Working Online

[hugolars]

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On line business can be very successful.
If you're good at what you do, why not setting up a company in Thailand, under BOI scheme for example and, therefore, being fully legal?
Just my 2 cents...

Because setting up a company abroad and run earnings and expenses trough it would be considered tax evasion in my home country. We are talking about a serous crime with heavy penalties and jail. And there is no bribing your way out of that like in Thailand.

Hence not an option at all.

Your country doesnt allow the offsetting of taxes baid in another jurisdiction against home country taxes ??

Secondly it doesnt allow corporate expenses as a deduction against taxes ??

Which country is this ??

I'm from the most socialistic country on this planet It's in Europe, try guess.

The ground rule is that money made there has to be taxed there. If suspected of tax evasion you are guilty if you cannot prove the opposite.

It's easier to get away with murder.

[jpinx]

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On line business can be very successful.

If you're good at what you do, why not setting up a company in Thailand, under BOI scheme for example and, therefore, being fully legal?

Just my 2 cents...

Because setting up a company abroad and run earnings and expenses trough it would be considered tax evasion in my home country. We are talking about a serous crime with heavy penalties and jail. And there is no bribing your way out of that like in Thailand.

Hence not an option at all.

Your country doesnt allow the offsetting of taxes baid in another jurisdiction against home country taxes ??

Secondly it doesnt allow corporate expenses as a deduction against taxes ??

Which country is this ??

I'm from the most socialistic country on this planet It's in Europe, try guess.

The ground rule is that money made there has to be taxed there. If suspected of tax evasion you are guilty if you cannot prove the opposite.

It's easier to get away with murder.

That'll be th U.K. ?

[mataleo]

Immigration is not the Labor Department. Their opinions do not matter when talking about work permits.

so do yours

[LivinLOS]

Immigration is not the Labor Department. Their opinions do not matter when talking about work permits.

so do yours

So you will accept then the opinion of the labor department ??

[zierf1]

Who the hell cares? Just don't tell anyone what you're doing. Nobody needs to know. Got it?

I have a business that I run too. There's no visa. There's no taxes. That's the beauty of making money online. Nobody knows..

[manolothai]

Who the hell cares? Just don't tell anyone what you're doing. Nobody needs to know. Got it?

I have a business that I run too. There's no visa. There's no taxes. That's the beauty of making money online. Nobody knows..

I read all from the begin, very interesting discussion!

When somebody ask you "how do you get money for live?"

what's the best answer?

1- I have a business IN UK regarding investments and finance.

2- I have a lot of money! I don't work!

3- I'm 30 years old and I get a pension...

4- I won the lottery.

5- I live wthout money, I don't need them.

Please vote you're preferred or add yours...

[Maestro]

...When somebody ask you "how do you get money for live?"

what's the best answer?

...

The truth.

[JLCrab]

And the answer to the oft repeated quested "How do they (Immigration) prove you are not telling them the truth?" -- They don't have to prove anything.

[mataleo]

Immigration is not the Labor Department. Their opinions do not matter when talking about work permits.

so do yours

So you will accept then the opinion of the labor department ??

Its not them who arrest people for working without work permit anyway.

Its immigration police.

[AYJAYDEE]

Immigration is not the Labor Department. Their opinions do not matter when talking about work permits.

so do yours

So you will accept then the opinion of the labor department ??

Its not them who arrest people for working without work permit anyway.

Its immigration police.

would that be a no?

[ATF]

It is not illegal to telecommute from Thailand while you are on long holiday from home.

You must not have been a very good attorney, because according to the letter of the law in Thailand, it is in fact illegal.

What's provable, what's enforced, and what's legal are different things, obviously. But your statement is factually incorrect - and I seriously doubt you were an attorney anywhere, as even the greenest 1L would know differently.

Why do you think she's in Thailand now? Obviously didn't make the grade.

[balo]

As we speak I'm doing some easy freelance translation of a a few documents I am sending it to my friend in Germany right now. Come and arrest me !

Edited August 22, 2014 by balo

[JLCrab]

Come and get me, Copper!

