jayboy

Money quote "So which side is right? Well, we’ll find out soon enough. But even if there isn’t transitional dislocation, and even if Labour is able to transfer a net £1.5 billion to state education, both far from proven, the policy is still disingenuous and misconstrued. Disingenuous because the motive is primarily political, and Labour should own up to it. Disingenuous because its notion of fairness ignores the often cash-strapped parents paying for state school places in their taxes that they do not take up. Disingenuous too because it makes so much of “fairness” while ignoring the middle-class dominance of places at grammar schools. Misconstrued because, rather than trying to wound and stigmatise private schools, the government should be encouraging them to work more closely with the often excellent state sector. '

https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/labour-should-learn-from-private-schools-not-terrorise-them-657w2wfdb

I have no special insight or knowledge.However if I was pressed, I would guess that there will eventually be a tax clearance requirement to secure retirement visa rights.But I could be completely wrong.

I did see them at the timeand the penalties are a matter of record.However my observation was on another matter, namely whether some will fly under the radar.

The penalties are a matter of record.My observation however related to the practical likelihood of any elderly expatriate who simply ignored the requirement to file and pay tax. After all many should have filed tax returns in the past and didn't, without the RD noticing or apparently caring.

I agree with your comment.I wonder however what the consequences will be for those who simply ignore the updated tax regime.It could be, since the Thai tax system works on an honour system, that they continue to fly under the radar with no real world consequences at all.Even a tax link with visa extensions could take a few years to be implemented.I doubt whether the RD regards moderately well off elderly expats as a priority. But i could be wrong and personally am playing it very safe.

One would expect so as it was a spiteful piece of political vindictiveness.The extra tax it was supposed to raise is greatly exaggerated.The famous independent schools - the ones that have all the influence - will manage to cope.No other Western country taxes education. This government hates the middle class and will pay the price in the next election.

"Labour will take false comfort from a divided Right-wing vote, thinking that will secure it a second term. But before 2025 is out Reform might well have established itself as Labour's main challenger. Either that or it will have dawned on Labour that it is caught in a vice similar to the one which did down the Tories in 2024: losing to Reform in the North and the Tories in the South (just as the Tories lost this year to Labour and the Liberal Democrats)." Andrew Neil

I suspect that if Thailand's traditional way of life had been undermined by uncontrolled mass immigration, and Bangkok had become a city where 40% came from ethnic minorities - all done without consultation or popular agreement - the Thai people would be taking action of an ugly but understandable nature.

You are misreading the signals.Throughout the Western world we are seeing a collapse of the moderate centre right and the British conservative party is no exception. The Labour Party won a landslide victory but it was very shallow, and the inept Starmer has the lowest poll numbers for decades. The current government appears to politically incompetent and has shown to be dishonest in its election campaign.It's also clear that political parties have lost their traditional class based support.A second Labour term is definitely not guaranteed and Reform is a very real possibility for government. This makes me as depressed as you I expect.

The last two sentences suggest that we are being asked to dismiss Douglas Murray, or at least place him somewhere on the sidelines.But it's odd that it's implied his excellent education is somehow a point against him.The Henry Jackson Society is certainly conservative in its approach but it is far from being an extremist organization. So it's not clear to me what the problem is with Murray though I suspect it's mainly because he has strong opinions, superbly articulated, with which many do not agree.So what? I see no particular virtue in being a "man of the people" - that's how George Galloway describes himself.Murray is hated by the Muslim Council of Britain but it's for debate whether that is a recommendation or the opposite.

Yes I agree.If one comes down to that level there may be some who who consider their options of spending more time in the US or Europe.I doubt whether they would considers less developed alternatives in Asia.However I still don't believe that the vast majority would be interested in exchanging the relatively benign Thailand tax regime with the more exacting Western systems.Also if Double Taxation Agreements are taken into account there might not be a lot of point in moving between countries.Finally, people in that income bracket are likely to have substantial savings/investments incurred prior to 31.12.23 - so could remove themselves from the THai income tax regime - at least while the remittance basis of tax remains in place.

Returning to the topic, the question was whether "very wealthy expats" would move part of the year to second residences or elsewhere outside Thailand to avoid any future tax by Thailand on global income.The very question betrays naivety because very wealthy expats have recourse to expert tax lawyers who specialize in offshore platforms to avoid tax legally.The chances of a very wealthy expat paying Thai tax on global income is in my view effectively nil even if he/she remained in Thailand throughout the year.Of course some tax would be paid here but not to a tiresome degree, and certainly not on global income. Furthermore wealthy expatriates have for at least a century split their time between warm climates and their (usually) colder climates.This will continue but only because it suits them and in most cases will have nothing to do with a 180 day cut off point.These people have nothing in common with the more typical down at heels expat who - if this forum is evidence to go by - is prepared to move around from one South East Asian low rent expat outpost to another.

And even when it is the same number, as in my case, it is not one's TIN until it has been processed by the RD.

It didn't It didn't and in any case many transfers are not taxable Only to some

Someone needs to do a bit more research.Wrong on all counts.

There are probably some exceptions but I have never met one. I should also exempt the armed forces and some in the artistic community.I have never come across a well educated/upper middle class person with tattoos though of course some exist.

Yes, it's a distinctive way of identifying morons.

I don't recognize this at all.The established accounting firms are very well positioned to give sound tax advice, and by definition they will or should be professional in their dealings with clients. I would be more concerned about the dodgy legal firms where I think your criticism has more application.Their market is often the less sophisticated expatriate.The warning signs are a unconvincing web presence, some oily foreigner in lead position and young inexperienced Thai legal staff. When you hear one of these hustlers pushing a tax webinar, head for the hills.

Good to know the forum's classy reputation is in no danger.

“Si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait” If youth only knew, if age only could. It's a well known French proverb with much truth to it.I think that it is right that in most cases wisdom comes with age - though Thailand has many examples of there's no fool like an old fool.With age comes the relief of not much caring what strangers think of you, or feeling the weight of fashion or modish opinions.Generally with age, unless having led a feckless or unproductive life, one is free of financial pressures. It's important to be able to look back on a life with some meaning.As VS Naipaul memorably said, "The world is what it is.Men who are nothing or have allowed themselves to become nothing have no place in in it." The owl of Minerva takes flight only at dusk.Awareness and wisdom often tend to be apparent when the shades are drawing in.

My understanding is that in such circumstances it is not necessary.

It's been said before several times that for many expatriates the pressure to obtain a TIN comes from overseas banks.When (or if) the time comes to file a Thai tax return, obtaining a TIN will be a simple administrative step.As it happens I did get one (my old employment one having lapsed), mainly because I recognized my attempts to fob off my Channel Islands bank were not getting anywhere.The TRD holds no terrors for me.Being debanked does.

555

For many years Cathay employed station managers, always youngish and very capable - graduate high fliers (often Oxford or Cambridge) who were expected to advance within the Swire Group which included Cathay.They were expected to be energetic and resourceful, and as I recall were required to meet every CX flight, Don Muang in those days.This problem outlined in this thread is exactly the kind of situation they would be expected to sort out diplomatically.Whether Cathay still employs people like this I don't know, probably not as the employment of that type might be seen as elitist.It is true that in addition to their Oxbridge background they were mostly of a certain patrician class.