Anyone know anything about some of the pretty serious changes [if accurate?] highlighted in this recent news story. If it can be believed, things seem to be targeting not just short term visa holders. but long term visa holders too? 

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/politics/thailand-policy-shifts/

16 minutes ago, Conno said:

Anyone know anything about some of the pretty serious changes [if accurate?] highlighted in this recent news story. If it can be believed, things seem to be targeting not just short term visa holders. but long term visa holders too? 

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/politics/thailand-policy-shifts/

Many threads on this, here's one......

https://aseannow.com/topic/1378770-new-rules-issued-for-visa-extensions-and-visa-exempt-entries/

4 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Many threads on this, here's one......

https://aseannow.com/topic/1378770-new-rules-issued-for-visa-extensions-and-visa-exempt-entries/

Cheers bud. That one seemed to be focused on the border run issues but do admit I didn't read through all 6 pages. 

 

Moderators can close this one down if that's the case. Cheers. 

I imagine the devil is in the detail......but these, taken at face value, might cause some upset? The last one could be interesting.....I doubt there are many foreign teachers on 50k.

 

 

By 31 December 2025, every foreign resident who has stayed more than 180 days in a year must file a new Residency Compliance Report through the e-Visa portal. The report will link their presence in Thailand to records at the Revenue Department.

 

Under the revised Personal Income Tax Act, any foreigner who spends 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year is treated as a tax resident. That person can now be taxed at rates up to 35 per cent on worldwide income that is brought into Thailand.

 

Any foreign income transferred into Thailand after 1 January 2026 can be taxed, no matter when it was earned, as long as it falls within the new rules.

 

From now on, most expats must rely on private health insurance.

 

Rules on foreign pensions and social benefits have tightened as well. Money from overseas retirement funds must be declared as taxable income when remitted, adding to the burden on retirees who had counted on low living costs.

 

Under the new rules, every work permit must be linked to an employer who pays a minimum salary of 50,000 baht per month, up from 30,000. 

If everything in that article is true, Elite visa holders are really going to appreciate being able to flex on AseanNow about how spending 5 million baht for a 20 year visa is just a drop in the bucket compared to the additional Thai income taxes they will soon pay.

 

“Membership has it’s privileges”

 

 

Will have to wait to see what transpires considering the retirees pensions, though an ambiguous statement in the report is just that, ambiguous…

 

“For many foreign retirees, the change means a new tax bill where none existed before. A person drawing 50,000 US dollars a year from a pension abroad could now face a tax charge in Thailand of roughly 200,000 baht (about 5,800 US dollars), depending on deductions and treaty protection.”

…”could” isn’t will. Besides it doesn’t even state whether if 50kUSD annually is the threshold of which personally know nothing about this.

 

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

I imagine the devil is in the detail......but these, taken at face value, might cause some upset? The last one could be interesting.....I doubt there are many foreign teachers on 50k.

 

 

By 31 December 2025, every foreign resident who has stayed more than 180 days in a year must file a new Residency Compliance Report through the e-Visa portal. The report will link their presence in Thailand to records at the Revenue Department.

 

Under the revised Personal Income Tax Act, any foreigner who spends 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year is treated as a tax resident. That person can now be taxed at rates up to 35 per cent on worldwide income that is brought into Thailand.

 

Any foreign income transferred into Thailand after 1 January 2026 can be taxed, no matter when it was earned, as long as it falls within the new rules.

 

From now on, most expats must rely on private health insurance.

 

Rules on foreign pensions and social benefits have tightened as well. Money from overseas retirement funds must be declared as taxable income when remitted, adding to the burden on retirees who had counted on low living costs.

 

Under the new rules, every work permit must be linked to an employer who pays a minimum salary of 50,000 baht per month, up from 30,000. 

Yes this was my point behind posting this Chaing Rai Times news story. The thread Upnotover directed me to [I have now read all 6 pages] is only covering the already well publicised short term border run type visa changes. This linked story is reporting some really rather different and fundamental long term changes, which if correct could also impact those on long term visa's. I asked my Thai partner to do a search in Thai and there is absolutely nothing anywhere else reporting what this Chiang Rai Anna Wong [AI Maybe?] article is saying. I suppose until this is reported and discussed in multiple different places it's yet another wait and see, in the Land Of Wait And Sees.    

3 minutes ago, Conno said:

This linked story is reporting some really rather different and fundamental long term changes, which if correct could also impact those on long term visa's. I asked my Thai partner to do a search in Thai and there is absolutely nothing anywhere else reporting what this Chiang Rai

That's because IMO it's a load of rubbish and also attracted the flies to yet another taxation nonsense. 

Ignore it 

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

I imagine the devil is in the detail......but these, taken at face value, might cause some upset? The last one could be interesting.....I doubt there are many foreign teachers on 50k.

 

 

By 31 December 2025, every foreign resident who has stayed more than 180 days in a year must file a new Residency Compliance Report through the e-Visa portal. The report will link their presence in Thailand to records at the Revenue Department.

 

Under the revised Personal Income Tax Act, any foreigner who spends 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year is treated as a tax resident. That person can now be taxed at rates up to 35 per cent on worldwide income that is brought into Thailand.

 

Any foreign income transferred into Thailand after 1 January 2026 can be taxed, no matter when it was earned, as long as it falls within the new rules.

 

From now on, most expats must rely on private health insurance.

 

Rules on foreign pensions and social benefits have tightened as well. Money from overseas retirement funds must be declared as taxable income when remitted, adding to the burden on retirees who had counted on low living costs.

 

Under the new rules, every work permit must be linked to an employer who pays a minimum salary of 50,000 baht per month, up from 30,000. 

As I understand it all monies remitted to Thailand that have already been taxed in the native countries are not subject to taxation here, as Thailand does not insist on double taxation, like Spain and some other nations, and will acknowledge taxes paid in one's native country. 

2 hours ago, Will B Good said:

By 31 December 2025, every foreign resident who has stayed more than 180 days in a year must file a new Residency Compliance Report through the e-Visa portal. The report will link their presence in Thailand to records at the Revenue Department.

 

Under the revised Personal Income Tax Act, any foreigner who spends 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year is treated as a tax resident. That person can now be taxed at rates up to 35 per cent on worldwide income that is brought into Thailand.

I shall have to serach this Personal Compliance Report, never mentioned before. 

I already have had a TIN for three years, and not paid a satang in tax. But I am only a poor boy.

36 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

That's because IMO it's a load of rubbish and also attracted the flies to yet another taxation nonsense. 

Ignore it 

5555 noted. 

If it is big news, why is it only in The Chiang Rai newspaper?

3 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

If it is big news, why is it only in The Chiang Rai newspaper?

Well if it was true it would be big news, so your question is relevant. Suppose that's why the moderator DrJack54 said ignore it. 

I searched for the ''Residency Compliance Report'' and  assume it is the 90 day report. Again, no mention on Google search of it.

21 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

I searched for the ''Residency Compliance Report'' and  assume it is the 90 day report. Again, no mention on Google search of it.

Same here..

A lot in that article looks like proposals that haven't been implemented yet.

 

It doesn't look like a complete fabrication to me, as they've clearly started to crack down fairly broadly (banking, visa exempt rules, extra scrutiny for Elite visa applications including renewals). So who knows what else is in the pipeline.

5 minutes ago, Caldera said:

So who knows what else is in the pipeline.

Not your usual style. 

Scaremongering IMO

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Not your usual style. 

Scaremongering IMO

I see both yours and Caldera's perspective. Can't deny we are seeing an accelerating trend regardless what may or may not be coming next. Noticed on another thread something along the same lines, CIMB Bank are ending debit card services in 2026 apparently. All of it is related to the less privacy and more control agenda.  

3 minutes ago, Conno said:

All of it is related to the less privacy and more control agenda.  

Think you will find it's down to huge call centre scams and money laundering rather that expats living in Thailand or even tourists. 

Certain nationalities seem to be at forefront. 

20 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Not your usual style. 

Scaremongering IMO

 

That's not my intention. But I think it's more important nowadays to be prepared for change without much - if any - advance notice. I've mentioned a few recent examples, affecting various groups (not just those these measures were supposed to target).

