jayboy

In Bangkok of the 1970's Trink's NiteOwl column in the evening newspaper (Friday edition from memory) Bangkok World was eagerly read by the expatriate community.There is no comparison with Stickman because Trink's column featured some truly beautiful girls from the bar scene unlike Stickman's obese tattooed flat nosed monstrosities.I also find Stickman unreadable - a provincial New Zealander devoid of charm. I did meet Trink a few times, definitely a very odd man who couldn't be understood unless you grasped his New York background.The attraction of his columns lay in the fact he was so odd - keeping his readers informed on the availability of Dinty Moore Beef Stew and many other peculiarities (including his extraordinary body shape). In the 1970's his columns were really racy providing the numbers of outstanding girls at massage parlours etc.I think eventually somebody at the Post collared him and eventually as a result the column went anodyne.He was very loyal to his matronly Thai wife and had two sons (one a cop?) though one sadly died early.I don't think he drank alcohol at all, perhaps very occasionally. I liked him - an original and a great character.

The great mystery is not so much the boring and inane content but why any organization should think it's worthy of publication. Perhaps a greater mystery still is why I read this mind numbing junk and then commented on it.

I doubt whether anybody loses money.In practice farang working illegally are not displacing Thais from employment.In many cases these farang businesses are adding to employment opportunities. Still the law is the law and it should be respected. The actual danger - if it comes at all - to these businesses comes from Thais who want to exploit the opportunity the foreigner identified - often the foreigner's partner or a rival business interest.And it goes without saying the constabulary will always be sizing up the financial prospects.

There is no contradiction as would have been clear to those who read the post carefully. The Pink Card is definitely becoming better accepted and it is Government Policy to encourage its use (so I was told by a senior Immigration official) After a time one gathers a sense of where are the risk areas.I never carry my passport now when checking into hotels; the Pink Card seems to be accepted everywhere. I wouldn't yet rely on the Pink Card for any kind of bank transaction. Ideally the PInk Card format would be updated and improved to hold more information.

In many cases of course of Chinese heritage themselves. Don't however agree with your simplistic take on Thai attitude to foreigners.Thailand is far from being anti-foreigner but they like to be able to place people in an understandable context.

On this forum there is a small but vocal minority which is triggered by any suggestion that the pink card is less than every farang's dream of unqualified acceptance into this demi paradise, Thailand. The truth is rather more mundane.The pink card is quite useful and increasingly so.But it is not 100% reliable even for internal airtravel and certainly for banking transactions.It is however gradually becoming more accepted and is now risk free for hotel check ins.But it makes sense to have one's passport in back pocket - particularly for banking transactions and maybe encounters with the constabulary.

Probably not as I have mentioned elsewhere.Still hope beats eternal etc etc. I don't know why you describe the session with the Swiss Ambassador and a very senior official from the Revenue Department as a "debacle", especially as I recall you didn't have the time or inclination to listen to it.It was very far from being a debacle:in fact the session was very illuminating.I and many others found it extremely useful especially as it's the only time a RD senior official has presented on the subject. There are plenty of sources of information available on the subject.I had a long discussion with a senior banker who is following the expatriate tax issue very closely.His view is that there are many aspects which are very far from clarity.It seems sensible to wait and see and avoid any kind of prescriptive lecturing.He did mention that those who brought in funds before year end acted very sensibly.

555555555555555 Not while there are diversity conferences to organize. Can you think of one thing or initiative - just one - that the Embassy has done for the great mass of resident British expatriates who are not influential or connected? They don't even attempt to keep a record of those resident.They would respond by saying consular services are available which is true but I am thinking more of specific initiatives to support local British citizens.Unlike other Western countries this aspect is of no interest to them. Example? Think back to Covid and how the Embassy ignored hundreds of very worried elderly expatriates when vaccines were problematic.Just fatuous high level representations.Eventually the British Chamber had to step in.

“A second marriage is a triumph of hope over experience.” ― Samuel Johnson

I appreciate this is has been done for a laugh but It's a badly thought out and largely irrelevant exercise since most expatriates do not fit into any of the stated categories.The fact that it is so poorly observed suggests that the author/s don't really have the experience or range as regards expatriates in Thailand to make such an exercise worthwhile.What is the point anyway?

