Old Croc

After Captain Cook invaded Australia, and before millions of British 10quid boat people flocked to its shores, there were fleets of English criminals shipped there in the mistaken belief it was a form of punishment. This is where the term Pom originated. Little did the authorities of the time know they were sending these people to a comparative paradise and setting up their descendants for a life far superior to the one at their point of origin.

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I don't have a TIN nor plan to get one unless forced. The form they refused to accept only had basic details completed, no tax file numbers. My last remittances were in Dec 2023, nothing this year nor expected for some years in the future. A recent property sale has provided a buffer. My funds have, and will continue, to accumulate in my home country. I had remitted more than 25mill until 2023. That has now stopped. I will keep bank statements up to date in my home country.

Last week I attempted to lodge this form in person (via my wife) at Kasikorn's Chiang Khan branch. They refused to accept it, stating it has to be emailed. They also refused to assist with a debit card to replace an expiring one, stating I need an app on my phone. I don't do any banking on my phone, using only my pc. As their service is non-existent and location extremely inconvenient, with no branches within 120kms of my location, I will close the account I've had for 14 years and transfer the balance of several million to a more user-friendly bank. I don't plan to remit any funds for a few years and will only lodge a nil tax return if it's compulsory.

Have you heard of a Surinamese citizen named Nesty? How many Americans could indicate where Suriname is on a map?

Russia is in 11th place on gross GDP. As stated, higher on a GDP -PPP basis.

Phuket was the one exception. They grandfathered the requirement for visas issued before this criterion was introduced. Checking the Immi Volunteers site, it seems they have been brought back in line.

If anyone was wondering how The Revenue Dept would enforce compliance, perhaps with Immigration, it's now clear your bank is the agent for the tax collection. They are insisting (threatening) you register and disclose personal details to them, and even go so far as to provide the forms to apply for a tax ID. I didn't realize K bank was a government entity!

Australian. Also received this major privacy intrusion from the bank. They insist I provide my tax details, addresses, etc from my home country including the tax file number. They threaten to terminate me as a customer if non-compliant!

Laos police detain owner of backpacker hostel where Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles were staying before methanol poisoning - ABC News

Where do you get your crystal ball?

When I came to Thailand, I was ambulatory. I had made a permanent home and relationship here before becoming disabled. These vehicles are appropriate and suitable in any reasonably civilized country. Now you on the other hand...

For the record I'm no longer able to walk or drive a vehicle with pedals. I live on a remote farming property with multiple fields most of which are not connected to the main property. I designed the house and property with large verandas and pathways to enable me to get around with either a wheelchair or mobility scooter. I own 3 of the latter, one suitable for off road, one a little faster for longer trips on road, and one inevitably not working. These 3- or 4-wheel devices enable me to have a little Independence to escape being house bound. I managed to get one to hit a blistering 20 kph downhill on one occasion but most are designed to stay under 10kph. Our street, the nearest village and the highway between, do not have anything resembling a footpath, I ride on the roads when venturing away from the house. Very carefully on the highway. Here in Isaan there are increasing amounts of electric scooters and devices being used by locals to give them a better quality of life. One local here has a 3 wheeled bicycle fitted with an electric (washing machine?) motor that moves at a good pace. There are many other homemade contraptions chugging around the streets that need to be seen to be believed. None are licensed nor taxed, but all are valuable for the users. Most road accidents in Thailand occur because of driver error or incapacity, road conditions or speed. The method of propulsion, nor mandated licensing rules, have nothing to do with cause. There is a selfish army of posters on this forum, most of whom have an American redneck attitude that speed and oil rules the road, who flock to attack the type of vehicle whenever someone stuffs up in an electric vehicle. Very petty!

I'm not sure if the scooter being licensed, taxed or insured would have prevented the collision with some pallets left in a roadway. It could just as easily have been a motorcycle ridden at a much faster speed by a drunken farang that came to grief on the obstacle. Or perhaps a child on a bicycle. This had nothing to do with people's prejudices against electric scooters.