Working for a Thai company remotely. Anyone with experience?

[kblaze]

I am in the last steps of getting the Thai firm I have been working with for 5 years to allow me to work from home in the States. Has anyone done this before? I'm trying to make sure I don't forget anything or get messed up somewhere. I will withdraw funds via my SCB card whilst stateside. This is new territory for the HR team and they mentioned something about an international transfer limit of 25k usd. Never heard of such a thing but I want to hear from others. My working hours will be crazy, but I am willing to do whatever it takes for them to let me do this. Work permit-wise, I will have to return in February for renewal. I'm assuming my tax situation will remain unchanged as I will still technically be making my money abroad (foreign income exclusion - I don't make over 100k usd so no worries). 

 

My wife goes in for her green card interview in the next couple of weeks...so we are almost home free. 

 

[bbi1]

Working for a Thai firm on a Thai salary but living in the States. Are you sure you have enough money to live on from this salary?

[bwpage3]

You better check your income status with the US IRS. Not living abroad may not qualify you for any tax breaks.

[seancbk]

17 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Working for a Thai firm on a Thai salary but living in the States. Are you sure you have enough money to live on from this salary?

 

Why do you assume an expat salary in Thailand isn't a good salary?

When I was headhunted to come here from Hong Kong, my salary almost doubled (and I was earning good money in HK).    Perhaps the OP is an expert in his field and gets paid accordingly, irrespective of where he lives.

What I don't understand is why the OP needs to come back to renew his work permit.   If he isn't living in Thailand why would he need one?

[bbi1]

1 hour ago, seancbk said:

 

Why do you assume an expat salary in Thailand isn't a good salary?

When I was headhunted to come here from Hong Kong, my salary almost doubled (and I was earning good money in HK).    Perhaps the OP is an expert in his field and gets paid accordingly, irrespective of where he lives.

What I don't understand is why the OP needs to come back to renew his work permit.   If he isn't living in Thailand why would he need one?

It's not like he was working for a US company that has a branch also in Thailand and sent him over there to work with the same US salary. He's working for a Thai company so I'm assuming that it would be a Thai type of salary. Unless the OP confirms otherwise.

 

Did you get headhunted from a Thai company who recruited people in HK to come to work in Thailand or a HK company having a branch in Thailand?

[seancbk]

1 minute ago, bbi1 said:

It's not like he was working for a US company that has a branch also in Thailand and sent him over there to work with the same US salary. He's working for a Thai company so I'm assuming that it would be a Thai type of salary. Unless the OP confirms otherwise.

 

Did you get headhunted from a Thai company who recruited people in HK to come to work in Thailand or a HK company having a branch in Thailand?

 

I got headhunted by a Thai company to come and work for them in Bangkok.

There is even more money flowing around here in app development and digital now than there was 8 years ago.    Thai investment funds have billions of baht and are putting it into all kinds of mobile app projects.

[kblaze]

It's a very average salary in the states, but of course high vs. average Thai salaries. I will definitely have to belt tighten and I pray nothing causes the baht to collapse. Work permit is required regardless of actually being in the country as it is a Thai firm (if there is a workaround, pls advise!). I understand I will no longer qualify for the Foreign Income Exclusion as I won't pass the physical presence/bonafide residence test, but I should still be able to use Foreign Income Tax Credits. These are far more complex and thus my anxiety about the move and whether they will fully cover my taxable income.

thanks.