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What are the best visa options for a UK family moving to Samui, Thailand, while running a UK-based business?

Thai visa options Family visas Education visas Business ownership in Thailand Long-term residency in Thailand Pros and cons of the LTR visa Working remotely in Thailand BOI companies

Jun 12, 2023

2 years ago

Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

So many conflicting options my head is spinning.

We are looking to move to samui full time. 

I run and will continue to run a ltd business in the UK and that's where the money will come from to live in thailand.

There is myself (38) wife (35) and 2 children under 12 

All uk passport holders 

What is our best option? 

I would ideally in the future like to open a thai Ltd business and invest in businesses there. But for the immediate future it will juat be longest possible visa without hopping borders,

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A UK family considering a move to Samui faces several visa options. One solution is enrolling both children in a Thai school to obtain education (ED) visas, allowing parents to stay in the country, provided they meet certain financial requirements. The LTR visa is discussed, although it has strict qualifications tied to income and corporate revenue. Other options include the Elite Visa and establishing a Branch Office or limited company in Thailand; however, business ownership comes with regulations requiring majority Thai ownership. The consensus indicates the best approach may involve research into BOI companies for easier visa processes and business operation.

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John *********

If you value your kids education DONT DO IT.

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

why is that?

Do you have first hand experience of home schooling?

Was you educated in a private Thai international school?

I'm not here for opinions, I'm here for factual, productive answers

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John *********

@Chris **********

some topics cannot be discussed on this forum but if you wish to chat further hit me up.

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John *********

@Chris **********

more guys come back here (Uk) to give their kids a good education than leave here to go be educated in Thailand. Don't believe me

Crack on. I am not here to educate u.

Simply give advice on my personal observations .

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John *********

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Zun **********

I agreed with

@Wayne *********

, BOI will be the best for the whole family as well as your business.

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Mike ******

Family elite ..costs but ..goodbye worries

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Wayne **********

You are probably better off registering a BOI company to get the benefits and easier visa and work permits. Then you can have 100% ownership.

Have a google and there is lots of blog posts explaining it like this one.

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Pornrat ***********

Possibly an ELITE visa re. Investment.

If set-up a Thai company, then it can sponsor you with a Non-Immigration B visa.

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Michael *******

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Kartika *******

@Chris **********

VISA agent WhatsApp call

+66 89 664 6849

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Ian *********

One things that’s not been mentioned in the thread yet is to set up a ‘Branch Office of a Foreign Company’. Also, you could consider Ltd Company incorporation in Thailand, possibly linked with your UK company. Setting up a Thai company is easy. I’d suggest 100% Thai ownership (as long as the company is asset-light, to remove risk!) with which you could get a Work Permit. There are conditions on both of those options. Suggest you research on Siam Legal website.

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

that's where I'm currently wading through the information. Would be the best option for me to have 100% foreign ownership thai Ltd

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John **********

@Chris **********

you can't do that. It must be majority Thai ownership, at least 51%. But you can build in protection for yourself

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John **********

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Maxim ***********

"I run and will continue to run a ltd business in the UK and that's where the money will come from to live in thailand.". This is ILLEGAL but NOT ENFORCED. Which mean that you can still run your business online while in Thailand, but avoid making post like these where you tell the world about it! :)

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Nick ***********

An anonymous user post is what you should have done

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Brandon ************

@Nick **********

we don't have that turned on for this group

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Brandon ************

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Maxim **********

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Brandon ************

@Chris **********

legal if you have that visa. Technically illegal to do ANY work even remote work without a work permit or LTR

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Brandon ************

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Maxim **********

illegal in what sense?

No uk laws against it

And currently promoted by the ltr visa

So not illegal in thailand either

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Maxim ***********

@Chris **********

Illegal in the sense that you cannot work in Thailand without a work permit or LTR. So you cant come here on visa exempt or tourist visa and work online until you get work visa or LTR. This is illegal. BUT... this is rarely enforced. Unless you talk about it online, nobody will know nor care about what you do at your house or in a random coffee shop.

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Maxim ***********

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Frank-Steven ***********

In an ideal world, this scenario (I am in a similar income scenario) should be a prime case for the new LTR visa and it’s Work Remotely from Thailand category. Unfortunately, Thai authorities messed that visa up to a point that it is now only applicable to an almost non-existent group in that very category. If you have steady income from your UK limited, getting employed (with Thai work permit and long term visa) by an umbrella company through which you channel some of your invoices would be a way to go. Check out Shelter for example:

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

That's the point. This Shelter corporation would easily breach the foreigner to Thai ratio if they were a Thai registered setup and doing everything according to the books. And yes, this regulation is very strictly enforced.

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

That's illegal.

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Frank-Steven ***********

Take it up with Shelter, then. Cheers.