Interesting.Maybe once a TIN has been accepted for a number of years nobody is going to check to see whether it was properly authorized or not.It's also quite possible my initial assumption was wrong - ie no problem in using Pink Card number and no separate application for a TIN is necessary.

For foreigners subject to income tax, it's true your Pink ID number (if you have one) might be the same as your tax ID (TIN), but not necessarily (see below). My understanding is that for foreigners a specific application is necessary to the Revenue Department to acquire a TIN (even if the number provided is the same as your Pink Card). It's not possible in other words to submit a tax return without have specifically obtained a TIN. Anyway that's my clear understanding for those with PR.I might well be wrong for other categories of foreigners and in any case I'm not sure their TIN will be same as that on their Pink Card.Someone better clued up could advise.

I should have also mentioned the very capable and personable Mark Kent.

David Fall was never knighted though he deserved to be.In fact the only recent Ambassador to be knighted was the likeable James Hodge but this was really because of the Queen's visit during his time.For many years the British Ambassador has not been knighted whereas in the 1960's and before it was almost standard.Whether this reflects the decline of Thailand's importance in British eyes or mediocre Ambassadors, I'm not sure.In the last 40 years Christian Adams, David Fall and Mark Gooding have impressed.There have also been some real stinkers but I will not name them.

If a UK company pension has been agreed by HMRC to be paid free of UK tax (ie has been given an NT coding) does that mean it will be free of tax in Thailand if remitted here? I'm pretty sure that it would be taxable in Thailand but thought the question was just about worth asking.

Some people will never learn.In Thailand it is often possible to structure entities that are nominally legal (there are multiple lawyers who will advise on this though they rarely mention any downside) but are nevertheless in conflict with the spirit /intention of Thai authorities.Nine times out of ten there will be no problem and the entity can operate without significant issues.The problem can come when the entity is stress tested perhaps by an unforeseen event, a hostile local business man or a tightening up of laws to better reflect intent. A wise foreigner looks beyond lawyers advice and tries to ensure his operation reflects Thai policy as well as Thai legal niceties. There are I should say excellent legal firms who give non partisan decent advice - but they are expensive and few in number.The foreign cowboys rarely consult them.

There are quite a few young Brits on TikTok like him extolling the virtues of Thailand and reviling the UK.Mostly they are thuggish creeps but there are also decent Gap Year types who are in love with Thailand - not a wrong reaction from a young arrival - we've all been there. This particular individual is a pleasant enough young man but super naive, and I suspect a bit thick..He should lose his horrible speaking manner and stop sculpting his eyebrows.

And it may explain the silly business class price I quoted earlier.I'm guessing BA hopes to capture the relatively small First Class market with a decent business class and a price to match.To be fair the premium economy and economy fares look quite reasonable

As a former frequent flyer (usually business class) with BA from Bangkok to UK I swore that after horrible experiences I would never fly with them again.Then they gave up on Thailand so I did not have to consider. Now they are back from end year.Out of curiosity I checked the business class return cost.It's Bt 276,000 about Bt 150,000 more than better alternatives such as Eva. So I will continue to forswear the delights of poor service, obese cabin crews, grating estuary accents, unreliable timing and disgusting food and overall mediocrity.Not a hard choice.

Have the Hamas criminals surrendered?

Your proposed "solution" would not solve anything as well you know. It seems you are a pacifist, a perfectly honourable position but not mine.

This is like someone in 1945 saying saying the Pearl Harbour attack in 1941 was a very unfortunate event which cannot be excused - but that it is all in the past and we should concentrate on the sufferings of the Japanese population perpetrated by American genocidal maniacs. This type of poster, not necessarily malevolent, curses the Israelis but never ever ventures to suggest what should have been the appropriate response to the Hamas crimes.

Tough to have much sympathy with this peculiar combination of ignorance, stupidity, racism and muddled thinking.

What an odd comment.It only takes a few minutes and as far as I know it's the only briefing that has been given by a senior source in the Revenue Department.

The video makes it very clear that the person is a senior legal expert from the Thai Revenue Department.