2 hours ago, WingFat said:

While I sympathize with those who will find this a challenge to pay Thai taxes, the saying of "there's no free lunch" comes to mind. And the argument that these people contribute to the Thai economy in other ways, well, so does everyone else.

The folk I support here in Thailand are ALL in the grey economy and pay no income taxes whilst still having a vote. They will loose out to the value of any Thai tax I pay.

2 hours ago, Robbie2618 said:

The only income the Thai authorities would know about is what's in your local bank account that you show on visa renewal. 

If you maintain 800K for the purposes of visa renewal you are not actually showing any Thai income except interest accrued.

If you go the 65K per month route that income is already spent 100% in the "village" economy so to speak. The resultant "village" income will drop by the tax deducted which will go to central government coffers and will not be returned directly to the local economy. So effectiviely there is no levelling up with the locals only a net decline. I good vote loser policy it seems.

No matter what you will have to declare your global income I expect once you are given a Thai Tax ID number.

Until the dust settles limit your days incountry to 179 then leave until 2025 and only bring cash into Thailand.

Note: Some tax authorities have a general definition of 180 days that being for example in any continuous period of 365 days over successive tax years if 180 days are spent in country you would be a tax resident.

2 hours ago, WingFat said:

While I sympathize with those who will find this a challenge to pay Thai taxes, the saying of "there's no free lunch" comes to mind. And the argument that these people contribute to the Thai economy in other ways, well, so does everyone else.

The folk I support here in Thailand are ALL in the grey economy and pay no income taxes whilst still having a vote. They will loose out to the value of any Thai tax I pay.

2 hours ago, Robbie2618 said:

The only income the Thai authorities would know about is what's in your local bank account that you show on visa renewal. 

If you maintain 800K for the purposes of visa renewal you are not actually showing any Thai income except interest accrued.

If you go the 65K per month route that income is already spent 100% in the "village" economy so to speak. The resultant "village" income will drop by the tax deducted which will go to central government coffers and will not be returned directly to the local economy. So effectiviely there is no levelling up with the locals only a net decline. I good vote loser policy it seems.

No matter what you will have to declare your global income I expect once you are given a Thai Tax ID number.

Until the dust settles limit your days incountry to 179 then leave until 2025 and only bring cash into Thailand.

Note: Some tax authorities have a general definition of 180 days that being for example in any continuous period of 365 days over successive tax years if 180 days are spent in country you would be a tax resident.

2 hours ago, Robbie2618 said:

The only income the Thai authorities would know about is what's in your local bank account that you show on visa renewal. 

If you maintain 800K for the purposes of visa renewal you are not actually showing any Thai income except interest accrued.

If you go the 65K per month route that income is already spent 100% in the "village" economy so to speak. The resultant "village" income will drop by the tax deducted which will go to central government coffers and will not be returned directly to the local economy. So effectiviely there is no levelling up with the locals only a net decline. I good vote loser policy it seems.

No matter what you will have to declare your global income I expect once you are given a Thai Tax ID number.

Until the dust settles limit your days incountry to 179 then leave until 2025 and only bring cash into Thailand.

Note: Some tax authorities have a general definition of 180 days that being for example in any continuous period of 365 days over successive tax years if 180 days are spent in country you would be a tax resident.

On 5/28/2024 at 10:07 AM, webfact said:

Despite the severity of the assault, Pattaya police have not detained the security guards involved. Sergeant Major Arthon of the Pattaya City Police Station explained, “We can only pursue a case if a complaint is filed.

So if the victim (any victim) passes away (God forbid) the Thai Police are still powerless to charge the assailant?

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The newly added countries comprise Albania, Cambodia, China, India, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Romania, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan.

The Boys in Brown are going to get really busy. 

21 hours ago, retarius said:

What if the commanders don't accept the suspension? Who is going to enforce the suspension? 

The Bee Keeper.

21 hours ago, dingdongrb said:

 

Zebra crossings mean absolutely nothing in Thailand. That's a fact based on my personal experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agree.........................even if the vehicles stop the bikes tend not to & they all move off against the red light when no more people are crossing.

On 2/13/2024 at 4:50 AM, webfact said:

pedestrian safety reasons

Really.......................

I have stopped using the official pedestrian crossings you simply cannot rely on Thai drivers to stop when they have a Red light. You would think going through a Red light would be a big deal not so in most Thai cities it seems.

Hmmmmm thinking ............. If I end up paying Thai tax on what I bring into Thailand it just means there will be that much less spent in the local community & surrounding areas. Thailand as a whole will not be any better off. At the personal & local level of "family & friends" and all kinds of estabishments all will be worse off. Effectively the tax on me will be passed on to the locals as I will have less funds to spend with them.

If I pay Thai income tax I expect something in return. If being taxed as a local citizen I would expect the same state benefits (whatever they are), the right to vote and relief from any Dual Pricing as a Gov quoted policy eg., National Parks & Health Care.

Thai airport immigration - back to basics.

Use more international airports to share the arrivals workload.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

The Constitutional Court has cleared the former leader of the Move Forward party, Pita Limjaroenrat, of the charge that he contested in last year’s election while holding shares in a media company.

 

The Court ruled that iTV is no longer a media business; therefore, Pita’s holding of shares in iTV did not violate the Constitution and the electoral law.

