Hello Guys,

I'm an American. My career allows me to work remotely. However, I like working for American companies. How could I stay for more than 6 months in Thailand?

Thanks.

To work in Thailand, you need a work permit. To get a work permit, you have to be employed by a company registered in Thailand. If that company has been in business for at least two years, it should be able to give you the necessary documents for a one-year extension of stay.

Any form of work paid or unpaid requires a work permit in Thailand

If you want to stay for long periods its either the above as stated, or marry a Thai, other than that you would have perpetual border runs and tourist visa's which would be questioned after awhile as clearly you would not be a tourist.

There is the possibility of an Education visa, that requires a minimum of 4 hrs attendance to an approved school each week.

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by CharlieH

Any form of work paid or unpaid requires a work permit in Thailand

If you want to stay for long periods its either the above as stated, or marry a Thai, other than that you would have perpetual border runs and tourist visa's which would be questioned after awhile as clearly you would not be a tourist.

There is the possibility of an Education visa, that requires a minimum of 4 hrs attendance to an approved school each week.

As far as I know, the 4 hours per week class attendance isn't enforced. I know, from personal experience approx. 2 years ago, the Immigration Authorities don't look or request proof of attendance.

The ED Visa is probably the easiest option for anybody wanting to stay for a longer period of time - plus you can learn some Thai if you fee like it.

I wouldn't get too paranoid about remote working if it only involves you sitting at a laptop in your apartment, just keep your mouth shut about what you do as some people can be jealous.

There are probably a million people without work permits that have written work related emails tonight in Thailand.

What you need to worry about more is how will you be paid, if it stays in US and you are paying your taxes there I wouldn't worry.

There are many options to stay long term here, back to back visa, ED visa, retirement visa's - you should just have a look around the forum.

Another option is a "retirement visa" if over age 50. Same restrictions about keeping your mouth shut about your work. That includes what you tell your GF and maid.

I've met guys here who claim they play on-line video games 14 hrs/day ( as an excuse for not doing their Thai-language homework for a course they needed to maintain their visa.)

Come with a double or even triple Tourist Visa from your nearest Thai Consular section in USA, can be maybe done by mail? Do not know that.

The 60 day Visas can be extended for 30 days each. After each Visa is finished you have to leave the country for a border run.

6 month + done.

If you go out of TH and come back by air without a Visa you get 30 days staying allowance at the airport, if you come by land border you get only 15 days.

So, you can also make a mix of Tourist Visas and Border or Airport runs. If you want to stay 6 month + inside the country without leaving, the solutions,

ED-Visa can be seen above. Make your remotely thing and do not talk about it.

Enjoy

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by ALFREDO

I think I will look into the ED visa. I suppose I could just take a Thai-language class for 4 hours each week.

How come I should keep my mouth shut about what I do for a living? If everything is by the book, shouldn't I be alright?

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by snooplsm

I think I will look into the ED visa. I suppose I could just take a Thai-language class for 4 hours each week.

How come I should keep my mouth shut about what I do for a living? If everything is by the book, shouldn't I be alright?

You failed to understand, if you do any work in Thailand you need a work permit, if you talk about your job and they find out that you have no work permit you can be fined and deported.

I think I will look into the ED visa. I suppose I could just take a Thai-language class for 4 hours each week.

How come I should keep my mouth shut about what I do for a living? If everything is by the book, shouldn't I be alright?

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Regarding the Remote Working thing:

Yes. of course it's possible.

But the kicker is that any "work' done on-line while you are physically in Thailand....whether you get paid for it or not....is considerd by the Thai Labor people as "working in Thailand".

That fact is why you keep it very quiet.

Technically, by strict interpretation of the rules, the CEO of a multi-national company visting Thailand, who approves an email while in his hotel in Thailand that is sent to him from outside of Thailand, can be considered to be "working" in Thailand.

Not that such a thing is likely to happen'.....but under a strict interpretation it is working in Thailand......and at least in theory therefore subject to Thai income tax.

That's why you keep it very quiet.

Edited November 3, 201213 yr by IMA_FARANG

- business visa : In some consulates, all you need to get a one year multiple entry visa is a letter of invite from a thai company that can be obtained in a thai lawyer office. Needs to get out of the country every 3 months

- ed visa : requires school attendance, but can be extended for a few years without leaving the country as long as you keep paying the school

- tourist visa : no requierements, needs to do border run and/or visa run every 3 months, some consulate are not too happy giving back to back tourist visas

Edited November 3, 201213 yr by pistachios

- business visa : In some consulates, all you need to get a one year multiple entry visa is a letter of invite from a thai company that can be obtained in a thai lawyer office. Needs to get out of the country every 3 months

- ed visa : requires school attendance, but can be extended for a few years without leaving the country as long as you keep paying the school

- tourist visa : no requierements, needs to do border run and/or visa run every 3 months, some consulate are not too happy giving back to back tourist visas

Pistachios, would you PM me some of these Thai law offices that help with the letter and which consulates accept such letters?

Sorry can't do that, I haven't tried those services. You can start with one of the sponsors of this section, sunbelt.

Consulates that accept those letters are not in south east asia.