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

[rabang]

Having different citizenships is like an insurance policy. If you have problems with one passport you can use another one. Also his kids could have been better with dual citizenship. The US government's long arm when dealing with their citizens living abroad is an issue though and very unique among the developed countries as far as I know.

[User name taken]

You guy's make me laugh...  Thank you, as always

Take a look at this guy.

Take a look at his lifestyle.

Take a look at his life choices.

I.R.S  555555555 !

Not much earning potential there.  He could have kept his mouth shut and appeared a nit or he could have slobbered over Thais and confirmed it.

[sirineou]

7 minutes ago, rabang said:

Having different citizenships is like an insurance policy. If you have problems with one passport you can use another one. Also his kids could have been better with dual citizenship. The US government's long arm when dealing with their citizens living abroad is an issue though and very unique among the developed countries as far as I know.

 

I don't think that by renouncing your US citizenship you renounce your kids citizenship also, but I could be wrong.

[rabang]

1 minute ago, sirineou said:

 

I don't think that by renouncing your US citizenship you renounce your kids citizenship also, but I could be wrong.

I didn't mean that, but if it affects his children's chances of obtaining the citizenship, then it is stupid and irresponsible. But if they were born when he was still a US citizen his kids could be citizens as well but I don't know for sure.

[moe666]

2 hours ago, Chrysaora said:

You're incorrect, as it shows nothing of the sort.   Your conclusion is not logical.

Before someone can give up their US citizenship they have to pay any arears once there paid he can renounce his citizenship. This has come up many times when someone is married to a foreign nationl even though they live in a different country they have to file tax forms and the spouse who may have a different nationality. Several of these people have renounced US citizenship because of the hardship on their spouse but all taxes must be paid before release of citizenship

[talahtnut]

28 minutes ago, WhereIsMyRyeBread said:

If you're actually born in the Evil Empire but revoked your citizenship I doubt it would be particularly hard to get it back if one wanted.

It is not possible to get US citizenship again

once renounced. The cost of renouncing has

increased from $450 to $2300 to stem the

increase in numbers renouncing the 'Evil

Empire',

[bbi1]

.

Edited February 28, 2020 by bbi1

[Scot123]

There is defiantly something not right. What a stupid thing to do and that's not even considering the 72k he handed over for a bit of paper. What did he gain from doing it "publicity", fleeting Internet fame. Very sad. I think the term buyers remorse is going to kick in soon.... 

[sirineou]

4 minutes ago, rabang said:

I didn't mean that, but if it affects his children's chances of obtaining the citizenship, then it is stupid and irresponsible. But if they were born when he was still a US citizen his kids could be citizens as well but I don't know for sure.

Yea I don't  really know also. I read in the OP that he has two children, so I assume he had them before he renounced his citizenship. 

[SABloke]

3 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. ????

You should see his video how he rants about being so lucky to be born in the reign of Rama 9 and to live during the reigm of Rama 10. Song Pra Chalern!

[Monomial]

18 minutes ago, moe666 said:

Before someone can give up their US citizenship they have to pay any arears once there paid he can renounce his citizenship. This has come up many times when someone is married to a foreign nationl even though they live in a different country they have to file tax forms and the spouse who may have a different nationality. Several of these people have renounced US citizenship because of the hardship on their spouse but all taxes must be paid before release of citizenship

 

Not actually true. When you renounce, you renounce. You are no longer an American citizen. The government is legally not allowed to prevent you from renouncing. However, you must file a final tax return as part of the process, and you will remain a covered expat with responsibilities to the IRS for the next 10 years, and of course taxes due never go away. Since IRS debt only expires after 10 years only while INSIDE the USA, if he owes taxes he will continue to owe it forever, plus any additional tax debts he incurs during his period as a covered expat. And the IRS has many, many ways to collect.  The situation is no different that a foreign national leaving the USA with a tax debt. They will come after you.

 

What renouncing does get you however, is freedom from FATCA. He can now participate in opening bank accounts overseas, joining cryptocurrency exchanges, and participating in stock offerings forbidden to those who are unfortunate enough to be stuck as citizens of the "Greatest Nation on Earth".

