Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand • Hacker News Board

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#161

Post by seanmcdirmid » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 10:00 PM UTC

johnm1019 wrote: post #158

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can I just clarify - you work remotely for NY finance industry, at presumably near NY rates, paying 4% coproation tax and no tax on dividends from that income? With tropical weather. What's the schooling like?

If you're a US citizen it's not so easy. You are taxed on your worldwide income no matter what. There is a deduction for living abroad on the first $100,800 (2015) of income or you can also take a credit for income taxes paid to another country. You also need to pay into SS and Medicare either in the US or in another country which we have a treaty with. Don't get me wrong, getting the first $101k @ 4% tax sounds pret…

This is not completely accurate. I am not a tax attorney but go through this every year. First, you can take the foreign income exclusion only on income that has been taxed by the foreign country you reside in. Second, you can't exempt taxes on that $100k, but you can for anything above that; alternatively you can just exempt taxes for everything and not take the exclusion (works out if country's taxes > usa taxes, really, the exclusiom just works out for low tax countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Switzerland).

Also, the income has to be sourced in the foreign country, if it is sourced in say New York you can't magically tansfer those taxes to another country without incorporating there.

You do not have to pay payroll taxes. When living abroad, some treaties allow you to pay them instead of local ones, but without a treaty you just don't pay. Of course, good luck ever collecting on your chinese social retirement account.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#162

Post by lubos » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 10:14 PM UTC

wila wrote: post #154

borgia wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Full time work however is NOT allowed without a working permit. If you're being paid through an account back home and are working in a villa you've rented, it would be very hard for them to prove you're actually there working full time, would it not?

This is not about how hard it is for Thai immigration officers to prove you are working without a permit. I was just pointing out that it is illegal. Making it hard to prove doesn't make it OK. You really would not want to end up in a debate with Thai immigration on this topic either, no matter if they have proof or not.

Digital nomads are huge benefit to local economy. I can't imagine country would start enforcing some outdated piece of legislation against them. In other words, even if it's illegal, it's not enforceable.

Outdated legislation which is no longer enforced is common everywhere. For example Alabama has a homophobic law which says this must be included in every sex education program:

"homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under the laws of the state."

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/16/40A/16-40A-2

Illegal != Enforceable

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#163

Post by Hytosys » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 10:25 PM UTC

obstacle1 wrote: post #33

Hytosys wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I predict there is much more to parenthood besides fostering adventure, unfortunately. Educational and social stability come to mind. Relocating your family for two entire months is easier said than done.

The kids get two months off every summer. Take them then. Consider it a vacation. The most capable, adaptable, and accomplished adults I know moved around a bunch as kids. It forces you to learn how to live in the world and get out of your comfort zone. The most anxious, bitter, and underperforming adults I know grew up in the prototypical suburban bubble environment. End meaningless personal anecdote.

It seems that if there's anything to be taken from all of our anecdotes, it's that all families and circumstances are different. People need adversity, challenge, and adventure to grow. You shouldn't let your children control your lives to the point where they don't need to experience change.

I guess there's a happy medium. I've heard horror stories from both ends of the stability spectrum.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#164

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 10:25 PM UTC

obstacle1 wrote: post #33

Hytosys wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I predict there is much more to parenthood besides fostering adventure, unfortunately. Educational and social stability come to mind. Relocating your family for two entire months is easier said than done.

The kids get two months off every summer. Take them then. Consider it a vacation. The most capable, adaptable, and accomplished adults I know moved around a bunch as kids. It forces you to learn how to live in the world and get out of your comfort zone. The most anxious, bitter, and underperforming adults I know grew up in the prototypical suburban bubble environment. End meaningless personal anecdote.

[deleted]

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#165

Post by pmcpinto » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 10:39 PM UTC

codingdave wrote: post #22

My company works 100% remotely, and some people have lives more compatible with adventures like this than others. Most people will travel freely, working from wherever they are. We don't even tell each other when we travel for the most part... in our day to day operations, it just doesn't matter if I am in my home office, in my parent's kitchen in Florida, or in a hotel in another country. But we also do all have fam…

What is the name of your company?

