Thailand Expats

medio · #1 08-08-2006, 15:58

Hello people,

Right now I am working and living in thailand. I am working for an employer.

In the future I want to work free lance. Is there any legal ways to do this?

I just want to employ myself. I could not keep a number of thai employees working for me. Anybody knows for example about consultancy companies?

Thanks for any help.

Medio

sundancekid · #2 08-08-2006, 20:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by medio

Hello people,

Right now I am working and living in thailand. I am working for an employer.

In the future I want to work free lance. Is there any legal ways to do this?

I just want to employ myself. I could not keep a number of thai employees working for me. Anybody knows for example about consultancy companies?

Thanks for any help.

Medio

I've been self-employed for a couple of years now (listed as a consultant) and have not had any problems. As long as you pay your taxes you sould be fine. The lawyer should take of everything for you.

I pay roughly 11,000 baht per month in various taxes, accounting and renewal fees. This gives me a one year visa.

medio · #3 08-08-2006, 20:44

Thanks for your reply.

What kind of work do you actually do? Do you work in Thailand only or outside as well?

Do you know if you could get a work permit as well?

11.00 baht a month ? Do you have to pay normal income tax on top of that?

Medio

sundancekid · #4 08-08-2006, 21:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by medio

Thanks for your reply.

What kind of work do you actually do? Do you work in Thailand only or outside as well?

Do you know if you could get a work permit as well?

11.00 baht a month ? Do you have to pay normal income tax on top of that?

Medio

11,000 pays for everything, incl. renewal of work permit (and oh, you have the start-up costs of the company on top of that...) You could get away with less, if you are willing to leave the country every 3 months on a visa run.

I work with programming / design for a couple of overseas clients. And only in Thailand.

SMF · #5 10-08-2006, 02:32

If it wasn't for my children here in Denmark, then wow I would have done that tomorrow. I have been working as a free lancer (development and consulting) for many years, and would have no problem get jobs in LOS or surrounding areas (SG, HK etc.)... Now I just have to go there from time to time, vacation and work...

bigsquat · #6 12-08-2006, 07:26

I've considered doing free-lance software consulting in thailand myself in the future. I wasn't planning on paying any thai taxes, as I know I couldn't avoid paying taxes here in the US as well. In my case all my clients would still be in the US.

SDK- do you pay income taxes in your home country as well? Why did you choose to register as self-employed in thailand? Was it simply to get the one year visa? Or do you deal with thai clients?

thanks,
BS

LivinLOS · #7 12-08-2006, 11:07

If you still pay taxes in your home country depends heavily on the home country (and its DTA agreement with the country you do work in) as well as your residential status..

For a Brit and most Euro's its pretty easy to stay out for 183 days per year and build non resident or even better (but you need a laywer who knows a bit more) to be 'resident but not ordinarily resident for tax purposes' which allows you to still have homes and assets incountry but not pay tax in UK.

For Yanks its much harder to not pay home based taxes unless your really going to give them the middle finger salute and make the expat jump.

Working under the radar in Thailand for clients outside of Thailand is really no problems.. Even some immigration offices have said it was ok as long as its not with Thai clients.. Others say painting your own wall or walking your dog breaks Thai law (does a job a Thai could do) thier laws are very poorly / ambigiously written as it then allows team money for all. Personally I would consider the Thai side very low worry and only worry about home country issues IF you are working online and working with outside Thailand clients and payments.

LivinLOS · #8 12-08-2006, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsquat

I've considered doing free-lance software consulting in thailand myself in the future. I wasn't planning on paying any thai taxes, as I know I couldn't avoid paying taxes here in the US as well. In my case all my clients would still be in the US.

SDK- do you pay income taxes in your home country as well? Why did you choose to register as self-employed in thailand? Was it simply to get the one year visa? Or do you deal with thai clients?

thanks,
BS

Technically youyrbreaking the law if you work freelance here.. Some guys obviously dont like to break the law..

As I said the Thai work issue wouldnt worry me.. at what point does checing your email or talking to your broker become work etc.. Very hard to pin down. But other peoples reasons for wanting to stay 100% white are understandable surely.

bigsquat · #9 12-08-2006, 14:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

If you still pay taxes in your home country depends heavily on the home country (and its DTA agreement with the country you do work in) as well as your residential status..

For a Brit and most Euro's its pretty easy to stay out for 183 days per year and build non resident or even better (but you need a laywer who knows a bit more) to be 'resident but not ordinarily resident for tax purposes' which allows you to still have homes and assets incountry but not pay tax in UK.

For Yanks its much harder to not pay home based taxes unless your really going to give them the middle finger salute and make the expat jump.

Working under the radar in Thailand for clients outside of Thailand is really no problems.. Even some immigration offices have said it was ok as long as its not with Thai clients.. Others say painting your own wall or walking your dog breaks Thai law (does a job a Thai could do) thier laws are very poorly / ambigiously written as it then allows team money for all. Personally I would consider the Thai side very low worry and only worry about home country issues IF you are working online and working with outside Thailand clients and payments.

Thanks as always for the help LIL. That's a pretty sweet deal, 'resident but not ordinarily resident for tax purposes'...

I'm hoping to make the jump over there sometime next year for an extended visit, and it would be nice to have *some* income while I'm there, so I don't just watch my meager savings dry up. but of course i'd want everything to be above board

so thai taxes, us taxes, and california taxes it is

DaveRetiring · #10 14-08-2006, 06:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

If you still pay taxes in your home country...

For a Brit and most Euro's its pretty easy to stay out for 183
<snip>
'resident but not ordinarily resident for tax purposes'

Just butting in here LIL, I think you will find that if you have assets making income in the home country you will still be liable for income tax at home. This is usually a flat 10% or very close to for a non-resident citizen. This tax does not include any income you are making out of the country as long as you are paying tax where you are working and living -- If the Reciprocal Tax Arrangement is viable between the two countries AND you have signed on to the local Tax system.

I'd be very surprised if you could skip paying the taxable income being earned at home, like rent income from a house or bank interest income etc etc.

Dave

LivinLOS · #11 14-08-2006, 09:47

Depends heavily on status of the income..

I am not a lawyer (thank good

) but IIRC you can pay no tax on rental income accrued from commercial property as its a business and taxed in other ways but the non resident can syphon off the company money tax free (being tricky.. Having tax free wages or providing services from overseas) but you do have to pay some tax on residential income but a lot lower than income tax (plus you can offset any costs in the rental as per usual)..

I was resident but not ordinarily resident for a few years as I had UK based companies but was not residing in the UK.. Sweet arrangement... Now I just gave them the middle finger salute as I got caught up in some fraud charges in mainland Europes tax regimes..

As aways see a good lawyer that specializes in overseas workers and decide how far you wish to risk pushing it.. Once you step offshore there many interpretations of 'legal' in my experience.. Also many areas where one jurisdiction cannot see the data they need about work done in others.