 

Interestingly, because he got a new citizenship, he could have gotten away with relinquishing his citizenship, rather than renouncing. Relinquishing is still free, but requires a dispatriating event, such as aquisition of a new citizenship and a subsequent ruling by the State Department that you intended to give up your US citizenship. Unfortunately, it is much more difficult to get a notice of loss of citizenship going this route. So it really is safer to pay the $2400 fee and get out from under the thumb of Uncle Sam cleanly. But he had a strong case, and I suspect with enough perseverance he could have navigated the bureaucracy and gotten clean for free.

 

[Jane Dough]

Udom tells me that he has enjoyed reading all the comments.

 

Rooster

[otherstuff1957]

If you live overseas for more than 1/2 the year, the first $100,000 you earn is us tax exempt. 

 

It is highly unlikely that he ever had to pay any US taxes.

[marinediscoking]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

Locked in to paying tax on your worldwide income and having to file tax returns for the rest of your life even if you don't earn in the US, unable or difficult to open bank accounts all over the world and limited investments due to no countries wanting to deal with US people due to stupid FACTA. Those are just a few starting reasons.

 

48 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

OH BS. Expats are exempt from taxes up to the limit of $102k and long as you are physically in another country for 330 days or not be in the US for over 35 days.. But Social Security of 13% needs top be paid, but then again that is for retirement and Medicare. 

I don't see any BS in his bbl1's statement but it is an exclusion not an exemption. For an US citizen to qualify for FEIE, the foreign income must be declared and the exclusion only qualifies for individuals who are not self employed, have a company or hold shares. Small business owners like me fit into the latter and are duly taxed by both governments. 

[dcnx]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He went through the Thai education system...

 

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

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

 

Thailand has one of the worst passports in the world. 

[Odysseus123]

2 minutes ago, Jane Dough said:

Udom tells me that he has enjoyed reading all the comments.

 

Rooster

Who cares?

 

Best of luck to the (now) Thai gentleman,his family and his friends.

 

The world has not tilted of its axis.

[dcnx]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

Locked in to paying tax on your worldwide income and having to file tax returns for the rest of your life even if you don't earn in the US, unable or difficult to open bank accounts all over the world and limited investments due to no countries wanting to deal with US people due to stupid FACTA. Those are just a few starting reasons.

Poor people problems. I hardly pay any taxes at all. Tax law and legal loopholes help you reduce your tax burden to close to nothing. 

[CNXexpat]

Up to him. His wish, his decision. 

[JimmyTheMook]

[Ventenio]

He left at age 2.  Patriotism in America is extremely, extremely high.  But not age at 2 or younger.   So I'm guessing 100% of his friends are here.  If any of this gave him grief to him or his friends, fine, his choice.  I don't blame him at all.  

Now if he left at age 5.......well, that's another story.   555

[unsubscribe]

He's happy, seems like a nice guy, I'm american and also love thailand, good for him! 

[lemonjelly]

Does he really think all this nationalist nonsense will get him anywhere? He’s just proved he is as daft as he looks; anyone in standing won’t have time for the clown.

[partington]

1 hour ago, Monomial said:

 

. However, you must file a final tax return as part of the process, and you will remain a covered expat with responsibilities to the IRS for the next 10 years, and of course taxes due never go away. Since IRS debt only expires after 10 years only while INSIDE the USA, if he owes taxes he will continue to owe it forever, plus any additional tax debts he incurs during his period as a covered expat.

 

This is completely wrong.

 

Part of the renunciation process is the certification and proof that you do not owe back taxes for the five years preceding renunciation. If you do this you are not a covered expatriate.

 

Similarly you are not a covered expat unless you are an extremely wealthy person with assets of $2million+ at the time of renunciation, or fall into a limited number of other financial categories that show you are a person with significant wealth.  This is specifically designed to prevent renunciation for the purpose of avoiding taxation.

