Thailand to tax residents’ foreign income irrespective of remittance

[theblether]

13 minutes ago, JohnnyBD said:

Some may do what you say, but many will just file & pay their taxes. I want to spend more time with my loved ones anyway, so 5 mths in the US, 5 mths in Thailand and the rest of the time traveling with my wife outside of Thailand. It's not a problem for me. I knpw others who live here, but work outside of Thailand, and are here for less than 180 days, so it's not a problem for them either. I feel badly for those who don't have those options, it really sucks.

 

I've always been a proponent of the snowbird lifestyle. The world is a big and beautiful place. 

 

Far too many people stack the cards against themselves. Pumping every last penny into any country where a change of policy can leave you unwelcome and bereft is wild. 

 

Heathrow Airport has a charity organisation on the premises mopping up the damaged who have been evicted from their "dream" life. 

 

It's been at least fifteen years since successive Thai government policy has targeted long-stay farangs. We have all been warned. Well warned. 

[Mike Lister]

2 hours ago, theblether said:

Within a few weeks, if the conservatives have their way, many of you will be calling your airline for a one-way ticket. 

 

That includes some of you who think you are secure. 

 

I've said it before on this thread. This tax issue is a sideline. Go back and read what happened when health insurance was imposed on O-A visa holders. 

 

Many were uninsurable due to age. I knew a retired lawyer who ended up paying around 170,000 baht in premiums. 

 

I'll say it again - do not make any financial commitment to Thailand just now. The review results are imminent and as a wealthy, Thai fluent expat of 30 years standing told me yesterday, things are looking bad. 

 

I don't want to name him, but a well known expat vlogger who was invited into immigration before the last imbroglio ( black listing for overstay ) has gone quiet. 

 

Immigration asked him to announce the new policy explaining the does and don'ts last time. His silence just now is a concern. 

 

Edit to explain. The last time he made the announcement this forum blocked his thread until they verified who he was. A couple of days later they released the info he had provided. 

 

Be rest assured, among the hundreds of worthless vloggers, there's a small coterie who are watched and trusted by immigration. He is one of them. 

BL, love you to death but your continued scaremongering on this point is just so far over the top as to be unfunny any more......sorry. 

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, theblether said:

The review results are imminent and as a wealthy, Thai fluent expat of 30 years standing told me yesterday, things are looking bad. 

 

What are some of the specific changes being floated?

[theblether]

2 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

BL, love you to death but your continued scaremongering on this point is just so far over the top as to be unfunny any more......sorry. 

 

Thanks, love you too. 

 

However, I'm not scaremongering although I accept I've said enough on the topic. 

 

I'm one of the few that's been all over this for a decade plus. It's imperative that people understand how quickly and brutally things can move. 

 

However, I'll go quiet after I reply to John. 

[theblether]

48 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

What are some of the specific changes being floated?

 

There's a bizarre argument raging between immigration and the foreign office. The FO wants visa standards liberalised, including bizarrely and quite frankly unbelievably, health insurance requirements. Immigration are strongly objecting. 

 

Lost in the fog of this battle are the implications of reducing long stay visa categories and the first review of financial qualification standards for years. No one knows what's coming down the line, my advice to avoid pouring money into the country until the review results are announced is valid. 

 

Now, silence from me. I promise. 

[John Drake]

4 minutes ago, theblether said:

The FO wants visa standards liberalised, including bizarrely and quite frankly unbelievably, health insurance requirements. Immigration are strongly objecting. 

 

Thanks for your overall view. I agree that it's like waiting on pins and needles. I know that I've begun to think about coming out of retirement to take a part time teaching job at a university, if necessary. I'm also looking into nearby countries, particularly Laos--I like Vientiane. Your comments about a turf war are interesting. One thing I can't understand is if economic conditions are so dire and Thailand is desperate for any income it can get its hands on, then why on earth push out the steady stream of income people on retirement extensions provide? FWIW, a friend of mine (I know, I know, everybody has a "friend"), had a conversation with immigration staff and overheard them talking about doing whatever they can to bring more Chinese into the country. They said the Chinese didn't like putting the 800K in the bank, and so a proposal was being mooted to require different levels of money for different provinces, with the remoter provinces being cheaper. So it might mean 800K still needed for Bangkok but say 700K or 600K for Chaiyaphum. Whatever happens, it is the insurance requirement that worries me most. Anyway, just my rumor mongering, so nobody take it seriously. Anyway, thanks for your contributions. It gives me pause and something to think about.