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#166

Post by pmcpinto » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 10:40 PM UTC

socialist_coder wrote: post #153

This is great. My startup is really similar. We also value people over profits (and we're profitable!), we all work remotely, and we all meetup in random places for a few weeks so we can get a vacation plus some face-to-face working time in. So far, it's been awesome. We've only done 1 meetup so far, at a ski chalet in the Alps, and it was great. The significant others & kids came for 1 week, and then we had 2 weeks…

What's the name of your startup?

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#167

Post by wila » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 10:58 PM UTC

lubos wrote: post #162

wila wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is not about how hard it is for Thai immigration officers to prove you are working without a permit. I was just pointing out that it is illegal. Making it hard to prove doesn't make it OK. You really would not want to end up in a debate with Thai immigration on this topic either, no matter if they have proof or not.

Digital nomads are huge benefit to local economy. I can't imagine country would start enforcing some outdated piece of legislation against them. In other words, even if it's illegal, it's not enforceable. Outdated legislation which is no longer enforced is common everywhere. For example Alabama has a homophobic law which says this must be included in every sex education program: "homosexuality is not a lifestyle acce…

While I have visited the USA several times I can not comment on US law. I have lived several years in Thailand and can guarantee that illegal action by intent like working without a work permit is enforcable. You are trying to apply a Western point of view, digital nomads are not considered to be an economic benefit by Thai law officials.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#168

Post by narrator » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 11:10 PM UTC

hackerboos wrote: post #156

namuol wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In general, it is legal to work remotely in Thailand, unless your clientele/employer are Thai. The purpose of the law [1] was to prevent foreign workers from displacing native Thai workers, and "digital nomads" do nothing of the sort. This becomes clear if you pay attention to the punishments imposed by the law; they concern Thai employers , not the alien workers, alone. [1]: http://www.thailandlawonline.com/translat…

That's simply not true. Doing work for any employer in Thailand, paid or unpaid is illegal on a tourist visa. Lets quote the act you link to: "To be able to legally work in Thailand the foreigner must have a valid non-immigrant visa and a work permit issued in his name allowing him to perform a specific job at a specific location for a specific company in Thailand." Now a naive look at this paragraph might leave you…

Actually, there was an episode of the "Travel Like A Boss" podcast, which is about digital nomadism, where the host and others were taken downtown by the Thai police after a raid on a co-working space. After the police found out that they were paying to do work at the co-working space on unrelated businesses and weren't being paid by the co-working space they let them go without charges [1].

1. http://www.travellikeabosspodcast.com/episodes--show-notes/e...

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#169

Post by hackerboos » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 11:37 PM UTC

narrator wrote: post #168

hackerboos wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's simply not true. Doing work for any employer in Thailand, paid or unpaid is illegal on a tourist visa. Lets quote the act you link to: "To be able to legally work in Thailand the foreigner must have a valid non-immigrant visa and a work permit issued in his name allowing him to perform a specific job at a specific location for a specific company in Thailand." Now a naive look at this paragraph might leave you…

Actually, there was an episode of the "Travel Like A Boss" podcast, which is about digital nomadism, where the host and others were taken downtown by the Thai police after a raid on a co-working space. After the police found out that they were paying to do work at the co-working space on unrelated businesses and weren't being paid by the co-working space they let them go without charges [1]. 1. http://www.travellikea…

I'm aware of the story. Just because Chiang Mai has chosen not to enforce the law, doesn't change the law itself.

As with all things in Thailand, what is ok today could be prohibited tomorrow.

Re: Working Remotely From A Tropical Island In Thailand

#170

Post by socialist_coder » Thu, Apr 09, 2015, 11:38 PM UTC

pmcpinto wrote: post #166

socialist_coder wrote: post #153

This is great. My startup is really similar. We also value people over profits (and we're profitable!), we all work remotely, and we all meetup in random places for a few weeks so we can get a vacation plus some face-to-face working time in. So far, it's been awesome. We've only done 1 meetup so far, at a ski chalet in the Alps, and it was great. The significant others & kids came for 1 week, and then we had 2 weeks…

What's the name of your startup?

http://www.foxcubgames.com/