TroubleandGrumpy

Thanks guys - much appreciated.

Do you mean before 9am in Australia where the money/account is held? Which would mean before 6am Thai time. Thanks - I will keep that in mind if anything becomes urgent. EDIT - others have confirmed that if done before 6am Thai time it will arrive same day. Thanks guys.

Thanks. Yes the BKK transfer arrive after 2pm the next day.

Guys - I have learned two main things reading these posts. 1. The Aust Govt (feminists in public service) is looking into how/if they can tax the pensions of (those male bastard) Aussies who are living overseas (having a great time with much better women) and are no longer a tax resident; 2. Blocking khunheineken was a good move. IMO they will find that extremely difficult to get through 'the system' and I for one will be seeking 'redress'. Certainly the pension is included as 'taxable income' - but that is so that anyone receiving any other income then they are over the tax-free threshold. They will not allow pensioners to earn $18K tax free, on top of their Pension payments. Even though Pension payments are over $18K, they are not taxed. In the past I read up on the UN International Convention on Social Security payments, and IMO it would be a breach of those conditions to impose income taxes on the pension money that anyone is receiving - at home or abroad.

Have made 2 transfers this month - both arrived the next day. I noticed one thing in the past that may affect things - when advising 'reason' I always click on 'long term Visa requirements' so that the entry in the Thai book says 'International Transfer'. One time earlier this year I did not do that - I clicked on 'daily living expenses' and the money arrived that day. Maybe related, maybe nothing to do with it.

I wonder if the PM will be soon making yet another media announcement and forming a 'working committee' to solve the problem. Thailand just keeps shooting itself in the foot with regards to tourism and retired Expats. The never ending negative media stories just dont seem to stop. And arresting and then blacklisting a Chinese vlogger who said 'mean things' about Soi Nana was exactly the wrong thing to do. Amazing.

I never thought of it like that - and that is definitely a more 'grassroots' way to ascertain the downsides to anything. I do not think that Thais do that deliberatly and with forethought, but it certainly results in lots of 'genuine' feedback about the cons of any new initiative, and saves a fortune on consultants and review panels. Whilst the Thai RD members of the review committee would not be directly 'listening' to the forums like this, there are several representative groups and other parties that would be looking and seeing what the feedback is (and using it for their own reasons). Very interesting point mate - the old 'throw them in at the deep end' and dont get involved if you are not needed.

I think that only applies to someone already in Thailand that is being thrown out.

Ask what the fine is that you need to pay for taking photos or whatever else you did wrong unknowingly. Dont sign any paperwork - none. If they dont want you to pay a fine, then ask to leave the country ASAP. If your Passport is stamped (blacklisted in Thai?), then never come back to Thailand. If your passport is not stamped, then never arrive in Phuket again And never use a phone in an airport near the Immigration Checkpoint - or whatever it was you did that made you look 'suspicious'.

I have two phones and solve that problem using them both - I do what I need to do at each airport. My main phone has the SIM inserted that I wish to use - and I turn on/off data roaming as required. My second phone has the other SIM inserted, and it has everything turned off (but not airplane mode on). That way it still gets SMS messages for OTP - but no data/cellular. Before I leave that SIM's country, I divert all phone calls to my already setup voice message which says this phone number not enabled and to call me on +xyz, or send an email etc. Maybe that will work for some others. I was doing to SIM in and SIM out with one phone - and even tried a dual SIM too - but I often forgot to do it right. Two phones seems to work OK - and even an old guy like me remembers to do it.

Wow - mentally fully converted to a Thai I see - well good luck with all that mate - I do wish you all the best. Have you heard about Cognitive Dissonance?

Yes - but dont give him any credit yuet - until after we see how it actually works. This could be great and it could be yet another clusterf*** Best to wait and see - proof is in the pudding - and judging by the 'cooks' in that photo it might be a dud.

Happy to oblige. PS - so was yours

I hear you Jim - but I approached a well known Legal firm who advised me that at my age and in mysitruation it was a watse of time. Just getting permanent residency was extremely unlikely. Sure there is a catagory for 'supporting a wife' but I was without years of working/business and paying taxes and property ownerhsip etc etc etc.

Dont argue with it mate - wasting your time. PS - That article was referring to 'employed' Expats living full time in Thailand. Not retired, not married, and not 'in business'.

Yes mate - yet another 'situation' that the Thai RD had not considered when they decided to implement this ridiculous new rule - actually, I think they did not consider any situations - judging by the 'inane' announcements they have made since this decision was made in September. Mate - you will need a very good tax accountant when that money arrives from Japan. Can you put that money into another bank/instituion overseas and wait for all the sh** from the fan to be cleaned up (about a year or two)?

I have not found anything either - but I would seek professional advice first - after Thai RD has provided their 'clarifications and exemptions'. There are a LOT of Thais working overseas who send money home as a 'gift' to their Thai family - they are also asking for clarification. The list of people asking for 'clarification' on this matter is very large. Yet again, Thai 'authorities' have jumped in head first and broken their necks on the hidden rocks just below the surface - it is amazing how often that they do this - when a simple 'look and feel' would have shown some of the potential problems - it is almost like it is 'genetic' - they just dont seem to want to know about any potential problems, when they get an idea. Actually, I do know this one - I just recalled about a mate who was employed as a consultant and in one meeting the Boss sais 'lets do this'. He was about to say something when he realsied that he should not - and no one else said anything contradictatory either - it was just 'accepted'. Needless to say it was all a cluster***** and the Boss just 'walked away'.

