TroubleandGrumpy

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Just a quick point to try and set you straight - this is not about you and how you feel. Plus - I dont believe a word you said - 'my wife owns several businesses' - 'I work during office hours' - ROFLOL - faker. Quit while you are behind mate - that hole will only get bigger.

Good point - words to the wise.

Nail on the head HIT !! The elephant in the room !! The use of a DTA is not automatic as some people seem to think. You can only use a DTA as a claim in your tax return and YOU must PROVE you have already been taxed to the satisfaction of the TRD. How you can do that is not detailed or explained - and it will probably not be (there are 61) - it will be IMO decided based on 'legal precedent'. Before I go into what legal precent is, IMO the best strategy to take going forward for the vast majority of Expats is to avoid TRD at all costs - at least for a few years while this all sorts itself out. Gather your own personal information and calculate why you do not (IYO) have to lodge a tax return (eg. My country DTA states Pension not taxed, etc etc). Keep records of all of that information you based that decision upon - reasons, pension payments, bank statements, etc etc etc. IF you are ever asked by TRD to explain why you have not lodged a tax return, immediately go see a tax accountant/lawyer and provide them with your documents and information. IMO very very few Expats will ever be asked to explain. However, if you are earning money from overseas (investments, rentals, etc) and are a Thai tax resident, then IMO you should go and see a tax accountant/lawyer and ask what they think you should do. Legal Precedent is how a lot of issues are resolved in the Thai taxation system (and the vast majority of those are by businesses and wealthy individuals). TRD makes a decision - the tax payers disagrees and lodges an appeal - TRD accepts or rejects the appeal - if rejected the taxpayer takes the matter to Court - the Court listens to both sides and decides - that becomes the 'legal precedent' for this particualr issue - unless the TRD lodges a higher Court Appeal in which case it goes a few steps further. TRD rarely appeals - the matter is handled very amicably (not confrontational like in western Court) with both sides politely asking the Court to help them settle a misunderstanding and/or something that they both are not sure of how it should be decided.

Yes worst case scenario - but it sounded like he was in the deep stuff - separated for many months and wife screaming for more money and mother scamming him too. Somehow he is married? Sounding like a bloke that has been ripped off for a long time and finally woken up - he needs to escape. If he is listening - you do not need to be in Thailand to get a divorce - perhaps to lodge it initially - he should talk to an Expat focussed lawyer (and if it is as bad as it sounds, get the hell out of here).

What we in the west call corruption, is seen in SEAsia as how things are done - what we call graft and nepotism is a just an accepted way of life here and it goes back a very very long time.

Thanks mate - much appreciated.

Absolutely true - plus you must never visit the Mother/Family - the wife can go by herself (like she did before you arrived). Sorry to say this, but you better start checking things out in detail mate. She could be genuine and her mother/family is just using her to get money out of the Falang, or she is actually an active participant in squeezing money out of the Falang - and maybe has already done this before. Whatever happens, never allow her to access your money/bank - Thais are extremely 'compliant' and daughters will do what they are told to do by their Mother/Family. You need to keep a very close eye on things and keep her on a very short lead - and watch how things develop going forward. Plus - mate - you need a plan B - a quick exit strategy and plan in place - just in case. If it does all go to sheite one day, you must leave the country - you have no idea how things can be brought down on you by a Thai family in 'revenge mode' - everything from Police arrest and charges to being charged with some very serious crime. Now that might never goping to happen, but by the sounds of it and yourself, you need to have a Plan B in place. If that happens - go home and regroup and try another country - Philippines etc. Dont come back - you could be arrested at airport or just denied entry.

What could possible go wrong with allowing citizens from a corrupt regime/country to enter Thailand Visa free for 90 days. I think they should do the same for Somalia and Yemen and Syria - they are all wonderful lovely people and their money will bring great wealth and happiness to Thais.

Does anyone know where I can take my newish Ping 425 woods and buy new upmarket shafts. The wife and I both got a new set of Ping clubs in Aust before moving here. Hers are great, but I have always been struggling with the woods (3, 5, 7, 9). I used to have 3 and 5 Wood and then Hybrids, but I got the 7 and 9 wood hoping they would work better - they did a little bit, but still not good. I have been trying all sorts of things to make them work better - but nothing worked (for long). Last week while playing I had a rare good thought and swapped over my wife's 3 wood shaft and put it on my 3 wood and hit a shot - boom boom. The shaft was too light and too flexible, but the ball flew high and straight well over 200 yards. I did it again from same spot with a slower swing and same result. Clearly I am too old to play with the standard regular flex shafts that come with Pings - so I want to go and try a few upmarket shafts and buy now ones. I dont need new clubs - they are great - and the irons are perfect. I clearly need lighter more flexibale shafts. There are plenty of places in Aust to do that - but I cannot find one in Thailand. We are in Rayong, so if anyone knows a place around Rayong or Chonburi (Pattaya) that would be great. If it means going into Bangkok then so be it. Thanks.

