Presnock

Huahin properties based on the news media and this forum are overrun with Russians and Ukrainians fleeing the war. That has driven up the prices too. Times have changed in Thailand over the past years and some things are changing today. The new income tax program began in earnest on 1 Jan 2024 so after 180 days here, an ex-pat become a tax resident. You need to be aware of that too. This is still better than anywhere that has cold weather in my opinion. Food is great!

pollution levels are reported daily/hourly throughout Thailand by at least "accuweather (locality)" - the north has been reported in news media at world leading numbers. This mornings TNN news at 0600 reported that one could not see CM city from Doi Suthep overlooking the city due to smog. News medie daily show map of Thailand with pollution totals and in almost all areas the readings are above the healthy level. I have a 2.5 micron meter and in my area of Bangkok the readings have been above the healthy level almost every day for the past few months including all of last week. Before it rained last week, the readings were in the 50's and afterwards over a 100! google "masks and pollution" and you can read about the studies that confirm that quality n95 masks can block the 2.5 microns. wearing one though is personal choice!

I did the transfer in Feb 2024, went to the tent outside at 800 (opens 830) had all my paperwork done except for the couple of illin's at the tent about overstays etc, that everyone has to fill in. Then and IO walks around and will check to see if one has done all the paperwork - he checked mine at 810, told me to go to the TM 30 office behind the main office (opened at 815) went inside spent 5 minutes with IO to fill in a new TM30 for the New Passport. went back to the tent, they then called my queue number - looked at the paperwork and sent me to the walk-in 90-day report a mine was due that day but they kept all the paperwork and advised me to just come back and no waiting. 90-day report about 2 minutes max, went back to the window and they stapled the reports into my new passport and sent me in to window 2 which is for transfers. took about half an hour of waiting and then I was out of there in no time. No costs for sure. Then came to BKK, landlord did a tm30 and I applied online for LTR through the Board of Investment, under the 2nd category of wealthy pensioner - 3 weeks later I have he new visa. good for 10 years and only 1400+ USD, in and out of Thailand without further costs, easy in and out line at the international airport. If I wanted to work he BOI takes care of that permit too. Close to the elite visa but no 90-day reports!

The weathy pensioner(1 of 4 categories if one were to check it out first) allows one to get a work permit through the Board of Investment also, as for the tax effects, there are several categories there too, I never said that one didn't have to pay taxes and with the LTR the visa (work permited too) is 10-years. In the 10-year period, if one travels in and out of Thailand, this visa is even cheaper than a retirement visa and it doesn't tie up any of one's money with required bank restrictions.

google electric bikes/scooters in Thailand - easy enough to do and you get numerous shops selling basically the same bikes/scooters

Well the "bum gun" and paper wipe is much more sanitary than that of the west that uses paper only. The toilet paper on the table is much cheaper for them to use than paper towels. I for one, am of the opinion that sanitation in this regard is much better here but that is just me.

I retired here 20 years ago on a retirement O visa and yearly extended the stay for anther year, at some point we began having to do regular reports to immigration every 90 days, tm30 reared their head after being dormant for years while the tm28 died. Anyway, retirement visas with yearly extensions are one way to go, but I just changed to a "wealthy pensioner" LTR (there are 4 categories under this LTR) which is a 10-year visa, check in for location once a year, no 90-day reports, can get a work permit if wanted, etc and now only costs 50,000 baht, (less than 1500 USD) ...one can google LTR Board of Investment and see the benefits and requirements. The change from retirement O to LTR was about 3 weeks in processing and the people in the BOI office are extremely helpful and patient. There are some tax benefits also since this is an issue that began 1 January 2024 but has not yet been finalized. Plenty of stories on this forum about that.

I notice many saying masks do not help against pollution - I disagree based on studies - all one needs to check is by googling "masks effectiveness and pollution" easy enough to do as I spelled it our for you and yes studies have been done on that very subject due to the fact that so many people just don't get it! It is akin to sun exposure and skin cancer. Since one doesn't see or feel the effects immediately, one must think that it is not real. Read for yourself!

