TroubleandGrumpy

"after you submit the tax refund for 2024." Unfortunately you are probably correct. Thailand has a Taxation Department that changes the rules, and then clarifies what they meant and how it will affect people, after people have lodged a tax return. It is like living in a dream and you think 'this cannot be happening'. But at least with a dream you can wake up. Your advice is dead right - dont put yourself in the situation where you have to lodge a tax return - or if you might be there, think of how you can not lodge a tax return. I for one have advice from a tax consultant in writing that because I do not have to pay any income taxes after TEDA, then I do not have to lodge a tax return - along with 30+ million tax residents of Thailand.

No point paying for advice that is uncertain - they do not know because TRD has not confirmed or denied this question and a heap of others. TRD has a lot of unanswered questions at their feet and they are saying nothing. The brief non-sensical answers they gave to fictitious questions early this year, only lead to a series of more questions. TRD vastly under-estimated how complex this matter would be and it appears their strategy right now is to leave it to the Tribunal/Court to decide. Any tax expert or consultant you ask is not going to know the answer for certain - but they will gladly charge you a fee for providing an elusive non-binding vague answer under strict non-liability conditions. Only TRD can provide definitive answers, but unlike is the 1st world where the Tax Dept/Office is a professional organisation and where they provide detailed answers and briefings, Thailand is a 3rd world country when it comes to taxation - hence why in a country of 50+ million workers less than 10-12 million actually lodge a tax return. IMO if it is at all possible, avoid dealing with TRD for a few years or so - they are under huge pressure to get more tax money and Expats are an easy target if they raise their head up. It will all settle down eventually, but I reckon at least a year or two TRD is best avoided if you can. I have advice from one tax expert that states because I have no income taxes to pay (after TEDA) then I do not need to lodge a tax return (under current TRD lodgement rules). TRD might change that lodgement 'rule' and demand all tax resident earning over 60/120K lodge a tax return even if they pay no taxes (like rice farmers who are exempted under TEDA). But then they will be demanding 20-30+ million Thais lodge a tax return for the first time in their lives, and that would be an electoral disaster for the Govt.

Dont bother arguing - they are what is called a cult - unable to process information that goes against their taught narrative. ICE = BAD and worldwide destruction. EV = GOOD and saving the Planet. When you are terrified and running for your life from a huge bear, it is hard to listen to someone saying 'slow down, it is just a loud small cat'.

In effect you are right, but that is not the 'target'. The problem (reality) is that whatever rules are made to get income taxes and other such things, the wealthy have both the smarts (advisers) and the ability (multiple residents, business structures, trusts, family deals, etc.) to get around most of those new rules. There are people who make a very good living giving advice to the wealthy on how to avoid taxes and other payments to Govt, and a big part of that is being across whatever rule changes the numpty politicians and public servants are thinking of implementing. I have a very wealthy mate and one day over lunch he got a call from his adviser. He spoke for a few minutes and when finished, he told me that the Govt was about to change the Superannuation rules to take more money off those with large Super accounts, so his adviser recommended he change his 'wealth portfolio' and move money out of his Super accounts immediately (his and wife's). 3-4 weeks later the change was announced and took effect immediately. That is how it is folks - no use arguing or fighting - you would do the same if you had serious wealth.

That is IMO not the case - and everything lse I say is IMO. Until Thailand taxes all income earned worldwide they can only tax income remitted into Thailand during a year that a person is a tax resident of Thailand (180+ days). Taxing worldwide income is where they want to go and are right now they planning on doing that. However, right now the Law in Thailand is that income earned overseas is only taxable when it is remitted into Thailand in any given calendar year when that person remitting it, is a tax resident. The current rule change means that it is now taxable income in Thailand when a tax resident earns income last year (starting 2024) and then remits it into Thailand the following year (or years later) when they are still a tax resident. The reason they are going to move to a worldwide tax system is because of exactly what you said - some people can and will only remit into Thailand some 'serious' money, in the year/s when they are not a tax resident for that year. That option disappears when all worldwide income earned in the year a person is a tax resident is taxable whenever it is remitted into Thailand and whether that person is a tax resident that year or not. Obviously under those worldwide rules, those who are able to manage their affairs, will ensure that they only earn income in the years they are not a tax resident, and only remit that income into Thailand also in the years when they are not a tax resident.

