Multi-entree business visa

[coffeeaddict]

I have a "B" class multi-entree Business visa, and Iam unclear as to what this " actually" allows me to do while in Thailand, and more important : what Iam not allowed to do..... any addvise from an informed sorce would be much appreciated..

[NathanV23]

Do you mean 'b' class multiple entry non-immigrant visa? If so:

Read through the thread in this category, 'working in exports-no work permit-is it illegal?' You'll see that even among lawyers there is serious disagreement. After just doing more research I think it allows you to apply for a work permit and nothing more, but there are people like Dr. pat Pong who say it allows you to conduct business. So read through the thread and then maybe contact immigration and get a straight answer. If you do, let us know what they told you.

[Indo-Siam]

Hi C-A -

If you are asking in relation to employment here - then it is maybe best understood from the perspective of a work permit.

In Thailand, a work permit is a Blue Book with your photo in it, and a description of the job you are approved to do, the employer you may work for, and where you work.

It has an expiration date that is normally the same as the date that your most recent entry permit expires.

To obtain a work permit, you must be present in Thailand on a  non-immigrant visa on both the day you submit your application, and on the day you appear in person to pick up the book (currently, this is two weeks after application is submitted).

For most people, the only two routes to obtaining a non-immigrant visa (that makes you eligible to apply for a work permit) is to either marry a Thai (which enables you to get a non-immigrant Class O visa), or to obtain a Class B (employment based) visa from a Thai embassy.

The visa iteslf (stamp or paste-in page with Garuda emblem,that goes into your passport) is only good to get you past incoming immigration, and allowing you to obtain a 90 day entry permit upon arrival.  Once inside Thailand, the visa itself is meaningless.  Inside Thailand, it is the entry permit that is important.  All it does is allow you to stay 90 days in country.  But a 90-day non-immigrant entry permit can be extended for up to one year, without any requirement to leave Thailand.  It also makes you eligible to obtain a Thai driver's license, and to exercise authority over a Thai company bank account, and to apply for a work permit.

The entry permit itself is not an authorization to work in Thailand. It is an authorization to enter Thailand and apply for legal authorization to work.

Only a work permit issued by the Labor Ministry authorizes you to work in Thailand.  That document is also absolutely necessary to allow you to obtain a one-year extension of a 90 day entry permit originally issued against a non-immigrant Class B visa.  It is also required in order to obtain an import license, or to obtain an export license (the latter is required if you will seek to obtain refunds for VAT paid for products that were subsequently exported).

This discussion board is full of rancorous debate about what constitutes "work" in Thailand.  

Processing work permit applications is a core aspect of my primary business.   In practice, a work permit is required any time your are doing work that would allow the "employer", "job description" and "location of employment" spaces in a work permit booklet to be filled out in a meaningful way.  A work permit is required in order to legally receive salary from a Thai employer.

What is true is that if you are suddenly asked to perform a piece of casual work for a legitimate employer - lets say build them a website - as an otherwise unemployed person, they may pay you against a copy of your passport with non-immigrant entry permit - and they will withhold income tax from their payment to you, and submit withheld amount to revenue department along with copy of your passport.  And - nothing bad happens, even if you have no work permit.  You just need to report that "casual" income, along with any later regular employment income, at the time you submit your annual income tax return to Thai revenue department.  This applies to "irregular' work

I hope that answers your questions.

Regards,

Steve Sykes

Manabging Director

Indo-Siam Group

[LPCustom69]

So we are now to understand that you can do "casual work" without a work permit as long as taxes are paid? It sounds good, but seems to go against everything I have read here. Do you have a link to regulation regarding this?

 :cool:

[Indo-Siam]

I do not have any reference.  My comments are not necessarily in relation to what is authorized - just to what is practiced.  I have done short-term consulting work for two substantial established employers in Thailand - neither of which I formally worked for.  In both cases, when they paid me cash, the required a copy of my passport and my TM card.  Both then withheld a small amount of personal income taxes from my compensation.

When I filed my 2002 Thai taxes, I reported both these "casual" payments, and also the withholding amounts.  Overall, I ended up having to pay about 500 baht in addition to my "formal" earnings from my own company (my overall withholding was slightly too low).  Nothing bad happened.

Both employers seemed very used to the process - and (evidently) both frequently paid short-term consultants that way.  The first of the two jobs I did was before I had a company or a work permit (I did have a Class O "spouse" visa).

I suspect that the Thai government approach is that if "spot" requirements arise that require work to be started and completed over a weekend - by a farang present with a  non-immigrant visa, working for someone who is not their regular employer - they do not realisticallyv expect you to go through the multi-week process to get that job defined onto a work permit.  A work permit that you may happen to have for a different job is not related to the casual work (the second employer did NOT want a copy of my work permit - just my passport).

I am sure that there will be folks on this board who will tell you that what I am saying is terribly dangerous, and that Thai police are just waiting to spirit you away to jail and deportation for such a "crime."  My actual experience is that Thai officials are not interested in giving reasonable Western businessmen here a hard time - at least outside the "hospitality" (nightlife) industry (and maybe the boiler room and English-teaching industries).  As long as income tax has been correctly withheld from your casual earnings, no one bothers you. My "casual pay" experiences were in February and November 2002, in Bangkok.

Regards,

Steve

[nycjohn]

Re: Business Visa

I find better information here than anywhere else.

I have a question. I have a USA passport. I'm presently in Chiang Mai and my tourist visa will expire in about two weeks.

Can I apply for a business visa without leaving Thailand?

Thanks,

John

[lopburi3]

On what basis? A visa itself, if required, would have to be obtained outside of Thailand at a Consulate with proper paperwork.

[beechguy]

Re: Business Visa

I find better information here than anywhere else.

I have a question. I have a USA passport. I'm presently in Chiang Mai and my tourist visa will expire in about two weeks.

Can I apply for a business visa without leaving Thailand?

Thanks,

John

Was it really necessary to dredge up a thread over 7 years old thread to ask a question like that?

Anyway, the answer is no, except possibly as part of the one year extension of stay process. You can apply for a 30 day extension of the Tourist Visa for 1900 Baht if you're interested.

Edited March 19, 2011 by beechguy