Visa based on forming a regional office in Thailad -possible?/Good idea?

[RickFarang]

I am a male American citizen who is currently staying on a retirement extension and I am thinking about setting up a regional office for an American company that is forming. I would work outside Thailand at customer and vendor sites, but live and communicate from my home in Thailand when not traveling.

Looking around today, I cannot find any recent information about whether this kind of visa is permitted, what the requirements are, and whether I would need a work permit to hold down the office.

Additionally, and perhaps critically, I would like to know whether the requirement for several Thai employees applies to this sort of visa. That would certainly kill the deal.

Thank you in advance

[thepool]

No work is permitted for those who have retirement extensions .

I will leave others to comment on the viability of the outlined plan.

[RickFarang]

Thank you.. That is true. If necessary I would obtain a different visa, that is if such a visa is available.

[moe666]

if you are working outside of Thailand no problem

[Soutpeel]

If you are talking about a true representative office in thailand you know your required to bring in around THB 5 million over a 3 year period which is used for operating expenses as and if memory serves the first THB 3 million has to be brought in in first 12 months

[ubonjoe]

For info on setting up a representative office see A Business Guide to Thailand (English) (2014) from the BOI.

Once office is set up you would need to apply for a work permit (only one Thai employee needed) then go out for a non immigrant B visa and then you could apply for an extension of stay under clause 2.1 of Thai Police Order 777/2551.

[RickFarang]

Thank you very much for your definitive answer!