Is It Legal?

[notmyself]

I've done lawyer too.

Small time I could net 4-5k GBP a year but the time involved along with the risk makes it not worth my attention. Big time could net a reasonable amount but my willingness to spend time on the paperwork etc. required is not worth my attention. If Europe picks up in a few years I might give it a tickle but otherwise, no point.

[LeeCraker]

There are some good points being made on both sides of the issue. I would advise you to do what any good business man should do and get a lawyer. Your situation is complicated by the X GF. I think it would be well worth the investment and peace of mind to get legal advise. Also that you have an attorney may cause the GF to back off.

[Arkady]

I think what you are doing would probably meet the definition of work that requires a work permit and non-imm visa. These need a company set up which can be 100% foreign owned, if you apply for a waiver as a business that only does export business. You also need to register for VAT, if you have a WP, and file accounts and tax returns. Antiques may need export licences for each product depending on age. Some cannot be exported legally at all, including any type of buddha image whether old or new.

If some one can provide chapter and verse on your activities, you are for the high jump in Thailand. However, if there is no evidence and you maintain that you occasionally send presents to friends and family at home and some one sends you money from a business or family trust or something abroad, there is not much they do, except pay the cops to give you a nasty time and try to shake you down.

I would think you need to disappear as far as your ex is concerned. Let her know you are returning to your home country permanently, move out of your home in Thailand and really go back for a month or two. Then come back and start afresh. Whether you intend to continue in "business" or not, you definitely need to get out of her clutches.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Arkady

[Tatsujin]

Well, another interesting read on TV, with differing opinions from both side of the street.

For me, the OP has gone beyond what would be considered 'personal' and is definitely in the realms of running an illegal export business, hence the need for a WP and company formation. Reading through some of the OPs previous postings it mentions shipping fabrics which I would guess are rolls, this is definitely export.

At the end of the day, you need to remember that the Thai Law can mean anything they want it to at that given point in time. If they choose to do something about it, they will easily be able to do so and trace who you are and where you are doing this from. If GF decides to drop your name to them, then that makes life even easier for them, cos once you are in the system you won't get out of it very easily. Next time you leave/enter Thailand, you're screwed.

[thongsuknork]

when you want to do something like this never let any one know this what you are doing and if any moetary transaction let no one know this

including GF be carefull what you do in other country do not involve illegally and offend the other country laws

[thongsuknork]

Sorry it is Monetary transaction

[MILT]

It sounds like you are using Thailand as a outsource for certain items. Nothing illegal is going on here. Since when do you nee a work permit to buy stuff and then send back home? So what you are making the money in another country and spending it here. I think you need dropkick this person out of your life. Good luck

[MILT]

I used to export furniture 3 40" containers a month. Never needed a work permit to source my furniture from Thailand and export it back to my home country. Everything was in my name and transparent. I live here as well and spent every satang right here. Again since when do importers/exporters need a work permit? Silly really! people are saying what you are doing is illegal. Be careful most posters on this forum are stars of their own show and seemed to be experts on everything under the sun. I could sit here make up shit that never has happened and their would be someone on this forum who knows all about it.

Carry on mate and dropkick the EX move on because life is to short.

[NewlyMintedThai]

The fact that you did it doesn't mean it was legal. Legally, you need a work permit to wirk in Thailand -- which you clearly are when you are basing yourself here and making a living from activities here.

[visarunservice]

Here's an idea. I would find an assistant in Thailand who would purchase and drop ship for your friend. Communicate electronically between virtual assistant and friend. There's no visual footprints of you doing any work. Just an idea.

[cardholder]

The fact that you did it doesn't mean it was legal. Legally, you need a work permit to wirk in Thailand -- which you clearly are when you are basing yourself here and making a living from activities here.

Consider one of my situations:-

Moving rice from Thailand to the UK where it is sold to ethnic restaurants and shops.

Am I working ?

[Slaps]

The fact that you did it doesn't mean it was legal. Legally, you need a work permit to wirk in Thailand -- which you clearly are when you are basing yourself here and making a living from activities here.

Consider one of my situations:-

Moving rice from Thailand to the UK where it is sold to ethnic restaurants and shops.

Am I working ?

Or you trade on the Thai or any other stock market and pay your taxes on every trade

are you working?

Co's I do it every day an I love it,

an I'm not scared, well not everyday

.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Slaps

[maprao]

What is your nationality. If USA then open a company (treaty of Amity) requires a small investment and ramp up what you are doing and make it legal.

http://www.siam-lega...hai%20Amity.php

Edited March 4, 2012 by maprao

[MJo]

I used to export furniture 3 40" containers a month. Never needed a work permit to source my furniture from Thailand and export it back to my home country. Everything was in my name and transparent. I live here as well and spent every satang right here. Again since when do importers/exporters need a work permit? Silly really! people are saying what you are doing is illegal. Be careful most posters on this forum are stars of their own show and seemed to be experts on everything under the sun. I could sit here make up shit that never has happened and their would be someone on this forum who knows all about it.

Carry on mate and dropkick the EX move on because life is to short.

This is getting better with every post.

If your supplier or shipping co wont ask WP it's legal to work without it...

The fact is that if your buyer for overseas company and travel the SE Asia on business you can easily obtain a business visa for this.

If your staying in Thailand more or less permanently it is pretty clear that this is work and provides your income. So yes WP needed as work is performed in Thailand.

