Ronuk

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

Semantics! I was talking about limits to visa exempt usage.

 

It is highly unlikely that they will ever issue a limit on the number of entries as it is the time staying in the country as a 'tourist' that is the concern.

There is nothing to say that may limit the consecutive amount of Tourist visas you can use to stay here, no matter where you may aquire them from. In fact, I regard that as a distinct possibility in the very near future. 

58 minutes ago, Asiantravel said:

 

well it doesn't seem like good value to me when you consider I was only paying $156 Australian for a three-year Visa (1500 baht PER YEAR ! )

incidentally as you seem to be a staunch supporter did any foreigners lose money when Thailand elite went broke the first time?

Nobody lost anything. They just stopped issuing anymore at the time.

This time the programme appears to be expanding more into the Asian country's. I did notice when I flew in Monday evening that TE have opened a second reception lounge in Suvarnabhumi airport. In that case they must be getting quite a few people through there. They expand into Don Muang sometime in 2017.

4 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

If the Thai authorities considered the use of Tourist Visas as I use them "misuse" - they would simply write a regulation to limit its use.  They have chosen not to do this. 

 

I will not be giving away a year of my life - the cost of living for a year - to pay for a temporary visa that, when it expires, leaves me in the same boat I was in before.

 

If there is a "scam", it is the Elite Visa system.  Completely out-of-whack with the cost of living in Thailand.  Wonder where the money goes?  I am sure whoever is on the take for that scam is working hard to make the people of Thailand poorer, by excluding people like me, so they can line their pockets. 

So it's not a Tourist visa after all, it's a scam? Are you for real?

If you haven't got an inkling of what is happening regarding the misuse of tourist visas,  then you have blinkers on.

And I would be careful with the scam accusations regarding Thailand Elite.

59 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

But the Elite is a Tourist Visa, and they stay here long term, but you and others claim one cannot "be a tourist" long-term (to spite many like me doing so), Elite members are not staying short-term, so they are not Tourists, so they are ineligible for a Tourist visa, using this logic - no?  

 

The Elite is priced way out of the market, relative to the living costs in Thailand, which is one of the main attractions to stay here in the first place.  One could argue that the extra cost means someone would be more likely to work illegally to afford it.

 

I do not think most using back-to-back TVs from Western countries are "usually working" here.  Why would I, for example, want to work here for a fraction of my current offshore income?  If you mean people from poorer countries, like the Philippines, maybe so.  But easy to remedy that as they do with India, etc - having a different method of application / criteria.   Or simply go to the schools where these people are known to be working illegally, and catch them.  Seems they do not want to catch them.

 

 

It does tend to prove you can afford to be here, which is likely why it is currently tolerated.  My costs are about 25K Baht/yr to do this, not counting any extra time I spend on my trips.  That's a slightly-high but not completely unreasonable price to pay for staying in a nicer low-cost country.

The Elite visa is not a Tourist visa. It's a Privaliged Entry visa. There is absolutely nothing on the visa, paperwork or anything to do with Tourism. You can leave everyday and come straight back in with no need for reentry permits and get a full 12 months stamp in your passport each and everytime. It's a great way to LIVE here FULL TIME LEGALLY  with no immigration issues. Just do a 90 day report or a run over the border and straight back in or get the people at TE to do the report for you and your good to go.And NOT SCAM the use of Tourist visas, swapping and changing passports etc.

Very shortly, I expect you and many others to experience it or move out of the country. Imo, the MISUSE of tourist visas is going to come to an end. Rather than at each and every opportunity knock the programme for cost or another reason, you would be better to make a plan on how your likely to be effected in the near future. All in my opinion of course.

18 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

Please enlighten me how and under the legal aged girl can give consent when it is against the law for her to do so.  Also enlighten me as how this sick perverted act could possibly make me feel better.

I won't say more or will end up banned.

I think you really do need to get in the real world of how and why things happen here. Pimp or not, under age or not, it happens here and all over the World. As I have said previously, there is no will to stop it at its source....the customer. So why bother getting hung up about it?

2 minutes ago, bark said:

The main point is that they are 15. To young to know any better. The teacher got put in jail.

Ermmm.....I'm pretty sure at 15 they know exactly what they are doing. Have you seen how many are offering there services at that age, particularly around the Bangkok colleges  amongst the Student fraternity to pay for there education?

Just now, bark said:

Story says they were 15. So i guess the police checked their id.

I was using a completely different example regarding Beach freelancers.

7 minutes ago, bark said:

Not sure; but are they 15 ??

I have no idea how old they might be. Do people ask them to produce an ID card then go and have it checked out?

1 minute ago, bark said:

 

And if they wanted to do, for themselves they would not be paying him; and would make all the money.

