khunPer

In my Scandinavian home country it's a bit the other way round. Before common Internet the young nude girls that appeared in the tabloid newspapers, gossip magazines and men's magazines were from just 15 years old; now you won't see any under 18, more likely they are up in their 20'ies. The law is tighter now, were nude images on anybody under 18 years of age might be considered child pornography. A tabloid newspaper even recently withdraw their files on the Internet with old-time pages of – in today's view too young – nude girls.

Before social media and online dating, there were other ways for young girls to meet men in exchange of money.

The "new normal" seems to it's online – and more easy to attend – however, just like before, where you has to buy a magazine or visit certain places, you need to browse certain online media or pages with that potential type of content...

When reading the various news stories about free insurance for tourist, longer nightlife opening hours and now lower alcohol tax, it seems like the tourist target has change from the previous so-called "quality tourists" – who in my understanding were able to afford travel insurance, not especially aiming for late nightlife and didn't mind if alcohol were a few baht cheaper or not per drink when signing the bill in a many star hotel – to budget level...

On 12/18/2023 at 3:58 AM, bamboozled said:

Thoughts?

Yes, they spray inside for both mosquitos and termites. If you have seen what termites can eat inside, you'll understand; and you might not notice before the whole inside of a delicious gourmet wood-structure has be digested like my cupboard...

I always look at the locals, when predicting about winter...

And YES, I'm afraid it's going to be an utterly cold winter, the locals on Koh Samui have collected a huge number of logs for firewood for their central steam-heater…

Little hard to see that saving 4% on the freight rate might not be that interesting.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

The loans are aimed at those with good credit standing...

Probably not the same people as most of those in need for borrowing money from loan sharks.

Interest rate of 0.75% per month equals 9% p.a. More if interest is actually added per month, but that – interest per month or just "0.75 baht" – is normally the way to express interest rate in Thailand; it might however be calculated quarterly of semi-annually.

9 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

 

You are still missing the point that we are saying that he can't have an extension beyond his passport's expiry date - the OP really needs to check

Please read gain: OP has an extension till June/July and wish to renew his passport before applying for next extension of stay.

On 12/15/2023 at 4:10 AM, GregBow said:

Dear all.

I retired a year ago and am using 800k in the bank method.

I have a car owing about 350k and making monthly payments.

Would like to withdraw my 800k retirement  and keep 400k marriage money in bank.

Thus allowing me to pay off the car.

Means changing to marriage visa and extension from current retirement visa on first 12 month extension, which expires in April 2024.

Can ypu advise please?

You cannot. You need to keep the 800k in the bank until three month after your extension of stay has been granted, and you furthermore need to upgrade the deposit again to 800k bah two month before you next time apply for an extension of stay. By that time you can apply for extension based on marriage and withdraw 400k baht.

The reason is, that the present extension of stay has been granted on basis of retirement with a deposit in a Thai bank. If you default on that, you default your extension of stay and shall in principle leave the country. You cannot extend you stay, if the previous extension is breached.

However, go and talk to your local immigration office, if they will permit you to change method before your present extension of stay ends.

On 12/15/2023 at 3:55 AM, SunsetT said:

A friend entered Thailand a couple of months ago with a 1 year Non O Retirement Visa and he has just this week extended it for the 1st time. I was surprised when he told me that he must do his 1st 90 day report in January which is 90 days from when he entered Thailand and not from the date of his 1st extension. I was under the impression that 90 day reports ran from the date of extension or date of any re-entry to Thailand after extension(s).

It's depending on the local immigration office, how the 90-days are counted. Some places continously counts from last entry date, others – like where I live – resets the count by each extension of stay.

On 12/15/2023 at 4:55 AM, Olmate said:

TIT but how is that possible?

It's possible with a bit of training, a lion is excellent to jump and can easily jump into the back seat of a convertible Maserati. The trick is to learn the lion that the back seat is the lion's safe place. You need to buy the convertible Maserati before the lion, otherwise the lion cannot learn that it's the back seat of the Maserati, which is the safe place. If you wish you learn more about lion-training, I'll recommend you to George Keller's book...

On 12/15/2023 at 8:28 AM, stoner said:

how often do you wai ?  on a regular basis ? do you feel obligated to do it ? 

 

i find it strange personally even after 20 years of interaction with thai. the longer i stay here the less i wai.

I wai often – following the local tradition and wai people I know, or wai back when they wai me first.

