Job Discussion Forums

Walter · Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Posts: 5

I might be working for a small school in a city up in the Northeast. My salary will "only" be some 18.000 Bhat. How much will I have to pay in (local) taxes and will that be enough to get by - at this moment I do not have to save any.
Thanks in advance for any comments on this issue ...

Regards
Walt

hagakuri · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 11:58 am Post subject: I recall

Hello,

I believe that if your salary is 15,000 baht you pay about 500 baht in taxes. But, more than likely, you will not have to pay any taxes because your salary will not be reported.

Here is the key to know this or not. If the school gets you a work permit than you are legit to a degree and you will have to pay taxes.

If you dont have a work permit, then you probably will not have to pay.

If you do not have a work permit, but the school still removes `taxes` then question the school as to why. Many schools remove for taxes but never pay them. They are in essence just reducing your salary.

Hope this helps.

gregnum · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 19

You didn't specify if you signed a contract or not. If you didn't, there's no need to pay any income taxes.
Rearding to the work permit, its expense suppose to be once and less than 2000 baht for a year.
The main problem is the visa expenses which have been recently raised. You should check about that with your school and don't forget neither the visa-runs transportations expenses.

Beside of that, enjoy as much as you can the ISAN area. One the most unknown area in Thailand for Falangs.
It's cheap, has friendly people and the most beautiful girls in the kingdom. Especially in Khon kaen, the night-life capital of the region. Rolling Eyes

Walter · Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Posts: 5

Thank you hagakuri and gregnum for your input. In this case the school will get me a work permit, which will probably mean no visa-runs Wink

what I forgot to ask - what should I do for insurance? is there any obligatory one or does anyone have suggestions?

Thanks again!

gregnum · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 19

Still, once you've got the work permit, you will still have to do visa-runs.
It depends on the visa type you've got. Some get it for a year and some still have to get out of the country every three months.

About the insurance. What kind of did you mean ?

Leigh · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 12 Location: Bangkok

Some terrible advice here, completely wrong!

You may have to pay tax whether you've signed a contract or not (I don't have per se but have a WP and pay tax).

There is an umbrella tax cover of sorts for some schools so even though you may not have a work permit you'll have to pay tax...the school is in no way conning you.

You won't have to do Visa runs if you have a work permit (although down South they do have a system where you do a run every 3 months to 'renew' your work permit/Visa) I've never heard of this happening up North though!

There's only two types of Visa (that I'm aware of in the education system here) that enable you to obtain a WP and they are a Non-imm B (usually) or a Non-imm O if your school knows how to do it.

A work permit costs 3,000 Baht for a teacher, plus you'll have to pay 1,900 Baht to extend your Visa. You'll have to do this every year!

Is there any moderation on this board? Or anyone checking these so called facts? As there's some very misleading info posted here!

hagakuri · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 1:10 pm Post subject: Umbrella Tax

Hello,

There is currently no `umbrella` tax as another user states here. `You may have to pay taxes`.....? You may have to have a pepsi with that Big Mac too.

Taxes are calculated strictly on a percentage ratio of the salary inwhich your school reports via a work permit.

A school should not be deducting taxes if you do not have a work permit. PERIOD. If they are taking out taxes then they are doing so on their on behalf. This issue is very clear.

Taxes are based on the level of your income.
Income is reported via a work permit.
No work permit.... no income reported.
Hence, no taxes.

It would be a VERY VERY rare occurence if a school voluntarily takes out taxes and actually does give it to the government without you having a work permit. Stereotypes aside, thats just not how Thailand works.

Bottom line is this. Taxes are generally under 1,000baht a month. If it of great importance to you to receive every baht then pick your battle: ask for quantative figures. Otherwise just let it go.

In addition, a work permit and a Visa have no correlation to each other. They are independent of each other, with the exception that your work permit will expire on the same date as your visa. So, if you have 4 months left on your visa, you will only be issued a work permit for 4 months. There is no automatic 1 YEAR work permit.

Non-im B Visas are not cheap anymore. Plus they require you to leave the country to obtain, or before you enter the country. A one year Visa is about 10,000 to 12,000 baht for a single entry.

Gosh, arent there any moderators here to make sure there isnt any `misleading` information given out here! Man - o - man relax. And save the Unbrella for a rainy day. <grin>

Leigh · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 12 Location: Bangkok

Again your info is incorrect.

Yes, there is an umbrella tax that some schools have! For sure.

As you said it may be very, very rare (althoug I'd disagree) but it does happen.

You get an extension BECAUSE of your WP, not the other way around (your Non-imm B can't be valid for 4 month period unless you've already held a WP...as entries work in 3 month intervals). So you come in on a 3 month Non-imm B, get a WP, take it to Imm, get a 9 month extension, do the same the following year and get a 12 month extension. Why are you flagrantly giving our FALSE information??? It's not going to help anyone.

A single Non-imm B is 10-12,000 Baht??? Are you totally mad??? A single entry is around 2,000 Baht all over the world!!! All the prices (pretty much) are the same now worldwide (around 30 Pounds or $40 USD an entry) so a multiple Non-imm B in the UK will cost 90 Pounds, in the US $125 USD, in Austrlia around $130-140 USD etc. etc. etc.! Christ mate there's no such thing as a one year single entry Visa???!!!

