Presnock

Well, unless the govt changesl completely, and they find some money for the coffers, then I would bet on drastic financial changes (not for the good of the ex-pats either) for new and/or old retirees. When this govt starts the changes, they seem to steamroll depending on where the pressure is coming from. Right now seeing a govt out of money we can easily note their panic in finding some by any means and expats are one of the easiest targets as we can either shell out more or leave - nothing in between. I am hoping though that not everything changes in relation to the finance side as I feel too that whatever is coming might not affect me at all nor many of my fellow ex-pats. Good luck to all of us.

On top of the tax issue, the pollution problem rather being resolved just seems to be getting worse and the "burning season" seems to me be be getting longer and longer. WIfe "bought" a house in CM 10 years ago. We both have loved the life in CM except during that burning season and have been discusing travelling during that time. This year since daughter is in college in BKK we have rented a house here in BKK and I note that the pollution is over the healthy limit almost daily - especially during that burning season and pollution coming from surrounding countries besides the Sugar cane burning, corn field waste and rice field waste continues making the air more and more filthy. Since it affects the residents of all the SEA countries, I am not very confident that they will ever be able to FIX this problem. So in line with the tax resident bit of 180 days, we will most likely start travelling out of Thailand and maybe to the other SEA countries that are more favorable to our finances and the air pollution is less impacting that country. I am sure that the PI with 7000+islands must have some pollution free areas during the burning season in SEA. I lived in the PI for 6 years and don't remember a lot of pollution except Manila areas so with the option to stay there for 6 months or so might turn out to be a good thing for the PI and the expats getting of here too. Good luck to all.

Russia has oil, China and India buying it up cheap - Russia then buys weapons from China, Iran, and N. Korea. Sanctions only work if those aligned politically or financially with the country being sanctioned, then the sanctions are pointless. Perfect example are countries like Pakistan and N. Korea - they have developed NUCLEAR WEAPONS even though sanctioned - stories of citizen in N. Korea having to eat grass as there is not enough food for the leaders and the military. Just like Iran - sanctioned and was working a tad until Trump broke off negotiations - after all he is the best negotiator ever (just ask him). But hopefully wiser heads will prevail, the two sides will continue threatening each other and anti-nuke polities will become the next big discussion. Good luck to all of us.

if it took getting the elite with its costs makes you feel ELITE, then I truly feel sorry for you.

In my opinion you just want someone to agree with your avoiding the reporting of such info; I get that impression with your "do I have to file or can I get away with it".

either way, the same result but when Putin decided to take over Ukraine he decided to kill as many as he could plus try to totally destroy the entire infrastructure to that country. Here in SEA there is not that much worth destroying anyway, just so they can control it is their goal. My opinion anyway.

Well, seems the colonization of Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar by the Chinese is basically complete...Yeah Thailand looks like they might want to jump on THAT bandwagon too.

SOmeone mentioned that investment into the purchase of a condo suffices...I don't know but blv it is worth checking

oh I usually fill it in online and then print it out and sign that copy.

upon receipt of new p/p, I had the stamps transferred and they just took the tm6 from the old p/p and stapled it into the new p/p so shouldn't be a problem for you. This was at CM.

well, the LTR is not that much more expensive over the ten years and could even be cheaper in some cases. Plus no 90-day reports, once a year just notify the BOI of your address or if you travel outside Thailand, your report address once starts again at 365 days before reporting again, and an agent, friend or family member can just provide the BOI with your address, easy pass at airport immigration, and no taxes on remitted funds into Thailand. I realize some folks think that this last bit might come to change but then again it might not. Just saying, I did my at Retirement O for almost 20 years and never had to put up 800K of my money with restrictions on my use of those funds and now I don't worry about much of anything especially immigration financial requirements.

well I have read the requirements for both, benefits as well and COSTS! how about the lack of 90-day reports, not taxes on remitted foreign income, only 50K. Most of what I see in the elite is a waste of my time anyway...Just saying as I would not even consider the elite if the cost was as cheap as the LTR but since it is 10-30 times more expensive, sure don't know why folks shell out that for what they get...yeah, not having to go yearly to immigrationis okay but ...my opinion anyway.

yes, my insurance company every January sends me Via email "the overseas benefits 2024" actually the current year but it is 17 pages long and says for hospitalization "unlimited" and I sent the booklet to BOI with all pertinent data highlighted but they wanted that letter from the Insurance complany signed by someone - someone who has the same insurance company advised me about the letter so I sent an email to the insurer and the next day had the letter in my in box. BOI was happy and a week later had my LTR stamps! hard to beat. Now I don't think that there will be any changes to the benefits until the ten years are up but TIT so anything is possible. Even if they thought about it, there are 5000+ already with that visa and might not want to change anything immediately though some on this forum "are sure" that they will drop the free remittance into Thailand with no taxes bit. I wouldn't be affected by that either as long as they don't drop the DTA treaty.

Yes you are wrong - can be a reputable foreign company that in my case wrote a letter and sent it via email to me for the BOI stating in fact, "the unlimited hospitalization in Thailand" covered more that 50K US dollars. The letter was accepted immediately by the BOI as was my US health insurance.

wealthy pensioner includes 40K too instead of 80K but with additional required financial status. Can check on BOI LTR website easily.

yeah and look at the vehicle manufacturing too, closing as they can't compete with the Chinese EV's plus, when they build a vehicle from some of the international brands, they still charge import duties making the price of a car made here in Thailand more expensive than a house! And, as for develping the countryside towns - they get nothing in my opinion from the big govt, I don't know how much it is diluted by being passed down but that is why so little is developed. Meanwhile the competing countries in the region are building and making life better for tourists. Once in Thailand with pollution at the WORLD CLASS LEVEL and now heat strokes daily, who would want to return nor would they write about it nor advise friends to spend big bucks to fly here, stay here for those problems? I don't think so. My opinion and also it seems that this govt also wants to get rid of all the monies that expats have been pouring into the country over many years.

yes and advertizing help getting a (FREE) Thai Tax ID number for 10-20K baht is really a ripoff..worse by far than any other ripoffs I see almost daily.

yeah why are the govt coffers empty after the mil govt left - oh submarines, war planes, tanks, etc for what war? They are right now re-enforcing their non-aligned status in the world.

wealthy pensioner is actually 2 categories - 80K or 40K plus so the approval could go to either of those two categories and not all to the 80K category.

India, Indonesia also pump their share of pollution in this region. It has been going on for at least 55 years that I have actually seen it here.l Won't change I opine in the next 55 years eiher.

I correct my misread - he does like pork!

last year, just prior to AIR ASIA being ransomeware hit with threats to publish data if not paid, the owner declined payment. Within a month my US VISA card tried two charges of 01 cent which my CC security immediately locked out my card and I had to get a new number (due to what was reported as a shortage of something on the cards, I had to wait 2 moths for a new card. I do not know for sure it was related to the Air Asia bit but sure seems strange to me. I am grateful though that my bank is constantly contacting me about charges if at odd stores (not that the stores are odd just not my usual stores).

In the US, IRS says it is only necessary to keep copies of your last 5 years of tax forms

recently an article says this was the dish that saved the Thais as a shortage of rice one year, king had them make Rice noodles (pad thai) and cut the need for rice in half supposedly. I have talked with numerous Thais about the lack of Pad Thai in many areas and have been told that it is a difficult dish to get JUST RIGHT and many Thais cannot do this so sometimes it is difficult to find.