Thailand Taxes: Managing Tax Audits (part 1)

February 1 2010 Categories: Thailand Taxes No comments yet

In this post I will try to give readers a few tips on how to manage Tax Audits. I guess that readers would prefer tips on “how to avoid a tax audit”. Unfortunately, in Thailand, you cannot avoid tax audit. To the contrary, you may expect regular mandatory visits from the Tax Administration.

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-10-08 05:12:15.

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Working in Thailand: Thai Visas: The Visa “B”

February 1 2010 Categories: Thailand Visas, Thailand Work Permit No comments yet

Introduction to the Visa B

What is a Non Immigrant Visa B

Foreign investors who wish to come into Thailand to conduct a business or to work must first obtain a Non Immigrant Visa B with a Royal Thai Embassy.

The Non Immigrant Visa B will allow you to stay in Thailand for a period of not more than 90 days at a time. This visa may be granted for a single entry or multi entries.

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-07-29 08:45:28.

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Starting a Business in Thailand (5): The Keys to Success

February 1 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Thailand Business one comment

A reader told me the other day that my series of “starting business in Thailand” was a bit skeptical as if I was marked by doubt that it was possible to do business successfully in Thailand.

Not at all, Thailand is as good a place to do business as any other. What I’m trying to convey in this series of articles is that investors should not expect miracles because they will be confronted to 3 problems.

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Originally posted 2009-11-12 02:41:19.

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Thai Private Limited Company: Shareholders Voting Rights

February 1 2010 Categories: Thailand Business, Thailand Company Registration No comments yet

In this post we will discuss the voting rights of shareholders at the shareholder meeting of a Thai limited company depending of the amount of their shareholding.

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Originally posted 2009-11-23 04:47:10.

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Doing Business in Thailand: The Nominee Issues (Part 2)

February 1 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Thailand Business 2 comments

Note: This post is not entirely new. This subject was first posted as a Page called “Nominee Issue”. I’m about to modify the look of the blog and decided that some of the subjects discussed in pages would now be treated as posts. Of course I updated the content of this post to reflect the current situation.

This post is a continuation of my previous post on the nominees issue and i will try here to explain how  does one make the distinction between a real shareholder on a nominee.

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-10-13 03:15:26.

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Starting a Business: Cost of Social Security Contribution

February 1 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand No comments yet

Any employees between 15 to 60 years old and their employers must make monthly contribution to the social security. Now what are the exact costs of social security in Thailand?

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Originally posted 2009-12-13 09:45:23.

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Doing Business in Thailand: Living in a state of sin

February 1 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Thailand Business, Thailand Foreign Business Act No comments yet

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Gen3:6).

 

This extract of the genesis sum up the story of foreign investment in Thailand.

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Originally posted 2009-08-17 06:51:07.

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Australian Thailand Foreign Free Trade Agreement (1)

February 1 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Thailand Foreign Business Act 3 comments

Many countries are currently negotiating Free Trade Agreements with Thailand and the citizens of those countries are waiting impatiently for the benefits they will get out of these free trade agreements. Hopefully, they will finally be able to invest in Thailand without having to make allegiance to “You-Know-Who”  “He/She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named” that is to say the Thai Wife, Boyfriend or the Thai shareholder that may be deemed a nominee.

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Originally posted 2009-11-09 05:26:48.

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Starting a Business in Thailand | What are the Keys to Success?

February 1 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Understanding Thailand No comments yet

The key to success when doing business in Thailand will be “understanding”, and you cannot arrive in Thailand and immediately jump into the fray because you will inevitably fail.

Read more…

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The Letter of the Foreign Community to Thai Somchai (Santa) Claus

January 30 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand one comment

I wish you all a Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for 2010 and I hope that we will see many of you in Thailand next year. Now if Somchai (Santa) Claus was Thai what would be the wish list of the Foreign Community in Thailand?

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Originally posted 2009-12-24 07:15:15.

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Business Registration: Characterisitics of a Limited Company

January 30 2010 Categories: Thailand Business, Thailand Company Registration No comments yet

The Private Limited Company is the most common legal vehicle used by foreign investors in Thailand, it is therefore useful to review its main characteristics. Note that this post do not deal in an exhaustive manner with the matter of the characteristic of a Private Limited Company. There is a lot more to say. In this post we limited ourselves to the characteristics which are a matter of concern for foreign investors.

