Transcript of the above video: 

Unfortunately, there have been a number of charlatans and interlopers operating here in Thailand over the past year, wandering around here acting like they are Thai Tax Consultant or that they can legally provide such services when they cannot. As we have discussed and I pointed out, these are violations, gross violations of the restricted occupations noted here in Thailand, foreigners are not allowed to engage in Thai Tax consultation. I have made videos specifically on that citing the source material from the Employment Department here in the Kingdom of Thailand. So, understand why I'm making this video. I'm making this video within the background there are all these charlatans running around scaring the holy daylights out of retirees and many folks, expats generally here in Thailand telling them a bunch of nonsense about their tax liability. I have continued to say since really this whole thing came up in roughly late Q3 of 2023, I have said for the longest time, the vast majority, especially of retirees here in Thailand, need to worry about this not at all. Meanwhile as I have discussed in other videos, until Thai Tax documentation becomes an integral part of the Immigration process, I think generally speaking it is unwarranted for foreigners to really need to worry about Tax implications much at all, again especially retirees. 

Now, those who are working in Thailand, those who are investing or engaging in trading of commodities or trading of financial instruments - cryptocurrency, things of that nature - there's a different analysis for those folks; those folks are in a different boat. I'm purely talking about just folks who are over here retired, they are not earning money, they are just living here, and they are maintaining Retirement Visa status. Until tax documentation becomes an integral part of the Retirement Visa extension process, the point to take away from this video, don't really worry about it in the vast majority of cases. Again, different cases, different fact patterns are going to drive different analyses, but long story short, I think a lot of folks, this is just not something to worry about. And as we will get into here in a moment, it is not yet and it doesn't look like in the foreseeable future, tax documentation is going to become an integral part of the Immigration process or at least in terms of a Retirement Visa specifically, or other Visas like the Marriage Visa. Now again, those who are here in Thailand that have a Work Permit, there's a different analysis associated with that. I have discussed that in other videos. 

That said, I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Pattaya Retirees targeted in latest scam calls scandal. Quoting directly: "Chonburi Immigration adds that there is no plan to link visas to income tax or to require a Tax ID number to qualify for an extension." Let me read that again: "Chonburi Immigration" - this is the Immigration Office - "adds that there is no plan" - not that there is nothing now, there is no plan - "to link visas to income tax or to require a Tax ID number to qualify for an extension." That is very useful information. Hats off to Pattaya Mail. I think Barry Kenyon wrote this, tip of the hat to Mr. Kenyon down there. That's very useful information. There is no plan to do this, okay? So, all you retirees out there especially, I know this has caused you a great deal of consternation, I hope this brings you some peace of mind. There is not now, nor is there any plan to require Tax Documentation associated with your Immigration status, so put that worry out of your mind. 

The next thing becomes - and you're going to kind of know this yourself - do you really need to worry about getting a tax consultation at all? Probably not, the vast majority of folks don't. Now if you are worrying or fretting about it, you know your situation better, you know yourself, okay? If you think you may need a tax consultation or you don't know and you are worried about it, it may not be a terrible idea to contact the legal professional, someone actually legally qualified and legally allowed to provide such services, it may not be a terrible idea to contact such a professional, and gain some insight and guidance into how best to proceed.