I used to have companies in different countries and clients with the same, paying for my services or advise. Check thailawonline.com and write an email. 1,000 baht for 30 minutes is a steal when you have people with experience, contact and knowledge. 😉
TIA this is America, have death penalty, 6 times more incarceration than any western country, do not let women have the right to abortion and freedom of speech is super important but not on Twitter or of their social media’s. Cancel culture. No universal health care unlike any western countries and the right to bear arms is so important for the militia…that’s America. TIT and TIA. Not sure which is best, but do not wish to debate, btw, French Canadian here and lived only 6 hours away by car from NYC. But that’s two different universe….
thank you, have permanent residency in Thailand, Speak Thai, managed a law firm in Thailand for 15 years and lived there 18 years. Married a Thai, divorced, built 100 businesses in Thailand.
the problem with US is that it is one of the only country that checks whatever you gain in other places….most other countries, they have a double taxation treaty and if you pay taxes in a place, you do not have to pay in another country. But US started to be more than involved in taxes matters….
Example, if your incomes in US are very high and you get taxed at 30% or 40%, the company in Thailand can make a marketing research for US and send a bill to USA. That is a famous way if your company in Thailand does not make money to stabilize your incomes from both countries…. It was even a scandal in Canada 20-30 years ago called “scandal des commandites” in French.
You must be creative because Thai lawyers are not. Unless you use international accounting firms that will charge you crazy prices, same as abroad, which are used for mostly multi-national and not small companies.
Depending what you do, try to have as much expenses as you can compare to your incomes so you do not pay too much taxes. Taxes are normally 30% for companies in Thailand, with a first 300,000 baht without tax and after, a progressive rate. Companies with more than 5 million capital registered (which I doubt for you) can have a different rate. I am not an accountant (Canadian lawyer who managed Thai lawyers for 15 years at Isaan Lawyers)
You will still pay about 7,000 baht per month for normal accounting, social security of 4 Thai + yourself. Social security, unless exception from the government like during COVID, is 5% pay by the employer, 5% paid by the employee in a salary salary topped at 15,000 baht.
So if you have 4 employees at 10,000, they pay 500 and you pay 500. So your company cost is 2,000 for them. That is what you give to sso. You take 500 from each and they get a salary of 9,500.
The gouvernement gets 4,000.
And for you, you pay 1,500 per which is half for you and half from company.
That is 5,500 each month, but 2,000 should be from employees. For your social security, it does not matter if your salary is 40,000 (like minimum normally married to a Thai) or 50,000 ( minimum for westerners + Japan and some other countries into visa regulation, annex A) or more like if you want permanent residency put it at least at 80,000 for 3 years….as it will always be calculated on a ceiling of 15,000 or 750 baht per month.
VAT can be added, if your company earns more than 1,800,000 baht per year, that is not profits but net. There are exception of no VAT like if your clients are abroad or if you are a law firm for example. But if you do not do 1.8 m per year, do not open the vat registration as it is much accounting every month, even if you declare zero……talk to your accountant.
Been manager of a Thai law firm for 15 years and setup hundreds of companies. Here are few tricks:
- shop your accountant. Accounting and audit fees can be expensive or quite cheap depending who does your accounting. Like a law firm or anything, you can ask around for prices and services.
- if you get married, you will need only 2 employees and not 4. You can also, depending on your nationality, maybe cut the salary and save on taxes. Westerners normally need a salary of 50,000 baht per month and up, while married foreigners to Thai only need 40,000 per month to get a yearly extension. You can even increase your salary to 80,000 and thinking that 3 years from now, if you had continuous extension based in work, you apply for permanent residency. That application can take 2 years but if you get it, I know people who have a work permit under a Thai company and do not need ANY thai employees because they are permanent resident and the ration employee Thai for foreigners is inside the visa regulation. Who do I know? Myself.
- depending how the company is structure, the employees can be family members or a partner for example. You will have to pay social security but you can, depending how your accountant does the work, put their salaries on paper but maybe not in reality. I am not saying to do illegal things but this is Thailand. : I mean prostitution is illegal and everywhere. 2 real employees and 2 others on paper is often done. You save 2 salaries but you pay 4 social security and yours.
- you can’t do anything about audits, each year, must be done. Like renewing your work permit or visa. But if you are wise enough, it is PAPER WORK and you can renew your visa and work permit yourself. Costs ; 3,100 baht for 1 year work permit and 1,900 baht for 1 year extension, based on work or marriage. Price is same. Do not forget the re-entry permit if you have to leave the country.
The most important part that nobody talked is that your company should have preferred shares so you have majority of votes over the Thai shareholders who have the majority of shares. Votes and shares are different.
I would also add some contracts between you, the employees and shareholders for protection. Like non-compete agreements for employees, maybe loans for shareholders, because many things can happen during few years. You can also ask to pre-sign documents like share transfer agreements and copies of IDs, even if your company is legit and does real business. I had 2 company in Thailand does real stuff, one was a law firm….now transferred to new owners.
BOI is not for everyone.
Check the new smart visas, it can avoid you to have employees if you qualify. Smart visas are on the website of the BOI.
The treaty of amity for Americans or the Tafta for Australians will not cut you costs and might even add you more.
If you have a company abroad, a good accountant can play with invoices and reduces your taxes if your company makes more than 300,000 baht profit per year. Under. 300,000 baht profit, there is normally no taxes to pay. Ask your accountant to pay you dividends too, instead of high salary unless you need it for permanent residency, do you pay less taxes.
I still work sometimes under Thai law with Thai lawyers at
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as side line job. I more or less quit the business to do something else but I was very active for 15 years, lists of videos on YouTube, some under Isaan Lawyers or John Spooner, the new manager.