Moving To Bangkok To Start New Business

[funkeymonkey]

Hi, myself (27, from Ireland) and my girlfriend (23 from Ireland) currently run a small business in Ireland. We plan to move to bangkok to start a small business while family will look after our business in Ireland.

What is the best type of visa for this? We will not be employing anyone, it will just be the two of us and we expect we will be there a couple of months before the business gets up and running.

Thanks for any help!

[beano2274]

If you tell people what kind of business you might get a few good answers.

For my two penneth - What visa will you get, and how about a work permit?

[mrtoad]

Hi, myself (27, from Ireland) and my girlfriend (23 from Ireland) currently run a small business in Ireland. We plan to move to bangkok to start a small business while family will look after our business in Ireland.

What is the best type of visa for this? We will not be employing anyone, it will just be the two of us and we expect we will be there a couple of months before the business gets up and running.

Thanks for any help!

Well, you will need to employ Thais.

[MJo]

Work permit means local company with few million baht capital, 51% owned by thai nationals and to employ four thais against one work permit.... It all depends on the business but something like this...

Contact one of the forum sponsors to find out all the details.

[thaiphoon]

To own a business in Thailand you will need to set up Thai company which needs to be capitalised at minimum of THB 4million (see below). 25% of that (THB 1M) 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 a maximum of 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 as detailed in the Foreign Business Act. You need to employ 4 thais for each work permit. The company will need 2M baht capital for each work permit (= 4M baht for 2 work permits). Working in Thailand without a work permit is illegal and the penalties ares severe.

Have a look at the following link for more information

BOI

Edited September 30, 2009 by thaiphoon

[funkeymonkey]

wow this seems complicated...

Basically I plan on wholesaling clothing to my customers in Europe from Bangkok.

So, they order from my catalog, I then ship goods to them- I dont need to employ any1 to help me to that!

Is this possible?

[beano2274]

wow this seems complicated...

Basically I plan on wholesaling clothing to my customers in Europe from Bangkok.

So, they order from my catalog, I then ship goods to them- I dont need to employ any1 to help me to that!

Is this possible?

Easy answer = NO

[MJo]

Good old rag trade. Patters used to be full of them 10 - 20 years ago. Fairly popular way to fund the boozing and "lifestyle". Also to be noted totally illegal and as other said the penalties are severe and nowadays they will find out sooner or later as the crackdowns progress.

[funkeymonkey]

wow this seems complicated...

Basically I plan on wholesaling clothing to my customers in Europe from Bangkok.

So, they order from my catalog, I then ship goods to them- I dont need to employ any1 to help me to that!

Is this possible?

Easy answer = NO

well, i currently do this, only not from thailand-i travel there 4 times a year to buy stock...which is an expense i could do without , so I figured I could move to thailand for a year and ship from there direct to my customers, and they can pay me straight into my thai bank account..

Why is this not possible?

[MJo]

wow this seems complicated...

Basically I plan on wholesaling clothing to my customers in Europe from Bangkok.

So, they order from my catalog, I then ship goods to them- I dont need to employ any1 to help me to that!

Is this possible?

Easy answer = NO

well, i currently do this, only not from thailand-i travel there 4 times a year to buy stock...which is an expense i could do without , so I figured I could move to thailand for a year and ship from there direct to my customers, and they can pay me straight into my thai bank account..

Why is this not possible?

Well if you read the posts above it is actually possible by setting up a thai company with 4M capital registered, 51% thai ownership and employ 8 thais.

But is it feasible thus possible to make it work financially, short answer NO !

Edit: if you just come and visit Thailand to buy you could get one year multiple business visa and you would be there in between with the legal issues (re: working in Thailand without work permit). But you still need to get paid back in Ireland and pay your taxes there. The moment you are getting paid direct to your Thai bank account you are illegal and highly visible one as all money coming in can be seen from your account statements...

