Is it legal to work remotely in Thailand on a visa waiver?

@Matus ******

Yes Vietnam is good, Indonesia very friendly. I got mine in Taipei which was good but more strict than many embassies. Thai staff will give final approval. I had a brief interview with Thai staff before they approved my DTV.

@Matus ******

The main financial is the 500k THB saved. You should apply elsewhere.

I had like 20 K euro for more than 3 months on my account, but I will apply somewhere else later, If rejected I just look for a more friendly Asian country probably Vietnam. Strange is that embassy told me that all applications going through Bangkok anyway 🙂 Thank you for your advice

Anonymous participant 405 I know the exact requirment. I owned my own limited company here previously. I was also looking into the BOI Smart S Startup too for a friend in the medical area ie telehealth etc. In certain domains they have special provisions and waive the 5 employees etc.

So it fits "normal companies" such as the factory of chips, but for solo freelancers it's very bad

Anonymous participant 405 hardly impossible. Cheaper than it cost me to make a euro incorp.

This is the issue, people claim it's impossible when the real response is 'i don't want to pay for that'.

Ok so use a BOI registered umbrella payroll.. then the response becomes, I won't pay that either. Essentially it just comes down to a refusal to pay.

@Sefton *******

could you provide more details how can I have a company here then?

Anonymous participant 405 If you can't read Thai you will need an agent or lawyer to file everything.

-+40k to get started on average (not from larger Western centric ones, less from a local bookkeeper but more likely to get something wrong that way imo) almost every bookkeeping and legal firm can do.

Btw the 4 Thais, generally you just need to pay the tax on 4 salaries. I know some places don't even run the salary only the tax cost. That's also for extension later not essential at the beginning (or wasn't last time I talked it over).

@Greg *******

well, for freelancers it's definitely a no-no. I have no problem with high taxes, but 4 Thais in IT is at least a few thousand dollars per month, maybe even much more. 2 million baht is also a lot. And bureaucracy - for sure much more difficult than in US LLC or Estonia ou

@Sefton *******

It is usually like that. A build up then crackdown, especially when politically expedient.

I am talking about people genuinely here as a short term tourist on a genuine holiday, being allowed to do some work (answer emails, take calls etc). I am not talking about people trying to cheat the system by living here using tourist visas/visa exemption and working remotely.

@Greg *******

Yeah, seems not well thought out.

@Andi **********

It is not rocket science. Make a strategic plan. Then execute that plan ie the projects in the portfolio. Make sure you are on track and if not correct or pivot. Track using something like OKRs against each initiative :-( I have gone all corporate there lol

@Greg *******

That is the sensible, corporate route but it seems it will not be taken.

@Andi **********

Of course not - even companies who say they do it often do not. Nice publicity for the C-Suite to tell people it is what they do 🙂 Public bodies even less so.

@Dany *******

the English teacher is the perfect example.

The Burmese language teacher recently also.

The statements by immigration, labor, and employment officers. The statements by every serious law firm on the matter.

The existence of an entire business model, approved by the boi, to provide work permits via umbrella payrolls. Why does this business exist ?

To counter all this evidence you provide ?? Nothing.

@Sefton *******

your cases have all

been debunked or there was literally not enough info besides a single newspaper article from australia.

a burmese teacher that teaches thai. sure the authorities will give you a hard time for taking away business opportunities from thai people. that was the whole problem there.

which serious law firms? the ones that often state incorrect facts on their websites? how trustful is that? when they put out articles that have the purpose of selling you a medical insurance? LOL

statements from officials that you link in regards of influencers or badly worded requests that alleays leade to negative answers.

where are the cases of a normal remote worker that works for a foreign company. i am still waiting. just the normal software developer that got into trouble. your normal office worker that sends mails or

joins teams meetings. yet you only come up with sketchy cases or outright illegal practices like starting a chinese currency exchange business in thailand….

People like you are seeking proof of are hard to catch, if they don't self incriminate then there is very little way to be caught.

Plus there is little budget or enthusiasm to police these laws. Thailand is poor and extremely dependant on tourism, they cannot afford bad press if they firmly enforce the laws. But that is the law.

The DTV has an exemption, there are also a few other specific short term exemptions (conventions, short term training, export purchasing) and also a 14 day exemption for business meetings (but needs to be applied for etc).

But that's the law.

