FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK Hello everyone, I trust you have all enjoyed the holidays so far, just a couple more things to do and it will all be over. We’re in the middle of Kwanzaa right now, to which we will add the New Year’s Eve celebration, and then it all ends on New Year’s Day. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready
for a break! Speaking of the New Year, why not start it out with a bang? The Duke’s tells me their best day of the year is New Year’s Day, and they wanted to let us in on the fun. So, for January the breakfast will move to New Year’s Day — yep, it’s only a couple days away — make your reservations and join the party! See below for more info. Oh yes, in February the breakfast will return to the first Saturday. In other news, I can’t
tease you anymore, I do have a couple of other exciting things I can finally share with you. First, we had a bit of a challenge nailing down the date, but we will definitely be having a picnic again this year! Historically it’s always been our biggest event, last year we had over 150 people! This year should be even better, so reserve January 31st and be sure to check out the details below. The last thing is perhaps our biggest accomplishment yet. As
you may know, when the previous Board invoked the potential dissolution of the club they were right in the middle of a redesign of the website. The main person in that project quit the day of the emergency meeting, leaving the website broken and virtually unrepairable. I’m happy to say, due to a monumental effort by a friend of the club, Ian Hibbert, we now have a brand new beautiful website. Our website is an integral piece of the membership puzzle. It
serves as a source for information for those of us here, but it’s real impact is as a valuable resource for people looking to come to Chiang Mai, either as visitors or to live here. We know our site gets a ton of attention, simply by the fact it is always at or near the top of any Google search. Additionally, it’s perhaps the best tool we have for gaining new members, which only help to make us stronger. In the next few days every member that we have an
email address for will be receiving new login information for the members-only part of the website, which will also enable you to get access to your membership card. I urge you to take a few minutes and look through it. There are still some things we need to work on, and there’s a few hidden things we haven’t unveiled yet, but we’re very proud of it and hope you will be, too. That’s it for this week, have a safe and happy New
Year. -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
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 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 will include our Annual General Meeting. Peter Bell has put together a great program leading up to the Annual Meeting part of things which we'll keep as exciting as we possibly can - that 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. CEC ANNUAL FAMILY BBQ PICNIC IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! Get ready for one of our favourite CEC events of the year! We’re returning to the spectacular Horizon Village Resort for a Western-style picnic and BBQ, catered by our friends at The Duke’s. There’s something for everyone at the Horizon Resort, from relaxing on the beautiful grounds to visiting the zoo (a favorite with kids!), swimming, guided tours around the resort, and more. We’ll also have
table games, a bar, and live music, making it the perfect day out for family and friends. One of the highlights is the Golf Ball Drop, the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser for children’s charities and yes, it’s back again this year! Purchase a numbered golf ball (only 300 available, so your odds are much better than the lottery), and if your ball lands closest to the marker after being dropped from a hot air balloon, you win 30,000 baht. Second prize is
10,000 baht, and third prize 5,000 baht. Kids will love the hot air balloon on the ground to explore, plus up-and-down rides in the Ball Drop balloon. We'll have details and a purchase link for Golf Ball Drop balls soon. A full menu and details of optional resort activities will be published next week. Early Bird Discount Available!
Purchase your tickets early to enjoy a special discounted rate before prices increase. Use the button below to
secure your tickets now and qualify for the special discount. We look forward to enjoying this special event with you! 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 EXPAT LADIES LUNCH Thursday, 8th January 2026, 12pm Girasole
Restaurant
Many will be familiar with this excellent Italian Restaurant.
Reply to: ladiesdolunch44@gmail.com by 7th January before 12 pm For details of travel and more about the restaurant: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4pX8qXw8jK9Q3PqP7 Bar: Full bar Parking: There is on street parking & onsite parking Happy New Year to everybody, see you later Stephanie 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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