Presnock

well this mornng I took the dogs outside - monitor says 125 and flashing RED! If you even walk in this crappy air right now you probably won't make it to the gasping stage. I do think that after exercising in polluted air one should have their lungs checked. Good luck anyway

Yeah a friend of mine bought his own monitor for 2.5 micron pollutants in he Chiang Mai area. He read the daily reports of the pollution and they were always way below his monitor so he learned where the district was monitoring the pollution and then reporting. He went to that location, prior to the district team taking a reading, the fire department had a water truck come to that area and spray the monitoring spot for over a half hour and did this whenever there was going to be an official report. After this, I bought my own monitor and still use it daily many times.

Negative on that. SPorts teams even buy masks that restrict air intake prior to having a game with another team at high altitude. I jogged for years wearing a mask with no problems noticed.

yeah and at the same time those broadcasters of the meetings and at least one article in the Thai Examiner indicate that there are still some fairly strong Thai that are against this new tax policy as originally stated. However, since the initial reports of that, I have not seen anything at all from them or those against the new program nor anything of substance either. It is great that a couple of folks have researched official documentation and have provide us with that material so that we can formulate possible actions based on what the RD/Govt finally decides which might not be until next March 2025. Enjoy whatever we came here for until the deadlines are met.

IF inheriting a few big $$$ and retirement eligible, just opt for a LTR visa, 50,000 k and then no taxes, no 90-day reports etc. and all legal

That is what they said at the beginning "all" income remitted into Thailand, then as reality started checking in from within and from without, DTA's etc, watching other ASEAN countries how they are handling it etc. But if you don't pay taxes on your income in your native state due to a national law included in the DTA, I am pretty sure they will try to make you pay here. It will all boil down to possible law cases against them as well as so many not actually making any "assessible" income for them to count on. None of us knows for sure what the outcome will be nor when it will become clearer so just hang in there and enjoy whatever you moved to Thailand for.

Yessir but you gotta let all those refugees in to counter the number of illegals pouring in from the south on a daily basis. I think I read the other day that over 300K illegals crossed over in November for a new record. Gotta give them all shelter, food , education (some through college even). I am not against immigration but unless something is controlled it runs amok - EU is having the same problem with boat loads daily either making it or drowning. A horrible situation made worse by tax dollars going to the <deleted>hold countries but instead of improving conditions for their citizens, they just send them to the developed countries. Now it is affection elections too as far-right folks are getting more and more support from the citizens tired of fighting for their benefits. But, daughter is doing well at the number one university here and is happier than anytime since prior to the pandemic. She even has her future mapped out and where she will go to school after this stint in Thailand. BTW, I am a former government worker who spent many years at the Embassy in Thailand but all that goes for naught when some counsular officers says "not approved".

Not doubting your intent but you assumption that folks may do something about it but looking around, I notice very few farangs wearing masks and the news recently has carried numerous articles of the pollution in the air. The PM signed an agreement with Cambodia to supposedly lower the pollutants and he has reportedly ORDERED the Thai AF to do all they can too to help but every year we hear the same stories from the government officials and yet the same pollution or worse is here. I first came here in the early 70's and when burning season came so did the smoky air. Then there was very little corn grown and I don't remember much of sugar can either but now with those added to the burnings, and together with forest fires set to clear land or clear underbrush so they find mushrooms, the pollution is with us longer and longer and stronger it seems every year. Look at the NASA satellite showing fires in SEA and S. Asia. Cambodia the other day was completely red with the wind blowing the smoke into Thailand! Thailand too has a lot of fires going...until the government gets serious enough to force the local governments to arrest the fire starters nothing will change in my opinion.

well, When our daughter was to graduate from HS, accepted by US college, my wife applied for a tourist visa so that we could take our daughter back to the college and get her settled in since she had never been to the US. We owned a house, fairly new car and I had retired here 20 years before and had spent almost all that time here in Thailand. The Consulate decided that this was not reason enough to return to Thailand because my wife didn't work and we then decided on an immigrant visa. This was during the Afghanistan evacuation so immigration in the US was backed up to approximately 500K immigrants and at that time, immigration was able to process less than 40K a month - it took 14 months for our request, approved but by that time, our daughter was already enrolled in Thailand - the number one university and exactly the training that she desired so liberal arts is liberal arts. We made the decisions to just stay here in Thailand. Much cheaper, better weather and much closer to our daughter. But, maybe you will have much better luck and I wish you so. GOOD LUCK!

The school was built like a HS campus in the US with covered walkways between the different classroom buildings, that is why they had to go outside between classes.

no probably still inhale some pollutants but much lower than not taking ANY precautions. Occasionally the locals report about the number of problems hospitals are seeing more an more often due to the pollution. Yeah it is not immediately obvious that one suffers from the pollution, unless that person already has lung/breahing problems. I am not telling anyone that they should wear masks and take precautions except for my family. I am only writing these responses because of the experiences I have been around in my life (77 years). I have lived primarily in the capital cities around the world and many were just as polluted as here but the pollution just continues to spread. I ran a couple of marathons and hundreds of races, some in the later years were done wearing a mask. Did it affect my breathing? Maybe but I was never a world class runner anyway, just did it for the enjoyment and soclializling with the other runners. My wife has commented though that when we go places and I am wearing a mask that my breathings "heavier" so I guess that is my body naturally respoding to any restrictions or maybe not. Anyway like I already said, I am not telling people what they should or should not do, it is totally up to each person. I do wish all a healthy life though.

