The Chiang Mai Expats Club wishes to express our deep sadness at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Royal family, to the people of Thailand, and to all those whose lives she touched. FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK Hello everyone, I'm going to keep this short, it's been a busy week and most of the things I'd talk about are detailed below so I won't make you read about them twice. The one big thing I do want to draw your attention to is the Christmas Party, which we announced to members yesterday, and
to our readers here today. It's been in the works for a while but we had a lot of pieces of the puzzle to put together before we could announce it. It promises be a fun and joyful evening, I hope you'll be able to join us. I know I've also hinted at some other upcoming news, but I'm going to hold off until next week when I hope to have a couple more great things to share. Let me finish with a reminder. Don’t forget our next Expat
Connection this Saturday, November 22nd, it’s should be a terrific morning. There’s a full article below, and the button to purchase your tickets, so please check it out. I told you this would be short, so that’s it for now, wherever you are please be careful and stay safe. -Kent |
NEXT EXPAT CONNECTION - NOVEMBER 22 DUANGTAWAN HOTEL - 3RD FLOOR 9:45 - 10:30 - Coffee/Tea/Snacks/Sponsors 10:30 - 12:00 Meeting Peter Bell has put together an outstanding program for the November meeting, headlined by a visit from Ben Svasti Thomson, the Honorary British Consul. He’s going to speak to us about Chiang Mai Festival City, a comprehensive year-round festival covering a variety of events from art, to sports, food and entertainment, and more. It’s an incredible project, Ben is going to give us an
insider’s look at it. We’ll also welcome Joe Lynch, an attorney as well as a long-time member and sponsor of the club, who’s going to give us a presentation on estate planning in general, with an emphasis on living wills. If you attended our End of Life seminars a couple of years ago you know how important this is, and for those of you who missed the seminars this will be eye-opening. Also on the program is Dr. Thanawat Benjanuwattra from
Bangkok Hospital, to talk to us about blood pressure, and what we can do to maintain a healthy reading. To make it really interesting, Bangkok Hospital will have a team giving blood pressure tests before the meeting, be sure to stop by and get yours to make the most of Dr. Thanawat’s presentation. Finally, we've been saying Thomas Carden will be here to update us on the income tax situation, however he has informed us he will be unable to make it. Please take a
minute to review his update below, and we'll do our best to get him here for a future meeting soon. Don’t be surprised if Peter has a few other things up his sleeve, but if that isn't enough we also have it on good authority we'll be visited by a very special person that you won't want to miss. Come join us for what should be a fun, interesting and informative morning, and remember, there’s still plenty of time to get to the Citylife Fair
afterward. TASK OF THE WEEK We're still looking for someone to manage the reservations for Saturday Breakfast at the Duke's each month. This is an easy one, with a perk. Reservations are opened about 2 weeks before each breakfast and all you have to do is monitor an email inbox, enter the names in a
spreadsheet, and send a simple email confirmation. It only takes a few minutes each day, you can do it entirely from home, and if you attend the breakfast yours will be free. Can't beat that! If you're interested please email: president@chiangmaiexpatsclub.com. INCOME TAX LAW UPDATE Hello Members, I am planning to attend the November meeting to discuss the ever-changing Thai tax landscape but given the recent Bangkok Post articles dropping, I wanted to provide a quick update via the
newsletter. Thailand’s tax policy on remitting foreign income has undergone notable changes since January 1, 2024. Under the current law, Thai tax residents are required to pay personal income tax at progressive rates (5% to 35%) on foreign-sourced income when it is brought into Thailand, regardless of the year in which the income was earned. This represents a shift from the previous rule, where only foreign income earned and remitted in the same tax year was taxable,
while remittances made later were not subject to Thai tax. We have recently confirmed that for most countries, social security or old-age pensions are not taxable in Thailand under tax treaties, with Australia being the major exception. The previous government was drafting legislation to exempt foreign income from Thai personal income tax if it is remitted within the calendar year it is earned or the following year. However, this policy does
not appear to have carried into the new government. Recent Bangkok Post articles have suggested that the current government is attempting to increase tax revenue rather than reduce it. There are hints that they are considering moving to a global basis of taxation rather than a remittance basis. We will keep you posted. In summary, the Thai tax policy on foreign income remittance currently taxes all foreign income brought into Thailand. However, foreign income earned