I believe that is not a rumour but that it more of a fact, and what some would say is a fact, in fact 😉

Update on those shafts. The 7 and 9 wood shafts arrived last week and we played golf Thursday at Singha Park. They are great and they are high and straight. I hit a great shot with the 9 wood - 165 yards to the green - it went way high and landed right next to the pin - unfortunately it rolled just off the back - up and down for par - all good 😄. Thanks for that post about GSA Shafts @Luuk Chaai I had contacted them and the nearest shaft they had to the Ping one was a Fujikara model (maybe the same one on the Pings) - but after fitting the Ping adapter and delivery, they were much more expensive than what the Ping ones cost - plus they might not have been the exact same model. The new Ping store on 3rd road is highly recommended and worth a visit - they have Titleist gear too plus balls and gloves etc etc. https://www.google.com/maps/place/easygolf+Pattaya/@12.9439779,100.8857788,16z/data=!4m11!1m3!2m2!1sgolf!6e1!3m6!1s0x31029579809b3cb5:0xea48b5c4f8747fa8!8m2!3d12.9439778!4d100.8953056!15sCgRnb2xmWgYiBGdvbGaSARRvdXRkb29yX3Nwb3J0c19zdG9yZZoBI0NoWkRTVWhOTUc5blMwVkpRMEZuU1VOeU9YVXRaR0pSRUFF4AEA!16s%2Fg%2F11lcc_dqr2?hl=en&entry=ttu https://www.facebook.com/PING.easygolf/

There are many wealthy people who are saying that, or have already started to do that (to stay under 180 days in Thailand).

Most of those types are tourists - just like you.

Someone else beat me to laughing at that comment. Delusional response to reality - woke liberal mind disease is what Elon Musk calls it - and it is recognised for what it is more and more. Those who are woke libs will of course deflect and insult, but they never actually give a rational response to the issue at hand. The reason they dont is because they cant - there is no rational response about most of what they do.

True. And it will also cause a lot of Expats in all walks of life to decide to leave Thailand at the first opportunity.

Somchai's authority does not extend to such things. Somchai's authority extends to assessing and deciding upon tax returns lodged in his Office and assigned to him for review - not sending an Expat to jail.

The standard answer form the woke libs about someone who criticises the Dems and what they did and are doing.

WTF wa that?? Hates Expats ??? Better just ignore it I think.

Too little - too late - Zelensky is Goneski. That is what happens when you align yourself with the Democrats and help remove Trump from Office. Zelensky and all his Dem (and RINO) enablers are going to regret bigtime what they did. Payback is coming. I am remined of a line in that that great western movie "Tell him I'm coming, and Hell's coming with me".

That is what happens to such facilities when the western Expats are not longer spending time and money there. We lived in Chiang Mai for several years and that Mall was just around the corner and we frequented it a lot. A Thai friend of ours in Aust has family in the Province and visits the City every visit (2-3 times a year) and she says it has been slowly dying since 2016/17, but this year it was worse than ever before. Increased smoke pollution for 3-4 months (worse ever this year) and an exodus of Expats has been the main cause of the downfall of Chiang Mai - there will never be enough 5-10 day Chinese tourists visiting to make up for that loss. IMO the same thing, but to a lesser extent is happening in many parts of Thailand where Expats mainly lived - the Expats are exiting and a general decline in the living standards and services in Thailand is only adding to the problems - Hua Hin is another place that was booming with Expats (especially Koreans) in the 2010s, but is now very much in decline in regards to Expats living there.

Lies. Trump's team has questioned the second debate because the Dems have not yet officially changed their candidate and cannot until the DNC in Chicago. Likewise, Trump's team want the ABC replaced and more 'independence' on the chosen adjudicators. The last CNN debate was a softball exercise managed by the 'independent adjudicators' clearly in Biden's favour - and yet he still clearly lost.

Yup, the leftist climate change fascism and associated scams and boondoggles are rejected. The science on all that isn't as settled as the fake news claims, BTW. Trump has said he's for a clean environment. But it's time for a return to common sense and an end to the rule of Greta Thunberg. It always amazes me how lefties will quote something spoken by the media or Dems that they agree with, as absolute fact. "the urgent need for environmental sustainability." In the view of many scientists there is no climate emergency - it is all a massive over-reaction leading to enforced draconian measures of control that are causing massive economic and social and personal harm. Clearly people have failed to learn the lessons of the Covid disaster - thosde in power have merely replaced a problem that with the next 'problem' - and are exploting that to their advantage (as they always do). There is an old saying - 'beware of the cure being worse than the disease'. Those words of wisdom are being ignored on the alter of academic ignorance and vested interests. If a scientist cannot get funding to run a research program to prove that increasing temperatures are small, and that what is happening is not mainly due to human causes, then it is obvious that there is a narrative that is being protected at all costs (also reminds me of Covid). This guy below is one of the many scientists and experts who are currently stating their opposition to this current narrative being exploited by those with power and wealth, and results in delusional activists who want to 'shut down oil'. How to talk sense about climate change (linkedin.com)

