nottin

Windsor Windows is worth checking with https://www.windsor.co.th

Thought it might be interesting to read some sections of the revenue code.

From the section 42 of the revenue code there are some sources of income which are exempt from income tax calculation.

(10) Income derived from an inheritance.

(23) Income from sale of investment units in a mutual fund.

(24) Income of a mutual fund.

Plus, there is no capital gain tax from equity trading in Thailand. So although not mentioned in the code specifically that would be another source exempted.  

These are cut and pasted from the code here

https://www.rd.go.th/english/37749.html

23 hours ago, JackGats said:

You are a tax resident if you stay in TH at least 180 (or 183) days in a single tax year. If you stay in TH 180 days but have no tax ID you are a tax resident avoiding (evading?) taxes. Not being registered as a tax-payer and not  filing taxes doesn't protect you from legally being considered a tax resident.

I am not saying I am not a tax resident anywhere. I am a tax resident in another country and cannot get around that. Ok, I do earn some income in Thailand, and pay taxes on it, all 3,500 Baht interest from my bank account. I have never seen or been told that I am a tax resident in Thailand even though I spend 90% of the year here. Just went through this with broker accounts I set up earlier this year in Europe, US & Asia, and their compliance departments were satisfied with my explanation of where my tax jurisdiction is and that I have no tax liability in Thailand even though I consider myself a resident here, which at this time, I believe to be completely true.  

I did try searching for guidelines of what makes a tax resident, a resident of a country, and as long as I do what I need for my legal tax jurisdiction in another country I am good.

If Thailand tries coming after all income earned abroad by a retiree residing in Thailand, yet who is not allowed to work in Thailand, well they cannot even accomplish this with their own citizens. 

I think it is safe to say in order to be a tax resident you must have a tax ID. You can be a resident in Thailand because you spend most of the year in Thailand, but that alone doesn't make you a tax resident. How to get a tax ID here, first off you should earn income here. The stipulations of Non-imm OA retirement visa and Thailand Elite, both clearly state you cannot work. So unless they start handing out tax IDs, I am not worried. And then even if they did, sure they might know of one overseas account where you send your money from to support yourself in Thailand, but good luck learning about any other accounts. They will have a hard enough time finding the accounts of the smart Thais who have already taken their Baht out Thailand.

17 hours ago, Tuvoc said:

One calendar month has passed since my Elite application was submitted. Given how busy they must be, I would say it will be the full estimated 2 months before I get an approval letter. That is fine. Anyone else have recent experience with timelines ?

Should be quicker. I submitted my application online directly with Thailand Elite on about 15 August and just today received an approval letter. So less than 6 weeks. Approval letter is valid for a month. As luck would have it, am leaving on an overseas holiday this weekend for a month. So not sure what this means. I think as long as I pay 1 million Baht within the next 30 days I am good and then when come back to Thailand can go to immigration and cancel current non-OA and switch to Thailand Elite at the same time. And that maybe can be done anytime before non-OA expires. 

6 hours ago, Tuvoc said:

Did you do it directly, or through one of the many agents ?

Directly with them online. It is very easy, very quick. Now am waiting for them to verify documents which they say can take up to 3 months. 

Thailand actually has an AML agency, wow, so diligent!

I would think just one transaction isn't going to alert the AML, but a series of them with the same characteristics might start to raise attention. 

If you have a larger amount, let's just say something like USD 200k, coming into your Thai bank account don't be surprised if you are called by the treasury department asking about it. It is not so much about why it is coming, but a sum like that hitting them unannounced puts them at some market risk with the USD after converting to THB for you. Yeah they will ask what the amounts for, but "living expenses" always works cause how to debate that. But if they call it's actually a really good  thing cause then you can negotiate a better rate with them while on the call! If it just came straight through then you would get whatever market rate they have. Someone earlier suggested calling the bank before the transfer to alert them it is coming which is a great idea because then you can hopefully negotiate a better rate as well. All that said, if use Wise to convert and wire in THB they seem to have very competitive rates. Just my two cents, but hopefully it makes you a few extra Baht!

Assuming this is for the non-IMM O-A the need to make sure the insurance system has been updated by your insurance provider. Don't know if really necessary to have a hard copy of new policy with the policy dates as they seem to check a system to confirm anyway. Also remember the expiration date of new policy will be expiration date of visa extension, i.e. if policy runs only 6 most the visa extension will only be till that date.

