Report Thailand Tightens Grip on Retirement Visas Amid Wealth Shift

[NanLaew]

On 6/4/2025 at 10:31 PM, JaxxBKK said:

 

Yes, I'm lost. Difficult

 

Nothing has changed.

 

This is what..? Fear mongering?

 

Pattaya aside, retirees aren't riffraff.

 

Maybe someone ought to remind the government 90% of the Thai population has about b500 in their bank accounts

 

This stupid sentiment  is that one day they are going to push all of this nonsense One step too far and there will be an absolute Mass Exodus of foreigners from Thailand.

 

Once relocated and rerooted there will be no return.

 

The ability for foreigners to relocate overseas is diminishing rapidly. Not so paradoxically Thailand as yet to glom onto this fact.

 

How do you say we hate foreigners without saying we hate foreigners?

 

If you claim "nothing has changed," why are you so upset?

 

What crevice did you pull that "90% of the Thai population has about b500 in their bank accounts" from?

 

If you think the locals hate YOU, they probably do.

[fredwiggy]

On 6/5/2025 at 8:56 AM, thjames007 said:

 

You are right.  Bang on!! 

 

Sorry to burst the bubble, but Thailand doesn't need pensioners on the min state pension and zero cash.  Using agents to cheat their way into Thailand.   (the 800k in a bank is a joke amount, if you don't have that you shouldn't have retired in the first place! And moving to a foreign country with no benefits or medical coverage OMG.. You would think this is common sense 101)

 

If you dont have the min required don't come here.   Sure Vietnam Cambodia philipeans will take you on the cheap, good for them.   Can't wait for the posts to be filled with I'm. Move there, and they never do!!!! 

 

And regarding the story,  what a load of click Bait dripple. Im on LTR now, I had DTV and Non O before.  And they are ALL so easy to get, what's the authors point?  Rather than say " oh now there are other options available, not just Non O and OA..." they make it sound like they phasing them out which is BS. Just to wind up expats. (FYI. You don't need 80k income. That's just one of many different thresholds) 

 

Can't wait for next week's recycled story about expats requiring a medical plan, as they should!  

Of course missing the fact that those who live here, even on 40K a month, are spending millions more baht a year than tourists or the majority of locals. Requiring a foreigner to have 800K in the bank while most here have little to nothing and spend less monthly than all foreigners living here, along with taking care of children, wives and girlfriends just a tad better than the local males do.

 

The state pension or retirement IS cash, in Thai banks and withdrawn all the time to spend here. There of course are some foreigners living here who had jobs that raped the world's resources, moved rich clients money around, swindled others in scams, kicked others out of their homes and think they're big shots living here and having cash to burn, but oh, they're the "quality wealthy expats". 

[bkkcanuck8]

On 6/4/2025 at 10:14 PM, DonniePeverley said:

Welcome news. 

 

Last thing Thailand is cheap pensioners. 

It really depends, if you want wealthy people who will spend their money in central areas visiting places that will bring well-to-do Thais more business... and relying on trickle down economics to reach the poorer people - then focusing only at the higher end is wise.  If you want people that are more likely to move to less touristy areas that will look to spend their money locally and thus more likely to reach people that are not connected but regular people... then you need a mix.  It does not tend to be the people on a tighter pension that tends to cause issues IMHO.

[fredwiggy]

On 6/4/2025 at 10:14 PM, DonniePeverley said:

Welcome news. 

 

Last thing Thailand is cheap pensioners. 

I would think there are many more things Thailand could do without than a "cheap" pensioner. Even those "cheap" pensioners, just by living here, spend a lot more than the average local. 

[Crash999]

Was this written by AI? There’s actually no change. Horribly misleading. 

[Peter Crow]

21 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Of course missing the fact that those who live here, even on 40K a month, are spending millions more baht a year than tourists or the majority of locals.

You this is stuff I haven't worked out yet: you live in Thailand on 480k a year and manage to spend millions more that than "tourists and the majority of locals"?  Could you PM me the coordinates of your accountant? His first name must be Jesus.

[NanLaew]

On 6/5/2025 at 8:56 AM, thjames007 said:

 

You are right.  Bang on!! 

 

Sorry to burst the bubble, but Thailand doesn't need pensioners on the min state pension and zero cash.  Using agents to cheat their way into Thailand.   (the 800k in a bank is a joke amount, if you don't have that you shouldn't have retired in the first place! And moving to a foreign country with no benefits or medical coverage OMG.. You would think this is common sense 101)

 

If you dont have the min required don't come here.   Sure Vietnam Cambodia philipeans will take you on the cheap, good for them.   Can't wait for the posts to be filled with I'm. Move there, and they never do!!!! 