1. google.com 2. multiple sources 3. because Thailand does not count them 4. my opinion from those sorces 5. got proof I am wrong? maybe a link??

I obviously assumed wrong that you were not aware of all the 'negatives', but maybe you are what we Aussies call 'a feral' - someone who has 'gone rogue' and joined 'the other team'. But maybe you are just totally 'aligned' and 'enlightened' with the Thai way of things, and you brag about paying income taxes as some sort of 'proof of allegiance'. Sorry to burst your bubble Dorothy, but you will never ever (aside from Thai family and some Thai friends) become 'one of them'. If you want proof, just catch a plane to somewhere else in Thailand and walk down the street - you aint a 'local' buddy and never will be. But either way - it seems to me that you are a person with internal conflicts - saying what you just did and telling someone else where to live and where not to live. Do you make the Thai family celebrate XMas or Birthdays etc., and do you dress like a Thai or a 'Farang' - are you 'all in' or are you 'part Farang part Thai'. - is that causing you some conflict I say that because only a Farang with 'internal conflicts' would tell another Farang that Thailand (as if speaking on their behalf) would be better off without them living here - without knowing anything about them. Here is my 'advice' to you my friend - go take a long look in the mirror when no one else is around and ask yourself 'who am I'. You are currently IMO someone that has jumped over to the 'Thai Side' of the fence, and it trying very hard to make that decision 'justified and correct'. You have failed to see that there is no fence, and it is not that hard to be on both sides. That 'fence' is a false construct - you do not have to jump over anything. It is a 'divide' and one that you are lucky enough to be able to step over and back, as it best suits you and those around you. Getting back to income taxes. I first came to live here over 10 years ago, and we returned here to live in retirement recently. One of the 'conditions' upon which that decision was made, was that Thailand does not tax the remittances of Expats living in Thailand. That money we planned to remit into Thailand is my Govt Pension and our savings made over a long period of time. Changing that 'condition' with no notice is both unfair and unreasonable. But demanding that I and all Expats in my situation just accept that and pay taxes like they do, is the view of a person who needs to 'see' things far more 'broadly' - everyone has their own 'story' and they are not all like you. Mate.

In Australia - it varies from country to country. The tax rate for non-residents is as below - there is no tax free threshold - so it starts at $1. Foreign resident tax rates 2023–24 Taxable income (note that any Govt Pension is included in this total - it is not taxed, but it is added to the total): 0 – $120,000 32.5c for each $1 $120,001 – $180,000 $39,000 plus 37c for each $1 over $120,000 $180,001 and over $61,200 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000 Tax rates – foreign resident | Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au) The allowances are as per normal - costs and expenses etc. This impacts people when an Aussie receiving rent from Australia is living overseas and becomes a non-resident for Tax purposes. Are you a non-resident for tax purposes according to ATO? Questions | Determination of residency status – leaving Australia (ato.gov.au) (Note - if you INTEND to live overseas and return within 2 years and do not live in a property you own overseas = tax resident).

The Thai RD will from Jan 1 2024 as default under this new rule, view all money remitted into Thailand as taxable income - in the past it was the exact opposite. What each taxpayer will then have to do, based on Thai RD advices and directions, is to 'decide' if that gift money is not taxable in Thailand. The Thai RD may (hopefully) direct or advise that all gifts ex-Thailand are not taxable income if given to 'xyz' in 'abc' situations, but until then, gifts from overseas will be viewed in their 'default' mode.

A lot of things are waiting for 'clarity' - not just Expat affecting things - Thais who work overseas or have savings accounts overseas, and so many others.

And yet, so many 'media experts' over the years have said that if they lowered their taxes on wine, a lot more wine would be imported and sold in Thailand - especially those wines ideal for hot weather (NZ Sauvignon Blanc, Aust Chardonnay and Reisling, etc betc). The n et effect would be far more tax revenue, and it would not affect the local wine producers much at all - probably increase their sales (and maybe make them work harder on their quality).

Exactly what the wife and I will be doing if they hit me with income taxes on the money I get as a pension plus the savings I have accumulated through working for 40 years (and left after an Aust divorce). I do not quite have the money to have 3+ properties in different locations (wish I did though). But with the cost of living being so cheap in neighbouring countries who do not tax incoming money from Expats, we might just buy a cheap place here (in wife's name) and make sure we stay no more than 179 days a year. If/when things change if/when they realise the net effect of this move (for Expats) will be a loss of money, then we could always come back for longer. Planning is all up in the air right now though - we must wait and see how things pan out - I sure hopep they pull this back and leave our money alone. 2024 will clearly be a very pivotal year for our lives in Thailand.

Obviously I quote those items from Google searches to 'prove' what I am saying is correct and you are wrong (again). Now you are joking about burning down a house - wow - be careful what you say at an airport on a plane - how about I just burn you. Good bye.