Thai visa discrepancy

[georges]

I want to go to Thailand for some undefined time (more than 3 months). Considering the number of farangs, it should not be so difficult to get some kind of visa. But if you look at the rules, I couldn't even come to Thailand with a one-way ticket (but I will), and I would have to leave the country every 30 days, without knowing if I can come back. My preconditions are: I am Swiss, 46, enough money, maybe ready to get married.

You can find just about any "truth" about Thai visas. Some say that the situation is so uncomfortable that only people without other options would accept it. But most people just become very silent when it comes to the real point, for whatever reason.

One example of discrepancy: The creation of a Thai company is often presented as a solution.  But according to the rules, you would have to employ 4 Thai people to get a work permit for one alien. I just don't believe that all these farangs employ 4 Thais from the very first day. Moreover, you can't own more than 49% of the company, which is a real restriction.

Can somebody tell me how he has managed to live in Thailand. I mean a real true story, not just some theoretical construction. (What kind of visa ? How many visa runs ? What was the hardest problem ?)

Thanks a lot ! Hope to see you there !

[Begs]

I want to go to Thailand for some undefined time (more than 3 months). Considering the number of farangs, it should not be so difficult to get some kind of visa. But if you look at the rules, I couldn't even come to Thailand with a one-way ticket (but I will), and I would have to leave the country every 30 days, without knowing if I can come back. My preconditions are: I am Swiss, 46, enough money, best educated, healthy, maybe even ready to get married.

You can find just about any "truth" about Thai visas. Some say that the situation is so uncomfortable that only people without other options would accept it. But most people just become very silent when it comes to the real point, for whatever reason.

One example of discrepancy: The creation of a Thai company is often presented as a solution.  But according to the rules, you would have to employ 10 Thai people to get a work permit for one alien. I just don't believe that all these farangs employ 10 Thais from the very first day. Moreover, you can't own more than 49% of the company, which is a real restriction.

Can somebody tell me how one has managed to live in Thailand. I mean a real concrete story, not just some theoretical construction omitting the real points. (What kind of visa ? How many visa runs ? What was the hardest problem ?)

Thanks a lot ! Hope to see you there !

Get a Tourist visa from Thai Embassy in Switzerland,

you will get a 60 day entry stamp at the airport, you can also extend that with another 30 days at any immigration office for 1,900baht.

Get a double entry Tourist visa and that would mean you would only have to leave one time to do a border run , in 6 months.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Or...better still....apply at Thai Consulate there .. .Basel or Geneva. Provide a decent letterhead letter seeking a multi Non-Immigrant visa for investigating investment potential. That would enable 90 day stays, and as many entries as can be made in a year. Cleverly used, that will enable up to a 15 month stay.

[Axel]

Can somebody tell me how one has managed to live in Thailand. I mean a real concrete story, not just some theoretical construction omitting the real points. (What kind of visa ? How many visa runs ? What was the hardest problem ?)

Thanks a lot ! Hope to see you there !

Gruezi Georges,

Dr. P_P is absolutely correct get the visa, however, there is a consulate in Zurich, KÖNIGLICH THAILÄNDISCHES GENERALKONSULAT, ROYAL THAI CONSULATE GENERAL, Löwenstrasse3,

8001 Zürich

Telefon 043 344 7000  -  Telefax 043 344

http://www.thai-consulate.ch/

Give them a call and ask what they need to give you a non-imm B and how many entries etc. write in your letter that you as well will check the neighboring countries so need 4 re-entries. (They will tell you how many they can give). I have no experience with the cons. in Zurich but my daughter a few years ago got a tourist-visa within an hour or so. She lives in Davos.

With the visa in your pp one-way ticket is ok.

If you want to open a company here, on this board are a couple of members being experts. But the information you got on 10 Thais is wrong. Presently 2 milliion baht (should be paid in) and 4 Thais allow for one foreigner.

