aussienam

One thing I really miss about Vietnam is the Banh Mi Vietnamese crispy bread rolls filed with cold meats and their chilli salad. Or the pork meat balls. So damn delicious and was something like 1 AUD. Was there last year again for a trip. Here in Thailand, a shop I found sells then for around 8 AUD, so not something I buy much at that price. Wondering what Udon Thani Vietnamese food stalls are selling them for??

Hmm, "The victim, a contractor and well-known life coach on YouTube needed to keep large amounts of cash on hand for business transactions." Who needs 'cash on hand' in such massive amounts (equates in my AUD currency to near $4 Million) to do business transactions? Cash only business transactions? Life coach Youtuber? Contractor for what? Why hoard such massive amounts unsecured outside a financial institution/s. Sounds like there's many more questions than the explanation given by the victim.

Bring a doctor's letter from your home country and make sure the medicine has the script label and/or copy of prescription. In Oz, I get them from my doctor (docs here are free at bulk billing centres) . About $9 (AUD) or about 215 Baht for x50 tablets in Oz. In Thailand the Diazepam tablets are around 15 to 20 Baht each at a doctor's clinic!!! Hospitals likely a lot more, plus you have to pay a consultation fee to the doctor. Just saying.

The main business in casinos is washing dirty money. The rest is just show offs and punters. Casinos are just handy money laundering facilities and make a ton of profits. Governments get nice taxes. Will attract the usual criminal entities. Oh well. Add it to the list.

Thought the description was for one of the many large-sized Russian tourists that adorn the deck chairs of beaches in Thailand!

Common reporting standards (CRS) though, implemented last year for Thailand means access to transaction details. A recipient bank in Thailand from a UK bank - whether the funds are transferred to your Thai account, to a cash withdrawal facility (ATM) in Thailand, or paying a Thai merchant into their account via VISA, etc, are all traceable and reveal remittances into Thailand. I watched an expat forum last year and a rep from a financial attended to talk about all of this and said ATM transactions and using cards for purchases wouldn't necessarily be a way to hide your incoming remittances/spending here. Especially if there were large amounts solely being used on cards. Will TRS bother with all of this? Who knows. But if they really wanted to (technology and transaction data is now all available) they easily could.

Very apt, wise advice. The bit about being on the same page - how many of us do not align in attitudes, values and goals with our partners and then become embroiled in so many issues?

And what about, if instead of having $1 Million as a baseline amount in a savings account in a bank, in your foreign country with DTA, only since before 31 Dec 2023, you had $1 Million worth of investments instead? And you are slowly liquidating those investments to remitt to Thailand for living and/or property purchase expenses? Can we try to show that the liquidated portions of those investments remitted to Thailand are untaxable as they were derived before 31 Dec 2023? If I bought my property in Oz in 2017 and sell it in 2028, can I claim the base capital investment amount plus any estimated capital gains made up to 31 Dec 2023 are tax free if sale proceeds are remitted to Thailand? And how would you prove a historical property estimate on a property without an official valuation certificate up to 31 Dec 2023? Is this something I should have done? SOLUTION TO AVOID/MITIGATE THIS BS: Or, do we do this as the future way of living in Thailand: everytime we want to transfer a large sum of money into Thailand, we leave Thailand for over the 6 months in that year, take up residence and rent for that period in Cambodia, Phillipines, LAOS, Vietnam, etc so we are deemed non-residents (never know you may decide to not come back. And will likely p*ss off a lot of couples and strain marriages and families from absent expats doing their 'time' elsewhere). Then come back to Thailand and remit that money into a Thai bank account. Thailand loses out on my spending in Thailand for 6 months. Bank doesn't make profit on my deposit money as it isn't in Thailand, until I probably remit it near my return, and I avoid the residence foreign remittance tax. The f***ed thing though is i don't generally want to transfer large sums into Thailand at once because interest rates here are virtually zero % in banks. Totally pathetic. Making heaps more interest in my home country in investments and even bank account. No incentive to bring large amounts into Thailand in one large amount for living expenses. But these allegedly to be enforced residence based hefty taxes change the goal posts. Lose-lose scenario just to keep living here. So, buying a condo. Leave the damn country for over ½ the year, transfer the money when a non-resident and come back to buy it tax free. Or pay up to 35% BS tax. Or better still -never buy a property in Thailand or any other big ticket item.

I heard there may be a potential loophole to exploit by remitting funds from abroad via Singapore Bank account (maybe some complex structures in Singapore to set up first).