Ask any doctor and/or nurses about n95 sugical masks - they BLOCK 2.5 micron dust particles too. With pollution levels in many places of Thailand, I would think that the health ministry would be recommending masks for locals too, not just tourists or foreigners. Reading on this forum, articles about the effects on health of the pollution in Thailand, they reported 30 million patients for pollution-related illnesses last year and the first two months of this year 2024, 650 thousand patients treated for such illnesses. TNN news today reports that from Doi Suthep one couldn't even see Chiang Mai City just below the mountain. I have been a regular outdoors runner/walker for many years and doctors have always recommended that I wear n95 masks with any outside activity when 2.5 micron pollution levels get above the green level (approximately 38). Accuweather -( any city) not only reports on the weather but air quality levels too, day and night. I don't recommend anyone to wear masks - that is a personal preference, but I also would not like to have someone with a possible passable disease sit near me or be around me. Good luck! Sorry if you feel that I am pressuring you to wear a mask, you are thinking incorrectly. I am only providing evidence to support the wearing of masks when diseases are running rampant and pollution is over the healthy limits. Take care stay safe.

the RD and LTR folks do spell out basically the tax benefits too...just google "Thai LTR and taxes", there are a number of choices to read concerning what type of LTR etc and your passive income.

Since they are so high on autocratic rulers and craving for any extra baht they can get, one would think that they should look at their border states that went even more strongly towards those autocrats. Now those countries are shackled to the autocratic countries. Pretty soon, Thailand willl come even closer to China with that hi-speed railline going in. Northern Laos is openly Chinese controlled, the Mekong levels are controlled by the Chinese, Cambodia and Myanmar are both openly in Chinese pockets. But if they can get another baht, they'll let them pour in my opinion.

For THAISPACENEEDLE - I did a transfer of stamps from old to new in February - but it was in CM so not sure if the procedures will be exactly the same There is also an immigration for for transfer of stamps from old to new passport - print that out too,. In addition, my 90-day report was due on the date I went for the stamp transfer as I didn't get through the online for that purpose. In CM anyway fist of all they sent me to the TM.30 office (5 minutes for a new TM.30 for the new passport) then to the walk-in 90-day window (2 minutes) with the 90-day report with the old passport information and they gave me a neww 90-day report that was later stapled into my new passport. THen they sent me to window 2 which is for stamp transfers - no chargesl on this visit which lasted about 70 minutes total. I realize that not all Immigration offices always do the exact same procedures so if you prepare everything in advance, all they will do is trash what they don't want but it might save you some time if you do everything I had to do - I had prepared everything in advance with the tm47 form done twice, once with the new data and once with the old data (this is theone they used). Good luck

Among the common reporting standards, is banks around the world are going to share banking information - not sure how that will work but if my bank shares my banking practices, it is easy to see from where all funds deposited come from the US Government - either for my govt pension or tax refunds each year. Then the amount sent to my account here in Thailand is already here so it seems to me that the Thai government should be able to identify non-assessible income (from a US govt pension only) and therefore I shouldn't have to provide the Thai RD with anything. Guess we just have to wait to see if we have problems or not.

Mike Lister, Yeah, I forgot that this is just a bend in the rules of that tax law....I figured that eventually with all the crying and screaming both of ex-pats and locals forced to pay taxes here that it would mean that they had to re-write the tax laws to keep people at bay and thus would need that royal blessing. I see that way too many people are still bothered by this change in rules although it will probably only affect a small percentage of them. Other ASEAN countries too signed on to the OECD decision of last year and are changing their tax collection rules too. Pretty soon tax evaders and those that "bend" the rules will have no where to hide. Next they need to tackle the "agents" that are always around with too many people accepting them. take care

First of all, until the FINAL decree is approved and published in the Royal Gazette, EVERYTHING is just a rumor or possibility or however one wants to call it. I see the same questions over and over. There are 59 or 61 whichever you have read double taxation agreements between countries and Thailand. I for one only will read that of the US as that is the only one that pertains to me and my income and the US agreement with Thailand. If you are an ex-pat from some other country, I suggest you read your country's DTA with Thailand, after all you are the only one that understands what income you have and how it is affected within the DTA. I have also checked the Thai Revenue Department on a related issue - that of getting a Thai Tax ID number. That too is readily available on the internet and I suggest one read that too as I sure wouldn't want to mislead anyone. We have had several people do a lot of research on this issue, some have talked with "TAX experts", some embassies have held seminars which were available to some of the readers here and it basically still comes down to the fact that until the new regulations are officially reported, nothing is guaranteed. And even then, TIT and things might change immediately or with the next government. But, I am no longer going to repeat what I have read about this issue so good luck...3 more months and if one has been here the 1st 3months of this year, and is still here after June, then you are a tax resident and will be affected somewhat and maybe by then the Thai govt might publish something official. Good Luck. Got my LTR and know exactly where I CURRENTLY stand on this issue but...TIT.