[Gknrd]

At this point it doesn't matter. Thailand has picked China as its partner moving forward. This is just political nothing more. Western expats are out, period. They are just sucking as much money out of you as they can before you leave.And of course no one will be coming to Thailand for retirement.  

The writing has been on the wall for several years. You can bury your head in the sand, whine, cry, and discuss it to death. Doesn't matter.

[TheAppletons]

Anonymous "connected" guy says we're all doomed.

 

The "Deep State" is the culprit.  Where I have heard this before.....?  

[JensenZ]

On 6/5/2024 at 5:28 PM, AreYouGerman said:

 

No, they mean you have to show your income and that you filed already for taxes.

A new job for Visa Agents to handle, along with an increase in fees.

[Ben Zioner]

8 hours ago, Confuscious said:

In most of the European countries you can live a basic lifestyle with 2,000 EUR/month.

I thought I had mentioned that I had a family. So 2000 by 4 is 8000, at least. Rent taking away 3000 of that. And who wants a "basic lifestyle"? 

Edited June 21 by Ben Zioner

[Raindancer]

2 hours ago, theblether said:

 

There's a bizarre argument raging between immigration and the foreign office. The FO wants visa standards liberalised, including bizarrely and quite frankly unbelievably, health insurance requirements. Immigration are strongly objecting. 

 

Lost in the fog of this battle are the implications of reducing long stay visa categories and the first review of financial qualification standards for years. No one knows what's coming down the line, my advice to avoid pouring money into the country until the review results are announced is valid. 

 

Now, silence from me. I promise. 

And what evidence apart from rumours and heresay, do you have to support your post?

 

I would welcome sight of it.

 

Or is this just another  "chicken little " story.

[JensenZ]

18 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

I thought I had mentioned that I had a family. So 2000 by 4 is 8000, at least. Rent taking away 3000 of that. And who wants a "basic lifestyle"? 

I'm OK doing "basic", although it might need to be defined.

 

A family of 4 does not require 2000 x 4. You should be able to manage 2 for 3000, and 4 for 4000 quite comfortably. It's too bad your rent cost is so high.

Edited June 21 by JensenZ

[theblether]

7 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

And what evidence apart from rumours and heresay, do you have to support your post?

 

I would welcome sight of it.

 

Or is this just another  "chicken little " story.

 

With apologies to Mike -

 

As I often say I ration how many times a day I reply to utter clowns on the Internet. You're in luck, I have one clown token left. Official government announcement coming up: 

 

https://thailand.prd.go.th/en/content/category/detail/id/48/iid/293120 

 

Specifically, in case you struggle with reading, this section - 

 

2) Lowering health insurance requirements and expanding the list of countries eligible for long-term non-immigrant visa applications;

 

That proposal went down like a ton of bricks with immigration. I'd like to educate you further but that would involve me using one of tomorrow's clown tokens so I won't bother. 

[Raindancer]

5 minutes ago, theblether said:

 

With apologies to Mike -

 

As I often say I ration how many times a day I reply to utter clowns on the Internet. You're in luck, I have one clown token left. Official government announcement coming up: 

 

https://thailand.prd.go.th/en/content/category/detail/id/48/iid/293120 

 

Specifically, in case you struggle with reading, this section - 

 

2) Lowering health insurance requirements and expanding the list of countries eligible for long-term non-immigrant visa applications;

 

That proposal went down like a ton of bricks with immigration. I'd like to educate you further but that would involve me using one of tomorrow's clown tokens so I won't bother. 

There is absolutely no need to be rude.  I asked a simple question.  And your link does nothing to confirm your scaremongering.

But then again, your posts suggest a glass half empty, whereas I live in a positive and realistic world.  

 

But as your name suggests in the English dictionary,  I won't  need to read your rubbish interpretaion of what might or might not happen any longer.

 

 

[Felt 35]

..theblether are even more skeptical and pessimistic than me🙂. Anyway, here is a little insight into the "system". May I add that I have paid tax here for more than 15 years and this year I paid tax for 2023 in the last week of February 2024. In the last week of June 2024 (today) RD's Pn 91 comes in the post with as usual filled in TIN, Name and address. Oh no, it's not the first time this has arrived in the post, but it always arrives 1-2 months after the tax has already been paid. So yes, personally, I can only imagine the overview and "tidyness" when tens of thousands of foreigners need a TIN to be registered and checked in the system.