[ColdSingha]

Who the hell cares? Just don't tell anyone what you're doing. Nobody needs to know. Got it?

I have a business that I run too. There's no visa. There's no taxes. That's the beauty of making money online. Nobody knows..

I read all from the begin, very interesting discussion!

When somebody ask you "how do you get money for live?"

what's the best answer?

1- I have a business IN UK regarding investments and finance.

2- I have a lot of money! I don't work!

3- I'm 30 years old and I get a pension...

4- I won the lottery.

5- I live wthout money, I don't need them.

Please vote you're preferred or add yours...

6- own properties in "..."

7- rich family

[manolothai]

...When somebody ask you "how do you get money for live?"

what's the best answer?

...

The truth.

A lot of people in this thread disagree with you, who's right and who's not?

[jessc]

It is not illegal to telecommute from Thailand while you are on long holiday from home.

You must not have been a very good attorney, because according to the letter of the law in Thailand, it is in fact illegal.

What's provable, what's enforced, and what's legal are different things, obviously. But your statement is factually incorrect - and I seriously doubt you were an attorney anywhere, as even the greenest 1L would know differently.

I am not incorrect, and I am a lawyer. It matters not a whip if you believe me. But for those who are somehow seriously concerned that they might need a work permit in order to do their completely unrelated to Thailand work while they are temporarily in Thailand on holiday, I say with great confidence: relax. Jai ygin ygin.

For anyone trying to live in Thailand full time on a tourist visa, and work from Thailand full time on a tourist visa, then you are not taking a working holiday, nor are you a digital nomad. Or any other kind of nomad.

What any 1L could figure out, but what so many here seem to struggle with, is the concept that while you may have been able to away with living and working in Thailand continuously on a tourist visa, it's not legal.

An actual tourist (someone visiting Thailand on a temporay basis who doesn't live here and doesn't do work here related to Thailand) is not required to abandon all affairs back home just because they want to also cone to Thailand. Thailand is not trying to police tourist to make sure they enjoy their holidays work free.

But if you earn money because of what you do in Thailand (working for a thai employer, earning money through commerce in Thailand), then you are not a tourist and you need an appropriate visa and work permit.

[balo]

It is not illegal to telecommute from Thailand while you are on long holiday from home.

You must not have been a very good attorney, because according to the letter of the law in Thailand, it is in fact illegal.

What's provable, what's enforced, and what's legal are different things, obviously. But your statement is factually incorrect - and I seriously doubt you were an attorney anywhere, as even the greenest 1L would know differently.

I am not incorrect, and I am a lawyer. It matters not a whip if you believe me. But for those who are somehow seriously concerned that they might need a work permit in order to do their completely unrelated to Thailand work while they are temporarily in Thailand on holiday, I say with great confidence: relax. Jai ygin ygin.

For anyone trying to live in Thailand full time on a tourist visa, and work from Thailand full time on a tourist visa, then you are not taking a working holiday, nor are you a digital nomad. Or any other kind of nomad.

What any 1L could figure out, but what so many here seem to struggle with, is the concept that while you may have been able to away with living and working in Thailand continuously on a tourist visa, it's not legal.

An actual tourist (someone visiting Thailand on a temporay basis who doesn't live here and doesn't do work here related to Thailand) is not required to abandon all affairs back home just because they want to also cone to Thailand. Thailand is not trying to police tourist to make sure they enjoy their holidays work free.

But if you earn money because of what you do in Thailand (working for a thai employer, earning money through commerce in Thailand), then you are not a tourist and you need an appropriate visa and work permit.

What about 6 months, during the winter months in Europe ? I should be able to look after my business back home without getting in trouble ?

[jessc]

It is not illegal to telecommute from Thailand while you are on long holiday from home.

You must not have been a very good attorney, because according to the letter of the law in Thailand, it is in fact illegal.

What's provable, what's enforced, and what's legal are different things, obviously. But your statement is factually incorrect - and I seriously doubt you were an attorney anywhere, as even the greenest 1L would know differently.

I am not incorrect, and I am a lawyer. It matters not a whip if you believe me. But for those who are somehow seriously concerned that they might need a work permit in order to do their completely unrelated to Thailand work while they are temporarily in Thailand on holiday, I say with great confidence: relax. Jai ygin ygin.

