TroubleandGrumpy

No - I was getting a new licence - using my existing Aust licence as basis. Yes - complete the aplication document and take it to Immigration - go to this website and download document number 24 - Download Form – สำนักงานตรวจคนเข้าเมือง – Immigration Bureau You will need a passport photo - or you can pay for Immigration to do it (they have camera and printer). You will also need Passport and copies of the main, visa and stamp pages (if I recall). Plus address proof - Lease etc. Yes a Medical Certificate is probably required - definitely needed for new one - so very likely to be for renew. Yes you need to do the DLT online testing for renewal and new licence. DLT e-Learning (dlt-elearning.com)

No - Hamas are very good at getting them killed.

True - over the years there has been a definite problem with the Israelis about a 'solution' - and I dont only include a 'Two State' solution as the only solution. I think that is because of their fear that unless Hamas, Hezbola etc. are 'controlled' there might be even more terrorist attacks, but I also think that there has been a lot of politics at play inside Israel. The current PM is a hardliner and it is in his political interests for things to be 'troublesome', but he was re-elected because when the moderates were previously elected, the results were a disaster for Israel. Simplistic I know, but even if you include all the variations and complexities, the reality as you said is that there is no solution. This is made even worse by the woke UN who has over the years launched many investigations into Israel actions, and has condemed Israel many times, but they have never investigated Hamas and have never condemed Hamas either. Politics is making what could probably not be worse, actually worse. I do know this. If Hamas could do what Israel can do, all Jews in Israel would be killed - men, women and children. Israel is by far the more of the 'good guys' in this situation - they could wipe out every person in Gaza if they wanted to do so - but they choose not to take that path because it is not the right thing to do. I also know this. The Arab nations (and indeed the World) need to get Hamas and Hezbolla etc under control for their own benefit. This latest atrocity by Hamas, and Israel's response, is nothing compared to what would happen if one of those terrrorist groups gets hold of a nuclear bomb and kills 100s of thousands of Jews in any of the Israel cities. Israel will immediately wipe all of them from the face of the earth. And if any Arab Nation responds with attacks on Israel, then depending on the form of attack, both Israel and USA will respond and that Arab Nation will be destroyed. That will probably lead to WW3 if Russia and/or China responds, and the end result of that will be our mutually assured destruction. And here is the 'rub' that many people just do not understand - the fanatic Islamic zealots in Hamas and Hezbolla etc will be happy to have died as martyrs for the cause (and get the promised heaven), because Israel will have been destroyed and all the Jews will be dead. That the rest of the world is also destroyed is utterly of no concern to them.

WTTFF is wrong with that statement? Anyone? IMO someone who claims to be into Muay Thai and crys over what other people say - is a fake.

Rational People - just like Common Sense - there is not enough of them these days. There is no 'solution' because Hamas does not want a 'solution' - they want only one thing - and that is best summed up by their own PR statements that are echoed in the west by the extremely ignorant and stupid people protesting in support for them - 'From the River to the Sea'. Hamas wants all Jews removed and all the lands Israel controls turned into a new Palestine State.

Thanks Jack - I did not know that. In that case the OP should just get a 12 month multi-entry Visa and stop doing the single entry plus extension.

Mate - revenge aint the half of it - Trump is giong to decimate the political swamp that is DC. Last time around they distracted and undermined him and spied on him and back-stabbed him, and due to his own politcal ignorance and inexperience and his abrasive personality, he was undone. Trump did not get as much done as he wanted or expected - and all his changes were relatively quickly over-turned. Now Trump has been planning and learning for 4 years exactly how he is going to tear them all down - and tear them all down he will - and that scares them to pieces. They are desperate for him not to become POTUS again for one reason and one reason only - and it aint because Trump will start World War 3 - it is because they know he will get them next time. And get them he will - and yes it will be great to watch - the popcorn is already being stocked up.

I think that is definitely the case - those who legally emigrated are extremely annoyed about all the illegals crossing ad-hoc. Not only because they went thr4ough the system and paid for the privilege of being accepted into USA, but because the vast majority of the illegals would be rejected as undesirable to be allowed to enter the country. Same thing is being played out all over Europe as more ands more people realise that the woke progressive 'inclusive no-borders agenda' is a load of BS and is undermining the morals and values of their society. When Enoch Powell shouted out about the dopwnsides of mass immigratyion of people from Pakistan etc he was vilified. When people like Gert Wilders spoke the same message 10 years ago in Netherlands, he was attacked as racist (by the liberal media). Enoch was right - London is now 36% white anglosaxon people. Gert was right - and his Party just won the last election. And on and on it goes. The liberal mainstream media is slowly dying, and the only thing that will save them is if they become truly 'balanced' whcih aint gonna happen. The world is turning - right - and no matter what they say, more and more people are seeing that their lives have been negatively impacted by al the woke progressive minority pandering BS that the left have embarked on for the last 2-3 decades. Trump is not a Hitler or Stalin - we all knew Killery was bad/mad - and we have all learned that the Biden Administration is more like a despot with a war mongering hateful agenda than Trump ever was.