Excellent list of truths and facts - bound to hurt the feelings of woke leftists. Particularly on point regarding abortions and the lies of the Dems and their MSM supporters. SCOTUS over-turned a ruling that made abortions a Federal issue, which under the Constitution was wrong. Under the USA Constitution halth care is a State issue - and SCOTUS returned that right to the States to decide on all health issues, including Abortion. So now it is legal in some States, it is illegal in some States, and it is restricted in most States. Abortion is a health care issue and under the Constitution it is a State issue not to be interefred with by the Federal Govt. Dems changed that situation for political reasons in breach of the Constitution - the Republicans put it back where it should be - the Democrats dont care about the Constitution unless it supports their own political purposes.

Anutin could be the next PM if Srettha is sacked by the Court. Anutin is letting 'them' know that is what he would do - it is a compromise for their support. It is also now his Party's position - and as the senior Partner in the coalition Government, then he is also telling them what his Party would accept and support going forward. Simple politics 101.

Dependson where you live, but if you hire a Thai PI I have heard they can be less than 'honest' and can even tell the other Party and get them to pay them as well (to lie about their infidelity). There are no licences or controls in Thailand - they dont have a licence to lose or fines/jail hanging over their heads if they do the wrong thing. IMO go and see an Expat Lawyer and ask them to nominate a PI - about as good as you are going to get IMO. If you are in the boondocks then I dont see that as being a viable option - maybe learn how to track/copy a phone and do that when they are in the shower? If it not a person living with you, then you should ask the Lawyer for advice and a recommendation.

Agreed. And IMO it is best to block/ignore trolls. Just saying.

End of story - well said. This is reality and it is why I hope Thailand does not fall for the 'Nanny State' mentality and try to stop this ever happening again. Doing that in the west has resulted in so many things in people's lives being 'controlled and managed' by incompetent Government bureaucracies that continue to grow and cost a fortune to staff with useless people who are not accountable to the people for their actions (and who cannot be sacked). The main reason I left my home country was the Nanny State it had become - it is now run by a bunch of Karen's forcing people to not do what they dont want them to do, and forcing them to do what they do want them to do.

It is extremely strong in this Forum - has been since Trump was first mentioned as a Candidate in 2016. I remember in another 'form', when Ann Coulter said Trump could win the candidacy and the election, and she was totally ridiculed and abused by the majority of members on this forum at that time (most still here). Their 'hatred' for Trump goes back to that moment and their own ignorance, which was the same as many other lefties in the USA - which the MSM fueled and has fed off for many years since (and still does). This time round it is going to be even better when Trump wins 😁 But I am sure that when Trump wins they will all accept the decision of The People - just like they demanded we all do in 2020 😂

Harris is a part of the delusional idiotic left wing lunatics that now control the Dem Party. This started a long time ago when the leaders of the Dem Party focused on winning the support of minority groups and activists - because they are extremely politically active and will do anything to win (a la 2020). Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the extremely corrupted ones (Obama, Clinton, Pelosi, Nader, Feinstein, Napolitano, Waters, etc.) were pushing this agenda and reaping the rewards - enabled by the corrupted GOP ones waiting for their turn again - Bush's, McConnell, Romney, Cheney, Bolton, et). But it all blew back in their faces in 2016 when the radicalised Dem supporters voted for the socialist Bernie Sanders to be their nomination, instead of Hillary Clinton (so they fixed that). And now they are up to the same old tricks, trying to 'avoid' Trump's 'payback', by forcing the incumbent POTUS to pull out of running for Office again. Obviously it is all in the hope of shoring up the women's vote by using the SCOTUS decision to over-turn Roe V Wade. IMO it is extremely unlikely that Harris (and whoever) will beat Trump in November (never say never). This is the Dem Party leaders last desperate move to avoid Trump payback, but IMO they are preparing for the inevitable outcome. There is one big advantage to the Dem powerbrokers when Trump wins, and that will be the reduction in Party power of their radicalised left wing. They are already planning and preparing to cover their butts and have their scapegoats ready for Trump - but their main game when/if Trump wins will be to take back control of the Party and move back to the centre. Then they will develop a more 'central' Party candidate nomination for the 2028 election - and it will not be Newsome or any other radical left wing Californian. The Uniparty will live on after Trump (sadly).