Work Permit - Extension of Stay

[SMEinBangkok]

I'm on a single-entry Non-Immigrant B visa and finalizing the process of setting up the branch office of my US company.  The branch office has been registered with the Ministry of Commerce and has received it's foreign business license, Amity Treat certification and VAT registration.  Most of this administrative process was completed late last year, and for most of  2016 I was in the US for business and personal reasons.  I'm now trying to engage with a services company to get my work permit and extension of stay.

 

Here's what I'm being told:

I have to have an audit done for 2015 to receive the WP/extension of stay.  The branch office was established in Nov 2015 and did no business.  All VAT monthly returns have, however, been filed.  The BOI website and MOC websites say a new business operation has 12 months to do an audit and every 12 months thereafter, so I'm confused on this.  They want 50,000 baht for the audit...for 2015....and of course I'm sure they'll want another 50,000 baht for the 2016 audit.  This is for a branch office that is not yet fully active.

 

I have to pay a 20,000 baht fine for not having an audit done for 2015.

 

It will take more than a month to get a WP/extension of stay

 

Does this sound correct to those of you who have experience in these matters?

[ubonjoe]

I think that they are saying you need the audit for the extension of stay application at immigration. If your business is registered as a branch office that is not needed. 

See (4) and (7) of this from the Bangkok immigration website's list of requirements for the extension application. extension based upon working .pdf

The list is from clause 2.1 of  Police Order 327/2557  basis for extension of stay.

You will need one Thai employee to apply for the extension.

[SMEinBangkok]

Thanks for the information Joe and I really appreciate the attachments.  From my perspective if I ask 4 different service companies in Bangkok what I need to obtain a work permit and extension of stay, I get 4 different answers.  I don't know if the difference in the lists reflect their immigration office 'contacts' requirements (which is understandable....here because this is Thailand) or if they simply don't know the requirements for a branch office.  In my limited experience, if a Thai doesn't know the answer....they won't just say that.  They'll make something up.