For anyone trying to live in Thailand full time on a tourist visa, and work from Thailand full time on a tourist visa, then you are not taking a working holiday, nor are you a digital nomad. Or any other kind of nomad.

What any 1L could figure out, but what so many here seem to struggle with, is the concept that while you may have been able to away with living and working in Thailand continuously on a tourist visa, it's not legal.

An actual tourist (someone visiting Thailand on a temporay basis who doesn't live here and doesn't do work here related to Thailand) is not required to abandon all affairs back home just because they want to also cone to Thailand. Thailand is not trying to police tourist to make sure they enjoy their holidays work free.

But if you earn money because of what you do in Thailand (working for a thai employer, earning money through commerce in Thailand), then you are not a tourist and you need an appropriate visa and work permit.

What about 6 months, during the winter months in Europe ? I should be able to look after my business back home without getting in trouble ?

Personally I would consult a Thai attorney on that, since you are here 180 (+?) days. I am not an attorney licensed in Thailand and so can't speak to nuanced questions. But I suspect that if you do not earn any money because of or related to your activities in Thailand and are not legally "in residence" here, you probably don't need a work permit. But don't just take my word for it. Spend a few thousand baht to ask an attorney.

[jpinx]

It is not illegal to telecommute from Thailand while you are on long holiday from home.

You must not have been a very good attorney, because according to the letter of the law in Thailand, it is in fact illegal.

What's provable, what's enforced, and what's legal are different things, obviously. But your statement is factually incorrect - and I seriously doubt you were an attorney anywhere, as even the greenest 1L would know differently.

I am not incorrect, and I am a lawyer. It matters not a whip if you believe me. But for those who are somehow seriously concerned that they might need a work permit in order to do their completely unrelated to Thailand work while they are temporarily in Thailand on holiday, I say with great confidence: relax. Jai ygin ygin.

For anyone trying to live in Thailand full time on a tourist visa, and work from Thailand full time on a tourist visa, then you are not taking a working holiday, nor are you a digital nomad. Or any other kind of nomad.

What any 1L could figure out, but what so many here seem to struggle with, is the concept that while you may have been able to away with living and working in Thailand continuously on a tourist visa, it's not legal.

An actual tourist (someone visiting Thailand on a temporay basis who doesn't live here and doesn't do work here related to Thailand) is not required to abandon all affairs back home just because they want to also cone to Thailand. Thailand is not trying to police tourist to make sure they enjoy their holidays work free.

But if you earn money because of what you do in Thailand (working for a thai employer, earning money through commerce in Thailand), then you are not a tourist and you need an appropriate visa and work permit.

I agree with your summary, but I think maybe the situation is considerably confused by the fact that it is actually possible to have a tourist visa run for almost a year (with extensions and re-entries) which begs the question -- what is THAILAND's definition of a "tourist" ?

[jessc]

I think you are not supposed to be able to live here full time on a tourist visa, even if you have been getting away with it.

[jpinx]

I think you are not supposed to be able to live here full time on a tourist visa, even if you have been getting away with it.

-----> The Thai immigration tourist visa options have encouraged many to stay here for almost a year at a time, using double and triple entry visas, extensions and re-entries, all perfectly legal. My point was to try to discover what the reasoning is which permits triple-entry visas and extensions if the immigration policy does not want long-term stayers who need to earn money.

[jessc]

I suspect there is a disconnect between policy and enforcement. As I understand it one is not supposed to be in Thailand on a tourist visa for more than 90 days in any 6 month period. At least for Americans. So in theory that's no more than 6 months in a year. Obviously people often stay much longer with back to back visas and visa exemptions.

[balo]

I'm planning to stay only 6 months in Thailand from next year and then up to 6 months in Cambodia . I already own a condo here but if I can't get the right visa , I will follow the digital nomad route , which means I have to move more frequently , I also visit Europe once a year so I think that a tourist visa up to 6 months would be ok in Thailand. And I do work online more and more these days.