I just saw this post and it reminded me I have 2 trips abroad in the next month and I forgot to get re-entry permits. Too late to schedule an appointment online for Chaeng Wattana Complex for the first trip, so my choices are to go to CWC without an appt or get at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a re-entry permit at Suvarnabhumi before a 800am flight?

Is it a long wait to get at CWC without an appt?

Can I get 2 re-entry permits at the same time (2 x 1000 Baht < 3800 Baht for multiple)? 

2 minutes ago, Pib said:

I can see how a person can infer from their site that 100K is required for across the board medical insurance for a marriage visa but they are really only talking COVID coverage. 

 

Take a look at the site's insurance requirements for a O marriage visa and OA retirement visa...you'll see the site requires 400K/40K baht general insurance and the 100K USD COVID insurance for an OA; however, the O marriage only requires the 100K USD COVID Insurance.

 

https://www.thaiembassy.sg/visa-matters-/-consular/types-of-visa

It seems clear to me for O visa it is required. But for O-A it's a little confusing cause the section is under Visa and COE applicants, however we know it is definitely required for O-A new visas and extensions.

10 minutes ago, BritTim said:

That is not true, though the Non O (spouse) application requirements are much more onerous than almost anywhere else. This is the relevant page:

https://www.thaiembassy.sg/visa-matters-/-consular/types-of-visa/non-immigrant-visa-o-thai-spouse.

 

It appears that they are insisting on the Covid insurance at the time of application for the visa, not waiting until you apply for a COE. There is no suggestion that general health insurance is necessary.

On the page from your link this is requirement 6. Which is the same as for the O-A visa. How do you read it as not being a requirement?

6. A copy of health insurance covering medical expenses including COVID-19 for the entire period of stay in Thailand at the amount of at least 100,000 USD

Looks like the same insurance requirement, US$100k, is the same now for non-immigration O (marriage) and O-A (retirement) visas. At least if applying for a new visa by looking at the Thai Embassy Singapore site. 

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Talk about forward planning.....

The O-X option is not popular for good reason.

Some folk have done annual extensions for longer than most would be alive in retirement.

You can always purchase 20yr PE.

I don't see the issue. 

What is 20yrs PE?

Here's a related question.

What is the most reliable, secure, assured, best way to stay in Thailand long term if am married to a Thai and am retired and intend to stay for the rest of your life?

The non-immigration O and O-A visa extensions are options, but are only valid one year per extension. The new retirement visas mentioned a few months ago sound interesting in that they might be valid for 10 years. The non-immigration O-X already offers that. But what happens after 10 years. 

20 hours ago, skatewash said:

No, you don't need a fit-to-fly certificate.  Yes, you need a negative covid test result 3 days before your departure to the US.  Note that it can be the cheaper rapid antigen test and does not need to be the more expensive RT-PCR test.  Also, the 3 day specification is a lot easier to comply with than the 72 hours standard.  All explained in detail at the following:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

Of course, the above are requirements for entry into the US, you must check any additional requirements imposed by your airline(s) or transit countries.

As skatewash said, check with the countries/airports you are transiting through. Transiting through Singapore for example doesn't accept the cheaper rapid test, only the RT-PCR test.

Keep believing, it's happening. I live in Bangkok and got first jab of Pfizer yesterday. Arm still hurts!

This appt came from a call from the hospital last week to say they can now offer me vaccine. I am a patient of theirs and had my name on their list for two months. A bit strange, a couple hours after my jab yesterday I got two different emails from MFA/expatvac@consular, both coming to my gmail acct (maybe from registering on expatvac site two weeks ago as [email protected] and [email protected]) giving details of appt for this coming Thursday, at the same hospital that I got my jab yesterday. So maybe the hospital knew my name was coming and since my name was already on their list and I am a patient of theirs they offered early. 

More good news is they give a 13 digit ID which can be used to create a More Prom account which contains jab details, next appt. And most importantly this looks to be where we will have our vaccine certificate which will be crucial for future travel. 

I am really confused why we signed up on Sunday on the expatvac.consular.go.th site, when now the thailandintervac.com site is being updated with links to hospitals to sign up with them. Afaik they are both MFA managed sites.