Edited September 30, 2009 by MJo

[beano2274]

Do you have a work permit? No

Do you have a company to help gain a work permit? No

Do you have a Thai partner to help open a company? No

How many other people have thought of the same idea? millions and millions.

Thailand is changing, people are getting wiser, the new immigration laws have seen to that.

No company = No work permit = No way to work legally in Thailand.

Getting caught will mean a hefty fine.

Read pages on this site, get the information then sit down and think about it seriously.

If you want to do business then get someone in Thailand to help you ship the T-shirts.

[thaiphoon]

Getting caught will mean a hefty fine.

... and deportation.

[funkeymonkey]

Good old rag trade. Patters used to be full of them 10 - 20 years ago. Fairly popular way to fund the boozing and "lifestyle". Also to be noted totally illegal and as other said the penalties are severe and nowadays they will find out sooner or later as the crackdowns progress.

what is the penalty if caught?

Is it possible for me to enter thailand and remain there for 1 year if i go to cambodia every 3 months to get a stamp on my passport?

[beano2274]

Good old rag trade. Patters used to be full of them 10 - 20 years ago. Fairly popular way to fund the boozing and "lifestyle". Also to be noted totally illegal and as other said the penalties are severe and nowadays they will find out sooner or later as the crackdowns progress.

what is the penalty if caught?

Is it possible for me to enter thailand and remain there for 1 year if i go to cambodia every 3 months to get a stamp on my passport?

Which Visa will you apply for?

Remember any work can lead to deportation and/or a hefty fine.

[MJo]

As the guys said. Hefty fine and deportation not to mention jail time in immigration detention center while going to court and waiting to be deported.

Sure you can do it but it is illegal and carries the penalties above. Are you doing the same in Ireland, selling cash on delivery and dodging taxes? What is the penalty there?

[Geekfreaklover]

Exporting clothing is not the best business to be in in Thailand at the moment unless you have some major contracts / contacts. Have you considered the exchange rates? World consumer habits?

I've seen a number of export businesses go under recently.

One idea could be to buy an existing export company company that are suffering from the current economic slump. It takes time and money to close a business here. That way you take over with the exisiting capital in place and the exisitng work force accounts, tax records etc. It would just involve a change of shareholders, a fee and you up and running.

Just a thought.

Edited September 30, 2009 by Geekfreaklover

[funkeymonkey]

As the guys said. Hefty fine and deportation not to mention jail time in immigration detention center while going to court and waiting to be deported.

Sure you can do it but it is illegal and carries the penalties above. Are you doing the same in Ireland, selling cash on delivery and dodging taxes? What is the penalty there?

No, I am not doing the same in Ireland. My main business here is retailing clothing purchased in Thailand. I have a fully registered business here and pay all taxes.

Is it possible to stay in Bangkok for 1 year and send stock home to my business in Ireland every few months?

I do this anyway only that I don't stay in Thailand permanently..

[beano2274]

You could stay in Thailand for a while, long enough to purchase enough T-shirts, but you have expenditure here, hotel, visa runs, food, postage and packaging, travel expenses. Easier for you to come over and get some contacts who can send you the t-shirts.

[Bisto]

why not set up a drop shipper and if you are coming to Thailand to buy clothes in patunam chatuchak

you are wasting your money set up a drop shipper directly with manufacturer. then you wont have to waste money flying to Thailand every 3 months

[Geekfreaklover]

As the guys said. Hefty fine and deportation not to mention jail time in immigration detention center while going to court and waiting to be deported.

Sure you can do it but it is illegal and carries the penalties above. Are you doing the same in Ireland, selling cash on delivery and dodging taxes? What is the penalty there?

No, I am not doing the same in Ireland. My main business here is retailing clothing purchased in Thailand. I have a fully registered business here and pay all taxes.

Is it possible to stay in Bangkok for 1 year and send stock home to my business in Ireland every few months?

I do this anyway only that I don't stay in Thailand permanently..

