@Tim **********

100% agree.

@Ray ****

What's stopping you from staying with the non-o retirement visa?

You can't 'work in Thailand' with either non-o or DTV, so what's the difference?

There are plenty of non-o retirees conducting offshore business, such as property/investment.

If it is a Thai company that asked you to consult for them, then you can't do that on the DTV. If it is offshore, then I see nothing at all preventing you from doing so on the non-o, like many others.

If I'm wrong, I'd love to be pointed to a source, because I can't find anything.

I was considering a non-o (retirement) myself, until the DTV was announced. I don't live in Thailand (yet), so DTV is more suitable for me at this time.

@Dave *******

for soft power, you actually need to book and pay for a course of education/treatment/whatever.

There are likely to be agents who'll be able to 'fix' a soft power solution for you, but if it's fraudulent, you'll be living in risk and could be deported any time.

@Ko ******

same. Wise is pretty awesome. Can't beat it for exchange.

@Ko ******

the only other thing is that you can't get a virtual Thai bank account in Wise, like you can with several countries. This wouldn't affect most people, especially those in this group, who should not be getting paid in Thailand!

@Graham ******

not a trial. It's the only way to do it.

@Graham ******

it's actually quite difficult to stop being an Australian tax resident. Anyone with Australian assets that make income (basically everyone, because of superannuation) cannot shake the tax residency, which is an annoyance in many cases.

@Roberto ********

I'm in a similar position actually. I recently turned 50, so I could get a Thai retirement visa, but I do still work, often remotely and I do come and go, so the DTV is a Godsend.

@Graham ******

you're still conflating issues.

Read this:

VAT has nothing to do with income tax. It is a completely separate tax system whereby you collect tax on behalf of the government, then return it to them, as part of the VAT return. Individuals/businesses/companies that provide goods or services over a certain amount are required to register for VAT and then collect/return it. This is true for UK, Australia AND Thailand, among many other countries.

If a DTV holder somehow finds themselves required to register for VAT in Thailand, then they have obviously conducting business in Thailand, which is a violation of the DTV.

Again, tax residency (income tax) has nothing to do with VAT.

@Graham ******

tax residency is not the same as residency!

If you were adding VAT to your invoices in the UK, then you had a UK business or company that was registered for VAT.

No DTV holder will be collecting VAT on behalf of the Thai government, because a DTV holder cannot conduct business in Thailand.