@Dany *******

so you identify your money earned as a charity/inheritance every month due to hit hobbies 🤣🤣

Ok

@Dany *******

lol. I don't think that decision is yours to make

@John *********

you cant be employed and contracted by a thai company but you obviously can work for your foreign company from thailand

Anonymous participant 635 as long as you have an appropriate visa that allows you to do so such as the DTV or LTR Remote Worker. A standard tourist visa doesn't allow you to work remotely

@John *********

correct. and not yours either… yet we can see the facts. the reality. not a single report about anyone having problems working remotely under any of these visa. in the past there even have been officials saying that its perfectly fine. now with the TAT you see the same. its pretty evident what is okay and what is not

@Dany *******

nonsense.. multiple cases. I know if 3 personally, 2 on Phuket and one in the press.

Only someone who is trying not to know the facts can maintain that.

@Sefton *******

there is no case when you work remote that you break the law. It's just a lie. Co-working spaces would be illegal like casinos and get raided any day. The dtv is just a multi entry tourist visa for 6 month stay. It is not a work permit. So don't spread lies

@Siggi ******

co-working spaces have been raided

@Sefton *******

link me the news. we will see if it was for REMOTE work for a NON-THAI entity. people that get in trouble usualy did local work. ;) online teachers, hair dressers and such…

@Dany *******

The English teacher ? Perfect example no?

And yes maybe there's other factors but each one was deported for 'working illegally in Thailand' which you are claiming is not illegal.

How do you get deported for something that isn't a crime ?

@Sefton *******

the „story“ of the english teacher is nowhere to be verified. are there other sources that confirm the story? the detention for illegal work and the fact that he never teached locals and that he didnt set up a local business? i cannot find anything about that case.

literally all of these stories are not a normal remote worker, but people that do shady business and take away local job opportunities.

@Dany *******

there's a news link of his arrest and deportation in my posts. Online teacher, no Thai students, paid outside of Thailand.

I personally helped someone deported from Phuket. Once they arrest, everything you own is lost, it's then a week or so to be processed through the idc then to airport straight to blacklisted. I helped them gather thier things, get rid of thier motorbike, brought them edible food, etc idc is a hell hole for Burmese migrants.

What do you need direct quotes from Labour and employment ? Lawyers ? It's all there for anyone looking.

@Sefton *******

didn’t find anything about that teacher besides one single article in your linked australian news media. he most likely was setting up some business in the eyes of authorities. all these stories are not about normal remote workers. it feels like you are trying to prove your point with these sketchy cases of detentions and deportations. no one will arrest a normal remote worker.

Unfortunately the gazette's issues and answers section was removed when they revamped the website. But look at what the labour department and employment officers say on the subject NOT immigration, who are not the enforcers of this issue.

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Is earning money through online advertising, website affiliate marketing or operating a business that has only an online presence whilst staying in Thailand considered working? Would that person be required to have a “business visa”?

Ting Tong Farang, Phuket Town

Any foreigners working or starting a business in Thailand, online or off, need to first get a proper visa.

They can apply for a Non-Immigrant B visa at a Royal Thai Embassy in their home country.

Once they get it they can come to Thailand and apply for a work permit with the Department of Employment.

If we find out that a foreigner is doing business online without a work permit, we will arrest them and take legal action through the court.

Pol Col Panuwat Ruamrak, Superintendent of Phuket Immigration

Doing business online is considered a type of work, so foreigners are required to have a work permit to do so.

The first thing to do is get the proper business visa. Foreigners with any other type of visa generally cannot apply for a work permit.

An exception to that rule is made for foreigners legally married to Thai citizens.

For more information on the visas and documents required to apply for a work permit, we advise foreigners to contact us or the Department of Employment in the area they live.

We need detailed information from the foreigner before advising on further action.

0-1 ext 13 for further information.

Somkiat Baiadul, an officer at the work permit division of the Phuket Department of Employment

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Is uploading videos to YouTube considered work?

I have a YouTube channel showing a video diary of my travels around Thailand – promoting the country and activities here.

I am trying to understand what laws I need to be aware of in relation to my current and past activities. Is uploading videos to YouTube considered work? Does it matter if I have YouTube ads turned on or off?

I have many other videos on my channel, which I made 100 per cent outside Thailand – before my arrival. If I have ads turned on and am being paid for these past activities while I am in the Kingdom, is this considered work?

Concerned vlogger, Thailand.

No, it isn’t, as long as the uploading is for fun or to share on social media networks publicly for free. However, if you turn on YouTube ads while living in Thailand, or post them in your own blog where they can collect revenue, this could be considered work. Even if you posted videos while outside Thailand, but then activated or turned on ads related to them, this would still be considered work, as you would be making money while in the country. It means you are working while you are living in the Kingdom. However, if you activated the ads before entering the country, but still received revenue once entering the country for your holiday, then this would not be considered as working while staying in Thailand.

Yaowapa Pibulpol, chief of Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO).

