Can I Put A Farang Name On A Contract To Rent A Shop In Thailand

[lagerbeer]

Hi I would like to know if it is legal in Thailand rent a shop on farang name and make work a thai person whithout have any problem with immigration or local goverment and taxes etc.etc. I would appreciated any help

Thanks

[Mario2008]

In general, you are allowed to invest but if you do more than invest and are involved with the operations of a business, such as signing contracts, you are working and need a work permit.

Besides that, if you rent a shop they expect you to make profit and pay taxes over that.

[ljerams]

I suggest that you have any lease Contract translated into English so that you know what you are signing for. Any later dispute will be settled using the thai language version. I doubt you would have any work permit issues with Thais running the business. My wife runs our business, pays the tax and all I do is a bit of maintence and repair work. In other words nothing more than I would do naturally if it was purely a home and not combined with our business..

[asiaexpat]

Yes, your legal signature is what is proper. You can sign in Thai next to your legal (as in your passport) signature.

[aarn]

Here's a link to contract http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/595999-house-rental-contract/. There are others.

Beware clauses such as forfeiting bond if terminate contract early. AA

[FritsSikkink]

all I do is a bit of maintence and repair work.

You would still need a workpermit for that.

[mamborobert]

I have rented two shop houses in CM (last one for four years moved out two months ago).....never had a problem at all. All will depend on your landlord more than anything.

I lived up top and below was used initially as a Thai restaurant (very basic for working Thais) and run by friend of wifey (and wifey working there peak times)...later changed to largely storage of goods that wifey's brother and sister sold at various markets between CR and Lamphun.

Only issue was landlord very interested in how every one was doing......doing better was potential for yearly rent increase. Landlord ran maybe 11 places in that area including a few units....i was only Farang renter....and the only one that paid rent in full when due.....so she loved me and did not want to price rent so much that i would leave ...or create any issues over work which would have had same affect (have moved into one of her smaller places as a lock and leave as have a few good short term jobs overseas).

[wirat69]

Check the provisions carefully... retail is reserved to Thai Nationals. And the others are correct, you will need appropriate Work Permit and Visa. If you want to lease in name of a company, you also have the hassle of 51% minimum owned by a Thai person who can provide evidence that it is their investment and not a proxy for you. Lots of information on immigration website www.immigration.go.th and on reserved occupations etc.

[Kananga]

If its in Phuket and your father was Russian I wouldnt advise it.

[ronthai]

Also to consider, if you live in the same building (above the shop). Then you just sign the contract for renting a place (shophouse) to stay and your wife gets the paperwork (licenses and such) to open a shop downstairs, which you (on paper) have nothing to do with.

[robertson468]

all I do is a bit of maintence and repair work.

You would still need a workpermit for that.

Agreed and even if you did it as a Charitable Gift/Job, you need a work permit! But I am sure there are thousands of Farang Husbands doing a little bit here and a little bit there without said work permit, but be careful. There was a retired couple who collected the rent from leased houses for their Friend on a regular basis and were arrested for doing it without having a work permit.

[Sharp]

Dont need a work permit to sign a contract to lease a building only need a work permit if you r running the business,non working directors can sign.. Also can be in English only if I dispute at the court's it needs translating

Sent from my GT-N7000B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[AnotherOneAmerican]

If you intend to keep any of your belongings in such a place, or use it as your home, or have any say in who lives there with you, then you should rent it in your sole name. If you rent it in someone else's name, that person can call the police and have you escorted off the premises, with only your passport, at any time, day or night.

I do know someone who has rented a shop house in another person's name, he now unwillingly shares the place with 10 hill tribe villagers.

(Relatives of the person whose name is on the rental agreement)

Forget about irrelevant details about work permits, that would be the least of your worries.

Edited April 21, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Adryan]

Sure why not?

Can you rent a condo on a farang name?

Careful only at working. You need work permit! Are you have a business visa you are not allowed to work!