KhunHeineken

Are you suggesting Thailand wants to become a global tax haven?

Are you concerned at all about the financial information you had to supply? I would think you have now laid your cards on the table.

You really have no clue about safety standard in Thailand. MONEY NUMBER ONE - it's as simple as that. You can not guarantee it did not / does not happen though, can you? Ok, bars like that go out of business, but they don't kill people, do they? Then, there's too much methanol, but that's another story. Then there's too much bed bug spray, but that's another story also. Is it possible? That's a Yes or No answer? Good luck with that for a cheap Chinese copy from nowhere. There is some truth to your statement. I wasn't there, but then again, neither were you. Fact is, as you say, someone died, so I hope the family, and note I said the family, get to find out why. Like the bed bug spray, it took the family to have an independent autopsy done in their home country to solve the case of the many dead in one hotel in Chiang Mai. Prior to the family's own investigation, it was deny, deny, deny, and if I remember correctly, they even blamed the victims for drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs. Once again, we can't let any evidence of under filling tanks come to light. Deny, deny, deny. Thai tourism industry profits above all. Or, perhaps how naive you are about MONEY NUMBER ONE, and life number two.

I have two elderly friends like that here also. They have the money in the bank, but their health and mobility is not what it used to be, thus, they use an agent, and who you blame them? My reason for using an agent is more for the protection of my money, not due to lack of affordability. It was a no brainer when the 800k kept invested in my home country more than paid for the agent. I simply don't trust the Thai government. Never have, and never will. I's an unstable country, and have been for decades. The agent I have consulted with deals with an accounting firm. Just like in my home country, creative accounting can make many tax liabilities go away, legally. I have everything set up for the second half of March, but I am still looking around and comparing prices and services. As said, I am not one the members that place my faith in TiT and it will all go away. If it does, great, if it doesn't, come late March, my documents to remain legal here should be in order. Depending on what I may / will have to pay will determine my tax residency status in Thailand in the future. It's no problem for me to leave for 6 months.

It's a rinse and repeat thing. Tourism industries here push the boundaries / exceed safety standards, and when it comes undone and tourists die, and it makes the global media, they arrest the owner of the company and declare the WHOLE industry has been cleaned up and it's safe for tourists, again, until the next time, and then rinse and repeat. As you say. It's been this way forever.

I'm not Thai, and neither are you, so who cares about the Thai's tax liabilities? I am not freaking out. Said it a few time before, I have no problem doing Danang - Vietnam for 6 months a year. I have already picked out the condo block. I accept what you say about "savvy tax consultants" but I have never been influenced by them. What you don't seem to understand is, I really don't care what they do in Thailand to foreigners in relation to this tax policy. I have no emotional attachments here, and a very very small financial attachment here. As I have said in the past, I show Thailand the same loyalty as it shows me - ZERO. You, on the other hand, well, it seems you are the one "freaking out" because you have invested emotionally and financially in Thailand. That's why the Thai government loves guys like you. They have you under their thumb. You see, it's the Thai government that have $$$$$$$$ THB in their eyes when looking at you, and that's because you have to stay trapped in their 180 days tax residency law. Me, on the other hand, they might get me this year, and that was my choice to test the waters, but given what happens this year, they may never get me again. That's the difference between you and me. Firstly, I'm not worried. I am looking at all options, possibilities, Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C. It's just a forward thinking strategy. It appears you are more of a sit back and wait and see guy. Fine. Each to their own, right? I would be interested in why you think your DTA ensures you pay no tax in Thailand. I have a few dollars in the bank and some assets back home, but I don't flaunt it in Thailand and paint a target on myself. As said, I volunteered to be part of the "experiment" in 2024. If all this tax "thing" never happens, great, if it does, and I feel I've been ripped off, it's Thailand 6 months and Vietnam 6 months, and Thailand will get NOTHING from me by way of resident taxation going forward. Either way, I really don't care.

