Thai is the best nationality there is!" Former American pays through the nose to renounce US citizenship

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

Nope incorrect. There is a section that covers this in the THAI Nationality act under: Loss of Thai Nationality. Actually pretty easy to be stripped of it if someone wants you stripped and gone. 

No, U.N rules state that a person cannot be stripped of nationality if that makes him stateless

[Rodbayne94]

The best option was to have both citizenships, but the land of smile and love -Thailand, is stronger in him.

[Chelseafan]

2 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Nope incorrect. There is a section that covers this in the THAI Nationality act under: Loss of Thai Nationality. Actually pretty easy to be stripped of it if someone wants you stripped and gone. 

Wow OK. So can they do that to their own people ? If so what happens as I thought UN charters do not allow people to be stateless.

 

[rabang]

8 hours ago, dcnx said:

There you have it. The Thai education system at work.

 

Thailand has one of the worst passports in the world. 

Quote

As of 28 September 2019, Thai citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 77 countries and territories, ranking the Thai passport 66th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.

 

 

Far from the worst but not very strong either.

Edited February 28, 2020 by rabang

[daveAustin]

Probably should have kept both. Kudos, though, but sadly he'll still be a farang in the eyes of most Thais. 

[meechai]

Kind of an expensive way to gain your 15 minutes of fame or kudos from Thai netizens

 

He could have continued to leave the US Passport in a drawer makes no difference

He threw away an ability to travel Visa Free to 174 countries  (Although I know Isan farmers probably cant afford travel)

Similar to locking himself in a cell & throwing the key out the window...but his choice

 

But mainly it is a silly show for the benefit of his ego & kudos from those online who if they saw him in any Thai town would

still see a farang.

Edited February 28, 2020 by meechai

[FalangJaiDee]

what a dork. Thailand can have him 

[Somtamnication]

Kudos to him; I did it after Bush 2 was elected. A letter from the IRS clearing me of taxes and  you are all set! Easy Peasy. The only regret I ever had was no more chocolate frosties at Wendy's!

[dbrenn]

15 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

Kudos to him; I did it after Bush 2 was elected. A letter from the IRS clearing me of taxes and  you are all set! Easy Peasy. The only regret I ever had was no more chocolate frosties at Wendy's!

Agreed. But the main problem with US citizenship is that you are still taxed even though you don't live there. 

 

Not everyone wants to be a US citizen, hard as it is for some people to understand. 

[mtls2005]

He has two daughters: Summer and Venus.

 

Have they also renounced their U.S. citizenship?

 

Other Americans here have made a big deal about renouncing their citizenship. But those are mostly about the Benjamins as they are relatively wealthy.

 

 

[roo860]

7 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

He has two daughters: Summer and Venus.

 

Have they also renounced their U.S. citizenship?

 

Other Americans here have made a big deal about renouncing their citizenship. But those are mostly about the Benjamins as they are relatively wealthy.

 

 

Has 2 daughters, Summer and Venus, suprised he hasn't got a third child called Ur anus. 

[pookondee]

15 hours ago, uncleeagle said:

So if this doofus has children in the future, they will now have lost the option to become US citizens, as opposed to being stuck in a village and working on a farm or a factory. And as his life wasn't being complicated by tax issues etc, he renounced for absolutely nothing. What an idiot..

Maybe he could forsee USA tax issues coming up for him in the future?

 

There must be a reason, otherwise why give up dual citizenship if you could have both with no penalty or problems?

 

If he has never left Thailand and never intends to, then thats another thing.

 

I have met many a foriegner here who claim they are never ever going back home, so in that case they might as well not have citizenship either i guess.

[ehs818]

Several posters have mentioned his paying, or not paying his US taxes to the IRS. As I recall, when living abroad, the first $80,000 USD is not taxed. I'm happy that this man got his dream. He's lived here basically his entire life and has fit in beautifully. Congrats to him!!

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Hope they don't find a bullet in his backpack...

[Wiggy]

He’ll always be a ‘farang’ to the Thais. 

[RadKiter]

He owes tax to the USA ONLY through the time of his renunciation.  Not AFTER. 

 

https://nomadcapitalist.com/2018/06/16/tax-consequences-of-renouncing/

 

[garyk]

Depends on how you were raised and what you are used to I guess. I lived in Thailand more on than off for 10 years. Personally I would never consider living there full time a viable option.

[RichardColeman]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

I have always said that Thai citizenship is the best in the world

I guess he hasn't travelled much

[Jeffrey346]

OP is a fool. Ya never know what may happen here in Thailand.

