What are the rules regarding part-time work on a retirement visa in Thailand?

@David *******

Seemed to me in Pattaya some years back that the volunteers were on the beat with the local police. Certainly they were not involved in backroom or immigration related work. Perhaps someone in one of the 2 places who is familiar with the current set up would care to comment. I have expressed my opinion.

@John **********

I'm up in Chiang Mai ... One Vivid Curfew, and 1 minor accident and a few 'wave throughs' at check points and have had nothing but pleasant experiences.

Do they volunteer for something other than immigration information service? I can't imagine Thai police doing anything to do with actual law enforcement using foreign volunteers!?

@David *******

A lot of the volunteers are found in places like Pattaya or perhaps Patong in Phuket, where the police are often corrupt and out to fleece tourists if possible. I have personal experience of police in both places and would have little respect for a tourist who chose to work with these people.

@John **********

my understanding is that these volunteers work for immigration (considered police) and help foreigners at immigration offices navigate the process … whenever I have to go to immigration personally on my own (rare) these are the first people I look for to make sure I am not wasting mine, and other people’s time asking the wrong people stupid questions.

As for Thai police in general, I’ve never had an issue with them … unlike police where I’m from (Canada & the USA) if I see a cop or cop car in Thailand I never give a second’s thought to the potential stress & hassle such an encounter might have in store … in my 4 years living in Chiang Mai, other than the increasingly rare checkpoint (mostly for motorcycle registration checks) I have seen exactly ONE instance where it looked like the police had pulled over a single car for a traffic violation, and it only looked like it might have been for a violation, it could have been a break down and the cop was stopping to help.

And believe me, if Thai police decided they were going to start pulling over drivers for driving violations, a trip to Big-C for groceries would take 4 days & cost 50,000 baht in fines.

@Evan *****

"gift" you will have to check the rules to see if this covers gifts! If gifts are not covered then I am going to become very generous.

@Jeffrey ***************

NO

@Steve *********

He was probably asking 'for a friend'. 🙄

@Jeffrey ***************

Publically posting your intent or 'under table ' not the smartest thing on fb.

@Jeffrey ***************

Only till you get caught.

Only takes one Thai to complain.

@Pertti ************

yes if it’s marriage

@Bob *********

non o can work if it's not for retirement.

@Steve *********

i see i sent it to you already. Looks a little more then just bank interest i am afraid.

@Graham ******

thanks, I talked to IO. He said foreign pensions would never be taxed, just a tax on bank interest, but one IO is not conclusive.

If have pdf, I'd appreciate.

So many conflicting interpretations.

@Steve *********

i have a pdf i can send u.

@Graham ******

I believe it's tax on ' interest' of banked foreign sources, certainly not foreign sourced income ( ie: pensions ).

@Tony ********

it would indeed be, your profile doesn't say where you're from. As I understand the agreement property rental income is taxed in the UK and not taxed in Thailand, the same applies to government pensions but not private pensions. And any tax you pay in the UK can be credited against any tax you are due in Thailand (pro rated against the amount you remit to Thailand). It obviously covers a number of other things but I think that's the most important.

@John *********

as a fellow Scot, from Angus, I assume my dual tax agreement is the same as yours. 😃

@Tony ********

you're right to be cautious but the simple fact is that for many nothing will change. Many already remit their income to Thailand in the year they received it and thus it was always assessable income anyway. The change just means that any income received after the start of this year and remitted to Thailand is assessable whether it's remitted in the same year or not. You may find there are some exceptions as to what income is assessable or but for that you need to look at the Dual Tax Agreement between your country and Thailand

@John *********

quoted from the article posted below.

"Where Thai domestic law is still silent about a foreign tax credit available for individual taxpayers under this circumstance, a provision under double tax treaties could provide relief from any double tax arising. However, the conditions, methodologies, and documents supporting the claim are still unclear."

Having lived in Thailand for 26 years I am somewhat cautious whenever I hear about something that is presented as a done deal.

@Tony ********

there are no new tax rules, only a reinterpretation of the existing rules. The only difference is that if you bring income into Thailand post 1st January 2024 it becomes assessable for Thai tax whereas previously If you didn't bring the income in in the year it arose it was exempt from tax. If your country has an agreement with Thailand you will be credited for any tax already paid.

@Graham *****

its is derived from the royal gazette, but i do not care if u do not believe me do your own research. When u read articles from variuos sources, they have one thing in come "its unclear". This is why i am encouraging people to get clued up themselves.

@Graham ******

That's not the Royal Gazette

@Steve *********

no its foreign sourced income for which taxation is new.

@Graham ******

foreigner with Thai Residency, who receive income within the Kingdom.

@Tony ********

I printed out all of my bank statements as at /23 to prove savings in hand, and bought enough cash in country prior to to last a while :-0.. let’s see where this all goes.

I think what people are not really talking about as much is that Thailand also become a member and compliant to the global (well 162 countries last count) CRS (common reporting) system at the same time as the revised tax “interpretation” was enacted. It’s a big step up from the US based FACTA reporting pushed on us in Thailand a few years back.

As I understand there will now be full financial transparency between governments, so if you stay here longer than 180 days your deemed a tax resident and will require a tax # .. if you come above the radar it’s going be interesting what information they (revenue department) will have on us globally.

I’ve been paying tax in Thailand for years, so not really an issue for me, always looking at ways though to minimize tax on cash inflow from external sources.

I read for instance that gifting money is tax exempt up to a limit, to Thai nationals as I understand. A small concession perhaps.

Anyway just my thoughts here..

@Steve *********

BS! There has been an announcement in the Royal Gazette so its law. The law has been modified for funds remitted into Thailand, funds earned in Thailand are subject to the existing laws. /flash-alert-2023-189.html

@Graham ******

Not true !

No new law, only proposed taxes on funds earned in country. Bill not even written, let alone voted on.

@Greg ****

I hope it's not going to cost you too much.

@Tony ********

as an fyi also

@Tony ********

done

@Graham ******

yes please do.

@Tony ********

oh yes there has, is the royal gazette good enough. I will dm u a guide.

@Graham ******

there has been no official announcement of new tax rules in Thailand and how they will be implemented.

@Brandon ***********

I don't agree with the last part; companies can perfectly pay 50k baht for a part time employee. However, the first part is obviously sufficient reason to conclude that it's not possible.

@Anthony ***********

tourist police, lmao.

@Anthony ***********

in order to teach you must have a university degree. Vending is a restricted occupation for Thais only. You can not sell on the street. In fact all retail sales direct to the consumer is restricted. That is classed as vending. You can consult, but not sell. You can not do any kind of work, even volunteering, on a retirement visa. There are no exceptions to this.

@Anthony ***********

she cannot do any of those things.

Tourist Police do not employ foreigners .

The foreigners with tourist police are unpaid volunteers and do not get visas.

They are allowed to do this as they work for the police, it's an exception.

@Anthony ***********

then the only option is non-B work visa that must be sponsored by your employer. Street food stall isn't an option either because to start a business and get a work permit you need 4 Thai employees. Street food might be a Thai protected profession also, I just can't remember.

@Anthony ***********

I'm assuming your girlfriend is Thai. If that's the case and you get married, a marriage visa/extension is not work prohibited. But as I said part-time work is not going to happen. Also the mandatory retirement age for most jobs in Thailand is 60 years old. Foreign teachers may have some different guidelines though, I'm not sure.