before January 1, 2024, remains exempt under a grandfathering provision, even if remitted afterward. Regards, Thomas M. Carden Director American International Tax Advisers We last threw a Christmas Party in 2023, and it didn't measure up to our expectations. This is 2025, and things are definitely going to be different. The venue will be the same, the beautiful Melia Chiang Mai, but we won’t be in the Grand Ballroom this time. Instead, we’ll be in the spectacular Khom Room, which some of you may remember from a couple of our General Meetings there. If
you’re not familiar with it, the Khom Room is a stunning glass-walled room on a spectacular patio that stretches along the entire length of the 7th floor of the hotel. It’s an enchanting space in the daytime, at night it’s magical. We've stepped up the entertainment as well, hiring a first-class ensemble playing soft Christmas music during dinner, and afterward they’ll ramp it up with oldies from when most of us weren’t so oldie, and some contemporary music for the
more contemporary among us. We’ll also have a bar at our usual low prices, but this time the hotel will lend us a hand and supply real bartenders. We're also going to have some raffles, which will be drawn throughout the evening. Your party ticket automatically puts you into a drawing for a romantic night at the Melia, and you'll be able to purchase tickets for the regular raffle as well. We’ll have more details on that as they become available. I
saved the best for last— the menu. Don't worry, there will be no more hotdogs, or pulled pork tacos without the pulled pork. This time you’ll have some delicious choices to make, but hey, it’s a buffet, with two or three trips you can enjoy it all! One last very important thing. We’re taking this opportunity to do something we should have done long ago, which is to honor Dave McComas, who passed away last year. He was a Board member for many years, served as our treasurer all that time, and was president for many more before stepping down from that role in 2023, and from the Board in 2024. Dave loved the CEC, and especially the Christmas
Party, and we know he’ll be there in spirit enjoying it with us. Mark your calendars for December 11th, and join us for a memorable evening of holiday spirit with friends. Tickets are limited, those glass walls only hold so many people so use the button below to purchase yours. We hope to see you there! THAILAND HOLIDAY REMINDERS During Thai Public Holidays, many bank branches and all Government Offices, including Immigration, will be closed. Note: If the holiday falls on a weekend, the "substitution" day is the day Government and other offices will be closed. Please also note that, during Elections, Religious Holidays (actual day, not substitution day) and usually their Majesty’s Birthdays, there may be a prohibition on the sale
of alcohol except International airports, hotels, and specified entertainment areas. December 5 - Fri. - H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s Birthday, National Day and Father’s Day December 10 - Wed. - Constitution Day December 31 - Wed. - New Year’s Eve January 1 - Thu. - New Years Day January 2 - Fri. -
Special Holiday for New Years As stipulated in the Bylaws, elections for new members to the Board of Directors are to be held each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in January. Any member can be nominated for the Board, but must be sponsored by two members who are eligible to vote at the AGM, which is defined as membership commencing before Oct 1 of the year immediately preceding the AGM, which for this election means Oct 1,
2025. Completed nomination forms must be submitted to the Elections Officer no later than the last Saturday of November (Nov 29, 2025). Currently the Board can have up to 11 members. Current Board members stand for re-election along with new candidates. If the total number of candidates is less than 12 there will be no election and all candidates will form the new Board, effective with the Board of Directors meeting in February. If an election is
required it will be conducted according to the CEC Bylaws. If you would like more information or a nomination form please send your request to info@chiangmaiexpatsclub.com. SATURDAY BREAKFAST AT THE DUKE'S Meet with other Members and make new Friends Saturday Breakfast at The Duke’s will be here before you know it. As the weather improves attendance will continue to grow, but the walls of the restaurant won't so don't
procrastinate. It's the hottest ticket in town and getting hotter, get ready to make your reservations starting next week. Walk-ins will also be accepted, but maybe with a bit of a wait. Saturday, 6 December 2025
9:30 AM TO 11:30 AM
@ THE DUKE'S - RUAMCHOKOnly 345 baht (Normally 445 baht)
Kids under 12 only 195 baht! Please reserve via email at...
info@thedukes.co.th Or call us at the Ruamchok
branch...