 

This means that Pita will retain his MP seat and the ruling paves the way for him to make a political comeback after he was suspended from performing his legislative duties since last July.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-24

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

To have a future in Thai polics and not to let his voters down again he needs to be squeaky clean from the get go. He needs better advisors around him.

1 hour ago, proton said:

What are Thailands great products apart from silk, second rate rice, those wooden frogs and bar girls?

Medical & Dental tourism if you have insurance ........................got the UK NHS beat.

On 1/20/2024 at 12:19 PM, novacova said:

I suppose if someone wants year round fresh clean air then Barrow Alaska is the place to be.

Or 

On 1/19/2024 at 10:15 AM, siftasam said:

I know that I must speak to my Thai lawyer about this, but I wondered if anyone has any experience of, or thoughts on, a bad situation I face.

 

I have yet more serious surgery soon. I am 77 years old.

 

My EX-girlfriend (EX for 6 years) still lives in my house because I 100% support her wonderful 10 year old daughter. I call her my 'daughter'. Inevitably, that means I support her mother too but there is no legal affiliation between her mother and me. She is a bad woman to me but, because of her daughter, I made my EX the heiress in my Will to my house (held by usufruct), money etc.

 

My EX doesn't deserve to inherit. My daughter does.

 

But can I leave everything to a 10 year old girl? Even if I can, a big problem would be the executor. I have nobody and, obviously, I cannot ask one of her family. A lawyer can be an executor but I cannot see this working. Much too complicated and expensive.

 

I want my daughter to continue living in the house. 

 

What if I left my house to my EX together with some money? Could I then arrange with my lawyer that the rest of my money (enough for my daughter to finish her schooling) be 'invested' for her? The only safe way would seem to be in a Thai bank?

 

But held for her until what age? Inflation would presumably far exceed interest paid at a bank BUT at least she would have some money when she is say 16 or 18. And she is intelligent enough to use it wisely, I think. Her mother would have spent most of it on herself long before, without any thought for the future. My EX would have to get a job meanwhile, something she has not had for 8 years.

 

I presume, if I do this, that I must involve a lawyer so that my daughter will be able to access this account without any problem when she reaches the contractually stipulated age. I don't think I can arrange this legally myself with the bank?

 

A difficult situation. Many thanks for any comments!

If trusts are not available in Thailand and Thai property aside why do you not set one up in your home country?

This whole issue is not news worthy. 

Such pictures are not required and reflect poorly on the Police & Thai press for publishing them.

The fact the girls faces are obscured is crazy and causes the eye to wonder.

The officers do look a bit uncomfortable maybe their faces should of been obscured too.

28 minutes ago, malt25 said:

Why do you need a passport when checking into a hotel. In the past 12 months alone i've checked into different hotels in Bangkok, reasonably upmarket, Udon Thani & Khon Kaen. Not once have I been asked for my passport. Drivers license is always sufficient. Maybe it's the appearance & attitude of those who get asked to show passport. Just a thought.

Could be that your passport number is denoted on your Thai drivers licence.

Twice at DMK Terminal 2 being either too early to check in before going through security I have been chosen for a random "WTF are you doing here chat" by 4 (always 4) immigration punters. I never waited to be asked for my Passport I just handed it over. They were all very polite and friendly except 1 (always 1 had to ask if I was married to a Thai or had a Thai gf). One of the non speakers was tasked with photographing the passport pages of interest and to prove they had actually approached someone I guess. They were just wondering around being proactive on the departures concourse.

I cannot see domestic airline staff being tasked with checking for over stayers.

18 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

you should be fine, but watch out for the GP  they have a nasty habit of striking people off their lists if you haven't been sick for a while,  I think its 5 years, but I'm not sure.

To be honest I'm not sure its a requirement to be registered, personally I don't think it should be , as It can be difficult to find one willing to accept  new patients, as I found out during covid when I needed to get jabbed in order to be allowed to travel 

If you leave the UK and become a non-resident you are meant to de-register with your local GP Practice. 

So who gets to vote and who does not qualify to be able to vote?

From link in Post.

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Who can register

You must be aged 16 or over (or 14 or over in Scotland and Wales).

You must also be one of the following:

a British citizen

an Irish or EU citizen living in the UK

a Commonwealth citizen who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission

a citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission

Check which elections you’re eligible to vote in.

You can vote when you’re 18 or over. If you live in Scotland or Wales, you can vote in some elections when you’re 16 or over - check which elections you’re eligible to vote in.

You normally only need to register once - not for every election. You’ll need to register again if you’ve changed your name, address or nationality. 

Only the village head man can stop a bored granny from sweeping up the leafs on the road side and setting them alight.

In fact the village head man is key to stopping any activity in his area that is either unauthorised or harmful to the residents.

The village head men need to be brought into line with current Government policy on burning.

Burning sugar cane crops to facilitate harvesting cannot be justified.

On a local level trash needs to be collected by the District and not burnt on a near daily basis.

Is there a hot line telephone number for reporting smokey locations & vehicles?

Just missing a keep off the grass sign................like the keep off the Moat Wall signs only in English.

Probably not designed to be moved under load.

15 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

But what could one do? Desperate people, rejected by their own societies and possibly women from their own cultures, had to travel 10,000 miles to live like refugees (year-to-year permissions) and possibly get a wife for a decent life that they could not get in their homelands. 

I was also "desperate" for the lower cost of living & better weather.................