2 hours ago, Fr87 said:

 

Thailand has this perfect blend of inexpensive, efficient and soft living. It's very easy to get settled in even for someone who's never been abroad. Undeniable. Too easy for my liking

 

I would imagine as they (Vietnam, Cambodia) build up their infrastructure expats will follow. Bali has the infrastructure but not the policies. Vietnam with it's coasts will be a winner. Philippines has so many issues and problems it will only attract the working class, grittier expat that can suffer the food, blackouts, chaos and crime.

 

Times will be getting much tougher and that old moniker of Land of Smiles is sadly gone. Thai people have it as hard as anyone else and this will just get more difficult as the economy cannot jump to a more mature, advanced, well paying status.

Thais do have it rought (some of them) if you notice the news today, poor working stiffs here will be getting 330-370 baht a DAY - I really don't see how they can survive - oh yeah recently another news article said that soon the population of Thailand could be 33 million citizens as opposed to today's number of 66 million citizens because folks are having fewer children - that is probably because they can't afford them!  This is a great place for many ex-pats, I love it, immigration requirements are considerably easier now that years ago for sure.  Cost is still a lot better than at home. My opinion anyway.

15 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

 

I have read on this forum dozens of times of Trump-types outraged that migrants in the USA get medical care, social services, education when they are not US citizens.

 

Therefore, I expect they will be first in line to pay Thai taxes with a smile, lest they be thought of as foreigner freeloaders.

 

If you believe in America First back home, (or no benefits for asylum seekers in Europe), then what's wrong with Thai people believing in Thailand First about us -we who are much, much richer than migrants and asylum seekers?

Those immigrants you cited are also not getting pensions from previous work.  I for one, not a democrat or Republican but realize that the US cannot survive with OPEN borders.  Right now the estimate is over 12 million illegals and more pouring in daily.  With the limited immigration courts, that gives them years to run around the US (no 90-day or TM-30 reports).  I am against all the freebies that cause local taxes  (especially noticable in Dem controlled states/cities) have to be increased monthly just to give it to these immigrants.  My opinion anywayu.

23 hours ago, ujayujay said:

Why are pensioners with low pensions in particular penalized by the new tax system for foreigners!? Does the Thai government actually believe that this will result in more tax revenue at the end of the day? There will be an exodus of expats with the result that in certain places the property market will collapse and the purchasing power of those remaining will be reduced by the amount of tax they pay! This, in turn, affects small businesses that have been hit by the poor economy, which can then pay less taxes or have to go out of business! The fact that this whole story is being treated by the government like a secret mission (little information until Zero in the media) suggests that those responsible are not convinced of their case! In any case, I say no to the state raid on my pension and say byebye Thailand!

What is your opinion?

 

 

as it has been mentioned since the beginning of this tax issue, none of us actually knows definitively what the Thai tax folks are going to do come 1 January.  On 15 Dec, the Thai American Chamber of Commerce will be holding a ZOOM question and answer about the upcoming tax issue and reportedly will have Thai tax folks there.  It is a free link that has also been provided recently and works for me a retired American drawing a pension from the US Govt.  I will be listening to the questions and answers on 15 Dec and will then provide immediately thereafter, any pertinent information that they do give.  If it is like everything to date, then I and you will not be any closer to the final picture but we will have what the embassy has and hopefully if it does affect our US taxes then I would hope there is some official contact between the Thai  and US govt (plus some of the other 59 or so countries with a taxation agreement with Thailand will also let their ex-pats know anything official.  Relax until we really know what is going on as it might not really affect most of us anyway.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Thailand News - Bloggers beware! A Chinese Tik Tokker will be 'interrogated' over a video she posted painting Nana Plaza in a negative light. A woman drove her Toyota into the Gulf of Thailand at Bang Saray, the latest on the tax changes that will affect money coming into Thailand - an article in Pattaya Mail.

 

Thai Airways sides with Boeing for the purchase of new wide body jets. EVs are popular orders at the 2023 Motor Expo in Bangkok. And HM the King and Queen of Thailand went sailing at Kata in Phuket for the annual Kings Cup regatta.

 

Tim Newton Today is a daily take on Thai and regional news and issues of interest to expats and foreign tourists.

