I have been three times this year to chiangmai and love the city i was recently there for two months plus overstay 10 days and i have a nice girlfriend there what I wish to find out the current free tourist visa for thailand is it still in operation as i was told by one the immigration officers it will be still in affect until the 3rd of march and I am holding a Australian passport, also with a 60 day tourist visa single entry can it be extended to a further 30 days if you go across the border also my girlfriend is talking about she wants to see if she can start a business what i would like to know if i set it up in my name then i can stay in thailand for a year at a time and report to the immigration every three months

thankyou for any advice on visas

Edited July 21, 200916 yr by lanky

You cannot extend your 60 day single entry tourist visa at land border; you have to go to immigration. Fee 1900 baht.

To own a business in Thailand you will need to set up thai company which needs to be capitalised at minimum of THB 2million. 25% of that (THB 500k) needs to be paid up, ie, paid into company's bank account to run the business. The balance can show in company accounts as money due from the shareholders. Farangs can only own 49% of the shares in the company so you need Thai shareholder(s) for the remaining 51%. There are restrictions as to what businesses farangs can operate. You need to employ 4 thais to obtain a work permit. Working without a work permit in Thailand is illegal.

Have a look at the following link for more information

BOI

You will need to apply for NonB visa in your home country to support work permit application. Then can extend for 12 months in Thailand and just report to immigration every 90 days. WP is issued for 12 months.

You extend a tourist visa by 30 days by going to an immigraiton office and paying a fee of 1,900 baht. Don't forget to bring a photo.

Setting the business up in your girlfriends name with you as an employer will be easier. Have a look at the link provided by thaipoon.

Note that during the first 2 years of the company you will have to leave the country every 90 days, as imigration will not give you an extension of stay for 1 year till the company can show tax documents over the past 2 years.

But you do not have to obtain a non immigrant B visa in your home country or even have one to apply for a work permit.

But you do not have to obtain a non immigrant B visa in your home country or even have one to apply for a work permit.

I meant to say need to apply for Non-B outside Thailand (rather than home country), so apologies. Yes, I agree you can apply for WP without Non-B, but you cannot collect it without showing Non-B, so my posting is I believe correct that Non-B visa is required to support WP application (no NonB = no WP).