gejohesch

I saw that in India in a few places I visited just a few years ago, eg Rishikesh, Gokarna or Hampi. I met a nice Israeli mature couple in Orccha who brought the subject themselves, being embarrassed by the poor behaviour of their younger compatriots in India. They tried to explain it by "they had a tough time while in the army and now need to let their hair down". But I think there is also sthg true in what you're saying - they feel superior to others. Maybe it's more the case with poorly educated people, as also happens with of other nationalities?

The Thai culture is charming, but if only they would spend a bit less time laughing, playing, praying and singing when at school (or even at work!), and a bit more time actually concentrating on learning and/or doing something.... Ah, the word "concentrating" ...... I will stop here!

It seems to me that Thais consume a lot of Chinese products (plastic stuff, tools, electric pumps etc). I wonder what effect US tariffs on China might have on Chinese sales in Thailand?

I went to KL 2 weeks ago, so just a bit later than you. I found the MDAC system straightforward as far as filling in the details are concerned, and indeed got a reply by email, quite rapidly (cannot remember, maybe just a few hours, not more), with a pdf file attached. However, the pdf did not contain a QR code. I could get confirmation on the MDAV website that my application was indeed received, however, when going to get the QR code, the system replied with the message that "no record was found". I tried multiple times. I got a bit nervous, having to fly to KL without a QR code. There was absolutely no explanation whatsoever on the website why I would not get a QR code. So, rather poor show I think! Arriving in KL, I could go through the automatic gates (EU passport) no pbm. Maybe that's where the MDAC system recognises me as having registered online? No idea! Leaving KL, a bit of a nagging doubt again - what if immigration asks to see that damn QR code - which I never got? But I went through no question asked. Conclusion, it's a good system. Makes entry-exit easy and quick. Shame it was a bit obscure wrt getting, or not, that (in)famous QR code. Having had a few minor but annoying issues when registering for entering Thailand during COVID times, I rather expect the Thailand equivalent MDAC system to be even more obscure. Ah, that's the word, is it not, about Thailand : obscure....

Thanks, interesting .... and vague as usual for most stuff coming from Thailand. What does "elderly" mean? Older than 65, 70, 75, 83 and 3 months????

Thanks, good to know

I didn't know that was possible. Interesting.

I'm planning a trip to Nepal in September, accompanied by my Thai partner. During that trip, we I intend to do a trek of 6 to 8 days. I had some trouble finding an insurance for myself (EU citizen) that would include search and rescue cover, which is required to trek in Nepal, but eventually found one - worked as ca. 220 Euros for 3 weeks. However, I have even more difficulties finding a similar insurance for my partner (Thai woman). Lots of stuff found online is specific to citizens to one part of the world only, which means that it takes an awful time sifting through all the links, when searching. I found an offer for her with World Nomads but it's sthg around 1,000 USD. No way, I'm going to take anything like that!!!! Would anyone on this forum have a recommendation? I would be very grateful!

It is not at all uncommon that one would have to declare for tax in a given country even if that does not involve a tax liability. I give an example I know very well. Certain foreign residents in Portugal have had for years been living under the so-called RNH system ("Residente Não Habitual") with the requirement to declare their worldwide income to the Portuguese authorities while as a matter of fact the taxation rate applied to the declared income was 0% (YES!). Needless to say, that system was fiercely attacked by other countries and the taxation rate under the RNH regime is not 0% anymore (but still rather low).

I'm not clear about what you want to say here, but one thing I can tell you to make it clear is that a DTA (Double Taxation Agreement) is not an agreement that allows 2 countries to tax you on the same item. On the contrary, it is an agreement to avoid double taxation. Now, each DTA between "Country 1" and "Country 2", be it Germany-Zimbabwe, USA-Timbuktu or Croatia-PNG will have all sorts of bells and whistles and they will differ from DTA to DTA. Certain income items will be taxable in Country 1 and not in Country 2, others will be taxable in Country 2 and not in Country 1 - and yet other items might not be taxable at all.

"Many visitors feel targeted due to nationality-based pricing, viewing it as an implicit form of discrimination." Yes, I cannot help it, but I indeed feel targeted. "Furthermore, the higher costs could deter some tourists, potentially affecting Thailand's competitiveness compared to neighbouring nations without such policies. Charges for foreigners can be significantly steeper, leading tourists to question the fairness of paying more for identical experiences as locals." It certainly deters me. It's been years I have refused to visit any of those places that would charge me so much more than if I was a local. I do not like being treated like a walking ATM. And that by the way is not only in Thailand, but also in India for example. I remember the entrance to the park on the other side of the Yamuna River, opposite the Taj Mahal, charging sthg like 5-10 times more a foreigner than an Indian national - I did not enter. Or visiting the sites in Yucatan, Mexico - sthg like 30+ EUR or USD pp - what the hell do they think, tourists are loaded with millions? Those charges come on top of everything else and it ends up being a bit OTT.

Could be interesting, but do you know more about possibilities to do that, either in THB and in Thailand, or in another currency and that would be paid to her being resident in Thailand?

Correct also in the jurisdictions that apply to me : the pensions are transferred to the surviving legal spouse (with substantial reductions from what they were being paid to me). Nothing could possibly pass to my GF. So the question for me is how to either: 1) Make an investment on my GF's name. Best seems to be a life insurance. I checked: a life insurance would not be considered as part of the estate upon my passing away, so it would be 100% to her benefit. or 2) Make a will to the benefit of my Thai GF, taking into account that it can only be whatever remains after the parts that would go by law to my children. I think it would be possible not leaving any part of the estate to my legal wife, which would not worry me as I have very well looked after her and she would get my pensions (reworked). However, this may not be the better option because: it needs legal work (tedious, intricate) + the fiscality that would apply to a beneficiary other than the ones dictated by the law (the ones that cannot be disinherited) would probably be heavy.

Yes. I just checked that. It's exactly how it works.

Again (!) : No, that is not always true. Different countries (citizenship, pension sources), or better said : different jurisdictions > different laws. Just read what Red Phoenix explained, and my replies above. In most Western European countries, one cannot disinherit children. And to be precise, at least in the jurisdictions that apply to me, the laws are very precise in stating how the estate is distributed between children (and surviving spouse if any), and that leaves 0% for anyone / anything else.