Jingthing

I'll never forget watching Eraserhead at a sleazy Market Street San Francisco theater. But I forget the name of that place -- is it still there?

Sure but you've got to consider lost in translation both in language and reporting.

It's dumb to say all should file. If you don't have accessable income over the threshold, you definitely should NOT file.

About TINS, it might be a grey area for now, but I think it's totally crazy to rush out and try or get a TIN if you know for a fact that you have no accessable income. I did read a commentary from a Pattaya Thai national tax consultant that (at least for now) he seriously doubts that the tax office is going to go after retired expats with normal looking remittances (even though some might be accessable) and he was kind of suggesting wait and see.

Except for Americans. (So lucky!) Understanding Tax Residence: Key Factors and Implications

So I watched Queer, based on the William Burroughs novella. I've been a Burroughs fan since age 13 when I read Naked Lunch, so this was a must see for me. Pretty damn trippy. As there is an expat story to it (Americans in 1950's Mexico City) there is that expat interest. Well reviewed and Daniel Craig is getting best actor buzz. The gay sex part of the story is not explicit, more conceptual and romantic.

I have two kinds of income in the account. One accessable. One not. Mixed. Also used for spending. So it's a bit of a mess but I can't see hiring an accountant for one personal bank account. The "advisors" will all tell you to separate such sources into different accounts. Not practical for me and assume many others, so what I'm getting at is there is often more to record keeping than just having raw bank statements. My understanding is that "first in first out" is acceptable to the Thai tax office.

I get what you're saying but if you start in Thailand with a conversion to a 90 day O visa as the first step before the retirement extension, it's clear enough that the purpose you're doing that is ... wait for it ... RETIREMENT. So it's kind of splitting hairs. Of course it's true a generic O visa really isn't technically a retirement visa as it is also used for various non retirement purposes.

Interesting. I wasn't aware that LA was doing 90 day O visas for retirement. Obviously with that you go to Thailand and get an annual extension. I had thought they only did the inferior O-A one year visas for retirement. Years ago I started with a 90 day O visa. Never labelled retirement. But at that time at my local consulate saying "exploring retirement" was accepted as reason.

Trump's way of provoking this with threats of invasion which gives aid and comfort to Putin is not the way forward with Greenland. Nobody is denying the geopolitical and resource potential importance of Greenland of course. Greenland / Denmark have not been hostile to U.S. interests. How to make them hostile? Be like Trump.

Trump doesn't do wins for all. He's wired for zero sum games. Like this last election. Winners -- OLIGARCHS, GLOBAL AUTOCRATS Losers -- His maga base of marks and suckers. Global democracies. Biden in his farewell speech gave voice to the reality of a dystopian Trumpist future of rule by oligarchs. But sadly of course, too little too late.

Wrong. With Trump it is BILLIONAIRES first and last, at least the ones he can manage to get on his side.

January 6th. DUH!

Far from gay, eh?

I can answer the from old savings point. Prior to Jan 1 2024. Thailand wouldn't know! You self assess and don't report it as its exempt. If ever audited you prove it with your US bank records.

He's completely unqualified. Defense secretary is way too Important a role for such a Fox News talking head bozo. Maybe Ambassador to Slovénia. At least Trump picked someone credible for Secretary of State with Rubio. Most of his picks are more fit for dark satire than a presidential administration.

Perhaps this expat club should screen their choice of speakers with more care?

I recall it's only 60k for single filers.

They don't. They only need remitted taxable in Thailand income. Depends on the source of funds in your specific case.

No tin needed. No filing needed. Keep records. Next ..

No. Whether remitted income is taxable in Thailand depends on the source of the funds. Not only pensions. Since you mentioned pensions some US examples are remitted social security is not taxable but private pensions are. Refer to your nations DTA if any.

Agreed. Unless they carve out an exception for real estate buying which doesn't yet exist.

Portugal is Portugal. In Thailand no need to include non accessable income in filing and no need to file if accessable income is under the threshold. Just keep records.

So they don't understand DTA treaties or lack of them and or don't want to deal with them and consider remittances a dry well target waste of their time. Making such a general statement is objectively wrong. But they are telling you their CURRENT attitude about enforcement.

Keeping defensable records when the source account contains a mix of types of sources and also spending is actually quite complicated.