Lots of issues there mate - and I hear you - and no one knows everything that is for sure. I can say this - your Super is taxed at 15% of the nett earnings if it is in 'accumulation phase' - the Super Fund pays the ATO direct on its total amount of earnings in all accounts in the accumulation phase . But there is no detail on taxes paid by each account holder - so proving that tax has been paid to TRD would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. If or when you transition to 'retirement phase' and receive regular scheduled payments, your account earnings is tax free (but that money becomes taxable income for ATO and DHS purposes - not taxed but counted). The issues related to your property and capital gains taxes are far more complicated and you would need to get taxation advice from a tax specialist - when things pan out. Your idea to keep your head down and be quiet is very good - and all Expats should follow that advice. As things progress I am sure TRD will clarifiy things - if only through the Courts as this progresses over the next few years. Regarding other countries - both Malaysia and Philippines have stated that they have no intention of applying income taxes against the money that Retired Expats bring into their countries. However, how that actually plays out in each country, given that this is all about stopping global tax avoidance, is uncertain - clearly the 'wait and see' method is the best approach.

Wise have an excellent response team - email them any question (if you have an account) and they will usually answer within a day or two.

Yet another reason not to go to Phuket - and I thought the list was full.

Yeh I knew a bloke like that too - and there are other blokes who just love to make an arse of themselves - but I guess that is better than going tits up in the water.

The problem for most of Thailand is mainly from the burning in neighbouring countries - as clearly shown on this NASA satellite fire website. But the Thai Provinces near Chiang Mai also has its own fires that match those in other countries.

Having said that Bob - if you start being less 'abrasive and aggressive' then it will do you and us the world of good. You are what you eat, and you will become what you think you are.

That is a much better arrangement - everyone pays the same and therefore going to the top deck is available for everyone if they want to do that. The boat we had was 3 levels - each level was a different price. And I must say that until the freeloaders started coming upstairs it was very nice - good food and great views. Yes mate - it took over a hour to get there and we were only a few Ks away - total chaos.

I hear you BUT they paid much less than we did. Bit like aying for a box at the footy ans a bunch of randoms walking in and eating the food and blocking the view of the match.

Huge rip-off - we did it once many years ago and we never will again. Besides the tourist trap thing, they allowed passengers from the cheaper lower decks to come up on the top deck. I had to shoo away people who came up and starting sitting on the boat rail blocking our paid-for views to the river. Plus there was an Elvis show at the front and our view was totally blocked. When I asked the Thai 'guard' why she was not stopping people coming up on to the top deck, she just smiled.

I completely understand and agree with that as a valid strategy - I do not see things getting any better for Expats in the future. In fact it will probably get harder for Expats as things fall apart more, due to the true state of the Thai economy being revealed (like China's currently is). And if/when MFP get elected in the future, things will get even worse - they would be a social progressive Govt and they always tax people more to pay for all their social progressive Govt programs. PT promised 10K per Thai and they are struggling to do that - MFP have promised social welfare payments, and things like free housing for the poor, and all sorts of other 'progressive' programs. We have the plan of moving back in the future (Plan B) - plus we also have a Plan C. Plan C is to move to a nearby country (Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia) and from there travel regularly to Thailand as you plan to do - VOA being one option and also Visa for 'Visiitng Family' - making sure we never stay more than 179 days total in Thailand. I am currently evaluating all the retirement options available for those other countries - and I note that both Philippines and Malaysia are also taxing foreign income, but they have both stated that they will not tax the foreign remittances of retired Expats. In a variation of Plan C , we might end up staying 3-6 months in a few countries - so that we never become a tax resident of any of them.

Same boat but different country. Self and Thai Wife both Citizens and we can go back anytime we want. Plan is to stay here a long time, and return when/if one of us starts getting very old/sick. Too expensive to stay here when those serious old age medical problems kick-in - which is usually in mid-late 70s, or if you are lucky not until 80s, or if you are unlucky in the 50s/60s. When that happens and we cant really travel anymore, or play golf and enjoy Thailand and other SEAsian countries, we will be returning - or sooner if things go bad and I struggle to do annual renewals and 90 days reporting etc etc - and/or am forced to pay income taxes.

Bad News re income taxes. I have just been advised that although the final transfer to the Krungsri bank is a 'local transfer' - the original transfer is international into a 'banking transfer pool' and is full recorded - both origin and destination - and that is available to the Thai Govt/TRD. That is why Wise 'recommends' those 3 banks - they can transfer direct to them and not incur the fees from the 'transfer pool' organisation/system. I believe that BoT uses the 'BAHTNET' system for their transfers - not sure whether the other banks all use something similar, or if they have a few organisations they can use for receiving international banking transfers. I would think this is one of the reasons why sometimes banking transfers take minutes and other times hours/days.

You might think that is the case - but I guarantee you that it will not be so when it is you. Or are you saying that you will say :- OK - no problems - just my bad luck - I am that 1 in a 1000 - fair enough - I accept it.

I understand - Wise does have 3 'preferred' banks for transfers to Thailand - Bangkok, Siam Commercial and Kasikorn. I am going to get an account from another bank and give it a try. Probably best to keep quiet about this - TRD might be listening.