 

If you do not meet these criteria then you are completely free of any obligations to the IRS from the point of renunciation onwards,  are NOT a covered expat, and do NOT have to report tax affairs to the IRS for 10 years.

 

IRS code:

"A covered expatriate is one who, under Sec. 877(a):

°Has an average annual net income tax liability in the five tax years ending before the date of expatriation of more than a specified amount ($168,000 for 2019);

°Has a net worth of $2 million or more; or

°Cannot certify under penalty of perjury that he or she has met all applicable tax requirements for the five preceding tax years or fails to submit evidence of compliance the IRS may require. This certification can be made with Form 8854, Initial and Annual Expatriation Statement.

 

There are only two countries on earth that try to tax people on the basis of citizenship rather than residency, the US and Eritrea.   It is an obligation that I would pay to remove!

 

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by partington

[Chelseafan]

4 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Now he better hope he doesn't get trumped up on a false charge or some bad luck mistake and have his Thai citizenship taken away. Then what will he do? Just because he can get it doesn't mean they can't take it away.

I didn't think a country could take away citizenship. The only exceptions I'm aware of is if you have dual nationality which this guy doesnt

 

[Misterwhisper]

When it was reported that Udom - after fighting and waiting for literally decades - finally received his coveted Thai citizenship, I congratulated him from the depth of my heart. He seemed so happy.

 

But after reading this...

5 hours ago, webfact said:

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

...I have no choice but to formally RENOUNCE my earlier congrats as it has become painfully obvious that the man has enjoyed the Thai education system for too long and way too intensely, including the nationalistic brainwashing routinely meted out in these fine schools.

 

Udom is bound to find out that Thai citizenship is nowhere near "the best to have in the world" the very first time he has to cue up for a U.S. or a Schengen visa. In fact, Thai citizens currently can travel visa-free to a mere 38 countries - out of 190 countries and territories. Hardly makes it "the best [citizenship] to have in the world."

 

Anyhow, he is happy. And perhaps that is all that matters, at the moment at least. 

[sanemax]

1 minute ago, Misterwhisper said:

When it was reported that Udom - after fighting and waiting for literally decades - finally received his coveted Thai citizenship, I congratulated him from the depth of my heart. He seemed so happy.

 

But after reading this...

...I have no choice but to formally RENOUNCE my earlier congrats as it has become painfully obvious that the man has enjoyed the Thai education system for too long and way too intensely, including the nationalistic brainwashing routinely meted out in these fine schools.

 

Udom is bound to find out that Thai citizenship is nowhere near "the best to have in the world" the very first time he has to cue up for a U.S. or a Schengen visa. In fact, Thai citizens currently can travel visa-free to a mere 38 countries - out of 190 countries and territories. Hardly makes it "the best [citizenship] to have in the world."

 

Anyhow, he is happy. And perhaps that is all that matters, at the moment at least. 

He doesnt seem to want to go abroad and seems happy in his village in Thailand 

He may have renounced his USA citizenship to assure that Thailand cannot cancel his Thai citizenship

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, Chelseafan said:

I didn't think a country could take away citizenship. The only exceptions I'm aware of is if you have dual nationality which this guy doesnt

 

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. 

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, Ventenio said:

Patriotism in America is extremely, extremely high.

I grew up in Colorado and heard nothing but bad things about The Empire. America is evil, white people are racists, the cops are pigs, we should be ashamed for slavery, we need to be more like Europe etc... etc... Literally everyone I knew was explicitly anti-American. Never met a person that identified as a Republican even. That's my narrow view from my little part of the map but it's not an understatement to say they wanted to erase the history of the country and start again fresh.

 

Looking at the current political landscape it feels like 50% of the country feels the same way.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

He may have renounced his USA citizenship to assure that Thailand cannot cancel his Thai citizenship

The question I have is how much immigration stress was he under until now? I can't imagine having to check in with immigration and having your bank account audited every year since you were a baby.

[Orton Rd]

3 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

Udom tells me that he has enjoyed reading all the comments.

 

Rooster

What's his religion? no doubt that will be the best as well ????