I forgot to mention that we have air purifiers in all but the bathrooms of our house too and we use them daily since the pollution levels began to climb. Had a friend, Canadian, world class almost runner who ran races in Thailand (mostly BKK) for years - upon return to Ottawa, as normal with diplomats, a complete phyiscal is given. The doctor after all the tests, xrays, etc, he said that all readings were great except my friend needed to give up smoking. My friend told the doctor that she had never smoked in her life - he then showed her the xrays of her lungs indicating that the color was due to either smoking or local pollutants if she really hadn't taken up smoking. Made a believer out of me about doctors warnings and about wearing masks.

yeah, I walk outside daily and wear an N95 mask. I notice many Thais and farangs exercising without any masks. Some of the Thais after noticing that I speak Thai, ask why I am wearing a mask. I introduce them to ACCUWEATHER (whatever your local district is) and this web site also provides air quality as well as weather conditions. I also have my own 2.5 micron meter and it comes pretty close to the accuweather readout on air quality. Living in CM for 10 years, I learned about wearing a mask but even before then I was advised by doctors visiting the embassy to never exercise outside here without a mask as they note returnees during physicals show some damage to lungs of those not taking any precautions. My daughter's school even had air purifiers in every classroom. Before the COVID pandemic, that same school would close the school due to high pollution since the students walked outside during classroom changes and so, in order to not have to close the schools her school purchased an online teaching program from Singapore and when the govt here ordered the schools closed, my daughter and her fellow students never actually missed any of the curriculum, only socializing and classroom activities.

Then, not long after that, new regulations on providing proof by all for any deductions/unassessible funds...though that may come at the beginning next March too.

but on the other hand, just like one of the reasons for the OECD agreement is the willingness due to GREED or HONESTY of the individual. Just look at the US politicians - a true bunch of GREEDY individuals. I would never consider not filing US taxes every year and have done so for over 50 years, some were tax nil as in a war zone too but still had to file! Because so many people do use any means not to file including false information, it in the end causes effects that affect the rest of the folks - this is one of the perfect examples of such activity in my opinion.

actually, of the 138 countries that signed the OECD agreement, many are probably looking at THEIR tax programs right now and we might see even more changes from our own country. Is this progress? positive or negative?

see articles 20 and 21 of the DTA between USA and Thailand

What would be a help, anyone going to a revenue office should ask if the new policy would enable those WITHOUT assessible pensions/ss should not have to get a TN nor file a tax form each year. Mainly, if we are still informed by the Revenue Office that we MUST get a TN if we meet the criteria for one and we MUST file a tax form even if the bottom line says "zero tax". I can only imagine the folks in that office having to go through all those forms from those that do not have assessible income. Even if they are online, it will still be quite odious and make them dislike some of us even more so in my opinion.

read the DTA US with Thailand Article 20 and 21 spell it clearly. Even if a person (Thai American) has only been paying US taxes, the articles state that only the US can tax US govt payouts unless the recipient is a Thai citizen and resident in Thailand. She can always file a form with the IRS to stop them deducting taxes on her SS and/or pension - BLV it is form W4. Read the DTA, it is in English and in Thai also

since LTR visa is tax exempt vita Royal Decree, my opinion is you have nothing to worry about as that trumps the civilian/mil govt too.

seems to me YOU should read that DTA so YOU will know what it says. Or, maybe see a tax expert who can give you his/her opinion of what the RD final will look like. Or wait until next year when it becomes necessary to file or not

As has been noted before, there is no penalty for not filing if you do NOT have assessible income...why get a Tax Number and file a "zero" form if there is no penalty. However IF the govt decides that WE must have a TN if we have certain incomes in order to move through immigration, then year WE will have to get a TN and do what paperwork they want unless we decide to a friendlier tax countr. Funny, I just received an article talking about the 10 most desired countries 2024 in the world. Thailand was number 6 and it said that while there are a few immigration complaints, taxation was avoidable by getting an LTR visa but of course they didn't say if that was easy, cheap or whatever. But as a last resort, if you meet the necessary requirements for that visa, by royal decree you won't need to pay taxes while in Thailand to the Thais.

I have not read the DTA between UK and Thailand but in the US DTA ( I realize this is different but I learned from reading the DTA that deals with my funds and suggest you do the same. In mine it says what pensions are exempt from foreign residences but for not-govt pensions, they in turn can be taxed by the "resident" (in our case Thailand). As an American, I have to pay US taxes but if Thailand were to begin taxing my funds, then I could in turn have the US IRS stop deducting taxes from those funds that the Thais are taking out tax. These non-govt funds can be protected by the IRS giving credit for any taxes removed by the Thais. Like I said, it is clear in the US DTA and I would think that by reading your own DTA it might answer any questions you might have. Again as I said many times, and what you will see here before the final version is royally blessed, these are opinions of non-professionals for the most part, but even the professional tax agents are only guessing right now. Good luck on yours, hope all works out for you and everyone else having questions.

fepblue (blue cross blue shield) They cover me even though I live overseas. I read an article this morning on the very subject - a large number of people in the US now are not getting medical care when needed as they decide to eat instead. The primary Pha reason is he increases by the hospitals for treatment and doctors' fees increases. You all are aware that the pharma industry also affects prices of medicines - go figure, we are getting warnings about the COVID vaccines causing even more long term health problems while the Pfizer got a court to award a charge against any scientist/doctor reading their testing results prior to the approval by the FDA. To possibly really upset one, google billionaires created during the pandemic, within and without the pharma industry. In my opinion all a bunch of crooks - mankind is possessed by GREED..totally EVIL.

AMAZING, reader obviously went to school as it seems many have not. The real reply is that until the final revenue department says the final version, most of us can just make our opinion known and in many cases just continue to confuse folks. Some of the DTA are really in ambiguous terms - a way for politicians and lawyers to be able to interpret meanings of same to be different. The US DTA says government social security is exempt Article 20 and US government pension exempt Article 21 unless the receipient is a Thai citizen and resident in Thailand. Seems to be very clear but TIT.