 

On some issues they've been flip-flopping that often that I've simply lost track, so whatever they will announce next will definitely come as a surprise, to me anyway. 

5 hours ago, Conno said:

Anyone know anything about some of the pretty serious changes [if accurate?] highlighted in this recent news story. If it can be believed, things seem to be targeting not just short term visa holders. but long term visa holders too? 

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/politics/thailand-policy-shifts/

Another new rule seems to be that if you're applying for a retirement visa extension, condo leases must have owners with a 12 month visa in Thailand. If that's not the case, the lease will not be accepted by immigration.

2 hours ago, Cuchulainn said:

I searched for the ''Residency Compliance Report'' and  assume it is the 90 day report.

And/or the TM30?

 

17 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

Another new rule seems to be that if you're applying for a retirement visa extension, condo leases must have owners with a 12 month visa in Thailand. If that's not the case, the lease will not be accepted by immigration.

 Even if condo owners are Thai nationals??? 🤣

 

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

A lot in that article looks like proposals that haven't been implemented yet.

 

It doesn't look like a complete fabrication to me, as they've clearly started to crack down fairly broadly (banking, visa exempt rules, extra scrutiny for Elite visa applications including renewals). So who knows what else is in the pipeline.

Wait for anything new/different to be posted by the RG, until then it’s just a bunch speculative nonsense, as with a lot of baiting junk floating around on the internet.

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

 Even if condo owners are Thai nationals??? 🤣

 

Obviously not. The advice in fact was to find a Thai landlord if you didn't have one. Quite a blow for foreigners living abroad renting out there condos 

7 hours ago, Airalee said:

If everything in that article is true, Elite visa holders are really going to appreciate being able to flex on AseanNow about how spending 5 million baht for a 20 year visa is just a drop in the bucket compared to the additional Thai income taxes they will soon pay.

 

“Membership has it’s privileges”

 

 

But that's per existing (old) rules.  And remains so for any Elite holder who stays 180 days or more. Elite has never given any Income Tax exemption. 

 

I don't think it will upset too many of this elite as, in all likelihood, most of them travel extensively.

3 hours ago, jaywalker2 said:

Another new rule seems to be that if you're applying for a retirement visa extension, condo leases must have owners with a 12 month visa in Thailand. If that's not the case, the lease will not be accepted by immigration.

That's insane - completely wrecks the investment / ROI reason to invest in Thai condos.  Outlawing BnB, by enforcing the Hotel-Act was bad enough for that business (goodbye "condo-tel" model) - but the hotel-association money was on the other side of that one. 

 

I doubt this rule will stand, due to deep-pockets who would oppose it.   The abuses / illegal behavior Thai immigration gets away with are generally things which hurt poor / working-class Thais.

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

As I understand it all monies remitted to Thailand that have already been taxed in the native countries are not subject to taxation here, as Thailand does not insist on double taxation, like Spain and some other nations, and will acknowledge taxes paid in one's native country. 

Correct, if you have a double-tax treaty with Thailand, and I doubt Thailand is going to renounce those any time soon.  In many of those treaties, payouts like US-Social-Security are specified as exempt. 

 

There has been lots of talk about "revising" the last rule-changes, as those bit them in the backside, financially.  We can only wait and see.

Stories such as these definitely hinder my own personal decision-making when it comes to me investing further into my expat existence here. I am a retired single man with no dependants anywhere, so in a way feel at least lucky for that morsel.

 

Replacement fridge/freezer, new sofa and office-type furniture, high-end desktop PC and numerous other potential improvements for the house in which I've rented for many years put on hold. Everything I currently have is fine but was considering numerous upgrades. Now I'm reminded again why spending money beyond essential living like this should just remain on the back-burner until clarity emerges. 

 

Again back to thinking I'll only buy something if I'm able to carry it away should I ever choose to leave. I know I am not alone, but my existence here is funded through investments from back home, not some simpleton's assessment of how farang are funded by work, rental income or pensions.

 

The 'This is Thailand' mantra can only waft through the air for so long until the final straw that breaks the camel's back is heard. 

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