I am a long time forum lurker but I have just recently moved to thailand and I have not been able to find answers to questions that have recently come up. I am here on a Non-Imm O visa that I got due to my marriage to a Thai citizen. My goal is to eventually get permanent residency but I am running into a problem. My understanding is that in order to get the residency, you have to have tax papers that show you are paying taxes over the last 3 years. I currently work in Japan for 1/2 of the month, and my pay is deposited in a bank account in Hong Kong. What is the best way to comply with the requirement while minimizing my tax liability?

http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6045.0.html

If you are a Tax Resident, you could/should pay tax on the portion of income that you transfer to Thailand.

To minimise your tax liability ... only transfer what you need

better still if you can, don't transfer money earned 'this year' but 'last year' as I believe this counts as savings and is therefore tax free.

. . . . someone may wish to verify this?

David

better still if you can, don't transfer money earned 'this year' but 'last year' as I believe this counts as savings and is therefore tax free.

. . . . someone may wish to verify this?

David

That is my understanding too.

The OP is in cleft stick.

I presume he pays tax in Japan, so it does not make sense to pay tax AGAIN in Thailand.

There may even be a dual tax agreement,

and he is only liable for Thai tax if he is in the country for 180 day in the year.

However a tax record is definitely a requirement for PR.

However a tax record is definitely a requirement for PR.

So those of us who are here on a spouse visa and supporting our families with pension income from overseas can never become permanent residents?

So those of us who are here on a spouse visa and supporting our families with pension income from overseas can never become permanent residents?

Right. Not under the present regulations concerning PR.

However a tax record is definitely a requirement for PR.

So those of us who are here on a spouse visa and supporting our families with pension income from overseas can never become permanent residents?

Nope..

Or those supporting a child..

Or those working offshore / outside of Thailand but with Thailand as thier main domicale..

Or those retired..

Or those studying..

Or those who invested 3m bonds..

Or those who bought condos..

Or those Who bought Elite cards..

Or Etc..

Hmmm, so what happens when I'm too old and frail to make the journey to immigration every year for my visa renewal? Can this be done by my younger and healthier (I hope) spouse? Or by post? I don't recall any stories of this time of life for farang in Thailand.....

Hmmm, so what happens when I'm too old and frail to make the journey to immigration every year for my visa renewal? Can this be done by my younger and healthier (I hope) spouse? Or by post? I don't recall any stories of this time of life for farang in Thailand.....

You can report by post I understand..

However it does raise a good point.. What happens to the medically infirm ?? Or even the senile ??

At some point there will be very aged farangs, many of the guys here wish to stay here until their demise, so this is a realistic problem. Lets also presume that many will have trustable significant others or pensions that come in only in chunks so they dont get cleaned out and deposited at the airport