 

 

Thai CHAAM will provide a broadcast from the US Embassy with tax "experts" to talk about the new tax on monies coming into Thailand by those staying

more than 180 days a year..   link is free to anyone.  15 Dec.  I will listen and provide anything of interest passed.

3 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Then... if they are so smart as to know that... then leave out the business work place as a requirement... so it is really about recruiting rather than providing information for Americans in Thailand.

Actually, I blv that the Thailand AMerican Chamber of Commerce came to the embassy and offered to provide this informtion.  That is why ThaiAMCHAM members get free and if one is employed locally and is a member, they can join the AMCHAM but the original message today on this forum provided a code so that Anyone can register free.  I did so...I am retired and wrote that in the work place and I was approved for the meeting.  I will pass on whatever I learn if it is actually definitive for Americans (or other nationalities since I read that there are 59 Thai-(other countries) with tax agreements.  I sure don't wish to have the

Thais charging me tax on my pension even though the US IRS would lower my tax rate so that I wouldn't really lose any money but I just don't want to even have an "extra" requirement to be here i.e. 90-day report although online is super easy, TM30 although not OUR requirement but immigration does require some of

US to do that but again online is really easy and even the once a year long-stay reporting - immigration locally has done wonders compared to what we used to have to go through for any of these (except tm30 although old just surfaced again 5 years or so ago).  Maybe the 90-day and TM-30 will go away some  day

in the future.  All the storage for the paperwork must fill up several warehouses by now!  Next week, immediately after the session with the AMCHAM folks, I will post something on this forum.  Hopefully, it will be definitive and accurate as to what will occur with the taxation program.

10 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Yes, but cannot register if you are not employed in Thailand... I am a retired American with different types of income and will have no advanced warning because I cannot register... I can only hope that someone will post up the gist of the meeting soon after.

You don't need to be employed in Thailand or anywhere.  As mentioned by the originator here, if you are not a member of Thai AMCHAM, you can still register free using the code listed above.  Check it out as several have okay'd "free" registration.

24 minutes ago, placnx said:

Actually, what the Embassy should do is explain whether certain US incomes such as Social Security or pensions are exempt due to tax treaty (or not) and whether the tax paid to Thailand can be a credit on US tax, even if one doesn't have any foreign income. The way this works in US treaties with other countries, one is allowed to reattribute US-based income as foreign income in an amount equivalent to the income declared in the foreign tax return. In addition ot IRS form 1116, I believe that another form has to be filled. If the Embassy has an IRS staffer, they should help US taxpayers here to know how to deal with this.

The free promo code was used to register so I will listen and provide whatever is pertinent for anyone.  Hopefully it will be definitive so that all will be clear for all of us no matter how we live here.

2 hours ago, ChicagoExpat said:

It's free with the promo code.

Yes I registered free with the promo code provided.  No problem and I will definitely listen in on the 15th.  If nothing else, I will provide my 
"two cents" worth afterwards if no one else does.  Thanks for the code.

7 hours ago, ChicagoExpat said:

All -- just learned there will be an online meeting to answer questions about the new tax law for Americans.  It's free with the promo code USBKK23 Tax Committee: Thai Tax on Foreign-Sourced Income (mailchi.mp)

 

 

Thanks for the info, I did the "free" registration for the seminar and will be listening on the 15th.  Hope they have valid up to date info and that it is definitive for what the tax if any will be.

18 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Gotta make room for all the free-loading illegals claiming asylum.

Used to be in the US, (which has one of the largest allowed immigrants) now mostly illegal but get those bennies.  Before when they arrived, within a week they were called Americans and roamed around until they found a job and a place to stay.  Now they come in legally and illegally (immigration courts take years before they can hear the pleas for asylum and they congregate in one location until they can control the area and begin to try to change the US into the same state as their former country from which they fled.  This is driving the far-right politicians to be able to win and screw up the whole government.  It is happening around the world except in those countries controlled by autocrats - Russia, China, N. Korean, Iran - they sure don't have immigrant problems like the rest of

the "western" nations nor do those living in the sand and stone ages.  Sure makes for a world different than that in which I grew up.

