deejai33

OK, but Hamas is only a small faction of the Palestinians. Does Israel want to make peace with the majority of Palestinians, excluding Hamas ? If they do, go on a short trip to Cairo and join the peace conference, their views and interest in peace are important.

I see there is a 'Cairo Peace Summit' on saturday. https://www.reuters.com/world/cairo-peace-summit-gaza-conflict-who-will-attend-2023-10-20/ I only read about it because I look at Aljazzera new site. UK, major european nations, UN leader and Arab country heads are going. Don't see USA or Israel mentioned in the list. Why not go and talk about peace ?

I looked on wikipedia. Seems last Palestinian elections were in 2005/2006. About 18 years ago. It doesn't seem to be a very active democracy where rulers represent views of the ruled. Wiki says about Gaza: Following the Fatah–Hamas conflict that started in 2006, Hamas formed a government ruling the Gaza Strip without elections. Gazan Prime Minister Haniyye announced in September 2012 the formation of a second Hamas government, also without elections.

Thanks. I found articles and one graphic on visualizingpalestine stating 79km of israeli only roads, and 155km of 'restricted' in west Bank. Not a high percentage of road network. Seems a part of the expansion of settlements by israel in West bank. Rather than a directly apartheid black/white toilets, buses segregation. Its relevance to this thread is clear. Settlements and their negative effect on palestinian hopes for their own state is one of the things that motivate terrorists/militants.

Interesting to read the Amnesty reports and the criticisms made of it. As a matter of detail, does anyone know if the policy of different roads for Palestinians, and Israelis is a wide spread policy ? Some who has been to the area will know. Seems a strange policy. Seems unlikely. Perhaps its not widespread. Or maybe it is. The AJC criticism seemed to agree that the policy does exist, and has saved jewish lives. Curious to know the details and how common it is.

I think more information is needed about the intercepted conversation to make a judgement. If Hamas had ways to communicate about a secret attack, then they could use those same secret ways to talk about hospital events. I still think its odd that IDF can produce such a clear admission of Hamas/PJ fault and yet did not know about October 7th events. They can't have it both ways and be credible. IDF are either closely monitoring Hamas communications, or are not. Maybe the IDF just got lucky and listened into that important conversation. But missed October 7th planning.

Is it odd that IDF intercepted this call, but did not intercept calls related to the recent Hamas incursion into Israel ? Surely there must have been thousands of calls planning the attack by Hamas. Why did IDF not act on those calls ? Seems odd to me. I don't know how calls are intercepted or how to verify them.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/11/arab-ministers-urge-israel-to-resume-talks-on-two-state-solution

L Seems a bit pessemistic, but the mess in the region now known as Israel and Palestine, has gone on for all of my long life. Roots in zionism, british mandate, major powers role etc. To me, yes simplistic, the solution will involve both the israelis and palestinians having full control of viable portions of the territory. Could say equal portions, not sure. Referred to I think as 2-state solution. Arab nations want it. At this moment, with casualties about equal on both sides, Israel should put forward a 2 state solution and all sides actively work towards achieving it. No need for more deaths. The US should not be sending more ammunition and aircraft carriers. Should be convening 2 state solution talks.

Just to scaremonger, the RD could start a program of checking expats prior years tax status ! Get some practice in on tax year 2022, 2023. Train staff and iron out issues......

I agree. There is very little information shown about money transferred to thailand in the receiving thai banks' bank book. A date, an amount, and a code possibly meaning from overseas at best. For many the source account will just show an FX specialist 'bank' such as Wise, Hi-FX. Not enough info to prove or disprove the tax status of the money. To prove that, in most cases, you need all sorts of documents and transaction trails and notes on where the money originated, possibly over many years. Can be done, but needs effort and open to challenge for more proof.

Yes, I understand your point. But what I say my intention with the transfers has some kind of primacy over what Somchai says was my intention. Its my money, so I have the right to transfer it according to my plans. To minimize my tax burden. Somchai has no reason to challenge my account of the transfers. Its not his money. I'm telling the truth, revealing my private account details, not trying to evade tax. All above board. But from a mixed account. But yes, that's my view. Presumably this has come up under existing rules, I wonder what the decision was.

Yes. Some people say they'll do this less than 6 months in thailand idea. But they must already enjoy thailand, maybe have property here. Major costs involved in having a 2nd residence, or travelling 6 months a year. Compromise idea is to have 6 months out of thailand every 3,4+ years and transfer money to thailand during that non-resident year. Seems more do-able.

