The week that was in Thailand news: Throwing the toys out of the pram

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎5‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 5:24 PM, Guderian said:

Never mind the tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of Baht that many expats retired here plough into the local economy in many ways every year, from supporting their Thai family to using Thai tradespeople, long-term expats invariably pay large amounts of tax here. It's just that most of it is indirect taxation, such as VAT and excise duty on alcohol or cigarettes, rather than direct taxes paid on employment income. What's the difference, at the end of the day it's all money in the bank so that the big children can buy some submarines or tanks to play with. Or does Rooster think that the thousands of Baht the typical retiree pays in VAT and excise duty every month is somehow inferior to the income tax he pays, so that he's fully entitled to Thai state care but nobody else is? Money is money, after all, and nowhere should that be truer than in Thailand.

Just curious, but how does anyone buy enough to be paying the thousands of Baht the typical retiree pays in VAT and excise duty every month ?

I would have been struggling to pay over a thousand baht a week, leaving aside rent, though I didn't try to live the life of a rich farang. I suppose if one wants to eat at The Dukes and drink expensive wine, that would be different.

The only thing I spent a lot of money on ( in bygone days ) wasn't taxed.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎5‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 9:48 AM, rocketdave said:

I do have a few million Baht in the bank. 

I have been here, with a few working away breaks for 33 years.

I am now 70 with type 2 diabetes and hypertension ( those of my age who don't are the exception.)

I have been asked to pay a premium of 90% of the cover for my medical insurance.

If I can afford to pay the 90% every year then why not just pay the bill if and when I need treatment.

If this is enforced I'm not going to be made a mug of so I will be off, like many others in the same predicament.

Thai banks prepare to hand back many 800,000 Bahts!

My insurance cost me 60,000 baht and 3 days in hospital for bronchitis would have cost me 56,000 baht without it. All in all, worth it. That was just bronchitis, so I hate to think how much a serious problem would have cost.

[khunken]

22 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just curious, but how does anyone buy enough to be paying the thousands of Baht the typical retiree pays in VAT and excise duty every month ?

I would have been struggling to pay over a thousand baht a week, leaving aside rent, though I didn't try to live the life of a rich farang. I suppose if one wants to eat at The Dukes and drink expensive wine, that would be different.

The only thing I spent a lot of money on ( in bygone days ) wasn't taxed.

I don't 'eat at the Dukes' (I rarely eat out) and I don't drink expensive wine (I drink the cheap stuff) but, on top of VAT, I have spent thousands on wine (400%), beer, spirits & cigarette excise duty. No I'm not an alcoholc but in 22 years plus, it sure adds up.

BTW te poster you replied to didn't claim to be paying thousands per month, he wrote 'year'.

[user46546545]

Like the PMs TV show I note this rubbish is still ranking despite an obvious lack of interest- must be one of the perks to get the name in lights- at least digitally

[user46546545]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

My insurance cost me 60,000 baht and 3 days in hospital for bronchitis would have cost me 56,000 baht without it. All in all, worth it. That was just bronchitis, so I hate to think how much a serious problem would have cost.

Well that is one opinion- each to their own

[Jane Dough]

On 5/22/2019 at 9:40 PM, IHTE said:

Like the PMs TV show I note this rubbish is still ranking despite an obvious lack of interest- must be one of the perks to get the name in lights- at least digitally

Thanks for your interest.

 

Rooster