chiang mai

I don't give a jot what's in the Oz DTA, I'm smart enough to be able to look at my own country's DTA and understand the rules specific to me.

Technology is not to the stage where society can easily tell which people are susceptible to the virus and those that have strong immune systems, everyone is different. Clearly, if I had worn a mask during my weekend in Bangkok in June, I would not have caught covid and now be ill. You on the other hand may be of a disposition whereby your immune system can easily withstand a covid onslaught, minbe can't. As a blanket rule, wearing a mask is a good protection because it helps some of us, if it's overkill for others, should you really be complaining! If you think it is overkill, just ignore the rule quiently, comfortable in the knowledge that the rule is helping save some lives, even if it isn't impacting yours.

I am not opposed to constructive discussion but the recent exchanges were not that, they were continued bickering and disagreement with ten posts per page from you! The threads are intended to not be specific to one country, if posters can't agree or conclude a point, park it and move on for everyone else's sake.

The UK budget is going to be a doozy, my guess is that GBP will weaken as a result.

You and I will always arrive at different conclusions on most things.

On that basis, no rate between 35 and 94 is new, it doesn't mean it's not cause for concern.

Speaking as someone who thought that the covid hysteria was slightly overdone at the outset, but who subsequently contracted covid twice, I now have a different view. My first bout with covid was mild, my second in June this year has left me with massive fatigue and a dangerously low platelet count, neither of which I would wish on anyone. If anyone believes that covid is just another case of mild flue, it isn't so for everyone and it's still circulating and doing a lot of damage.

The problem is the pre covid trend to sub 40, which is the longer term direction the baht is headed. Pre-1997, THB was pegged at 25 and around 35 GBP. thats where it is headed, over time.

A better view against GBP, over a longer time frame, to observe trend https://tradingeconomics.com/gbpthb:cur

I agree that's good value. The problem is that only covers about 160k of the 300k western expats, the other 140k are on long stay visa's and don't have access to that system.

Oh, OK then! It's just that you said the rate has been in the mid 40's for years, which it hasn't. In case you need help, mid stands for middle! Pre-covid, GBP/THB was trending stronger into the high 30's. The trend very clearly was for a stronger THB and that's where it is headed once again, that's the fear and the risk.

I would also like to see the government offer foreigners health insurance that was fairer than the commercial polices on offer in Thailand. It's easily within their power to offer a policy that is sensibly proceed that doesn't include private hospital prices. Perhaps membership of the Social Security medical insurance program but at an increased price.

I agree completely, make retirement living more certain for older people.

https://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=GBP&to=THB&view=5Y

The Thai government restricted land ownership to only Thai's, in about 1970, because Indian speculators were driving up land and property prices, a scenario most people can relate to in many countries. I bet there are many countries wish they had/could do the same.

I think 43 is the exchange rate, not his age.

A cost of living that's about 103% cheaper than my home town. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Thailand&country2=United+Kingdom&city1=Chiang+Mai&city2=Lancaster

Huh! I don't pay tax here, not unless it's advantageous for me to do so. But you hope I get some benefits from living here, I do, lots and lots.

Correction, just noticed but too late to change: Total 450k or 37.5k each per month, should read, for the pair, not each. That's 18.75k per month each, which is right around the national average wage. Apologies.

Agreed. I also like the idea that out petrol/diesel is subsidised via the Fuel Subsidy Fund. When oil prices are high, that's a benefit worth having.

No, the NHS is a residency based system, not a payments based system.

The population of Thailand is not relevant to how many people pay tax, the size of the workforce is the only factor since Thai retirees, disabled, incarcerated and children don't typically file tax returns. The size of the Thai work or labour force is calculated at 38 million people. A couple with one child have sizeable allowances and deductions before they must file a tax return, their TEDA are: + 60k Personal Allowance, +150k zero rated for tax = 210k as above for the second person, +30k for the child = 240k Total 450k or 37.5k each per month.....Thai nationals can live on that here.

Maybe you should have read the title and the first para then!

That wasn't the question or issue, benefits is the issue being discussed.

Many members have said that if they have to pay income tax in Thailand, they want Thai benefits. I thought it might be interesting to look into that for a moment. It’s worth saying at the outset that most benefits in Thailand are a result of paying contributions into the Social Security Fund, not only paying income tax, just as pension benefits etc are a function of National Insurance contributions in the UK and of Social Security Payments in the US. The benefits most people seem to want are as follows: - membership of the 30 baht health scheme - equal pricing for entry to National Parks - general social security benefits Health Care The government run health system here can be very very good and there are some excellent medical staff within the system. But I will be very surprised if most foreigners would really want to be part of the 30 baht scheme or would even use it, because it typically involves a number of negatives aspects initially although it can eventually evolve into good quality medical care. Those negatives include: - long waits for treatment - treatment by junior or poorly skilled doctors - no of choice of doctor - medical staff with little or no English language proficiency - lack of choice of treatment location - often low grade accommodation, food and facilities If foreign patients wanted good quality care, right now, and minimal language issues, in pleasant surroundings, the 30 baht scheme would not be a good option, in most areas. Those things said, it is a cost effective system. National Parks Entry Fee National Park entry fee dual pricing is a government policy rather than a subsided benefit, achieving parity in this area requires a change in policy that will probably never happen since it applies to visitors, and residents. General Social Security Unemployment and Retirement benefits here are not great by Western standards, unless you’ve paid into the Social Security fund for most of your working life, in which case, the SSc health insurance benefit is worthwhile. I think retirement benefits amount to only a couple of thousand a month at best. I’m sure there are other benefits people want so it will be interesting to hear what they are.