Immigration have for decades included the Thai banks for an extension. A document for 800k or 65k needed. Is it so unimaginable to think they can not / will not add a required document for the TRD?

Australia made similar foreign ownership of property law changes a while ago as well. They only have to get 1 baht extra revenue, and that's 1 baht more than they had before.

I was not the one that suggested it happened in this case, or happens on a regular basis. I merely stated I would not be surprised if it did, and pointed out some other poor safety standards in Thailand that has killed many other tourists, which you conveniently did not comment on, because, apparently, and according to you, the safety standards for diving in Thailand are world class. Now pour yourself another Leo and chat to your buddys and think about all the tourists that have died in Thailand due to poor safety standard. Here's just one example out of many. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44728478 "The Phoenix was among several boats that appeared to have ignored a warning in place since Wednesday not to take tourists on daytrips to the islands off Phuket because of "strong winds and storms", officials said." MONEY NUMBER ONE here, which also includes the dive industry.

Easy. Immigration Officer: Do you have tax clearance certificate? Expat: No. Immigration Officer: Can not extend. Must have tax clearance certificate. Expat: Ok. Expat goes to TRD Office. TRD Officer: I see you are from Australia? (Australia as an example country) Expat: Yes. TRD Officer: I see you are married and over 65? Is that correct? Expat: Yes. TRD Officer: Australia pension is $1047.10AUD every 2 weeks. That is $27,244.60AUD for 1 year. That is 585,328.90THB a year. (example exchange rate) I take off money for married. I take off money for age. I take off money for tax free threshold. Total you owe is 15,000 baht . (example figure) Expat: Ok. How can I pay. TRD Officer: You go that desk over there. After pay, you get certificate of clearance. Expat: Ok. Expat goes back to immigration office. Immigration Officer: You have certificate of clearance? Expat: Yes. Immigration Officer: Ok. Here is your extension. Yes, yes, the above is rocket science. Too many dots for the Thai's to connect. Oh, Oh, but assessable and non assessable, DTA's, pre 2024 saving blah, blah, blah - they won't give a sh*t. You want to live in Thailand, here's your tax bill. As I have said in the past, the money owed very well may not be the actual amount that should be owed, but TiT. I have also said, the certificate of clearance could be like the certificate of residence. A flat 500, 1000, or whatever for the document, NO RECEIPT. Time will tell, but don't sell the Thai's short when it comes to making a quick and easy baht out of foreigners.

Is Thailand's immigration policy "complicated?" Money in the bank, money every money, reporting, re-entry permits, many different visa classes, overstay fines / black listing, work permits, occupations reserved for Thai's etc etc. They seem to enforce their immigration policy upon foreigners quite strictly. Why do you think they are incapable of enforcing tax policy against foreigners also?

This law does not discriminate. Thai or foreigner, if you are inside Thailand for 180 days, you WILL BE deemed a resident of Thailand for tax purposes. I am not sure where in my post you think I alluded to the law only being there for foreigners. Thailand has a large diaspora. Most remit money back to their family. I accept that, but not every Thai tax resident (over 180 days in country) are pensioners, are they? I'm not, and I'm living here. The difference is, whether they pay their tax or not, Thai's have a birthright to reside in Thailand. They are Thai citizens. On the other hand, foreigners who are tax residents and do not pay their tax, MAY be fined and / or deported. Big difference. It seems to me you are a "typical foreigner" believing that the stamp in your passport gives you a "right" to live in Thailand. It does not. It's nothing more than "permission" and can be revoked at any time, possibly due to an action that is your own fault, or possibly to a change in government possible which is completely out of your control.

I'd be surprised if they didn't. Why bother? They will make this one up on the run. It will evolve each year. You may never know where you stand in the system. Just the way the Thai's like it.

