BangkokTony

You need to be absolutely sure you are not dealing with a scam email first. You need to contact the HMRC directly. Do not click or any links in the email. Do not cut and paste or follow any URL details in the email.
 
I wouldn't stress too much about an estimated assessment from HMRC. They are easily remedied.

I'm sure this must be a technical error .  Perhaps you have not sent in your tax return form and papers , so these figures may be estimates based on your income while working in Britain . You had nothing to pay 2016/17 , so why now , if true as stated your income is so low there shouldn't be anything to pay .  Did this tax demand arrive by post in a brown envelope ? If not I should suspect a scam , it also seems strange that next years tax demand is being requested in advance , on account , I don't believe the inland revenue does that .  
Do you spend a lot of time in Britain , for which you might be considered taxable ? After 12 years , if living in Thailand all the time with so small an income , you shouldn't be in touch with the inland revenue at all . Unless mistaken , the tax demand per year must about equal your entire annual income . I have lived abroad since 1998 and have had no contact with the inland revenue at all . I have not received a tax return form since 1992 . You need to check up by letter or telephone , not E mail . If you don't pay , will they send someone to Thailand to collect the money , or perhaps extradite you back to Britain ? Most likely NO !   

I will wager this is an estimated assessment based on failure to provide information.
 
Correspondence may have been sent to your UK address.
 
Or alternatively it is a scam email. Are you sure it was from HMRC?

I received an e mail.  I went to HMRC.gov.uk.  Used my sign in info with password.  Received a text via mobile phone.  Logged in. Everything seems legitimate.

I am aware that scammers do offer to reimburse if too much tax paid etc.  

I am going to call at 4pm today to find out more

Today I received a tax bill of 8296 gbp.  I am living in Thailand.  My only income is from my UK pension of 622.60 a month. I have lived here 12 years but this year HMRC are asking for 8,296 for year ending April 2018 and ...also, on account 8296 for year April 2019..total 16,592 GBP.
how can this be possible? I do have savings interest that accrue to 1000 gbp a year.

Tax year 2016/17 I was informed there was no tax to pay and no details have changed.

I have no other income than my pension and interest.

Description

Amount (£)Tax8296.15

Surcharges0.00

Interest0.00

Penalties0.00

Sub total8296.15

Less payments for this year0.00

Less other adjustments0.00

Total8296.15

My ex wife and I were divorced in Bangkok.  You have confirmed my belief that I have to go through the UK divorce system.  Should be fairly easy, pay 300gbp and wait a few weeks.  There are two children involved but the mother is not asking for any money at all.

I'm not 100% sure we are divorced in UK.  The solicitor should have told us.  Ill ask my ex to confirm.

.." or was a National of the country"  I may have overlooked that point.  In which case 3 months stay may not be necessary

I intend to take my Thai lady friend whom I have known for 3 years to UK in May 2020 for a holiday. Myself, I will be staying longer, at least 4 months to set my divorce in motion from my ex Thai wife. (We married in the UK in 2001 and divorced 4 years ago)  We are divorced in Thailand but not in UK therefore I have to live there 3 months before I can file for divorce.

The lady in question works in a legitimate massage/beauty shop and pays tax and Insurance so will have no problem showing her work status from the employer. She will have the necessary documents regarding reason to return, ie, her Chanote for house and Rubber trees in Nong Khai. She has a 5 year old daughter living with her mother.

If possible I would like to unfreeze my pension during this period, thus killing 3 birds with one stone (holiday/divorce and pension)

How should I go about applying for her visitor visa?  I will rent a flat for the duration of my stay.

Could there be a problem that the Officer will not believe there is reason to return and if so, how could I address it?

Do not trust the addition on the receipt if you buy items of 4 or more.  There is a way of adding more baht without it showing up. 

I have experienced this at 3 shops.  

I believe I am correct in saying the bail money can only be returned to the person who deposited it to the court.

I could envisage problems if the OP did not do so personally.

I will require a new retirement extension next May 2019.  Can I use funds from 2 different bank accounts to satisfy CW rules? (ie , I predict 500,000 and 400,000 next May)

Why I ask is because I have a fixed account, Bangkok bank, that expires in March with 400,000 deposited.  If I renew that deposit in the same account in March I wonder if immigration will say those funds have not been in the account for 3 months, even though it is the same account.

I am reluctant to send money from UK at present with the unfavourable exchange rate.

