persimmon

I wonder what would happen in the case of someone on a TV who inadvertently stayed 181 days . Would there be any problems exiting the country , or returning in future ? I can imagine it could get very expensive if the RD demanded a tax return based on total worldwide income . A powerful reason not to stay more than 180 days .

Just exchange the £ $ at SuperRich or any of the other Xchange booths . If in small amounts it probably won`t be picked up . Or get someone else to do it with their passport .

Remember that Russian (Patts area ) who died from electrocution a while ago ? He went to retrieve a basketball and accidentally touched wires at the base of some kind of street lamp . Best not to assume Western standards of electrical safety when in Thailand .

The Thai teacher I used in Patts ( quite plain looking , around 20 ish ) told me she was thinking about marriage and wanted a 4 million Bt SinSot . This is the problem - they think all Westerners are very rich and have heard stories and seen large mansions built by Thai wives of Foreigners . As for the families - they are just trying it on - just as all low-lifes would . I guess 90 % of Thai women looking for a foreign husband are just after the money - anyone will do as long as they stump up the $ . I don`t think a relationship like that would ever satisfy me .

Wow , Siamese fighting fish - seems like a good business to be in .

I used to get a VPN service free with my Norton security subscription . Tried using it once in Thailand to watch BBC IPlayer but refused because it said I was in Singapore . Shortly after that the VPN no longer worked and still doesn`t - maybe Norton no longer allows it due to VPNs not being legal in some countries ?

Part of the problem is that of very high expectations . My Thai GF has pointed out a couple of very large houses that probably cost 10-15 million bt . in the local small town , built by Farangs , hinting that she would like the same . Lots of cashed-up retirees heady to Thailand with big final salary pensions . The days of 10 k bt, per month have long gone .

Last year I walked back to my hotel room from the Central area in Udon at around 9 pm and it was like a ghost town - didn`t see a single person - it`s not like Patts at all . I think most crime seems to be drug related . I often watch the Thairat news show and remember an article about people being robbed in Nong Prajack Park , presumably when they were asleep , so I never feel 100 % safe there and would never go after dark .

Good luck finding a fund manager who can beat the index year after year . There may be a few , but they are extremely rare .

Investing in condos sounds good . There is a slight problem though - some condos seem to go downhill and look scruffy and dilapidated . If this happens , it might be difficult to get your money out if you need to .

I was there to do a visa crossing last year . I think after 3 or 4 days I would start to get bored of the place . There`s the small night market at the weekend and the walk along the river can be pleasant , but apart from that .....? Maybe if you had a Thai partner to go out with it might be different , but for a solo traveller ? Am I missing something here ?

The article says he didn`t buy travel insurance because of a pre-existing condition . This can be a problem . Last year I visited the GP in the UK for a very minor condition and was referred to a specialist . Thanks to the NHS waiting times , I couldn`t conclude the treatment before my trip abroad . I found getting travel insurance very difficult , indeed one company told me I was " un-insurable " because I had an undiagnosed medical condition . The best quote I could find eventually was c . £ 700 , the year before it was c. £ 170 .

Similar thing happens when you get off a bus and are surrounded by several taxi / TT drivers desperate to make a few baht . They see a foreigner who they know must be rich and are probably p*ssed off when they get refused .

This would be great for those who spend the Winter in Thailand and fits in well with the new tax treatment . ie. 60 + 30 -----> border in/out , then another 60 + 30 gives 180 days . Excellent . Probably won`t happen though or maybe just for a few weeks then back to normal .

First came over 25 + years ago to meet a Thai GF and was blown away by the climate , culture and just everything . Now too old to get involved with the ladies so it`s just the weather that keeps me coming back and the fact I can speak the lingo - thought about Spain , but don`t fancy learning Spanish , plus it`s not so easy now after Brexit .

There will be ways round it , there always are with these things . Specialists in accounting and company law will figure out the best way of doing it but we will have to wait until the details are known before jumping to conclusions .

One of these sat next to me on the songtow to Jomtien , rather too closely as it turns out . After a couple of minutes I felt a hand pulling at my wallet . Luckily I reacted and stopped it . Thought about punching the thief but decided against it . Yes , they are scary , watch out for groups of them loitering on the sidewalk late in the evening . If you walk through them , chances are they will use the distraction method to lift your wallet .

Maybe unaffordable for those on a tight budget . I think the going rate for support is around 10 - 20,000 / month .

Is it a lot cheaper to live in LOS than back in Europe / US ? For me , I worked out I was spending almost twice as much per month in Thailand ( renting small room and not living extravagantly ie. no P4P and few nights out ). Obviously having a nicer life though .????

I think part of the problem with a UK pension ( SIPP ) is in the detail of how it`s transferred to someone who is not a UK resident . The SIPP provider I contacted was rather vague and evasive and I got the impression there was a significant risk that they would deduct 40 % before sending the cash .

Walking on the roadside for that distance ? Chances of making it unscathed to the end must be slim to none .

re QNUPS . Thanks for the link . Could you tell me why QNUPS is better than a UK based SIPP ( private pension ) ? which is also free from IHT when it`s passed on ?

Ideally , the executor should also be the main beneficiary . IME , it`s all too easy for the executor to " forget " to pay all the beneficiaries . Also , be careful about making a solicitor the only executor - some will only do the job on a " time " basis . Doing this is similar to giving them a blank cheque to spend as long as they like , and at £ 250 - £ 300 per hour , it could take quite a chunk out of the estate . Also , something that hasn`t been mentioned - pensions can be inherited free from IHT , although if the beneficiary is not a UK resident , this might be a complication ( I tried to get more detail on this but haven`t been able to get a definitive answer yet ) .

I think you are allowed to give away £ 3000 per year without any tax implications . Also , you can give away as much as you like as long as you do it regularly , make a note of it , and can prove it`s from excess income ( ie. you can afford to give it away without impacting on a reasonable lifestyle ). There are various ways of avoiding the worst of IHT , such as using trusts , but it`s all quite complicated , so best to consult an expert . You can give away as much as you like to anyone without paying any tax , as long as you survive a further 7 years .

re. capital gains tax - " cannot offset gains against losses " ...this seems unusual and quite detrimental for the investor - asymmetry of risk / reward .