TroubleandGrumpy

I agree - the new Thaksin Govt has already canned the 10K Handout. I reckon they will just quietly let this one fade away (like when they stopped enforcing TM30s for short overnight trips). Either way I will be happy to pay any taxes above VAT when I get something in return (Residency?) - until then I will be happy to be like the 30+million Thais who do not lodge a tax return and never have in their entire life.

Thanks Sheryl - I am still looking for Dr Ken or any good GP type Doctor in KK. All good - I have the meds - It is just that I had to wait 2 hours - but that is better 6+ as the wife said. I can go to a private hospital like Bangkok Hospital and they will see me in 5 mins - but I did that once (in Rayong) and they charged me almost 1000 Baht to see the Doc, plus the medications for 30 pills were more expensive than what SMC in KK charges me for 3-4 months (100). In fact it was twice as much as what RAM in CM charged me some years ago for 3 months.

Money in Super is in two 'types' - they all start as Accumulation. Accumulation - working and contributing (pre and post tax) etc etc etc. Retirement - no longer working, and not contributing etc etc etc. Earnings/interest etc in an Accumulation account is taxed at 15%. Retirement is not - compulsory to switch to that type/phase when 75 - optional before. Tax on super benefits | Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au) I am staying in Accumulation phase because once in the Retirement phase 'pension payment' withdrawals are counted as taxable income. Those are monthly regular payments - just like the Age Pension. The downside the Govt is that they miss out on taxes on earnings, the upside is that they get to include Super's pension payments as taxable income in your tax returns. It is 'income' and can affect your age pension (if over the limit) and can also affect you with other monies received (like inheritances) . The old Defence/Commonwealth Super Fund is taxed differently from others because it has minimal/nil taxes applied to the Fund earnings in Accumulation phase - only to certain contributions. All very complicated and I dont know all of it because I dont have that type of Super.

Go to this website if you want to work out if you have to lodge a tax return. Guess what?? If you are only getting the Pension you do not !! Not because of SAPTO - because of Age Pension. One last time - SAPTO is for income earned ABOVE the Pension. I give up - why do I bother - 20 years dealing with ATO - what do I know. Work out if you need to lodge a tax return | Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au)

Dr Donna is in Bangkok and I commented about her - her clinic is OK IMO. The rest is for 'general info' to anyone - that is all the GPs I know/found. It was not all about you.

Yes - they all seem to 'specialise' here in Thailand.. There are not many GPs, like in the West where they are the 'front line' of patient treatment. In Thailand it is clear that people go straight to a public hospital for everything - because they are basically free for Thais. Dr Donna is AOK if you know exactly what you want - more of a western clinic than a 'diagnosis centre'. There is a good western GP Doctor in Jomtein - Dr Olivier Meyer - we used him while living in Rayong. Lots of older men in there are getting 'treatments' - but he is also a very good GP - he can diagnose and test and provide treatment for many things, or refer to a good specialist https://dr-olivier-clinic.com/ And of course Dr Morgan in Chaing Mai. Still looking here in Khon Kaen. We went to a specialist clinic in the big Uni Hospital this week and it was packed - took almost 2 hours to see the specialist. Wife pointed out that for the public hospital people are arriving at 5am and waiting for half a day to see a Doctor. Looks like I might have to find another option - not a private Hospital/Clinic because they charge a fortune for the specialist medication I need prescribed (and only available at Hospitals)

Lots of confusion - I will try to explain yet again. The total Single Age Pension payments in a year in Aust is $29,021 The Tax free threshold is $18,200 The Pension payments total is $10,832 above the tax free threshold of $18,200 The SAPTO maximum is $2230 for a single pensioner The threshold ($18,200) plus max SAPTO ($2230) total is only $20,430 The total Single Age Pension payments in a year in Aust is $29,021 Pensioners do not pay any income taxes on their Pension payments - fact Even though the total money received is above the threshold plus SAPTO - fact That is because ATO does not apply taxes to the Pension (and other Govt payments) They are included in 'taxable income' in order to calculate total taxable income. The SAPTO is only for when a Pensioner earns additional income during the year (eg. a short term part-time job). If you have come this far then you do want to know why it is so confusing - below is my views on why it is a classic cluterpharrk of government idiocy, combined with the general ignorance of the public because of how complicated the tax system has become. The ATO website advice is all about how to complete a Tax Return (it is not general advice). So any Google search will inevitably take you to a section within the ATO online guide to complete a tax return. It is all very misleading and confusing - and any complaints get ignored because the ATO claims that if they advised that the Pension was tax free people would not include it in their tax returns as 'taxable income' in their declared list of incomes. In the past many people made that mistake and it was a big problem trying to explain to them that they dont get the tax free threshold when they have received the Pension. My Mother and Father received the Age Pension until very recently, and neither of them had to pay income taxes - ever. I receive the Age Pension (both in Aust and here) and I have never had to pay income taxes - and I complete a return every year just to make sure (I have a Super Fund). Please dont confuse the Age Pension with a 'Pension payment' which is an option that is regularly paid by a Super Fund to someone that has reached the qualification age. I have not taken that option, even though it would mean that my Super Fund earnings would not be taxed. I did not do that option because any money received under that 'pension' is taxable income, and I would have to pay tax on it. So I kept my Super Fund in 'accumulation phase' and the Fund pays tax on the earnings, but I can withdraw money as and when needed, and it is tax free.

