Review and preparation of Lease Agreements: 

When you have decided on a property through us Bangkok-homes.com prepares the Lease Agreement, as requested to do so by the owner, a Private Person to Private Person is preferred by most homeowners. Some owners will accept also a Company let basis agreement  if this is insisted or  required by your Company.  We can offer our professional advice on the preparation or review of a private or company let lease agreement.  With over 20 year's experience in dealing with lease agreements we are acutely aware of all that one might expect in Bangkok.

Bangkok-Homes has these types of Lease Agreements for residential lets:

1. Simple private person to private person agreement. (Thai & English)
2. Private person to private person lease agreement.  (English only)
3. A company let agreement - split into two or three parts for tax purposes   - see notes.  (Prepared by us in English only)

Notes:
a) Draft agreements are submitted to proposed tenants and owners that have agreed to proceed in the lease of a property.

b) Right of Termination: Normally for a one year contract there is no right of termination, unless otherwise agreed. The owner has his/her up-front costs which can only be covered if a tenant remains for at least one year in the property. A 'diplomatic clause' usually comes into effect in the second year of a contract allowing for cancellation of the agreement after 30 or 60 days notice in writing, subject to contract.

c) For company lets: Thai Government Withholding Taxes apply on all parts of the Agreement - rental of the premises at 5%, hire of furniture at 5% and the provision of services and maintenance at 3%, VAT applies on the hire of furniture and provision of services and maintenance - VAT is currently 7% in Thailand.

d) A contract length of three years or more should be registered with the local Thai authorities and all taxes apply, however, this does not seem to be enforced in all districts.

2. Notes on furniture:

Rental accommodation in Bangkok is either fully furnished, partly furnished or unfurnished. Fully furnished homes come with quality furniture, western-style bathrooms and kitchens, full air-conditioning, curtains, mosquito screens, IDD (International direct dial) telephones and English-language television systems, but not usually with TVs, stereos. DVD's, fax machines, computers, linen, pots & pans, dishes & cutlery. 

Partly furnished homes will be similar, with specific pieces of furniture supplied or requested.

Unfurnished homes usually come with air-conditioning, curtains and fitted wardrobes, all the usual kitchen appliances, as well as a fitted kitchen - i.e. large refrigerator, cooker / oven, washing machine and electrical dryers - IDD phones and English-language television systems (UBC) as standard if supplied by the Lessor. Homes are already prepared for immediate leasing, with floors, ceilings and all lighting and air-conditioning completed.

Leased lines for internet connections have to be negotiated direct with the local Thai server.  ADSL and or Wi fi connections are easily obtainable now on all lines and laptops within a few days notice, you can apply at any TRUE shop all over Bangkok.

UBC Cable television can also be applied for an fitted within a few days, discounts and offers are available now, installation is usually completed by the Lessor and the Lessee is responsible for the monthly subscriptions but these are pre-contract negotiating points.  For a one off payment you can have your own digital connection approximately Baht22,000- for 250-400 channels worldwide.  As TRUE own UBC now and in the near future it will be possible to download your own news and movie channels.

3. Information for Pet Lovers:

Bringing your pet into Thailand is a fairly easy exercise, compared that is to taking 'him' home. Officially an Import Licence is required, it is issued free and takes a day to process, it cannot be done from abroad, you have to go their office at the airport in person; they do not take telephone or e-mails in this office. The only other requirement is that your pet's health certificate and vaccinations are up to date.  When entering Thailand pets must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to humans when possibly examined at the port of entry.  Valid rabies vaccination certificate (including an expiration date usually up to 3 years from the actual vaccine date and a veterinarian's signature). If no expiration date is specified on the certificate, then the certificate is acceptable if the date of the vaccination is not more than 12 months before the date of arrival. The certificate must show that the dog had the rabies vaccine at least 30 days prior to entry.  However, taking your pet home or if while in Thailand you have found a new friend and want to take ‘him’ home, then there is a lot more to consider.  Moving countries causes complications when pets are involved, especially if you have children. We strongly recommend that when bringing your pet into Thailand that he or she comes straight from the airport to your new rental house, not lodged with kennels in the interim until you get settled.  Pets can suffer greatly from long flights, new environments, periods in storage and are very sensitive to the strains that their owners are experiencing during the relocation.  Be fair on older pets, often they are not up to the move and it may be kinder to find them a new caring home.  You should check with your local Thai Consulate for an update on this subject, rules change all the time.  Currently dogs based in Bangkok, it does not matter whether Thai or Foreign owned, have to be inserted with a  microchip now.  If you have further questions you can try to contact: Bangkok Airport Customs Office  Telephone: +66 2 535 1269   www.customs.go.th OR The Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok Telephone: +66 2-252 6944  Fax: +66 2 251 8206

Reference Thai Ministerial Regulation No. 27 (B.E. 2546) which was issued by the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, the current fee rate for Thai visas as proclaimed in the Royal Gazette: 

• Transit Visa: US$ 20.00

• Tourist Visa: US$ 25.00

• Non-Immigrant Visas:
  - Single Entry: US$ 50.00
  - 1 Year Multiple Entry: US$ 125.00
  - 3 Year Multiple Entry for persons who hold travel documents of the APEC member countries to enter the Kingdom of Thailand for the purpose of business: US$ 125.00

If applying for a visa extension, re-entry permit, residence permit or other immigration services,   current fee structures, the costs of a residence permit are now Baht 7,600 for the application and Baht 191,400 (spouses of Thais or holders of residence permits, and children Baht 95,700) when the residence permit book is issued by the Immigration Bureau.

The current fees for the immigration services more commonly required by foreigners are listed below.

• Transit visa, single entry: Baht 800
• Tourist visa, single entry: Baht 1,000
• Non-immigrant visa, single entry: Baht 2,000
• Non-immigrant visa, multiple entry for use within one year: Baht 5,000
• Application for visa extension: Baht 1,900
• Application for a single re-entry permit: Baht 1,000
• Application for a multiple re-entry permit: Baht 3,800
• Application for a residence permit: Baht 7,600
  
  Sources:  Tanin Law Office Co Ltd, Chiang Mai (Tel. +66-53  410-174) and Skonchai, Oliver & Nitirat Law Consultants 

5. Thai Revenue Department - Thai Withholding Taxes:

CLICK INTO: http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6000.0.html

EXTRACT FROM ABOVE PAGE:
4. Withholding Tax: For certain categories of income, the payer of income has to withhold tax at source, file tax return (Form PIT 1, 2, or 3 as the case may be) and submit the amount of tax withheld to the District Revenue Office. The tax withheld shall then be credited against tax liability of a taxpayer at the time of filing PIT return. The following are the withholding tax rates on some categories of income.

Types of income Withholding tax rate:
1. Employment income:  5-37%
2. Rents and prizes:  5%
3. Ship rental charges:  1%
4. Service and professional fees:  3%

6. Thai Measurements:

• 1 Talang Met (1 Square Meter) = 10.7 Square Feet
• 1 Talang Wah = 4 Square Meters = 42.7 Square Feet
• 1 Ngan = 100 Talang Wah = 400 Square Meters = 4,277 Square Feet
• 1 Rai = 4 Ngan = 400 Talang Wah = 1,600 Square Meters = 17,109 Square Feet
• 2.5 Rai = 10 Ngan = 1,000 Talang Wah = 4,000 Square Meters = 42,772 Square Feet = 1 Acre