samtam

Well, having made the booking with Bangkok Hospital (HQ), we turned up at the required time, ahead of the appointment, to register etc. Went through all the vital sign checks, and then waited to see the doctor. Once with him, he informed us that the hospital had run out of the new strains vaccine, (the Northern Hemisphere vaccine being administered there now* as below), and that they did not know when it would be available. So we expressed our dismay as to why this information was not made available when the booking was made, and left the hospital. On the way back, contacted BNH and they confirmed they did have the new strains vax in stock (since mid September) @THB2,500 a shot, so we booked and went and had those administered. A slight sore arm likely. The over 65 dosage is 4x the normal dosage, so that is why the price is higher. Just now received a call from Bangkok Hospital that they actually do have the new strain vax in stock, and their stock record was not updated at the time of our appointment. Piss up and brewery. A lovely 4 hour excursion in the medical hub of Thailand.

Yes, thanks. This seemed the least expensive, and is inclusive of doctor, nurses, and all the add-ons. BNH was THB4,000 for the same. I've booked Bangkok Hospital. There are one or two clinics around, but they're at around THB1,500 plus the add-ons, and I'm slightly wary of knowing what I'm getting. The hospitals are a monopoly or if not directly associated, they control the market price.

Thanks. I'm in Bangkok.

Well my name is not Deloitte, Ernst, Young, Price, Waterhouse, Peat or Marwick, but I expect they are making those very same remonstrations, and my comment is simply to support their effort.

This is a dose for over 65s, (apparently a higher dosage level).

My maid hardly falls into the mafioso, triad or criminal class, as far as I am aware. She does fall into the income tax bracket of taxpayers living in Thailand, although she is not a Thai citizen. If the Thai RD wants to enforce the law, it should be across the board. And if the law is not appropriate, (thresholds etc), it should be amended by legislation.

And...my point is the stupidity of the new interpretation. Jonny Foreigner might also have imported money from several sources, many of them falling into the so-called grey market economy.

Given the reports of higher incidents of 'flu cases in some countries in the region, (e.g. Japan and Hong Kong), with recorded higher severity and deaths (primarily amongst the elderly), I decided to book a 'flu jab. The various hospitals I checked with for over 65s "extra dosage" were quoting prices of THB2,200 to THB4,000 (including all the bells and whistles these establishments add on). This seems excessive, and another gripe related to the proposed taxation of retirees, many in this age group, who would be receiving this at reduced cost, or free in other countries. I don't especially want another one, but covid vaccines are also doubtless very overpriced, and, as far as I can gather, not suited to the new variants BA.2.86 or EG.5 or XBB, take your pick.

Except 90% who fall into this category, (say a maid who earns THB12,000 per month, or THB144,000 pa) does not pay a satang, because she gets it in cash.

This one?.....

This one?: Just got back, with a Tax ID, same number as on my Pink Card. with assurance that, in my case, transferring 40k per month = 480k per annum, after 190k + 60k + 150k all at 0%, I shall have to pay Bht4000 for the year. There was some mention of 100k being deductible for expenses. As we are not married, I cannot claim 60k for my Mrs, but possibly some for the school fees I pay for my Mrs's son, he will let me know. Where the money comes from, pension, interest, sister's immoral earnings, is of no matter. It is simply how much is/will be transferred from UK to Thailand in the specific tax year. As I am only getting UK State Pension @ £170 per week = £8840 and a small one from Norway, my total UK income is £10400, below the Tax Free Allowance, so no tax due in UK either. I am happy with this.

I don't know why, but I misread one of your earlier posts that seemed to suggest that over 65s had a threshold of THB150k PLUS THB190k PLUS THB60k.

I used the word "partner". We are not married. Overseas income is joint and in joint accounts. We would therefore have to file separately, but how co-mingling of funds on receipt overseas would be viewed is another hurdle that I expect is not addressed in the RD manual. We certainly don't make any distinction on who is the "owner" of the funds, however they came in.

