Over 50 (Uk) - Want Business - Need Best Visa Option

[JohnInThailand]

I'm over 50, so I could get "Retirement", but I have plans to set up a business in Thailand (with "Thai Face" - i.e. not publically Farang). Also, I shall carry on lecturing (Cisco instructor) in other countries (and maybe Thailand).

A few questions:

Could anyone please:

- suggest the best Visa option, allowing me to stay in Thailand?

- recommend a (non rip-off) legal company in BKK?

- advise about company options from personal experience?

- recommend a consultant who would like to meet up (I shall be in BKK next week)?

Many thanks!

[digitalchromakey]

If you intend to start a business here and be, even at a minimum, a director signing documents, then technically you will require a Work Permit and thus need to look at obtaining a non immigrant B type visa.

For sure if you plan do do training here on behalf of your Thai company then you will definitely require a Work Permit, which involves quite a lot more hoop jumping inside Thailand.

It is not too difficult to get a one year multi entry non immigrant type B visa outside of S.E. Asia, with minimal paper work.

Each entry on this type of visa is for up to 90 days, when you must at least leave/re-enter the country - a so called 'border run'. Using this method can take care of your first 15 months of stay at a minimum.

You can form a Thai Limited Company starting from around 30,000 THB. Your on costs depend on how much your company is turning over, but at a minimum include annual accounting and auditing fees.

Not based in Bangkok, so no recommendations viz a viz any law firm or consultants.

[IMA_FARANG]

Are you married to a Thai citizen, or do you have dual nationality...Thai nationality being one?

If not you are beimg very niave to think that you can just come to Thailand, set up a business (even one with Thai face as you say it).

As was mentioned above...if you intend to do ANY work/business...even sign papers for a company or simply give any guidence for that comapny you need a Work Permit. By Thai law it doen't matter whether you get any compensation for your efforts...you still need that work permit.

The first thing you should do is talk to a lawyer in Thailand and get a good handle on Thai business law. Just for example, if you start a business with Thai partners....you can only have a 49 percent stake (financially) in that business. Your Thai partner or partners have to have the controlling vote.

The joke we use is that it's easy to make a small fortune in Thailand...just start with a big one.

Only it's not funny.

You really ought to talk to someone who has done business in Thailand. It's a lot more trouble than you seem to think.

So unless you have many years experience in Thailand...and speak Thai well...I don't think you have a chance of being able to start a business in Thailand that you will make money with.

You would be far better off starting your business in Cambodia or Laos than Thailand.

I don't mean to be negative, but from what you've said in your post, I don't think youve done your homework properly. Even in the U.S. nearly two thirds of all business started fail within the first 5 years. Very few foriegners in Thailand are really making money from a business. It's a suckers game.

P.S. As for your idea of being a "CISCO instuctor" in Thailand...I assume your not talking about the Lard but an IT job...Just do a Yahoo or Google search on "Thai CISCO" and see what you come up with. Are you really that good. There is a Thai company that is the CISCO representative in Thailand. I don't expect they will be very happy to have you competing with them.

Edited September 18, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[jazzbo]

Maybe if you talk with these people they can give you some ideas:

http://www.cisco.com/web/TH/index.html