 

Udom said online: "I only want to be Thai because I believe that Thai nationality is the best to have in the world".

 

Been here since he was 2. What other nation has he experienced.   Hmmm must be that great Thai education.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

There's one born every minute.  Obviously he's living in a cave. 

[Sujo]

3 hours ago, FalangJaiDee said:

what a dork. Thailand can have him 

Which is what he wants.

[Sunmaster]

17 hours ago, thequietman said:

KInda makes me wanna put my fingers down my throat and throw up!

 

He didn't have to actually denounce his American citizenship. One can only assume that he has been indoctrinated much like most of the Thai's I know. Scary. ????

Americans know a thing or two about being indoctrinated too: allegiance to the flag, extreme patriotism, thanking the army for their "service" at every occasion (meaning, "thanks for invading innocent countries and stealing their resources so that we can drive around in our 5000L SUV"), believing their country is best in the world...555....and the only truly "free" one....5555555555555555

[Sujo]

11 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Nope incorrect. There is a section that covers this in the THAI Nationality act under: Loss of Thai Nationality. Actually pretty easy to be stripped of it if someone wants you stripped and gone. 

A person cannot be left stateless. If he kept his US citizenship then he could be stripped of thai citizenship and deported. The UN and ICJ already ruled on this.

[yankee99]

16 hours ago, GarryP said:

That is what I do not get about the US. If you are living and working overseas and paying tax in the country where you work, why should you still have to worry about the IRS.

 

As a Brit, that has never been a concern for me. The UK IRS has never been chasing me for anything. I could go back tomorrow and start off fresh after having lived and worked in Thailand for 38 years.  

You only have to pay tax if you make over 80-90,000 usd a year after deductions so it most likely doesn't apply to him

[Hank Gunn]

16 hours ago, GarryP said:

That is what I do not get about the US. If you are living and working overseas and paying tax in the country where you work, why should you still have to worry about the IRS.

US citizens working abroad do not have to pay taxes on anything up to $100,000 (actually it’s slightly more than that and goes up every year). Those who earn more than that will typically be in upper mgmt/executive positions where they have compensation packages that offer “expat bonuses” to allow for the extra taxes. Even non-executives, like international school teachers, will have compensation packages that make working overseas more financially rewarding than the same position back home.

 

As for “worrying about the IRS”, it’s the US government’s position that as a US citizen you have to pay for the privilege of that (I.e. visa on arrival to a myriad of countries, or being able to return home and claim welfare, etc.).

[Sujo]

18 minutes ago, Jeffrey346 said:

OP is a fool. Ya never know what may happen here in Thailand.

 

Udom said online: "I only want to be Thai because I believe that Thai nationality is the best to have in the world".

 

Been here since he was 2. What other nation has he experienced.   Hmmm must be that great Thai education.

Lots of americans have never travelled but still think US is the best.

Trump supporters should agree with him, a person who is nationalistic and loves his country without question.

[BobBKK]

Most Thais would give anything to get US citizenship but this guy throws it away. One born every minute.

[Proboscis]

18 hours ago, thequietman said:

KInda makes me wanna put my fingers down my throat and throw up!

 

He didn't have to actually denounce his American citizenship. One can only assume that he has been indoctrinated much like most of the Thai's I know. Scary. ????

I don't think that you understand the legal position of being an American citizen while living abroad. First, you are still liable for Federal taxes. So, for instance, the current Prime Minister of the UK found himself liable for a large tax bill because he sold a property in London. In the UK, he is not liable for Capital Gains Tax because it was his personal home. But in the USA he would have to pay up. THe reason was he was an "accidental" American citizen.

 

American citizens frequently renounce their citizenships if they acquire a quality foreign citizenship. It gets them out of having to make an extensive tax return every year.

 

There are many stories out there of folks who are "accidental" US citizens and who find that they are liable for big tax bills and penalties. The tax authorities track them down too. By accidental is meant that they are citizens by default without realizing it. Sometimes, it is because they were born there.

[moto77]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

renouncing my American citizenship. I consider it the greatest honor of my life to be able to give my undivided

 

17 hours ago, zydeco said:

This doesn't let him off the hook with the IRS.

It does if

1. He’s never going back to America no matter how much he makes. There is no extradition for tax evasion.

 

2. it’s likely that he doesn’t make enough to owe the IRS anything. The first $70,000 or so is excluded from tax.

[BigC]

All these  negative comments from people that live here on Visas.

 

Just can't  get my head round most of you

 

You complain  visa system is harder

 

Then you choose to live here most of your  lives

 

Then act like your really proud of your  original  country 

 

So why are you  not only in Thailand  but on this page at all???????