There is several threads for guys working over the internet. Same kind of issues and yes you need a WP for that as well if you follow the law. You perform the work in Thailand.

In practice if anyone cares i doubt it. However if someone hands you in to the authorities they time to time make an example of these guys so you might find your face in Thaivisa news section on your way to immigration detention centre.

I bet most posters here claiming this is perfectly legal are the same ones complaining in visa forums when they get denied after 18 back to back tourist visas from Vientiane....

[jsflynn603]

I used to export furniture 3 40" containers a month. Never needed a work permit to source my furniture from Thailand and export it back to my home country. Everything was in my name and transparent. I live here as well and spent every satang right here. Again since when do importers/exporters need a work permit? Silly really! people are saying what you are doing is illegal. Be careful most posters on this forum are stars of their own show and seemed to be experts on everything under the sun. I could sit here make up shit that never has happened and their would be someone on this forum who knows all about it.

Carry on mate and dropkick the EX move on because life is to short.

Well, three forty inch containers does not a lot of furniture hold... (hehe...)

Sorry, you're an exporter. There may be a fine line between sending out smaller amounts, but three forty foot containers puts you smack in the middle of "working in Thailand." By the fact that nobody has bothered you is immaterial. It seems obvious to me that you are at risk. How much risk, I don't know.

[jsflynn603]

wish it was that simple sadly there is a kid involved, she doesn't have the capacity to see beyond her own completely illogical selfish take on the situation and therefor is hell bent on destruction. She's had a good run out of the relationship and relatively speaking has lived in the lap of luxury for a good few years now. Sadly it looks like i will have to move on to greener pastures, legal battles will inevitably ensue and the loss will be the kids. Very sad state of affairs.

A dog that bites the hand that feeds it is likely to find itself hungry.

What you are talking about here is a form of domestic violence. You sound like an exporter/agent to me, (though you seem to be pleading that you are not) but that is immaterial. Whether she can do nothing or a lot to harm you is also immaterial. That she might be able to...and that she uses this as a threat, in my book, is the same as holding a gun to your head. This is serious abuse.

You're in an awful situation if you enjoy the kids because if you leave her, you leave them. But really, in your post here, you say it all.

[gaucho]

Any work done in Thailand requires a work permit which you do not have if here on a tourist visa. That you are getting paid and using that for your stay I suspect is even more damaging.

But is what i'm doing work though, buying stuff and sending it home, then surely it would be illegal to send stuff home then.

Any work done in Thailand requires a work permit which you do not have if here on a tourist visa. That you are getting paid and using that for your stay I suspect is even more damaging.

But is what i'm doing work though, buying stuff and sending it home, then surely it would be illegal to send stuff home then.

u r in a grey area here ....if nothing is on paper u may be right if u admit to what u r doing to immigration they will jump all over u ..any monies earned in thailand is viewed as work many people do what u do ....just quietly my mate used to sendfurniture pieces home as gifts after all costs he was making about 3500 pounds a year just a sideline to cover his booze ..as long as no one knows u r right ...your ex will bring u undone ....sorry to say ..cease immediately and lay low for at least 12 months cheers

[rinteln]

It may sound weird but this forum may not of been the best place to ask this question. Why ? because most people on here either quote the rule book (really not helpful) or don't really think in practical terms. Some people just want to give the right answer on paper and not the more realistic one which is ofcourse why sites like this exist.

I would picture it this way. There are 2 parts here with 2 solutions.

1. You sending the stock and turning up at the post office everyday which may show a work style trend.

Solution, get a Thai you trust, or farang friend to go for you. Mix it up, never send the same person two days in a row, go different times to the post office etc etc. Or even get a pick up service. There are loads of ways. Do anything to make sure you are not the one at the post office.

2. You are receiving money from someone outside Thailand. Wow, big deal. There is no connection whatsoever between the goods being sent and the money you receive. It is not against the law to receive money from outside and almost impossible to connect the two. Plus using the solution to problem one makes it very hard.

Plus don't forget Thais are incredibly lazy. The police want to raid offices and bars which are simple tasks. Not follow people, investigate and spend time putting the pieces together. They want easy money. Your ex wont want to loose face in the police station when the officer cant be bothered to see it through because it requires some work.

I know it may seem a worry but I would personally think in odds. Its highly unlikely anyone would piece this together and certainly unlikely they would be motivated to. If you are the kind of guy who doesn't want to take any risk at all, even if its 1/100 chance then ofcourse stop it but if not then I would simply not worry.

I agree with Slaps earlier. Work permit my ass.

Edited March 5, 2012 by rinteln

[MJo]

Isn't discussing illegal activities against the forum rules ?

[Kan Win]

Can you afford to stop for awhile and remove her grip on you?

As for legality, even volunteers helping out in disasters have been warned about working without permits.

Sure 2004 December to May 2005 Khao Lak. Shame really as they did their best to help out.

http://www.pbase.com/win13/khao_lak

Win

Edited March 5, 2012 by Kan Win

[david555]

wow that's great thanks so much for your swift replies, I mean technically i am just buying stuff for a friend nothing dodgy like cigarettes or anything just bits and bobs that he can sell in his shop back home.

She's just going crazy all i said was that i didn't want to see her anymore!! Surely i have a right to that don't i ?! I would have supported her setting up her new life and everything, she's reallly shot herself in the foot here, what a <deleted>!

maybe good idea to take a business visa in Cambodia (easy to get ) and (officially ) do it from there (adressing )