Jingthing

Being retired is irrelevant but many foreign pensions are exempt depending on what it is and the double taxation agreement with your nation.

Wrong now but the Thai government is considering changing to that.

If you're American you must file FBAR if required. Also banks are required to collect FACTA info from Americans usually done at account opening. Yes the Thai aspect separate from CRS.

OK but in any case the concept of privacy in banking is basically dead. Also as far as Thailand taxation for foreigners Thai Revenue will see your International transfers.

Uh huh. Roll eyes. https://globalbanks.com/crs-stands-for/

Not surprising but there is a fairly easy way to avoid that. Just be sure to NOT be a Thai tax resident in the year that you bring in your funds to buy the real estate. Easiest for those initially moving to Thailand.

I'm with the Russkie guy on this one.

CRS shares all transactions in your account. The forms get into tax residencies other than the US and Thailand. Tax ID numbers for Thailand (only if required for your situation), Tax ID number for the US if a US person (usually social security number), other nation's Tax ID numbers if applicable. The CRS implies that they know that US persons are subjects of the US IRS by default, unlike just about every other nation in the world as far as their tax authorities if you've left. For US person's they want a US address but it's not OK for them to demand that on a W9 if you file to IRS with a non-US address.

Well none of us knows for sure, but I find it very weird indeed that only one bank is getting a little bit aggressive on the CRS. Or step up bothering people who come in for other important services. So I do predict all Thai banks will likely do similar in 2025. Again as far as Americans, these reporting requirements have been in place for many years already and Thai banks should be and I assume most or all are requiring tax info on them when opening accounts. One reason I did bother with going to Kbank is because I opened my account so long ago that I wasn't asked, and I don't really mind Thai banks having this information, as the fines for Americans for not complying with FBAR and FACTA self reporting rules are so incredibly draconian that you'd have to be very reckless not to comply voluntarily anyway. Also I was curious to know exactly what would happen if i went in, and as in my report, I would say be very wary about signing or saying anything to them that you don't understand (as they were trying to strong arm me into filing a US IRS W9 form completely incorrectly). I had done research in advance and learned this is a common issue internationally, with the advice do not cave to them on that.

Up to you, but I don't see much risk in ignoring this, and if it's really an issue, it will be up to them to bother you about the next time you have business at a branch.

No need to have a Thai TIN or file here if you aren't remitting any funds. You may as well find out if the funds that you eventually remit are in a category that are Thai accessible. For example, for Americans only getting social security, there is no need ever get a Thai TIN or to file. To be clear the current CRS form does not require a TIN unless you are actually required to have one under Thai Revenue rules. Also good to know that anything you have abroad as of December 31, 2023 in bank accounts (as opposed to investments, etc.) can be sent to Thailand at any time in future as not accessible income for Thai tax. So be sure to get bank statements of that month.

Possibly you're right about everyone except Americans. Banks internationally are obligated to do extra stuff for American accounts which is why quite logically that it's common internationally to refuse to open accounts for Americans.

OK. Nightmare report. I never got the email but got the kbank crs file from here. The IRS forms are the same regardless. I filled out the forms on my computer, printed, but signed manually. I needed the CRS and W9. Hoping I could just hand over my forms and passport and bank book copy and be done with it! Silly me. The clerk didn't say one word but started typing up a storm. Eventually he handed me a page in Thai to sign. I said I won't sign something I don’t understand. Rather hilariously he accepted that and tore up that page. Then he typed some more and printed out the forms with what he had keyed in albeit not precisely. So then I needed to proof against my filled in forms. He couldn't print a filled in W9 form so I had to do that by hand. Then sign both forms Over? Think again. He rejected my W9 on the grounds that I didn’t put in a US address. I had researched this in advance and knew that the address on your W9 must match the address you use to file with the IRS. I have been filing with a Thai address for decades. He started fighting me with the support of three more bank staff. I said this is a US tax form and I must follow the US instructions or I can't sign it. He said no this is the banks form. Of course it isn't. It's a very official US tax form filed with the bank. Still trying to fight me he eventually started to get thst I wouldn't budge and let it be. Learn from my awful experience what you will but I think there is an important lesson for Americans and the W9. If you go in tbere without forms and they ask your US address to key in their system, if you don't file to IRS with a US address they are filing a totally incorrect W9 form in your name. Fine if you do file IRS with a US address of course. Maybe filing a very incorrect W9 is OK with most people. Not me.

I think probably mentioned before, but I want to say that the German series Murder Mindfully is one of my favorites of the year.

The story finally released: If that isn't enough, here's a reaction video from your favorite neighborhood Russian: Bizarrely there's an incredibly unlikely coincidence in this story. The very famous Bald and Bankrupt youtuber who previously specialized in everything Soviet and was ironically a Putin fanboy (now banned from Russia) was also locked up in the exact same very provincial prison as Sabbatical.

He deserved it but no need to go that low. He's already thoroughly disgraced. Throwing coffee on him only serves to inspire unearned sympathy for him. Reminds me a bit of a teenaged prank I did with a buddy. We would regularly be approached by scientologists trying to sell vulnerable people on their destructive cult. So as soon as they revealed themselves which usually took a few seconds, we would both scream loudly and start running -- OH NO SCIENTOLOGISTS! It was fun, they were shocked, and surrounding people were well warned, all without physical assault.

I would say that would depend on the specific person's situation. In any case for non Elon Musk types, there is always some chance of being financially wiped out in old age and for people who no longer have any earning power it's a predictable thing to worry about.

I plan on going into the branch with the completed forms which is allowed as an alternative other than email. I assume they will make their own copies of passport and bank book to be signed there. If for some reason they don't want the forms at the branch as reported here they may have questions instead. In which case I will know how to answer because I completed the forms and fully understand the issues involved with CRS and in the case of US persons FACTA.

I'm not suggesting people to do it or not do it. But not getting the email might mean as I suspect in my case about the branch keying in an incorrect email when you opened the account as opposed to online banking where the email must be correct. I have decided to do the forms because I wanted to understand exactly what's on them as I have three Thai bank accounts and I expect all Thai banks to do the same as Kbank sooner or later. As opposed to someday being required to sign a document at a branch to get needed business done without understanding what I'm signing

I peel your vein.

That's not a logical conclusion. The CRS form asks if you have any Thai tax accessible income and if so you must include your TIN or a written excuse why you aren't giving your TIN. If you're a US person there are one other FATCA forms.

I think she should retreat to the academy.

Yes a great example of not needing content to be new if they're new to you. I'll never understand people who say there's nothing worth watching.

Does he have a work permit for handing out the helmets? (Sorry.)

Secretary of Resume Development Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti