KhunHeineken

Not cringing. I had to refer back to your post with their rates, because the Local Phone website is down. So much for reliability. Now, can you tell me, EXACTLY, how much AUD will be withdrawn from my Aussie bank account when I pay the $10USD from my Aussie Visa / MasterCard? No, I didn't think so. How about calling 13 and 1300 numbers. You didn't answer my question. Could it be, you can't even call 13 and 1300 numbers with Local Phone? How would one call their bank, insurance company, utility companies, Super company etc etc? I really do "cringe" at the thought of not being able to call 13 and 1300 numbers with Local Phone. No problem calling these numbers with Skype. Why is Local Phone charging to call a Toll Free 1800 number? What a rip off. They are free to call with Skype. Looking at the entire packages from both companies on offer, Skype PAYG outperforms Local Phone on reliability and price. Simple as that.

You are correct, I had a VPN on that gave me US Skype prices in the post I worked the maths. In previous posts, the posts with the "AU" in front of the $10, those are the figures I should have worked. I see calls to landlines are about the same, but Local Phone is cheaper when you take into account the connection fee. I see Local Phone is slightly cheaper for mobiles. The thing is, when an Aussie customer buys $10AUD of PAYG credit with Skype, using an Aussie Visa or MasterCard, exactly $10AUD comes off the card. With Local Phone, you don't know how much money will come out. YOU can't guarantee the final price, can you? Banks take a conversion fee, even for a small amount like $10USD, then you get a lousy currency conversion rate. So, well over $10AUD is withdrawn from your account. On that basis, Skype may very well be cheaper.

I see you are hiding behind the OP. I am directing my post at YOU. It's YOU that is embarrassing yourself. YOU put forward both GBP and USD prices for local phone. Both currencies are subject to conversion rates from AUD. Thus, at the mercy of Visa and MasterCard conversion rates, and possible fees for converting. Skype PAYG deal in AUD, so you know exactly what you get, paying AUD, with a Visa or MastyerCard that is in AUD, unless one used their Thai Visa or MasterCard. You are dribbling now, because you can't even guarantee what the Local Phone customer gets in "credit" because it's up to Visa and MasterCard what rate they wish to give. If only Local Phone dealt in Aussie Dollars like Skype PAYG does.

As I just posted, so in 2024 they have decided the time has come. Why is it such a surprise? The party could last forever.

True, but in 2024 they have decided to pull the trigger. Why is it such a surprise? It's easy, untapped money, just sitting there.

True. It remains to be seen how many may move to the LTR, as they see a financial benefit to do so. It would be interesting to see some accurate stats next year.

Many countries will become cashless in the future, some of them maybe in my lifetime. When that time comes, how do you propose anyone with a bank account being able to escape the notice of their tax department?

I've said it from Day 1. All this discussion about what's assessable, what was savings before 2024, thresholds, gifts, allowances, deductions, using ATM's etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc. I have said we all may just have to pay "something" and that "something" may not actually be the correct amount of tax you must pay as per the law, but it earns for the TRD, either legit or otherwise, and appears to developed western countries that Thailand is implementing tax residency policy, and world wide taxation, in an efficient manner.

Happy to hear why YOU think nothing will happen, especially considering easy MONEY is involved.

So, it's all fake news, is it?

I think you will find it's the more wealthy expats that will spend 6 months outside of Thailand, and that's because they stand to pay a considerable amount of tax in Thailand, yet receive zero for the money. I don't blame them for leaving. One must assess whether Thailand still remains a value for money retirement destination when compared to other locations. As for the average expat pensioner, there will be little tax to pay, but a little of a little may still have an impact on their lifestyle. There is some truth to what you say, the wealthy will reconsider investing, and possibly relocate, thus, leaving behind the not so wealthy. The opposite to what any country would want. I can't see it being swept under the carpet because this is global, and not just confined to Thailand. In the future, many more countries will implement the same tax policies. The days of tax havens, through tax residency, are slowly coming to an end.

Fair point. I think I have that the wrong way around then. If your extension is due between 1st January and 31st March you may sail through. After 31st March you MAY be required to product some type of tax document at extension time. So, we may have to wait until the 1st April 2025 to see what happens. This question may have been asked before, but with so many posts and threads I may have missed it, but can you apply for a tax return extension here? In other words, can you apply to submit your tax after the 31st March? If so, that might be a good idea so one can sit back, legally, and watch what unfolds after the 31st March 2025.

Can you tell me what "benefit" you got for paying tax here? Most, including myself, have paid zero tax whilst living here, VAT aside. Why do you proudly post that you have paid money for nothing here?

Yet, we have a member post that they wish to retire here in the near future, thus need to seed their 800k baht, so approached Bangkok Bank who refused to open a bank account for them unless they had a TIN. As I have said, there will be chaos, and the Thai's will be making up rules on the fly. Requirements will differ from province to province. It will be frustrating, and humorous at the same time. There may be a mine field to navigate, full of "Catch 22.'s." However, in my opinion, at the end of the day, the Thai's will turn a baht out of this, one way or another. Strap yourself in. It's going to be quite a ride.

