Apparently, as with anything here...new people have regulations... What is the deal with the required 5 % pension plan that even westerners must pay into?

A person with a one year contact is required to pay into this, even if you are not back in Thailand to collect.. Is this just another example of discrimination and exploitation of "Farangs?"

Go with the punch.

You are paying to help all the Thais who go to the hospital on the 30baht a time

scheme. Your chances of getting anything out of it are minimal.

5% of SFA is not very much, is it?

Go with the punch.

You are paying to help all the Thais who go to the hospital on the 30baht a time

scheme. Your chances of getting anything out of it are minimal.

5% of SFA is not very much, is it?

and do not spend it all at once

There is a presumption in astral and Dr Pat's replies that Rhys' 5% is tax (the only contribution that Rhys could possibly make towards funding the 30 baht health scheme).

Yet surely what Rhys is referring to is his employer's Provident Fund (where the contribution could be anywhere from 3%-15% of salary).

1. Participation is voluntary, not mandatory, so just insist you don't want it

2. Before you do that, work out whether or not it might be a good deal:

3. What does the PF committee have it invested in right now - the stockmarket is on a flyer and the one year return ~could~ be quite good

4. Anything you put in to the PF your employer must match - check to see whether you are entitled to the employer's contribution after a vesting period (typically, you're entitled to 50% after 5 years length of service)

5. Your contribution renders that part of your salary tax exempt (up to 15k annual maximum)

6. Contributions are transferable to other employers' PF's should you stay in the country beyond the one year that you currently anticipate

I do not know anything about the fund you are talking about,,but I do know that anyone employued in the USA must pay into the social security fund,or if a railroad employee or some other that has their own personal,approved pension fund,you are required to pay into that,,so I can not see where it would be to much difference..Just my idea.