AllanA

I think a lot of people who have been looking forward to retirement in Thailand are now thinking of a B Plan, a different Asian country where their money is their money and not tax if they retire in Thailand. Most people’s earnings are already taxed in their own country and to then have Thailand tax your income again is just not affordable to most so I’m sure a lot of expats will sell up and move to a neighbouring country and live in happiness and the new retiree’s will forget their Thailand retirement plan and pick another country with less headache with tax and visas etc. I think Thailands new tax will scare off all retirees from coming altogether.

I think a lot of the retirees will end up moving to another country now and most likely Cambodia or Vietnam as they won’t be able to afford being taxed in Thailand plus anyone thinking of Thailand as a place to retire now would seriously be thinking of a new destination. All this is definitely going to hurt places like Hua Hin, Pattaya, Chang Mai and outer Phuket where a lot of retirees currently live.

If this is introduced, you’ll find tourist will cancel their Thailand holiday and go to another Asian destination like Cambodia or Vietnam maybe even visit Philippines. Tourists won’t spend thousands of dollars to going for a Thailand vacation and forced to wear a mask, what a terrible way to spend your holiday. I’m pretty sure neighbouring Asian countries will be delighted to take all these tourists. Thailand sure knows how to kill its tourism for the next few months or more.