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Originally posted 2009-10-19 02:22:16.

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Investing in Thailand: The US-Thai Amity Treaty

January 30 2010 Categories: Thailand Business, US Thai Amity Treaty 3 comments

What is the Thai-US Treaty of Amity?

A little bit of background. The Thai-US Treaty of Amity between the US and Thailand is actually the second amity treaty between the US and Thailand. It was executed in 1966 and ratified in 1968. Originally the treaty was for a period of 10 years. At the end of the ten years period the parties had the option to terminate it. None of them did and the Amity was in effect until 2005 when it finally expired.

Why then bother to discuss a treaty that expired a few years ago? Because we are in Thailand and things are not always what they seem to be. So bear with me.

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Originally posted 2009-08-09 04:35:41.

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Thailand Taxes: Understanding Thai corporate income tax

January 30 2010 Categories: Thailand Taxes one comment

What should you know about Thai Corporate Income Tax?

 

Taxes are not really my favorite cup of tea and I guess most of you think the same; the problem is that you cannot invest successfully in Thailand without having a minimum understanding of those issues.  Of course there is more to taxation that I will explain herein, those are only the basics

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-07-25 11:44:07.

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Thai Politic | When Amorality is Celebrated!

January 30 2010 Categories: Understanding Thailand No comments yet

I have been following Thai politics for a few years and I learnt not to be surprised anymore by the antic of Thai politicians reported daily by Thai press.

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Thailand Taxes: Personal Income Tax Simulation Table

January 27 2010 Categories: Thailand Taxes No comments yet

So, how much personal income tax will you pay this year? To help you to determine your tax liability for the year 2009 we have prepared a simulation table and pre-calculated the amount of tax due for the year 2009.

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-12-18 05:07:27.

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Understanding Thailand: A week of Thai politics

January 27 2010 Categories: Understanding Thailand No comments yet

Two weeks ago I was wondering why we were not hearing a word from General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh one of the pillars of old Thai politics. It seems I was too quick to worry because he is back as a member of Pheu Thai party and possibly as the new anointed leader of the Pheu Thai.

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Originally posted 2009-10-04 05:22:44.

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Thailand Taxes: Introduction to Thai VAT

January 27 2010 Categories: Thailand Taxes 2 comments

The VAT system was introduced in Thailand in 1992 that is to say at the same time than the Special Business Tax (SBT). In a nutshell most transactions (exchange of goods or services) that are occurring in Thailand are either subjected to VAT or to the SBT.The principle of VAT is simple, any business which having a turnover of more than 1,800,000 THB per annum, and that is not subject to the Special Business Tax, must register for VAT within 30 days of the date they reach 1,800,000 THB in sales.

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Originally posted 2009-11-15 05:12:28.

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Buying a Condominium: Foreign Freehold Ownership

January 27 2010 Categories: Condominium Ownership, Thailand Property No comments yet

The most easier and secure way for a foreign investor to purchase real estate property in Thailand is to purchase a condominium unit freehold because the legal requirements are as we will see below minimal.

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-08-18 11:35:39.

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Buying a Business In Thailand – The Due Diligence

January 27 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Thailand Business No comments yet

This post is the second post of a series dedicated to the issues to take into consideration when buying a business. Today we will discuss the matter of due diligence.

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Originally posted 2009-09-09 04:26:16.

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What’s up at DBT | How to Safely Buy Real Estate in Thailand?

January 27 2010 Categories: Thailand Business No comments yet

I have the pleasure to inform you that the second edition of my book “How to Safely Buy Real Estate in Thailand” shall be available in Thailand Bookstores starting from the 10th of February 2010 at a price of 625 THB. Later this month it shall also become available on Amazon.com, Nobles and Barnes and Theebooksale.com websites among others. It contains 54 chapters and 342 pages of useful information for anyone interested to buy real estate in Thailand.  Read more…

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Living in Thailand: Thai Visas: Visa O Family

January 27 2010 Categories: Thailand Visas, Thailand Visas & Work Permit one comment

Introduction to the Non Immigrant Visa O Family

 

What is the Family Visa?

The family Non Immigrant Visa O is for foreigners who have Thai family in Thailand and who wish to stay in Thailand to take care of their family. Family means a Thai relative whether a parent, spouse, children, adopted children or spouse children.