7 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Based on what an Iranian friend (currently in Iran) tells me, there seems widespread disgust with the mullahs and the conditions they've imposed to pursue militarism. Note the recent rebellions--that, sadly, were unsupported by the feckless current USA regime. He believes that if real help were given to the disaffected, the mullahs could be toppled and a sane government established. Sounds good. :)

 

Hamas seems to enjoy popular support, however.  Now USA analysts thought the Iraqis would welcome regime change and real democracy as well. Wishful thinking.

Same thoughts about the Afghani'... In Iran 1989- same thing...the Shah wasn't his oldself, at that time women had total freedom, were going to college free, free medical etc...they traded that so that those priests in exile (France) could come back and make women be slaves again!  got what they deserve for sure but now the rest of the world will be having bigger problems with the Iranians...just wait, like "little rocket man" once he got nukes...Chinese lost any control they had over him.

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

A more even-handed assessment of the situation recently appeared as a news report in the New York Times, as follows:

 

A U.S.-Iranian Miscalculation Could Lead to a Larger War, Officials Say

U.S. forces and militias backed by Iran have launched tit-for-tat attacks, fueling concerns as Israeli forces have also clashed with Iranian-backed groups.

 

Nov. 29, 2023

 

"Neither Washington nor Tehran wants the conflict in the Gaza Strip to trigger a wider war in the region, officials in both capitals say.

 

But in the seven weeks since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Iranian-backed militias have launched more than 70 rocket and drone attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon, for its part, has responded with four rounds of airstrikes, killing as many as 15 people, U.S. officials say.

 

(more)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/us/politics/israel-iran-gaza-us-attacks.html

48 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

I think it is Lloyd Austin who is calling the shots, is waiting for more American blood to be spilled.  So far no deaths reported, so no real push back.  Waiting for outrage from the American public when lives are lost to actually retaliate is the coward's way out.  The Houthis in Yemen and the insurgents in Iraq are not one bit deterred by warning shots.

The last time a military general tried to disobey the politicos, (MacArthur) check out what happened to that WWII hero.  Austin can only bow down to the President and the Congress.

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The OP here should have been labeled in the forum for what it is... an OPINION piece instead of a NEWS report. And one authored by a professor affiliated with the libertarian Cato Institute.

 

"Jordan Cohen is a policy analyst in Defense and Foreign Policy at the Cato Institute"

 

"Cato advocates for a limited governmental role in domestic and foreign affairs..."

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_Institute

 

Ever since VN, the politicians control what the military can do....

3 minutes ago, roquefort said:

Settled.....as in how the issue with the Taliban was settled? Handing the country back to them after 20 years, trillions of $ and thousands of US lives lost. Ditto Iraq. The US cannot 'win' these regional wars, they just create another generation of terrorists that grow up hating the US.

Started in Korea - government politicions continue to want to control every conflict the US military is involved in.  Our troops get on set of rules that WE must

abide by while the enemy does whatever they want to do...see it every time!  The AFGHAN MOUNTAIN folks beat the Brits, the Russians and the US - and what

did they end up with?  Back to the stone age, just where the men want their women to be - slaves only!

31 minutes ago, deadbeat said:

Spend a trillion on defense but then get a yellow president, kinda cancels it out.

hey he isn't yellow, did you hear him say he was awarded a US Naval Academy chance but decided to go to Delware State instead - oh yeahj just another f'n

lie from the # 1 politician...almost lies as much as Trump - another real hero except or heel spurs.

25 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

Russians hate Chinese. Chinese hate Russians. Both Chinese and Russians hate Arabs. Arabs hate everyone.

 

Nothing is going to end.

Except maybe the world...sems even  within "developed" counries there are daily reports of heated arguments leading to peoples' deaths.  No one seems happy

lately except a few of us in Thailand.  Now they will have the winter weather to add to their woes.

24 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Of course they will. There there.

Yeah they are chomping at the bit...uh failing economies too!  They won't be able to send any military so the locals will bleed them dry just like they did the

Russians in Afghanistan.  

1 hour ago, roquefort said:

What a great success that turned out to be.

Yeah now Iraq seems to be a failed state...if there was no oil then the west would depart quickly.  Just like such a great success in Afghanistan - now that country is back to the stone age.  All those females that had jobs, were going to school, etc are now back sitting on floor at home.  Another wasted country

their people and the US debt.

