GreenSnapper

Received heaps of mail since about Dec 12 at my Bangkok P.O. Box. seems everythings slowly goes back to normal.

I'm using the free "green" wifi from TRUE all over town. It works well, but is slow, only 64kb/s. enough to check emails or a little short browsing. Even ThaiVisa works. The 1 hour limit is not really a limit, as surfing one hour with this slow speed is normally too long anyway

Get a DTAC Simple SIM from 7/11 for 50 Bt.

Every Topup of even only 20Bt will give you a 1 year validity extension from date of the topup.

Some more signs about the development of "political correctness" into a totalitarian, fascist-style system:

DISCRIMINATION against dominant white males will soon be encouraged in a bid to boost the status of women, the disabled and cultural and religious minorities.

Such positive discrimination -- treating people differently in order to obtain equality for marginalised groups - is set to be legalised under planned changes to the Equal Opportunity Act foreshadowed last week by state Attorney-General Rob Hulls.

The laws are also expected to protect the rights of people with criminal records to get a job, as long as their past misdeeds are irrelevant to work being sought.

Equal Opportunity Commission CEO Dr Helen Szoke said males had "been the big success story in business and goods and services".

"Clearly, they will have their position changed because they will be competing in a different way with these people who have been traditionally marginalised," she said.

"Let's open it up so everyone can have a fair go."

Victoria's peak business body expressed concern yesterday about the need for the proposed laws, and questioned if they would undermine the right of companies to make legitimate business decisions.

At present, individuals or bodies wanting to single out any race or gender for special treatment must gain an exemption from VCAT.

Companies and public bodies accused of discrimination can only be held to account after a complaint has been made.

But the proposed changes go much further, allowing the commission to inquire into discrimination, seize documents and search and enter premises after attempts to bring about change have failed.

Businesses and individuals would be required to change their ways even if a complaint had not been received.

Action could be taken where an unlawful act was "likely to occur", not just in cases where discrimination has taken place.

The commission would also have real teeth to enforce its rulings via VCAT and, as a last resort, in the courts.

The changes, shown in a Department of Justice report by former public advocate Julian Gardner, would also:

EDUCATE people so they know their rights.

GIVE more protection to people with disabilities, requiring companies and public entities to reasonably accommodate their needs.

GRANT the homeless and people who act as volunteers better protection from discrimination.

Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry workplace general manager David Gregory said business supported the objectives of equal opportunity legislation.

"But I am concerned and curious about whether these changes mean the commission can second-guess the legitimate business decisions of individual businesses," he said.

The first raft of changes to the Equal Opportunity Act were introduced into Parliament last week.

Be warned - this sort of apartheid is now all over the Western world.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...59-2862,00.html

Yes I did move into Sitara Place.

Generally it is ok but there are several things which i find annoying.

1) - The internet is so slow

2) - On the website it says 3 minutes walk to Phra Ram 9 station, it is at least 10 minutes.

I have visited the Sitara Place recently, and the owner was telling me that their internet has eight 4-Mbps lines and a load-balancing server. I was quite impressed hearing that. Well, apartment internet/wifi is quite often slow and unreliable, same at my present place, I'm now considering doing it via GPRS/EDGE.

As I walked there from the MRT, I was also quite impressed about people who can do it in 3 minutes. Took me around 15 minutes or so

I didn't move there as you have to bring your own blankets/sheets/pillows and the servicing was charged extra too. There is also no pool which I regard as necessary in a hot place like Bangkok.

I think MBK, 4th floor, has a few shops. But there are certainly more around the city.

I think MBK, 4th floor, has a few shops. But there are certainly more around the city.

As it was quite good on saturday (22/11), it is a nightmare since yesterday and today. Being in BKK on a TOT ADSL line. Pings show up to 50% packet loss. Speed is down to 20kbps. It is incredible that internet even in Bangkok is that bad. For example in Vietnam I never had such a bad connection. Thai Visa almost unreadable (this post takes minutes to post).