 

And regarding the story,  what a load of click Bait dripple. Im on LTR now, I had DTV and Non O before.  And they are ALL so easy to get, what's the authors point?  Rather than say " oh now there are other options available, not just Non O and OA..." they make it sound like they phasing them out which is BS. Just to wind up expats. (FYI. You don't need 80k income. That's just one of many different thresholds) 

 

Can't wait for next week's recycled story about expats requiring a medical plan, as they should!  

 

Who pished in your cornflakes then?

[fredwiggy]

7 minutes ago, Peter Crow said:

You this is stuff I haven't worked out yet: you live in Thailand on 480k a year and manage to spend millions more that than "tourists and the majority of locals"?  Could you PM me the coordinates of your accountant? His first name must be Jesus.

Don't worry, you'll get it eventually.

[thailand49]

Idle minds of Thai leaders is a Devils workshop!🤣

[loogkreung]

This story is nonsense. From what it’s suggesting all those on the 800k baht visa will have to go home when current visa expires. As a percentage I’d wager not many of them are millionaires.

[Dr. Zorg]

Total waste of time. Nothing new.

 

[John Drake]

On 6/5/2025 at 7:07 PM, baansgr said:

I did a post about one.month ago about an I/O saying that the financials were going to increase to 2 million Baht..looks.like that could happen

 

I've seen your type posts for the past decade every time there is a discussion of even a minor rule change at Immigration. Ten years. And there is always some guy who has talked to an IO, a colonel in Immigration, or his neighbor who "is connected" and who knows for certain money in the bank requirements were going to be pushed up to 1 million, 2 million, 5 million. And here we are. Frankly, I thought these type unsubstantiated claims coming out of the blue without any link to a credible source were against forum policy.

[newnative]

On 6/4/2025 at 10:14 PM, DonniePeverley said:

Welcome news. 

 

Last thing Thailand is cheap pensioners. 

       As with tourists, Thailand needs an economic mix of expats.   Just as hotels run the gamut from cheap hostels to 5-star resorts, so, too, does the housing mix, from cheap fan rooms for rent to 150 million baht villas for sale--and a huge variety of housing at all price points for rent or sale between the two.  A definite case of one size does not fit all.

      Certainly, it's good to have a wealthy expat buy that 150 million baht villa.  But, he's just one person, getting one haircut a week, one person eating just 3 meals a day at restaurants, one person consuming one person' s regular living needs and services.  Equally important are the regular, non-wealthy expats.  Higher in number, they are the backbone, contributing greatly to the local economies of Thailand, steadily spending year after year, employing local workers, and giving their business to numerous local shops and services.  

[loogkreung]

This new visa is probably in addition to the other retirement visa. Otherwise there’ll be a mass exodus at renewal stage. Very few are millionaires after all.

[baansgr]

38 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

I've seen your type posts for the past decade every time there is a discussion of even a minor rule change at Immigration. Ten years. And there is always some guy who has talked to an IO, a colonel in Immigration, or his neighbor who "is connected" and who knows for certain money in the bank requirements were going to be pushed up to 1 million, 2 million, 5 million. And here we are. Frankly, I thought these type unsubstantiated claims coming out of the blue without any link to a credible source were against forum policy.

It's a field.marshall with Chinese ethnicity 😊 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

3 hours ago, thjames007 said:

Under LTR my overseas income is tax free!  Tax free at home and here!  A big attractive for some with wealth.  I'm not rich. But its a huge attraction for me, and others

Under the current tax system that is true - but - what about under the new incoming global tax system?  As I have said to others with LTRs - you need to contact BOI and push them to make sure the LTR Visa remains tax free under the new system - meaning the new tax laws they are drafting and will get passed to start the new system. IMO it will be starting Jan 1 2027 - plenty of time, but you should move on it sooner than later. 

 

[Unamerican]

On 6/5/2025 at 8:11 AM, Nickcage49 said:

the one-year O visa

What is this? Do I need one? 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

 

I've seen your type posts for the past decade every time there is a discussion of even a minor rule change at Immigration. Ten years. And there is always some guy who has talked to an IO, a colonel in Immigration, or his neighbor who "is connected" and who knows for certain money in the bank requirements were going to be pushed up to 1 million, 2 million, 5 million. And here we are. Frankly, I thought these type unsubstantiated claims coming out of the blue without any link to a credible source were against forum policy.

