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I am approaching the first 60 days on my Visa exempt on a UK passport and the last time I was in Thailand was eighteen months ago while also on a Tourist visa. I will be in Nong Khai on the last day of my exemption and intend to do a border bounce at the Vientiane side without actually going into Vientiane. From past experience this border has always been mostly forgiving, but I have never attempted an actual bounce at the border nor have I used the border since the 60 day exemption increase. Is a bounce likely to succeed or is there some new unwritten rule requiring you to spend a night in Vientiane or perhaps the border bounce is only realistically possible through the use of an agent. I am guessing from past previous experiences that it will be possible to do this solo and without staying in Vientiane overnight, but stuff changes and any recent experiences from anyone doing the same would be useful.

I now do the same 6m/6m after previously living in Thailand continuously since 2011. I hence looked into the same question for myself. I reached the following conclusions. No Fixed Rule: There's no absolute rule that staying in the UK for 6 months guarantees you have proven that you are maintaining a UK habitual residence. It's a guideline, not a legal threshold (unlike Statutory Residence Test, but this is a completely different consideration). Each case is assessed on its own merits, considering various factors beyond just the length of stays. Keep UK Ties Strong: In order to demonstrate strong UK ties maintain a UK address, bank accounts, and show regular communication with UK institutions and if possible demonstrate existing family ties. This is only required if there was an investigation, but this is unlikely to happen when you are in the UK for 6 months. Pattern of Stays: Regular patterns of long stays could influence any DWP's assessment, however any trips back to the UK, even short trips demonstrates ongoing ties to the UK. The longer the stay the stronger the tie to the UK. Even on the very small chance you are investigated and lose the case there is a procedure to demonstrate how you can become a UK resident again by doing normal thing like showing where you are living and proving you are paying bills for the stuff that you consume in the UK (for things like utilities and groceries over a two or three months period). Hence theoretically there could be a small period when indexing was lost however its quickly retrieved and you should have no problem in doing this.

Thank you impulse - This is really good feedback. This is real life data . Even if another person was not, I was surprised and found the information valuable that multiple Visa Exempt entries, when staying only a small amount of days was was acceptable over a very long period of time by immigration. Thank you for great feedback.

Good to hear - Thanks for adding this ChaiyaTH

Actually Good point - I had not thought through the calculation. However it might be that a previous border run before the 60 days Exempt then got affected by lenience on the new rule for a second border run after the 60 days Exempt new rule. But.....even as I type this, I know I am stretching sensible considerations a little too much here.

Fair Enough!

Theoretically it would be possible to get unlimited exemptions for appropriate passport holder, however as always immigration has the last say. Previously immigration were intolerant of multiple entry Visa exempts and directed visitors to apply for the right Visa. Is there any evidence that consideration has become more lenient since the new 60 day Visa exempt, which has now been available for close to 3 months ?

Sounds like the VE + Ext = Best solution. Thanks (also Enoon and Lite Beer) Last time I did a border hop Poipet Border and got a Cambodia and Tourist Visa via Nong Khai / Vientiane. Poipet from my last experience should be completely disregarded for border hop. - I am guessing that you are recommending Nong Khai - For any border hops? Yup Vietnam should be mini holiday, I have visited a number of times - Favourite is Da Nang.

Theoretically it is possible to enter Visa exempt and get 60 days, then leave and re-enter and get 60 days, then leave and re-enter and get 60 days for 180 days I am a UK passport holder and have been out of Thailand for last 15 months - I previously had mix of OA and O (retirement) over last 14 years, but my last visit was for just 6 months: 45 day exempt entry and 45 day exempt (Border hop) and extension in Bangkok and tourist visa in single entry Venetian. If my plan is possible, which border next to Thailand is the safest and how long is required to stay before returning for Immigration to accept re-entry for a land entry. If I was to take a different option by doing the exit and re-enter via Vietnam on either entry, and since Vietnam is not bordering Thailand this will need to be an air crossing and not a land crossing - would this increase the probability of success for either of the attempts for exit / re-entries on visa exempt 60 days.

Yes - I do get your point. At 9:22 Who qualifies "Category 1 = Freelances, Digital Nomads, remote workers". At 10:01 "Document that you need for Freelancers, remote workers digital nomads is a letter of certificate or employment from a company outside of Thailand." I guess if self employed then a proof of your tax return or other proof of business activity - Since this is for Embassy admin there should be minimum risk for impact on data available to say Thailand Tax authority (or other entities) because of data protection. Begs the question: The definition of Freelances and remote workers could be almost anything and hence the definition of what this actually means and how to prove it will be interesting to see.

Yup - Its never easy understanding what the rules are in Thailand and I do not know what business you are in, but if you are digitally focussed and according to the video - providing a decent professional portfolio may simply be enough. If on the other hand if your work is not digital, but simply provide work remotely, its going to be difficult to prove without invoice based evidence.