MY POST CONCERNS THOSE WHO ARE AUSTRALIAN EXPATS - WHO ARE SELF FUNDED RETIREES AND/OR HAVE OR INTEND TO HAVE A PRIVATE (NON-GVT) PENSION FUNDED THROUGH AN EXISTING PRIVATE SUPERANNUATION FUND. Thanks mate. I am in a unique situation transitioning funds into Super both Concessional contributions (which I pay additional 15% tax using a 'Notice of Intent to Claim a Deduction' on my tax return - seems separate to nett earnings tax?) and non-concessional contributions from external investments. (To date - concessional contribution cap limits are $27,500 per financial year and non-concessional contributions are capped at $110,000 per financial year, with $330,000 allowed as an alternative as a 3-year bring forward contribution cap limit). You state that in the accumulation phase Super nett earnings gets taxed 15%. Okay. On both concessional and non-concessional contributions? Maybe there is some sort of letter that is verified by the ATO that can be produced for international tax compliance purposes? Sounds like it may be the case since there are other countries that already impose a non-resident tax too on foreigners incoming remittances and those expats require proof of tax? Here is where to me it gets extremely complex and uncertain: 1) I was planning to liquidate an investment early next financial year (Oz) and make a large non-concessional contribution into my Superannuation fund, just after 1 July this year, using the '3-year bring forward rule. It allows you to make three years worth of non-concessional contributions at the yearly maximum contribution cap limit. This is in lieu of the usual yearly non-concessional contribution cap limit. I was then planning to almost immediately (same financial year) convert that contribution into a newly created 2nd pension account. I have spoken to the Superannuation fund and they said this is fine - no waiting period, and will be provided the option to merge that new pension account with my existing Super fund pension account (save on doubling up on monthly admin fees). 2) The issue I am now unsure of therefore, is that that newly deposited non-concessional contributions (x3 year's worth) will not have had time to be in an accumulation phase (?) as it will almost immediately be transferred into a new pension account before the next financial year. The Super fund may impose a 15% tax on any possible small earnings made before transfer, but may not be in the fund long enough to have accumulated any nett earnings (wouldn't have happened to my other funds i moved from my Superannuation account into a current small Super pension, as I had that money invested in the Superannuation fund account for a few years beforehand, so would have been taxed over 2-3 financial years first). Maybe I need to hold off converting a new contribution into a pension account for a year until it has been taxed over a financial year? But not sure the point: 3) Issue as well is that the Super fund already has funds I have added, that would have been taxed assessed (and will be taxed assessed this financial year) and therefore had 15% taken out-of nett earnings. My non-concessional contributions after 1 July will be added to that same account and merged with the same funds already taxed. 4) Finally, in the pension fund, it is still accumulating (albeit at a lower % as I am drawing a pension from it), albeit what I believe is all untaxed. So I am concerned that money in a pension fund that is accumulating from untaxed profits (since it moved to the pension fund), could be taxable by Thai revenue. 5) Seems to me from my basic understanding, that you may be able to somehow argue that the money in the pension fund had been in a Super fund where it was taxed yearly on net income earnings at 15%. But any nett earnings made on that amount since it was transferred over to a pension account is untaxed (currently averaging out over 10 years at around 8% p/a). Also issue is the deposit amounts put into Super as concessional and non-concessional contributions - they are not nett earnings from Super, and probably deemed savings and/or income derived from other taxed investments. So those contribution amounts transferred to the pension account haven't been taxed within Super accumulation phase. Only the nett earnings have. And we cannot backtrack all contribution amounts into Super over years (decades for most) to see where they all derived from and whether they were untaxed or taxed before being contributed into Super. How to 'un-muddy' those waters? To summarize: Basically, in Oz, private pensions, when remitting money to LOS, we are moving money into Thailand from an untaxed pension fund, that previously was taxed only on nett earnings during accumulation phase in the Superannuation fund beforehand. The contributions into the Super fund that generated those earnings may have been untaxed (savings/base amount before interest earned on any investment, inheritance, compensation, etc) or taxed (income derived from external investments, taxed salaries, etc) prior to them being contributed into to the Super fund. I don't know if Thai Revenue cares about the sources of the Super fund contributions and if taxed over the decades before being put into a Super fund accumulation phase, only if the pensions accounts are or are not being taxed. Seems they just may look at the pension itself and if it is/isn't taxed and not the history of the accumulation of funds beforehand? Something I obviously need clarification with from my accountant and the Super fund. They may be able to clarify some tax info on the Australian end at best, but you'd need international tax expert advice who thoroughly understand Thai tax laws, as well as a lot of clarification from Thai revenue department. I have watched a public expat forum in Pattaya on YouTube where a tax expert guest attended and mentioned he did not believe Australian pensions would be taxed - according to his and his firm's interpretation of the legislation and DTAs. But we get alternative interpretations since. I am still not feeling any more confident about this. Keeping frugle and minimizing transfers still. And definitely holding off making any investments into Thailand. Thanks.