Ditto.  But the number 2 Million was being mentioned by TRD as the amount of international remittances into Thailand into any bank account that TRD will require the Banks to provide them with numbers and the account owner's details.  TRD does not have the resources to investigate even 5% of those number of accounts (100+s of thousands) - but they will have the list on record in their computers, for if they ever decided to audit anyone in the future (if they dont lose or misplace or accidently delete the records). Their incompetence and ignorance is a big bonus in this regards. 

[Unamerican]

14 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

the new incoming global tax system?

What exactly is this? Just more fear-mongering, perhaps? 

[Yumthai]

12 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Under the current tax system that is true - but - what about under the new incoming global tax system?

There is no incoming global tax system. It can't be implemented in Thailand as economic consequences will be unbearable, at least without allowing legal tax-free workarounds (such as LTR) and you know it.

[Unamerican]

2 hours ago, loogkreung said:

the 800k baht visa

What is this visa, please? 

[black tabby12345]

One most meaningless article ever read in this forum.

The headline doesn't stand for the following sentences.

Not at all.

 

[black tabby12345]

2 hours ago, Dr. Zorg said:

Total waste of time. Nothing new.

 

 

Absolutely.

 

 

[Unamerican]

7 minutes ago, Yumthai said:

There is no incoming global tax system.

Thanks for this true reassurance! As I thought. 

[black tabby12345]

On 6/4/2025 at 8:38 PM, Upnotover said:

Weird story, hard to read.  Did anything actually change....no.

 

 

Article just in name.

Load of the meaningless/senseless rubbish without any information value.

Amazing how can they can publish this nonsense without hesitation.

"Editor" must be intellectually impaired.

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

On 6/4/2025 at 9:43 PM, ronnie50 said:

Seems to me this Forum's very newsletter covers all that quite well, doesn't it? Why would a foreign newspaper cover daily stuff like this in Thailand?

Two far left leaning publications that don't bother with foreign (non financial) trivial news stories.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

2 minutes ago, Unamerican said:

What exactly is this? Just more fear-mongering, perhaps? 

No.   Check out Jeff Gunther's youtube channel - 2 months ago he interviewed a TRD Official who is working on the new global taxation system, and an Expat Tax 'consultant'.  Well worth listening too all the way through - it makes it clear that 99% of Expats are OK.  This was before the recent announcement - but she seemed to know it was coming.  Note that the Expat consultant guy was still 'drumming up business' back then so ignore much of what he says and listen to the Thai TRD Official. Also note being Thai she never disagreed with some of the things he said - but her silence and lack of agreement said enough. 

 

 

 

Back to the point of the OP.  It was disorganised, disjointed and incompetent, the way that TRD and the Thai Govt responded to all the Expat concerns about the change made in Sept 2023. That is one of the many reasons that Thailand is no longer the 'flavour on the decade' when it comes to Expat retirement locations.  They still did not clarify or apologise - they just removed the TRD GM and then changed the rules for 2025 and 2026 after realising they had badly screwed up - both for Thais and Expats.

 

One of the BIG reasons why places like The Philippines is so much more valued these days, is that they look after the Expat Retirees by having The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA). This is the Philippine Government organisation that is responsible for managing the Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) program, which allows foreign nationals to reside in the Philippines indefinitely as retirees.  They deal with all the complicated and conflicting Government Departments and Offices.  If Thailand had something like that, then this income tax issue and so many others would be sorted out so much better. But No - Thailand creates a semi-business to sell all the Visas (BOI, Elite Visa, etc etc) and all they care about is making money - that is why it is all a total clusterf******  here in Thailand. 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

18 minutes ago, Yumthai said:

There is no incoming global tax system. It can't be implemented in Thailand as economic consequences will be unbearable, at least without allowing legal tax-free workarounds (such as LTR) and you know it.

Yes it can and it will - see my post above. But IMO it will not be a problem for 99% Expats - probably - I think - I hope. 

[JackGats]

4 hours ago, thjames007 said:

Under LTR my overseas income is tax free!  Tax free at home and here!  A big attractive for some with wealth.  I'm not rich. But its a huge attraction for me, and others

Good for you  if you can make it stick.

 

My LTR visa was ignored (brushed aside) by TRD when I filed taxes and asked for a dividend refund this year, as described here in a dedicated thread some weeks ago.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

9 minutes ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

Two far left leaning publications that don't bother with foreign (non financial) trivial news stories.

Are they now no longer being funded by USAID? I hope they are all unemployed and destitute - then they can go back to USA and re-start their gender studies degrees.