How to qualify as a Digital Nomad requires a suitable submission of "Certificate of employment or any professional portfolio of your work (interviewer asks) so if they have a a portfolio of clients and work they can show this (General Ninnad) yes professional ones of course" - He stated that it is not necessarily to have contracts to support the portfolio "but it would help" - It will be interesting to see how Digital Nomads are actually judged in order to qualify.

Thanks

Oklay-doklay...........Link?

A recent interview with the deputy director general for Consular Affairs General Ninnad on Youtube 2 days ago (RW4U Channel) outlined the requirement to obtain a DTV To qualify as a Digital Nomad requires a suitable submission of "Certificate of employment or any professional portfolio of your work (interviewer asks) so if they have a a portfolio of clients and work they can show this (General Ninnad) yes professional ones of course" - He stated that it is not necessarily to have contracts to support the portfolio "but it would help" - When granted a 5year multiple entry DTV it is unlimited and you can come and go as many times as you wish within the 5 years validity - Either done by Extension at immigration or simply leave the country every 180 days and return to Thailand for a further 180 days. While I can not yet see this on the London Embassy site detailing the DTV (but it may be an option once entering the e-Visa application process). While the devil will be in the details and also the interpretation from each Embassy - In principle there might be little stopping long stay expats simply developing a professional portfolio and applying on the basis of getting together a portfolio of digital content - Irrespective if they actually do any further digital work while they are in Thailand. It will be interesting to see how Digital Normads are actually judged for their valid credentials to qualify.

Ha...Brilliant! - Good Point

Thanks Dan - I appreciate your response. As identified in your link provided "You pay Capital Gains Tax when you ‘dispose of’ overseas property if you’re resident in the UK."- And identified in the title of post which was for this same situation of "UK domiciled primary residence". The info about the celebs being exposed out later with the penalties was a useful and sobering insight - This was driven by the recent CGT allowance drop for the 2024 to 2025 tax year since the allowance is now only £3,000. However its extremely difficult to put a price on peace of mind.

When you own a primary residence in the UK any other property that is not your primary residence when sold is subject to CGT, this is for any disposal of assets worldwide, including overseas properties - Hence any gain when selling Thailand owned Condo will be subject to this tax. The CGT calculation and considerations for overseas property is similar to that for selling a second UK property, based on the difference between the selling price and the purchase price, after adjusting for allowable expenses. Having said all this - Are there any mechanisms or reporting processes that would highlight such a sale and capital gain to UK HMRC if this was not self reported?

Yes golf carts can be used on public roads in the UK - When they have been designed to meet specific safety and regulatory standards and use roads of speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less otherwise golf carts are limited to private property and golf courses - However this post is not about the use of golf carts on UK.

Is there any restriction on Golf carts / electric utility vehicles or any required vehicle Certification from Department of transportation? Also are these types of vehicles covered on a full UK driving license with International permit?

Good Response. it would also require good management of UK account(s) since any spent funds out of an account(s) and not remitted to Thailand or addition into the account(s) would no longer be available as tax free and after many years of similar transaction contaminations could become a complex argument to sustain with RD.

Yup - I read the info on the website for your included text "When tax is not due.... Non residents do not usually pay UK tax on state pensions" - I got a different interpretation of what it was saying and the way I read this Is: if normally a non resident does not pay tax on state pensions (because it is below the personal allowance) then no tax is payable. However your interpretation is - If you are non resident then you do not need to pay tax on the state pension. I can see that it might be interpreted in two ways and I am now not totally convinced which might be the absolute correct interpretation. However the same HMRC website you provided the link for also says. You usually have to pay tax on your UK income even if you’re not a UK resident. Income includes things like: pension Also what would be more decisive is what is in the Thailand DTA. While it is a little bit inconclusive, this seems to identify taxation by the UK of Gov pensions, but it is not totally clear if this is referring to state pensions or government employment pensions or possibly both - ARTICLE 19.—(1) (a) Remuneration, other than a pension, paid by a Contracting State or a political subdivision or a local authority thereof to any individual in respect of services of a governmental nature rendered to that State or subdivision or local authority thereof shall be taxable only in that State

With the proviso - UK government state pension remain liable to tax in the UK no matter where you are resident.

Mnnn - Good info. So for example with £175,000 inside a savings account on 31 Dec 2023 - Then remitting 65k Thb / month (Approx. £17,500 / yr) to a Thai Bank for Visa ext. This essentially provides 10yrs of remittance that is free from taxation - Am I understanding you correctly?

For UK pensioners currently who have not disclosed their stay in Thailand in order to retain indexation increases annually, but want to claim the dual taxation relief, presumably they will have then effectively disclosed their Thai residency and have then prevented any future pension increase (subject to the automatic UK / overseas tests).