@Garrett **********

haha okay that’s sensible. I was trying to loophole the loophole with a loophole.

@Sander ***************

I got all excited and called Bangkok Bank where I have an account to confirm. Sadly, they said they don't issue Tax ID numbers with bank accounts.

@Sean *****************

$20k (600k) for 5 years. I’m amortizing $4k/yr to compare with the others, dude.

Yeahhhhh. Also a pricey bomb. Like why not just go legitimate with Elite visa at that point? I asked them that as well.

For work visa, there’s a shell company that hires you and puts you under their payroll. You pay Thai income taxes and social security. That’s why it’s so costly, they charge 10,000b per month for the service, plus setup fees. It wouldn’t be YOUR company.

I'm doing the same thing (without the kids). If you stay in Thailand for 6 months, you can get a Tax Number, which helps to break ties with Canada. So whichever visa keeps you here for 6 months of the year will do the trick.

My choices are Elite ($4000/yr), Business/Work ($4500/yr), Education ($1385/yr), or Volunteer ($2000/yr).

Elite's not a bad choice, I'm still ruminating. Business seems pricey when I could just do Elite. Education has too many hoops to jump through throughout the year. Volunteer seems like the sensible middle ground.

@Darren ******

yep, I get how sourced income works. I’ve consulted with a tax professional on the Canadian side and it’s sorted; I just need to figure out the logistics of obtaining a TIN in Thailand and if it can be done regardless of the type of visa. Sorry my replies weren’t detailed enough to get the full picture (ie: source of income) but thanks for the help regardless.

@Darren ******

Canada and Thailand have a tax treaty, so if I’m a tax resident in the latter, I won’t be taxed in the former. So I’m good from the Canadian side; just need to figure out the Thailand side.

Yup, I brought in a bottle of duty free gin!

So here’s what I think makes sense, please rip this plan apart and find me any holes!

Thailand gives a TIN after 180 days in the country. You need to show passport with valid view, entry/exit stamps proving 180 days, and 6-month lease. It doesn’t matter which visa you’re on, as long as it’s legit.

I’ll be getting at 8-month ED visa, and at the 4 month mark (I’ll have been in Thailand for 2 months already), get my Thailand TIN number, thus making me an official Thai tax resident instead of a Canadian one.

Is this plan sound?