Tricky question. In theory you need a company an export license and would have to pay 6% export tax this end.

If you employ an export agent you may be able to get around this.

[funkeymonkey]

So ..just to be clear.

I would be living in Bangkok for 1 year. Every 3 months or so, I would purchase a shipment of stock, and send it to my company in Ireland. This way I am not actually doing any business /working in Thailand..I am not selling stock from Thailand to customers in Europe..I am just sending stock to my business in Ireland.

Then, when the stock arrives in Ireland and is cleared my customes, duty etc paid, my staff in Ireland can proceed to sell this stock to other retailers in Ireland/Europe

Is this possible?

[funkeymonkey]

is this possible? Surely the above does not constitute as working does it?

[funkeymonkey]

Tricky question. In theory you need a company an export license and would have to pay 6% export tax this end.

If you employ an export agent you may be able to get around this.

well, i have never had to pay this export tax before, are you sure?

[NanLaew]

Tricky question. In theory you need a company an export license and would have to pay 6% export tax this end.

If you employ an export agent you may be able to get around this.

well, i have never had to pay this export tax before, are you sure?

Well, answer this. How have you been doing your previous Bangkok 'shipments'? Have you have been loading suitcases with new clothing and simply calling it checked baggage on a commerical airline?

Edited October 3, 2009 by NanLaew

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Contact the Thai Consul in Dublin and discuss visa's. He is an Irish guy.

[daifuku1616]

You can set up a company in Thailand with 100% foreign ownership provided if the nature of your business is to source goods from thailand meant for export. No domestic sale is allowed, it has to be 100% export.

One option is to set up a Rep Off (but getting business license will put you off).

If you set up a company limited, winding down the operation is also a bummer (need to get tax audited by the Revenue Department)

all in all, better just to come to thailand as an individual using a VoA, do some work, earn some money, stay under the radar, and go back home when you are bored with everything

[Guest]

Contact the Thai Consul in Dublin and discuss visa's. He is an Irish guy.

What about the Irish consulate in Bangkok - their main job is promoting business. They are in Sathorn Road.

Buying clothes and sending them once a month is still working - eerything that has been said above applies. Thailand is not in Europe, and different rules apply.

[bluelabelspas]

wow this seems complicated...

Basically I plan on wholesaling clothing to my customers in Europe from Bangkok.

So, they order from my catalog, I then ship goods to them- I dont need to employ any1 to help me to that!

Is this possible?

HI

U do not need to open a business in thailand to do this.U just need to come over find a trading company .work with the trading company on what products u want.add them to your catalog and start selling.Normaly the trading company will charge u 5% for there service.As u get orders u send your PO to the trading company thay will then do the foot work for u and ship them to your customer.

its so simple if u talk with the right guy.most of these guys on here dont have a clue

This is the way i run my company.I buy from thailand and china.I come over once or twice a year to check my suppliers and talk with my trading company.

I can also tell u this china has a better selection of suppliers for the product u are looking for and a much better price.If u want to get some contacts for some factories and good trading companies contact me. <email deleted>

Cheers

[eggomaniac]

Starting a business difficulties this Thread, Closing a business difficulties in this one.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Closing-Business-t281478.html

[MJo]

HI

U do not need to open a business in thailand to do this.U just need to come over find a trading company .work with the trading company on what products u want.add them to your catalog and start selling.Normaly the trading company will charge u 5% for there service.As u get orders u send your PO to the trading company thay will then do the foot work for u and ship them to your customer.

its so simple if u talk with the right guy.most of these guys on here dont have a clue

This is the way i run my company.I buy from thailand and china.I come over once or twice a year to check my suppliers and talk with my trading company.

I can also tell u this china has a better selection of suppliers for the product u are looking for and a much better price.If u want to get some contacts for some factories and good trading companies contact me. <email deleted>

Cheers

OP is looking information how to be able to stay in thailand for a year, not business advice. So yes, most have a clue and replied to the topic on hand...