News Forum - Cabinet announces changes to Thailand’s SMART visa

[Thaiger]

To accelerate the development of the Thailand’s “target industries,” the Board of Investment offers a 4-year SMART visa to foreign investors, executives, entrepreneurs and highly-skilled experts. Yesterday, Thailand’s Cabinet announced changes to the SMART visa requirements and expanded the list of targeted industries. The Cabinet did not specify when the changes would come into effect. SMART visa holders are not required to obtain a work permit to legally work in the kingdom. Since 2018, Thailand has offered a SMART visa for foreigners who wish to work or invest in the following industries… Next Generation Automotive Affluent, Medical and Wellness Tourism […]

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[HolyCowCm]

10,000 baht per person per year. Oh boy, just another money grab way of trying to suck money from people who say it is a load of Bull and no way in heck.

[Benroon]

On 5/12/2022 at 6:22 AM, HolyCowCm said:

10,000 baht per person per year. Oh boy, just another money grab way of trying to suck money from people who say it is a load of Bull and no way in heck.

10,000 ??? I've had bigger bar bills !

I think they're trying to tell you they want to attract people with wealth, not those who survive on 40,000 baht a month whilst whining Thailand should be grateful to have them. Every country on the planet will have a similar scheme as they fight to import the best brains.

Can you blame them ?

[HolyCowCm]

7 hours ago, Benroon said:

10,000 ??? I've had bigger bar bills !

I think they're trying to tell you they want to attract people with wealth, not those who survive on 40,000 baht a month whilst whining Thailand should be grateful to have them. Every country on the planet will have a similar scheme as they fight to import the best brains.

Can you blame them ?

It is a concocted cockamamie offer money grab for wealthy folk to cough-up.

Sure, I have atmost all  times in CM when friends visit from the USA top max of 6000 baht plus but with additional things like a tip then add on another 1000 or so. When I party I party and am quite generous. But i do this to offset the times because I generally never go out unless peopl are visiting me. These last 3 months I spent about 36,000 in bar play around in CM, but I always go to 1 bar only. Wel 2 bars, 3 if feeling it.

The point for my counter reply to your statement is I don't want to spend 10k for this thing and then 10k ever year. We are or I'm Cheap? No, but I don't even want to spend 40k baht a month unless necessary, but I am probaly around 50k per month. House paid off, cars paid off, universities and kids on going.

But the reality is I have to think that every month I also spend 5000k a month that totals 60k a year to pay insurance for my 2 cars and truck. So that is hidden until policy renewal time. 

I would really like to know or understand what you think and they think by your insight. Is it a low life foreigner paying 40,000 baht per month or less is what you think or they think? Or is it just a kiss arse facade trying to show how much they love foreigners and try to attract their ideal of desirables?

My taxes paid by everything I buy here is quite a lot alread. Just say 7% sales tax on 1000 baht is 70 baht. 30,000 baht is 2100 baht. So my 40,000 baht by sales tax is now 2800 baht. Electricity, internet, water and probably everything has 7% except going to street sellers or open Thai markets. 

So 40,000 x 12 months = 480,000 baht per year, and the 7% sales tax on that is 33,600baht. 

Yes normal for all countries, but lets say, 480,000 per year x 10,000 foriengers @7% sales tax = 336,000,000 million baht. Now where is this leading to?

[Benroon]

On 5/14/2022 at 1:00 AM, HolyCowCm said:

It is a concocted cockamamie offer money grab for wealthy folk to cough-up.

Sure, I have atmost all  times in CM when friends visit from the USA top max of 6000 baht plus but with additional things like a tip then add on another 1000 or so. When I party I party and am quite generous. But i do this to offset the times because I generally never go out unless peopl are visiting me. These last 3 months I spent about 36,000 in bar play around in CM, but I always go to 1 bar only. Wel 2 bars, 3 if feeling it.

The point for my counter reply to your statement is I don't want to spend 10k for this thing and then 10k ever year. We are or I'm Cheap? No, but I don't even want to spend 40k baht a month unless necessary, but I am probaly around 50k per month. House paid off, cars paid off, universities and kids on going.

But the reality is I have to think that every month I also spend 5000k a month that totals 60k a year to pay insurance for my 2 cars and truck. So that is hidden until policy renewal time. 

I would really like to know or understand what you think and they think by your insight. Is it a low life foreigner paying 40,000 baht per month or less is what you think or they think? Or is it just a kiss arse facade trying to show how much they love foreigners and try to attract their ideal of desirables?

My taxes paid by everything I buy here is quite a lot alread. Just say 7% sales tax on 1000 baht is 70 baht. 30,000 baht is 2100 baht. So my 40,000 baht by sales tax is now 2800 baht. Electricity, internet, water and probably everything has 7% except going to street sellers or open Thai markets. 

So 40,000 x 12 months = 480,000 baht per year, and the 7% sales tax on that is 33,600baht. 

Yes normal for all countries, but lets say, 480,000 per year x 10,000 foriengers @7% sales tax = 336,000,000 million baht. Now where is this leading to?

Have to confess you lost me a bit but that could be a hangover cloud not clearing as soon as I would like. 

All governments will come up with schemes mostly unpopular to rake in more cash, the main reason I left the UK is the whole UK setup is to absolutely soak everyone for tax, if not directly then through hundreds of stealth taxes, however I think generally as soon as a scheme comes out the first thought in forum expats heads (I'm not saying you particularly) is lets savage/mock/denigrate/rubbish this without even considering it. (I looked at the Elite Visa but thought nah not for me but I looked at it, and weighed it up before coming to that conclusion)

Me personally I think it's an absolute no brainer to get one of these at the prices they're asking and given the trillions of immigration whines on expat forums I'm shocked others don't feel the same. But hell will freeze over before most expats will try and see the good in something which snookers their chance of another whine. (In my opinion)

If anything ever pisses me off here, I just focus on the humongous differences between the two countries tax and health care systems and the world is good again, as I shake the sand from my flip flops !

[astro]

Yeah, 10k a year is quite a bargain, considering the time, effort and headache one saves!

[HolyCowCm]

5 hours ago, Benroon said:

Have to confess you lost me a bit but that could be a hangover cloud not clearing as soon as I would like. 

All governments will come up with schemes mostly unpopular to rake in more cash, the main reason I left the UK is the whole UK setup is to absolutely soak everyone for tax, if not directly then through hundreds of stealth taxes, however I think generally as soon as a scheme comes out the first thought in forum expats heads (I'm not saying you particularly) is lets savage/mock/denigrate/rubbish this without even considering it. (I looked at the Elite Visa but thought nah not for me but I looked at it, and weighed it up before coming to that conclusion)

Me personally I think it's an absolute no brainer to get one of these at the prices they're asking and given the trillions of immigration whines on expat forums I'm shocked others don't feel the same. But hell will freeze over before most expats will try and see the good in something which snookers their chance of another whine. (In my opinion)

If anything ever pisses me off here, I just focus on the humongous differences between the two countries tax and health care systems and the world is good again, as I shake the sand from my flip flops !

I re-read the article again. Hope it works for you if that is what you can go for and it fits. Even though it covers 2 areas of my expertise, for me no thanks as is still by a long ways not perfect and necessary for me to have. Would like to see the rest of the criteria, but no work permit seems really nice. Good luck to you if this is better good for you. I am looking for something different from what they always seem to come up with. 

[Artemis080]

And the SMART visa will remain the unpopular and rubbish it has always been.