Running remote blogging business?

[pdurusau]

I have an Internet business as a writer and blogger that I conduct on my own from a server in the US. I am paid via PayPal and WePay. I'd like to stay in Thailand for at least a year while running this business. What is the best visa solution for me? Do I need a work permit? All I need is an Internet connection; I don't need to hire any Thai nationals.

But if successful...

Suppose I want to expand the my online business so that there are Thai "stringers" who also submit content. What is the best visa solution for me in that case?

Thanks!

Patrick

[Mario2008]

You will be working in Thailand, which requires a work permit, for which you need to establish a Thai company, for which you need to have Thai staff.

The work permit will only be issued on a non-B visa, unless married to a Thai national.

[Jasun]

Say I was in Thailand on a 2 week vacation, and while away I answer work emails, take a few calls from clients, I even write a quick report that couldn’t wait till I got back.

I’m earning an income while working in Thailand.

Do I need a work permit? If not, where is the line drawn? How is it different to someone here for a few weeks or months, continuing to run a business that is based offshore?

[Mario2008]

The law is simply not written with working remotely over the internet in mind.

In your example you are not living in Thailand and only here on holiday, so it is unlikely someone will mind. As to the letter of the law, that is something different.

[Jasun]

For some people, it is near impossible to drop everything work-related, especially if it's your own business.

If your true intention in Thailand is for the purposes of having an holiday, then preventing you from taking steps to maintain your business while away would seem unreasonable.

But I guess that doesn't mean they would allow it.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Jasun

[pdurusau]

Thanks for the responses! Somehow the law lagging behind technology isn't surprising. ;-)

On the other hand, I heard reports that the Oxford English Dictionary has added "tweet" to the dictionary, despite it not having been around for the required ten years.

So, change is possible, sometimes slower than others.

Thanks again!

Patrick

[DiamondKing]

You will be working in Thailand, which requires a work permit, for which you need to establish a Thai company, for which you need to have Thai staff.

The work permit will only be issued on a non-B visa, unless married to a Thai national.

Not really a practical solution nor does it handle the situation of someone who has a one man business online

Basically Thailand has not set up or clear rules on this because how the hell will they know what someone is doing on their computer ie checking facebook sending emails etc etc it is a very grey area that while in reality it is working in thailand has nothing really to do with thailand if your online biz does not compete with any thai person and your just physically present in thailand.

Why would someone start a thai company and employ thais to get the foreign work permit when the reality is its a one man biz that does not require any additional employees thai or not.

I would estimate there is a massive number of people working online under the radar and have been for years because it affects thailand in NO WAY WHATSOEVER and unless the labor department went on a massive manhunt for those working online I dont think anyone would ever have an issue by doing so under the radar.

DK

[pete66]

I wouldn't employ Thai "stringers", not only because that would clearly mean you are operating a business in Thailand and hence need a work permit etc etc. but also because a friend of mine tried that route and eventually gave up because not one Thai "blogger" he tried ever did more than lift content from somewhere else and claim it as their own. If you are going to blog, do it yourself. You'll avoid the work permit stuff and also not end up with a load of duplicate content.

[gavin310]

Yeah the Thai business laws lag way behind technology. The purpose of requiring someone to have a company and to be required to hire thai nationals is to protect the Thais so there aren't any foreign-only businesses, taking all the possible work away from Thais. I can see the logic in that, but if someone is working remotely, taking nothing from Thailand and only pumping money into the economy, obviously there isn't a problem. Unfortunately the law doesn't reflect that. Perhaps if the law does change, if will be some sort of registration fee and tax on remote/Internet workers in exchange for a visa, but without land ownership, etc. Don't think that would happen though.

[Aussie Paul]

How do you earn an income blogging?

[boone57]

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you survive on a small pension from your fathers estate.

[BobHG46]

Technically, yes. You need a work permit even if you undertake voluntary work, like playing in a band for charity or helping out at a charitable organisation.

Practically, it's a jar of worms. It is possible for foreigners to do business in Thailand, but the process is fraught with a cornucopia of red tape.

With regard to running an internet business, if you're selling within Thailand, then you'll need a Thai company before you can register a .co.th domain and run a Thai internet business. As a foreigner, you'd be looking at lots of red tape and endless jumping through hoops.

The chances of immigration knocking at your door because you run an offshore web site I would say are quite small.

[Endorphin]

A couple of years ago I was hired by a US-based company in Thailand to work remotely. They were "crazed" about following every little thing and notation in the law. I was told that as long as my salary is below what the banks in Thailand are required to report to the IRS there is nothing that makes it illegal in any way whatsoever. I haven't been able to find anything to the contrary. Obviously I don't sell anything in Thailand and my work is vis-a-vis foreign companies.

[belg]

don't forget to emploi the needed 4 useless thais that will be clogging your bandwith with the all important facebook and other "social" stuff they need to perform during working hours

2 million in start up capital +their salary + social security + your salary + your social security + your taxes, your business taxes

and you get in return : nothing, oh sorry, a workpermit

so, better not working in thailand = no fuzz

[joeaverage]

do what you do, don't tell the world and make sure your visas are in order.

[comserve]

You will be working in Thailand, which requires a work permit, for which you need to establish a Thai company, for which you need to have Thai staff.

The work permit will only be issued on a non-B visa, unless married to a Thai national.

