Gaybutton

It must be interesting when the cleaning ladies show up to do the rooms . . . Why do I think most of the naked people who would be there are likely to be in the, shall we say - advanced age bracket? I have no idea whether this kind of operation is legal in Thailand. I hope it isn't a raid waiting to happen. For me, full nudity turns me off rather than on, so I wouldn't go. Everyone reading this should be very grateful for that. Seeing me naked would more likely be a traumatic experience.

Under certain circumstances, yes. I don't believe living in Thailand under the retirement visa is one of those circumstances. I think what most of us on the boards who stay longer than 180 days per year in Thailand are concerned about is the retirement visa. As long as I've lived in Thailand, which has been under the retirement visa from day 1, I have never been asked to apply for, notified, had anything mentioned to me by immigration, or anything else about a TIN. No mention by any news articles, postings by legal authorities, embassies, banks, or visa services, about a TIN. Apply for a TIN? I doubt it works that way. If you need a TIN, you would be informed and assigned one. In other words, I don't know who is required to have a TIN, but obviously not required for the retirement visa. I would guess that foreigners in Thailand for business purposes are the ones who might have to have a TIN. If those of us under the retirement visa are ever required to pay this tax or asked to obtain a TIN, I'll be very surprised. I don't even know who you would have to contact, what you would have to do, or where you would have to go to get one. I suggest that people worried about it stop worrying. I've lived in Thailand probably much longer than most reading this and nothing about income tax, a TIN, or anything else about paying tax has ever been mentioned to me. If retirees were required to have a TIN, I would think we would have been informed many years ago. I truly believe few, probably none of us, are going to be subject to any upcoming tax regulations.

Moral panic takes over the expats and Thai taxation furor By Barry Kenyon September 23, 2023 The fear that retirees and other non-working expats are about to be taxed on their overseas pension income has created a field-day for internet warriors, click baiters and nervous long-term visa holders. But calmer reality suggests it may be premature to start packing your bags in utter disgust. The Thai revenue department has recently stipulated that, from the next calendar year, “earned income from overseas” will be liable for personal income tax for those (Thais or foreigners) spending up to 180 days a year in the country. This is, in fact, an old revenue rule but has been updated to close the loophole in which those liable delayed transferring their income until a later year. To pay personal income tax you need a TIN (tax identification number) issued by the revenue department. Without that there can be no income tax liability and, one assumes, most foreign retirees have never heard of a TIN and certainly haven’t got one. The latest move is clearly aimed at currency traders, those involved in stock market trading and anyone holding earned foreign income in an offshore account for over twelve months to avoid tax. They have always been the target. The new ruling has nothing whatever to do with your visa which is irrelevant to tax status anyway. Let’s take a simple example. Those holding an Elite visa or an annual retirement extension might, or might not, spend more than six months a year in Thailand. There is evidence that many Chinese holders of Elite regularly come in and out of Thailand but do not clock up 180 days per annum. On the other hand, a tourist Brit or an American (amongst others) could easily reach 180 days by entering the country by air several times via the 30 days visa-exempt rule, extending at immigration and making an occasional visa run. Thus the issue is whether or not the revenue department has now extended the residence rule (180 days in a year) to include permanent sun worshippers, expats married or with families to support, adult students learning Thais and a diverse assembly of pensioners in their 60s, 70s and beyond. Thai law and financial regulations are often kept deliberately vague and the 100 words of the Thai language devoted to the subject in question in the latest revenue announcement certainly don’t provide a definitive answer. Nor do the translations in English provided on social media. Many active on social media are advising panicky expats to wait for a broader explanation from the revenue. Fine, except that there may never be one. If the sole purpose is to catch those TIN holders who have delayed sending their income to Thailand, there’s nothing more to say. But if there is a real attempt to punish financially all expats, as suggested, one can only imagine the bureaucratic chaos, daily huge queues at revenue offices (with too few staff to cope and knowing nothing of double taxation treaties) and the total collapse of international financial confidence. Within days, a Thai general would appear on the TV, accompanied by somber military music, to explain why tanks were in the streets of Bangkok. Apologies for the inconvenience. https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/moral-panic-takes-over-the-expats-and-thai-taxation-furor-441317

I suggest doing what I do. No communication or responses of any kind to this proven troll. Let him say what he wants. That's how trolls like that get their jollies for lack of anything better to do, but don't respond in any way, shape, or form. They thrive on getting responses. Sooner or later he'll get bored talking to himself and disappear - if he doesn't get himself banned first.

I'll worry about that if and when it happens - and if those already retired in Thailand for x number of years would have to face increases too. From among all the advice I've ever received, the one I like best is "Don't worry until you have something to worry about." So far nothing to worry about.

You probably won't find it in restaurants. It is primarily a Thai street food. Look for it in the morning hours. It is available just about anywhere, usually for 50 or 60 baht. Included ingredients vary, so check around for the one you like best.

The optimistic part is, as far as I know, the only one who has even mentioned anything about increasing the requirements is Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, aka "Big Joke" and I've only seen that he mentioned it once. I have seen nothing from anyone else - police, immigration, politicians, saying a word about it. And "Big Joke" doesn't seem to be actively pushing it, although his word does carry a lot of weight in Thailand, but he does not have the authority to unilaterally impose any changes. Even if the powers-that-be become interested in doing that, it won't happen overnight. By the way, in his nickname "Big Joke" - joke does not mean joke as in humorous or funny. It refers to joke - a popular Thai breakfast dish. How or why that became his nickname, I have no idea - but there it is.

