Presnock

yeah, I realize we have folks doing that but They just shut part of that down - no US aid for free! And, we do no have lobbyists pouring illegaly into those "enemy" countries as they are no stupid enough to let us do that to them.

sNot sure I totally agree with you, I do believe in paying taxes to some country - though as an American I have no choice. Now the US is changing some tax laws so that those Americans being tax resident in foreign countries can opt out of US taxes and just pay Thailand or whatever country they are there as a tax resident.

To me another IDIOT and I apologize to you for saying this, but to allow them to run rough shod to speak over you so that you could not be totally prepared when you went there, to just accept what you know to possibly be incorrect against you but saying it isn'e worth wasting your time...the next time it might not be so easy as if they see just how easy some expats are they might try even more angles that are not correct! Glad you are happy.

When the pharmaceutical companies get the govt to pass legislation preventing anyone from suing those pharmaceutical companies developing and producing the vaccines due to irregular testing then to me that is a sure sign that the pharmas are guitly as many people believe. On top of that an interesting fact easily checked by googling "new Billionaires" during COVID-19". Wonder why they didn't release all he details of the lack of proper testing earlier? Way too much money at risk! Lots of politicians with advance notice got their share too I bet.

advance planning of work projects is the same as "preventive maintenance" in the Thai mind.

Based on a lot of the stories we read each day, not only is it a male oriented search for something out of the ordinary but many young ladies too seem to be chasing something and many times leading to much worse than they or their family can imagine.

But, I thought we were talking about US citizens, foreigners trying to influence the US officials/citizens is another different animal, but they too have been invading the country from different borders.

like I have read too many times since last year and have responded too, plus numerous webinars from RD officials to tax agents to "tax experts" some of which did in fact produce accurate charts and info where one could read for themselves. What I have seen ifrom hundreds of questions and answers, many times repeated daily, is that at this point everyone should realize that the Govt, Finance Ministry, Revenue Dept, tax agents, forum users, continue saying exactly what is at the beginning of this forum - this is an opinion forum. Now, if one has specifics, one can go to the RD web page and can find some accurate information but which most likely will not fit 100% of one's question, thus must GUESS again. Or one can go to one of the numerous local rd offices and learn that there too they will guess at your situation even if there is a CLEAR answer to many questions especially for American retirees on a civil service pension or drawing social security - this has been answered numerous times over the past year - there is no gray area about these two incomes - they are exempt by the DTA between the US and Thailand. Other countries too have some exemptions. Other retirees, not working in Thailand, have an LTR which exempts their foreign income remitted into Thailand. Others have ony funds coming out of savings with documentation proving that these funds were in the savings account prior to 01 January 2023, One group of LTR folks may be working with a BOI assisted work permit and thus pay a lower tax on their earnings - one can easily check out the benefits of the BOI LTR. Getting a tax ID number although one doesn't have any assessable income remitted - by definition, the RD should not issue a ID number and even when advised about this, the expat/foreigner wants to argue or continue seeking that ID number. I sure don't understand what is wrong with some of these people. But if someone wants to waste their time, achieve no workable and accurate filing tax forms that are incomplete and useless for that individual, I guess I should ask myself why even waste my time so I will cease to respond to any queries on this subject but I do wish the best to all.

I could be mistaken but I thought this was published in the Gazette but in any case, it wasn't really a change to the law, just an interpretation that was used for many years so the arliament didn't have to weigh in on it. Go back tro the original forums where this interpretation first began and read the thousands of guesses on the meanings and how it affects expats and local thai workers in or out of the country.

you could maybe get the same figure by checking with any of the taxagents! at least you could get a 15-minute free consultation - especially if it is about exemption of US SS payments! or just READ the US-Thai DTA article 20!

Current US-Thai DTA has been in effect since signing in 1997! easy enough to check instead of guessing all the time.

Exactly as I and several others have previously mentioned. Read the available information on assessable income and then MOST non working retirees have no assessable income to fill in on a form without any space for such activity STILL even though we are half way through the tax reporting season for 2024. IMHO too many foreigners continue to visit local rd offices in which those employees have absolutely less information on non-assessable reporting but in some cases just blatantly lie. If you have questionable income, check the RD website - and then just make up your mind or prepare documents showing the exemptions you are entitled to. Many folks have obviously gone to these local non-informed employees who just copy their boss's directions for all to file and let the rd decide if you owe any money or get a refund, and this obviously is because the Finance ministry/Govt leaders can't really make up any new changes or interpretations by the majority of govt folks on what is what in the tax world of yesteryear! in hopes of finding a treasure chest somehow. MHO anyway.

After the original fires in the warehouses in Ayutthaya, plus other fires and discoveries of "Chinese" owned warehouse spread around the country, I fail to understand that there are apparently so many still around full of dangerous waste. How can the government continue to allow this blatant disregard for the health of the people as tourists or residents of all types?

