Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ?

[MrWorldwide]

Paullyw, you have an incredibly jaundiced view of life. I admire the fact that Thai people can survive on so little and still manage a smile - ditto Cambodians - but you seem to see it as a reason to denigrate an entire country and it's people.

[NeverSure]

Everything but tax and rent is more expensive here than in the USA.

I agree. I don't think some of our Western brothers know how much it means to not have import taxes, and I live in a state that has no sales tax.

I do have to pay income tax on income received (earned, paid) in the US but I will have to do that no matter where I live.

Yes, Thailand is in fact a low tax country. Most of the population doesn't pay tax at all. Incomes less than 150.000 baht are not taxed at all! Incomes up to 350.000 are only taxed 10%. Incomes up to 1.000.000 baht are only taxed 20%.

If you have a business there are countless deductions. If you have a BOI business you don't pay tax for 7 years.

VAT is only 10%

This is one of the reasons for what is really cheap here - labor. Because there is no tax for a majority of low income earners and food supply is abundant, it is possible to hire people to do menial jobs at low rates. THAT is what is cheap in Thailand. A maid, cleaning, security staff, service staff, all that is very cheap.

I don't consider Thailand a low tax country at all. They sneak it into import taxes in a big way. It seems they even put import taxes on cars that aren't imported. Why else the heck is a Toyota Camry 50% more in LOS than in the US, out the door, license and title? Is that not a tax? Ten grand right there? How else can the crappiest, tinniest little "car" cost more in LOS than a fully equipped, US safety standard compliant Camry does in the US?

Why can I buy a pair of Levi jeans at Ross in the US for $15? Would it have anything to do with taxes in LOS?

[MrWorldwide]

neversure, the day is coming when I get to the bottom of the whole import tax thing - I have read so many conflicting claims re 'I bought this from Amazon and paid no tax !' to 'You pay 1.5 to twice the original price after Customs get their mitts on your imported goodies !' hysteria. Obviously, cars are ridiculously expensive, but on smaller goodies it seems to come down to whatever tax a given Customs official decides is 'appropriate' on a given day. Apparently you don't pay tax on CDs or books - fantastic, but someone needs to get that memo to Kinokuniya and Asia Books. Several of the big book/CD chains here have been pushed into receivership by 'net sales - we dont even pay GST on imports with a sticker price under 1000 AUD. Amazon is the Net's version of Wal-Mart, but I dont blame Aussies for going with a supplier that routinely sold the same book or CD for half of the asking price in our brick-and-mortar stores.

[PaullyW]

Paullyw, you have an incredibly jaundiced view of life. I admire the fact that Thai people can survive on so little and still manage a smile - ditto Cambodians - but you seem to see it as a reason to denigrate an entire country and it's people.

Did you figure out the whole dual visa thing yet?

[Ulysses G.]

Apparently you don't pay tax on CDs or books

You do pay tax on CDs - and on books if they total over $150. - at least that is how it was few years ago.

Edited April 5, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[MrWorldwide]

Paullyw, you have an incredibly jaundiced view of life. I admire the fact that Thai people can survive on so little and still manage a smile - ditto Cambodians - but you seem to see it as a reason to denigrate an entire country and it's people.

Did you figure out the whole dual visa thing yet?

Flame away - doesnt subtract from the fact that you have a major problem with Thailand and the Thai people. Exactly what the hell you do in a country you clearly despise is beyond me.

[PaullyW]

Paullyw, you have an incredibly jaundiced view of life. I admire the fact that Thai people can survive on so little and still manage a smile - ditto Cambodians - but you seem to see it as a reason to denigrate an entire country and it's people.

Did you figure out the whole dual visa thing yet?

Flame away - doesnt subtract from the fact that you have a major problem with Thailand and the Thai people. Exactly what the hell you do in a country you clearly despise is beyond me.

It does seem beyond you, that is true.

I tire to explain to people with seemingly faulty logic the following, among others:

1) how do you actually know I'm in Thailand at any particular moment (irrespective of what is said on an anonymous board)?

2) how do you know that I don't find some things about Thailand/Thais positive?

3) how do you know that I am here of my will?

4) how do you know that I am not in the process of leaving?

5) whether I am happy or not, how do you know my goal is to be happy? couldn't it be something else?

