Where To Incorporate?

[brucebluey]

I am UK national who will be resident in Thailand buying thai-made products to sell in the US and Europe. The chief distribution method will be through a web-site hosted in the US and customers will pay into an offshore account.

The question I’m posing is where would it be best to incorporate, in Thailand or offshore. I don’t particularly need a Thai residence permit as I travel frequently but do I need a thai work permit and do I nee an export permit?

There are obvious tax advantages in incorporating offshore but would it be legal?

Any advice will be gratefully received.

[narit]

I am UK national who will be resident in Thailand buying thai-made products to sell in the US and Europe. The chief distribution method will be through a web-site hosted in the US and customers will pay into an offshore account.

The question I’m posing is where would it be best to incorporate, in Thailand or offshore. I don’t particularly need a Thai residence permit as I travel frequently but do I need a thai work permit and do I nee an export permit?

You need work permit to work in Thailand even though it's only a couple days. You might want to incorporate the company in Thailand, so as your company can hire you and apply for work permit. Use of foriegn entity doing business in Thailand might face restrictions on foriegn business law and you might need foriegn business license, which you might not get it at all eventually.

I recommend you incorporate company in the country which is 50.01% owned by Thai and 49.99 % owned by you. But set the structure that you have 75% control of company through preferred shares having 3 votes and get 75% of return. This can be done.

I would say generally Thailand's dept of export promotion does not impose anything restrictions on exportation of goods. Nonetheless, the dept happens to require export license in some items. I am not sure but about your items but I think you can check it easily in their English website at .http://www.thaitrade.com/default.shtml.

I am not too sure about Tax. If you need law firm contact, please let me know.

There are obvious tax advantages in incorporating offshore but would it be legal?

Any advice will be gratefully received.