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Originally posted 2009-07-30 12:06:22.

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Thailand Property: Difference between condos and apartments

January 27 2010 Categories: Condominium Ownership, Property General Issues, Thailand Property No comments yet

 

I was not satisfied with the content of Friday’s post and I redrafted it

To help you to better understand the difference between a condominium and an apartment building I need first to clarify the definition of the term of “condominium”. For example, most people in Thailand commonly associate the term “condominium” with the concept of an “individual unit” into a “multiple unit building” generally a high rise that may only be sold freehold but condominium ownership is actually far more than this.

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Originally posted 2009-09-27 07:36:30.

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Thailand Bank: Borrowing Thai Baht from a Thai Bank

January 27 2010 Categories: Exchange Control, Thailand Banking No comments yet

May a foreign Non Resident borrow in Thai Baht from a Thai Bank?

The question whether foreign Non-Resident may borrow in THB from Thai banks is another issue that generates a lot of confusion.

According to the Bank of Thailand, Thai Banks may not lend Thai Baht to foreign Non Residents but for a few exceptions as follows:

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Originally posted 2009-08-02 07:16:25.

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Business Registration:Thai Shareholders Disclosure Requirement

January 27 2010 Categories: Thailand Business, Thailand Company Registration No comments yet

Three years after its enactment in August 2006 the requirement of disclosure of Thai shareholders source of investment at the time of company incorporation is still confusing many foreign investors who do not always understand when and why do Thai shareholders have to disclose the source of their investment when they invest into a company with foreign investors. In this article i do not address the issue of when a foreigner may or may not own more than 49% of a business in Thailand.

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Originally posted 2009-10-21 01:47:12.

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Thailand: Frequently Asked Questions: Arrest and Overstay

January 27 2010 Categories: Thailand FAQ, Thailand Visas, Thailand Visas & Work Permit one comment

 

Frequently Asked Questions: Thai Visas

The point of the doingbusinessthailand.com blog is not only to provide potential investors with a comprehensive and up to date source of information on how to do business in Thailand but is also, as much as possible, to try to answer to readers immediate concerns.

One of the benefits of search engines is that they made it possible to keep track of the researches that are made by those among you who are interested by Thailand. Therefore from now on I will not only continue to provide substantive information but I will also from time to time discuss some of the queries that are made every weeks.

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-08-07 11:59:46.

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Living in Thailand: What you need to know about Thai visas

January 27 2010 Categories: Thailand Visas, Thailand Visas & Work Permit No comments yet

Is it difficult to enter and stay in Thailand?

How many times did I hear foreign clients complaining about Thai Immigration policies and how difficult it is to live or stay in Thailand? Believe me we are the lucky one because Thailand gives us VIP treatment in comparison to what Thai citizens have to go through to visit our countries. Read more…

Originally posted 2009-07-21 14:54:28.

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Thailand Political Outlook: The “Stuff” is about to hit the fan

January 27 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand No comments yet

The toll of 3 years of political crisis and unrest, and of a world economical crisis on Thai economy is not as bad as it could have been and Thailand has the economical potential to fully benefit of the recovery announced for 2010. How fast and how quick Thailand will recover will depend of the resolutions of the issues discussed below.

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-12-25 04:16:43.

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Doing Business Thailand | Iphone Application on Itune Store

January 27 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Thailand Business No comments yet

Hi just to remind you that you may from now on read DoingBusinessThailand blog on your iphone. The application can be downloaded for free on Itune Store.

 

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Thailand BOI: Promoted Activities: Agriculture Products

January 26 2010 Categories: Thailand BOI, Thailand Business No comments yet

What are the agricultural activities eligible for promotion?

As you already know the Board of Investment is the agency in charge of promoting certain sectors of Thai economy. As such the BOI role is among other to determine:

What are the activities which are eligible for promotion

What are the conditions attached to said promotion

What are the privileges attached to said business activity

Read more…

Originally posted 2009-08-03 07:05:20.

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Doing Business Thailand: Bar Business | Police Protection

January 25 2010 Categories: Doing Business In Thailand, Thailand Business No comments yet

One of the advantage of Thailand when entering the bar business is that you will not have to worried about having to buy protection from local mafia in order to run your business, because the police has things under control.

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