# Visa advice/self employed



## green3127 (Mar 10, 2014)

I'm currently based in the uk and run my own marketing company. I was thinking of moving to thailand for a few months. Would I need a work vista. 

I'm not moving my business to thailand, it would still be a uk registered company. I just plan on doing some work from my apartment/hotel in thailand whilst I travel.

Any info/advice would be appreciated?


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## tod-daniels (Dec 1, 2013)

It is a "grey area" insofar that IF you are not really making money inside Thailand you aren't really "working" as the law is written. With that being said, even volunteers here for NGO's have to have a work permit. 

The thing is those labor laws were written way back in the "stone age" long before there was tele-commuting, the internet, working remotely, etc. They are also written so ambiguously and are so open to interpretation that I think even wiping your a** after taking a <Snip> could be construed as working in Thailand thus making you have a B visa and hold a work permit.

Just so you know; there is NO work visa, it's called a Non-Immigrant Type-B (B=business). Just having one of those doesn't allow you to work! It allows you to apply for a work permit and that's what gives you permission to work inside the country. 

It is highly unlikely you'd qualify for a work permit on the criteria you outlined. 
It is also equally unlikely that you'll be caught "working" whilst sitting in your apartment or hotel via the internet. Now granted if you blabbed to some thai about what you're doing and they wanted to cause you grief, they probably could.

My advice, keep your mouth closed, stay outta trouble and you'll most likely be totally fine.


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