Presnock

I first came to Thailand in 1972 - worked for a year mostly in NKP, then came back with my family in 1976-1979 living on Soi Thong lor in a rented house. In those days there were no fast food restaurants of the west. If one wanted to buy any western foods, Villamaket on soi 33 Sukumvit was the only store with anything from the west. Of course there were no milk or icecream from the west. TV was black and white, andy any programs from the west one had to have a radio to tune to the station that carried the sound track for that program. During Xmas time, there was no XMAS carols being played in any of the shopping areas (i.e. Central Dept store), there were no XMAS decorations nor fir trees fake or real available. Bangkok flooded big time every rainy season with small boats even at certain intersections to ferry people across the streets. Traffic was bad even then on Sukumvit and throughout the city. There were no trains moving folks around the way of today. Even 10 years ago, there were very few of the train routes available. I personally grew bored of fighting traffic so moved to CM 10 years ago - when daughter began college in BKK, we rented a house here and am amazed at how quickly we can get from zone to zone in the city today! Much cheaper than wasting all the fuel in the road traffic and much more timely today. Travelling outside BKK was easy in the "old" days, many times we would drive early morning to HuaHin, be the only people literally on the entire beach, enjoy the day there, giant prawns 1 dollar each and the size of lobsters truly, then drive back to BKK in the late afternoon. Would go play golf in neighboring provinces early morning, sometimes two rounds, cost of 5 USD per round, enjoy lunch between rounds and then drive back to BKK before nightfall - total cost less than 30 dollars for all day including meals, gas and golf and caddie fee. Even world famous golf courses i.e. Navatanee built in 1973 for the 1975 World Cup was available and very cheap. Khao Yai had a golf course (now closed) that needed armed guards due to tigers, had rope bridges across deep canyons to some par 3's - caddies would not go into rough for wayward shots due to dangers, my group lost 80 balls on the first 9 holes! but even though 3 of us had never played golf before, it was so much fun we bought clubs the following week a lot due to the Khao Yai course - even though monkeys stole a couple of those balls. In those days, it was almost impossible to see a fat Thai person, most were shorter than those of today, sorta like if you go to Myanmar (when not fighting) you would note how short most of the locals were. But, while Thailand has changed, especially the major cities, there are still an abundance of countryside that is totally undeveloped and great for trekking and just wondering around in nature. Beaches are much more crowded today with too many foreigners. However, the waters off most beaches are not crystal clear except along the Andaman Sea. Even in the old days, we were warned about pollution in some of the waters in popular beaches. But, Thailand is still my choice for retirement. I am a lot older, and enjoy the greater comforts of today versus the old days. But younger folks may feel different. TYhe political scene remains the same - military still want to control as much as possible. There were problems in the old days and still come up here occasionally in the same way. There used to be no cellphones at all but that has changed the world and not in such a positive way totally in my opinion. Smart phones remind me of just what a dinosaur I am but technology zooms more verticle all the time so AI I am sure will rule the world in the not-too-distant future. I still love life here and can't imagine having to depart...all depends on the changing immigration/tax/political leanings affecting life here and since my career moved me from country to country many many times, I could leave if necessary. I do wish the best of all for everyone here - I realize it is not the paradise it once may have been for some just like it is today - "for some".

Being able to speak the local language in a non-ENGLISH speaking country to me is essential if one wants to take advantage of all that country has and to avoid upsetting the locals too much.

Plus, after June 2023 the reports say that it was the warmest on record that makes it 13 straight months of record warmth in the world. Seeing the current HEAT reports around the world, and for extended periods plus early in the summer months in some countries, this year will most likely be the warmest on record...means more and heavier rains so more flooding. Best of luck to all.

Yes it is the calendar year, but the 180 days can be spread anywhere within that calendar year.