Hi!

My 1-2-call SIM card will expire soon and to prolong its validity, I have to top up some Baht.

Last year, 300B gave me another year validity. I'm not sure how this is now, I read contradicting reports.

So how much shall I top up to get another year (or 6 months minimum)?

I heard DTAC-cards are to be preferred. Which one gives me one year?

Thanks for your help!

Thanks, geriol03. Is the internet still so bad at Athenee?

Besides the internet, how would you compare both places, are they of similar standard? Did you like the location of the King Royal garden? It is very near the BTS, a good place I suppose.

So any other suggestions of a proper serviced apt. with proper internet? I don't need 4MB permanently as I do not download lots of stuff, but I need a proper browsing speed.

Any help appreciated as I soon arrive in BKK and need an apartment urgently.

I would have gone to the first hotel I was at, King Royal Garden Inn.

Stable Internet (atleast that night I spend there) around 1Mbit. 15 000BTH/month. Almost right at Surasak BTS. Decent rooms and facilities.

Thanks for this info. I checked the website and it looks ok, reasonable prices. Why did you not stay there from the beginning? As it is on Sathorn Rd, was it noisy there? I will check it out next week when I arrive.

Hi,

I look for an apartment to rent in Bangkok.

Must have:

* near BTS/MRT (walking distance)

* furnished and quiet

* properly working internet (DSL or wifi)

* studio or 1BR

Nice to have:

* gym

* pool

I look for a short term rent of 2 months only.

Any hints appreciated, also if you know good serviced apts. PM me to get in contact.

Thank you for your info.

So it is that shitty, seems like no Skype-work here then...

Made the mistake of signing a one month contract before trying out the Internet. Oh well, atleast I have learned something about this.

So any other suggestions of a proper serviced apt. with proper internet? I don't need 4MB permanently as I do not download lots of stuff, but I need a proper browsing speed.

Any help appreciated as I soon arrive in BKK and need an apartment urgently.

Hi,

I'm going to get a 2-entry tourist visa. But I may enter Thailand more than twice on a few more short visits.

Question: will my 2 tourist visas always used up first on arrival, or can I tell the passport officer to leave the visa untouched because of a short stay only and get a 30-days stamp instead?

Thanks for your help!

Is that 64 k BITS per second? Then it would be hardly usable except for checking mails.

..........................................................................

I can read by my Treo, but it is a bit annoying to scroll the page up-down,

then also have to scroll left and right... and also too slow...

is ok... that Lo-fi version is now on process to be runned...I will be patience and wait for that.

(I thought I was the only one who got this problem, but no.... many have got also...

There are many here with small devices, EEE Pcs, iphones and such who cannot properly read TV since lo-fi has gone.

It has been promised to find a solution, but it seems not very urgent for the forum admins. Other forums, which use the same Forum software, have no problems with lo-fi.

As a clumsy intermediate solution, I suggest the following steps for configuring your browser:

1. Switch off Javascript.

2. Switch off all images.

This helps with the extreme slow speed. But the result is not beautiful. Better than no TV at all.

It's not really a problem which can be easily solved by TV but has to e done by the software developer. TV has to wait for the new update where should be some fixes of the existing version.

Please be patient as TV has to be patient also.

Thanks.

Well, it seems that the forum software of TV is Invision Power Board. And if you check their own forum at http://forums.invisionpower.com/ , you will find that the lo-fi version runs very well.

It may be just a matter of configuration on the TV side. But thanks for taking care of the problem.

It is now 3 weeks that the Lo-Fi version of Thai Visa has gone.

And despite being promised an early solution, there is still no lo-fi version. All of us who read TV on mobile devices or UMPCs have lots of problems since.

Just a kind reminder that we are waiting for a solution.

Thanks!

The Lo-Fi version is the only practical way to read TV on small mobile devices. I was shocked when it suddenly disappeared.

Please, recover it as soon as possible!