You experience, as I said, is very interesting. I presume you are a regular Thai taxpayer. My own situation is more complicated by the fact that although over 65 my partner is also a foreigner, over 65 too, but we share all our finances and any monies brought into Thailand are from a joint account overseas. Therefore we would get 2x times the allowances you breakdown, THB150k + THB190k +THB60k, or a total of THB460k @ 0%. Trying to go through that with an RD officer would be an excruciating experience, dividing up which income is from whom, and how that is assessable.

Fungible. "Assessable", not accessible, I think. An excellent point. Any other country making such a dramatic change would have of course made the clarification before the extremely unclear new interpretation. Thank you for letting us know of your experience; not sure whether this interpretation it will be universally applied across all RD offices. Where is yours?

The Central Administrative Court orders the revocation of the EIA report of the 125 Sathorn Project https://www.thansettakij.com/real-estate/578097

I don't know many people who go to Hong Kong to visit the airport, as outstanding as it is, 25 years after opening. I'm a bit confused by all these road shows by Srettha. He's touting for investment in Thailand from all his manic travelling, but on the other hand casting huge doubt on the efficacy of anyone investing in Thailand by a tightening tax regimen. You can't have it both ways. Hong Kong is one of the most liberal tax centres in the world. It would have been better to have clarity at the outset whether Thailand is going to become a high (or at least highly complicated) tax centre, or before reeling in investors. There is nothing that puts off an investor more than uncertainty in the market in which they are investing, and the regulatory systems in place. Also, the treatment of Hopewell by the Thai courts is not an incident that has gone unnoticed.

I was so blown off course by the sartorial delight that I missed the hilarious blurb in the piece. I think TAT (no pun intended) might have a hand in this.

Of course if you live in Thailand for 180 days you are a tax resident of Thailand, whether or not you state otherwise. I have right of abode in two other countries, but I have been living in Thailand for more than 180 days, therefore I have to declare Thailand as my tax residence. If the RD's new interpretation of the law requires me to pay tax in Thailand, I will choose to live in other residences, one of which does not impose tax on income derived from pension and savings.

I refer to the parts of your post which I have made bold. I am not aware of how much Thais get in deductions, allowances or expenses, but I suspect that many receive more than the minimum net income of THB150,000 pa and very few of those pay income tax, especially if a lot/all of that income is paid in cash. On a very simplistic basis, THB150,000 is THB12,500 per month, and, as I stated, although I am not aware of deductions etc, I pay my maid around that per month, in cash, and she probably earns as much again from other part time work. For sure she doesn't pay income tax, and neither am I suggesting that she should. So I have no idea how RD is going to enforce extracting tax from this segment of the population, but presumably it is in their sights, rather like Mars through a telescope. Not a vote winner, I suspect.

The level of knowledge and service at Thai banks is abominable. I received an SMS to go into U*B and register my banking app for facial recognition, and to bring my passport to facilitate this. Initially they said my passport did not have a chip, so it could not be done. The passport was issued last year, and had the chip icon. I Googled and explained that to them. 4 staff faffed around with the passport being "scanned" to find the readable chip. 45 minutes later this was achieved. In the meantime I was told utter nonsense by staff who did not know what they were doing, and who became more hostile as the proceedings unfolded. It boggles the mind how an institution can introduce a new system and not train their staff on how to make it work. It boggles the mind how a so-called service industry cannot train their staff to serve their customers. Whilst all of this was going on, the clerk at the desk left to consult another colleague, (I was the only person in the branch). In doing this she left her computer (tilted towards me), with some customer's details private information completely visible to me. It boggles the mind that data and security and customer privacy are not paramount in a bank's training of its staff.

In my experience the plethora of "security guards" at many locations, including private condos etc is a complete sham. The "guards" are uniformed doormen, car park attendants or bag carriers. They are part of the package of living in a condo, where the visual impact is more important than the real effectiveness. And it doesn't come cheaply. Spending the money on a better security system, such as key card access to floors in the lifts etc would be much more effective, but in my own building residents enjoy the saluting and wai-ing, and not having to open the door.

HSBC UK (onshore), and I also have HSBC Expat (offshore).

No, as a UK citizen I have a non resident account(s).

Contradictory, moi?