KhunHeineken

What could possibly go wrong?

As I said in another post, we don't know how this will all unfold. The TRD MAY not be interested in your pre 2024 "savings" or any other exemption or threshold. Time will tell.

Correct. It amazes my why many expats sell up in their home country and move their life savings to Thailand, a country that only offers them the equivalent of a 1 year tourist visa, has no proper pathway to permanent residency, no proper foreign ownership of property laws, and is terribly corrupt, but hey, everyone else is doing it, so it must be fine.

True. It's an axe that could fall at any time and thousands of foreign condo owners will be left holding the can. Of course, like cannabis and tax, Thailand would never do it.

I live here also and have paid no tax since living here full time. Why have you paid tax in Thailand? English is my first language.

I would agree with that, but the wealthy Thai elite most likely pay more VAT than many expats combined.

I think what the member is suggesting is that the money remitted into Thailand to purchase the car is taxed early next year, thus, the car has costed you more than a Thai. Example: A Honda dealer is selling a new Honda for say 1 million baht. The Thai pays 1 million baht for it, and the foreigner pays 1 million baht for it. No two tier pricing at the Honda dealer. However, the 1 million baht the foreigner remitted into Thailand MAY make up part of the foreigner's tax liability with the TRD between 1st Jan and 31st March the following year. Should that be the case, it's only logical to factor in that tax liability to the total cost of the vehicle for a foreigner, which then make the vehicle more expensive for the foreigner to buy than the Thai. Or, are you suggesting remitting the money from your home country directly into the Honda dealer's bank account? Just on this point, we are using a car as an example because it is a large purchase, but if you have a tax liability, basically, living in Thailand in general has become more expensive, because to buy that beer, or that meal, or those groceries etc etc, involves remitting funds in order to be able to do so. Another one to consider is medical. One could have a medical episode that require immediate major medical intervention. It could cost hundreds of thousands of baht, or into the millions. The money remitted to pay for it MAY attract tax the next year, thus, basically making the operation / treatment more expensive for the foreigner than the Thai. Yes, we can all bang on about "savings" the previous year, and pensioners paying minimal tax, thresholds and gifts blah blah blah. but we don't know how this will play out. Maybe the TRD will not be interested in any documents you have showing savings from your home country. Maybe they will just give us all a flat rate tax bill based on the total money that was deposited into your account/s. Pay it, and continue to pay it, or leave Thailand for 6 months of the year. Interesting times ahead.

You are correct, but the money remitted to buy the vehicle, that's different.

Why would catching "foreign criminals" be negative press? That's the spin they will put on it.

It's not a "right" it's a "permission" and one that can be revoked either individually, or on mass, at any time.

You mean, a "firesale."

Yes. Also interesting for the company that owns the land condo blocks sit on. The extra "x 30 x 30" is not enforceable at Thai law.

That day was always coming, and when it arrives, many will be left holding the can. The "Thailand for Thai People" nationalistic thing, but hey, everyone else is doing it, so it must be fine.

Isn't that how Thailand works though? One law for the lower class, no law for the wealthy? Thailand implements the tax, in one form or another, and appears to be modernizing on the global stage, and similar to western countries, meanwhile, Thaksin repatriates his billions using whole accounting and law firms to ensure he pays no tax, just like billionaires do in the west. Just on this point, why would Thaksin bring back all his money when he could be arrest and charge with anything at any time and his money confiscated. He would be better leaving his money outside Thai jurisdiction, similar to the way wealthy Chinese get their money out of China.

I thought this forum was open to all nationalities.

I understand English is not your first language. Do you understand my question? Why have you paid tax when you didn't have to? I can't make the question any more simple than that?

I agree with you, but when there's money to be made out of foreigners, all political parties here seem to like heading in the same direction, no u-turns. This is an easy earner for them from the small fry, and they can also pay more attention to high net worth individuals to tax some serious money out of them.

Why the need to fly back to one's home country? As I said in another post, people have been doing tourist "visa runs" to neighboring countries for decades. There may be a new industry pop up offering "cash runs." I'm sure the casinos in the boarder towns would be happy to offer such a service, for a commission. Nothing illegal. One would only be bringing in under the declarable amount. I am going to Singapore for the F1 and will be bringing back a wad of cash.

Many have invested heavily both financially, and emotionally in Thailand. They have sold up in their home country and moved to Thailand. They have nothing back in their home country to go back to. This is the demographic I say "can not leave."

Under the current laws tell no government department anything. If ever asked by the ATO or your bank, you tell them you are still "domiciled" in Australia and just on a long holiday. The ATO can't prove otherwise. That's why many, including myself, have never paid a cent of non resident tax. That's it. Simple. So, you may as well ask a Mod to close the thread. Now, should we find out next week the proposed changes start on the 1st July 2025, well, how but we keep this thread open, just for old times sake. Look over in the Property and Finance Forum how many threads there are on Thailand now enforcing remittance tax, and possibly world wide income. Aussies will soon be faced with 183 days, in a similar way to Thailand's 180 days, but hey, let's just live in the here and now.

A Vet's pension is one of the pensions covered under Article 19 in the DTA between Australia and Thailand. It'[s an "occupational pension." You should be fine. The aged pension not so.

True, but if transferring the money to an overseas account in their own name, it doesn't take the bank long to figure out their "customer" could be overseas, thus triggering their contact where the customer has to "declare" their tax resident status, which comes with penalties for making a false declaration. I've had this a few times, from two different banks.

I've heard of "visa runs" to neighboring countries, but not "supplement runs" back to Australia.

Correct, so what does this tell you? Immigration inform Centerlink of Aussies going overseas, and if you are pensioner, 6 weeks later you lose some of the pension. What's stopping the same system for 30% non resident tax after 183 days. Keeping in mind. the pension is deemed an income, and is taxable.

Many don't tell Centerlink they are going to be outside of Australia, and 6 weeks later they receive less money. They ring Centerlink where a staff member tells them "it's because you are overseas" despite the pensioner non volunteering this information. Now how did Centerlink know this? Why couldn't / wouldn't the same be done for 30% non resident tax after 183 days outside of Australia????