TroubleandGrumpy

Sorry - no one knows the definitive answer to your situation - not even two Thai tax/accountants I have contacted. You could well be the 'target' group the Thai RD is after - people who earn income overseas and then bring some of it into Thailand. My advice is to wait until the Thai RD releases their 'clarifiying explanations' - they are currently reviewing the impacts and outcomes of this change and how best to proceed going forward. Hopefully they will follow Malaysia's lead and delay implementation for a few years to give people and companies a reasonable time period for both to assess their future financial decisions. If they do not provide that 'clarity' or do not give enough time, it is extremely very likely that this matter will go to the Thai Courts. People and Companies have been making financial decisions based upon a method of operating by the Thai RD, than has been ratified in the Courts for over 30 years, and making such a change with 3 months notice is very lieley to be ruled as being against the Tax Laws/Constitution.

That is not my read of the Thai RD guidline - but it could be correct in how the Thai RD actually acts: Section 56 Every taxpayer except a minor or a person adjudged incompetent or quasi-incompetent shall, on or before the last day of March every year, file to the official appointed by the Minister a tax return reporting the assessable income received in the preceding tax year in the form prescribed by the Director-General, if such person- (1) has no spouse and has the assessable income of the preceding tax year exceeds 60,000 baht, (2) has no spouse and has the assessable income of the preceding tax year under only Section 40 (1) exceeds 120,000 baht, (3) has a spouse and the assessable income of the preceding tax year exceeds 120,000 baht, or (4) has a spouse and the assessable income of the preceding tax year under only Section 40 (1) exceeds 220,000 baht. That 60K figure I think is 'lost in translation' as 150K is the tax free threshold. Section 40 is all about Assesable Income. Chapter 3 Income Tax | The Revenue Department (English Site) (rd.go.th) All Thai Laws (Tax, Immigration, etc etc) and the Thai RD Guidelines, are very 'interpretable'. The reason is because the Thai Legal System (Courts) are not based on what we call 'Common Law' and they do not base their rulings on past 'Precedents'. Unlike our systems which are very rigid and defined, with rulings going back hundreds of years, the Thai legal system is basically a case by case situation. Perhaps I have not explained that enough before, when trying to explain to some posters that 'those words do not mean what you think they mean'. That is the reason why in Thailand any Immigration Officer or Policeman can make a decision - within certain limits. I personally like some parts of that legal system - IMO a 1960 Toyota rustbucket with balding tyres being driven by a 70 year old woman and going at 100Kms is far more dangerous than a brand new Mercedes SL500 driven by a 40 year old man going at 130Km. In Thailand you can talk to the Policeman and 'sort things out' (even slip a few baht) - but it the west the very dangerous Toyota is ignored and the Mercedes is impounded - because the legal definition of dangerous driving is 20+km over the limit.

Agee and Disagree. It IS going wrong right now. Why do you think all the stupidity exists in the world now, much more than 40+ years ago. Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Aristarchus and many others in ancient Greece advanced human civilisation more than any other civilisation before and since. The reason is simple - Plato decided that the future 'leaders' should receive an 'education' with the core subjects being Maths, Geometry, Music and Astronomy (after learning how to read and write) in an Academy. This was carried on and became the creator of so much advancement in alll areas of 'science' as we now call it. Only the 'elite' werre educated and they ruthlessley weeded out those that failed - no idiots or women were allowed. This lasted for hundreds of years and was the bedrock upon which their civilisation grew mankind's knowledge and understanding. Unfortunately they could not fight and they were 'conquered and dispersed'. Next came the Arabs who followed this structured enviroment, until their new religion cruched them. Then it was Europe with Italy, England, Spain and France oppening Universities. Fast forward to the modern days we are now living in. The core problem right now is that we are educationg our idiots. Since 1980s the eductaion system has been 'modified' to better suit one demographic and the idiots, so much so that they are deominating those that graduate. Instead of teaching only Maths, Science, English and History - our education system is now teaching genders, enviroment, feelings and diversity. Those 'educated idiots' have been taking over the positions of authority since 1980s - and they have been making things worse not better than they were in the past. Why did the ancient Greeks throw idiots out of their instituions? Because if allowed to stay the idiots would corrupt the education of the intelligent ones by forcing the teachers to 'teach' to the lowest common denominator (being the idiots). There is a fundamental fact about idiots - especially educated idiots - they dont know that they are idiots. Intelligent people are full of doubt and are always questioning how things work and how can they be made better - idiots dont do that - they just try to change things to make them more they way they want them to be,

Thanks Sheryl - much appreciated. Clearly Wiki has got it wrong.

Because of the internet people everywhere (maybe not Chine, Nth Korea, etc) are far more informed about their leaders - both truly informed and more so misinformed. The leaders in our pasts were just as bad, if not worse, then the curent mob. It is just that we know more about them and what they get up to these days, than we did in the past. Churchill said - Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.… What I do know is that the people are far better off when their Government (Politicians and Public Servants) is as small as possible - making them larger does not solve any problems, it just makes them interfere and screw around everyone's lives more (just look at the Covid debarcle).