As you can see, maybe, the "if you don't like here position" is rather juvenile and faulty. Surely I would expect more sophistication from such a well-travelled, experienced person. Alas...

Edited April 7, 2013 by PaullyW

[BuffaloRescue]

Everything but tax and rent is more expensive here than in the USA.

I agree. I don't think some of our Western brothers know how much it means to not have import taxes, and I live in a state that has no sales tax.

I do have to pay income tax on income received (earned, paid) in the US but I will have to do that no matter where I live.

Yes, Thailand is in fact a low tax country. Most of the population doesn't pay tax at all. Incomes less than 150.000 baht are not taxed at all! Incomes up to 350.000 are only taxed 10%. Incomes up to 1.000.000 baht are only taxed 20%.

If you have a business there are countless deductions. If you have a BOI business you don't pay tax for 7 years.

VAT is only 10%

This is one of the reasons for what is really cheap here - labor. Because there is no tax for a majority of low income earners and food supply is abundant, it is possible to hire people to do menial jobs at low rates. THAT is what is cheap in Thailand. A maid, cleaning, security staff, service staff, all that is very cheap.

I don't consider Thailand a low tax country at all. They sneak it into import taxes in a big way. It seems they even put import taxes on cars that aren't imported. Why else the heck is a Toyota Camry 50% more in LOS than in the US, out the door, license and title? Is that not a tax? Ten grand right there? How else can the crappiest, tinniest little "car" cost more in LOS than a fully equipped, US safety standard compliant Camry does in the US?

Why can I buy a pair of Levi jeans at Ross in the US for $15? Would it have anything to do with taxes in LOS?

Really - you cant expect everything to work in your favour all the time. If it doesnt suit you.. its just not fair is it?

Every country has different tax system. The poor here pay very little, next to no tax at all.

Road tax is cheaper. Car repairs are cheaper. Why shouldnt someone who can afford a camry pay more tax? Actually diesel is subidised by the government and there are other subsidies for vehicles also. Pickups are cheaper than in the west.

Swings and roundabouts.

Grow up a bit

Edited April 7, 2013 by BuffaloRescue

[maxme]

@BuffaloRescue

Perhaps you should do more research.

Are the roads here really that good? I think the people in the south and NE may disagree with you and of
course the pickups are cheaper... Never seen so much plastic junk in a
car before than these pickups.

Car repairs in Thailand? You point me to one garage that houses professional mechanics
(and by that I mean that are not specialized in one thing only) and I
retract.

Quality is A n O in the west but something that hardly exists here. Even the food products here are of low quality which has caused all sorts of things even more and more people here, especially women, are getting cysts.

Yes, Thailand is cheaper but even that has its price.

[BuffaloRescue]

@BuffaloRescue

Perhaps you should do more research.

Are the roads here really that good? I think the people in the south and NE may disagree with you and of

course the pickups are cheaper... Never seen so much plastic junk in a

car before than these pickups.

Car repairs in Thailand? You point me to one garage that houses professional mechanics

(and by that I mean that are not specialized in one thing only) and I

retract.

Quality is A n O in the west but something that hardly exists here. Even the food products here are of low quality which has caused all sorts of things even more and more people here, especially women, are getting cysts.

Yes, Thailand is cheaper but even that has its price.

Mate, its a developing country... what do you expect exactly?

You want cheap. You want efficient. You want quality. You can pick 2 not 3.

[isawasnake]

The new LED/LCD Tvs are pretty cheap as well, everytime I go to the airport I can always see a bunch of tourists with TVs on their person.

I see them too, but I have decided it is because 1) they like Thailand's lady boys, 2) the TV are cheap only compared to their own country, but that doesn't mean they are cheap as far as the world market goes.

[isawasnake]

I actually agree with both sides here: I buy nothing, and yes, Thailand is very cheap. If I want to buy pretty much anything from electronics to spaghetti to boxer shorts here, I'd go broke in no time. The words 200 baht for homemade pasta should just never even be in the same sentence; does not compute. It tastes terrible at that price too. I'll stick to shoving pad thai and papaya salads down my throat every day.

Edited April 8, 2013 by isawasnake

[metisdead]

Topic is not about vehicle prices in the US, topic is about "Is there anything cheap in Thailand now". Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[Naam]

Everything but tax and rent is more expensive here than in the USA.