IF Grant Thornton is right (quod esset demonstrandum!)

quote: A resident of Thailand is taxed on income earned in Thailand and on income

earned offshore which is brought into Thailand in the year the income is earned.

then there is no need to bend over backwards or thinking of various accounts and financial constructions. all what it takes is to instruct the bank to make a single transfer every year on jan 2nd with a value date of jan 1st. as simple as that.

If that works, it would be even easier.

But kudroz wrote above, that the money remitted to Thailand must come from a fixed term deposit which matures in the following year. I haven't found any reference to that.

I still believe that having 2 accounts, where one will only be used for the money transfer, is the better option, just in case someone asks, you can show that account.

And I also believe that it is not necessary to consult some reputable international company. The question is not a complicate matter, but a rather common one. A Thai tax consultant should be able to answer that question. I'm quite sure, Thais with offshore accounts face the same situation.

I'm rather hesitant to pay 15000 Bt just to answer a simple question which can be solved by checking the official regulations. Isn't there a "reputable" Thai tax consultant who would do it for a much smaller fee?

I'm still considering to retire in Thailand in the next 1-2 years, and the tax issue is an important one, as important as the visa issue.

At the moment I believe that if no retirees pay taxes there, I won't be the first one to do it. Following the 2-account approach I outlined above, I will be on quite a safe road from what I know so far.

The problem is that account B will also contain interest earned in the current year !

Yes, but then you will be only taxed on the interest earned on the money you transfer to Thailand, but not on the transferred amount itself. There are also some free allowances, so unless you transfer a big amount, these taxes would be neglectable.

only stupid farangs indeed would call the Revenue Department and ask to pay taxes !

That's another question. The first question is: what is the law. The second is: how seriously is the law enforced.

And furthermore, to answer the question, there is a much easier way... Just take the cash with a debit card in Thailand... directly from your off shore account. Case closed.

Would work with your daily expenses, but for getting a retirement visa you have to show the cash is remitted from abroad into Thailand.

So how are you expats handling the situation: As you have to deliver a tax declaration in March, you just tell them "no income" and the case is closed?

Are retired expats never asked about it and is it never checked by the RD where the money comes from?

Thanks, kudroz, from your posting I have the impression that the tax issues on offshore investments are not as easy as often claimed at Thai Visa.

To make sure I understood correctly, let me outline a possible way not to pay taxes on offshore income. I think this is quite a relevant issue, as I believe there are many retirees in Thailand who don't live from a pension, but from offshore capital and capital gains.

Let's say, I have an account "A" offshore (Singapore, HKG etc) which consists of bonds, stocks and such. It yearly pays a certain amount of money from dividends, interests from bonds or gains from trading stocks.

If I'd would just transfer those gains to Thailand for my retirement expenses, they would be fully taxed.

From what I read on the website mentioned above, taxes would average around 10-20% from the amount remitted to Thailand. Which is quite hefty, as I have to remit yearly at least 800,000 Bt for being able to receive the retirement visa alone.

But to avoid being taxed that way, I could just open another offshore account "B", probably at a different bank, to where I send money from account "A". Account B just holds a fixed term deposit.

The fixed term deposit at account "B" will be matured in the following year. Then I remit all the money from account "B" to Thailand and will not be taxed on this money. After that remittance, I start another fixed term deposit on account B to do the same for the next year after that.

So the money flow will go like that:

A -> B (fixed term) - (next year) -> Thailand

And so on. The amount of money I keep on account B will be the average amount of money I will spend in Thailand during one year.

Would that be a feasible legal construction to avoid being taxed on your offshore income and still have money to spend in Thailand?

I'm rather interested in this topic too.

Do the Thai authorities actually ever ask where does the money come from that you transfer from offshore? Or is it automatically assumed that this is from "savings"?

A retiree on a retirement visa is supposed not to work. But is he really a "resident"? I would say no, his visa is a bit more upscale than a tourist visa, but practically it is the same.

What do Thai people do with serious income from offshore?