Yesdsir agree! note, lst year the US Congress refused to even floor a non-insider-trading bill for a vote since so many of them have gotten rich over the past!

Also as a first step in stopping corruption outlaw lobbyists in the US as they are the 1st step in corruption IMHO.

I am unsure as top why expats continue to go to local offices when they have no real reason to go. Most answers we see are just that from local rd officers - no real idea, some say file and RD will figure up your taxable amount and they have no idea if you have assessable on non assessable income. I have read he RD notes, seen umptiump webinars and all basically say the same thing unless they want YOUR business. Very few of us I think will have any real problems this year until the RD gets all their folks on board and they put out the same story. Non-assessable income includes any income non-assessable due to exemption by DTA or exemption by Royal Decree or if there is some other exemption then non-assessable so nothing needs to be obtained from the local rd office. Once the tax season filling is over in April then believe the RD will look at the results and unless some folks wake up then the RD will be swamped by zero tax forms filed or if enough expats wake up, very few filed. Then the RD will probably look at remittances as provided by the local banks, and determine what least amount and above will get some kind of notice to proved the RD with ample evidence of exemptions. If people have their documents ready, then this should be easy notice I said should be easy but do not really have any idea about the RD folks in general. If however, I am targetted and the RD doesn't like my documentation even though the big exemptions are BOI LTR documents (visa) and DTA then I will contact the US Embassy and US State department that the RD is possibly violating the treaty with the US. I do wish only the best of luck for everyone in this tax season. I have always done exactly what is written in the tax laws of whatever country I have lived in (many!). If Thailand changes their tax laws to cancel the DTA then I would become concerned enough about the tax situation to possibly make other plans. I do hope the RD folks are intelligent enough to THINK about all the possibilities concerning the tax situations of the expats as well as their own folks.

T Sorry, but you are wrong I listened to an official of the Revenue Dept who stated that if you have an LTR then your foreign earned income is not assessable so you do not need to get an ID number nor file the tax forms which do not even have a line foe exempted income...only for within Thailand earned funds. I have checked and double checked plus my income is from a US civil service pension and can ONLY be taxed by the US gpvt. in the DTA in English easily read.

I

The treatt between the US and Thailand was signed in 1997 and article 20 was in effect then as well as now, the change in targetting remittance for 2024 has no effect on this treaty between two govt and says Social security paid by the US govt can ONLY be taxed by the US govt and not the Thai revenue dept. Don't you know how to read English? Don't you understand what a treaty means? The treaty says that if one party wishes to depart from the treaty they have to give 6 months prior notice. I haven't seen anything to that effect. If you have please advise where that info is at .

btw, it will show a chart of all countries with Thailand and DTA click on United States of America it will be article 20 about US Social security can be taxed only by the US. If many people have this same problem after the tax season and get hammered by the rd all should contact the US embassy and complain that Thailand is ignoring this US treaty with the Thais. If the thais wish to drop out they are required to give 6 months notice that they plan to do so and I don't recall seeing anything about that yet. Then I too would consider leaving except I woud still have the LTR so no tax on foreign earned inocme remitted.

the dta with the Us was signed off on by us ambassador ITOH, I was assigned to the embassy during this period 1996 or 97. SIncxe then, that statement article 20 states that the US social security is taxed ONLY by the US govt. IF you doubt me, just read the document id on https://www.rd.go.th/fileadmin/download/nation/america_e.pdf btw, there is an "_" between america and the e.pdf

wrong! It is in the rd websirte as well as interviews with RD and finance officials. If your income is tax exempt here in Thailand then is is non-assessable income and you are NOT required to get a tax ID number nor are your required to fil any tax forms! If you want to obtain further formal evidence of such, go to the main tax office in the provincial capital and if they too can't provide you with a straight answer then make an appointment with the Revenue dept in Bangkok. If they begin any harassment then contact the US embassy and if they won't support you then contact someone at American Citizens Abroad or US newspapers so that President Trump can advise the Thai revenue dept to read their documents concerning the double taxtion Agreement. If this is what expats might face later as their local rd office refuses to accept the claim of non-assessable or exempt income then I am sure that the Embassy should be informed and State Dept in Washington also as well as international news offices on how the Thai revenue department is a power unto themselves or at least seems to think that in some places.

My wife really likes Starbucks and Amazon drinks - so I only get an Americano usually large and have never had any complainable bit about amoun and the price is that advertised on the board.

story says that they are Swiss national

yeah, to add useless ideas of local govt officials - years ago in CM where I have my house, my neighbor, a German was chatting with me about the pollution, showing me his monitor from Lazada. He said he noticed that the pollution was more prevalent than that being reported by the local govt so he bought that monitor, then went to the center where the govt got their readings - he went at the time they were reporting that the reading was being taken and he noted that before any readings are taken that fire engines arrived and sprayed water into the air for about 30 minutes all around the area of the monitoring equipment. DUH! no wonder their readings showed so little pollution while the surrounding province was inundated with smoke from the local firesl!