."

30,000 if you're single... 45,000 if you're married is the current rule. At lease that’s what our legal department that advises our clients informs me. :- )

[Indo-Siam]

Greg -

I have learned that if you literally hit the absolute legal minimums right on the head, this triggers closer scrutiny.

I specialize in getting work permits quickly - my most recent client got his on day 24 after he touched ground in Thailand.

If every checklist factor is exactly borderline, your packet goes for supervisor review.  If you plus-up a bit, the lowest worker bees are allowed to "rubber stamp it".

Miminum wage for Thais working in Bangkok full time is something like 5,897 baht - I just bump that t0 6,000.

I also feel that anyone who finds it necessary to borderline every item on the list has a very small chance of being successful here.  

But - folks - technically, Sunbelt and his lawyers are correct about the absolute legal minimums.   But - expect extra processing delays if you just meet the minimums.

Cheers!

Indo-Siam