TroubleandGrumpy

Yes indeed - I too will be 'gone'. Whilst not 'wealthy' as such by western standards - I am well off and financially secure. But I am certainly wealthy here and it is one reason we are living here. That is what must surely one day make the Thai Govt think twice (I know not a natural thing). If they start taxing 'financially successful' Expats, all that will be left here are the Pensioners and 'strugglers'. All their 'high value' Expats - those that buy new cars and houses - will be gone. If/when places like Cambodia and Vietname improve (they are going that way), they will also leave too (and visit here).

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. I suggest you stop digging that hole - it is only getting bigger.

What this whole episode shows the Expats who did not know - perhaps more clearly than ever before - is that senior Officials in every Thai Government Department (and many Private Companies) have absolutely no idea how their organisation operates. I am reminded of how companies like Daimler and BMW and Siemens and Bayer actually teach their future Execs how the business operates - before they take on positions of authority. That does not happen in Thailand - going from the basement to the top floor is not an outcome - people pay for promotions and appointments here - or they are someone's relative. Most senior management in Thailand do not have a clue. That is why the Thai RD can release a change of 'procedures' to address a known tax avoidance method, whilst having absolutely no idea how that change could be implemented or the possible ramifications downstream. Clueless and Ignorant. Dont blame the people who actually work in the Thai RD - like in every organisation here in Thailand, it is NOT an option to point out to the Boss that they are wrong.

Wrong. Only if they are working for a foreign compoany in that country - for which IRS allows exemption. Google - Why is US the only country that taxes its non-resident citizens?

That's why I didnt reply

You are lucky on two counts - being under the USA DTA and also having a Thai wife in the 'system'. I have calculated my potential income tax obligations, and without DTA 'exemptions' I could be up for between 124K Baht and 178K Baht during an 'average' year. If I was to bring in money so we can buy a house - I could be up for well over 1Million Baht. What I do know about all DTAs, is that the USA very rigorously 'defends' its right to tax its own citizens, anywhere in the world. There is not many countries who will take on the USA and try to tax its citizens. IMO any US Citizen will be left alone by the Thai RD - unless extremely large amounts of money are involved. However, Australia is as weak as ***** and does not 'protect' it's citizens against paying taxes overseas. It is very unlikely (snowflake in Hell) that the Aust Tax Office will 'defend' me in any way - I will be on my own.

Certainly not - I in no way condone those personal attacks and those attacks to his family and friends. I also felt the same way about all that abuse that was thrown at SCOTUS members when Roe V Wade was over-turned. No - what I mean is relentless 'attacks' though Government process - investigations and hearings and hopefully charges. Fauci lied for political reasons - a lot of the 'medical authorities' in USA and Europe and WHO played politics and did not focus enough on the science and the actual realities on the ground.

But us Koalas know - we dont live in a hole.

Bourbon and Coke - thanks mate

Why not. Am I not good enough??

Dont mention it mate - all good

You are correct - where do you get your info - sounds exactly like what happened to me. I left here and went there - I was tagged as a 'senior member' and invited to participate in the running of things. When I questioned something, which was obviously the wrong way to go, I was shouted down. I then pleaded my case to the owner and in response I was removed from the 'leadership'. I stayed out of things and did not 'play' on any forums - then saw a few posts on AN and it looked 'better'. I started posting about the impending income tax change by Thai RD, and aside from a few nutters it is OK. IMO if someone says something you cannot abide with, then block them - dont report them like a nasty school kid/teenage girl.

IMO there is nothing wrong with calling someone an idiot. What is this - a woke university campus where feelings are more important that facts?? Let them have at it. There are some descriptors that should be banned, but idiot is not one. Maybe make a list - banned derogative terms - but his/him and other such nonsense will not be accepted. However - he who has the Gold (Boss) makes the rules - so if idiot is banned then so be it.

My point exactly. In fact (in another life/membership) there were a few members who would bait and bait and bait - and then report. They were especially prevalent in the 'political' forums and the3y clearly saw an expulsion as a win - absolute scumbags IMO. If they did that in a bar or club - they would get a knuckle sandwhich and be shown the door/street.

Please add me - I would feel privileged (that is not a real post) That is the sort of post that gets some Mods knickers in a knot - especially when the recipient lodges a complaint and they are a person that has opposite political views to the Mod. If you know what I mean.

I agree 100% - becoming a Moderator should not be a lifetime position. They aint serving on the Supreme Court - but some of them behave that way. 2 years at a time - minimum of 2 year break - then again if they want to nominate. Good Moderators are hard to find - Bad Moderators are hard to get rid of - so get rid of them all. Membership (minimum 1 year member) votes every 2 years for the new Mods. BUT there should also be a new category of senior members - Experts. Eg. Sheryl on the medical issues - not as a Mod but as an Expert Adviser to members. IMO Experts should not have to deal with the mundane issues related to policing member's posts. IMO the only thing that should be 'moderated' are things that would legally be unacceptable. If it aint illegal to say something then it should not be 'moderated' - if you are upset when insulted, then either block them or go away. Too much watsed time for Mods in dealing with member's complaints - which are often just malicious anyway. Having said all that - if it is a legal obligation to moderate all posts due to laws in Thailand - then pay them. But I would still like the Forum to have 'Experts' - and pay them too (if not already). If Mods are not paid then that is an issue - in my experience some people who 'volunteer' to be 'boss' (unpaid) are on a power trip.

