NanLaew

Living in a pool villa can be like that. Not sure about being a property owner in one though.

Income tax isn't related to anyone's Thailand immigration status or their Thailand long-stay entitlement. If you have a Thai bank account in your name, the Thailand Revenue Department already know where to "find" you. If you are happy to fund your long-stay through credit cards and cash withdrawals from foreign banks via the ATM, you'll be OK.

If you insist on falsely accusing me of openly engaging in corruption on a public forum in Thailand, I will sue you for defamation. I won't, but please give it up with this holier-than-thou, 'good people' nonsense. Other people obtaining a visa that they are entitled to via legal means is not making your (sad) life any more difficult but maybe something else is?

I haven't seen any reference to 'savings' in any edicts from the RD. There are two things they have mentioned frequently that I see people desperately trying to skate around or otherwise assert they don't have. 1. Being tax-resident in Thailand. 2. Having income.

If WISE doesn't allocate a tax status to the transaction, any income tax liability is easy for the Thai banks to administer. There's always the Thai-Australian dual taxation treaty to keep you right. https://www.ato.gov.au/forms/Guide-to-foreign-income-tax-offset-rules-2023/?anchor=Attachment_A

Since there are far fewer farang tax dodgers in this blighted realm, it will be loads easier for them to wring any spare shekels out of them than it will be to tax millions of locals. There are more nations coming 'online' with regard to knowing more about your 'resident tourist' or pensioner. For example, the US immigration databases have been connected to more than just law-enforcement ones for quite a while. While undergoing one of my several secondary inspections on entry to the US, I witnessed several passengers being advised of non-immigration affairs that needed to be dealt with. A Venezuelan lady was advised that she was delinquent on divorce and custody hearings while a young German sculptor, based in the US, was advised he needed to resolve outstanding import tax issues regarding some pieces he loaned for display overseas and subsequently brought back to the US. This was over ten years ago and I can only imagine what else these guys can now see on their computer screens. For those that live on extensions and never see an airport, immigration still knows where you live.

I see a trend here.

Why? The rules start on 1st January 2024 so there's a whole fiscal (tax) year to get your ducks in a row. Anyone with any sense will familiarize themselves with any dual-taxation agreement their banking homeland may have in place with Thailand and make sure that their declared tax domicile is the one that takes the least money. Those without a foreign tax domicile will need to bite the bullet and file their taxes here. Otherwise Cambodia, Philippines (and North Korea and Palestine) eagerly awaits you. In all honesty, I seriously doubt that living in Thailand features as a viable option for those of true high net worth. They may have a condo (or a yacht) here but they drop their hard-earned in much nicer places.

Cynicism isn't a legal defence for not paying any income tax that you are assessed as being liable for.

When the TIN is attached to otherwise anonymous bank account(s), no "detailed transactional and customer information" crosses anywhere. The account holder gets notified if they need to include that transaction in their personal income tax declaration.

No, my US accounts were regular onshore accounts in 'high street' branches set up as a walk-in customer. This was many decades ago when governments and authorities hadn't embarked on the current, relentless cash grab because they are all fundamentally broke. @Mike Lister can give you the details of his non-resident Thai bank account but from what's been stated, it was not recent.

If you've been in Thailand long enough to embrace the "Thai way", you will appreciate that the Royal Thai Consulate in Savanakhet, Laos is in total compliance with their governing Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs rules and regulations, as is the Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore and the Honorary Thai Consulate General in Houston TX.

The RTC in HCMC also works an online appointment system. The last time I looked (last February), the first available dates were 3-4 weeks ahead of what I wanted. They also confirmed the required provenance of funds. So, like any church mouse, I went to Savanakhet instead. Arrived Monday afternoon, applied on Tuesday, collected and back home on Wednesday. About a 4-hour drive each way. No drama.

There was a recent thread about HCMC where somebody mentioned it happening at Savannaket. Without a link, I am not going to get too excited about anecdotal stuff.

You mean all regular Thai bank accounts pay interest. Both my non-resident US banks did not. Unless you are calling him a liar, the non-resident Thai bank account that @Mike Lister talks about didn't pay interest. All does not mean all.

If you already have a "case" that may be contentious, it's probably irrelevant what broker you choose and all a bit late as well. When I shop around (every annual renewal), I have found AA to be good, but you do need to drill down into the specifics with each policy you pursue from their recommendations. Pay attention to wait limitations, exclusions, medical examinations and the like. I am not familiar with Chiang Mai and any local brokers there. Good luck.

If they do, it will be facilitated in the coding of the transfer. If the transfer is coming from a bank account that has a tax ID for that country (indicating that tax has been assessed and paid), or coming from a government agency that has already deducted any tax (or is tax-exempt), this information is encoded in the remittance information. Nobody needs to front up anywhere with statements and pension letters, etc,, and argue the toss. It will be seamless and automatic. Note that the key to this is having a tax ID number or TIN associated with BOTH the accounts involved and this is not necessarily the person using or accessing the account, although in most instances it is. I think those piddly 65k baht/month places you in the tax-exempt bracket for that receiving account. The Thai RD website has this sort of information in English, including what deductions you are entitled to claim.

I was unaware that one could open a bank account in Thailand as a non-resident. Last century, I had a couple of US bank accounts that I was allowed to open as a non-resident visiting employee of an American company. I worked on their foreign operations but attended and eventually ran frequent training courses for their foreign clients in the US. Those two earlier accounts didn't have a tax ID as I didn't have or need a US Social Security Number at that time (paid overseas). Accordingly, they didn't attract any interest either. All legal and above board. Later, as a full-time employee based in the US, I opened a new account that did have the SSN/TIN as I was paying taxes. Some time after 9/11, the Homeland Security Act tightened up on non-resident accounts and US banks were legally compelled to check on all accounts. Without contacting me or asking my permission, my non-resident "tax free" account suddenly had my SSN attached to them. I guess the basic name, date of birth and place of birth identity check was enough for them to make the link. Maybe the Thai RD will do the same here since every nation is on the tax grab these days. A couple of Indian managers I worked with last month were taking a 10-day stopover on the way home from work in Malaysia so that they don't breach India's 180-day tax-resident law.

ad What was brought up by her? The marriage question? Assuming both properties are in her name, not without a Will and a usufruct you wouldn't. If she passes before you, I believe you can legally stay in the house that she owns for up to 12 months which is to allow time to close the estate, sell the house, etc.. But chances are the relatives will have other ideas and you already say that you wouldn't have any reason to stay in Bahn Nawk anyway. You are already on an 'independent' long stay entitlement with the Retirement Extension in place so as a twice married man (happily the second time) with two children (both mine), I don't see any reason you should not stay single. You say you will need to return to your home and work more to ensure a better, full retirement so why encumber yourself with dependents that fundamentally offer you nothing?

Good to know. But I think this 50k baht security malarkey is an edict from on high and something that all banks will need to comply with. Maybe they are just working out the bugs in their implementatio and it will happen eventually... unannounced.

You BOTH sign the copy of any document that has BOTH your names are on it. Otherwise, you sign the copies that relate only to you and signs the copies that relate only to her.. It would best be the same address that is on the signed copy of your wife's Tibian Bahn (blue book). Otherwise it will appear that you don't live together, which has the potential to open a totally unnecessary can of worms. Tuesday.

Thanks for a very recent and factual update.

There has? Where? On this forum?

Not required for Savanakhet. I believe this was a requirement for the marriage visa from Royal Thai Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

You obviously excite @BenStark more than either of you care to acknowledge.