053-240-550 No news yet on the next Ladies Lunch, please check back. Come Join Us for Tuesday DinnerEvery Tuesday from 5:00pm to 8:00pm Currently at the Wine Connection restaurant at Central Festival - they host us for free. They have easy parking, a great selection of food and drinks for members to buy, and a separate area we can use. This is scheduled to be a regular event every Tuesday between 5pm and 8pm. Everyone is welcome, come along, bring your friends and meet new ones! Cheers, Jim
Please
plan to join us! No reservations! No fees! Just come and socialize with your fellow expats in a delightful venue. BRIDGE CLUB OF CHIANG MAIWe are a friendly bridge club with our own club house not far from the city centre. We have both Thai and expat members. Members and guests get together three times a week to play duplicate. We also offer periodic beginner bridge lessons. Please go to our website for further information (search Bridge Club of
Chiang Mai). CMGeeks (Chiangmai Geeks) is a Special Interest Group (SIG) affiliated with the CM Expats Club in Chiangmai that focuses on information and communication technology. Just a quick reminder that our regular Tuesday lunchtime meeting is happening as usual at the Gymkhana Club. If you’re a regular or thinking of joining, we’d love to see you there! Contact / Information Addresses follow
this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10... This Week's Club Specials |
offers 15% of in all 4 cafes with CEC/BG Card and 15% off all online orders with code CEC_15 Thank you to our valued sponsorsClick on their image or name to visit their website offers 15% of in all 4 cafes with CEC/BG Card and 15% off all online orders with code CEC_15 "Expert Legal Services for Expats in Chiang Mai and
throughout Thailand
Assist Thai Visa has been helping it’s clients obtain their Thai Visas in Chiang Mai since 2008, and offers members a discounted rate on a 45-minute consultation. Regular price is 50 USD (approx 1600 baht), members price is 35 USD (approx 1120 baht). Click the button above to book your consultation. Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai is so much more than just a hospital. Our state-of-the-art facility is staffed with skilled, caring professionals who are dedicated to the health and wellness of the patients they serve. Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai was established in 2014 as the 36th tertiary care hospital in the Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS) Group, the most prestigious hospital network in the
Asia-Pacificregion, with 49 hospitals across the BDMS network. Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai is the center of specialized healthcare for diagnostic and curative services in northern Thailand. For Health, Travel, Home, Car, Bike & Personal Accident insurance. We have a comprehensive range of services to help with all your automotive needs whether it be mechanical, cosmetic, paperwork, logistics, accessories or anything else. Is Asia’s best U.S. tax firm. We are focused on assisting U.S. expatriates and businesses with tax planning, consulting and return preparation. Is a vibrant, progressive Real Estate agency based in Chiang Mai, offering quality properties for rent and for sale in and around the main areas of Chiang Mai. Is a state-of-the-art medical centre in Chiang MaI concentrating on wellness and multi-speciality care. Celebrating 20 Years of Serving Fresh and Wholesome Scratch Cooking in Chiang Mai. Provide a wide range of services for expats moving to, from, or within Thailand. Based in Chiang Mai, our extensive network of contacts extends around the world. We offer dependable moving services you can trust; and we speak English, German and Thai, so you’ll have no communication challenges. In the decade of the 1960’s, several American Baptist women missionaries based in Chiang Mai who were working with Karen and Lahu tribal people became very concerned about the poverty of those they were serving in Northern Thailand and they developed Thai Tribal Crafts. We are proud to represent a leading automotive parts distribution company group in Thailand. Is your go-to spot for authentic American flavors from breakfast through dinner. Is a registered hospital, Class 1, which does not admit overnight patients. It provides health care and rehabilitation services using the principles of integrative medicine, combining modern medicine with alternative medicine. What to do this coming weekTo see more detailed information go to https://tiny.cc/stevesemail We hope to have a list by date for you starting next week (if you think you've seen this before, you're right...but we really do mean it!). The Chiang Mai Expats Club (CEC) publishes various types of information for the purpose of helping fellow expats become acclimated and thrive in Chiang Mai. While we try to keep such information current and accurate, we do not have sufficient resources to provide assurance as to timeliness and accuracy. We advise members to confirm the information for themselves.To contact us - Email: info@chiangmaiexpatsclub.com which is the preferred method of communication. ©2025 Chiang Mai Expat Club | Chiang Mai Expats Club, |
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