KhunHeineken

Good solution, and worth a try. It could get around "The Somchai Shuffle."

Yes, only your opinion, and I disagree with it. Firstly, I am speaking generally on the subject, not to your specific set of circumstances. I've posted this in two other threads for members who have had a similar TRD experience to you. I call it "The Somchail Shuffle." This guy sets it out in quite a direct manner. He also quotes the Thai law from decades ago. He mentions Thai immigration official can ask for any documents they want to support an extension application. It goes against what you were told at the TRD Office. The problem seems to be an expat verbally tells a TRD officer he is on a pension. The automatic response is , "No need to file." Not, "What type of pension? What country are you from? How much money is your pension?" etc etc. Expats just turn around and walk out the TRD office happy, and with a sense they have met their obligations, when in fact, they have done none of the sort. Like I have always said, there will be chaos, and this tax policy will evolve, but at the end of the day, the Thai government will turn a baht out of it.

It's you who is stalking me. That joke is for New Zealanders. I'm Australian. Do you know the difference?

Posted this on another thread. I'll post it here for your information. The guy is basically saying, "you can't do it your way." You will have to do it the Thai way.

Watch the youtube video I just posted. The law has been around for decades. The Thai's have decided it's time to make a baht out of it. Your situation is part of the chaos most expected. "The Somchai Shuffle" at TRD Offices isn't helping things. It's going to be interesting in towns and cities where immigration may ask for a TIN / Certificate of Clearance, but the local TRD Office staff tell the pensioners "No need to file." I explained it in another post. You know you're on a pension. The UK government know your on a pension. There is a Thai / UK DTA in place. However, all the Thai bank / Thai government sees in the "cash" or "income" into your Thai bank. They don't know it's from a pension unless you prove it to them You do not have much to worry about, and you have plenty of options, just don't kick an own goal on this one by doing nothing, as others have suggested.

Get a TIN, file, pay or no pay tax, get a certificate of clearance from the TRD, and rest easy. Doing nothing is what may cause problems down the track.

Why do you think I should be banned? Soon after this tax policy was announced, many could see the easiest, cheapest, and most effective way for the Thai government to ensure compliance was using their immigration laws. It was obvious then, and is obvious now. Why do you think it's soooooooo left field that just discussing it is scaremongering? This guy sums it up quite well. He states any government official can ask for whatever documents the want.

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You don't see any truth in it, and the possibility the amounts will change in the future? It's been 800k / 65k for decades. It can't stay at those levels forever.

Unlike yourself, and teenagers, I don't post for "likes" and "thumbs ups" etc etc. I could be a sheep and post in a manner that is popular, to enhance my AN reputation, as you do, but that's not my motivation for posting. It's common with the herd mentality to join in on the attack of one member, so as to get everyone to enhance your AN reputation. I post everything from facts, to my opinion, to examples, to predictions, to scenarios, and in between. Many times I supply a link. You post your way, I post my way, but I don't care about my AN reputation. Do yourself, and the forum a favor and put me on your ignore list. It allows the rest of to discuss issues uninterrupted by your BS.

You are correct. I was under the belief you wished to discuss the details of leaving 800,000 baht in your home country. It was unclear to me that you were using the 65,000 baht method. In this case, yes, I pay around 10,000 baht more than you for the extension. I am prepared to pay this so I do not have to deal with immigration. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

Can you spend the 800,000 baht? Yes, or no? Go on the record.

I 100% agree. I have been saying the same for quite some time. You should prepare yourself for being called a scaremonger, because some people believe if you shoot the messenger, then the message goes away.

So why are some members of this forum so confident in the words of Somchai at the TRD Office, "No need to file?"

More of a prediction, really. Is there anything wrong with that? They are discussing casinos in Thailand in another thread. Casinos haven't "happened" yet. What's the bother? It's just some discussion on an internet forum. Yes, and have a Plan B, Plan C, and Plan D.

That's the problem, it's the standard information from Somchai because he has no idea of the gravity of the situation for foreigners. It's out of Somchai's square box, so typical Thai way of dealing with the situation, say "Can not" or "Come back tomorrow" or "Need one more photocopy" etc etc. They will say anything to hide their lack of knowledge and / or incompetence, and let another staff member deal with it at another time. What do you think will happen to the people who should file, go to a TRD Office and told "No need to file" and leave happy, but the Thai banks report their remittances to the Thai government?

He couldn't really ask the hard questions because of Thailand "face." One has to remember he was interviewing someone quite "connected." He would know that he can't be seen to ask a question that takes the p*ss, or make him "squirm" even though that is one of the questions that should be asked.

Of course, you have never been in a bar in Thailand, have you?

Yeah, it was a good one.

I have a feeling it's going to be all about having a piece of paper from the TRD in the future. You will have yours, I will have mine, and for those who do nothing, because they think all of this tax policy will go away, well, they may be in for a surprise.

Do you have any content to post?

Do you have any content to post?

You are you are missing out on earnings. I did the long math, right down to the last baht, in a thread some time ago. Here's the quick math. I'll use another member's figures. 800,000 baht x 1.5% = 12,000 baht in interest. 800,000 baht at 5.3% = 42,400 baht in interest. You pay 1,900 baht for your extension. The agent charges 12,000 baht for the same extension. 42,400 baht - 12,000 baht agent's fee = 30,400 baht, which is more than double your interest, and no need to deal with immigration, and the money is in your home country, where it is safer, and you have rights. Can you see how you have 800,000 baht that you can not / do not spend, it earns a pittance, is in a 3rd World Country, you are still bringing in monthly transfers, and you have to deal with immigration, all so you can think you ONLY pay 1,900 baht for your extension, and not 12,000 baht? Indirectly, your extension is costing you soooooooo much more than the 12,000 baht agent's fees. Can you point out the downside, other than legality, with earning more from the 800,000 baht, which more than covers the cost of the agent, the money being in a safe country, and not having to deal with immigration?

Can you spend your 800k? If I gave you 1000 baht tomorrow, but told you that you can't spend it, what good is it to you? Ahhhh, but you can invest the 1000 baht I give you at 1.5%, but then do decide if you transfer the 1000 baht to the UK, you can get 5.3% on it. Yes, rocket science.

You missed the point, completely. Ok, let's say an Aussie expat in Thailand is on a military pension. It's a government service pension, thus covered by a DTA. The pension is paid into his Aussie bank account, and he transfers it to his Thai bank account. Pretty standard for many expats. Now, the Thai bank just sees the "cash" transfers. The Thai bank doesn't know it's from a military pension, do they? The Thai bank just reports to the government the flow of funds through our Aussie vet's account. Let say our Aussie vet goes over the tax free threshold in Thailand. Not difficult to do.. This is where it gets interesting. Our Aussie vet knows his pension is covered under a DTA, so, using the self assessment method, does nothing. However, this still leave the Thai government with the question, what is the source of this Thai tax resident's funds? Can you see how they MAY use immigration laws to send him off to a TRD Office for them to "go through him" and then issue a certificate of clearance so he can get his extension? Is the above soooooooo left field that it's impossible? Also, the Aussie old age pension is not covered by the DTA. Do you have any advice for the thousands of Aussie aged pensioners?