It All Comes Down To Taxation

[TonySoprano]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

you want to talk about government corruption, see the Iraqi Invasion.

you want to talk about bad prisons, american prisons spend a million baht a year on each inmate.

you know how much policeman make in america and what their cars cost?

Conclusion: Thank God For Thailand

Edited March 26, 2009 by TonySoprano

[myauq]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

you want to talk about government corruption, see the Iraqi Invasion.

you want to talk about bad prisons, american prisons spend a million baht a year on each inmate.

you know how much policeman make in america and what their cars cost?

Conclusion: Thank God For Thailand

you've got to be kidding, right?

[Underbelly]

The first sentence is rubbish (I didnt read the rest) and I like Thailand just the way it is.

[Heng]

hi Tony.

[bkkjames]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

Do you pay tax in Thailand? Most high income earners here already pay over 30%. Chicken and the egg. Get the economy rolling and you get more tax revenue. Tax too much, and you lose investment jobs / tax revenues.

[TonySoprano]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

Do you pay tax in Thailand? Most high income earners here already pay over 30%. Chicken and the egg. Get the economy rolling and you get more tax revenue. Tax too much, and you lose investment jobs / tax revenues.

1. 30% income tax is still super low.

2. there is no property tax

3. no estate tax

4. much income is off the books here

5. any cash business is underpaying significantly

[bkkjames]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

Do you pay tax in Thailand? Most high income earners here already pay over 30%. Chicken and the egg. Get the economy rolling and you get more tax revenue. Tax too much, and you lose investment jobs / tax revenues.

1. 30% income tax is still super low.

2. there is no property tax

3. no estate tax

4. much income is off the books here

5. any cash business is underpaying significantly

Points 4 and 5 are do not come into play if you raise the tax to 50% mate. Perhaps if they concentrated on getting rid of the 'two till' culture, your taxation shortfall would be alleviated and we could become first world

[Heng]

I think it's important to remember that life isn't a team or national team sport ...unless perhaps you happen to be on the national team of whatever sport. It's a whole lot easier to make sure you have a first world lifestyle (and I suspect that many of the folks who like to point out first world/third world differences aren't living first world lifestyles themselves) than to try to bring up the lifestyles of the majority of people in your country.

IMO the issue is demographics (if you changed the demographics of Thailand to say that of Singapore or Taiwan you'd have Singapore+ or Taiwan+ type results... especially considering Thailand's vast superiority in terms of natural resources in that instance), but to many, such a concept would be considered racist and in practical terms difficult to do anything about. Not that that should be a personal goal (IMO) in any case.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Heng

[myauq]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

Do you pay tax in Thailand? Most high income earners here already pay over 30%. Chicken and the egg. Get the economy rolling and you get more tax revenue. Tax too much, and you lose investment jobs / tax revenues.

1. 30% income tax is still super low.

2. there is no property tax

3. no estate tax

4. much income is off the books here

5. any cash business is underpaying significantly

Points 4 and 5 are do not come into play if you raise the tax to 50% mate. Perhaps if they concentrated on getting rid of the 'two till' culture, your taxation shortfall would be alleviated and we could become first world

and those two points relate directly to the first point you discounted in the opening sentence (i.e. corruption)...

and i don't think people (by that i mean economists and social scientists, not people who post their opinions on tv) often cite 'iq' per se, but rather education as a factor, which stems from lack of government spending on educational institutions

other factors for underpaying may include lack of proper migration/employment laws; there are also few incentives for foreign companies to move and stay and invest here (annoying work permit laws, favouritism in handing out contracts, discrimination in favour of local ownership, ongoing political instability), the list goes on

tell me, have you heard of the term 'crony capitalism'?

[TonySoprano]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

Do you pay tax in Thailand? Most high income earners here already pay over 30%. Chicken and the egg. Get the economy rolling and you get more tax revenue. Tax too much, and you lose investment jobs / tax revenues.

1. 30% income tax is still super low.

2. there is no property tax

3. no estate tax

4. much income is off the books here

5. any cash business is underpaying significantly

Points 4 and 5 are do not come into play if you raise the tax to 50% mate. Perhaps if they concentrated on getting rid of the 'two till' culture, your taxation shortfall would be alleviated and we could become first world

what?

the IRS has a five year to catch you cheating on your taxes. then they charge you penalties and maybe send you to jail. do you think there is a whole lot of small business audits in Thailand? can you receive 25% of the tax the government collects from the tax cheaters if you turn them in here?

do you think Americans or Brits pay tax out of nationalism or ethics or loyalty? no, they are just scared of the consequences.

do you think any other race is any less greedy than Thais or that African Americans would not be living in isaan style housing if it were not for the government's redistributing of the wealth?