Sounds like this Canadian man went wayward a long time ago with his relationship to alcohol and his inability to handle probable alcoholism disease. Maintaining his visa status went out the window, then the longer someone delays, they know they are facing a decade ban, so keep putting your head under the pillow and hoping it will all go away. What will life be like for this man now in Canada? Doubt it will be a happy ending.

Looks like this man fell 'fowl' of a woman's wrath. And ended up being the c*ck fight.

RIP poor old bugger (not so old). We don't all get to die surrounded by care. If we choose/forced to live alone then there are good odds we will die and not be found for a day or more. This isn't a 'Thai' thing either, to those having another dig at Thai people and perceived heartlessness. My previous employment, I attended plenty of deceased person jobs, where they were in advanced stages of decomposition. It is a very lonely and isolated world for many people - everywhere. We never reported these matters to the media. So the public really have little idea of the scale.

If this all gets implemented then it is truly and utterly f****d. Privately funded pension in Australia - do not get taxed in Oz. I don't have a government pension. My assets exceed the threshold (I don't own a primary residence in Oz) to eventually be eligible for an old age pension too at 67 yrs (and Oz you need to go back for 2 years to be eligible). I have been slowly pushing my investments into my Superannuation fund over the years. Contribution amounts allowed into the fund are capped yearly, so a slow process. My goal was to maximize my allowable contribution balance limit into Super to generate a reasonably comfortable tax-free pension until I die and no more BS with tax and tax returns. All my investments have been from a lifetime of taxed income, taxed investments and profits, and a disability compensation lumpsum, supposedly to last me about 10-15 years of salary. Now, my strategy to enjoy my retirement years with a fuss-free pension now looks like my money put into it, will be yet again be subjected to tax - in Thailand. WTF. I already paid a sh*t ton of taxes in Oz before this money has been/will be pushed into a pension fund. My property, I aim to sell in a few years. There will be expected capital gains. My idea was to use the proceeds of the sale, with its gains, to eventually buy a nice condominium or a company titled house/villa somewhere in Thailand. But, there is no F*****G way I am paying 35% tax in Thailand to buy a property over 5 M Baht. Even if it was 10% tax. That's an instant equivalent capital loss and a huge increase in what we pay as a foreigner compared to a Thai or a wealthy person possessing a LTR visa. You would have to have rocks in your head to accept that sort of exorbitant tax to just buy a property! I also thought maybe one day buying a nice car in Thailand off the proceeds of my sale. Nope. No F*****G way. If I have to pay a stupidly excessive income tax on a vehicle purchase, then forget it. Not worth it. Two things just there that instantly reduce quality of life expectations. I'm hardly bringing any money into Thailand this year. Why the hell risk it? The cost of living here has just ramped up if this goes ahead. Yeah .... generous tax exemptions as a consolation. What a joke. Pensioners and other self funded retirees came here to escape high costs of living and relax after a life of paying taxes. Even with DTA, it doesn't remove the history of taxes already paid on incomes and investments that have been pushed into retirement funds that pay tax-free pensions, if those pensions aren't exempt. What benefits would Thailand provide to a foreigner tax-paying resident? I pay VAT, I pay taxes on road registration already. I get fees deducted from the bank. I spend all my remitted money when here. Phillipines I suppose. Hoping they don't pull the same thing there. But so far doesn't seem the case. I'm sitting on my hands for now. Not committing anything beyond essential living costs in Thailand. See how this tax year pans out. See if the Thai RD want to actively enforce this. Spending a few months abroad too to reduce time in Thailand. 99% of expats in Thailand will be doing just that - wait and see. Not actively going to the RD and asking for a Tax ID number. If RD want to rope every 179 + day expat in, they'll do it with visa renewals. Simple. Or, RD will not want to cause an exodus and leave it as it has been for decades. Being out of Thailand during the Thai tax lodgement period as well complicates things.

I am sure you'll find a similar checkpoint alert on an app somewhere for Phuket for English speaking foreigners too. Pattaya - there is a LINE app to alert checkpoints. Probably one in every major city.

I have insurance but not to pay for meds. Covers for hospital in-patient. Pre-existing conditions not covered.

People mentioning in this post the usual, why no mention of Thais not being caught. First, there may well have been Thais pulled over but not included in the tally as data requested for foreign nationals. And I have seen (over in my part of the world in Pattaya) police pulling over Thais many times, searching them etc. Yes, of course there is more leniency granted to them for traffic matters but you put yourself into this country. Their system. Second, if it was indeed a targeting of foreign nationals then consider this: if you are riding unlicensed/without a valid international driving permit, you are not covered by insurance. Any insurance policy will void a claim if you use a vehicle without a license. What is the end result? Idiots laid up in hospital, often in ICU with family begging for money on Go Fund Me as they don't have the money (or don't want to sell their assets back home to fund it). Why should the Thai government and Thai tax payers have to foot the bill? Well, they don't. And this is a deterrent/preventative measure - whether by detaining, fine, etc. Media exposure is a 'force multiplier', to spread the message of enforcement and hopefully make some foreigners think again about jumping on a bike here and riding around illegally. And FFS, it's not hard to get an international driving permit before you leave. If you don't have a motorcycle license in your own country then bad luck you don't qualify and shouldn't be riding anyway.