Felt

[Confuscious]

14 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

I'm OK doing "basic", although it might need to be defined.

 

A family of 4 does not require 2000 x 4. You should be able to manage 2 for 3000, and 4 for 4000 quite comfortably. It's too bad your rent cost is so high.

I have been looking out for an apartment or house in Spain and there are several places to rent, a few minutes from the beach, between 590 eur to 1000 eur (look in Kyero).

And that are not "basic" places.

Many people living with a family in Europe and the vs with far less as 3000 eur per month. Unless you have a family of 5 and everyone has his own car.

A friend of mine was married to a Thai woman and had 3 children.

He was tired of living on a teacher wage and going through the silly immigration requirements every year.

He moved to the vs 3 years ago without a penny.

They are living now in their own house, he and his wife are working and have a very good income and the children go to a high school, far better as any Thai school.

I can give you their Facebook page if you want.

That story of 9000 eur a month is bullsh@t.

[Confuscious]

34 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

I have been looking out for an apartment or house in Spain and there are several places to rent, a few minutes from the beach, between 590 eur to 1000 eur (look in Kyero).

And that are not "basic" places.

Many people living with a family in Europe and the vs with far less as 3000 eur per month. Unless you have a family of 5 and everyone has his own car.

A friend of mine was married to a Thai woman and had 3 children.

He was tired of living on a teacher wage and going through the silly immigration requirements every year.

He moved to the vs 3 years ago without a penny.

They are living now in their own house, he and his wife are working and have a very good income and the children go to a high school, far better as any Thai school.

I can give you their Facebook page if you want.

That story of 9000 eur a month is bullsh@t.

 

That is the shop of his wife in the us.

Not bullsh@T.

[Confuscious]

Another bullsh@t

[Enzian]

Many expats (though not typical on this forum), assume that the ruling elite of this country constitutes what in economic theory is called a "rational actor". I've just had someone tell me that the 800K requirement won't be raised because that amount is enough for emergencies and medical surprises. That insurance requirements won't be changed because the present requirements are adequate to the purpose. And best of all that income taxation won't be enacted because it would drive out expats who contribute 35% to 45% of GDP and no rational actor would risk losing that. I think what's being missed is that the main concern of the power elite is not money per se but to maintain the de facto feudal system that we ourselves also benefit from. They have ways to get money, but if they were ever to lose status it would be all over.

[Lorry]

34 minutes ago, Enzian said:

expats who contribute 35% to 45% of GDP

???

[JensenZ]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

I have been looking out for an apartment or house in Spain and there are several places to rent, a few minutes from the beach, between 590 eur to 1000 eur (look in Kyero).

And that are not "basic" places.

Many people living with a family in Europe and the vs with far less as 3000 eur per month. Unless you have a family of 5 and everyone has his own car.

A friend of mine was married to a Thai woman and had 3 children.

He was tired of living on a teacher wage and going through the silly immigration requirements every year.

He moved to the vs 3 years ago without a penny.

They are living now in their own house, he and his wife are working and have a very good income and the children go to a high school, far better as any Thai school.

I can give you their Facebook page if you want.

That story of 9000 eur a month is bullsh@t.

You're replying to the wrong person. I don't need your Facebook page.

[theblether]

4 hours ago, Raindancer said:

There is absolutely no need to be rude.  I asked a simple question.  And your link does nothing to confirm your scaremongering.

But then again, your posts suggest a glass half empty, whereas I live in a positive and realistic world.  

 

But as your name suggests in the English dictionary,  I won't  need to read your rubbish interpretaion of what might or might not happen any longer.

 

 

 

Worthless post. Count yourself lucky I promised Mike I'd be quiet. 😇

[Mike Lister]

6 hours ago, Enzian said:

Many expats (though not typical on this forum), assume that the ruling elite of this country constitutes what in economic theory is called a "rational actor". I've just had someone tell me that the 800K requirement won't be raised because that amount is enough for emergencies and medical surprises. That insurance requirements won't be changed because the present requirements are adequate to the purpose. And best of all that income taxation won't be enacted because it would drive out expats who contribute 35% to 45% of GDP and no rational actor would risk losing that. I think what's being missed is that the main concern of the power elite is not money per se but to maintain the de facto feudal system that we ourselves also benefit from. They have ways to get money, but if they were ever to lose status it would be all over.

Your 35% to 45% of GDP figure is not even remotely supportable, even if all of international tourism is included ,which is only 9% of GDP at most. Resident western expats, intended to include retirees and expat workers, account for perhaps 3% of GDP at most. The 4 million foreigners are low income workers from neighbouring countries and negligible contributors. 

[Enzian]

4 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

Your 35% to 45% of GDP figure is not even remotely supportable, even if all of international tourism is included ,which is only 9% of GDP at most. Resident western expats, intended to include retirees and expat workers, account for perhaps 3% of GDP at most. The 4 million foreigners are low income workers from neighbouring countries and negligible contributors.

The 35-45% is not my figure, it was part of what someone was trying to push on me as part of an argument that nothing will really change; I agree with you that the figures are absurd and can't be that high, though it's impossible to know the real figures since so much happens on a personal level. There are a couple of corresponding points, one being that many of us expats think we are more important in several ways than we really are, and therefore will be left alone, and you might agree. Another is that those who think nothing can or will happen tend to be those who own property, one or several, and their conviction smacks of wishful thinking, because if they are wrong they are going to feel very betrayed and it's not going to be pretty. Myself, I own nothing, I can stay or go, though I'd rather stay; and I have no idea how this will turn out.

[Mike Lister]

Just now, Enzian said:

The 35-45% is not my figure, it was part of what someone was trying to push on me as part of an argument that nothing will really change; I agree with you that the figures are absurd and can't be that high, though it's impossible to know the real figures since so much happens on a personal level. There are a couple of corresponding points, one being that many of us expats think we are more important in several ways than we really are, and therefore will be left alone, and you might agree. Another is that those who think nothing can or will happen tend to be those who own property, one or several, and their conviction smacks of wishful thinking, because if they are wrong they are going to feel very betrayed and it's not going to be pretty. Myself, I own nothing, I can stay or go, though I'd rather stay; and I have no idea how this will turn out.

Yep, a number of expats need to get over their self importance here, it's just not warranted.

 

TBH the house I bought for my wife and myself to live in was always going to be hers no matter what, I took no steps to ever prevent that from happening and wo0nt change my mind. If a worst case scenario sees me having to leave, I wont have lost anything I hadn't already given away. I'll just move back to the Lakes and eat fish and chips whilst gazing at Morecambe Bay....life could be worse.

[lordgrinz]

On 6/21/2024 at 10:24 AM, Ben Zioner said:

So our situations differ. I am 72 with a loving family and only half a dozen of years to go (hopefully).So I can bite the bullet, read, watch TV etc.. At 55 I had dreams.. Reckon you should go, you are way to young to waste here.

 

I'm biting the bullet too for now. Cleaning the house and cars, doing laundry, walking the dog, exercising, taking care of my daughter through middle school while my wife gets the glory working as a director in higher education at a hospital in Bangkok. But I am now catching up on a lot more reading, just purchased a new Kindle (6 books this month alone) 😉

[G_Money]

I’ll never pay one baht to the Thai tax man.

 

There’s a reason one doesn’t invest money into Thailand that one can’t afford to walk away from.

 

Don’t burn one’s bridges back home.

 

Grab one’s passport and suitcase and go.  Priceless!

 

 

[Ben Zioner]

33 minutes ago, G_Money said:

I’ll never pay one baht to the Thai tax man.

 

There’s a reason one doesn’t invest money into Thailand that one can’t afford to walk away from.

 

Don’t burn one’s bridges back home.

 

Grab one’s passport and suitcase and go.  Priceless!

 

 

Let's hope that many share this wisdom.

[Lorry]

Bangkok Post reports today that demand for condos from foreigners is on the rise. 

Notwithstanding taxes.

50% of foreign buyers are Chinese. 

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, Lorry said:

Bangkok Post reports today that demand for condos from foreigners is on the rise. 

Notwithstanding taxes.

50% of foreign buyers are Chinese. 

 

Wonder if Chinese will be exempt from the worldwide income tax or if it will just be unenforceable because can't get the information out of China. That would partially explain Chinese dominating the market.