I've been on Phuket for a few months now, and is considering living here full time. Before I jump into it I would like to discuss the potential tax implications with a thai tax lawyer. I know I can find one by searching on google, but I would like to talk to someone good that don't only know the rules, but who also knows how to use them in your favour. Any experience?

I had two accountants when I first started a business in Thailand. The first, after about a tear of not doing much, demanded 30,000+ for a tax audit, claiming it would cost me 85,000 if I didn't. I sacked him and hired one recommended by some Thai people.

He seemed to be OK until the Phuket tax people turned up wanting to know why they hadn't had any tax money or returns for 2 1/2 years. They wanted the money from me but my wife - proving that all Thai do not automatically defer to poo-yai -

stood up for me , showing them the books and insisting we had paid. She spoke to them for about an hour.

Turns out our friendly accountant had taken the tax money from us and just kept it. He was arrested and had to pay the tax bill, but I saw him on the street about a week later, so he may have paid some tea money on top.

I closed the company, put my wife in charge of a Thai company and from then we paid a small amount of tax twice a year.

Not the news you wanted to hear, but this is the sad truth of what happens here.

Good luck.

Also when you discuss tax implications your probably considering home country tax liabilities, which a Thai tax lawyer will be near clueless about, and or DTA tax agreements with your home country.

I am constantly told it is impossible to pay taxes here, without a work permit, so even tho defacto resident (183 day rule) they do not wish to collect income / capital gains from non working farangs. I find this odd but thats whats been told multiple times and I wont argue.