A tourist visa isn't a legal basis for ongoing remote work in any of these countries. Here's how Thailand's DTV, Malaysia's DE Rantau, and Indonesia's E33G actually compare — and the tax trap that catches most people who skip this step.
| Thailand (DTV) | Malaysia (DE Rantau) | Indonesia (E33G, Bali-based) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requirement | 500,000 THB (~$14,500) in savings — no income proof needed | $24,000/yr (tech) or $60,000/yr (non-tech) | $60,000/yr from a foreign employer, $2,000 min balance |
| Duration | 5-year visa, 180 days/entry + 180-day extension | Up to 12 months | 1 year |
| The catch | No local Thai clients or employers allowed; 180+ days triggers Thai tax residency on remitted foreign income | Lowest income bar of the three for tech workers | Self-employed/sole traders don't qualify — must be employed by a genuine foreign company |
This is the single most consequential detail on this page, and it has nothing to do with the visa application itself.
Working remotely for a foreign employer while physically present in a country is a completely different legal category from working locally — but it still triggers tax residency once you cross that country's day threshold, and your remote income can become locally taxable even though the client or employer is entirely overseas. This is exactly the kind of thing worth confirming with a cross-border tax professional before you commit to a full year somewhere, not something to discover after the fact. See the expat taxes guide for the citizenship-specific side of this.
You want the longest visa runway (5 years) and can meet the savings threshold without needing to prove ongoing income — but you're planning to stay under 180 days per entry to avoid triggering Thai tax residency.
You're in tech and can meet the $24,000/year bar — the lowest income requirement of the three specifically for tech workers.
You're genuinely employed by a foreign company (not self-employed) and want to be based in Bali specifically — this visa doesn't work for sole traders or freelancers.
Visa sorted is just one piece — head back to the Moving to Southeast Asia hub for schooling, pets, and what to sell versus ship versus store, or check banking and money abroad for where to actually keep your income while you're there.