Edited August 22, 2014 by balo

[AYJAYDEE]

I suspect there is a disconnect between policy and enforcement. As I understand it one is not supposed to be in Thailand on a tourist visa for more than 90 days in any 6 month period. At least for Americans. So in theory that's no more than 6 months in a year. Obviously people often stay much longer with back to back visas and visa exemptions.

180 days in a year? please post this regulation.

[ubonjoe]

I suspect there is a disconnect between policy and enforcement. As I understand it one is not supposed to be in Thailand on a tourist visa for more than 90 days in any 6 month period. At least for Americans. So in theory that's no more than 6 months in a year. Obviously people often stay much longer with back to back visas and visa exemptions.

Utter nonsense their is no such rule or regulation.

A rule that got cancelled about 6 years ago restricted visa exempt entries to 90 days total in 6 months. Some people seem to be referring to this long gone rule and twisting it around.

[Fab5BKK]

I suspect there is a disconnect between policy and enforcement. As I understand it one is not supposed to be in Thailand on a tourist visa for more than 90 days in any 6 month period. At least for Americans. So in theory that's no more than 6 months in a year. Obviously people often stay much longer with back to back visas and visa exemptions.

???

Could you develop?

[jessc]

I suspect there is a disconnect between policy and enforcement. As I understand it one is not supposed to be in Thailand on a tourist visa for more than 90 days in any 6 month period. At least for Americans. So in theory that's no more than 6 months in a year. Obviously people often stay much longer with back to back visas and visa exemptions.

???

Could you develop?

Apologies -- my earlier statement was not exactly right I think.

For Americans, as I understand it, in a given 12 month period, one can get two 60 day tourist visas, which can each be extended 30 days, which would be a total of 180 days (6 months). Doing a little research it appears some consulates do or have given triple entry visas. Several years ago before I moved to Thailand, a friend and I were told by the embassy in Penang that Americans cannot get the triple entry visa, but can have the double. I see that other Americans have said that they have been given triples at some consulates in the states.

In addition, additional time can be spent under the Visa Exemption Rule (VER)...until recently I think that allowed 90 days per 6 month period for Americans, which could be used in combination with visas at the border officer's discretion. But, this seems to be changing rapidly now. As of this month it appears Americans can only get one 30 day VER stamp, which can be extended for 7 days. After which a visa would need to be obtained. Some reports expect that the extension may soon be increased from 7 days to 30 days.

So from what I can see, it looks like as of today, an American could be in Thailand on a combination of tourist visa/visa exemption for 210 days per year (possibly longer if one got a triple entry visa?). And obviously, the rules are different depending on your home country.

But really no one should just take my word for it. I was not and am not claiming to be an expert. My original point was merely that I don't think Thailand intends for anyone to live full time in thailand, year to year, on a tourist visa...even if inconsistent application of changing rules makes it sometimes possible to do so.

[ubonjoe]

I suspect there is a disconnect between policy and enforcement. As I understand it one is not supposed to be in Thailand on a tourist visa for more than 90 days in any 6 month period. At least for Americans. So in theory that's no more than 6 months in a year. Obviously people often stay much longer with back to back visas and visa exemptions.

???

Could you develop?

Apologies -- my earlier statement was not exactly right I think.

For Americans, as I understand it, in a given 12 month period, one can get two 60 day tourist visas, which can each be extended 30 days, which would be a total of 180 days (6 months). Doing a little research it appears some consulates do or have given triple entry visas. Several years ago before I moved to Thailand, a friend and I were told by the embassy in Penang that Americans cannot get the triple entry visa, but can have the double. I see that other Americans have said that they have been given triples at some consulates in the states.

In addition, additional time can be spent under the Visa Exemption Rule (VER)...until recently I think that allowed 90 days per 6 month period for Americans, which could be used in combination with visas at the border officer's discretion. But, this seems to be changing rapidly now. As of this month it appears Americans can only get one 30 day VER stamp, which can be extended for 7 days. After which a visa would need to be obtained. Some reports expect that the extension may soon be increased from 7 days to 30 days.