Yes, crazy isn't it? The Thai government does not to risk developing their economy toooooo much!

[tragickingdom]

It always amazes me how fond foreigners are on paperwork. Yes officially you need a work permit but in practice nobody would care. officially each and every tourist that works for a foreign company and does phone occasionally a customer from his holiday destination write mails and blogs do need a work permit. I suppose it is a matter of not talking too much. Certain people love telling everyone what they do. It is the story of the three monkeys.

[hellodolly]

A couple of years ago I was hired by a US-based company in Thailand to work remotely. They were "crazed" about following every little thing and notation in the law. I was told that as long as my salary is below what the banks in Thailand are required to report to the IRS there is nothing that makes it illegal in any way whatsoever. I haven't been able to find anything to the contrary. Obviously I don't sell anything in Thailand and my work is vis-a-vis foreign companies.

How much are the banks in Thailand required to report and who to. I once deposited $10,000 in American express checks no problem .

Did the usual gave them my passport they took aa photo copy and I sat there and siggned all the checks. No Problem.

[asupeartea]

A friend had a remote computer game programming set up and he stayed in Bangkok, mostly, for 10 years. Don't know how he did it though. I think a tourist visa with regular visa runs might be what's necessary but a pain in the but. You could do like many and live in Nong Kai so you can scoot across the boarder in a few minutes.

[stickylies]

so farang must employ 4 thai persons ?

and thai-owned businesses (genuine or owned-on-paper-only, ie. thai wife with farang husband/bf) can (exclusively) employ staff from myanmar (like most shops in ranong for example?).

Edited June 18, 2013 by stickylies

[HUAHIN62]

A bit off the topic but similar. If I wan't to go to live in the US or Europe for an year how can I do it? Will be operating my business through the internet and Skype. Already paying taxes in my home country and Thailand, so don't want to pay in the US or Europe also. Don't want to form a new company in the US or Europe as I already have one. Don't want to invest money there, I just want to stay for a year. Can I do it?

[SiggiCM]

I realy because sometimes crazy with all the answers to work permit questions here about work online, the is no law to register a company or ask for work permit as you are working online. if you are here for on Non-O Visa or Tourist or ED Visa, if you are not working for a thai company or selling o thai people in thailand goods or service you dont need a work permit. How long you are not a resident of Thailand you not have to pay tax or insurance by law. You get no rights, you are tourists so no matter about work permit. otherwiese millions of people would break the law! everybody who is writing like emails, take and answer telefon calls, may be write a book, or a song, selling stuff online, tranfer money online, get interests from bank assets and so on, no retired person pays tax on his pension or other incomei n Thailand if income source isn´t from Thailand (rent, interests) I want to see Imigration opens a case that somebody sitting in a chair on beach and writing a blog or book or a song or sell stock shares and claim he has to do for this a thai company with 2 Million baht and employ 4 workers You have to pay tax where you live, but in thailand you are only a tourist (may be a long term tourist), so ....

[Mario2008]

OP wants to stay at least a year and would therefor be a resident according to the Thai tax code.

[stickylies]

there's plenty of people doing e-business not paying taxes nor registering officially, including from thailand.

[BudRight]

Your visa would be more of an issue since Thailand doesn't allow six month stays like western countries, rather it gets broken up into border runs every few months.

I don't know your nationality but the US offers Visa on Arrival to many nationalities (after the online registration thing) and are not very good at enforcing their own work restrictions.

Edited June 18, 2013 by BudRight

[bangkokstick]

The best solution would be to keep your mouth shut as everybody else does.

But now your IP has been logged and you will get a visit soon :-)

[pdurusau]

@bangkokstick - True but U.S. agencies have difficulty stopping people with known identities traveling under their own names.

What people forget about "big data" is the amount of chaff there is in "big data." Sure, catch someone and you can then backtrack to find all sorts of things. But that's finding the needle in a haystack by accident and then asking where it may have been. ;-)

Starting from any one person is easy, following a pattern to discover a person is hard.

Deeply appreciate the advice from all the posters!

Particularly the point about having to leave every so many months. Is there some set time I have to be away? Or required destination? Thinking I could find less distant locations that returning to the U.S.

Thanks!

Patrick

[TechnikaIII]

Concerning all matters in Thailand, and in fact authorities in any country, and I have to deal with Norway, the UK, Australia and Thailand, ...

I do everything on the "Need to know" basis.

Do you think that if a website I created for a client in another country, needs an update, I should run down to immigration and get a work permit?

Edited June 18, 2013 by TechnikaIII

[tollgate]

The best solution would be to keep your mouth shut as everybody else does.

But now your IP has been logged and you will get a visit soon :-)

Exactly.

[Maestro]

I have an Internet business as a writer and blogger that I conduct on my own from a server in the US. I am paid via PayPal and WePay. I'd like to stay in Thailand for at least a year while running this business. What is the best visa solution for me? Do I need a work permit? All I need is an Internet connection; I don't need to hire any Thai nationals.

...

Running a business during your stay in Thailand is work and as has been said requires a work permit.

However, browsing the web, reading and writing emails, posting on my blogs, Google+, Facebook, Twitter, etc accounts while in Thailand as a tourist or to study the Thai language or other subjects is not work but something most tourists do anywhere in the world.