There was a quite a lengthy discussion about digital workers & SMART visas at the BOI meeting with the secretary general in Chiang Mai this morning.
Some points that may be of interest:
SMART visas have been updated, ones of most interest:
• Updated 6-month SMART S visa to work in Thailand for 6 months - no investment but requires health insurance
• Updated 2-year SMART S to work in Thailand for 2 years and set up a company – requires 600k baht of SAVINGS, 25%+ ownership + health insurance
There are plans to try and incorporate digital workers into the system with a work permit and integrate them into the tax system, but it’s not a priority.
However
The BOI only seem concerned about individuals who have strong skills and where there is a benefit from knowledge transfer AND who are contributing a decent portion of money to the Thai economy ($20k+ per annum)
They were definitely not impressed with the idea of nomads who come here and spend 15k/mo. What constitutes as a ‘digital’ worker was up for debate also, they didn’t see online teachers - for example - as being a digital worker.
It sounded like there may soon/eventually be a visa that supports long-term digital ex-pats working for remote companies (who are willing to pay tax) but not for people who come here for a few months of the year and spend an insignificant amount of money.
TLDR : Answer Summary
A recent BOI meeting in Chiang Mai discussed updates to SMART visas for digital workers. Key points include a new 6-month SMART S visa requiring health insurance, and a 2-year SMART S visa necessitating 600,000 baht savings, company ownership, and health insurance. Despite plans to include digital workers in the visa system, the BOI favors skilled individuals who contribute significantly to the economy. Low-spending nomads are not viewed favorably, and the category of 'digital worker' remains debated.