There is a kind of status, who shall wai first, which might be little complicated for a foreigner. But good friends, I gladly wai as first, and people I know of higher status, including elder people. Otherwise I return wai, when someone I know wai to me – I'm considered of high enough local status to be a person, who some shall wai first – but of course I don't wai back to shop attendants and like, where you are not supposed to wai back, but I can thank for their politeness with a little nod.

Polite respectful wai to elders in the community has over time given me lots of benefits.

On 12/15/2023 at 6:30 AM, bob smith said:

she isnt perfect but she is a damn sight better than any bar girl thailand has to offer.

How do you know...

On 12/15/2023 at 6:30 AM, bob smith said:

if you wanna be like me you can! But it will require some really hard work, at least at first, until you can truly say hand on heart that you have the life of riley.

Many thanks for the kind offer, but I don't wish your life-style, and especially not after 10 pints; I hate beer and therefore never drinks it...

PS: I already have a marvelous life...

On 12/14/2023 at 8:24 PM, GammaGlobulin said:

After you came to Thailand, did you decide to change your religion?

 

And, why?

 

Also, if you believe that you will be reborn after death, how do you think this will happen?

 

Will you be resurrected?

 

Or, will you return to Earth in some other form?

Interesting subject, very interesting.

Yes, I switched from curious atheist to FSM (Flying Spaghetti Monster), after I found out that I'm more into facts than beliefs. Especially after I realized that Buddhism has no specific god, so there is place for everyone to pick and follow a good way of behave and live. FSM better describes my interest in facts, but still with an open curious seeking mind, and with a reasonable amount of goof humor for longevity; even that I look forward to the afterlife up in that kind of party-heaven His Noodliness has created.

Before I had en feeling of reincarnation and rebirth – perhaps I've been down here before, if I trust my dreams – but I'm becoming more and more suspicious, if there is anything at all beyond this life; even that the history is full of reincarnation events. I've actually read quite a bit about this extremely interesting subject, but have over time become more skeptic.

Resurrected or return? If I'm resurrected my soul – or whatever it might be – will end somewhere up there in heavenly spheres; hopefully in the "party-heaven". If I'm reborn – or rather some om my thoughts or whatever spirit or soul is – I might end up with dreams and curious questions about the possibility of reincarnation. If I end up as something in between this life and resurrection or rebirth, I'll probably become a ghost, or rather an irritating poltergeist, who likes to teaser other; i.e. the living ones.

So far I've decided and wrote in my will, that my physical remains just shall be burned and nothing else done. I have moved on, one or other way. Funeral and ceremonies are for those still here – not me, I'm already gone – so if any left has a need, they are welcome, if it can help, but don't do anything, believing that it's for me or my wish. If you have any good things you wish to say to me, then say it now, and not at a funeral ceremony, when I'm already gone.

On 12/15/2023 at 3:35 AM, charleskerins said:

We have some very well informed members on here  recommendations for travel /medical insurance will be here 3 more months then going back to US for court proceedings . What is the best  plan for me    ?   Reasonably good health over 62     I just got a quote form GEO Blue 1600$  10,000 deductible.

 

thanks for your assistance look forward to helpful insight on plans

For three month you might rather look at a travel insurance with repatriation to your home country.

8 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

 Your words 

 

 Your words 

 

The OP clearly states that his passport expires before his extension

Yes, and but not the date that his pasport expires, and he wish to get a new one before his extension of stay.

Please read OP again, the questions is about valid visa in the old passport, when he get his new one, before next application for extension of stay:

I have an extension stay till next year around june / july .

however my passport will be expiring soon . I am travelling out of thailand and then coming back a month later with my new passport .

in this case ,what happens to my extension of stay ?

what should i do in this scenario ? I appreciate any advice / helpful info . 

8 hours ago, weedywhaoo said:

Yes, iits possible with wife and one employee for the work permit. You will need four employees for immigration for the one year visa though. 

To my knowledge, NOT if it's a partnership limited; the four Thai employees are for a company limited.

By my experience the max allowed decibel level in Thailand equals max volume on your amplifier...

9 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

 

And what I am saying is that it is not possible to have an extension beyond the passport's validity

If you read again, OP asks about how to to do with existing extension extension of stay. He don't mention when his passport expires, but he says that he already has an extension of stay until June/July next year and is changing his passport before the extension of stay expires. In that way, he will have a new passport for his next application for extension of stay.