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@Sefton *******

again you posted 2 cases that are not your typical remote worker or that asked misleading questions. the first one is missleading as it talks about creating and online business in thailand. it didn’t specify the customer group. so it was answered to be illegal..: second one is an influencer thing. we already discussed that. its illegal as you do business in Thailand with local content/products and locals can consume it. you take away a business opportunity for a local. illegal. and again not your normal remote worker.

will you ever come up with a normal case? i guess there is none 🤷‍♀️

Here is another perfectly meeting all your invented needs

I am a commodity trader and use the Internet for my work. My financial dealings are conducted in Australia. I am thinking of coming to Thailand to stay for short time – about three months. My question is, can I still do my trading via the Internet in Thailand without breaking any laws? Theoretically, I shan’t be working in Thailand.

Travelling Trader, Perth, Western Australia

To do any work in Thailand you must either set up a company or partnership and apply for a work prmit, or find someone willing to employ you and to apply for a work permit for you. Otherwise you will be working illegally. We suggest that you do not work during your three-month stay in Phuket.

Phuket Provincial Employment Services Office

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@Dany *******

no the question (I asked it) was explicitly clear that this was a 100 % online only business without Thai clients. The reply was also as clear.

If we find out that a foreigner is doing business online without a work permit, we will arrest them and take legal action through the court.

Pol Col Panuwat Ruamrak, Superintendent of Phuket Immigration

@Sefton *******

what you are talking are you drunk? There is no work permit for online work as it is not illegal. You say you have a dtv visa so you working also illegal by your own definition as its just a stupid tourist visa

It's rarely enforced, but online work is still work. Always was.. many cases over the last decades.. my mate Nate case etc etc.

The DTV has an exemption as per the announcement in the royal favorite, tourist visas do not.

You want lawyers and law firms opinions ?

@Sefton *******

i dont give much about the „law firm“ websites that are mostly advertisement (here its their insurance in the end) and often incorrect. it even states that you could get a work permit but in reality you can only get it with a boi registered company and not your employer abroad.

@Dany *******

and all the direct responses from employment office, Labour dept, even immigration (not that it is thier justification) ? Explicitly answering that it is not legal.

And the rebuttal is... I don't think so.. based on ??

You have evidence of arrests and deportation, you simply are in denial at this point.

@Dany *******

I mean. That's loads more.

Back in the day the old phuket gazette used to have an issues and answers section where you could write in and they would make officials answer on the record.

Over and over the labor dept and employment office repeatedly explained how it was not legal, but they have very little way to enforce it, and as a poor country reliant on tourism, they have to be very careful to not scare off tourist money.

I have all those archived somewhere. Many many more examples.

@Dany *******

@Dany *******

how many do you need ??

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@Sefton *******

the chinese currency exchange guys broke multiple laws as you can read in the text. not very useful as an example for your normal remote worker joe that works alone and remotely for a company abroad

@Dany *******

2709

@Dany *******

Then you have many cases of YouTubers and tiktokers including the my mate Nate case (he got off on a technicality as they had an amnesty) or the Chinese girl who made noise about nana but was deported for illegal work

/13/travel/chinese-influencer-tourist-thailand-tiktok-video-intl-hnk/index.html

@Sefton *******

Thailand content is not working remotely same like journalists. Nothing to do with it

@Sefton *******

youtubers and influencers are technically not working remotely. why dont we talk

about the people with normal remote jobs that take a phone call with a client in the US or have a team meeting with the company in france or code some stuff for a svedish company or write some mails…

@Dany *******

you mean like this ?

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@Dany *******

Just this year, there was a case of an online teacher from Myanmar who taught languages to other Myanmar citizens - fully remote. She was caught. There were also reports of Chinese nationals being arrested for online streaming, promoting, and selling products (products that were located in China) - again, targeting only a Chinese audience. Thai citizens weren’t involved in any way. And yet 🫣

In my opinion, it’s really just a matter of luck and how much free time the local police have. Most of the time, they aren’t particularly interested, I agree. But it wouldn’t be accurate to say there have been no cases at all.

@Oleksandra *********

you don't have any clue about Thai laws, when you work for a foreign company remotely nothing is illegal and no government can even issue a work permit for it. Stop spreading lies

@Siggi ******

you are a very polite and a well-mannered person, I see.

@Siggi ******

while its true you can't get a work permit for remote work without the appropriate visa its illegal

@Oleksandra *********

you need to inform yourself about the whole stories and reasons behind those arrests. none of these cases is a simple remote worker. they set up whole illegal business in thailand and/or take away local labor opportunities. way different.

89-foreign-teacher-arrested-in-thailand-for-teaching-thai-without-a-licence/

21/china-only-livestreamers-busted-at-bangkok-mall