[TonySoprano]

other factors for underpaying may include lack of proper migration/employment laws; there are also few incentives for foreign companies to move and stay and invest here (annoying work permit laws, favouritism in handing out contracts, discrimination in favour of local ownership, ongoing political instability), the list goes on

in other words, its exactly the same as everywhere else.

[thithi]

Thais having a lower IQ than other races

oh yeh? white one?

[TonySoprano]

Thais having a lower IQ than other races

oh yeh? white one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_and_the_Wealth_of_Nations

You can come to your own ethical conclusions of the data or the cause of the differences, but this is the data.

Edited March 26, 2009 by TonySoprano

[samran]

Thais having a lower IQ than other races

oh yeh? white one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_and_the_Wealth_of_Nations

You can come to your own ethical conclusions of the data or the cause of the differences, but this is the data.

Relying on wiki to make an argument is pretty wet. Dunno about that IQ list - pretty unreliable wouldn't you say? I mean, every time you leave a country there Tony, their average IQ automatically jumps 20 points.....

Edited March 26, 2009 by samran

[Jai Dee]

... do you think there is a whole lot of small business audits in Thailand?

Just for interest sake, the hairdressing salon that my wife uses regularly in Baan Amphur was audited last month. Just a small cash business in a small rented shop on Sukhumvit Road.

The business cash flow and assessment of capital was not deemed worthy of collecting income tax from.

Apparently these audits happen at least once a year...

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Thailand came in 40th place which is in the higher half of the world as listed. That isn't all that bad.

[TonySoprano]

Thais having a lower IQ than other races

oh yeh? white one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_and_the_Wealth_of_Nations

You can come to your own ethical conclusions of the data or the cause of the differences, but this is the data.

Relying on wiki to make an argument is pretty wet. Dunno about that IQ list - pretty unreliable wouldn't you say? I mean, every time you leave a country there Tony, their average IQ automatically jumps 20 points.....

you are so quick witted samran, but if you notice in the OP i state that this theory about IQ's is false. maybe, you can find a couple of English teachers in Thailand to work with you on your reading comprehension?

[TonySoprano]

... do you think there is a whole lot of small business audits in Thailand?

Just for interest sake, the hairdressing salon that my wife uses regularly in Baan Amphur was audited last month. Just a small cash business in a small rented shop on Sukhumvit Road.

The business cash flow and assessment of capital was not deemed worthy of collecting income tax from.

Apparently these audits happen at least once a year...

That's nice of them to keep operating at a loss. I guess they really like cutting hair.

[samran]

you are so quick witted samran, but if you notice in the OP i state that this theory about IQ's is false. maybe, you can find a couple of English teachers in Thailand to work with you on your reading comprehension?

I don't see the word 'false' anywhere in your OP. You leave the statement there hanging in the middle of two arguably more provable reasons why Thailand's economy doesn't perform as well as other countries. With that you leave the reader with nothing else to go on as to your opinion on these things. One could argue that to include it in a sentence like that, you actually believed it.

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

You then go on a non-sensencial rant about taxes or something, which is hard enough to read in and of itself and then you point to some sham wiki site citing some lone ranger of an academic who has 'data' therefore must be correct.

And you wonder why I'm confused?

Anyway, bring on the enrgerish teacher. Just make sure they smell nice.

Edited March 26, 2009 by samran

[Moonrakers]

I love it when some posters seem to have all the answers.

It seems as though we have the answer to world poverty right here on TV.

[Jai Dee]

... do you think there is a whole lot of small business audits in Thailand?

Just for interest sake, the hairdressing salon that my wife uses regularly in Baan Amphur was audited last month. Just a small cash business in a small rented shop on Sukhumvit Road.

The business cash flow and assessment of capital was not deemed worthy of collecting income tax from.

Apparently these audits happen at least once a year...

That's nice of them to keep operating at a loss. I guess they really like cutting hair.

Your assumption that they were operating at a loss is incorrect... they were audited/assessed and found to be exempt from income tax collection.

[TonySoprano]

you are so quick witted samran, but if you notice in the OP i state that this theory about IQ's is false. maybe, you can find a couple of English teachers in Thailand to work with you on your reading comprehension?

