jayboy

Why? There are far better guides available and I can spot a snake oil salesman when I see one.

Sounds plausible but on scrutiny isn't really true.Bill Heinecke's Thai language capability is rudimentary (though in interviews he claims to be fluent.) He really isn't, and he's one of the smartest people around.

Some people are clearly driving themselves crazy.

You are of course correct.Those bleating about the dangers of obtaining a TIN don't understand the process involved in "getting on the radar." I don't for a moment believe that TRD will be hunting down miscreants who have a TIN but haven"t filed.There are many legit reasons why a TIN holder might not need to file in any year - having no assessable income for example. Having said that many foreign banks are pressurizing their clients to obtain a local tax number.

My current laptop is coming to the end of its useful life, 8 years now.As a committed Apple guy, I shall be replacing it with either a 15 inch Mac book Air or 15 inch Mac book Pro.There's quite a price differential but I don't mind that, and the Mac book Pro is newer and has a better chip.Still though I like new tech my head tells me there's nothing the Mac book Pro does that the Mac book Air doesn't do almost equally well.So slightly regretfully I'm leaning to the Mac book Air.But does anybody consider the very well reviewed Mac book Pro stands out even if not the best buy financially?

Don't be silly. It of no significance one way or the other.

As a matter of interest was your old tax number 10 or 13 digits? I'm not sure when the switch to 13 digits TINS for foreigners took place but I'm fairly sure it was less than 12 years ago.

I'm not sure that is correct.My understanding is that the Ministry of Interior had a reorganization of the system a few years ago and numbers issued previously became invalid, replaced by a 13 digit version.Somebody more knowledgeable than me will be able to advise.

If they didn't you wouldn't have obtained your work permit.

The employer would have filed a tax return on your behalf.

Not so much the younger generation who are better educated and would vote for Pita if he could stand.In any case Thaksin's popularity in Isaan was well entrenched in the middle classes there - not just rice farmers.

Plenty of high rollers in Ibiza and some classy residents too, even James Blunt.There are a few high rollers in Pattaya but I would venture to suggest nobody of upper social classes would visit let alone live there. More for the Dan about Thailand types.

Wrong.You can top it up with a bank app on your phone.

Of course there are many reasons and the matter is complicated.I identified a major issue because this is not an academic forum and not given to complexity and nuance.

Sorry.I should have said Kevin Hewison who is interesting on the subject.Furthermore it is really the academic Duncan McCargo who is probably the real authority on network monarchy.No link to offer - but easy enough to research online.