Best way to get a work permit

[khunPer]

12 hours ago, simplysocial said:

Even if it would be 100k baht a year it would be still cheaper then the work permit option. Also the lawyer told me i dont need 4 employees, can negotiate to one for the start. Do you have experiences with a thai limited company? Can you tell more about the 5 year visa? dont have 500k baht though.

Normally you would need a 2 million baht Thai company limited for 1 foreign Work Permit, and 2-4 Thai employees – might be exceptions for number of Thai-workers per foreign Work Permit in special level of business and education requirements, that you can check with BOI and an experienced lawyer. However, you'll always need 51% of "your company" to be owned by one or two Thai shareholders; proof of funds is required today.

 

It seem like most digital migrant workers are doing it under the radar – presuming it's online work for foreign clients only – and using alternative ways of permission to stay in the Kingdom, for example Thai Elite Card. The 100K baht is actually relative "cheap" compared to running a Thai company limited for the purpose of one foreign Work Permit, and annual extension of stay based on that WP.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, simplysocial said:

Then still i couldnt legally work in thailand - what if im on such a visa be it the elite or the education visa and they see me working here? My video work will get around here as it is publically accessable.

 

also im reading on the website the 20 year visa is 2 million baht or am i on the wrong page here? https://www.thailandelite.com/#/at-your-service/card/elite-ultimate-privilege-membership

There are two 20 year memberships. The is the 1 million baht one. https://www.thailandelite.com/#/at-your-service/card/elite-superiority-extension-membership

If you go t0 the home from either of pages you can find all the memberships.

[JackThompson]

19 minutes ago, simplysocial said:

Officially im here sponsored by a real estate company to look for business contacts and investment opportunities in the real estate market.

 

No i dont intend to have thai staff and customers to be honest. Filipinos and Vietnamese people are way more productive and also cheaper.

If that is where your preferred workforce is (assuming you want a workforce at all), you can do this without any problem in the Philippines.  They welcome Western visitors with their own money, so you could simply live there by extending tourist-entries in-country - with annual (or longer) hops out of the country or back.  Similar for Cambodia (renew in-country forever).  Vietnam also allows perpetual-stays on tourist-visas with border-bounces.  In general, where people are poorer, they are more 'exploitable', which is called 'efficient' in business-terminology.  It is true that Thai people are not as desperate as some others.

But as long as you can maintain a Non-B here - then you would just have to hope you are not the 'example to be set' if there is a crackdown on you particular activity.

Edited August 12, 2017 by JackThompson

[William C F Pierce]

2 hours ago, simplysocial said:

Thank you for the link - and no it doesnt make the money yet to support 4 employees. I was thinking to go to the ministry of labour and explain them what i do and talk with them if i need a work permit for it or not. I was reading, that there are a bunch of digital nomads here and even they cant work here without a work permit, it is tolerated that they source the income from outside thailand and spend it here while living here: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/993111-digital-nomads/

Many people are giving you sound advice on various issues. Yes there are many digital Nomads operating in Thailand, but they don't declare it because of the restrictions. The Government Labour Department knows about it and the basic employment laws have been in existance since 1979, so they are considering reviewing and changing it. In the meantime if your business widely visable on the internet.  Then you shouild consider having your main business address outside of Thailand. In Germany if it is your home country. You will need your main bank account outside of Thailand to remit your living expenses to a Thai bank account. Many people do have their funds sent from outside Thailand to Thailand. It is generally seen as foreign currency coming in and not taxable income.

 

Internationally most people don't consider using the internet as work, even though you can benefit finacially from it, so far I don't think anyone has been prosecuted for being a digital nomad. Many Tourists use their laptops, tablets and smart phones here, both short and long term tourists. The question is where is the dividing line between between business, tourism and social use of the internet? The vast use of smart phones, tablets and laptops is now too vast for any goverment to deal with. As previously mentioned your safest option would be the education visa route for 2 to 3 years. I give you this as an analysis to think about. You have to decide what risk you want to take and what is right for you. LIVE IN FEAR ALL YOUR LIFE YOU WILL NOT ACHIEVE ANYTHING.