7 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What's the problem? Was anybody harmed?

If people don't like to see sexy girls, then don't go there and don't watch! 

like the article also reported that the crowd joined  in the singing and dancing as they obviously LIKED it.  I did not see any photos of "scantily" costumes, as a matter of fact see them with sexier clothes on daily tv in Thailand!

10 hours ago, Paris333 said:

The English language is in the Latin alphabet and it is logical that Thais find it difficult to learn it like all Westerners.Do you know Thai? Do you know Chinese? Do you know Vietnamese? Do you know Cambodian? No! Why? Because it's in another alphabet of non-Latin origin. Russians as well as Arab "businessmen" (ha-ha-xha)have settled in Thailand .....

I have studied Thai and Vietnamese among the 10+ foreign languages I have studied.  I found them more difficult due to tonal sounds versus the different writing system.  My daughter a native born Thai/American speaking native fluency in both, also has studied Chinese (5 years) and Korean and as a native speaker of Thai and tones, easily mastered the Chinese speaking without giving it a thought.  She also taught herself Korean well enough to pass the level 4 international Korean proficiency test.  She continues her study of Korean as she wants to improve her test score and eventually get an advance degree in that language.  If one really wishes to learn a foreign language there are a multitude of teachers that can help based on how the student learns.  This has been explained to me by my daughter as she has also taught Thai students in Chinese, Korean, English and others in Thai so she told me that each student learns languages in a different way.  Works for her!

Based on other problems that they have faced over the years and what they did, they invited "expert" from the developed countries - Japan, US, EU or Singapore even to see if there was a fix that could be done locally.  Seems that they couldn't agree with the experts as it might cost too much or too advanced for the locals to accept such a drastic change.  I would imagine now though that the elite folks would be tired of having an official language (English) that so many citizens cannot comprehend let alone speak, read and write.  There are many organizations that have contacts willing to assist the Thais - I would

imagine that with so many students opting to go overseas, it might impact the number of schools tutoring or sole teaching English so that the students can apply for foreign universities.   I would think that the public would want their children to get properly trained in English in any case but just too many continue to accept longer hours and too many hours spent in religious, local customs, animist beliefs, regional and ethnic and cultural practices rule over regular academic subjects.  In addition to regular holidays, the Thai govt likes to add a weekday to a weekend to extend some holidays.  Stats can be googled if one is interested in seeing how Thailand stacks up against other countries.  Literacy rating is high but after 15 years of age or so, it seems the youth are disengaged from the work force and are unemployed. Over 50% of Thai students want to study abroad - knowing that is one of the only ways to get ahead locally.  Mostly, the stats show Thailand to be in the middle half for many different areas.  But, stats can sometimes be interpreted in different ways to benefit certain groups and I think that happens here as it would be naturaly for parents to want the best for their child but TIT so it only works for some. Good luck for sure...we were lucky, finding a school like Chiang Mai International School - made our daughter wanting to actually go to school every day!  Making learning fun and beneficial for the future!

28 minutes ago, Bim Smith said:

Sorry not a teacher nor a tourist as I have lived here ten years. Met my Thai wife in the UK not some street in Pattaya which is where people like you frequent and troll others to help them feel better

Most elementary schools I have seen, have Thai English teachers, they learned English in the Thai schools...need I say more?

2 hours ago, Accidental Tourist said:

Mmmh...what about Lao language then...

 

Well 50 years ago I went to Laos too.  The "hotel" I stayed in had folks speaking English - maybe not perfect but I spoke Thai and they are close enough that we could always end up satisfying whatever we needed to know.  As an American native, I realize that most native born Americans are not bi-lingual nor  do they want to spend the time learning a foreign language.  US govt agencies cannot even fill their

vacant billets for foreign language speaking Americans (i.e. the US State Department online jobs mentions that several years ago State could fill only 24% of their foreign-language billets.  Around 1980 or so, the US High Schools dropped the graduation requirement for studying a foreign language, usually French or Spanish is an example of the Americans not willing to put in the time necessary to learn another language and now with AI there are new APPs that enable folks to "get by" in many different languages.  I don't believe one can really understand the cultures of a foreign people unless they can actually converse with them.   I have been fortunate enough to study over 10 different languages.