I don't see the word 'false' anywhere in your OP. You leave the statement there hanging in the middle of two arguably more provable reasons why Thailand's economy doesn't perform as well as other countries. With that you leave the reader with nothing else to go on as to your opinion on these things. One could argue that to include it in a sentence like that, you actually believed it.

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

You then go on a non-sensencial rant about taxes or something, which is hard enough to read in and of itself and then you point to some sham wiki site citing some lone ranger of an academic who has 'data' therefore must be correct.

And you wonder why I'm confused?

Anyway, bring on the enrgerish teacher. Just make sure they smell nice.

sometimes its just easier to say, "Sorry, I am wrong"... or say something like "sorry, english is my fourth language" to save face.

[TonySoprano]

... do you think there is a whole lot of small business audits in Thailand?

Just for interest sake, the hairdressing salon that my wife uses regularly in Baan Amphur was audited last month. Just a small cash business in a small rented shop on Sukhumvit Road.

The business cash flow and assessment of capital was not deemed worthy of collecting income tax from.

Apparently these audits happen at least once a year...

That's nice of them to keep operating at a loss. I guess they really like cutting hair.

Your assumption that they were operating at a loss is incorrect... they were audited/assessed and found to be exempt from income tax collection.

And the auditor checked to see what purchases (house/automobile/land) were made in their names or names of members of their family? What did the process go?

Q. How much you make this year?

A. How much do I have to make to pay taxes?

Q. 400,000 baht.

A. Ok, I made 200,000 baht.

Q. Oh, I meant 200,000 baht means you pay taxes.

A. Oh, I see, I actually meant 100,000 baht. Here, why don't you take this 1000 baht note and have an early lunch cause my daughter suffering from cancer is late for her doctor appointment.

Khap-Khun-Krap

Edited March 26, 2009 by TonySoprano

[bkkjames]

And the auditor checked to see what purchases (house/automobile/land) were made in their names or names of members of their family? What did the process go?

Q. How much you make this year?

A. How much do I have to make to pay taxes?

Q. 400,000 baht.

A. Ok, I made 200,000 baht.

Q. Oh, I meant 200,000 baht means you pay taxes.

A. Oh, I see, I actually meant 100,000 baht. Here, why don't you take this 1000 baht note and have an early lunch cause my daughter suffering from cancer is late for her doctor appointment.

Khap-Khun-Krap

ok, so according to your financial model, is the 1000 baht considered to be a tax?

[Jai Dee]

You assume too much Tony... a touch cynical methinks.

That is probably one way of assessment but I am given to understand it was a bit more formal than that.

[h90]

people often cite government corruption, Thais having a lower IQ than other races, and Thai cultural issues as the reason why.

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest. this allows the economy to keep growing at a faster rate because everyone has money in their pocket, whereas without the government stealing the half the money of its wealthiest citizens, those people would put it in their bank account, taking it out of the economy, or worse yet, use that money to tax the poorest citizens via pawn shops (Hello, Heng).

you want to talk about government corruption, see the Iraqi Invasion.

you want to talk about bad prisons, american prisons spend a million baht a year on each inmate.

you know how much policeman make in america and what their cars cost?

Conclusion: Thank God For Thailand

you are wrong in the first world they take 50 % from the middle class. The rich don't pay much here or there......

Rest I agree.

[h90]

Thais having a lower IQ than other races

oh yeh? white one?

There were tests and HM the Queen expressed deep concerns over the fact of the low IQ of Thais.

But in my understanding the IQ is not a race thing, it is wrong education/teaching of children so they don't develop their IQ.

Others link it to a low protein or low iodine diet. That the southern Thais performed better than Isaan was linked to the fact that they eat more fish.

I have doubts on that diet theory, I think it is the upbringing of the kids.

[Mossfinn]

you are so quick witted samran, but if you notice in the OP i state that this theory about IQ's is false. maybe, you can find a couple of English teachers in Thailand to work with you on your reading comprehension?

I think I will just read your posts to improve mine

Moss

[TAWP]

That taxation would indicate a first world country is so inane, well...

Tell it to anyone living in North Korea?

[PattayaParent]

at the end of the day, it is simply baht and satang. there is no solidified central government therefore taxation here as a % comes nowhere close to the first world. in the first world, the government steals 50%+ of the salary of its wealthiest citizens and gives it to the poorest.

You got that the wrong way round.