ronnie50

There is probably more to the story than has been published. But it doesn't look like there was a 'supplier' - the parents of the first girl were conned into thinking the richer foreigner would help with the daughter's education - pretty naive - but plausible. In the Brit case, he met the girl on a dating app. The company needs to do better screening to avoid kids getting access to its dating app.

Thailand is Upper Middle-Income, according to the World Bank. Then again so is Papua New Guinea (Upper Middle-Income) - a country where the poverty, and related violence, is right in your face (how WB comes up with these rankings is anyone's guess - perhaps because PNG has energy and minerals, but the populace are poor as poor can be).

I use both. Regarding track and trace, every time you use an ATM you leave a footprint. And of course your mobile can be tracked everywhere you go.

Nah. Headline didn't match the story..

Wasn't it all to do with needing facial recognition on the App to transfer more than 50k? I seem to be able to still transfer more than that with the same old App (SCB) - no facial feature.

Agree. There's also sense that Thailand is sort of a Wild West - where you can really do whatever you want. What we see daily on the Thai news channels of the fighting and the drunken disrespect kind of proves it. How many of these people would behave that way in other countries while on a holiday? Even Benidorm, Ibiza and some of the other downmarket 'sun spots' get passed out drunks, etc., but brawls and the kind of behavior we've been seeing here are much less common. They'd get arrested and face real consequences in other places. For some reason these idiots think there are no consequences here - maybe they're right?

The Thai-Chin families driving around in Benz's usually bury it in the garden.... so I'm told. Imagine all that burried treaasure 🙃

I seem to recall the banks had no facility to do the face recognition for foreigners (because they could only enter Thai ID numbers, not passports into their facial recognition system). Maybe they worked it out. Dunno.

Thanks. You probably know this, but when updating PP number with the various and sundry who need it (e.g. everyone in Thailand it seems), be sure to have your old PPs with you as well - or at least a copy.

I see nothing in the article that refers to 'uncertainty' for existing retiree bank accounts. Did I miss something?

Nope. But we know our Thai banks (directed by BOT) are checking our phone apps connecting to our accounts to ensure they match. Seems logical as we can only use phone apps now to make transactions, aside from going into a branch. When they disconitnued web access, I asked my bank (SCB) what would happen if I lost my phone while abroad? No answer. Then again, ask yourself this: what happens if I lose my CC or ATM that is equipped for just 'tapping'? Again few answers about liability.

Wow, am I the only one frustrated with this weirdo flag waving US-Israeli right wing stuff? Ok, so I've lived here probably longer than some (cannot use the word m...ds as is forum rules), but I well-know this entire web board is what it is, and is controled by some forces with a 'conservative' bent from years ago. Anyway, I'm not going to fight it. They will shout down anything against their view - and there is no way to counter the weirdness. F-it, because it is what it is. Anyway, this is interesting and from a legitimate news source from our region (ABC). Flame away big shots.

If the changes he has in mind continue with taxing only remittances, then you're right - no incentive. But if he plans to tax them (and us) on all global income each tax year, then there might be fewer benefits to leaving their cash overseas. But who knows for sure. Need to wait and see.

Just put up a sign that says 'While some vegetarian dishes are available, this restaurant does not cater to religious-based diets or exclusions". Translate it into Hebrew, Arabic and Hindi. That should cover most of the tourist's languages of customers that you'd encounter. Add that phrase prominently into the menus. Problem solved. The young Israeli tourists in Pai and elsewhere that cause problems are probably just the same self-entitled lot we see from many countries including our own. People that need a sl@p - but never get one. Unfortunately.

Your post prompted me to check with my mobile operator (TRUE), and while they have the correct name exactly as the bank, the passport numbers and DOB at TRUE don't match. I'll be over to one of their shops tomorrow to update that.

True Japan is much cheaper these days. I was there recently. But there's no way Japan is welcoming to foreigners. They are respectful to everyone as that's part of their culture, but try entering a Japanese bar or one of the millions of entertainment venues. Most foreigners are not welcome at all and often refused entry outright.

The whole thing smells of the Thai oligarch class and another pre-agreed fix. You can "bet big" that the owners of these places were agreed some time ago. Where will the oversight come from? How will the tax revenue be spent and on whom? How will the casinos be audited? By foreign external auditing houses, or locally? Most likely the target audience is the Chinese tourist with some reasonable spending power.

Agree that Thailand's motivation for many of these recent actions (banks, TRD, etc.) is OECD. For those unaware about the OECD Global Tax Deal - it is here in a 2023 announcment https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2023/07/138-countries-and-jurisdictions-agree-historic-milestone-to-implement-global-tax-deal.html It is primarily intended to create a level income tax playing field for multinational coprorations (15%) to stablize things and avoid these guys looking for a tax haven race to the bottom. It's been an uphill climb though and Trump has signed an Exec Order to pull out of it a few weeks ago. Here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/the-organization-for-economic-co-operation-and-development-oecd-global-tax-deal-global-tax-deal/ However, personal income tax in OECD member countries is also an OECD priority area of concern too. See here https://www.oecd.org/en/data/indicators/tax-on-personal-income.html Again all relavent to Thailand too. Hope this is helpful. R.

Okay, thanks for the quick reply and advice. Regarding branch forwarding statement to Head Office, that's only Bangkok Bank that has a longer process, right? I have SCB and I think you and one other said SCB can do both on the spot while waiting?

Since the news was just confirmed today about issues with the banks and foreign accounts, this question might be premature, but given the ever-present possibility of an overly anxious branch manager, would @DrJack54 think it might be wisest to get the extension letter and statement from my own branch (as opposed to just any one)? And, in addition to the letter, is the statement also good if obtained more than a few days before the IMM1 CW retirement extension appointment (up to one week)? By the way, I know the banking issue is 'only' about foreigners opening 'new' accounts, but the branch managers tend to interpret these things pretty broadly and that's why I wonder if attending my own branch would be a safer bet (as I now have only the 90 day O visa). Any thoughts?

That's my concern too. The 2023 announcement was just a stepping stone IMO - first shoe to drop kind of thing. While the RTG needs more revenue, I do actually think this is also about their aspirations for joining OECD, by trying to show that Thailand is on its way to standard global income tax processes for all residents. I think that's why Portugal and others have been changing their rules - due to external pressures on them (e.g. not just from OECD).

Not just US, other countries have similar DTA exclusions for national government employee pension exclusions. Seems to be quite common in the DTAs with Thailand. Of course it only relates to pension income, not other income. Anyway, for now, the tax free exemption on all income is in place for Wealthy Penioner.

I still think all this is part of Thailand's actions to get OECD membership.

I think it also depends on annual passive income (if BOI arragned LTR for 'wealthy' retiree category). But I do wonder how long that category will get to remain tax free if, later this year, the TRD/Finance Ministry announces a shift to taxation on global income and not remittances. Although it had been published in the Royal Gazette, there's nothing stopping any government from amending the rules.

Let's just hope they don't start messing around with our established bank accounts.