I agree. I don't think some of our Western brothers know how much it means to not have import taxes, and I live in a state that has no sales tax.

I do have to pay income tax on income received (earned, paid) in the US but I will have to do that no matter where I live.

Yes, Thailand is in fact a low tax country. Most of the population doesn't pay tax at all. Incomes less than 150.000 baht are not taxed at all! Incomes up to 350.000 are only taxed 10%. Incomes up to 1.000.000 baht are only taxed 20%.

If you have a business there are countless deductions. If you have a BOI business you don't pay tax for 7 years.

VAT is only 10%

This is one of the reasons for what is really cheap here - labor. Because there is no tax for a majority of low income earners and food supply is abundant, it is possible to hire people to do menial jobs at low rates. THAT is what is cheap in Thailand. A maid, cleaning, security staff, service staff, all that is very cheap.

I don't consider Thailand a low tax country at all. They sneak it into import taxes in a big way. It seems they even put import taxes on cars that aren't imported. Why else the heck is a Toyota Camry 50% more in LOS than in the US, out the door, license and title? Is that not a tax? Ten grand right there? How else can the crappiest, tinniest little "car" cost more in LOS than a fully equipped, US safety standard compliant Camry does in the US?

Why can I buy a pair of Levi jeans at Ross in the US for $15? Would it have anything to do with taxes in LOS?

whether you consider Thailand a low tax country or not is irrelevant NeverSure because your comparisons are irrelevant.

on a locally manufactured Camry no import duties are levied except for those parts which are imported. what makes a car like a Camry expensive is the excise duty (you might call that a tax).

but this tax is levied only once when you buy a car...

...whereas income and other taxes are levied over and over and over again.

-why did i pay nearly 11,000 Dollars property tax in the U.S. but zero in Thailand?

-why do i pay in Germany 85 €URos (3,145 Baht) per hour for a car mechanic?

-why is a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord in Denmark much more expensive than in Thailand?

-why is a cleaning lady paid 18 Swiss Francs (550 Baht) per hour in Zürich but only 45 Baht in Thailand?

the list is endless and it's all about taxes! and that's why Thailand is a low tax country.

[maxme]

@BuffaloRescue

Perhaps you should do more research.

Are the roads here really that good? I think the people in the south and NE may disagree with you and of

course the pickups are cheaper... Never seen so much plastic junk in a

car before than these pickups.

Car repairs in Thailand? You point me to one garage that houses professional mechanics

(and by that I mean that are not specialized in one thing only) and I

retract.

Quality is A n O in the west but something that hardly exists here. Even the food products here are of low quality which has caused all sorts of things even more and more people here, especially women, are getting cysts.

Yes, Thailand is cheaper but even that has its price.

Mate, its a developing country... what do you expect exactly?

You want cheap. You want efficient. You want quality. You can pick 2 not 3.

Oh I know it is, been living in spots many farangs wouldn´t even consider but there is a slight difference between this country and many other developing countries. This has a bit more of a high standard compared to some and that´s because of the influx of foreign investment. Though I suspect we should blame our politicians for letting people invest here. If we had done the opposite maybe we could have forced a change... C'est la vie

[maxme]

@Naam

There is a difference... Though food prices and such are horrible in northern Europe, the income tax does some good such as welfare,improving the infrastructure, building and improving roads etc etc.

Now if we don´t like the other taxes what can we do? Perhaps elect another party... what can you do in Thailand if you find some things outrageous?

[NeverSure]

I don't consider Thailand a low tax country at all. They sneak it into import taxes in a big way. It seems they even put import taxes on cars that aren't imported. Why else the heck is a Toyota Camry 50% more in LOS than in the US, out the door, license and title? Is that not a tax? Ten grand right there? How else can the crappiest, tinniest little "car" cost more in LOS than a fully equipped, US safety standard compliant Camry does in the US?

Why can I buy a pair of Levi jeans at Ross in the US for $15? Would it have anything to do with taxes in LOS?

whether you consider Thailand a low tax country or not is irrelevant NeverSure because your comparisons are irrelevant.

on a locally manufactured Camry no import duties are levied except for those parts which are imported. what makes a car like a Camry expensive is the excise duty (you might call that a tax).

but this tax is levied only once when you buy a car...

