Most people applying for a 6-month visa tend to not be holding down a steady job in their home country, so effectively how many can apply for this visa with the job status requirement....but wait a minute..that is the IDEA !

You think wrong. I have lived here since I was 31 (19 years) and work online everyday (legally). I'm not suspicious just a realist who knows the facts from the authorities that count.

Seems strange that you are privy to these 'facts' yet Thailand has never released an official statement on the matter, or made any arrests. Or any other country for that matter.

As I've said before, just because someones skill set enables them to work anywhere doesn't mean they can work anywhere. The country they are sat in has a huge say.

If their work doesn't have a physical presence in that country, yes they can. It's indistinguishable from trading stocks (they are digital nomads too) or overseeing rental properties back home, why would a country restrict you simply generating money in a foreign currency in your own home.

Thailand has not yet singled out remote workers, but IMO it will come eventually. Until then the only reason so many get away with it is because they don't disclose their true activities.

IMO eventually Thailand will state something along the lines developed countries do:

Individuals temporarily residing in the United States who will be working from home for foreign based companies may be eligible for business visas provided they satisfy the following conditions:

• The individual is employed by a company outside of the United States
• No remuneration will be received from a U.S. source

Source - http://barbados.usembassy.gov/visa-business.html

Edited October 19, 201510 yr by jspill

Thailand has not yet singled out remote workers, but IMO it will come eventually. Until then the only reason so many get away with it is because they don't disclose their true activities.

IMO eventually Thailand will state something along the lines developed countries do:

Individuals temporarily residing in the United States who will be working from home for foreign based companies may be eligible for business visas provided they satisfy the following conditions:

• The individual is employed by a company outside of the United States

• No remuneration will be received from a U.S. source

Source - http://barbados.usembassy.gov/visa-business.html

Under tele communters - B1 visa which is what your on about

And has a degree or higher in that specific specialty .....its geared at programmers etc....not people flogging stuff on line...

Thailand has not yet singled out remote workers, but IMO it will come eventually. Until then the only reason so many get away with it is because they don't disclose their true activities.

IMO eventually Thailand will state something along the lines developed countries do:

Individuals temporarily residing in the United States who will be working from home for foreign based companies may be eligible for business visas provided they satisfy the following conditions:

• The individual is employed by a company outside of the United States
• No remuneration will be received from a U.S. source

Source - http://barbados.usembassy.gov/visa-business.html

Maybe but I doubt it. Your example would only cater for some because it appears specific to employees and doesn't really address the wide range of remote workers many of whom are self employed. IMO Thailand will more likely add online/remote working to the exclusion list otherwise they would need to come up with several categories of new visa to cater for the various groups able to work remotely.

The fact that the US has a specific visa for remote workers, working from their home, should make it even clearer to you that doing such with a tourist visa is illegal.

Edited October 19, 201510 yr by elviajero

If their work doesn't have a physical presence in that country, yes they can. It's indistinguishable from trading stocks (they are digital nomads too) or overseeing rental properties back home, why would a country restrict you simply generating money in a foreign currency in your own home.

They don't. They like every country want non-immigrants staying in the country with the appropriate visa and permission for the activity. Most online/remote workers could legalise their work but they choose not to.

Thailand might not require income in it's definition of work but IMO anyone whose activity is specifically to generate money/income is working. Working is not allowed under the terms of a tourist visa or any visa come to that.

The fact that the US has a specific visa for remote workers, working from their home, should make it even clearer to you that doing such with a tourist visa is illegal.

Or that it's in an as yet unrecognized, grey area, because the country is less developed, and it's a total non-issue in terms of safety or ethics, pending a specific visa eventually coming out.

Which explains why there's been zero historical arrests and Thailand has never said not to do it.

It is good to have info abut certain embassies requirements fora METV but this topic has gone way off from that subject.

If you want to discuss possible changes to tourist visa applications please do it here. No more Double Entry tourist visas?

This one