Below are the Skype PAYG prices calling Australia from Thailand. Here's the link. You will see this at the top: "Call phones and send SMS anywhere in the world at affordable prices with Skype Credit." You will see this under the heading: "Choose pay-as-you-go calling option" https://www.skype.com/en/credit/ The OP had issues getting his Amaysim onto the network. I suggested some trouble shooting. Did you? No, you didn't beat my prices. Yet again, you are misleading readers by not giving the full information, facts, and prices. The VOIP provider to put forward, "Local Phone" have their rates in USD and GBP. As an example, Local Phone want $0.075USD a minute for a call to an Aussie mobile. As per www.xe.com at the time of posting, $0.075USD = $0.12AUD. Thus, Local Phone want $0.12AUD a minute to call an Aussie Mobile, and Skype PAYG want $0.10AUD per minute to call an Aussie mobile. Now, Skype charge a $0.089AUD connection fee for Aussie mobiles, so, approximately, any mobile call over a few minutes and Skype PAYG is cheaper than Local Phone, and any call less than a few minutes and Local Phone is cheaper. As for landlines, Local Phone want $0.015USD a minute, which is $0.03AUD a minute. Skype PAYG charge $0.023AUD. Once again, Skype PAYG charge a $0.049AUD connection fee for landlines, so, like mobile calls, if the call is longer than a few minutes, Skype PAYG is cheaper than Local Phone. I also note Local Phone charge $0.036USD ($0.06AUD) for Toll Free numbers, which are 1800 numbers, where they are free to call with Skype PAYG. So Skype PAYG is the clear winner there. Can you tell me how much Local Phone to ring a 1300 or 13 number, given they are the main numbers I call in Australia because they are the numbers of the companies I continue to have dealings with in Australia. It must be noted that www.xe.com rounded such small currency conversions. That said, if someone tops up their Local Phone account, they are at the mercy of Visa or MasterCard's terrible exchange rates, thus, further losses. So, would you agree Skype PAYG is cheaper for calls longer than a few minutes, and Local Phone is cheaper for calls shorter than a few minutes, but not by much, due to currency conversion losses? If not, can you explain why not? See rates for the destinations you want to call Where do you want to call ~434 mins for $10.00 of Skype Credit* Calling - per minute Calling - per minute1 Australia 2.3¢ Australia - Canberra 2.3¢ Australia - Mobile 2 10¢ Australia - Shared Cost - 1300 prefix 2 26¢ Australia - Special Service - 13 prefix 2 7.0¢ Australia - Sydney 2.3¢ Australia - Toll Free 3 $0.00 SMS Cost per message Australia 8.8¢ When calling from Thailand, a connection fee of 4.9¢ applies, unless otherwise indicated. When calling from Thailand, a connection fee of 8.9¢ applies, unless otherwise indicated. When calling from Thailand, a connection fee of $0.00 applies, unless otherwise indicated.

Where is the word "subscription?" You are wrong. PAYG Skype is better than your suggestion. I've posted the Skype prices for PAYG, calling from Thailand. Try and beat them. You might be able to with another VOIP company, but not with Amaysim.

They live hand to mouth. You know this.

BMT: "I am here for my annual extension." IO: "Where your paper from TRD?" BMT: "I didn't know I needed a paper from the TRD." IO: "You need a paper from the TRD. Come back when you have the TRD paper." BMT: "But extension finish soon." IO: "Your problem, not mine." BMT: "But, I not know about TRD paper." IO: "Next customer." Just another reason for it to be attached to the annual extension, to scoop up people pleading ignorance. Plead ignorance at your own risk. Many are lucky enough their renewal falls after the 31st March 2025, so they can sit back and wait and watch. There will most likely be chaos, and most of it may not make any sense, to the point of being humorous for all of us, but at the end of the day, I just can't see the Thai's walking away from being able to extract some easy money, legit or otherwise, out of farang, and some significant money out of high net worth Thai's and foreigners.

I am giving consideration to all possibilities of collection and enforcement. Nothing is off the table. They will not care about the chaos, just the revenue it brings in.

Many Thai's work in the cash economy. Foreigners, on the other hand, have to use the global financial banking system to remit their funds from their home country to Thailand, thus, a money paper trail, with precise amounts, times, and dates. Gotcha.

Do you think their public announcements that have been in the news is their "invitation? I am sure the Thai authorities now consider you as being "informed." Sure, you can try doing "nothing" and pleading ignorance, but that may have some consequences, probably measured in baht. I think those that do nothing will just be easy targets for some quick money in the future. A bit like saying, "no one else is wearing a helmet, so I thought I didn't need to wear one."

As I have said in the past, there is an immigration desk at the airports where people can pay their overstay fines. There very well may be a TRD desk in the future where the immigration guy says, "You have been in Thailand more than 180 days this calendar year, go over to the TRD desk then come back." The computer will do the calculation, as it does for over stayers. At the TRD desk, one may have to pay "something" not necessarily the correct amount of tax, but "something." Not a rumor, not scaremongering, just a prediction about what Thai authorities MAY do. They already do it for over stayers. It's possible they MAY also do it for tax collection. There already is a VAT return office at the airport for tourists.

Like I have said in the past, the TRD may simply want 300, 500, or 1000 baht for a Certificate of Clearance each year, just like we pay 300 baht for a Certificate of Residence, when they should be free. They may chase high net worth individuals, but for your average expat pensioner, maybe it's all about paying a few baht for a document from the TRD each year and be on your merry way. Who knows at this stage, but it's an easy earner for them, and I can't see them walking away from easy money.

I've never suggested expat pensioners will be "targeted by the TRD." Expat pensioners will simply be scooped up by Thai tax laws, and whilst Thai authorities maybe be focusing on high wealth individuals, the law will apply to all, Thai and farang, who are inside Thailand for 180 days in a calendar year.

I over simplified it for the purposes of explaining to those that believe a DTA means if their money was taxed in their home country, then it can not be taxed in Thailand, which is a myth, and explained quite well by the guy in the youtube video I posted.