Edited August 12, 2017 by William C F Pierce

[seancbk]

11 hours ago, simplysocial said:

Thanks a lot for all the replies. It looks like opening a company is not a good route. Im not even 30 years old and i have a german passport. I will research more about the education and the elite visa. 500k has to be deposited or does it just have to be shown, that it is there in case of emergency?

 

Yes the 500,000 baht is the fee for the 5 year Thai Elite Visa, so you have to pay it in full upfront.

Are you rich enough to retire at under 30?    At 30 I was, but by 35 I wasn't (I got rich during the first internet boom and spent it all on living the high life).

I'm now setting up a company in Bangkok, it's costing me 15,000 THB to setup the Thai limited company, then another 15,000 THB to add myself and my investor to the company as director and shareholder respectively.   
6000 THB per month for the accounting, 20,000 a year for the annual tax audit.   Minimum 4 staff (although we will be hiring 20+ by the end of the year)

It's definitely doable, if you have a decent business to make it worthwhile.

Incidentally, I've just been to Saigon where I'll be setting up a branch of my company, which will allow me to split my time between Bangkok and Saigon.
 

Edited August 12, 2017 by seancbk
more info

[Chrisdoc]

 
Yes the 500,000 baht is the fee for the 5 year Thai Elite Visa, so you have to pay it in full upfront.

Are you rich enough to retire at under 30?    At 30 I was, but by 35 I wasn't (I got rich during the first internet boom and spent it all on living the high life).

I'm now setting up a company in Bangkok, it's costing me 15,000 THB to setup the Thai limited company, then another 15,000 THB to add myself and my investor to the company as director and shareholder respectively.   
6000 THB per month for the accounting, 20,000 a year for the annual tax audit.   Minimum 4 staff (although we will be hiring 20+ by the end of the year)

It's definitely doable, if you have a decent business to make it worthwhile.

Incidentally, I've just been to Saigon where I'll be setting up a branch of my company, which will allow me to split my time between Bangkok and Saigon.
 

I am checking out Thai companies myself and am wondering about the 2 million baht regulation?

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, Chrisdoc said:

I am checking out Thai companies myself and am wondering about the 2 million baht regulation?

That is the minimum registered capital a company must have to get a work permit for you.

See 1.2.4 of this business guide from the BOI for info on registration. http://www.boi.go.th/upload/content/BOI-business guide 2017-20170222_44021.pdf

[p_brownstone]

1 hour ago, Chrisdoc said:

I am checking out Thai companies myself and am wondering about the 2 million baht regulation?

The Baht 2 million is for Registered Capital only, it does not all need to be Paid Up Capital, and you can use Assets - Office Furniture, Company Car, Computer equipment etc. etc..

 

You will need a minimum of 2 Shareholders and upon Registering the Company they will be required to show proof that they have Funds available to purchase thier allotted Shares.

 

Patrick

[Chrisdoc]

That is the minimum registered capital a company must have to get a work permit for you.
See 1.2.4 of this business guide from the BOI for info on registration. http://www.boi.go.th/upload/content/BOI-business guide 2017-20170222_44021.pdf

Thanks Joe once again. Cheers.

[Chrisdoc]

The Baht 2 million is for Registered Capital only, it does not all need to be Paid Up Capital, and you can use Assets - Office Furniture, Company Car, Computer equipment etc. etc..
 
You will need a minimum of 2 Shareholders and upon Registering the Company they will be required to show proof that they have Funds available to purchase thier allotted Shares.
 
Patrick

Thanks Patrick. Cheers

[blackcab]

7 hours ago, p_brownstone said:

You will need a minimum of 2 Shareholders

 

You will need a minimum of 2 shareholder plus yourself, making a minimum of 3 shareholders in total.

[Chrisdoc]

 
You will need a minimum of 2 shareholder plus yourself, making a minimum of 3 shareholders in total.

Thanks