Qld4000

It’s no coincidence that most foreigners I’ve met over the years in Asia that have made themselves known around town as the “business man” or flaunted their cash trying to be a big shot …….have crashed & burned. Usually the new boy in town flashing the cash will actually be encouraged to start a business & will be conned into believing he’s got the “inside run” & knows the right people. All they’re doing is getting him to sink money into property, businesses etc ..and when they think he can’t spend anymore, they pull the plug & rinse him off. While ever you’re spending money , they’ll let you do just about anything until you’ve spent it. Then it all disappears. Just like the women do when you tighten the purse strings. You can bet that US guys business partner/ spouse/ whatever realised that he’d likley exhausted his financial situation & served his purpose…..no longer any use to them & can run the business without him.

Yes it was once a nice place to visit & had a good reputation. Now like Bali , it’s sadly sinking into the bog . Mass tourism agenda, cheap booze & lodgings and let nature take its course.

Give the guy a break. Maybe he was in an illegal gambling den & lost more than his shirt.

So the point of the article is that John has urged others to reflect on the potential consequences of engaging in criminal activities when abroad. Thanks for the heads-up John, otherwise I never would have dreamed you could get in trouble with drugs in Thailand.

Well, because the desperate & dateless old bottom feeders wouldn’t be on the radar of decent, well presented educated women anywhere. So, they come to classless dumps like Pattaya & trawl for street whores. Beggars can’t be choosers.

What kind of simpletons agree to collect Drugs in Bangkok , sent thru the mail where sniffer dogs do random checks on foreign imported parcels. Their parents must be impressed.

Phuket was once a nice place to go in SE Asia. But that’s all changed , and not for the best. It’s inevitable though with overdevelopment of cheap hotels, cheap booze ,weed & prostitution & not much in the way of Rule of Law. Crime & corruption obviously follow. Phuket will simply sink into the same seedy swamp that Pattaya has become. That mob seem proud of the image of being the worlds No 1 Sin cIty. The reputation of their women firing ping pong balls out of their asses for the amusement of tourists & weirdo’s has never concerned them. A few annoying taxi drivers are not even an issue by their standards. It’s all good if it brings in the tourist numbers.

Highly likely the Taxi driver was fiddling with his phone & not watching the road. I’ve been in a taxi where the guy had a phone in each hand & steering with his knees & cruise control on. I’ve had 5 accidents over the years ( mainly hit from behind) & phones usually the cause. Their devices are virtually surgically attached & constantly played with. Hope that guy gets back on his feet & enjoys his stay.

Yes, there’s a massive risk in “buying” immovable assets in countries where you don’t have blood citizenship, Rule of Law, endemic corruption , dodgy credit rating etc etc. Your visa is the ONLY thing that lets you be here…..and they can revoke that on a whim if they choose. If they’ve got $1.2 mill to spend , they could easily put that into a S&P 500 index fund returning a good income to live very well anywhere in SE Asia while keeping your powder dry in safe havens.

What do they expect. They’ve let the place evolve into maybe the worlds No 1 Sex tourism destination . The streets are crawling with prostitutes , drug dealers, pick pockets , hustlers , touts , crooked cops , Cannabis shops, live sex shows, criminals on the run etc ….you name it , every lowlife would have Pattaya on their bucket list. But wait….they’re thinking of throwing Casinos in to spice things up….and then you’ll have loan sharks & pawn shops at every turn. However , a couple of drunk goons decide to punch on & can’t be bothered making an official complaint over it & it’s shocked the local “community”. What’s that saying “ build it & “they” will come.” Just as garbage left on the street will attract Rats & cockroaches.

Why on earth would the rich retire here……it’s a no brainer . The heat, the insects, soi dogs , pollution , the stench of cats piss everywhere , devoted & trustworthy women 🤪, clear & transparent Govt policies, “interesting “ foreign visitors & overstayers, top notch road conditions where common courtesy & decency is widely practiced….the list goes on. Oh …you could also throw in cheap living , but the wealthy are in no need of that .

What a mess , I’ve read so many interpretations of this Tax issue on forums , seen so many YouTube carnival barkers spruiking different angles and still in the dark other than disappearing for six months & avoiding the problem. IF…your total foreign income needs to be declared & submitted to Thai Tax authorities , do you really want them trawling through your financial affairs & questioning you every step of the way since they like that approach when the option of rinsing you for money is in their hands. Another thing, will those financials require translating & notarising by a consulate or relevant authority. Otherwise you could submit anything. Will they need to liase with the Tax accountant that prepared your financials. ?? Will they require bank statements, details of transactions etc etc ……I can imagine this b@ll<deleted> could drag on indefinitely AND …it’s likely you’ll be interviewed by a tax office “underling “ with no idea either . Even if it’s finally set in stone what is required……do you really want to go through the above process every year with likely follow ups. At the moment….my affairs are easily done 5 minutes on a Govt website who have ALL my financial info via a TFN tax file no. That site simply sends me its figures from its data base on me…..I amend if necessary & hit ENTER. Done & dusted. Compare that to dealing with Thai tax authorities. Not a hope in hell. A change of scenery for 6 months of the year will be a pleasure. A rolling stone gathers no moss & a few blokes here could be better off as a moving target & ATM service as well.

Ah well…if that’s the case I’ll be just staying the 180 days & do other locations for the remainder of the year . Some nice alternatives only a quick flight within the region which I have always visited anyway to break up the day to day routine in Thailand. My income is from a Superannuation Fund and other sources which are Not taxed due to the Fund arrangement. Double Tax treaties won’t do anything either . I see it as a fresh start with variety of lifestyle AND I’ll be saving a bundle in Tax I won’t be handing over to Thailand . In effect,,those sojourns will be more or less Free since the Tax bill I won’t be getting will more than cover it. win win….😆

Whoa..Jaysuz,,😆 I’m getting dizzy reading all this stuff. 45 days, 183 days, DTAs etc etc. Im not the sharpest knife in the drawer with Tax & Numbers but let’s assume it was YOU or ME that is actually paying an Aussie pensioner living overseas. Look at these numbers. The base Oversea Pension rate is $27,270. If taxed at 32.5% = $8870 Nett Return about $18,400- ( What if the Thais insist on Health Insurance) …..given the quotes for the elderly , you could lose half of that & then be living on rice & beans . Then the old guy would possibly go home to Australia & then Pay NO TAX, and be eligible for Tax Free Rent Assistance , Full pension Supplement, Energy Suppliment, then Govt electricity rebate ….totalling $7700- approx So, at this point the Govt or YOU is only about a $1000 in front . On top of that the PBS scheme , Medicare Bulk Billing, Subsidised Aged care home, Carers allowances, free eye wear & dental, free public transport in certain locations, free coffee at Maccas 😆, Seniors card discounts etc etc…..The PBS scheme alone can be a big $ number. And the above benefits are only what I know of. Not a hope in hell $1000. will cover those. Then you’ve got the Housing crises to consider , where do they stay.?? so maybe the Govt bean counters would prefer the old guys to stay away for good , die there kids get sent the Ashes in a DHL satchel. Thats my take on it…..I haven’t factored in the DTA issues…my head is still spinning after reading thru the previous posts.