Immigration raid targets Digital Nomads in Chiang Mai

[jspill]

'Let me join the forum to spam this article I'm affiliated with telling people it's illegal to work on TR / Ed visa, when in fact that's a debatable issue, in the hope they sign up to Iglu through me'.

[watcharacters]

I think this is mis-interpreted. More likely as one poster said above it may have been an opportunity to do a routine visa check for overstayers as opposed to WP issues. Or I wonder if Pun Space has a business competitor who just wanted to cause a little mischief?

Did you read how many armed police were involved?

[SoiBiker]

Why do people keep talking about armed police?

Does Thailand have unarmed police?

[Harry198]

'Let me join the forum to spam this article I'm affiliated with telling people it's illegal to work on TR / Ed visa, when in fact that's a debatable issue, in the hope they sign up to Iglu through me'.

I'm not sure, seems like several bloggers in bangkok have been writing about this topic. Never would I use Iglu though, they are the middle man in two way transaction that doesn't require a middle man.

[TheSpade]

It might seem that way if you hang out in the wrong bars, but I don't think that's really true. I know plenty that didn't.

I avoid bar girl joints and places with predominantly farang clientele like the plague.

It doesn't change the fact that most single men who come to Thailand so so for cheap sex.

Read the "First Day In Thailand" thread.

99% of the stories involve ending up with a hooker and being proud of it.

[SoiBiker]

It might seem that way if you hang out in the wrong bars, but I don't think that's really true. I know plenty that didn't.

I avoid bar girl joints and places with predominantly farang clientele like the plague.

It doesn't change the fact that most single men who come to Thailand so so for cheap sex.

Read the "First Day In Thailand" thread.

99% of the stories involve ending up with a hooker and being proud of it.

This one?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/761047-your-first-day-ever-in-los/

Skimmed the first few pages. Some of the stories do indeed involve prostitution. Plenty of them don't.

I don't know why you guys so often want to make out that your everyone that comes here is like you. Maybe it makes you feel better about what you do here or something. Weird.

[Gayllips]

'Let me join the forum to spam this article I'm affiliated with telling people it's illegal to work on TR / Ed visa, when in fact that's a debatable issue, in the hope they sign up to Iglu through me'.

You are not allowed to spam your gay poker sites on this forum, away with you.

[zierf1]

Geez. If you're gonna do that stuff keep it under da table. Do these people know what under da table means?

I'm a digital nomad too but I don't tell everyone in Thailand I'm doing it. I certainly don't write about what I'm doing on blogs and setting up shops like this one.

[zierf1]

I'm just curious... where do so-called digital nomads pay taxes? In the clients' country, their home country, or their server's country?

Depends on where they have their company.. Most would have to start the company in their home country and pay the taxes there.. Anything else would be illegal in most cases (paying no tax at all . or having an "offshore company"). In some cases I guess an offshore company would be legal.. And then tax would be paid in that country.

What a load of nonsense.

1. You don't need to set up a company. You can work as an individual, as most digital nomads do.

2. It is not illegal to get income and not pay tax anywhere. Many people do it and it's completely legal. e.g. For a UK citizen you can leave the UK and become non-resident for tax purposes, so you don't need to pay any tax on your income. Spend 4 months each in 3 different countries and you won't be liable for taxes in any of them. That is the reality. There is nothing at all illegal about it. Depends on the countries and the tax rules, but most countries won't tax you if you're there for less than 6 months. Many won't tax you if income is derived from outside the country.

lol Nobody pays taxes. That soup cart down the street doesn't pay taxes so why should you or I? These people trying to do everything legal with these silly visas are just nitwits. There is no black and white in los. You do what you can get away with. In digitial nomad cases, they get away with dodging t@xes and working ill3gally.

[JulieM]

Harry 198 wrote:

"I see humans (myself included) as a cancer on this earth, everything we touch turns to crap. Water polluted, food is all GMO, drones, deaths, numerous waters fall of oil. We are like a virus and our goal is to destroy the earth. We bring more harm than good. I will not contribute to the system and that's just me, I don't care what you think. I am all for helping others and being nice and helping my fellow man on the street, but when it comes to the system, no thanks jeff. We are the new generation, this is how we do things now."

Wake up, Dude. The world is much better off now than it was 500 years ago, as far as the human condition is concerned. And we are so much better off

than we were 5,000 years ago. Heaven knows what kind of paradise we will create in the next 5,000 years. It's going to be good.

[Docno]

I'm just curious... where do so-called digital nomads pay taxes? In the clients' country, their home country, or their server's country?