Clicking on a couple of the links on the thailandintervac,

Bumrungrad gives prompt to select your preference of vaccine, Pfizer, AZ or any.

Samitivej Sukhumvit says they have Pfizer, AZ and Sinovac but you do not get to choose.

MedPark doesn't say, but some ppl who have signed up say they got to choose. 

Then there's this tweet from US Embassy from yesterday.

Something doesn't feel right to me, or as we were led to believe.

The first email I used yesterday to try registering came back with the email is invalid error.

After almost 10 hours I did receive the email last night just before 9pm with the link to register! The email came from [email protected] as opposed to [email protected]. So am sure they had a very busy day and late night cleaning up the mess!

My gmail.com address is like [email protected]. But this address says is already in use. So I add a period and make it [email protected]. It works.

But on form in the first locked field is this email address with a period. That's not my email address, am afraid wouldn't get follow on msgs. So try sending an email from a hotmail email address to [email protected] and I receive it in [email protected]

Does gmail know that [email protected] and [email protected] are the same?

I'm still waiting for emails for the two addresses I used. It's been at least an hour and a quarter now.

If they give first AZ and then wait 3 months for the second that implies the AZ is quite effective after only one jab. And seeing how AZ and J&J use the same technology and J&J only requires one jab, seems to make sense.

If Sinovac is given first then wait 3-4 weeks for AZ that to me implies the Sinovac is used for that 3-4 week window only before getting AZ. So I ask myself, if I am willing to go unvaccinated for those 3-4 weeks before I get that AZ jab, am I not better off because not mixing with something am really not  comfortable with, is one less needle in my arm and I'm in the same situation as someone who got AZ first. Do realise would probably need a second jab of something after 3 months of the AZ, but everyone that is getting Sinovac and Sinopharm will be in the same situation, ie those jabs need to be replaced by AZ or mRNA.

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

And now, another 2.5 mm doses.

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/us-plans-to-donate-2-5-million-doses-of-vaccine-to-thailand/

 

Wow.

 

Meanwhile, I think I see an extra pre-registration in my future.

 

 

Now the 500k doses for frontline workers, up from 200k, has been pushed up tp 700k. Yep the definition of frontline workers has certainly gotten more liberal and lots more space opened up for VIPs 

Interesting that 45,000 doses will be used for testing and research. Have they even tested giving an mRNA booster after two does of Sinovac?? Or they will just wait for real world data

1 hour ago, rodknock said:

i use the 65,000baht per month, not the 800,000.

all i know the io went over to a computer and looked at something.

he then did some sort of print out, i never got to see it.

he showed it to some other io there.

as i said they had me go down to the bank and make a deposit of 100baht and then a copy of the book showing the deposit.

i had the letter from bkk. bank showing that was an active account and deposits were made there every month.

this is the first time in 10years they have ever asked for something like that.

i understand with the 800,000baht method you need to have deposits and copies of your bank book.

From my experience when extending the retirement visa they go to the computer to check your insurance coverage for the next year. And the dates of new policy are what they use for the new visa.

They check your bank balances by looking at your bank books directly. At least this is what I encountered at Chaeng Wattana.

Didn't they originally come out with a 1m+ doses they require for medical workers. Then there was uproar and they then said would go only to frontline workers dealing with Covid-19 patients. And the doses came down to 200k. Now we see they will get 500K. 

I totally agree that frontline medical staff need to be protected. But I'm not convinced that they should be getting 3rd jabs when so many of the general population haven't even had one. I try running numbers in my head and seems even if their efficacy has dropped a lot, yet the patients they get have zero protection, wouldn't it be better if patients and workers all had at least some protection rather than some have a lot and most have none.

Don't mean to sound like an evil cynic, but why the 2.5x increase in required doses now. Sure seems likes the definition of frontline workers dealing with Covid-19 patients widened. My worry is non-medical ppl, because of connections with the hospitals, charities, etc will fall into this group and there's where some of 500k go. 

Another interesting group is the one for 22,500 ppl including athletes. Keep an eye how many "athletes" are vaccinated. Pfizer had an agreement with the Olympics to vaccinate athletes, but seeing how the Olympics have already started, that should leave only the Paralympian athletes as their games are a month away.