Presnock

from what I read, both parties are pushing this provision which is aimed at foreigners sending US money out but Americans most likely will also be hit. I do know some organizations are fighting this and whatever they tell me if any success or not then I will pass it on. Just seems like more and work for US banks which already are shuning US citizen overseas customers. Best of luck to you.

you are aware of course that in the BBB there is a provision to tax all remittances from the US to a foreign country. If your bank is on the ball, and you have provided proper identify as a US citizen then they might not tax it. If they do tax it then you can file for a tax credit the following year. Latest I saw was 3.5% and yes, it is targetting foreigners sending dollars overseas but it says that adequate "proof" of US ciizenship will be required to not be charged that tax and then re-coup as a tax credit the following year.

I agree on the double pricing. Having been here for so much time I have been many times to just about everything worth visiting and didn't really concern myself with the price as it was something to do with the family. As for visa changes, I retired here with a "O" visa but last year when I read about the LTR and the 50% cut in price, I jumped at it. Just a couple of little hurdles but BOI worked with me and within a couple of weeks I had the visa. Cuts out a lot of the other crap that I used to have to put up with i.e. 90-day reports, but now even that is online so...as for tm30, that particular office at the CH immigration opens before the rest of the shop so can get in and out quickly if the need arises to do an update. I did the 1year check-in at the BOI/Immigration and spent less than 10 minutes there and can have an agent, or wife do it or if one leaves the country during that year, just starts the 1-year before having to do it again when one re-enters the country via the fast lane. Now, I guess we see the political situation deteriorating but have gone through quite a few of these over the years - just so there is no shooting near me. This latest bit might put on hold that "draft decree" that they were working on about taxes. we'll see...or not.

exactly what everyone I know that still connects with me. Some are well off money wise but still not anywhere near happy. Family complaining more and more as prices are going up and friends of theirs losing their jobs and all needing more money and some kind of control over their future. None seem to think it is going to get better within the next 3+ years anyway and some of those voted for this activity. Looking like here is going to be some BIG changes coming soon too. Also you I am sure have seen where the BBB has a provision from both parties about taxing US remittances to foreign countries. I have contacted my bank already in the states to provide them with whatever "proof" of my citizenship if necessary so those funds I send to myself won't be levied of any tax. Especially from what I read, the recouping of any taxes taken out of my transfers will be "convoluted" according to the email I got about this bill even though it is aimed at foreigners sending money out of the US, it will mean even more extra work for US banks and wanting less and less to have customers living overseas. In any case, life here is still great IMHO and have no plans to relocate.

there is another study put out by "Healthline" today saying the results in their testing - heart problems and increased chances of death.

I agree with your comments on Thailand and its people. I already spent a couple of years in VN, enjoyed some of it but after all it was war! The beaches are nice, I like the food and I can speak and read (or used to anyway and got paid for it) Vietnamese. I married a Thai after my American wife passed away from breast cancer, and have a daughter from each of those ladies. My half Thai daughter doesn't plan on living in Thailand, has taught herself to be fluent in Korean and after college plans to work in Korea and not Thailand. Her mother of course only wants to live here in Thailand and I still enjoy life with her so I plan to stay until they burn the bones. As for the political scene, it could never get any worse than that currently in the US with DJT, as it seems to me none of the citizens there are happy anymore based on what I hear from many different areas, and different generations of Americans. Here, they came out with a long term visa perfect for my situation and I don't have to concern myself with 90-day reports, nor taxes on my civil pension. I love it here, have travelled throughout, enjoyed that and meeting the different people and did that over time from 1972 until I retired here in 2005. Good luck to all on whatever is to come.

hopefully before then we will all know how to respond and remittances.

The bar probably paid her to begin with, she probably gets living quarters, etc and yeah probably has a bunch of debts. She may be trying to scam him but the bar will want the payout for sure unless things have changed.

You need to wait until the final bill is published to see what it entails!

Did you note that within the BBB now in the Senate has a provision that will charge one 3% on any funds sent from the US to Thailand? It supposedly says that if you are a US Citizen sending money to yourself that you can then claim a tax credit on that 3% when you file taxes the next year! I sure don't understand why they keep adding things for US citizens or their banks to do. This will make US banks even more less likely to keep an account open for people overseas as they will have to be the one's taking the tax out of that remittance. Maybe using a US credit card and ATM cash out maybe will be okay but I sure don't know for sure on that. We will have to wait until the final bill is signed and then we can see how they word things. My US bank knows about this provision and mentioned that I am a customer for life if I want so guess they will be willing to do the extra work required. My wife too has an ITIN and yeah that extra deduction is handy! Good luck!

see link about testing of heart of cannabis users https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2025/06/10/heartjnl-2024-325429

absolutely! we did that for my wife. It is necessary especially when you do your annual taxes. She will get an ITIN from the US government which will be used as her tax ID number. Can usually be done very easily. this link has some suggestions of why and how to do https://itin-for-foreign-spouse-of-american-citizens-common-faqs/

at CM when I was going to do a transfer of stamps to new pp, the IO under the tent did just as you mentioned, I handed in my extension papers, he said to do a TM 30, then in the window, the IO said walk around to the 90-day window and get that done too and just return but don't have to wait in a queue again. Two minutes most, TM30 office opened at 8:15 b4 the immigration office did, and 90-day-window no waiting either, then went inside and within 45 minutes, I had finished everything on that extension, transfers of stamps etc.

well the US normally has nothing but green pollution versus Thai yellow and red but look now from central north of the US to southern states as they too have a burning season now in Canada and the smoke is pouring all over the US and even to Europe.