There is more than enough 'evidence' that Fauci lied to Congress - knowingly or not. He did not say 'Not to my knowledge' - he said 'No' (he is not a skilled politician liar). The next few years are going to be 'fun' - Fauci and a lot of others are going to be attacked (maybe punished) for what they did during Covid. At the very least they are going to be attacked - and that alone is worth it - I say attack them all until they rot in the ground. Unless and until public servants are held accountable for the outcomes of their decisions, their impunity will forever be abused. Acting with impunity means never saying 'hey wait a minute guys, what if ..............." That is the problem - they have no fear of getting it wrong - they made a lot of mistakes and were driven by politics more than science. In China they have no fear at all - all the evidence is removed and the people responsible have been 'dealt with'.

Ever wonder where all this 'hatred' from some posters towards Israel comes from? Ever think why do they think that way when it is obviously not rational or logical? Then read the headlines - such as this today from the Guardian (left wing progressive rag): Netanyahu rejected ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza, sources say Now any rational and logical person would immediately think - what/who are those 'sources'. Any rational and logical person would then look into this obvious 'click bait' and discover it is 'allegedly' about an 'alleged' offer made to Netanyahu 'allegedly' during the fist few days of the conflict. Any rational and logical person would then realise this is left wing progressive scumbag click baiting. Meanwhile - woke progressives read just the headline - they dont 'think' anything, they just react emotionally - Netenyahu wants to kill all babies in Gaza !! Israel are murderers!! Multiply that reality by 100,000 and throw it daily at the young impressionable over-educated idiots in Colleges and Universities, and now you can understand how these people will march on the streets in support of a proven murderous terrorist organisation. From the Holocaust to the Idiotcaust - unbelievable - all those men and women died for nothing.

THE biggest Hamas apologist on this forum - You mate. Unbelievable how you always say just enough to not actually criticise Hamas - while expousing smooth thoughts of hatred regarding Israel. I have seen many smooth talking ******** in life - they always in the end get cut to pieces (often by themselves).

Wrong. Both Ways. All Ways. It is not 'endless, pointless unnecessary slaughter' - it is a War - And Hamas started that War. It is not the responsibility of the World Leaders to stop all Wars - yes they should and do try - but it is not their job/responsibility. The leadership of Israel has offered a means of stopping - the Hamas leadership has rejected it - release the hostages ! Last night Hamas showed on video a 70+ woman and a 13 boy - terrified - they said stop the invasion or we will kill them. THAT is terrorism - Thai is NOT what Israel is doing. It is ALL on Hamas now - they have a way out to stop them and their people dieing - it is ALL on them.

Fake.

AND anyone lodging a DTA exemption will probably have to do it in Thai and though a Thai certified accountant/lawyer. It astounds me how some Expats think the Thai RD is going to be more organised and efficient than the Immigration Police and 'better' or 'easier' to deal with. They just do not realise that Thai RD is not setup to deal with Expats who dont speak Thai - unlike the Immi Police. Hopefully they are not going to find out the very hard way one day. One bloke said he would just pay an agent - how someone here can possibly even think that is beyond me. I see this all the time, most recently when they are 'arguing' with each other about the road rules in Thailand, and quoting paragraphs from the road rules on websites back in their home country. A mate of mine said it a long time ago - "They are not our brightest and best, and that is the main reason we avoid them." Me thinks that perhaps many of the very 'active' posters (most argumentative) actually do not live, nor have ever lived, in Thailand - they just visit now and then (chasing the bar girls and parties).

History will show that the woke progressives supporting Hamas in their 'fight' were just ill informed delusional over-educated idiots.

You are an ******* if you believe any of the PR being sent out by the Pro-Hamas media. Just like they blamed Israel for the bomb that hit the hospital, when it was a Hamas accident - everything they say is a lie. They are all lies designed to make those silly people in the west who think they are merely 'independence fighters' seeking their own land. They are Islamic terrorists and what they want, and always wanted, is the removal of Israel and all Jews from 'the river to the sea'. Not one Jew lives in Gaza - that is a death sentance - but there are plenty of Aram Muslims in Israel living in there peacefully. These are not 'normal' Muslims who want peace - they are murdering Islamic terrorists - and you are a silly westerner they love to fool.

Is that AOC? Or one of those other pro-Islamic pro-Palestine idiots in the Democrats?? Exactly how can you have a 'resolution' - when one 'side' demands nothing less than the total destruction of the other side. I mean it is not like the USA UN etc etc have not tried to do this for the last 50 years. Israel has been maintaining a 'peace' by the threat of over-whelming force if the terrorists did anything really bad - which they just did. By the way - Israel is still 10s of thousands of rockets short of the number that Hamas has fired into Israel over the last 20 years. Hamas went far too far in their 'protest' and they are going to be destroyed for doing that - and yes it is a warning to Hezbolla etc etc. Israel has officialy declared war on Hamas - and it is Hamas that is causing any civilian deaths - by hiding behind them.