FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK Hello everyone, Last week was a busy one, with a couple of significant events. Let's start with the exciting one, our usually annual Christmas Party. I’m hoping that after the success of this one we can make it an actual annual event. Heading it up was Ella McComas, who worked
tirelessly to put everything together and did an outstanding job. It was a truly wonderful party, with a spectacular venue, fabulous food, impeccable service by the Melia staff, a fantastic band, dancing, a ton of raffle items, and a great crowd. It was an exceptional evening, and one we’ll remember for a long time. We also paid tribute to 3 members throughout the evening. Honored were former club presidents Dave McComas and Nancy Lindley, both of whom
we lost suddenly, and Bill “Daddy Bill” Wood, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday and will be leaving the Board when the current term ends in January. Bill was at the party and was genuinely surprised, I have a feeling Dave and Nancy were there as well. Each tribute was accompanied by a heartfelt video, which will be posted to our YouTube page soon. There are some pictures below, we’ll also post everything to our Facebook pages. Take a minute to watch the videos,
you’ll be glad you did. The other big thing involved our banking situation. To say the least, it has been a huge challenge. Our desire was to keep our club account at Kasikorn Bank, but it seemed like every time we took 2 steps forward we’d take one step back, leading to a months-long marathon. 6 times over 3+ months we would gather our little group (6 of us) at Kasikorn Bank, thinking we had addressed the latest bank requests only to have something get in the
way…except for that 6th visit. We finally succeeded. I actually find that hard to say as my earlier optimism had long since turned to skepticism, but at long last we walked out of the bank with our new account. What’s more, the funds from the accounts the previous Board had opened were transferred into our new account and the old accounts were closed. The adventure is over, we can now turn our attention to other matters. I want to thank Robert
Brake and Richard Holland for their patience and cooperation through it all. They were actually less bothered by the constant roadblocks than the rest of us were, having gone through the same process themselves earlier. They laughed and joked with us while we were trying to hold our tempers, never wavering in their willingness to make what seemed like endless trips to the bank. Also deserving of our thanks are a long-time member and CEC sponsor, attorney Joe Lynch, and his
associate attorney Noon, who did virtually all the talking for us at the bank. One of the things that complicated the process was the fact that nobody at the bank spoke English, and except for Noon none of us spoke Thai. We just stood back and let Noon handle the business for us, and she did a wonderful job. On behalf of our entire club I want to express our sincere thanks to each of these four people. That’s it for this week, I may have something exciting
for you next week. I hope you’re enjoying the holiday season, and please be safe. -Kent |
NEXT EXPAT CONNECTION - JANUARY 24 DUANGTAWAN HOTEL - 3RD FLOOR 9:45 - 10:30 - Coffee/Tea/Snacks/Sponsors 10:30 - 12:00 Meeting Our next Expat Connection is also our Annual General Meeting. Peter Bell is putting together a great program leading up to the Annual Meeting part of things, and we'll keep as exciting as we possibly can, which means short and sweet. Our main speakers have been confirmed, Jeannette Bruske from Chiang Mai's very own Elephant Parade, and Simon Bradshaw from one of our long-time sponsors,
Perfect Homes, along with maybe another surprise or two. Keep an eye out as we get closer, tickets will go on sale around the end of this month. TASK OF THE WEEK Last chance to display your creativity! We're still looking for someone to video our meetings and events, and then upload them to our YouTube channel. It's easy, requires minimal time on an occasional basis, and a cell phone. We've all got one, here's your
opportunity to put it to good use! Don't delay any longer, have a little fun, take a leap of faith and email: treasurer@chiangmaiexpatsclub.com. INCOME TAX LAW UPDATE Hello Members, 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
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 31 - Wed. - New Year’s Eve January 1 - Thu. - New Years Day January 2 - Fri. - Special Holiday for New Years CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR AT THE DUKE'S The January Breakfast will be on New Year's Day(In February it goes back to the first Saturday) HUNGRY? Start the New Year off right! CEC and Insiders 100 baht Off at The Duke’s Ruamchok Breakfast Buffet! Wednesday Morning ~ 1 January 2026 ~ 9:30–11:30 AM ADULTS: 345 bt (normally 445 bt) KIDS: only 195 bt Or call us at Ruamchok... 053-240-550 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ หิวไหม? พบกับ Insiders & CEC ลด 100 บาท ที่บุฟเฟต์อาหารเช้ารวมโชค เดอะ
ดุ๊ก!
เช้าวันเสาร์ ~ 6 ธันวาคม 2568 ~ 9:30–11:30 น.
ผู้ใหญ่: 345 บาท (ปกติ 445 บาท) เด็ก: เพียง 195 บาทกรุณาสำรองที่นั่งทางอีเมลที่… info@thedukes.co.thหรือโทรหาเราที่รวมโชค… 053-240-550 IT'S A SECRET... No news yet on the next Ladies Lunch, check back next week 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... |
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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. 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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