Yes. An agent. No, nor do I care. The agent has told me they will deal with it all. As said before, they very well may sting me this year, but not next year. I'll give them a chance. Don't know, don't care. That's why I will pay an agent. Yes, sure. I will wait until the 11th hour to file. If it all looks like going ahead, I'll be on the phone to the agent, if not, great, carry on as normal. All his BS about assessible, non assessible, pre 2024 savings, blah, blah, blah. The Thai's don't care. The Thai's want their money. Simple as that. I remember asking one member if he was prepared to go to a Thai Court to fight his case that is remittances were not assessable, he didn't post much on the thread after that. All these brave expat retirees posting how they will not pay, until they make a certificate a requirement of their extension and then watch them line up to pay tax. It's laughable. Yes, there will be chaos. Yes it will make no sense. Yes, you will probably not be paying the right amount of tax, up or down. However, at the end of the day, you will pay, where as , you never paid in the past. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. Simple concept when talking about Thailand.

Philip9 says "air costs nothing." Who and what to believe? Seen it in other tourism sectors here. Why would diving be any different? Well, we wouldn't want to "defame" a diving company, would we? They can sue for defamation, which means gaol time. Thus, no freedom of speech around the incident, but hey, the Thai tourism industry must be protected at all and any cost. No, just not as naive as you, but then again, I guess you are the sort of guy that actually believes your girl is "different." Do try to think outside of the square sometimes. MONEY NUMBER ONE here. Go on the record. Do you agree or disagree with this term?

Some members have crunched the numbers for pensions, from different countries around the world. Basically, most pensions, if all of that pension is remitted each month, goes over the tax free threshold. As for "seek and find" make having a Clearance Certificate part of the documents required at extension time. No seeking, no finding. Farang go to the TRD like sheep. Yes, I know, rocket science for the Thai government. I'm sure there's no way they would have thought about it. You are forgetting there are some foreign high wealth individuals in Thailand. Not every expat retiree is a pensioner living on nothing. I don't trust you, because you are like the many that think this will all go away, and whilst I hope it does, I don't think it will. Time will tell.

I don't care about all of this BS on which you, and others are relying. Eg. assessabe, non assessagle, pre 2024 savings, blah blah, blah. In my opinion, the Thai's won't care about the difference, so I decided to minimize the equation in preparation. Yes, they will probably even be able to negotiate the amount. It's laughable, but hey, I'll have a Certificate of Clearance, and sleep well. Then, look at AN at all those stressing, some, if not all, who may become illegal after the 31st March. They want your money. Simple as that. Like so many other things here, refuse to give them the money and face the consequences.

Yes, come and "help" the Thai people by donating tax.

Do you not see the connection between government (immigration) knowing your passport number, and the Thai banks, who have your passport number in order open an account, and new passport numbers in order to keep the account up to date? Put the above two together and the TRD know how long you have been in Thailand in a tax year, and the bank knows how much you have remitted. Many are banging on about a TIN and the pink card number blah, blah, blah. Our passport numbers are linked to EVERYTHING we touch in Thailand. Simple as that.

Link please? They'll take every baht from everyone from everywhere, and why, because they can, and in relation to foreigners, it's because it's easy for them to do so.

Fair enough. I decided I wanted to tell them zero, so not for me. The 180 days is a great option. I have a feeling many will be using it in the future, If that was to happen sooner rather than later, that would make the LTR a waste of time and money, right?

Correct. It targets "tax residents" and foreigners staying over 180 days are tax residents. That's most of us.

They seem to enforce overstay quiet well. Have YOU ever overstayed? If not, why not, enforcement being a problem for them here and all? Yes, anything is possible. Who's panicking? If you have to pay, you have to pay. Or, leave for 6 months and give them nothing. Yes, I am waiting until the 11th Hour. If it's all a non event, great. If not, they will get me this year, but not again. I have a Plan B, but strangely enough, for many here, their Plan A seems to be it will just ll go away.

How do YOU know Mr. Carden is even in Thailand?

I have no doubt you are building up a lot "liquid."