8 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Savings is not income.

 

Income is the focus of this "new" tax.

Not if you read, what so far has been said by the government – saving might be taxed as interest.

Of course he exists – I've even met him... – and my CCTV also snapped him, when delivering gifts for Xmas to my house here in Thailand...

On 12/11/2023 at 9:18 AM, kwak250 said:

I was planning on transferring around £100k early next year for a planned house build but would it be better to do this before 1st Jan to avoid any of the taxes that are planned.

 

The money has been sat in a UK bank for years but has money constantly being deposited and withdrawn so not sure how it could Be proven either way where it came from or when it was actually obtained as the account can have anywhere from 75k to over 150k 

 

Just feel that I should transfer now rather than give a chunk to the tax man after 1st Jan .

If I was you, I would do it before 1st January, as we still don't know any details about how transfers eventual will be taxed from next year; I actually transferred savings for my next car this month of same reason.

You can deposit the funds in a fixed account for best interest – for example 3 month or longer – if you are not going to use the money right away. Note that the banks guarantee is 1 million baht, so if you feel unsafe, you can split the savings over a number of banks. So-called Fund Books with low risk are also a possibility, I use that, as there is no binding period to obtain gain/interest.

On 12/13/2023 at 5:36 AM, defwill29 said:

Hi. I am in a relationship with a Thai woman and we are considering to get married.

 

Back home (EU) I am a self-employed text writer and I work from home, and I would plan to continue my business when I move to Thailand to be with my wife.

 

I am just wondering what I am facing if I want to be self-employed in Thailand. I serve non-Thai clients only. In my country, this is extremely easy; you just register as a freelancer, pay a small fee and pay income tax at the end of the year and, if applicable, VAT during the year. But I fear things might not be so simple in Thailand.

To OP:

How do foreigners begin as self employed in your country?

The probably need a work permit. There is a new visa for distance workers available, which has already been mentioned in an above reply (I repeat link HERE), but the financial claims are quite high.

You didn't mention your home country. Some countries allows a citizen living abroad to still have a domestic registered business, provided there is an address in the country, which could be registered in a friend's or a family member's address. Some countries also allow bank account actions or transfers without domestic taxation, when you stay less than 180 days in your home country and are tax resident abroad.

As suggested above, do a bit of homework, so you know your options.

You cannot legally as foreigner be self employed in Thailand.

You can establish a partnership with your wife – when you get married to your girlfriend – and extend you stay based on marriage. You will be allowed to get a work permit, which can be in the partnership limited. There need to be two Thai employees for a foreign work permit, your wife could be one of them. When providing only customers abroad, there will be not v.a.t. and claim for v.a.t.-registration. Salary will be personal income taxed – it's low, compared to many foreign countries – a  profit left in the partnership limited will be company taxed. You will need an external auditor for annual statement and tax report; there are several threads in the forum where you can find lots of additional information.

Another possibility is to continue like a number of digital nomads do, keep your distance work under the radar, and officially live from savings from abroad. You need a foreign bank account for your business, and only transfer your need for personal spending into Thailand. It's not really legal, but nobody seems to care much at the moment about individual digital nomads and remote workers. Note, that you might be income taxed from 2024 of savings transferred from abroad.

9 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

 

You appear to have totally missed the point that the passport expires before his extension of stay, and the he does not have time to get a new passport (ergo the op needs to check when his extension actually ends)

OP however writes that his passport expires before his extension of stay:

I have an extension stay till next year around june / july .

however my passport will be expiring soon . I am travelling out of thailand and then coming back a month later with my new passport .

8 hours ago, Thomas72 said:

2. If #1 is true, is the health insurance requirement then dropped?

No, when you enters on a non-OA you'll need a 3 million baht health insurance for extension of stay.

Choose a normal non-O for retirement instead, and extend your stay for 1 year, if you alreadu know that you are going to stay for a longer period in Thailand. The only benefit with a non-OA is that you can keep your funds abroad, instead of in a Thai bank deposit; but when applying for extension of stay you still need the funds in a Thai bank deposit, so your benefit from OA-visa has gone.

Otherwise, as other posters recommend, leave Thailand and re-enter visa exempt and apply for a non-O domesticalley, or simple re-enter with a non-O visa; the latter you might still be able to get issued in a neighboring country like Malaysia.