I hope those kinds of thoughts will extend into expats and retirement visas. I doubt many expats are thrilled with the idea that financial requirements, and perhaps other requirements as well, may be raised. I hope the new administration will realize that tourists are not the only ones who spend money. and a lot of it, in Thailand. What about us expats, many of who have lived in Thailand for years and spend money here virtually every day? That never seems to be taken into consideration. I can understand wanting to get rid of the "bad guys", but what about the "good guys" that make up the vast majority of retirement visa holders living in Thailand? Punish the majority to expel the small minority? I hope not.

If I've learned nothing else during my years living in Thailand, I've learned, especially with money boys, no matter how much you give them and no matter how much you help them - it's never enough . . .

Of course it is. After all, he didn't take me up on my 1000 baht offer . . . He did say he has a "kink" for paying. Not so. It's more like a "kink" of getting on boards to be a troll. Some people are driven to do that. The rest of us don't put up with being taken for a ride.

In that case I'll be glad to let you hook up with me - and I'll charge only 1000 baht. If you are particularly good, I'll discount it to 800 baht . . .

If you are only 30 years old and decent looking, what do you need with money boys at all? You should be able to use the hookup apps or just pick up boys just about anywhere in Thailand and not be asked to pay them a thing. I doubt you would have any problems about using a condom and asking the boys to use a condom. Unless this is just another hoax, you should place yourself, with photos, on the apps right now. You'll have more offers than you can handle before you even go.

That's right up there with my own favorite photo - a beauty salon that was on Pattaya Tai, just outside of Center Condo. Unfortunately the shop disappeared years ago.

Well certainly. After all, you wouldn't want fake fake watches, would you? Don't be satisfied with anything other than the genuine fake. Speaking of underwear, another good place to try is Lucky Underwear in Bangkok's Platinum mall. It's mostly bar boy sizes, but they also carry sizes for us folks who have somewhat wider girths . . . http://bangkok-wow.blogspot.com/2015/09/underwear-for-guys-platinum-mall.html https://www.facebook.com/people/Lucky-Underwear/100071222963403/

Cynical? Me? Moi? Surely you jest. Maybe it took 3 days to shut down that one because they ran out of tea money. Must have been Da Hong Pao tea . . .

Visas won't be your problem, assuming you're serious and this isn't your idea of a fun way to get people falling for a hoax. The problem would be work permits, which you definitely can forget about. You know why I don't believe a word you wrote? Because unless you are a total moron, you already would be working with a Thai attorney who absolutely would have made it clear that you're not going to legally hire foreign bar boys. The police would probably shut you down the day you open. What makes you think customers would give a damn about what countries the boys come from? Bar customers care about how the boys look and how they behave. Maybe I'm wrong and if it turns out I am, then I'll post a public apology, but I smell a hoax here - a Bad Boy Billy type of hoax.

Why am I not surprised?

Why do I think few, if any, of those successful (so far) relationships began as customer-bar boy?

It came as a revelation . . .

"Trust, but verify" - Ronald Reagan What, in your opinion, constitutes a trusting relationship? Just how far and to what extent are you willing to let that trust go? I too believe in developing a trusting relationship, but I'm not going to be naive about it. I've seen too many times when farang became totally comfortable with their relationship, completely trusted the boyfriend, and was certain nothing could ever go wrong. Then it went wrong. Lives were ruined. So, if you truly believe it is a good idea to trust the boyfriend to the point where he has access to your money and valuables, fine with me. After all, in a million years he would never dream of doing anything like that. Famous last words: "Not this boy. He's different." Does anyone remember Richard Burk, who was the owner of the Amor restaurant in Boyztown? I always loved his advice. I'll let you folks decide for yourselves whether I abide by it. But I think many of you at least will understand just why he advised it - and he meant it: "If you want love in Thailand, rent it."

I disagree unless you can give me a good reason why a Thai boyfriend, or anyone else for that matter, should have access to your money, gold accessories, or any other valuable temptations - and why protecting your assets means you may end up living a very lonely life. Do you have someone you trust so much that the possibility exists for something similar to what happened to the OP could happen to you? Is that what it takes to avoid leading a lonely life?

I wish I had 1 baht for every time I've heard similar stories over the years - farang losing fortunes to boys they trusted with their lives. And straight men losing fortunes to girlfriends and even wives. I love it every time I hear a farang say "Not this boy. He's different." Yeah, right . . . Miller: "You don't trust anyone, do you?" Stavros: "That is why I have lived so long." - Miller (David Niven), Stavros (Anthony Quinn), 'The Guns of Navarone'

Why am I not surprised?

Try Lucky Underwear in the Platinum mall. http://bangkok-wow.blogspot.com/2015/09/underwear-for-guys-platinum-mall.html https://www.facebook.com/people/Lucky-Underwear/100071222963403/

Around 2 months ago I started seeing weather people predicting an exceptionally hot summer. They turned out to be right, For those who are used to Fahrenheit temperature, 45.8°C = nearly 115°F. I don't plan to be out in it any more than I have to. For some strange reason I don't care to risk heat stroke. I'll be spending most of the day indoors with air conditioning. Fortunately the morning temperatures up to about 11:00am are no problem and evenings and night are also cool enough. But between around 11:00am until around 5:00pm, that's when the most severe temperatures occur.