Which kind of visa do I need as an expat online entrepreneur in Thailand? [closed]

I'm currently in the process of bootstrapping an online business back in Europe (European citizen) and I want to travel to Thailand for some time and work from there for a few months, while enjoying the beaches.

I know that traveling with a tourist on-arrival visa will involve visa runs and I am not allowed to be working in Thailand. If I had a non immigrant B visa this would not be that big of an issue. But it seems that these are only for people that want to work for some company in Thailand, so it has to be sponsored by a Thai company.

Since I am not in any way taking up work from people in Thailand, but only servicing customers online back in Europe as a self employed individual, is there a need to get a visa? If so, which visa would be the right one for me and is it easily obtainable?

Best Answer

Yes, legally speaking, you need a visa:

Foreigners entering Thailand are not permitted to work, regardless of their type of visa, unless they are granted a work permit. Those who intend to work in Thailand must hold the correct type of visa to be eligible to apply for a work permit.

And as you've figured out, you can't get one as a self-sponsored online entrepreneur, at least short of setting up a Thai shell company with a local as director. Your options are thus:

Go there anyway on a tourist visa, work away happily, do a few visa runs if you have to. If you're conducting all your business online and aren't doing child porn or something, and are happy with doing this for only a few months and not the rest of your life, the odds of getting caught are virtually zero.
Go to a neighbouring country like Cambodia which has an even more lax visa regime. Although I'm not sure I'd bet my business on the quality of Internet access available there, especially at its beach destinations...

And obligatory disclaimer: this is not legal advice, so don't blame me or Travel.SE if you end up eating cockroach gruel at Bang Kwang Prison!

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Does Thailand have a digital nomad visa?

Since Thailand has been a popular hub for digital nomads for many years, there are some workarounds. In this article, let's take a look at popular options for digital nomads in Thailand. In short, as of now, there is no specific visa for a digital nomad in Thailand yet. The Elite Visa is the best alternative.

How do I get a digital nomad visa for Thailand?

However, it must be noted that if you want to apply for the Thailand Smart Visa digital nomad version, you will need to show that you have a contract of employment as a form of thai work permit with a foreign firm that lasts for at least 6 months from the point of application.

How do I get a Thai business visa?

How to Apply for a Thailand Business Visa?

Contact the Embassy or Consulate. ...

Collect the required documents for a Thai Business Visa.

Submit the Thai Business Visa application. ...

Wait for the Embassy/Consulate staff to process your visa application.

Retrieve your passport and documents.

What is a smart visa in Thailand?

Smart Visa is a new type of visa specially designed to attract highly skilled manpower, investors, executives and startups entrepreneurs wishing to work or invest in the following targeted industries in the Kingdom of Thailand.

5 Most Popular Visas for Expats Living In Thailand Longterm

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto