I am leaving Thailand - yes taxes!!!

[TedG]

On 1/17/2025 at 9:02 AM, Elkski said:

I heard a couple rodbits about the US IRS recently.   Audits of the super wealthy are down like 80% and regular folks down only 30% . 

The top 1% earners  tax avoidance is 33% of the total avoidance. 

If this topic is still so confusing for those of you who face it there is no reason for me to worry about it in case we decide to move from USA.  Hey maybe in 4 years the Gulf of Thailand will have a new name.  Lol.  

I guess Joe Biden failed. 

[Celsius]

52 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Seems this dead forum is dominated by people who not even live here anymore. Explains all this incorrect answers too, is like people who come every year for 20 years already and compare it to being an expat. Clueless..

 

I have been living in this great country for 11 years. I can picture proof you my posts as I have done so to many fine AN members and embarrassed them in the process 😚

[Celsius]

1 hour ago, ChaiyaTH said:

I think many people have lived here or in SE asia so long, they have no clue how bad it is in terms of costs back home as well how bad life in general is, even if comparing it to just 5-7 years ago.

 

Dump post.

 

The life in Thailand can turn a nightmare for you overnight as retirees in Malaysia found out.

 

You absolutely have no support system here if something happens.

 

on the contrary, homeless in my country get 3 meals a day and cash.

[crazykopite]

See you bye bye !

[Celsius]

1 minute ago, crazykopite said:

See you bye bye !

 

When are we gonna see each other?

[Sevenomma]

You have to pay taxes in Thailand if you stay more than 180 days. 

People who dont understand why dont deserve to be in Thailand, because Thailand dont want stupid people. 🤣

[Celsius]

11 minutes ago, Sevenomma said:

You have to pay taxes in Thailand if you stay more than 180 days. 

People who dont understand why dont deserve to be in Thailand, because Thailand dont want stupid people. 🤣

 

I see you are picking some vegetables. Is that next to "your house" in Isaan?

 

Speaking of stupid.

[InlandSea]

First time caller, long-time listener...

 

Hypothetical. Some American guy, let's call him IS, established a CD ladder in 2023. The five individual CDs mature at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years.

 

The principle of each of the five CDs is enough for IS to live on for one year in Thailand.

 

Assuming that Thailand taxes only remitted, assessable income...

 

If IS remits to Thailand just the principle (not the earned interest) of one of those CDs each year for the next five years, is he exempt from paying Thai taxes on that (because the principle of each CD was from pre-2024 savings and is not assessable)?

 

Thanks and I'll take my answer off the air.

 

[newnative]

     I found your post confusing.  But, in any case, having to pay taxes in Thailand, and likely not a big amount, would certainly not be my reason for ever leaving.  I suspect the move to somewhere else would cost tremendously more in relocation costs than staying and paying the taxes, should I ever have to.  

    So far, I see no evidence that I will be required to file, let alone pay, any taxes.  So far, my latest check with several bank managers here in Pattaya resulted in the same answer they gave me before--nothing new with banking regarding taxes.  So far, there is no requirement that I produce a tax return to obtain my annual extension.  So far, my strategy remains to do nothing.  Don't obtain a tax number.  Don't file any taxes.  In other words, my strategy is the same as most Thais living here.  I think too many are letting themselves get too upset and too bothered over something that, so far, isn't even happening and, perhaps, never will.  Buh bye bye to the OP.

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, newnative said:

     I found your post confusing.  But, in any case, having to pay taxes in Thailand, and likely not a big amount, would certainly not be my reason for ever leaving.  I suspect the move to somewhere else would cost tremendously more in relocation costs than staying and paying the taxes, should I ever have to.  

I figured the income tax burden, for a buddy of mine, on the most negative scenario.

 

Single

Retirement visa ... 800k transferred in

All income not covered by any DTA

No deductions except allowed exemption

 

800k ... income to meet ret visa

-60k ... personal exemption

-190k  ... 65+ age exemption

-150k ... first 150k tax exempt

 

400k taxable income

 

150k @ 5% = 7500

200k @ 10% = 20,000

50k @ 15% = 7500

 

Total 35,000 THB

 

Surely cost of living elsewhere would be more for the year vs that small tax burden.

 

As stated earlier, elsewhere, I suspect those leaving for the 'tax' reason, probably use agents, and the need to file tax would expose their lack of finances to meet the visa requirements of 800k for extensions.

 

IMHO of course, 35k a year, shouldn't break anyone's wallet, having 800k.  And probably cheaper than living in an alternative location, IF, legally qualifying for a long visa there or returning to home country.

 

If living on public assistance, food and housing, well, nuff said 

[newnative]

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I figured the income tax burden, for a buddy of mine, on the most negative scenario.

 

Single

Retirement visa ... 800k transferred in

All income not covered by any DTA

No deductions except allowed exemption

 

800k ... income to meet ret visa

-60k ... personal exemption

-190k  ... 65+ age exemption

-150k ... first 150k tax exempt

 

400k taxable income

 

150k @ 5% = 7500

200k @ 10% = 20,000

50k @ 15% = 7500

 

Total 35,000 THB

 

Surely cost of living elsewhere would be more for the year vs that small tax burden.

 

As stated earlier, elsewhere, I suspect those leaving for the 'tax' reason, probably use agents, and the need to file tax would expose their lack of finances to meet the visa requirements of 800k for extensions.

 

IMHO of course, 35k a year, shouldn't break anyone's wallet, having 800k.  And probably cheaper than living in an alternative location, IF, legally qualifying for a long visa there or returning to home country.

 

If living on public assistance, food and housing, well, nuff said 

Thanks.  That was my thinking, too.

[Celsius]

6 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Surely cost of living elsewhere would be more for the year vs that small tax burden.

 

Actually no.... it would be much cheaper when cost of healthcare is included.

 

Let me guess, you are an American.

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

Actually no.... it would be much cheaper when cost of healthcare is included.

 

Let me guess, you are an American.

Don't know why being a Yank makes a difference.   I could live in either, TH or USA, but after 45 years in USA, TH seems a nice option to finish out my years.

 

Simply planning one's retirement better would be the advice I'd give people.

 

If you think you'll need the safety net of your home country, when you can't afford to live overseas, then you should have probably never left to begin with.

[Celsius]

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

 

If you think you'll need the safety net of your home country, when you can't afford to live overseas, then you should have probably never left to begin with.

 

That gem again.

 

Pretty funny coming from someone who just said they can only afford to live in Thailand.

 

Maybe some of us have some dignity and self respect. I compare it to those who refuse to pay 10X at national parks.

 

I simply will be refusing to file taxes in Thailand and get zero benefits in exchange. File for what? To breathe the smog and eat slop?

 

It seems like you can't afford to live anywhere else besides Thailand? 

 

 

[KhunLA]

39 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

That gem again.

 

Pretty funny coming from someone who just said they can only afford to live in Thailand.

 

Maybe some of us have some dignity and self respect. I compare it to those who refuse to pay 10X at national parks.

 

I simply will be refusing to file taxes in Thailand and get zero benefits in exchange. File for what? To breathe the smog and eat slop?

 

It seems like you can't afford to live anywhere else besides Thailand? 

 

 

I can afford to live in USA.  Wouldn't think about anywhere else if leaving TH.  At least for one year after leaving anyway.

[IsaanT]

On 1/17/2025 at 10:50 AM, KhunBENQ said:

 

No requirement for tax return at immigration. Until then I wait 

Why do some posters conflate Immigration with the Thai Revenue Department?

Taxes (if any are due) are collected by the Revenue Department - it's got nothing to do with Immigration.  The two functions are entirely separate, functionally and administratively.
 

[Celsius]

19 minutes ago, IsaanT said:

Why do some posters conflate Immigration with the Thai Revenue Department?

Taxes (if any are due) are collected by the Revenue Department - it's got nothing to do with Immigration.  The two functions are entirely separate, functionally and administratively.
 

 

If one does not have a Tax Number then how can revenue collect?

[GroveHillWanderer]

3 hours ago, Sevenomma said:

You have to pay taxes in Thailand if you stay more than 180 days. 

People who dont understand why dont deserve to be in Thailand, because Thailand dont want stupid people. 🤣

Not quite accurate. If you stay more than 180 days in Thailand you are considered a tax resident. Based on a number of announcements recently, it looks as though all tax residents are now supposed to file a tax return. 

 

However, even if you are a tax resident and even if you file a tax return, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to pay taxes.

[Wake Up1]

On 1/17/2025 at 9:48 AM, Celsius said:

I know already ... no need to announce my departure. Hear me out!!!!

 

I was chatting with my friend from Serbia who came to visit, and she basically looked at me like I was an idiot and asked, "Why on earth are you declaring your Toronto condo rental to Canada?!" (And that was just the tip of the iceberg.) She was like, "Why bother filing taxes in Canada when you don’t even live there?!" It was a rapid-fire "Why this?" and "Why that?" like I had just invented a new form of self-sabotage.

 

Then I realized I'm surrounded by the same woke individuals who are desperately scrambling to file a tax return here in Thailand out of all places.

 

I hope Thailand implements 8 million baht retirement extension and 15 day report. You deserve it.

 

I'm out and I'll be watching that door thanx in advance.

 

 

Did you overreact like this when you were a child? Get some perspective. Calm down and learn to not fear the worse possible outcomes. Chill 😊

[edwardflory]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

simply will be refusing to file taxes in Thailand and get zero benefits in exchange. File for what? To breathe the smog and eat slop?

 

ANOTHER person saying ZERO BENEFITS?????

 

You must be living in the wrong part of Th.

 

ZERO Benefits?

LOW rent, LOW Inflation, LOW medical costs, LOW transportation costs, LOW utility costs..........

 

Breathing smog, move to the country - farm lands area.

 

Eating slop?

( I'm a Yank, wife is Thai )

 

OUR Breakfast today:

Sausage, eggs, hash browns, toast, coffee.

 

OUR lunch today:

Meatloaf ( baked yesterday - kept in fridge after cooling ), string beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad - cooked the meatloaf in my oven, the wife rewarmed, the veggies were fresh from the FARMERS market yesterday, with home made gravy, coffee,  strawberry's ( bought yesterday at a farm ) for desert.

 

Oh, we do for food courts several times a month - if that's what you call slop.

 

[it is what it is]

On 1/17/2025 at 3:51 AM, Highball said:

If I weren't married I would leave as well. Thailand is as comfortable as it ever was, but I've lost tremendous respect for Thailand.

 

Especially with the visas that are on offer now it's far too easy just to spend months in other parts of Southeast Asia or perhaps Eastern Europe or even the Balkans.

 

So many wealthy and corrupt Thais pay little or no tax. Instead of trying to tidy this up they go after who else but the "rich" farang. It's an old saw we know very well.

 

I'm extremely unimpressed with the current government especially all of the handouts that have done absolutely nothing to stimulate the economy. Of course, they were never designed to, but rather buy votes.

 

The thing is we receive absolutely nothing except the right to exist in the country after paying Thai taxes.

 

Recently, I was denied SSO insurance based on some ridiculous technicality. I was employed in the country 10 years and paid into SSO for seven of the 10 years.

 

This week I went to pick up my visa extension and there were the typical 400 heads of rabble all queuing and shifting about like a herd of corralled stallions.

 

One very very simple thing that immigration could do is just simply extend the visa extension to 2 years. They would cut the paperwork in half overnight. Judging by the last few years I think O visa group is down and the others are way up. Therefore I need to stand in line to get a ticket with hundreds of tourists and sundry. Of course there is no appointment online despite having online bookings for well over a year now. But you see insult that I have to show at 630am and jockey for a q-ticket..

 

Some weeks ago I met up with a friend and we did a pub crawl between nana and cowboy. This entire thing is completely collapsed. I guess it's probably moved to Pattaya, but that place looks to be entirely mobbed by Indians.

 

By all means take your leave. Don't mind the posters here that cannot afford to do so and have no imagination as to where to go and or perhaps fearful of the entire process of leaving.

 

 

Id

 

[treetops]

5 hours ago, parallelman said:

. . . . . . and up to now immigration have been silent on the isuue.

 

Not quite.  Chonburi immigration have stated in an interview (with Pattaya Mail I think) that there are no current plans for immigration to check tax status.

[Samh]

On 1/17/2025 at 10:35 AM, atpeace said:

Tax dodger? 

 

 

When in the UK builders stop demanding cash payments for building work because that want to fiddle their taxes then I will feel guilty about dodging taxes. I bet a lot of them sign on unemployed as well. Really annoying being in a queue in Costco stuck behind somebody paying with a wod of cash the size of a brick.

[madone]

On 1/17/2025 at 9:48 AM, Celsius said:

 

 

I'm out and I'll be watching that door thanx in advance.

 

 

 

 

so why are you still posting? I reckoned you would be gone already, but still, you persist talking <deleted> about bargirls.

 

Hop a flight already 

[thailand49]

I was just visiting my lawyers in Bangkok on another matter. During a break I ask them discussed the tax issue.

Don't lose sleep over it. The chances of it happening is like slim and none as noted in many forums these so call tax experts are drumming up business opening a can of worms that don't need to be.

I've been here near 20 years, I still file taxes back home very little in fact I get a refund not paid any State taxes. To each his own why burn your bridges yearly visit I use my Medicare plan schedule as many test I can schedule in my out of pocket is less than 20 bucks

.

[parallelman]

1 hour ago, treetops said:

 

Not quite.  Chonburi immigration have stated in an interview (with Pattaya Mail I think) that there are no current plans for immigration to check tax status.

I stand corrected. I think this was also on Integrity Legal video

[oldcpu]

On 1/17/2025 at 3:15 PM, Airalee said:

Tax treaties don’t mean that you pay 0% taxes here on income taxed already in the US if the tax rates are different.  You are responsible for the difference.

 

 That may be true and specific to the USA-Thai DTA (and some others as well) but it is not true for all DTA.

 

Some DTA for a pension give only the pension source country taxation rights, and in those cases Thailand has no taxation rights on the pension whether or not remitted to Thailand.  For example , the Canada-Thai DTA.  There is no-difference clause like you note in such cases (where I assume there is such 'difference' aspect for the USA-Thai ?? DTA - I don't know re: USA as I have no income nor savings from that country).

 

I suspect you knew that, but others may not have known, which is why I make that point. It really behooves each expat to know the implications of the DTA of their income source country with Thailand.

 

Also , for any new to this , note there is also Thailand Revenue Department (RD) ministerial instructions Por-161/162 which note that any foreign income/money outside of Thailand, earned/saved from before 1-Jan-2024, nominally can anytime in the future be remitted to Thailand and be exempt from Thailand taxation.  Only income earned after 31-Dec-2023 if remitted to Thailand might be subject to Thailand taxation if not made exempt due to other reasons.

[Phillip9]

2 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Based on a number of announcements recently, it looks as though all tax residents are now supposed to file a tax return. 

 

Even if you have no income???  

[818Pilot]

If you’re leaving, why are you still here responding to comments you don’t agree with? 
 

We understand it’s difficult being alone with no friends and the only people you have to talk to are random strangers on a forum like this. But simply put, no one really cares if you live here or not.

 

I hope you get the help you need wherever you might go

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

 If you stay more than 180 days in Thailand you are considered a tax resident. Based on a number of announcements recently, it looks as though all tax residents are now supposed to file a tax return. 

 

However, even if you are a tax resident and even if you file a tax return, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to pay taxes.

 

 

There is more to this.

 

There is a specific amount of annual THB assessable income that a tax resident of Thailand must receive before they are required to file a Thai tax return.

 

Further, one needs to have a Thai tax ID number before one can file a Thai tax ID.

 

Be careful in drawing conclusions on what some are saying on this forum and the internet. 

 

If you are uncertain, you can always go down to your local Thai Revenue Department (RD) office, tell them your actual financial situation in terms of local Thailand income (if any), whether you are bringing in post 31-Dec-2023 assessable foreign income into Thailand ,and any salient details of the Thailand DTA with the country where your income is sourced ... 

 

They will then decide if you qualify for a Thai Tax ID, and they will give you their assessment (as representatives of the Thailand RD) if you need to file a Thailand tax return.

 

Its likely best to have a Thai language speaker with you to translate if/when you go to the RD.