Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

General chat about life in the Land Of Smiles. Discuss expat life, relationship issues and all things generally Thailand and Asia related.
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RCer
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

Post by RCer »

404cameljockey wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:58 am This thread is supposed to be about other benefits also. If Thailand isn't cheap for you, what do you find better than at home?
Actually, it isn't about Thailand. Its a general discussion of being an Expat vs living "back home".
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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RCer wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2017 8:33 am
404cameljockey wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:58 am This thread is supposed to be about other benefits also. If Thailand isn't cheap for you, what do you find better than at home?
Actually, it isn't about Thailand. Its a general discussion of being an Expat vs living "back home".
And all of the recent replies have been about the cost of living. In Thailand. I'm trying to get off the 'it's not cheap now' tack and back to something more positive. And I just assume on this Hua Hin forum most discussion will be about people's experiences in Thailand.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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404cameljockey wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:58 am This thread is supposed to be about other benefits also. If Thailand isn't cheap for you, what do you find better than at home?
Nothing.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

Post by oakdale160 »

Has any body mentioned female companionship? There are 90+posts, I can't go thru them all. I think that it is nice that the opportunities for finding the company are always there. Even if you don't use the opportunity, knowing that you could if you wanted is a nice feeling.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

Post by STEVE G »

404cameljockey wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:58 am This thread is supposed to be about other benefits also. If Thailand isn't cheap for you, what do you find better than at home?
For me, the greatest benefit is being able to spend most of the time outside due to the climate, I don't like being indoors and I spend the vast majority of my day in Thailand in the open air. I cycle early in the mornings, I go for lengthy walks on the local beaches and I have a large amount of covered terrace at home where I relax, eat or entertain, whatever the weather and even if I go out, I go to open fronted bars or restaurants.
In Northern Europe, you can only live confortably like that for a couple of months a year, I work outside a lot at airports and I spend most of the year being cold and wet.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

Post by oakdale160 »

I agree steve, over several years i weaned myself off air conditioning and sat on my patio, sometimes with a fan, hiding from the heat makes no sense, if you don't like hot weather--why are you here?
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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HHCanuck wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 4:28 pm No Snow + No Taxes = :-)
No Thai taxes doesn't mean no taxes. I will be retiring. The US will tax my money when I take it from the pension fund. So no free ride. For the first time in about 20 years we got snow in South Texas last week. Just a dusting but since I grew up in Michigan (a lot of snow every year), I never want to see it again (except on TV).
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

Post by hhinner »

If you're resident in Thailand (i.e. more than 180 days per tax year) then you are legally obliged to file a tax report. The fine for not doing so is a whopping 200 baht per year missed, as I was told when I visited the tax office a couple of months ago.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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hhinner wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:37 am If you're resident in Thailand (i.e. more than 180 days per tax year) then you are legally obliged to file a tax report. The fine for not doing so is a whopping 200 baht per year missed, as I was told when I visited the tax office a couple of months ago.
I didn't know that and I would imagine 99.99% of expats don't know that.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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I know that used to be the case in the late 80's early 90's but I thought the law had been abolished in 1991 or 1992. You had to pay it if you hade been living more than 180 days in the kingdom within a calendar year. You had to go to the tax office near Sanam Luang to do so. I have never heard of it since. You needed to show the receipt when leaving the country, if my memory serves me right.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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Bamboo Grove wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 11:22 am I know that used to be the case in the late 80's early 90's but I thought the law had been abolished in 1991 or 1992. You had to pay it if you hade been living more than 180 days in the kingdom within a calendar year. You had to go to the tax office near Sanam Luang to do so. I have never heard of it since. You needed to show the receipt when leaving the country, if my memory serves me right.
Yes, that is absolutely correct. 20 years ago I was caught out with this, and it was abolished a long time ago.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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The need for a tax certificate when leaving the country was discontinued, not the requirement for residents to file tax returns. Anyway, I was only disputing the "no taxes" as an advantage to living here. I think there's another thread about tax, but when it comes to tax maybe ignorance is bliss. :)
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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hhinner wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 12:12 pm The need for a tax certificate when leaving the country was discontinued, not the requirement for residents to file tax returns. Anyway, I was only disputing the "no taxes" as an advantage to living here. I think there's another thread about tax, but when it comes to tax maybe ignorance is bliss. :)
Living here on a long stay non-immigrate visa does not make you a "resident" for tax purposes. Yes, in addition to VAT there are many indirect "taxes" that are paid. One example is the sneaky way tax is assessed on interest accrued on Bank accounts. Saving accounts are exempt up to 20,000 Baht earned, while if the same funds, such as held for visa reasons in a "fixed" account, 15% is payable, and automatically deducted by the Bank.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

Post by moater »

Nereus wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 1:35 pm Living here on a long stay non-immigrate visa does not make you a "resident" for tax purposes.
In Thailand you become a tax-resident when you stay 180 days in a calendar year, regardless of your visa. Yes, tourists too.

Obviously this isn't being enforced or effectively practiced, but it is the law.
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Re: Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

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moater wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 4:23 pm
Nereus wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 1:35 pm Living here on a long stay non-immigrate visa does not make you a "resident" for tax purposes.
In Thailand you become a tax-resident when you stay 180 days in a calendar year, regardless of your visa. Yes, tourists too.
Obviously this isn't being enforced or effectively practiced, but it is the law.
I think that you will find that the law basically states: "income derived in Thailand".
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