I retired here in 2003...married a Thai lady and we now have a 20-year old daughter in college. I worked here several times in the past and while I lived in many countries around the world, Thailand was at the top of the list. The PI was 2nd place - both have no cold weather nor snow! But Thailand definitely won out on local food. Both countries' citizens welcomed western foreigners. I speak both languages, and like the people of both countries. I don't drink alcohol, use any drugs not even aspirin, nor did I run the bars. I played a lot of golf early on over the years but slowed down a lot. Now at 77, I still walk 6 km every day, lift weight every third day and do core exercises for an hour every day that I do not lift weights. Fortunately, Thailand has an abundance of fruit and veggies so I eat healthy, avoid fast foods and red meats and ultra processed foods. I have not even had a cold since retiring here though I did catch the COVID (sore throat for 2 dayas only). I now have given up driving myself and use one of the call-ups for any transportation needed. I enjoy watching Korean drama series and movies but keep the amount screen time to a minimum. I do read novels daily and check out this forum evey day for an hour or two depending on anything new. For new folks, avoid the bars, lots of great places to visit that are totally undeveloped in this country. Try to be patient and chill every day as life can go smoothly if one practices this ALL the time. As for any new folks, we still have no real idea when and if the tax situation will get worse or not. The new govt continues to argue on the pros and cons I think in the impementation of the opportunities they feel are available from the expats since we have no say in the yea or nay of anything locally. Our only recourse is to re-locate to another ASEAN nation that recognizes what the expats can bring with them. BTW I got rid of everything prior to coming here, and realized that I would enjoy life here until I died - I still feel that way, now have an LTR and with the DTA and the LTR am not concerned with the current tax situation - we'll see how that develops over time I guess. Life here can be great depending on what one can put up with. Always chill...good luck to all

I always did enjoy watcing those guys push the last folks in...Japanese accepted it and didn't fight it as folks always in a rush and not enough trains.

yeah obviously as we never had enough workers as when ever oversight was done, they always promised more money and more workers and it turned out the opposite result every time!

Well having worked in organizations within the govt, one is given a buget amount for a period of time based on needs. I one tries to expand the number the workers in order to do more, then the govt usually does not provide any extra funds for the extra workers - what happens is normally either work is not done or workers are fuloughed. This is especially true if the govt has no funds to start with so they normally tell the organizations to do more with less. Heard it many times over the years I was working for the govt and doing budgets while being given increased tasking every year. Just sayiing

Can't win over big business in the US anymore...after COVID created another 500 billionaires, they control SCOTUS, thus they control the law and Trump will probably control the bathroom hopefully and that is about his style, of course Biden will be even lower! Yeah I bought some heavy metal bad ones when they were on sale,,,99% so must be full of that crap. Best of health to you!

You must of bought that one from TOPS market - I nnoted they are on the high metals content...now the recommendation is 70-80 % dark chocolate (one small square I think.... but then we have to add the fish...no wonder our weight gets so heavy as we get older.

just google chocolate and heavy metals - lots of reports dating several years...lists the worse and the best chocolates for lower heavy metals.

That's a lot of heavy metals too...don't need too much for it to do its job.

Yeah, back in the day as you said. Free lunch at the casino while waitiing to get stamped and then back to Thailand. Cheap (unless one gambled away and lost) at the casino but a good spread too.

Amen to that! even though you provide them with the link so they can read it for themselves...I am not sure I understand where many of these folks are coming from. Maybe some left their thinking in the laws of their home country.

Well, I have advised folks concerned about the new tax interpretations that is happening here and might happen later, in my opinion not as drastic as others, I thought that letting folks know that some countries that decided to tax expats have had 2nd thoughts on that idea too. Just as we talk about the other ASEAN countries and how they are responding to the changes in the tax world and how it affects the expats. Also many of the expats in Thailand have expressed INTEREST in how other countries are responding to the tax changes so why should we shut them out just so you are not interested? Just saying...

Of course they do, especially with a country like Thailand - just what kind of retaliation could Thailand do to scare off the Chinese?