The LTR visa is done online from one's computer without having to go anywhere for help other than the BOI. Unless one has some complicated income, everything else is pretty straight forward. The BOI on health issue is 50K USD for hospitalization or one can self insure and BOI spells that out too. Most foreign insurers will gladly provide a letter of coverage for the BOI folks. I am talking about the LTR-wealthy pensioner as there are 3 other categories that one might fit into. I myself fail to understand why one would need an agent to facilitate getting this visa. I have read the one successful agent cost 50K baht plus the 50K baht of the visa but if one wants to spend money for an agent, as this customer said it was worth it to him. I had a couple of issues with the BOI but easily took care of those by working with the BOI folks who speak excellent English and seem to be very helpful. They know what the officials making the final decision need so they can advise anyone wanting one of the 4 categories of this visa. The benefits are well worth the cost of the visa in my opinion and it is perfect for me. Best of luck for all. To understand the benefits, just google the BOI LTR and then choose which if any is right for you.

I am not sure what you mean as there can only be one sided against the kid producing the photos/videos and still doing it and showing no remorse.

IMHO, this to me is a case where the parents of the child should be charged for the crime. The school was informed of the crime, the govt has been informed of the crime yet this "criminal" continues doing the same thing. Make his parents pay or spend time in jail and maybe they then will correct him in his crimes!

Well IMHO, with many expats holding out on remitting large amounts of funds to purchase cars or condos plus many expats didn't bring in as much as they normally do so when the coffers are short 25 billion baht by Sept, the govt really needs money and they say that they are doing this as a Royal Decree hopefully by the end of the year, hoping to get this year and next year's earnings brought in for consumption plus VAT as the RD won't be getting income tax from this but like the article said, the window of opportunity won't be open forever. One can believe that the RD will be looking at the amount of monies brought in "tax free" and then watching if they close this window and the money doesn't come in then they will probably begin auditing...but I sure have no idea what the final will look like nor how long it will last nor will it affect me in any case.

notice the same article today in Thaiexaminer. Note also that they are trying to finish this one before the end of the year. Last comment is telling IMHO - "opens a two-year window of opportunity but it won't stay open forever". Expats/foreigners mentioned often in this version as they explain that the Thai revenue department needs a lot of funds.

The LTR visa is done online so there is no need for an agent. applicant contacts the BOI who will set up an account and you provide the documentation proving your qualifications. There are 4 categories - I did the wealthy pensioner - for income, only needed my last two tax forms, proof of 50K usd hospitalization (US firm for me did a letter although my coverage said "unlimited" but BOI wanted that letter which was easy to obtain, No other documents needed. you should easily be able to provide what they need by asking them in case you have any questionable documents. The BOI folks speak English well and are very helpful. Then when you meet all the criteria and are approved you go to the BOI pay your money and immigration there will cancel whatever visa you currently have as you can only have one or the other. Mine took less than a month. Did my 1st year report and spent less than 10 minutes there at the BOI but an agent can do that for you with no problem.

how many articles on a draft plan to do this or that have there been over the past 2 years?

well itis clear as mud - seems like the same BS spread over and over that we saw with lots of comments last month. Still where is the final "gazette published" changes which means it has been approved by all?

42km marathon - Madrid's very first one! back in my younger days and after this one, my body said nevermore! so I dropped down to the half marathon as the longest.

one thing to remember the citizens for the most part are Catholics so divorce to them is not so easy. I lived in the PI for 6 years and loved every minute just about of that time. Greatest scuba diving in the world in my opinion - diving WWII sunken warships, sea life super abundant and waters crystal clear. I played a lot of golf but I was also an US embassy employee so was provided friendship by many officials of the PI, especially their police and the head of the security for all the top hotels so of course I didn't have any problems but I did hear about others not so lucky as me. I got along with the locals even when I was not with the local officials so travelled extensively even to the southernmost islands where there were supposedly anti-Americans but still never had any problems. I also realize that the folks on the golf courses were being nice so that has to be considered too but the diving throughout, I was only met with the nicest people, never any real problems except once when I didn't have any input into the arrangements. But as a whole, I liked the people and had no problems. I was a HashHouseHarrier and we sponsored the worldwide Hash one year - the government even helped us out by allowing the foreigners to come in visa free, transport free to hotels and the business folks provided a ton of products (San Miguel) free and locations to hold different functions. I am not sure the feelings remain the same as it was a different era there but some politcal strife too.

The very fact that so many convicted criminals are pardoned by the presidents - due to recommendations from the superPacs I am sure should be something that is changed by either the citizens or the Congress and Supreme Court. Right now, we are approaching the required number of states to amend the constitution so that the Congress folks are on limited terms versus having a job for life whether they are effective or not. Maybe a grassroots start to eliminating the pardons should be started IMHO.