Yes indeed - The Junta has been replaced by the 5 wealthy Bangkok Thainese families of which both Thaksin and Strettha are members. Those two groups have been exhanging power and control of Thailand and its people for many decades. Seems clear to me that both Yellow and Red shirts are vested interests, and those interests are their own. I hope next time the Thai Govt becomes Orange and that it slowly slowly takes both the others down - after all Red and Yellow makes Orange 🙂

Pheu Thai (and MFP) will take Thailand back to its pre-Junta stance of being neutral between China and USA and Japan and Europe. The Junta basically made Thailand a subservient supporter of the Chinese expansions in SEAsia (Belt and Road etc) in return for Tourists.

True. But the manufacturers always make a certain number in a few basic colours - the colours that sell well. White is very popular for many reasons, including that for commerical vehicles it makes any advertising signs stand out much better. They all make white (excluding top end vehicles) and many years ago they also made a red variation - nowadays most have a blue or a silver/grey or both.

No specific problem - we live nearby and it looks big (1000 beds) and that it would do most procedures. It is apparently (Wiki) linked with both Burapha University and the Phramongkutklao College of Medicine. Just looking for any feedback regarding the Hospital.

Before leaving check Thai Embassy website in his home country - what is needed for 90 day non-immigrant Visa to visit family. Go home and earn/save some money - get all the paperwork needed together. When ready apply for a 90 day non-immigrant Visa to visit the wife. Come back on the 90 day non-immigrant Visa. Deposit the 400K in bank account in your name ASAP after arriving. Go see local Immigration with Thai wife and ask what is needed for 12 month extension (varies Office to Office). Show bank book with the 400K and Passport with non-immigrant Visa - that will help get the right answers. Go back tio Immi Office and apply the date they say to come back and apply. Good Luck.

Yes I agree - colour does not make that much difference regarding a car sitting in the sun getting hot inside - most heat comes through the windows not the panels. Which is why all my cars in Thailand have had window tinting - which also brings me to my point. Visibility at dusk and dawn, in terms of someone seeing your car, is better in a white car than in a black car - especially on the highways. It is even more so when the person looking does not have great eyesight, and/or is affected by alcohol, and/or has a too-heavily tinted front windscreen. I remember telling the guy fitting window tinting to our City many years ago - 'no please - only 60 on the front windscreen, 70 for driver side window, and 90 OK for the rest - it is hard to see when dark and in rain'. He looked at me very wierdly - the wife explained what I wanted - he did it - but I bet he told his mates later over a 20 baht bottle of rum - 'guess what stupid farang made me do today ..........'

Thanks for trying Sheryl - some people are just 'to diificult' for their own good. Thanks for that list of 'top' hospitals in Thailand - much appreciated. As a related question - have you any feedback or information about the Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital in Sattahip ?

I hear you mate - I only joined because of the story about Thailand taxing Expats remittances, but it has now deteriorated into mainly squabbles and insults. Likewise, the thread about the Israel War has done the same. And I just read a thread where a guy is asking about what type of doctor and where to go. Sheryl gave a response but he did not answer her questions, and then he complained when she asks the same questions again. He still has not answered her questions. It is not just the forum IMO - it is people - since Covid they are far more 'annoying'.

I just opened a bank account on a non-immigration Visa (visiting family), so that I could deposit the funds needed to apply for a 12 month extension (marriage). I did the same thing many years ago and it was a lot easier then - not so now. I had to go to the local Immigration Office and get a 'Residency Certificate' to open a bank account - that is what it will say (in Thai) on the document. Take that and all documents with copies - Application, Passport, TM30 from the Hotel, and Photos. OR - Find an Agent and they will do all that for you, and help you open a bank account. Do not give the Agent a lot of money to deposit into the account (1000 Baht only) and dont pay them until you have the bank account book and ATM card and all your documents returned. If they demand all the money up front, smile and walk out and go find another Agent (never argue). I have always found Bangkok Bank to be the eaiest to deal with - both before and afterwards. Maybe just walk in there and ask what you need to get in order to open a bank account so that you can deposit 800K to apply for a Retirement 'Visa' (extension). Use a bank account that is in a Mall - they are open a lot more and longer than the street Branches. In the future get a second bank account from another bank - always good to have a backup account in case something goes wrong with Bangkok Bank (mine did that while we were in holidays). They do not operate Nationally - they are like local francises - for anything serious (blocked account) you must go back to the Branch where you opened the account. That is why I got a new account this time around - had to go all the way to Chiang Mai to reopen my old account to get new ATM card and updated book.

If you were employed by a business, or own a business, or recived 'taxable income', it is compulsory to lodge a tax return in Thailand if your taxable income was over 120K Baht PA. The interpretation and implementation ofg Thai tax laws are very 'fluid' depending on how the Thai RD are instructed. The recent change that led to this Post and lots of media reports, was an instruction from the Thai RD to change their previous interpretation of the tax laws.