I'll relax when you start giving real info...at the moment it seems to me that you're just making stuff up??? I hope you have a good reason to mislead people???

hagakuri · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 4:10 pm Post subject: Here it is

I will end my debate with you Leigh, and I would suggest that you take your helpful information to another board, as you are not making friends here and your confrontive and combative nature is not make you very popular on this board as evidenced by a recent locked thread of yours.

Remember, as a poster here the intention is to help and assist people. It is not to be argumentative with those persons that are trying to do the above.

If you have a difference of opinion, then state it matter-of-factly. Rather then insultingly. Being polite really does go a long way.

Enough with you, now be off.

Users, readers, of this board are urged to do your own research on official issues such as Visas etc. Although this board can help you find a direction, it is best left to you to handle issues that may directly effect your judicial status in Thailand.

Again there is no umbrella tax in Thailand. If you do not have a work permit. Do not pay taxes. It is as simple as this. If you are, ask questions.

Non Imm-B Visa: This Visa is traditionally isssued for 3 months. However, upon request and payment- roughly 10,000 to 12,000 baht, you can obtain a 12 month Visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate. The only stipulation is that you have to leave the country every 3 months to have it stamped. There is no fee for this other than your travel expense.

Please note that you cannot just walk up empty handed to the Visa counter and request a 1 year Visa. You need to show the appropriate paper work from your school. Papers such as the schools registered capital, license status and categorization etc. Your school should issue all of these to you.

If you doubt that there is not a 12 month visa, please vist the following OFFICIAL website of the Royal Thai Embassy at: http://www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/visa.htm

Where it states: Visa has a 3 month validity and, as a result, must be utilized within 3 months as from the date of issue (more than 3 month up to 1 year validity of visa may be granted on a case by case basis, if more than one or multiple entries visa is issued.)

Furthermore, typing --- 1 year Visa Thailand ---- into Google will easily display more than a few thousand hits on the issue.

Here is another link: http://www.pattayaplaza.com/service/visa_expat.htm

Which states the following:

NON Immigarant Visa (For 1 year)

Application Fee is around 10.000-15.000 baht, but you need to show a lot of papers before starting out.

Next to that you still need to show up at the immigration office every 90 days, to fill in a paper where you life. To my knowledge this visa also has another problem; the visa expires while leaving the country for a short business trip or what-ever reason. In case you do not want to expire the visa automatically you need to fill in special papers at the border.

Just about every teacher in Thailand is aware of the 1 year Visa as well as the cost.

And I could go on and on, but I will save Leigh the embrassment of the foot in the mouth syndrome.

So, I will say it again. RELAX. People here do know what they are talking about and have first hand experience. Nobody wants to lead a new teacher in the wrong direction, or `just make stuff up.`

Sorry I will not engage in a debate with you. But choose your arguements wisely instead of just flying off at the mouth.

Hope this helps.

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 10:29 pm Post subject: Yes

Leigh wrote:

"Is there any moderation on this board? Or anyone checking these so called facts? As there's some very misleading info posted here!"

_____________________________

Yes, this board is moderated.

This thread is locked as it has become overly argumentative.

As with any thread, readers make their own decisions as to the reliability of any information posted.

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 10:48 pm Post subject: Unlocked

Unlocked. Please post comments relating to the topic. If the thread becomes overly argumentative, it will be locked.

Leigh · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 12 Location: Bangkok

So I was right then?

Wicked!

Gringo Greg · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 10:14 am Post subject: My take

Can I give my take on this?

1) Thailand, like most countries, you have to pay tax on all income recieved whethere you earned it legally or illegally. Whether your school withholds the tax or not, you are liable for it. But if they don't hold it out, no one knows what you earned. They have tax code not too much unlike the US, they give standard deduections and exemptions and it works out that if you earn less than 11 or 12k a month, you don't have to pay any tax. My former school reported that to the tax authorities that I earned only 11k a month so no tax was paid by me. Illegal but common. Also some schools pay in cash every month and if you don't have a work permit, they can't take out taxes.

2) There are no 1 year visas. Here is what happens. You go get a single or multi entry non immi b, amulti entry b might be good for a year, but it just means that you have to make crossing every 90 days for a year. The only way to get a true 1 year visa is to extend your non immi b at the immigration office. For teachers, you have present a work permit and a teacher's license.

3) Visas do not cost 10 to 15k baht, that is what serrvices charge people to go and get the multi entry visas for them. There was a crackdown on visa services and many people got arrested, in doubt check out the latest Consular Information Sheet on Thailand from the US Embassy. A signle entry non immi b is 200rm or $50 in Penang, Malaysia.

Leigh, you are right, I am merely posting this as my own take on the rules, rather than just posting that I agree with you. This is board is a resource and the only way to guarantee quality is to post quality. I am hoping that anyone reviewing this thread will look at our posts and ignore the wrong information in the other posts.

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

I agree!^^^^^