mfd101

And Kiwis used to be such NAICE people!

Here it is. And it's extremely difficult - even for a former bureaucrat! - to work out what it means. Each time I reread it I change my mind ... ARTICLE 19 Government Service 1. Remuneration (other than a pension) paid by one of the Contracting States or a political subdivision of that state or a local authority of that State to any individual in respect of services rendered in the discharge of governmental functions shall be taxable only in that State. However, such remuneration shall be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the services are rendered in that other State and the recipient is a resident of that other State who: (a) is a citizen or national of that other State; or (b) did not become a resident of that other State solely for the purpose of performing the services. 2. Any pension paid to an individual in respect of services rendered in the discharge of governmental functions to one of the Contracting States or a political subdivision of that State or a local authority of that State shall be taxable only in that State. Such pension shall, however, be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the recipient is a resident of, and a citizen or national of, that other State. On rereading it now, I think the 1st para. is not relevant (because it's about 'remuneration'). The first sentence of para. 2 seems the relevant one ("shall be taxable only in that State") and the following sentence is not relevant because, though I may be considered a 'resident' of Thailand, I am not a 'citizen' or 'national'.

I bring in to Thailand every year roughly AUD80,000 [c1,900,000฿]. None of this is 'income'. 90% of it is my Australian federal government superannuation, which is funded annually by the Oz Government out of consolidated revenue (ie the annual budget) and it is heavily taxed in Oz because I am a 'non-resident for tax purposes'. A small amount is derived from my investment of the non-taxable lump sum I received on my retirement 20 years ago. On my reading of the relevant parts of the Oz/Thai DTA, none of this can be taxed in Thailand. I take it from the bits of the discussion I have browsed on this thread, as well as other threads, that I should nevertheless prepare to do my first-ever tax return in Thailand next Jan-March, with a view to my funds being rated assessable but non-taxable. Am I right in this? I must confess that trying to persuade the local office here in Surin province on all of that strikes me as a tall order. I doubt their English will be up to the job and my b/f's English certainly isn't. My inclination is to do nothing.

I am a (mostly reasonably) happy ATM. I give my b/f 35K฿ every fortnight for all expenses - house repairs by family, lawn mowing by family, Lotus, Tops, petrol, vast poverty-stricken family ... He has no other source except an occasional win at the cockfighting. Needless to say, he runs out of shekels after 10 days, sometimes 5. So I fork out some more. But I manage to save some monies in Oz to cover the annual big bills - life insurance, house insurance, car insurance, trips to Bangers ... and we're planning our first (for him) trip to Europe next May. Life is hard but we manage.

Everything hangs on what's an official act and what isn't. And perhaps a particular act may be 'official' in one context and not in another ...

99 years does seem excessive. For practical purposes (as opposed to symbolism) you might as well not have a limit.

Buttigieg on 57% is interesting.

Medvedev seemed quite a reasonable person 20-odd years ago when he was first PM then Putin's 'deputy' as president of Russia. More recently he seems like a nut case.

So is Qdenga available in Thailand yet? in rural Thailand (Isaan)?

During my working life I used to have 5 or 6 espresso double shots a day. Now in old age I have 3. It's great to know how wonderful it is for my health.

Mostly a vote-against rather than a vote-for. But in any case a nice example of how, when more than 2 parties are competing seriously, first-past-the-post produces a seriously out-of-kilter result (in this case some 60%+ of seats from some 30%+ of votes). Time the UK modernized itself with preferential voting.

So the former police chief has just made a whole lot of heavyweight enemies, starting with Thaksin & the current PM ...

Barely readable. If they're going to roll it out to all offices, they might consider having it translated into English.

Yes, same here today. Very unusual in my experience. Transferring from Oz NAB to Wise yesterday went thru instantly. Wise to BKKBk went at usual time around 0930 here this morning. usually at BKKBk at 1402. Still no sign as at now 1710.

And what government anywhere in the world actually ever 'cut expenses' (ie reduced the budget for the next year to less than available revenue and stuck to it)? Hasn't happened in living memory. Too hard. The squeals - ignorant & hypocritical - from the great unwashed (previously complaining about their taxes) would be more than any politician could bear.

Saw Palmetto? Sold as 'Sametto' in Thailand. Available at every pharmacy.

Yes, early stage. Whence the need for fairly strict diet control (which I'm usually but not always reasonably good at).

I entirely agree. Saw palmetto (sold in Thailand as 'Sametto') certainly helps. And the change in diet as mentioned here is REALLY good. My personal experience (now age 75) is that if I'm strict on my diet as above - low low sugar is the key - then I have no problems and get up only once a night. But if I overindulge - my b/f likes to bring me chocolate or sweet cakes which I find hard to resist - then the next day I may have to piss every 15 or 20 minutes and up 3 times in the night. Then back to normal the following day. Can't help noticing - with this example and so many other health issues - how people get all caught up in the medical processes and drug taking, when quite simple changes in diet and physical exercise can cure and prevent a long list of ailments caused by 'modern living'.

The exception to your colour-coded theory of migration is Australia, which is 'green' because of the post-covid surge of migrants, currently running at over 500,000 p.a. instead of the norm of the last 20 years around 250,000 p.a. A significant number of these are tertiary students who later elect to stay and become skilled workers in a (mostly) booming economy. Australia is thus probably the only country on your map that is 'green' because of immigration rather than birthrates (which are the same low as those of other 'Western' countries).

The exception to your colour-coded theory of migration is Australia, which is 'green' because of the post-covid surge of migrants, currently running at over 500,000 p.a. instead of the norm of the last 20 years around 250,000 p.a. A significant number of these are tertiary students who later elect to stay and become skilled workers in a (mostly) booming economy. Australia is thus probably the only country on your map that is 'green' because of immigration rather than birthrates (which are the same low as those of other 'Western' countries).

The West's 'delusional fantasies' are standing up for the things we say we believe in - self-determination, freedom, democracy. If you're right about Putin's perceptions, how come he hasn't nuked Ukraine yet? or France? or the UK? or the US?

Supporting Ukraine's freedom and right to exist as an independent country is NOT the same thing as attacking Russia. Even if Putin tries to claim that it is.

Mmmm, so the nth-west basically ...

Fairly soon - as its population begins to shrink - Thailand (its people as a whole, led by an enlightened government) is going to have to transform its whole approach to life. Living behind high cultural, linguistic and legal barriers, shut off from the outside world, will no longer work. Change is already happening but very slowly and without explicit acknowledgement because of the dinosaur social arrangements. What Thais - and other Third World countries - will have to construct is immigration policies similar to those of 'Western' countries: importing skilled & high-tech workers to become citizens and drive a new economy with new population & cultural structures that reward work skills not birthright. But none of this can happen in a corrupt feudal state that regards all non-Thais as outsiders to be treated with suspicion and complex bureaucratic barriers.

Firing squad at dawn would be more effective.