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Frank-Steven ***********

Sure, Paul. So you always claim. Like you claim making money from sources outside Thailand while on a tourist visa is. But you are and remain wrong.

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

Watch and learn. Sponsored work permits are illegal. High chance of getting caught (unlike the grey area of sending a few emails from your computer at home).

Hell, even using this forum could be considered "work" under the strictest defintion, but I wouldn't worry about that. I would be concerned about getting a fake work permit though!

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Frank-Steven ***********

Noted. So I did the video you shared. But I don’t believe that is what is happening in the case of Shelter exactly.

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

It is. These services are all the same. You have to be employed by a Thai based entity to be fully legal (except for the stipulations in the LTR visa, which is a separate category).

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

You're wrong. Use this service and you'll be heading straight to IDC if caught.

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Frank-Steven ***********

I’ll be ok. Thanks.

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

You won't be. Watch the video. Benjamin clearly points out that it's against the law. Good chance of being caught.

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Frank-Steven ***********

With Shelter, the way I see it, you work, they pay you for that work and you pay Thai income taxes on that income from them. Can’t see any fraud in that. Pretty sure that social media lawyer had other things / the real scams in mind, like cases where people got business visa and work permits from companies they had no connection with whatsoever.

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Frank-Steven ***********

One day I will be over 50, old and retired in Thailand. Then I will have it easy with visa things.

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

He's made many videos on the topic. Don't make assumptions, the concept of what Shelter does doesn't meet Thai legal requirements.

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Frank-Steven ***********

As I said. I don’t know their exact structures. But if Shelter has a Thai corporation and they employ people with their Thai corporation and Thai immigration issues Business visa and work permits for people working for that corporation … I would say that is as safe and as official as it can get in Thailand. Nothing is ever absolute here and we all know it.

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

Well don't make assumptions and even if what you were saying were true, what about the 4 locals to 1 foreigner rule? That would get violated very quickly in this scenario.

Anyway, do what you want, but be careful.

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Frank-Steven ***********

The 4 to 1 rule is for the employer to worry about, not the employee. Also, this rule is enforced and checked by the relevant authorities each time a Thai company wants to hire another foreigner. For some industries (e.g. BOI companies) this rule is waived.

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Paul *******

@Frank-Steven **********

only for BOI companies but most companies, meaning any non-BOI operations are subjected to it.

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Paul *******

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Frank-Steven ***********

And forget about opening a Thai Ltd. Best to make money with a legal entity abroad and just bring the money you need in.

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Frank-Steven **********

fantastic

Thank you so much

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Frank-Steven ***********

@Chris **********

Have not talked to them, yet. But thinking about it. Should you talk to them and choose that route, I would be happy to hear your feedback.

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Frank-Steven ***********

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Frank-Steven ***********

Unlimited stay possible without the need to ever leave the country.

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Frank-Steven ***********

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Bob **********

Elite Visa 5-10-20 years

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John **********

@Chris **********

the LTR visa for a work from Thailand professional will grant you the ability to work inside Thailand but the criteria are quite stringent. Your UK company would need to be able to show revenue of $150M USD over the last 3 years and you must have an income of at least $80K USD per annum

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Brandon ************

If you put both kids in school, each one of them can get an ED visa. Then each child can "sponsor" a parent to stay based on having a child in school.

Each parent would require a Thai bank account with 500,000 Thai baht in order to meet the requirement of supporting a child in school. You would have to enroll both children though as one child can only cover one parent.

Besides education, you don't really have any options, especially since you say you don't want to do border bounces. Your option is 60+30 days with tourist visa then return home, or try to do education.

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John **********

@Brandon ***********

an ED visa sponsoring a parent doesn't allow that parent to work though

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@John *********

this is my issue.

I will initially be using uk money to support living

But I do want option to own run and operate a small business in Thailand eventually, once settled

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John **********

@Chris **********

there are only a couple of visa options if you want to continue to work for a UK company while inside Thailand, The obvious one is LTR but you may be able to do something with a SMART Visa also. Not many other visas are going to allow you to live long term inside Thailand while also working. If you don't need to work there's the elite visa or you could set up a Thai company and possibly work for that

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@John *********

due to my business activities, IT technology and autocad designs, I should be able to go through BOI , might be the best route

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John **********

@Chris **********

way to go if you can meet their requirements

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John **********

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Chris ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

that's a pain, as the children will be home schooled

But ideally want a private tutor to teach them thai, but I'm guessing that won't contribute to education visa.

I've read a little into the LTR visa, isn't that 5 years ( +5year extension)

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Don *********

@Chris **********

you’ll need either considerable capital invested in Thailand, be on a very tight list of occupations or work for a sizeable foreign entity listed on a stock exchange for I think 3 years

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Don *********

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