NO

You dont need 400K except to get a 12 month extension once you are in Thailand. You can get a multi-entry Visa to visit family/wife - valid for 12 months from date of issue. Each entry is valid for 90 days, so that makes 4 times per year - get a new one each year. However, I would expect that after some time an 'IO will ask what the hell is going on here' if you are constantly using the same approqch to re-enter Thailand. Maybe pay an Agent to solve the 400K annual extension problem.

I recently got new Thai licences (car and bike) at Rayong. Thought I would pass on the details on what is needed and how to do it. It was a little different than what is detailed in the thread about renewing an existing licence, as in this thread from 2021. The Rayong Driver Licence Office is located in the Rayong Provincional Transport Office complex - link as follows https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rayong+Driver+License+Office/@12.689133,101.2077717,17z/data=!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x3102fbb3a2767af7:0xce84da4d48eea2ee!2sRayong+Driver+License+Office!8m2!3d12.689133!4d101.2103466!16s%2Fg%2F11bwq6d513!3m5!1s0x3102fbb3a2767af7:0xce84da4d48eea2ee!8m2!3d12.689133!4d101.2103466!16s%2Fg%2F11bwq6d513?hl=en&entry=ttu After I had done the DLT online 'training course' https://www.dlt-elearning.com/forignerhome I was not able to make an appointment online for both the car and bike 'tests'. It was very confusing when the wife called them, so we decided to go in to the Rayong Office and ask them what to do. As you enter the complex, which includes car rego and testing etc., all the signage is in Thai. The licence area is to the right - and it can be a problem finding parking - we found parking behind the 'testing' area at the back. Once we found the main licence building, we went inside and upstairs and entered this area in the photo below from google. To the left is an enquiries counter, but further left was a window with a yellow sign 'Foreigner'. We went to that window and showed the guy all my paperwork, and he told me what was needed. He gave me a blue slip of paper with my 'appointment' for 9am in the following week. What I needed to bring was original Passport and Australian Licence and a website printout of what the licence codes meant (C for Car, R for Bike). I was to bring 2 sets of paperwork - one for driver and one for bike. Copies of Passport Main page, Visa and Stamps. Copies of Aust Licence - front and back - plus copies of website details of codes. Certificate of Residence from Immigration (two new ones, not 1 plus copy). Medical Certificate (2 new). Printout of DLT Online testing (2). On the appointed day/time we had to go to the open air 'section' (under cover but not inside a building as such). It is outside near to the main office, next to the rider testing setup - photo from Google below. When you walk up stairs/ramp there is a couple of tables with people checking paperwork. I noticed that there was already many Thai people in the area on the right of the tables, who were about to go through some sort of tests (DLT online?). It became clear that the 'appointment' time was the same for everyone - but it appears that many people had arrived well before 9am. Once my paperwork was checked and some more added, I was directed to a bloke who had a contraption setup - he was upstairs about where the girl is in the photo. He ran a 'test' that involved moving a post inside a box with a remote control, so that both posts lined up left to right. Very hard to describe - but easy to do once I understood. That guy signed the new paperwork they gave me, and I was directed to the main building. This time when we entered the area in the first photo above, I was sent into the 'testing' area on the right - as per the photo below. The section setup has changed from the photo - with the table and lady on the right side now. The idea was to sit in a chair and wait your turn for the first test - a lady boss will 'direct' you where to go (and she means it). The first test is a colour test - 3 lights (as in the middle ones up high in the photo) - they are down low now and on left side of room. When red light goes on you have to press the 'red' button on a remote controller, green for green, yellow for yellow (test ability to see colours). Then you wait for second test - which is a foot activated device on the floor on right side - it has an 'acclerator' and a 'brake' pedal.. You hold down the 'accelerator' pedal and then as quickly as possible press your foot on the 'brake' pedal when the light changes to red (reaction time test). Then you wait for the third test - which is the other lady at the desk, as shown in the picture - but now on the right side. You put your head forward and into the box (like when getting eye exam) and there are two small lights inside the box. When the light to the right goes on you lift up your right hand, and when light to the left goes on you lift left hand (peripheral sight test). Once you pass those 'tests' the paperwork is signed by 'boss lady', and you go to the 'foreigner' window. At the window the guy checks everything and if all is OK you pay the money and they keep most of the paperwork and you get some back and a number. You then take that number to the section as in the photo below - it is located next to the wiondows section. When your number is up on screen, you go to the desk number given, and they take your photo. You then wait until they make your licence, and they call you to come and get it - all done - bye bye.