So from what I can see, it looks like as of today, an American could be in Thailand on a combination of tourist visa/visa exemption for 210 days per year (possibly longer if one got a triple entry visa?). And obviously, the rules are different depending on your home country.

But really no one should just take my word for it. I was not and am not claiming to be an expert. My original point was merely that I don't think Thailand intends for anyone to live full time in thailand, year to year, on a tourist visa...even if inconsistent application of changing rules makes it sometimes possible to do so.

The rules for Americans are no different from those from other countries. The only advantage for them is since it is a G7 country they along with the others get a 30 day entry at a border crossing.

Unless you consider almost 6 years recent there has not been a 90 days 6 months for that long. Even then it applied to all those that were allowed normal visa exempt entries.

There has never been a limit on tourist visas for Americans they have been able to 3 entry for as long as it has been possible for others to get them.

There is no limit on visa exempt entries other than doing in/out visa runs to get a new exempt entry after staying on one for the full amount of time on one.

A 30 day extension for a visa exempt entry will be possible on or after the 29th of this month.

I think you have been hearing or reading a lot of rubbish and believing it.

[jessc]

I suspect there is a disconnect between policy and enforcement. As I understand it one is not supposed to be in Thailand on a tourist visa for more than 90 days in any 6 month period. At least for Americans. So in theory that's no more than 6 months in a year. Obviously people often stay much longer with back to back visas and visa exemptions.

???

Could you develop?

Apologies -- my earlier statement was not exactly right I think.

For Americans, as I understand it, in a given 12 month period, one can get two 60 day tourist visas, which can each be extended 30 days, which would be a total of 180 days (6 months). Doing a little research it appears some consulates do or have given triple entry visas. Several years ago before I moved to Thailand, a friend and I were told by the embassy in Penang that Americans cannot get the triple entry visa, but can have the double. I see that other Americans have said that they have been given triples at some consulates in the states.

In addition, additional time can be spent under the Visa Exemption Rule (VER)...until recently I think that allowed 90 days per 6 month period for Americans, which could be used in combination with visas at the border officer's discretion. But, this seems to be changing rapidly now. As of this month it appears Americans can only get one 30 day VER stamp, which can be extended for 7 days. After which a visa would need to be obtained. Some reports expect that the extension may soon be increased from 7 days to 30 days.

So from what I can see, it looks like as of today, an American could be in Thailand on a combination of tourist visa/visa exemption for 210 days per year (possibly longer if one got a triple entry visa?). And obviously, the rules are different depending on your home country.

But really no one should just take my word for it. I was not and am not claiming to be an expert. My original point was merely that I don't think Thailand intends for anyone to live full time in thailand, year to year, on a tourist visa...even if inconsistent application of changing rules makes it sometimes possible to do so.

The rules for Americans are no different from those from other countries. The only advantage for them is since it is a G7 country they along with the others get a 30 day entry at a border crossing.

Unless you consider almost 6 years recent there has not been a 90 days 6 months for that long. Even then it applied to all those that were allowed normal visa exempt entries.

There has never been a limit on tourist visa for Americans they have been able to 3 entry for as long as it has been possible for others to get them.

There is no limit on visa exempt entries other than doing in/out visa runs to get a new exempt entry after staying on one for the full amount of time on one.

A 30 day extension for a visa exempt entry will be possible on or after the 29th of this month.

I think you have been hearing or reading a lot of rubbish and believing it.

The pretty basic research I did this morning (on consulate websites, etc.) seems to differ from what you say. But regardless, again, not suggesting anyone should take my word for it (or yours, for that matter). People should do their own research. Since there are as many opinions as users here.

I any case, I think we are pretty far off topic at this point. Other forums are better suited for discussions of the basic tourist visa and VER schemes.

[AYJAYDEE]

The pretty basic research I did this morning (on consulate websites, etc.) seems to differ from what you say. But regardless, again, not suggesting anyone should take my word for it (or yours, for that matter). People should do their own research. Since there are as many opinions as users here.

I any case, I think we are pretty far off topic at this point. Other forums are better suited for discussions of the basic tourist visa and VER schemes.

I can assure you your research is flawed and this guy knows exactly what he is talkin about.