Mike Lister

That was a joke, humour, you didn't get it because you seem not to have a sense of one or you've had it surgically removed!

Because I have income from other countries also that must be declared, including the UK where the DTA doesn't cover and including from Thailand. I have filed a Thai tax return for the past three years and at various points in the past 20 years before that. I also file a return because the rules ay that anyone with assessible income over 60k per year has to. Even SSc income is assessible income, until you file a return and declare that it is excluded income, under the DTA. Not filing a return and assuming the RD knows that transfer you receive every month is excluded under some DTA of other, is not a valid assumption.

None of us can confirm many of those things because not enough has been decided yet. But I agree, many DTA's are very positive for the taxpayer. One point in your post that I can answer is that just because funds are exempt from tax under a DTA, doesn't mean a return doesn't need to be filed. The RD doesn't know what those funds are, until the taxpayer tells them and confirms things. In my case, my US SSc is tax exempt in Thailand under a DTA. The receiving bank in Thailand, Bangkok Bank, has a copy of the funds transfer agreement that was set up at the outset so the source can be proven. But RD doesn't know that, because nobody has told them.

Ah, so you refer to DTA, that changes my response somewhat. I stand by my earlier post but agree that there is a lot of scaremongering by some posters, mostly by one or two prolific posters on this subject, in respect of DTA's and what might happen. That said, it is far too simplistic to say the things you wrote in bold because not enough information is confirmed at this point. The existence of a DTA does not remove the obligation to file a tax return, that is 100% certain, neither does it negate the need to pay tax in Thailand, that is also 100% certain. But what items might be included under different DTA's and the associated rates of tax on those things, is very unclear..

You are mistaken. The current RD practise is that anyone, Thai or foreigner, who wants to declare income or reclaim tax with held on bank savings, MUST file a tax return. In filing that return you are also required to declare the rest of your income, not just the part that pertains to tax with held on bank savings. If you do otherwise your are guilty of filing a fraudulent tax return. The RD code is also very clear that any tax resident who earns assessable income of more than 60k Baht per year, must file a tax return, there is no exclusion for foreigners. Finally, the RD code is also clear that anyone who resides in Thailand for more than 180 days, is tax resident. As for practise, the RD sends me a tax return to complete every year, this is because I have filed them in the past, that is their practise as far as this foreigner is concerned. The fact that the RD has not gone out knocking on foreigners doors in the post is because they have not always had the tools to identify foreigners income. Now they do, the banks record those international transfers as "income" that must be accounted for.

CM's famous late night entertainment venue was raided and closed last night for being open after midnight, it's hardly a strategy that supports 24 hour tourist arrivals..

The sun bleaches curtains rapidly, better to tint the glass with film and use vertical blinds.

That's the price in Bangkok, the price increases with the distance from Bangkok.

What, not go to Immi for 5 years! You'll miss the convivial conversation with Immi, the playful banter with the I/O's and the relaxed helpful air of people helping people in a laid back stress free environment. I bet you go back just to visit.

Sure, why not, I love all the attention. ???? I said it was a State Pension, I don't recall ever saying that I receive a Government Pension. But if I did so I didn't intend to and I'll be sure to whip myself thoroughly before I go to bed.

I'm just amazed that anyone actually reads my post, now I know this I'll pay more attention to what I write in future.

Maybe, perhaps, dunno, I think it's sensible to wait and see when more is confirmed rather than second guess and hypothesise. What I think is clear is that Thailand has a lower effective tax rate than both the US and the UK, and doubtless many other places also so I wouldn't jump ship until more is known..

My understanding is that Thai tax on the income you describe above, that is put into savings and transferred the following year, would be determined by, 1) whether or not you were tax resident in Thailand whilst that money was being earned, and 2) whether you were tax resident in Thailand when the money was transfered. If you were not tax resident in TH whilst the money was being earned, the money is savings not income. The Thai tax dispensation on previous years income has been done away with so waiting for one year after the money was earned, doesn't achieve anything.

More financial stress on the Fuel Subsidy Fund to pay for this, it's already THB 110 bill. in the hole. https://www.reuters.com/article/thailand-economy-borrowings-idINL4N3512BT

I don't want get involved in a debate about how many expats etc because that is not the purpose of this thread. It is nevertheless useful I think to have a rough number in mind because it gives context to the issue being discussed. Perhaps the two most useful links are below. The forum discussion on this subject in 2019 confirmed the 150,000 western expats, wiki also helped break down the 4 million into ethnic groups by using UN data from 2000 which can be extrapolated. Lastly, a separate report estimated 41,000 British expats in Thailand, in 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Thailand

I don't see that anyone has demanded anything of the kind, do you!

Having been through this debate several times over the past twenty years I've read most of the arguments previously. Yes it is true that there are about 4 million foreigners living in Thailand but it is not true to suggest they are all expats in the sense that a Westerner might understand the term. Most of the 4 million are legal and illegal Chinese, Cambodians, Laos and Burmese who for the purposes of economic impact assessment must be separated from western expats. Western expats historically are those here on work permits or retired here. They either receive overseas income every month, something the majority of the 4 million do not, or they earn in the upper income levels. If the 4 million (minus the 150k) were to evacuate the country, the economic impact would be substantial because much of the labor force would have disappeared and some industries would grind to a halt, like construction and fisheries. But the impact resulting from cash/income withdrawal is far less likely to have impact since the vast majority of the 4 million are exporters of wealth back to their families, rather than wealth importers.

I stand, just to annoy people, I'm like that sometimes.

Not so, "Some people have no symptoms". https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-20373106

Umm, I'm not going to change anything, I receive 65K a month here in Thailand from two sources and I'm not going to change anything. Bangkok Bank knows that one of those transfers is from US SSc because they had to sign and stamp the form before it was returned to the U and BB insisted on keeping a copy. I'm not sure BB knows the source of the other transfer but its UK State pension related. By my calculation I'm free and clear of Thai tax next year although I may transfer some extra funds before the 1 Jan.

990 at Bangkok Hospital https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/package/influenza-vaccine or you could go seriously up market and get it from Bumrungrad for 1,060 baht https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/packages/flu-shot MedPark has quadrivelant flu vaccine for 900 https://www.medparkhospital.com/en-US/packages/adult-vaccine

Nope, 690 baht, same price, same vaccine for everyone, some are even four strain vaccines: https://www.cmmediclinic.com/Flu-Vaccine.html https://www.travelclinicchiangmai.com/#:~:text=FLU VACCINATIONS ONLY 690 Baht&text=Protect yourself by booking your flu vaccine today. https://www.chiangmai-hospital.com/en/packages/influenza-vaccine-promotion

You should be certain to write and tell them that it should be so.

Yes, 600 per dose for the standard flu vaccine is typical in the North.

This is not an exercise designed to catch mafiosa, triad and general bad criminal elements in Thailand. This is an exercise to force otherwise law biding citizens to declare overseas income, force other residents to comply with the same ruling and to adopt common international practise. That some may continue to earn income from criminal activity is a different program of work.