samtam

Not condos or houses either. Singapore is now one of the most expensive property markets in the world. Ditto Hong Kong, (despite a recent downturn). Always difficult to get meaningful statistics here, but I think the foreign buyers' percentage of ownership of Thai properties is unlikely to be a major catalyst. TBN here suggests it will account for 15% of the market in the next 2 years. "The market is dead" sounds about right to me. It was in a coma during the pandemic, and is still breathing, but barely. Any tax uncertainty or negativity will obviously have some impact (see above), and it will have relapse. In this case UK State Pension has been "assessed", and it is zero. Whether Thai RD will consider that as the more favourable outcome to the UK expat, and one that should apply, is anybody's guess at the moment.

When you state "their position remains unchanged", I'm not sure I follow you: their position surely changes, because now they will still owe taxes, and file a tax return?

Colombia and Thailand are very disparate countries to each other, as indeed they are to Hong Kong SAR and Singapore (in terms of tax), and yet the latter 2 have very favourable tax regimes, (as noted by the lawyer in the OP). Unfortunately living in either Hong Kong or Singapore would cost you infinitely more in housing and cost of living, than any new tax in Thailand.

Can you expand on "economic ties" please?

AFAIK there are no boosters for the current new variants. When I had my 'flu jab at BNH in Bangkok the doctor said that there was no need to get any covid booster. This is a completely different response to that being given in the West, (USA & UK). In the latter, my cousin (same age as me, 66), has had his eighth covid shot, (a booster for the new variant). I last had my 3rd covid vax in 2021, caught covid in Spain last year, with minimal symptoms.

"OK, I'm ready for my clarification now Mr DeMille.", to paraphrase Gloria Swanson.

I think the key is "has the tax been assessed", (in Dubai)? It has been assessed, (at the zero rate). But Lord knows how Thai RD will interpret that. It would be nice if they could let us all know, and PDQ.

Yes, it has to be signed/chopped by the bank.

Yes, we have a group of 7 or 8 who are constantly whingeing about very minor details. I call it the Whine LINE. Their comments are rather like those I imagine are made by schoolgirls about their classmates, teachers etc, (and I'm probably being unkind to schoolgirls). I have discouraged our manager from participating, because however he responds, they are encouraged by those responses to double down. It is important that he follows the chatter, but not participate in it. Sure enough, ignoring it seems to make it die down. I am on the board of the condo, so I get informed. The magnificent 7 (or eight) wouldn't lift a finger to improve the condo for the good of ALL residents, but boy, they love to complain when the management makes changes designed to do just that. And these people are rich, (dare one call them HiSo?), but devoid of any grace or thoughtfulness.

@Murn Are you the TAT rep for Chiang Rai?!🤔

@pollyogI have had this problem in the past, but only if I've left the cans in a cupboard (that tends to get too hot). And I generally don't stock a lot of mixers for that reason, because we don't drink them, and friends visiting went into a hiatus during and post pandemic. I do buy Chang soda in a bottle, which seems to be OK, but is also drunk pretty quickly.

Thanks. It shows Chiang Mai University as the contributor. I have notified them, (I think). Have had correspondence with them over the last few days.

Here is today's for รร.โสตศึกษาทุ่งมหาเมฆ แขวงทุ่งมหาเมฆ เขตสาทร กรุงเทพฯ, Bangkok, Thailand Air Pollution: which shows "no data", but 129 on the map. So it has presumably been disabled, but not removed from the map. I have notified them of this one too.

I've noticed that the AQI website that I use has quite a few non functioning data centres, and I have been in touch with them. They confirmed that this is the case, and have disabled the content on their website. The readings were excessively higher than those in the immediate vicinity, (such as the red 151 reading in the sample shown). Nonetheless, there still appear to be few that are clearly out of sync, and I'm wondering if there is a better monitoring website for Bangkok, or indeed Thailand.

@lopburi3 Yes, that is what my doctor told me. The Southern Hemisphere shots were administered in May to tie in with Thailand's 'flu season, and the Northern Hemisphere shots were rolled out in September. Personally I think once a year is sufficient, otherwise I'd be poor within a short space of time, and as you say, there is doubtless some benefit in the lesser dosage, and even those non specific to the season.

@lopburi3 ok, thanks. I'm obviously new to this, as it is my first 'flu vaccination, so I assumed what applies now, always applied. Doubtless there will be more tweaking to the protocols as time goes by.

So we're comparing apples with oranges. I'm no virologist, but I'd rather only put into my body that which might help me in the case of a new infection, and it's clear that there is a misconception about having a THB600 flu jab really being the solution, apart from "box ticking" in one's mind. However, not worrying about it will undoubtedly help you. In which case, I'm wondering why it's worth bothering to have any vaccination at all?

Putin went to China, so clearly fear of being toppled whilst outside of Russia is not immediate.

Thanks for the Mazars piece. I wish RD would get on with "seeking the opinions....and issuing guidelines to provide more clarity". Cart and horse etc. This magnum opus thread has demonstrated the complexity of many people's individual income status, and I cannot imagine how RD propose to address that with any understanding, consistency or fairness, given the track record of Thai bureaucracy in every field. Obviously the confusion is not just confined to those who have contributed valuable and interesting pieces herein, but to all the major accounting firms, and legal firms that deal with Thai tax.

Yes, I think the variation is because of the recipe and dosage. Mine certainly gave me a mild case of 'flu the night of and the day after, mitigated by paracetamol. My doctor a BNH was also pushing Tetanus and Zostar vaccines, (shingles), but I decided to pause, because I get slightly irritated by the sales element that must play a part in these consultations. I think you could spend your senior years being vaccinated ad nauseam; certainly the number of vaccines some of my friends have had in UK, (one has had 8 Covid vaxes!), seems a bit excessive, but it is natural to react that way given the push by Pharma, and when it's free, what is there to lose? (Actually in the case of the Covid vax, perhaps we don't really know yet), but the 'flu one seems to be a proven remedy, and so I thought given the reports I mentioned, and I am now certainly eligible, (66), I have now had my first ever, recognising that my invincibility is a bit optimistic.

I'm delighted to read of these prices, and quite probably you have a longstanding relationship with the hospital or clinic that is giving you the vaccination, but do you know from them whether you are getting the quadrivalent vaccine for the 2023-2024 Northern Hemisphere, and if you're over 65, that you're getting the recommended larger dose, (4 times the normal dosage for those under 65)?

He's in China.

Perhaps they could invest a small part of the promotion in PM2.5 face masks.

The high AQI started already. Noticeable difference over the last week or so as the rains abated. Simple solution: "stop burning things"...🙄

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3237942/hong-kong-records-21-deaths-among-37-serious-flu-cases-past-week-more-half-group-unvaccinated https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/09/23/japan/science-health/influenza-japan-spreading/