SamsenSam ... Yes, the daytime is no real problem.  Its the evening. Why is it not a walking street?  Why are cars/tuk tuks and motorcycles allowed to drive down at speed throughout the day? OK, allow vehicles to load/unload before, say, 5pm .  Then close the road.  Most vendors come out at 5pm and obstruct those who want to walk in a leisurely fashion. 

You have been here long enough to know that there is congestion especially at 8pm because of food carts etc. situated in the road.  The vendors can erect their stalls on the marked spaces already set up on the road.  Yes, it will interfere with the taxis and tuk tuks plying there trade but a parking area can be applied at the last 20 metres each end of the road so drivers can continue overcharging naive tourists.

I doubt the new regulations will reach your area of Samsen any time soon so you can cease worrying.

Also there is a large area on Ratchdomnern road that the stalls can relocate to with a cut through on the KS soi

1 hour ago, samsensam said:

 

i saw this in the uk press, the 'reporter' has clearly no idea what they are talking about; these stall holders havent been blocking khao san road during the day for about three years. it is simply not news and it's a pity the thai visa team is peddling such inaccurate/untrue stories, far better to be reporting the correct facts, surely?!

Many people replying to this topic do not know enough about the situation at Khao San.  Maybe they have not been here.

I have reason to be here 6 days a week.  I am continually annoyed by the motor cycles/cars/ tuk tuks and taxis beeping me out of the way on the road.  Obviously I cannot walk on the footpath.

Tuk tuks wait expectantly at the Burger King end waiting for unsuspecting tourists. Food stalls are positioned  anywhere on the street.  Impossible to walk in a straight line. 

Laughing gas is sold openly.  

The answer?...Make it a Walking street and register all vendors with a license that can be shown at any time to an official if he has the nerve to ask. This license would also be connected to a tax I.D.  All stalls would be marked out on the road (they are marked out already).  Prohibit vehicles after 4pm;  a strong barrier at both ends, especially in the case of terrorists driving a vehicle down the street.  No vehicles allowed to loiter after 4pm on the street.

 There is a large vacant area on Ratchdomnoen road that can accomodate the vendors..   A cut through from KS to Ratchdomnoen exists already.  Therefore a 2 minute walk to the market with maybe music, stalls etc can be set up.

I know too much.

The 66 bus goes past Central and Major Pinklao then turns left on to Charoen Sonitwong then proceeds to near Bang Sue.  Drops off on the steps of immigration.

I then do the reverse on the way back.  Buses every 15 mins or so.

19 hours ago, samsensam said:

in the UK in the 1970s there was a tv show called; Why Don't You Just Switch Off Your Television Set and Go Out and Do Something Less Boring Instead?

 

replace 'television set' with 'computer/tablet/phone', as applicable, i think you'll enjoy and get a lot more out of life ?

How do you manage your time Sam?

I have plenty of time on my hands and regularly watch vlogs via my tv or pc.  

I have noticed that many vloggers are asking for 'support' via Patreon or click like, comment or share.

Most of them vlog 2 or three times a week and on their site ask for donations.  

I know of only two Thailand vloggers who do not ask for money.  I have never donated and never will and am perturbed by their thick skinned attitude.  No one is asking them to vlog; it is their choice.  

Why should I pay for their lifestyle?

It appears they want to stop ENRAPMENT

I live in Pinklao.  2 weeks ago I paid 420 baht + extra for using toll ways.  So, 470 would be the top price.

What some drivers do is cover the meter with a cloth at the start of the journey (it already has the last persons fare on it).  At some point they will take it off.  You will only know if you were scammed if you check the KM figure on the meter.

They also have a switch to the right of the steering wheel which can make the meter go faster.

I have encountered both these scams.

Do they not obstruct the view?

Maybe she did not realize he was an old man until she was married?

Number 2 appears to be the genuine one.  

They state on their home page some are  "ungenuine Elite web sites"

I wonder if agents are responsible for the "ungenuine"?

https://thailandelite.com/#/

Bangkok Bank, Sukhumvit soi 43 will open an account.  I opened 2 accounts a year ago.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/default.aspx

6 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

For some reason I didn't see all these comments from May.  You say a large bar on the same side, actually in KSR, and a similar clientele??

The last time I was in KSR all the drinking seemed to be on the street.

Khao San Center bar is where some of the girls have moved on to. Not so many older guys.  Only 3 or 4 there last night.   Me and another guy.

This quote comes to mind whilst reading these posts....My manner of thinking, so you say, cannot be approved. Do you suppose I care? A poor fool indeed is he who adopts a manner of thinking for others!    M de Sade

10,000 baht! Disgraceful. Start at 500,000.