Freelance Visa for Thailand

I guess the country may not be sophisticated enough to appreciate a freelance working for non-resident entities while staying in Thailand.

You may need two things: a local employer who can engage your service and sponsor your visa application, and a local lawyer who is familiar with the rules.

Another channel is teaching English (or other major international languages), or subjects that are short of trainers/teachers in Thailand.

Good Luck.

I don't believe there is anything other than a work permit, but I'm not sure that would even be given to you unless your job is with an actual Thai business.

I have a little experience working for a non-Thai company remotely while living in Thailand, but that was because I go 'stranded' in Thailand in March and was always booked to return to my home country (5 booked flights were canceled, so my claim if anyone from immigration showed up to ask about how I employed myself while here, was to plead it was unintentional.

That said I also applied and was granted an education visa in Sept, and they asked about my employment status (which I believe they send to the Thai Ministry of Education, so technically they knew I was working remotely for a company outside of Thailand.)

There is a huge 'digital nomad' community in Thailand, and they come here on a regular tourist visa or multiple entry annual visas and seem to never have an issue with work permits unless they are working a local job within Thailand.

So to my knowledge, and it may be legally wrong knowledge, the Thai government has no major issue with this as long as you're not taking a job from a Thai in Thailand even if it is technically illegal. The problem I had was with the company I worked for ... they let me work remotely for 6 months but then HR & Legal got together and figured out they had no idea what they are doing and decided that if I remained working in Thailand for more than 6 months that might open them up for having to register as a corporation in Thailand (even though they already have an office there and are likely 'registered') and that I needed to go on a 'leave of absence' until I was able to return home.

Oh I see !!

Yes that's why I asked if there was any other visa type. I know of a lot of people going round in Southern Asia working on remote for international companies.

I will check !

Thank you guys so much for your answers !!

Hi Yasmine,

Technically in Thailand, there is no freelance visa/work permit but...

The closest to a freelance option would be to form your own company, then employ yourself. It might sound a bit odd but its quite normal to do. I have more details/info here : *** and also here ***

Many people make an education visa, this is pretty straightforward to get and is good for the lack of 'border runs' needed.

Another option would be to get a SMART visa, or a BOI visa, both come with quite narrow restrictions and quite a few hoops to jump through but are possible. I believe in the present circumstances they are both being made easier to achieve too, to bolster the economy.

For info on normal

Hi
It is complicated, freelance, I´ll give it a go but i don´t know how. You can´t take a job from a Thai, so if watt you requesting can be done bay a Thai citizen, you can not get a visa or work permit. This i Thailand and it´s all for the Thai´s.
If you searching through the web for real, you will find averything thet is need to know.

1, Non-o Visa-B
2, work permit (after you get Visa, apply in department of labor)
3, normally min salary is 80,000 THB/Month (normally)

Good luck
Stefan