This Chinese man Mr 'Tian' 38 living abroad in a luxury villa illegally overstaying. What shady business/es have you been up to? Scams? Other online frauds? Laundering? Drugs? Something criminal I speculate. Why would I think that? Getting cynical

Maybe 'Stresam'? I was prescribed that at a hospital in lieu of diazepam. And an antidepressant. Cost over 4000 baht for one month. I almost fell backwards. In Oz, my specialist prescribes diazepam. The hospital specialist wouldn't. Price gauging galore.

So, this appears to be a blitz in Phuket as a knee-jerk response to the Swiss idiot who kicked the Thai doctor. Fair assumption? Since the multiple crackdowns on farangs there lately. Now punishment will be ten-fold against farang to serve as lesson to not harm Thais. I am not disputing that there are farangs doing the wrong thing. And there are some bad actors living in LOS who shouldn't be. Diazepam is dispensed at so many clinics. People with anxiety disorder, depression, chronic tinnitus and other inner ear disorders, alcohol withdrawal, chronic insomnia - can benefit from being on this medication. Of course it can be abused, which is the issue. Many clinics dispense them at 15 to 20 baht each. Hospitals charge consultation and then hospital prices which are exorbitant and almost criminal in how much they charge, albeit the apparent correct way. You go to a certified clinic to speak about suffering with a diagnosed disorder and you are provided with Diazepam and you are meant to know this is apparently not legal as you were not provided a script, rather a clinic resealable bag with a number of tablets, no receipt. Publishing an arrest for 1 x diazepam tablet, and prosecuting him for it. Wow! The man apparently 'looked suspicious' and searched. Looking suspicious? How? Nervous? Shaking in fear? Trying to conceal something? Or just by the 'look' of his face? Or just an excuse made up to target foreigners. I wonder which one. Phuket police are known for some questionable methods. Technically the medication is illegal yes, if not prescribed. But then why not crackdown on the thousands of clinics and pharmacies dispensing them to clueless foreigners.

Should not touch either. How many delicate corals that take decades to form are destroyed by apathetic tourists who trample on, break off with their hands, knock their fins into things, and some trying to acquire souvenirs or 'show and tell' at the surface. Fan coral, one of the most delicate corals that takes decades to form, I have seen videos of clumsy and intentional foreign tourists breaking pieces off. Touching and holding onto fish/reef sharks etc, can remove important protective mucous lining on their scales/skin, leading to infection.

It's not evidence, it's a 'scenario'. And I included words to the effect I hoped it (that scenario) wasn't what happened/close to the truth. Which is why I hope there is more to the story than what was reported.

I've met a few expats who have invested into a bar and their partner manages it. They just sit and build rapport with customers to generate repeat business. So technically not working but just drinking and customers buying them drinks plus the bar staff. I've been told they need to be very careful to never lift a finger to help, in case they are deemed working. Answering the phone to acknowledge a room is available, picking up a dirty ashtray to give it to staff, anything that a bar staff employee could do. But recommending a drink is deemed working? I hope there is more to the story than that as this sounds truly lame. Imagine you are sitting in a bar you invested in that your wife runs. A regular comes in and says, "Mate, what do you recommend for something new to drink, I'm sick of beer?" "Mate, how about a Sangsom and coke?" Thai undercover police swoop in. Evidence of working! No way.

Maybe Putin is sourcing more funds for his Ukraine invasion! (Just a wild theory). Russian hackers are notorious for hitting large institutions. Micro debits multiplied by few million can make a decent fraud scam very profitable.

Unfortunate third world mob leech scamming mindsets of a segment of the population- regardless if you are a good Samaritan, you may be seen as a source of funds to fix one of their own. They know we most often have insurance, and assumptions we can source the money, even if it bleeds us dry of all our funds and forces us into destitution. But it's a dog eat dog world with Thais lying against other Thais as well. I know of two separate road deaths of Thai people where blame was cast to the victims, hit and run scenario and very questionable investigation (virtually none, maybe brown envelope scenario and/or total disinterest). Families then ruthlessly scramble for assets left over with no morals or scruples. I'd have stopped as well, like many people. Perhaps it's always wise to have dash cam and phone footage on outside the car to cover yourself and upload footage to a cloud server before authorities arrive for your own backup.