I realize after the COVID era experience with masks is not a popular subject. However if one reads this forum regularly they have seen the same figures I have about the local medical facilities that have been treating pollution-caused illnesses - (i.e. 30 million last year and to date this year 650K in the first two months of 2024). I have lived in capital cities around the world famous for pollution and since I was there assigned by the US govt, was visited by US doctors that check air pollution, drinking water availability, et al. and when interviewed by the doctor was asked about outside exercising. I was a "runner" for 50 years so the doctors always told me to wear an N95 surgical mask while jogging to block most of the 2.5 micron dust. Therefore when COVID arrived, I was already wearing my mask whenever I went ouitside, especially here in Thailand (all of SEA, S Asia & China) due to the air pollution. Each year we face the "burning season"...I recall flying from BKK to NKP in the planting season, not able to see the ground at all due to the smoke from all the fires. But, each year we hear the govt claiming to be fighting this "burning season" and it just seems to be getting worse instead of better. Besides folks suggestions about putting air purifiers in all rooms of one's abode, wearing an N95 surgical mask should be worn whenever going outside in my opinion and that of many doctors. Since normally, health problems caused by the pollution don't appear immediately in many cases, it seems folks just ignore any possible self-solution activities. My opinion based on the conversations with doctors and reading about pollution and masks on the internet with comments from doctors and scientists. It all comes down to what one is willing to take charge of to prevent damage from the pollution.

In Chiang Mai, when I did my transfer of stamps from old to new passport, I also needed to do a 90-day report on that date as my online was rejected too after doing several online reports successfully. The first thing they told me at the outside tent was to go to the TM.30 office (2 minutes) behind the main bldg and which opened 15 minutes before the main office. Then they told me to go to the walk in window for the 90-day report, (1 minute only). Then they sent me inside to window 2 for transfer of stamps (free). All in all no problems and guess they want a tm.30 report at the same time even if no normal reason. My experience this year anyway.

Sorta like probably almost any business private or govt, "agents" find ways to bend the rules it seems. And, there always seem to be customers willing to hire those agents.

great to know. Thanks for that info

Actually, They wrote a nice letter explaining that the insurance policy covers unlimited including 50,000 USD for hospitalization. They didn't put an ending date only xxx-xxx-xxx so the ltr folks just put int the 10-year final date. 2034! Several other retired US govt also said they had a real problem using the same insurance company so am sure that the office in the US understood what was needed and it didn't violate any of the coverage. No more 90-day reports and since I did it online each time, actually less than 90-days each time.

Yes, for health insurance, although I have a US govt sponsored health insurance ..since 1996..but there is no policy provided so I gave them the benefits (17 pages) highlighted benefits within the pages that explained that if I had to go to the hospital, EVERYTHING would be paid for by the insurer. But they needed a letter from the insurance company spelling out that at least 50,000 baht coverage for hospitalization locally was provided and asked for an ending date of the policy so the final is 10 years hence. Actually the BOI folks were extremely helpful and patient. Only 3 weeks or so from retirement O to the 10-year LTR! Excellent, no need for me to read it for you...most folks just won't read it for themselves. Yes a native Thai can use form 7 I think for the US IRS to cease taxing the pension benefit and then since she is a thai, will need to pay thai taxes.

PIB- you query about having to file an income tax form even though your pension is not taxable - according to the Thai tax code, one only needs to get a Thai tax number within 60 days of receiving ASSESSIBLE income and since your pension is not assessible you don't need to do a tax form. I am not sure how nor if the Thai revenue department will require us to provide proof that the pension is from the US government. We will have to wait until the final word is published by the revenue department.

In February, I began my application for an LTR under the "wealthy pensioner" category. The BOI folks were extremely helpful with lots of patience. On 25 March I received my LTR stamps in my passport. No more 90-day reports. As for local taxes, my pension is that of the US govt so under the FTA I do not pay any tax to Thailand.

get a rabies shot!!!!!!

take the hint from one of the above - buy n95 material and put it on fans - WEAR an N95 mask as it will filter out the 2.5 micron air pollutant.