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[scwatts]

Hello! I am coming from the US and am wondering which visa I will need to start a business in Thailand? I am wanting to start a hostel/guesthouse and I am also wondering what kind of business licenses I might need to start a business like this? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[BritTim]

You are very lucky to be American. I think the US-Thailand Treaty of Amity will make this a lot easier. For most nationalities, the Foreign Business Act (aka Alien Business Law) almost prohibits majority foreign owned businesses. Tricks of dubious legality need to be employed to get around it.

I am not a lawyer and, anyway, all the ins and outs are beyond the scope of a simple forum post. You need to look into setting up a sole proprietorship under the Treaty of Amity, paying fixed taxes, as also allowed for, and getting a work permit as the owner of the business.

Start by reading and understanding the Foreign Business Act, Treaty of Amity, and Work Permit application process. You will eventually need a Non-Immigrant visa, but that can wait until the establishment of the business is in progress. You definitely should use a lawyer.

[blackcab]

You will need a hotel license. You will definitely need a Thai speaker to arrange this for you, and preferably someone who is used to dealing with government departments.

A hotel license is needed when you rent rooms by the day, as you plan to do. Getting the license involves gaining approvals from several government departments and it will also need the co-operation of your landlord.

Be aware that not every building can be granted a license because they might not comply with government regulations. The biggest thing to look out for is the construction permit.

The building may not have a permit; the building might have a permit, but what has been built is different from the permission or you might be given a document for a different building altogether.

If the building is not suitable for a hotel license (because of fire safety) you will either need to get builders to change the building until it complies (if the landlord agrees) or you will need to choose a different building. Which is going to be costly if you have already signed a lease.

Getting a hotel license is very possible, but you need to be careful of the pitfalls or your dreams will become a very expensive education. How much experience of Thailand do you have?

[ubonjoe]

You might want to look at this guide from the BOI that has a lot of useful info. BusinessGuide 2014.pdf

Moved to the Business, banking and etc forum.

[Maestro]

Regarding the visa, you can arrive with any type of visa to register your company. Once the company is set up, you apply for your work permit and when this is ready for pick-up you go to a Thai consulate for a non-immigrant visa category B, pick up your work permit and start work as the manager of your business.

Regarding company registration and business licences, I suggest that you start a new topic in the forum "Business in Thailand".

[ozyjon]

Instead of STARTING a new business why not

purchase an existing one either running or shut

down, i imagine there would be thousands of

businesses for sale not only in Thailand but world

wide, tourist numbers are on the slide, do you

really want to bring a large fortune to Thailand

only to be left with a small one or none at all.

[thrilled]

The more money you have the easier it is.You might have to grease some palms along the way.The freer you are with your money the easier and faster it will go.If you are tight with your money everything will go slow.I mean at times it will seem like nothing is getting done.And it's probably true.Remember bring baht.Lots of it.

[blackcab]

The more money you have the easier it is.You might have to grease some palms along the way.The freer you are with your money the easier and faster it will go.If you are tight with your money everything will go slow.I mean at times it will seem like nothing is getting done.And it's probably true.Remember bring baht.Lots of it.

I take your point that being careful with money can slow things down, and I do agree.

If, however, the OP is paying a commercial rent he might not have the luxury of taking his time.

[rololo88]

Hello to all, this is my first post on this forum.

I have a project to come and invest in thailand (koh samui) and buy few apartments then rent them ( i currently expat' in china)

What do i need exactly to stay, i am married with one kid. I saw there's a visa business which may be suitable with the

activity i plain to do. Do i need to open business or there's other structures more suitable to operate?

I am also a bit worry because of the military junte which still rule the country and i am very worry that things get ugly like in Myanmar which i know a bit well.

Did somebody have some feedback?

Thank you very much in advance and sorry for my bad English.

[brain1]

Why not ask Asia BackPackers in Thailand they are a Franchisor for hostels and the biggest in Asia

http://asia-backpackers.com/ or [email protected]

[papersource]

I was in the USA 20 years ago in 1996 and working on a similar plan with a belgian backapacker friend (now in Brazil)

My best advice to you would be to look at burma or even cambodia as I can not forsee any situation in Thailand where you could safely earn enough profit to survive unless you have a small fortune to invest and like working with Thai lawyers. If I was 25 years younger i would go to Burma. live very cheaply, learn the language, marry and build a bungalow operation on the beach there somewhere on one of the many undeveloped islands. My only other piece of advice would be not to listen to anyone who says it can not be done! Good luck.

[Maestro]

Hello to all, this is my first post on this forum.

I have a project to come and invest in thailand (koh samui) and buy few apartments then rent them ( i currently expat' in china)

What do i need exactly to stay, i am married with one kid. I saw there's a visa business which may be suitable with the

activity i plain to do. Do i need to open business or there's other structures more suitable to operate?

I am also a bit worry because of the military junte which still rule the country and i am very worry that things get ugly like in Myanmar which i know a bit well.

Did somebody have some feedback?

Thank you very much in advance and sorry for my bad English.

The type of visa you can get depends partially on your nationality.

Regardless of your nationality, I suggest you get a tourist visa for a start for your trip to Thailand to explore opportunities for the type of activity you plan to do.

[rololo88]

The type of visa you can get depends partially on your nationality.

Regardless of your nationality, I suggest you get a tourist visa for a start for your trip to Thailand to explore opportunities for the type of activity you plan to do.

Hi Maestro and thank you for your answer.

I hold an european passport (France), is it ok ?

Best regards.

Edited July 28, 2015 by rololo88

[Maestro]

Yes, it is OK.