Presnock

Mtraveler: exactkt as rewiid1 stated - The only answer that counts right now is this UNTIL THE REVENUE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES COMPLETED PROGRAM FORM, then the tax agents and the experts on this forum are basically guessing. A few of those on here have put out the FACTS provided by the Thai tax laws but the final interpretation of any particular situation for the multitude of expats and countries that are ormight be affected or NOT, cannot be guaranteed by anyone here. Best to just wait...unless you plan to leave the the next couple of days and cease to be a Tax Resident here. My opinion only of course.

For the LTR only 40K is needed and if one has no investments but has bought a condo, that can be used as the investment needed with the 40K. Just saying,

Well, if they get what they want with Chinese and Russian tourists galore and moving here, they will get what they deserve and I truly believe that they will not succeed at first but if they do force the western expats out the citizens here will in my opinion regret it very much so. That also goes for the money that the western retirees and digital nomads, etc provide yearly.

Thats exactly what it is...I can only imagine what the Revenue Department will finally do if anything at all...might just have to wait an additional year or forever.

Yeah and medicare coverage outside the US and its territories is not allowed - have to get some additional coverage even if travelling outside the US. Nope and I have Medicare A free as I am a US govt retiree but it is useless here in Thailand.

I agree with you on the interpretation of that phrasology - In the US DTA it specifically says that a govt pension can only be taxed by the US govt, same as social security, whereas a private one or a state pension could be taxed by Thailand- BUT I believe that one phrase "arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other contracting state shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned state makes me think that all three pensions are exempt from Thai Taxation but one might have to read the Thai part of the DTA in order to see what it says. Hopefully we will get a reading by later this week as we will pass into the 180th day of this calendar year and those who have been here the whole 6 months to date will be THAI TAX Residents. Feel sorry for anyone negatively affected by this or the next program. Finally, I am unsure as to the EXACT meaning of "Contracting State" and looks like Pension (arising in) earned under one country and paid to a (tax) resident of the other country shall be taxable only (BY) in the first-mentioned country. The in at the very last part makes me wonder if one would interpret that to mean you would have to be IN the country paying the pension. Again, not seeing the Thai, or not really understanding what the Thai Revenue Dept might think it means could be different. Once they print out the final program then I/we might be better qualified to answer. The more I see of some of the DTA's, the more concerned I might be. I am glad the US one was so expicit. Sorry, I might have confused you but hopefully, they will just let all the pensions come in tax free as other ASEAN countries have done. That would definitely make life easier. Take care and good luck.

Absolutely no way would I even consider eating substandard food, especially at those prices - and Mickey D's actually said they not only had to increase their prices because of the Calf new 20 USD for their workers law but also laid off a bunch of folks.

BTW I saw a US news program stating that the top 15 fast food shops in the US are hurting big time. The reason given is that since the COVID pandemic stopped, with inflation zooming, all the fast food shops with KFC being in the top 3 but basically all that most of us could name raised their prices 10-20% and since many families are not doing that well financially, the people just aren't buying fast food but instead are eating at home. Another news bit says grocery stores, well known department stores are facing the same thing for the same reason but even on sale days, people just aren't in a buying mood. Then even another news station reported that car manufacturers and dealers are about to receive a bunch of unwelcome results for the rest of this year. Some of the fast food chains have closed 4000 stores worldwide. Included in this list of fast food places was Micky D, KFC, BK, Starbucks, Poppye's, et al. Other chains reported closures of hundreds of branches too in not only the US but other countries too. Just saying, we see stories of great economy but isn't widespread I guess. And saw a bit today that the Chinese LOVE KFC big time! But then again I recall in the not to distant past that one Chinese shop was soaking cardboard in pork oil and selling it as pork and when the govt ordered them closed, customers complained because the price was so cheap! take care, bon appetit!

BTW for the BOI LTR, although my insurer's yearly benefits "book" included "unlimited" in coverage for hospitalization, the BOI reps sent me an note that they needed a letter from my insurer that indicated my hospitalization covered at least 50K US dollars and needed to be good for 1 year - insurer supplied the letter for 50K and indicated policy was good for the next 10 years. Glad they were so helpful.

what does the Canadian DTA with Thailand say about your pension (is it a Canadian government pension?)?

Totally agree, I a retired US govt employee have a policy since employment in which the government pays a large portion of the policy and another portion is taken out of my annuity. I have family coverage and once I depart this world, my wife will most likely give up the policy unless our daughter is still a student (college now). Since this marriage I have never really used it very much as we are all healthy but during COVID, we took out COVID insurance with a local insurer (500 baht each for 50K coverage) but only wife really needed (5 days in hospital). Previously 1st wife died of breast cancer and fortunately we had that insurance (but I was working then) but it all worked out. Yeah I could save a lot of money per year maybe but IF something serious came up with me or my family, I feel confident that we would not end up broke nor would any savings need to be spent so I can afford it and it allows me to confidently RELAX on the health insurance coverage concerns. Now if the Thai Revenue Dept would let us know the latest on their 2024 tax program in relations to expats though I confidently feel that I can get through this year with absolutely no problems but would like to know and sure that folks looking at 180 days in country this calendar year would appreciate something new too. Best regards to all..hopefully a healthy year.

yeah unless it has changed a lot, previously even to work at a local department store one had to have graduated from local college or even fast food shops a high school eduation thus for most expats probably didn't like someone with an education to have to hold a conversation first of all...

My opinion only as a reader here. I am fairly fluent in Thai and speak to numerous locals on a variety of issures. I also watch daily news programs and when they get into the fiance news I drop out as it goes way past my 40+ years of Thai, formal training included and I can only imagine any native American trying to convince a Thai finance officials about the nuances of US tax rules opposed to Thai tax rules and hoping to convince the Thai that the US was is the only way to look at it. Best of luck.