Its about an audit trail of transactions. That is what shows which money is 'savings', which money is earned income in 2023, which money is untaxed rental income. Each incoming/outgoing transaction has a date, source, destination and amount. If you transfer 100 units from savings account which has old, taxed money in it (shown by previous transactions), then you can show its 'savings'. (Although I think the issue is more about is money already taxed, rather than is it 'savings').

I agree, but it can be done since every transaction has a date. As you say, few people seperate out their money neatly into different accounts based on tax status, or year earned. I have a main account which money comes into and goes out of, and a 'savings' account that I transfer money to to gain interest. So my main account has all sorts of transactions in it. But each transaction has an origin and date made. The account only has 1 balance maintained by the bank, which is the issue. There's a technical term for such accounts such as mixed/combination. (Not sure) You need to add some columns manually to the bank statement to be able to prove what each transactions status is and what the balance of that status is. For example, if you want to show that in 2023 all of the money you sent to thailand existed before 2023 and so was untaxable under the 'loophole' you would add 2 columns to statement. One called 2022 money, one called 2023 money. Then look at end of 2022 balance and put it in 2022 column. This is money available for tax free transfer. Put zero in 2023 column. Then examine each transaction starting jan 2023 and add or subtract it from either 2022, or 2023 column. If its a transfer to thailand, subtract from 2022. If its income in 2023 add it to 2023 column. If its a bill from home country subtract from 2023, to keep as much avaiable of 2022 money. If you run out of 2022 money, then you'll have to pay tax, unless the 2023 money is under dta. You could have an extra column for that. Not as complex as it sounds. Doable for me with about 100 annual transactions.

Memento Mori is an ancient phrase that seems relevant. Can google it for more details. We can agree that death is guaranteed. But while I am feeling in good health and lively at 60++, I have some curiosity about what will be the cause of my death. It will seem strange to one day start feeling an ilness, pain, that worsens and get diagnosed as terminal xyz disease. Oh - so that is the disease I will die from, wow ! Curioisity satisfied. 555.

But the savings may or may not have been taxed already. Savings are simply income you didn't spend.

Not quite accurate. The 'loophole' allowed remitting income from 2022. Income from 2023 was always potentially taxable in 2023. You should say remitt only 2022 or previous income before end of 2023. Its your last chance to use the loophole. If you bring 2023 income in, its could be taxed under current laws and its always been that way.

You sure ? This is 2023. They scan your passport at port of entry/exit. Look at a computer screen. Showing your details I guess, checking overstay etc. I would think at that point a record is written saying 'this person entered/exited today'. Why not do it ? No disc space. 555. They do manually stamp passport too, yes.

Use the data about your entry and exit from thailand. Easy to identify tax residents. >180 days per calendar year.

Yes, and its a subset of transactions that would be looked into first. 'Select surname,first name, passport number, homecountry,age, from immigration database where sum(days in thailand)>180 and year=2024'. That gets you tax residents for 2024. 'Select passport number, total remitted from bank summary database where total> 1m baht. 'Join to taxresident table on passportnumber'. Use the list to ask the tax residents to state how much they remitted. If their answer differs from computer, call them in to investigate. And randomly ask a few to show income was taxed appropriately. Could try similar matching on ATM withdrawls, but less unique ids to match with. Exchange booths easier as have passport number as you say. Not perfect, but could be refined.

OK, I see your point about trying to match the cardholders name on foreign bank card to the list of tax residents. Not easy as few unique ids to match on. But might work for people with less common surnames+first name. But do you agree that an ATM withdrawl is remitting income to thailand ? If so you would be put in position of having to choose to lie to RD or tell them about your ATM withdrawls. Lying is the biggest issue.

My guess is that withdrawing thai baht in thailand from a foreign account will be regarded as remitting foreign income to thailand. The net effect is the same. The resident, for tax purposes, has just got 20,000 baht in his hands in thailand from a thai bank machine. All monitorable by thai banks. Worse, you could be accused of trying to evade thai tax. Which is true !

Seems reasonable to me. Often like that. Read the small print on contracts. Surely electricity was mentioned as extra, in the big print. 555. Cleaning fees are annoying, yes.

Not sure where you got the idea that the thai tax year starts 1st October from. Other posts here, and googling 'thai tax year', say it starts january 1st.