Depends on where they have their company.. Most would have to start the company in their home country and pay the taxes there.. Anything else would be illegal in most cases (paying no tax at all . or having an "offshore company"). In some cases I guess an offshore company would be legal.. And then tax would be paid in that country.

What a load of nonsense.

1. You don't need to set up a company. You can work as an individual, as most digital nomads do.

2. It is not illegal to get income and not pay tax anywhere. Many people do it and it's completely legal. e.g. For a UK citizen you can leave the UK and become non-resident for tax purposes, so you don't need to pay any tax on your income. Spend 4 months each in 3 different countries and you won't be liable for taxes in any of them. That is the reality. There is nothing at all illegal about it. Depends on the countries and the tax rules, but most countries won't tax you if you're there for less than 6 months. Many won't tax you if income is derived from outside the country.

lol Nobody pays taxes. That soup cart down the street doesn't pay taxes so why should you or I? These people trying to do everything legal with these silly visas are just nitwits. There is no black and white in los. You do what you can get away with. In digitial nomad cases, they get away with dodging t@xes and working ill3gally.

Well, if you're making only as much as the soup cart owner, you shouldn't be paying taxes and likely wouldn't be in most countries. But if you're making significantly more, benefiting from national infrastructure, and living in a society where it's not 'every man for himself' ... well then it could be argued that there's moral (not just legal) obligation to pay taxes IMHO.

[Ulysses G.]

Harry 198 wrote:

"I see humans (myself included) as a cancer on this earth, everything we touch turns to crap. Water polluted, food is all GMO, drones, deaths, numerous waters fall of oil. We are like a virus and our goal is to destroy the earth. We bring more harm than good. I will not contribute to the system and that's just me, I don't care what you think. I am all for helping others and being nice and helping my fellow man on the street, but when it comes to the system, no thanks jeff. We are the new generation, this is how we do things now."

Wake up, Dude. The world is much better off now than it was 500 years ago, as far as the human condition is concerned. And we are so much better off

than we were 5,000 years ago. Heaven knows what kind of paradise we will create in the next 5,000 years. It's going to be good.

I don't think things are as bad as Harry 198, but I don't see humans creating a paradise either. IMO, we are a warlike species that will always be involved in conflict. I do think things will keep improving, but I don't see a heaven on earth in our future.

[harrry]

There is a possibility that although people were released quickly after this raid it was never meant to actual arrest anyone but to send a warning that they knew would be well publicised. Or is it that Thais are not that smart?

[harrry]

There is a possibility that although people were released quickly after this raid it was never meant to actual arrest anyone but to send a warning that they knew would be well publicised. Or is it that Thais are not that smart?

[rwdrwdrwd]

I think if that was the case they would have used to opportunity to state that it was a warning.

[ThaiEskimo]

lol Nobody pays taxes. That soup cart down the street doesn't pay taxes so why should you or I? These people trying to do everything legal with these silly visas are just nitwits. There is no black and white in los. You do what you can get away with. In digitial nomad cases, they get away with dodging t@xes and working ill3gally.

Maybe you don't pay taxes, zierf1 but plenty of legitimate companies do.

Once you reach a certain income level, you want certainty in your financial affairs.

When you are just starting out, you might skirt some rules. Understandable.

===

But you want black and white?

How about this excerpt directly from the Thailand Department of Revenue website?

Taxpayers are classified into “resident” and “non-resident.” “Resident” means any person residing in Thailand for a period or periods aggregating more than 180 days in any tax (calendar) year. A resident of Thailand is liable to pay tax on income from sources in Thailand as well as on the portion of income from foreign sources that is brought into Thailand.

The law reads pretty clear.

If you are making significant income, you could actually save money by setting up legitimately.

There is a further post on this here:

What Digital Nomads can Learn from the Immigration Raid at PunSpace

[mataleo]

las time when I read about it, they said Digital nomads can work on ED visas

its on http://chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4366

"If you are a 'digital nomad' running your own business on the internet, the immigration office says you can do this on a tourist visa. "

[e2x10]

What a waste of time, money and resources. As if these people don't add to the economy and culture.

[MisterTee]

What a waste of time, money and resources. As if these people don't add to the economy and culture.

I'm not qualified to comment on the economic aspect of the question, but the cultural part has me wondering...

Could you list some of the cultural boons that digital nomads have brought to Thailand in general and Chiang Mai in particular?

I'm ready and willing to be enlightened.

[e2x10]

What a waste of time, money and resources. As if these people don't add to the economy and culture.

I'm not qualified to comment on the economic aspect of the question, but the cultural part has me wondering...

Could you list some of the cultural boons that digital nomads have brought to Thailand in general and Chiang Mai in particular?

I'm ready and willing to be enlightened.

artists and designers don't add anything cultural?