...whereas income and other taxes are levied over and over and over again.

-why did i pay nearly 11,000 Dollars property tax in the U.S. but zero in Thailand?

-why do i pay in Germany 85 €URos (3,145 Baht) per hour for a car mechanic?

-why is a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord in Denmark much more expensive than in Thailand?

-why is a cleaning lady paid 18 Swiss Francs (550 Baht) per hour in Zürich but only 45 Baht in Thailand?

the list is endless and it's all about taxes! and that's why Thailand is a low tax country.

I don't know why you set yourself up to pay $11,000 in property taxes but, oh well... You know I have a darned nice home and acreage, and I pay a fourth of that.

As a Westerner, I buy a lot of things Western. I can't help it. I like laundry detergent, fabric softener and toilet paper and many other things. It's all very expensive due to uh, import taxes or whatever someone wants to call them.

Much of the cost of many of the things I buy is in the taxes. Often the taxes are greater than the item's price itself before taxes. That's not counting the VAT. I would be surprised to learn that you don't buy a lot of imported items. Seriously I would.

I figure I might pay 1/2 of the money I spend in LOS as taxes. I can't eat Thai food 24/7 or even close to that after a while. Maybe Thailand doesn't put an "import" tax on cars made in Thailand, but the rebate for first time buyers on new cars is a waiver of the "tax." What's up with that tax? Oh I forgot. It's an excise tax on new vehicles. And it's big. Cars are expensive in Thailand due to taxes.

Anyone who thinks taxes are low in Thailand must live like a Thai, and if he does that's fine with me. But even Thais, when they pay about 25% of the price of a new car in taxes aren't living "low tax" IMHO. Hidden taxes are still taxes.

Peace.

[driedmango]

I don't consider Thailand a low tax country at all. They sneak it into import taxes in a big way. It seems they even put import taxes on cars that aren't imported. Why else the heck is a Toyota Camry 50% more in LOS than in the US, out the door, license and title? Is that not a tax? Ten grand right there? How else can the crappiest, tinniest little "car" cost more in LOS than a fully equipped, US safety standard compliant Camry does in the US?

Why can I buy a pair of Levi jeans at Ross in the US for $15? Would it have anything to do with taxes in LOS?

whether you consider Thailand a low tax country or not is irrelevant NeverSure because your comparisons are irrelevant.

on a locally manufactured Camry no import duties are levied except for those parts which are imported. what makes a car like a Camry expensive is the excise duty (you might call that a tax).

but this tax is levied only once when you buy a car...

...whereas income and other taxes are levied over and over and over again.

-why did i pay nearly 11,000 Dollars property tax in the U.S. but zero in Thailand?

-why do i pay in Germany 85 €URos (3,145 Baht) per hour for a car mechanic?

-why is a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord in Denmark much more expensive than in Thailand?

-why is a cleaning lady paid 18 Swiss Francs (550 Baht) per hour in Zürich but only 45 Baht in Thailand?

the list is endless and it's all about taxes! and that's why Thailand is a low tax country.

I don't know why you set yourself up to pay $11,000 in property taxes but, oh well... You know I have a darned nice home and acreage, and I pay a fourth of that.

As a Westerner, I buy a lot of things Western. I can't help it. I like laundry detergent, fabric softener and toilet paper and many other things. It's all very expensive due to uh, import taxes or whatever someone wants to call them.

Much of the cost of many of the things I buy is in the taxes. Often the taxes are greater than the item's price itself before taxes. That's not counting the VAT. I would be surprised to learn that you don't buy a lot of imported items. Seriously I would.

I figure I might pay 1/2 of the money I spend in LOS as taxes. I can't eat Thai food 24/7 or even close to that after a while. Maybe Thailand doesn't put an "import" tax on cars made in Thailand, but the rebate for first time buyers on new cars is a waiver of the "tax." What's up with that tax? Oh I forgot. It's an excise tax on new vehicles. And it's big. Cars are expensive in Thailand due to taxes.

Anyone who thinks taxes are low in Thailand must live like a Thai, and if he does that's fine with me. But even Thais, when they pay about 25% of the price of a new car in taxes aren't living "low tax" IMHO. Hidden taxes are still taxes.

Peace.

live like a Thai , or move to Florida.