KhunHeineken

What would you have done if a TRD staff member told you "no need for you to file" because it was near their lunch break, or they were busy chatting with their mia noi? Would you have just left the building and not filed, safe in the knowledge a TRD staff member told you that you didn't have to file?

Yes, pay your taxes, or one day you will be detained at a "border." When asked why you did not pay tax, you can tell them, "Somchai said I did not have to file."

You've Somchai'd yourself.

I'm not the one doing border runs.

You are taking it personally. No need to. If you are fine doing NOTHING about this tax policy because Somchai at the local TRD Office said you don't have to file, that's your right. Why troll other members who suspect Somchai has given you the wrong information????

Not trolling. It's the main reason Thailand is attractive as a retirement destination, because you do not need to leave the country to extend your visa. One can retire here and never leave. Countries that force visa runs, such as Vietnam, do not get many expat retirees, when compared to Thailand, for this very reason. I know some old geezers that can no longer wait in the queue at immigration and have to use an agent. Age catches up with all of us.

I agree, but at least they had a Senior Legal Advisor from the Thailand Revenue Department on the panel. He just needed to ask more direct and specific questions for him to answer.

How many expats would be living on 120k / 220k baht? I would suggest very few. Link please. That basically means everyone who holidays to Thailand, perhaps more than once a year, who has a bank account here, would have to file. Also, the "snowbirds" who escape the European winter for a few months. If correct, very messy indeed.

Perhaps go back and speak to another staff member, or try a different TRD office. Maybe someone will tell you that you do not need to file. You can relax, safe with that know;edge that you don't have to file.

Australia's DTA is the same. It covers "government service pensions" not the old age pension.

It's not just the climate control. A/C venues keep out the motorbike noise, music from neighboring bars, the smoke coming from a BBQ vendor doing the rounds with their cart, as well as dust and mosquitos. I would rather be in an open air venue and put up with all of the above, than in an enclosed venue who do not put the a/c on and it's a sauna.

When the number in the link gets big enough, and Australia / States start to lose their AAA credit rating, wait and see what happens to the AUD then. http://australiandebtclock.com.au Decades of mismanagement, and no one is held accountable. A company can fire a CEO, but all that happens at election time is a change in the snouts in the trough.

If Somchai tells you that you do not have to file, that's it, it's official, you do not have to file. Enjoy your retirement in Thailand, tax free, and forever. No other checks and balances are in place.

They could implement a policy like Vietnam has. No Vietnamese allowed on a casino gaming floor. Officially, they are allowed in, with proof of income, but unofficially they are not allowed on the gaming floor. They are allowed in the bars, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs, but not the gaming floor. Seems to work well there.

You are assuming he's still committing crime. If he trafficked in a large amount of drugs and pocketed say a few million GBP's, he, and his money, would be welcome in a poorer country that does not have an extradition treaty with the UK. No need to do any more "jobs." He's set up for life.

Exactly. Do a "big job" and set yourself up for early retirement on the proceeds. Move the money offshore, and live in a non extradition treaty country.

Until one has mobility issues, due to age.

It's law. Some Mods, and members, initially branded discussion on compliance / collection / enforcement as scaremongering. What Thai authorities may implement in order to force foreigners to comply was not allowed to be discussed. For some strange reason, we can now discuss it. In my opinion, there was never any scaremongering, just discussion. Tax is just another bill to pay. Simple as that. Funny how many would never dare breach an immigration law, but are not taxing this tax policy just as serious.

Not surprising a tourist urinating on Phuket upon departure, after dealing with the Phuket tuktuk drivers ruined their holiday.

There's very few live music venues with air conditioning around the Soi Baukhao area. Las Vegas is one of them. Just makes for a more pleasant session, but it's a big place. I do hope Triangle Bar sort out their a/c. I don't mine paying more for drinks in venues if the a/c is on, as it makes the place more comfortable.

Fail.

Well, I'm sure all Aussie expats living in Thailand appreciate your AU advice.

Interesting, yet, we have so many members in various tax threads accepting the information from low level TRD staff that they do not have to file. I have a feeling that will come back to bite them in a similar way in the future.

I'll do something worse, I'll go to an English Pub here and listen to all the whinging Poms.

Air Conditioning has been installed. They are the large square units hanging from the ceiling that point the cool air in different directions. Maybe it's the time I arrive. Maybe the air conditioning hasn't had time to cool the volume of air in the building. Rather than catch the earlier sets from the band, I might catch the later sets next time and see if it's any cooler. The last time I was there I was sweating. Finished my two beers and left. Haven't been back for a while. I forget if people were smoking inside or not. I'll remember to take not of that next time.