You are right and it is becoming more and more of a worry as the time goes by. I have stated several times in this thread that I am extremely dissappointed that the Thai Govt has not done anything 'positive' in response to this situation created by the Thai RD. They could have at least said they recognise the worries this is causing to Expats in Thailand, and that the interpretation and implementation of this new rue change will soon be clarified. But they have not - the PM made a public statement that he agrees with this rule change and that they are going to go ahead - I know he was referring to rich Thais avoiding taxes, but what about all the other groups affected, including us. The Thai RD has released two media statements that actually do not address the situation for Expats - and they were both very bland and not 'on point'. That is what worries me more and more - the Thai Govt and RD are not providing any clear resolution to the clear and obvious problems Expats have with this change. Things like - Is my Pension taxable income (as it stands now, it is income) and what do I have to do to not have to pay income tax on my Pension (as it stands now, it means lodging a tax return and claiming under DTA that it is not taxable in Thailand). And there are many other situations that arise - but answers are not being given. I think and hope it is just incompetence - and that they do not want to tax Expats who bring money into Thailand.

My last word - BLOCKED

Mate - please take this the right way. The Thai bureacracy has absolutely no problems with mountains of paperwork - fact. They do not take any account of whether anything they do will cause more paperwork. Paperwork is endemic here in Thailand - I opened another bank account and I think I signed 20 pices of paper. As it stands right now - meaning if the Thai RD does not clarify things and provide exemptions - any money remitted into Thailand from overseas is potentially taxable income - because they have no idea what the source is/was. Therefore, in order to know if it is taxable or not - in the current circumstances - tax residents will need to complete a tax return and claim it is not. However - and hopefully soon - the Thai RD will provide clarifications and exmptions (I hope) so that tax residents can 'know' what money is taxable and what is not - and therefore if they have to complete a tax return. There are many tax companies who have made media statements about this evolving issue - many of them previously provided in this thread - most of them state Expats will have to lodge a tax return and they recommend you come into their office (of course).

Much of the 'analysis' done by the various bodies these days is very much 'clouded' by pre-conceived ideas and pre-determined outcomes. One way to achieve such an outcome is to conduct analysis over a short time frame. Example - there is growing evidence to show that solar and wind renewables have a lot more maintenance costs than initially thought (and n bow is overlooked), and they will need much more replacement over shortere periods than claimed (which is again overlooked), and their damage to the environment is not calculated into the analysis. That report you mention has a significant statement that tells me it is pre-determined sheeite - "wind and solar, remained frontrunners as the cheapest and most effective options to deliver a reliable grid to industry and households" That is patently a load of khrapp - the only real and reliable and proven alternative to fossil generated main grid power, is either nuclear or hydro. To me it reminds me of the EV rhetoric - they are on one hand claimed to be the saviour of the world (by those vested interests selling them), but if every car was converted tomorrow it would 'save' less perhaps less than 10% of total CO2 outputs. Meanwhile all the 'bad' things coming out about EVs are just ignored - their thermal obverloadiong, the ever increasing insurance costs, the poor prices and lack of demand for used models, the limited ranges, the limited (or missing) charging infrastructure, etc etc etc. Nuclear Power Economics | Nuclear Energy Costs - World Nuclear Association (world-nuclear.org) The problem with reports like above, are that they are 'biased' - and it is symptomatic of what is wrong in society these days. It seems that everyone is either pro this or anti that, and there is very little balanced argujments and reports being generated these days. That means people are being forced to 'choose a side' and then when they do there is ample self-fulfilling reports and claims and statements that say they are in the right. This means people become more and more polarised about any issue, and they just refuse to 'hear' any opposing argument or report. It is very much like politics these days - everything has been politicised to such an extent that pro-solar people and pro-nuclear people are forced to oppose each other, and the same goes for EVs and Climate Change and Covid and Masks and so many other things. I like to think I am independent - but am I really. I believe the best solution to excessive CO2 and other emmissions is Nuclear power generation, but at the same time I do not believe that eEVs are viable in the long run. But - I know that BETA was a technically better solution than VHS - but Sony managed the situation badly and BETA was 'destroyed'. That happens a lot - the thing that 'wins' is often not the best solution - what wins is what most people decide - and therefore competing sides in any situation spend far too much on PR and not much on 'proof'.