Mate - thanks for asking - I have no idea how to answer people like that guy (and I tend to be aggressive towards them).

I see you are one of the confused. Let me try this. Tax free threshold is $18,200 Single Age Pension payments in a year is $29,021 No pensioner pays taxes on the amount above $18,200 - which is $10,832 - that is a fact. Yes it is taxable income - but only for totaling with any other earnings - the pension amount is not taxed.

That is one way to look at it.

ROFLOL - I hope you used lots of yellow and brown 😁

Any chance of a google maps link ? I cannot find anything on google.

That definitely sounds like a conspiracy theory - despite your denials. But maybe you are right - so just in case, I have reported what you said to the Police Station in Chaiyaphum and they said that they will soon be around to get your statement and commence an investigation.

Thanks mate - much appreciated.

Conspiracy theorist mind at work me thinks.

He let them search his bike because ................. ??

You were there and saw it?? Did you record it happening?? Short of either of those two things, you are either trolling or have 'issues' (or both).

Do you actually read these articles you so vehemently argue with others about??? QUOTE: "Nearby, a 9mm handgun was found with five bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber. Mongkol’s Honda PCX motorbike was parked with the seat open." QUOTE: "When they found nothing illegal under the seat, they attempted to search him personally. At that moment, Mongkol allegedly drew a gun and fired at them, prompting the officers to return fire, resulting in his death."

Took out gun and pointed it towards Police - took two bullets in chest and turned to run (with gun still in hand) and copped three more in the back. All good. The Police in Thailand are not inhibited by BS social media rules and PC culture - do what they say - when they say - where they say - and how they say. And dont pull out a gun - they will not wait for you to shoot - they will immediately empty their weapons at you.

Yep - it was ruled that he was not guilty of a criminal offence in Thailand, and that he was innocent because Thailand's criminal justice system is so much better and fairer than the totally corrupted system in Australia.

Good question - it was Srettha who directed TRD to increase their tax take, including going after Expat's money. If TRD does just let this issue die (which I think they will), we will not be advised of any such 'policy change'. As with TM30s when they suddenly starting enforcing it, and then they stopped doing that - but said nothing 'officially'.

50K is minimum amount to lodge the case in Florida - once started damages will be in the millions. Disney lawyers doing their job - denying liability for any reasons they can think of and trying to get case dismissed. IMO it is unlikely that the lawyers tactic will work because the Ts&Cs agreed to relate to streaming services only. This will probably be ruled to proceed to a Court case. Then Disney will probably make an offer. Then the negotiations start between plaintiff and Disney and the Restaurant. Hope the restaurant has good indemnity insurance - and the employee better get a good lawyer.

Exactly !! They have learned that tanks coming in and them sorting it out, only ever results with the same problem (Democracy) happening again. So they learned that what was needed was to change the Institutions and appoint the right people in them, and thereby make them capable of doing the work that their tanks did previously. MFP/Pita gone. Thaksin depositioned. Who will they put in place next. Me thinks a 'compromise' person not embedded with PT, but one proven to be willing to go along with their agenda in return for political power - Anutin? I know he is 'problematic' to many in PT and will probably not get the nod, but Bhumjaithai played it smart/clever and the Party has got a lot of 'aligned' Senators appointed and therefore he has some real political power/influence behind him.

When riding a 'big bike' in city/suburbs drive like it is a scooter - stay left and take it easy - they will force you over to get in front of you otherwise - they have no idea real bikes are not scooters. When riding a big bike on the highways, go faster than all others and stay in front and well away from them, and if not possible to get in front them stay back but remember that Somchai thinks you are a scooter and will force/expect you to move over to the left and get out of his way.

Thanks Sheryl. Many years ago you recommended Dr Morgan in Chiang Mai as an Expat understanding GP type doctor and she was/is great. Do you know of any Doctor or Clinic in Khon Kaen that has the same 'understanding' or who is a good GP type Doctor/s - my wife is Thai so speaking English is only a bonus.