When it comes to evil ex-KGB and now Leader of Russia leads the pack. Not only invade Ukraine but shell civilian targets daily plus infrastructure. Ukraine would be smart to go ahead and give up the "occupied" territory now but only if Russia restores any other infrastructure or pays for its restoration. This is my opinion anyway as I ws born and still am anti-communist.

Setta hugs the Chinese hoping they will rescue Thailand - FTA and immediately Thai shop owners complaining of flood of illegal and poor quality merchanidise. (fake being the elephant pants). Then hoping to rein in more Chinese tourists - immediately cries of the Chinese zero tour for tourists. Same for the vehicle manufacturers though it started earlier, market being flooded with chinese EV's and the govt giving 100,000k vouchers to purchase same! But this is current, I wonder about BRICS and our lives here being negatively affected...just wondering if any financially adept AN'ers have any idea what might occur?

Only relief I have found is clapping each time one comes near...other day one went up my nose - I kept sneezing for over an hour before I was able to purge it out...so tiny and usually slapping at first the air pressure would blow it out from between my hands but I got quicker and now can keep them at bay!

Actually would have been nice to have an idea on what interests you then answering the questions would have been much easier While I was there, the medical facilities in Manila were international standards, cafes/restaurants are everywhere except if you go to 7000 of the other islands and then you might or might not find a restaurant - Cebu also has restaurants. Pollution can be faced at different times but since many islands are remote, no pollution ever, I thought the people were great! They even had a sign and office for "US statehood for the Philippines" not too far from the US Embassy. I was an honorary member of the NBI (equivalent to US FBI) golf team so I never had any problems doing anything, going anywhere, but also being a member of the US embassy there/consulate in Cebu also afforded me easy times with officials. I also am a member of the PI forum and they are all consantly complaining about life there too...sometimes it is easy to forget which forum I am on.

Yeah those uniform costs should be dropped totally especially for the younger folks. Also parents need to be aware whether or not the school is acredited or not if one plans on the child graduating from that school - any new school normally has to apply for accreditation depending on what type curriculum that they will teach, check on nationalities of the teachers and if possible talk to parents of children that have attended that class. Yes, both my daughters education was mostly in international schools. The first was funded by the Govt, while I had to pay for the second - and yes tuition for the international school was higher than the college costs here at the best colleges! But so far I am extremely pleased with the international school of CM as my daughter is doing great at the number one university here.

I spent 6 years in Manila - loved it most of the time as I also am a certified open water scuba diver and the PI has 7000 islands with crystal clear water and lots of sea life and interesting dive spots (i.e. old war ships of every size) and lots of great golf courses (Thailand does too) , but, I also experience life in floods (18 named typhoons a year), earthquakes 8+ on the scale, volcano eruptions (pinatubo - 60 kms from Manila and it dropped up go 600 meters of volvanic dust in between mountains close by if anyone has experience Lahar (when volcanic dust mixes with rain water - you can only imagine what that is like pouring onto the base at Clark and surrounding area plus carrying boulders as big as houses destroying bridges and everything else in its path. At least the temperatures are about the same but moving around the town today, I think that it may be easier in Bangkok. Bars are bars, attractive hostesses the same but I didn't spend any time in those. Cebu when I was there was much smaller, much less traffic, but other than that great. I was last in Manila in 1994, Cebu 1988, so they could have changed entirely but when it came time to retire, #1 was no cold weather! I hate snow, so Thailand edged them out as I also planned to do no diving in Thailand but lots of golf which I did do while I lived in BKK. Golf membership was great at first but then the owners decided to expand by buiilding a hotel for Korean/Japanese golfers and then I lost interest mostly except for other courses that were not as much fun. Anyway. Like I said, I didn't hang around the bars so no help there but one thing that also decided me on Thailand for retirement was the local food. I love spicy Thai dishes and the local food in the PI didn't fit well with me. If the Thai govt goes bonkers with the taxes/BRICS and I am still breathing, the PI might become more attractive to me. Good luck to all, and I have lived in Burma, VN, Japan and Jakarta and would opt for Thailand still as I like Asia.

BTW, he negotiated (being the number one negotiator in the world) our exit out of Afdghanistan - then the fiasco really began with Stumble bum and his generals. Talk about embarassment...but at least the Afghani women did get to go to school for 20 years with US soldiers as hall monitors so to speak.

I have heard folks blaming the cows, people can't even joke about farts anymore!

Yessir, in my opinion it started many years ago and each successive generation pushed even harder on the gas pedal driving to oblivion.

My math may be getting as old as me and the new math came along when my younger daughter was in school so I read in the first sentence that the insurance coverage will be "extended until the end of December. Then in a later, in the sentence beginning with "This year-long exptension continues..." my math says from now until then, it will be a 6-month extension only of the program. Oh well since I am not a tourist, I wouldn't be eligible anyway.

well, since I enlisted in 1964 after HS, I was born the same year as Trump, though I not only look younger, I am by a few months. I am 77, have run even marathons, lifted weights most of my life, do a bunch of other core exercises 3-4 times a week, walk 6 kms around 7500 steps every evening and have done so for 12 years after stopping my daily 6K since roads and sidewalks are too hard and I was afraid for my knees. Walking 6 k a day and I can count within both hands the number of days that I did not do my walk. Whether or not you believe me, doesn't faze me at all but I was taught very young to tell the truth and I could swear to my parents that I only tell the truth. If something is not a fact, I say it is my feeling or opinion of that fact. I do wish you a happy Monday as I am gone from this subject.

In other words, it doesn't count as a vote for either with the same result.