The application or not of a DTA is not the decision of a taxpayer - it is the decision of the Thai RD - and to get that decision you have to lodge a tax return - unless the type and source of your money has already been declared as non taxable. We are all waiting for those clarifications and declarations - but if they dont arrive before end 2024 - then lodging a tax return will be required to find out yes or no.

We are in 'violent agreement' - all those things you have to be able to 'prove' not taxable in Thailand, require you to lodge a tax return for the Thai RD to assess that claim. May I suggest, as thiungs remain as they are now, that you lodge a tax return in 2025 stating all that and see how the Thai RD goes with it. If they agree then it is clear you need not lodge a tax return again - unless the type and source of your money remains. But if you decide not to lodge a tax return, then in a few years you may find yourself in deep poo for not having lodged a return. Because as it stands now, any money you remit into Thailand is potentially taxable income, unless and until you can prove it is not. That is my biggest problem with all this - having to lodge a tax return and 'proving' the money I remitted into Thailand last year is not taxable. Who is ever going to remit say 5 million baht into Thailand (car and property) this year, when they have no idea if they will have to pay 1 million baht income taxes next year. Until the Thai RD states clearly what is taxable income as far as they are concerned, then we are all in the dark. IMO to close the existing loophole, all they needed to do was to close the loophole for investment profits made from money taken from Thailand and invested overseas. This would exclude all investments earned overseas made with money earned overseas. Now they are going to have to detail all the exemptions and allowances and 'specials' - that is why they are going to take a while. Malaysia did the same thing a few years ago, and when they realised the can of worms they had opened, they immediately delayed the implementation of the new rule until 2026 for personal tax resdients. They then spent a few years clarifying what is and is not taxable income - inclluding stating that Expat Retiree's money that they have earned and banked overseas, was not taxable when brought into Malaysia.

Yeh - I hear you. After all teenage girls never listen - and they are target consumers.

Lets hope so

There is a severe downside to that strategy - unless the Thai RD declares that the type of money you are remitting into Thailand is not taxable income. The downside is that if you are wrong (according to Thai RD), and the Thai RD 'catches' you, there are severe penalties for not lodging a tax return, and for not paying income taxes (including 1.5% per month interest on any income tax they calculate you should have paid). Unless the Thai RD declares that the type of money you are remitting into Thailand is not taxable income, then it would be wise to lodge a tax return and state that you owe zero income taxes and why. That way if they say nothing, you are OK, and if they disagree you know where you stand. But as you said - stay tuned. Things will develop and change - hopefully soon.

Agree - and that all make sense. But politics and common sense rarely cohabitate in the same space and time.

Yes and No. It takes 10-40 years to decommission and restore fully - then the land can be used for anything. You are referring to Chernobyl which will be entombed for a long long time because of the human error caused catastrophe. Another point - nuclear power plants take 1/400th of the land that an equivalent sized solar farm takes up.

I always found that Thais liked it when I talk a little Thai - especially the numbers when buying something. Yes they often politely giggle, but they respond positively to my attempts. You are right about the variations of dialect that they all use - and also their propensity to shorten words - both English and Thai. When we were in Chiang Mai my Thai wife did not understand what a local Thai was saying. When I asked her why not, she said that his Thai was 'northern' and she did not understand some of the words. Yet when we went to Laos she understood the locals - I learned it was because they spoke a lot like her Nth East Isaan dialect. While we in the west often have different accents using the same language - Thais have completely different dialects depending on where they are in the country. That makes it all very difficult for an Expat to learn to use the language - when the language being taught in schools is the 'Central Thai' version and there are so many completely different ways to say things across Thailand. In China there is an official language (Mandarin) but there is also many official versions - Mandarin, Wu, Min, Xiang, Gan, Hakka, Yue and many others. Thailand is like that IMO - learning Thai here is like learning a little Mandarin which is useless when in a place that speaks Wu or Xiang - and in facvt they might not like you speaking Mandarin to them. In Thailand those varitions of dialect have not been studied or documented like in China, but they very much are real.

Nothing ever does happen when they get it totally wrong - which they do all the time. How many hubs has Thailand claimed it will be over the years. How many distortions and lies has TAT given. And on and on it goes. It is just amazing.

I have been saying that for decades - and they continue to get worse and worse.