FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK Hello everyone, I was going to tease you with some upcoming news, but I decided against it. Instead, I thought it was more appropriate to devote this message to celebrating what is to a great many of us the most significant religious event of the year. Of course, I’m speaking of
Christmas. Yes, Thailand is a Buddhist country and does not celebrate Christmas in a religious sense. That’s OK, Christian countries don’t make a big deal out of any of the significant Buddhist holidays, either. Fortunately for expats from Christian countries though, Thai’s see a benefit to recognizing the non-religious aspects of Christmas. They decorate, they enjoy the music, they embrace the spirit of the season, and they party with us. I even
think they dabble a bit with the joy of gift-giving, but I’m judging that entirely by the madhouse Central Festival becomes during the holidays. This is a time when we all come together to celebrate the human spirit. We celebrate family and friends, we celebrate traditions and the goodness in people, we celebrate the generosity of giving, and we celebrate that which brings us together. Most importantly, we celebrate the one thing people everywhere have in
common, our desire for peace on earth. Happy Holidays everyone, please be safe. -Kent |
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
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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 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 Now that we've got this newsletter down to basically a cut & paste exercise it's ready for someone to take it over. If you ever dreamed of having your own newspaper, here's your chance. Creativity is highly encouraged, turn it into something special! If the publisher/editor in you is aching for an opportunity, please 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 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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Chiang Mai Medical Center Hospital is a 100 bed private hospital providing both medical and surgical services with stringent quality standards is built with vision to serve everyone who needs hospital care. We place special emphasis on our principles of respect for all, care, compassion and patient support. For English assistance : Mr. Kumar 085-167-0005 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 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 week in Chiang Mai To 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...it's turning out to be a bit of a challenge 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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