If the people who live in Gaza did not want this to happen, they had one obvious thing to do - remove Hamas from power. They voted them into in 2006 (from PLO) and they have enabled and supported them ever since. The PLO was not popular because Arafat tried to negotiate peace, and after he died his group (Fatah) were attacked and removed by Hamas. Since then Hamas has been repeatedly attacking Israel with rockets and terrorist attacks - which always results in Israel responding harshly and Hamas using that for their own political means. This latest atrocity by Hamas (and the people of Gaza) has resulted in Israel embarking on the path of destroying Gaza - all of it. There is a verse from the Bible that fits perfectly: "You reap what you sow". Isreal is reaping now, exactly what the terrorists in Gaza have been sowing for decades - the Gaza is going to be destroyed. There is no other options IMO because there is no other genuine solution to dealing with a terrorist organisation that has been enabled and supported by the majority of the population of Gaza. Only now are the people of Gaza realising what that really means, and only in the future will they know what that has really cost them. Many decades have passed since the PLO under Arafat attempted to reach a peace settlement, and the hard-line Hamas taking over - they want Israel removed and all Jews killed. And to anyone saying this will make the people of Gaza hate Israel more, I say the obvious. What - you mean more than making them want to kill over 1300 people inside Israel including innocent civilians like 30 Thai workers??

I have been told (in emails) by two Thai tax lawyers/accountants that they believe that in the future a TIN will be required for annual extensions for all Expats. They pointed out that all working/business Expats are required to do that for their annual extensions, and that they could expand that requirement to those on retirement and marriage too - if they wanted to. According to one of them, if you are a Thai tax resident and you have revenue earned anywhere in the world and you bring money to Thailand, you are supposed to lodge a tax return and declare that. He stated that it is very unlikely that you would be required to pay any income taxes, and that is why they dont bother chasing non-working/business Expats for returns now. But IMO they are both saying that to get business from me/Expats - but they could be right - and as you say - never say never.

In Australia and most western countries, banks require a Tax Number or they withold part of the 'earnings' and report that to their Tax Dept. Likely that one day Thailand will also adopt the same practice - if directed by Thai Govt (very suprised if SCB has already done that). Also a possibility that in order to receive an extension in the future, a TIN and last year's tax certificate/return will be required (years away).

Anyone here use 'Nova Tears' Eye Drops - Perfluorohexyloctane. NovaTears® - AFT Pharmaceuticals

Both. I am not a 'fashion' addict who gets what is popular - and I do not have a 'reality' issue. White Color Costs More to ProduceYes, white generally cost car manufacturers more compared to lets say red, silver, black or gray. Why? Because white requires more coats of paint, base and other necessary coats during the whole painting process. Reasons Why White Cars Cost More? (noahsgarage.com) PS - here is some more reality for you: While color trends can change over time, white is always in style. There are many reasons for this: White better reflects heat. Dark colors absorb heat from the sun more efficiently whereas white stays cooler. White paint fades less noticeably. While all materials exposed to the sun will fade over time, it is white which fads the slowest. White makes objects appear larger. This is very helpful for rooms that need to seem bigger or for fleets who want more presence. White is a clean color. While white can get dirty faster, it also shows customers you are clean if the vehicle is kept clean. White is the ultimate background. Whether white is part of your brand or not—logos look great and stand out on a white background. But if you want to choose matt black, because it looks 'cool', then you go right ahead mate.

USA UK AUSTRALIA GERMANY JAPAN KOREA I could go on and on - but I think that will do. Wait one more CHINA

The issue is if Somchai in his new Ford Ranger going at 100+Ks and with some alcohol in his blood can see you. The reason why all Police cars worldwide are light coloured (usually white - except Thailand sometimes) is because that is the best colour for visibility by others - especially pre-dawn and at dusk. Bright yellow is good too 🙂

I knew a Kiwi once - he would always ask people he just met and told them his life story - "So, I have done all of those things and achieved all those successes in my life, but do they call me John the Builder?, or John the Kiwi Rugby player", or John the Lawyer? or even John the Father? - No!! But you fu** one lousy sheep and they never let it go."

Yes mate - they dont call it 'dope' for no reason.

It always amazes me how ignorant some people are about the facts - and how they usually resort to insuklting others that they disagree with because they have no logical argument based on facts - they tend to be all emotions. Which aboriginals are you talking about exactly - which one of the 300+ separate tribes with different languages and no written records and buildings and no roads or paths and no villages and no crops or any other form of civilisation - before those evil white people arrived. The first waves of aboriginals were wiped out completely by the second wave (save for a few left in Tasmania). The aborigines used to start fires that raged across the country - go back 20-30K years ago and the flora right across the country was vastly different before that last wave of genocidals arrived - which resulted in the plague of Eucalyptus trees taking over most of the continent. Those same last wave of genocidal aboriginees made extinct hundreds of species of larger animals across the country - look it up. I was born in UK and had no choice about living in Australia - but that does not mean my last 15-20 has to be there - I would much rather live with my lovely Thai wife for over 10 years and share her country with her. You can go visit the girlie bars and enjoy yourself mate - stay away from me thanks - enough said.