Live on one for a while, depending of course on size - I lived in Malta for a while - definitely got "island fever"...recall there was only 1 stoplight on the whole place. Scenery on the Med though was fantastic.

also, as an American I file my taxes every January upon receipt of my 1099R - I have a complete copy of my 1040R for the last 5 years as required by the IRS. But until the LTR no longer will exemt all funds remitted, I shouldn't have any problem providing proof - my visa which I used the 1040's for financial requirement and if that isn't sufficient, those 1040's also indicate that my pension is paid to me by the US GOVT. Anyway, prior to worrying about all this, I am awaiting word from the Thai RD hopefully prior to 2025 concerning details about this program. GOod luck tgo all!

Obviously, see CRS, FACTA, FBAR, OECD - the last being the latest in July 2023 with 138 different countries signing on to this agreement. All of these are designed for several reasons, the first being that countries want to get what they consider their fair share of taxes on income. Yeah organized criminal activity will also suffer some from these agreements too. But the bottom line is that countries can respond to these agreements through manipulating taxes not only of their own people but foreigners that have decided to work maybe and live in foreign countries. Yesterdays news had article about Portugal resciinding some of these taxes on expats as they probably lost some folks too who moved to "greener" pastures. Thailand's kneejerk reactions to the OECD agreement came about because the new government moved into empty coffers with promises to give their supporters freebies which cost big bucks. Expats are an easy target here so we can either follow the new rules or leave. Several of the followers on this forum not only understand the new rules, know where others can find them or they have graciously wrote the basics - each expat of course depending on where they are from could have a wide variety of financial situations that will be affected (maybe) by some of the Thai Revenue Department change in their regulations. I for one had no idea about this program in relations to my finances but through the diligent and accurate information provided by a few folks on this forum, I now understand about my situation totally. Any changes or adjustments by the TRD, I think I can adjust my thoughts too or I can go to sources these forum members have provided for all and check to see if I am affected or not to any changes. I thank Mike and those others who have borned a lot of nasty thoughts and comments from some of the forum members but I just fail to understand these people. Many folks probably have a UNIQUE financial situation and to expect anyone on the forum to be a total expert in everything is just unfair to begin with and these forum members that have taken their time to educate people somewhat in general terms with FACTS and so generous in their own time to publish all that they can find on this subject is to me very commendable. I hope everyone can appreciate just how much time it cost these people to let us know how to approach this new tax plan. Again I thank everyone providing any actual information on this plan and possible plans but caution all that agents aren't always correct nor should anyone on the forum believe everything they read on the forum. I do wish everyone a happy day and that we all come through this better educated on this subject. Relax and enjoy the great things available in Thailand.

Well some weeks ago, the US Congress had a bi-lateral border control bill - but once they tried to floor it, the Republicans backed off and it died there. There is no way to do anything right now that might fix any problems in the US because neither side will join the other to get things moving forward. Maybe if both Trump and Biden were to withdraw from the November elections, then possibly something positive would occur...oh yeah if they both dropped out that would be super positive for a start...

Actually sounds like your description of what WISE wants, is exactly like the Warning I got from my bank saying NEVER give this banking information to anyone especially if asked for this via email. Only use encrypted comms set up between you and the bank to relay any information on your account. goodluck

well in the news today, it says Portugal to re -instate tax breaks for expats , talented workers, and long stayers after they added taxes to those folks...read the news.

Portugal had started taxing folks already but now has decided they were losing money instead of gaining anything so have dropped that new tax.

well from what folks have written that have done the tax filling, there is no input for non-assessable income such as dta protected pensions. so guess in any case they might have to re-do the forms and then notify us that they want these new forms too. I will not get a tax ID number unless the TRD says anyone who remits any funds (even if non-assessable) must file so must get an id number so they would need to change the criteria for that too as it is rule #1 - obtaining a TRD tax nr within 60 days of remitting assessable funds - change to even non-assessable remittances. We're waiting...probably until 2025 and then the hassles begin as they haven't thought of all the things the expats will come up with.

yeah in Thai language, any liquid is called "naarm" so that is why they call anything liquid in the lungs as water.