 

That's assumption and not always how it works at all. Do you think the Freelancers working the beach are all working alone?

If the authorities here really wanted to stop this, set up sting on the customers. Particularly in the UK, you face a charge of sex with a minor under 16 even though the offence was committed abroad. Fact is, nobody here is really interested because they know these girls need to earn fast money. When a Labourers rate here is 300bht, who can blame these girls turning a trick at 1000bht a time? Top girls in a top Go Go here can earn 200,000bht a month without breaking a sweat. Yes, we all know they need to be over 18 and carry I'D cards to prove it but if anybody believes the cards are all straight and all the girls are over the legal age, they are nieve in the very least. The whole thing is customer driven and the biggest customer base are Thais themselves. Farangs and Tourists here don't see half of it. If you think Pattaya is rife with prostitution, get to some of the Southern and NE districts where it's pretty much Thai driven. It makes Pattaya look like a Sunday school. And guess what? Nobody cares, it's how it is.

2 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Age of conscent 12? Are you referring to Mexico, where this can be true but seldom are?

No, Holland. A fine upstanding member of the EU.

2 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

Beacuse if they were under age then they where forced into sexual acts  that's the law as I'm sure you know

How and who forced them? Your again making assumptions because it makes you feel better.

8 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

So you want millions of Thais to leave there own country as they don't like under aged girls being used by perverts and sold to other perverts then.

Again you choose to twist the issue. Again I see a post that shows the age of consent being 12 being removed regarding where the whingers come from but choose to say nothing about the perverse laws in the EU and there own country's. Come here and want to be the world saving hero's. 

2 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

Not so bar girls can say no if they wish they are not forced to go with customers unlike these poor girls in the OP.  Whilst I won't say All the vast majority of bar girls are of legal age.

How do you know they were forced to do anything?

You need to know how much you can afford and what type/size of property you expect/want.

I just came back in this evening through Suvarnabhumi. Seemed to be very slow and lots of checking of passports going on. It was actually the slowest I have seen it for a long time.

I just noticed you can receive calls and receive messages so something is OK. It sounds now like there is some sort of credit issue allowing you to receive but not send anything.

Is it unlocked to all Networks? If not, there's your problem. Obviously your Thai Sim card isn't going to work in Europe unless your Thai Air time provider has a roaming agreement in your home country.

7 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

 

I could afford to buy as well, just prefer to keep my money for myself and enjoy my life.

Do you live in rent free accommodation?

On Monday, October 31, 2016 at 10:27 PM, little mary sunshine said:

 

 

I don't know about Hua Hin, however a Pattaya is so 

overbuilt with literally thousands of shoebox condos

and stilll building.  Half the units are empty, big discounts

in prices.  Most people you talk with are unhappy with

the quality of their units and say they will lose 40% if they

try to sell.    Lots of NEW rentals for 8-10K per month on a

1 year lease....Big mistake to buy in this market.

The mistake is not buying in this market but buying a shoebox condo is. I couldn't care less what people here say. Buying or renting quality housing here costs money....a lot more than 2 million outright or 10,000 bht a month. That money gets you the rubbish nobody else wants.....Hence there is loads of it on the market. Let's be honest, who really wants to live in anything less condo wise, smaller than about 125sqm? Quality will always sell and rent in any market.

16 minutes ago, Pinot said:

 

I'm privileged in Thailand as an American...they like us best...err, better.

 

Just being able to hand over the embassy letter for proof, does everyone have that path? I don't have to prove anything. My Aussie friend next door has to prove he has money in the bank. I don't. Some nationalities get different treatment. 

Be aware though that at anytime they could ask for proof. That could then prove interesting if you couldn't provide it. 

They may also well want to know exactly how she came by the money to buy the land etc.

9 minutes ago, stereolab said:

A Government office should not be able to make up its' own local rules. The key word here being 'Government". No autonomy should be granted to an individual office. I spent many years in military administration, and the key factor in  making administration smooth is global standards, an office in Scotland had the same exact rule book as an office in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We had annual inspections to check on these standards. No Unit within the U.K. Could declare unilaterally that they had added a new hoop for our customers. 

All very well wanting the same standards applied across the board here. Remember though that in that scenario, 75% or possibly more of expats here could be given 7 days notice to leave the country.

Sometimes it's better just to comply.

At least we have moved on from the 'TE Visa being a scam' and being closed down to whinging about luggage tags and having to wait a while at the Express desks. Personally, I've never waited at the desks and have never had a broken luggage tag. Take it up with the baggage handling service. Its hardly the fault of TE is it? As I have said, if you don't see any value in the helpful airport service offered, don't use it. Don't book it and go your own way.

I think some people just like to moan for the sake of moaning.