I have my own company est. in 1991-2, Baht 2 million, I hold 33% myself (there is somewhere a restriction, 49% but one single foreigner not more than 33%). Such company is a "Thai-company" and must have 4 employees to hire one qualified foreigner, YOU. You must explain why a Thai cannot do the job for which you are hired. When I started, the namesearch was done within 1 week (to establish that no other company has the same name already). Registration was done within one month. I registered first with a "service-company" to have a business address and finally made a papermeeting to decide move of company to the actual address, which can be rented. Biggest problem, once the company is establ. you cannot work until you have a work permit. I had at the beginning the police in my office, looking for me as an illegal foreigner. Turned out it was my competitor who called them.

Even the police was understanding and warned, DO NOT STAY IN THE OFFICE DURING DAYTIME. After 4 pm. we don't check anymore.

Restriction by 49%? Sure. Don't try to establish the company yourself, the paperwork (in Thai) is too much. Use a well-reputed company, they as well can give you the Thai-nominees and their undated notice-letters. Make sure the company bank account(s) accept only your signature.

Once you got your work-permit the visa can be valid for one year, and will be extented year by year as long as the company shows profit and paid taxes. I heard of some people who originally got only 3 months, I got 1 year from the beginning.

OK, above is from my own experience, running the company for nearly 12 years. There might be minor changes (in the past I needed 7 Thais, now the new rule asks for 4). Ask the experts in this forum, IT, Sunbelt and ?? or any reputable company in Thailand. However, the whole thing is only worthwhile if you actually want to stay here and run a company.

Yeah, one mistake I made at the beginning with the WP, I claimed my knowledge of languages incl. Swiss and Swabian which no Thai can speak. So my WP showed me as an 'expert' but I had no right to sign a cheque. Apply the WP for Managing Director.

Hope above helps you and good luck.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Sorry Axel...I forgot Zurich. Now he's got a choice of 3 Consulates        

[Sunbelt Asia]

Several ways you can get around the 49% ownership laws...

1. Alien Business Permit:Activities outside of the apparent scope of the Alien Business Law include many manufacturing industries, leasing and lending activities. With this permit you can own 100% of the shares.

2. BOI:The criteria for evaluating projects is the same for everyone. The minimum investment required for BOI privileges is one million baht (US$25,000), excluding the cost of land and working capital.

3. Amity treaty for Americans: Americans can own 100% of the shares. This treaty may expire Dec 31st 2004. Current companies are expected to be "grandfathered" in  

4, Holding and operating companies: The Thai Juridical Council  gave an opinion concerning how to determine whether or not a Thai registered company is an alien company within the meaning of the earlier Alien Business Law.  

Before the ruling, any company which was Thai, as defined, counted as Thai if it was a shareholders in another Thai company. Thus a company registered in Thailand (the "Operating Company") would be considered Thai if 49% of its shares were directly held by aliens and the other 51% were held by another company (the "Holding Company") which itself was 51% Thai and 49% Alien. It was thus possible for foreigners using a two‑tier company structure to directly or indirectly own approximately 74% of the capital of the Operating Company and for the Operating Company to be considered Thai and thus permitted to conduct businesses prohibited to aliens.  

If this ruling had been implemented the capital of the two companies would have been considered together and in the above case, the Operating Company would have been considered alien. The Ministry of Commerce after much consideration has decided not to implement the ruling.  

Work Permit:

You still must have  2 million registered capital for the work permit and hire 4 Thais. The Thais though can even be a maid working part time. On the second or third work permit, under the CURRENT laws, you do not need an additional 2 million baht capital per work permit. You can simply have a letter from the Managing Director that the salary will be 30,000 baht per year( if the employee is not married) and will pay tax of 18,000 Baht per year.

The restriction of 33% was only for that particular type of business under the Alien Business Law. Its usally 49% otherwise.

www.sunbeltasia.com is our site to find out more..

[Axel]

Tks, this finally explains my 33 and 16 %.

Dr. no problem, just realized Georges location was Zurich.

Btw Georges: Got you pm and good luck. Once you have a visa from them may be another post? Lots of people in here looking for real live experience with consulates.

[georges]

Thanks for your replies. They really do explain the situation.