onera1961

59 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

Possibly Thai nationals?

Same story in every country. Natives hire illegals to exploit them. 

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

live in ghettos with their own kind with no intention to integrate or assimilate.

Sounds like every first generation Americans like Italian-Americans, German-Americans, Irish-Americans, etc.

1 hour ago, Mackstask said:

Some jobs in Thailand require Westerners therefore you are not taking that work from a Thai. 

Like what job requires Westerners. Can I do that? What is the requirements? 

26 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Usually the requirements to obtain a multiple Non-O in the home country are easier.

Which home country? I would guess most home countries don't give Non-O visas. At least no US embassy or consulate will give Non-O visa. Non-Os are for Thai family and volunteer work. As @ubonjoe mentioned, it seems Penang still gives but it requires some type of financial proof. 

1 hour ago, minted50 said:

would be the next best thing for me ?

Did you talk to an agent? May be they can find a solution. Don't they exist to handle similar situations?

If you're married or you can make it happen, you could get a Non-O from savannakhet. No financial required.

If you've no attachment with Thailand, you could move to a better country than inhaling smog filled air of Thailand

So it was a success, congratulations

58 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Thai economy - but every one of us spending foreign-sourced revenue into the economy is creating Thai jobs. 

At some point in economic growth, it may be. But looking at other sources of foreign income, now it is detrimental to the economy. What you're saying is a simplistic view of a layman. Not an economic prospective. 
 

58 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I explained how that can be fixed

Building roads and dams (infrastructure spending) does not fix foreign currency problem. They still have to spend it in Baht and government needs revenue for that (or money in baht) or higher tax (it is a separate subject). Foreign currency in not revenue for government. Central bank receives foreign currency and gives baht. No real revenue is generated for government. 

That's the reason in most countries keep government and central bank separate. Government can borrow by asking central bank to print more currency  but that risks inflation. Even giving dollar for free won't fix it. It will just increase inflation enormously.

Only way to fix it is to import more. Military hardware import is one way. But that does not create lasting growth in a economy. Another way to fix it is to decrease interest rate. Excessive decrease in interest rate also affects future pensions growth and feeds into further investment of foreign currency in bonds and stocks. All these parts are interrelated and it is not as simple as as one might think. 

Another way to fix it is to create demand for imported goods. When you destroy jobs in formal economy (export economy) by bringing foreign sourced income, how are you going to achieve that.

You have to reduce the demand for baht. By bringing dollar from outside, you just increase the demand for baht. 

Thailand already has a constant source of foreign currency and that is tourism. Thailand is not a huge economy like India, China, or EU based Europe. it must recognize that it does not need to accumulate any more foreign currency and by doing so, it can destroy its formal export sector. 

Again bottom line Thailand does not need any more foreign sourced income from retirees or perpetual tourists. In the long run, it will have detrimental effects on its formal export economy, destroying lives of thousands and robbing them of their future pension. Lots of educated Thais have started to realize this truth (discussions in Facebook). Even if Chinese tourists decrease due to a recession in China, India does not seem to have any economic problems in the next decade or so. So, there is no problem of reduced foreign sourced money in the future from tourism.

I had a room built on to my house about six years ago, It cost me 52000 Baht, that was everything, four walls, electrics, painting, floor tiles, roof tiles, three windows.
No expensive planning permission, like in the UK. Great decision, never regretted it, never needed any repairs
so far.

I built a free standing small shop with bathroom, about 20 sq meter in my garden 3 y ago. I paid 50000 thb for the labour, first they asked 80000. The roof is in tiles. The materials I bought myself. Did't ask municipaly permission to build. This is in Banglamung.

My landlord built three houses up north. With one he wanted more room. He didn't add on, he built a separate, and large, bed and bath out back. Much easier than attaching to the existing unit and tearing out walls for doorways and such. Then he added a nice patio and outdoor shower. Happy man and better refuge when wife is moody.

8 minutes ago, Jlop said:

Do you trust your room addition to random advice in a forum? Spring for an architect, they charge 5-10 percent of the project cost, and a good one will help you address all the issues raised here.

Wow now need an architect to add a room in an existing land. 

1 hour ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Any old cardboard boxes, corrugated iron, political banners, condo ads, etc hanging around your girlfriend's house? If so, I'll build your extension for half the 100k quoted above.

No, nothing of that kind. My GF calls the office every month and demand that they come and cut the grasses in front/around her house. . 

I do as a matter of fact. Surely you wouldn't think I just pull those numbers out of my ass. For me 40.9% is close enough to 41% leaving 59% as the "official" economy.
Anything thing else you might like me to provide for you?
https://www.gulf-times.com/story/448401/Thailand-s-shadow-economy-among-biggest-worldwide

Are you one of those? Please post after you enter Thailand. 

42 minutes ago, tabarin said:

Wonder why on earth he came back to Chiang rai itself and if he wanted to get caught.

It is often said that criminals return to the crime spots. 

My renew of my retirement visa is due soon. I'm not sure with all the changes if I will qualify to extend another year. Is it possible to convert to a tourist visa?

On 2/25/2019 at 8:44 AM, lucjoker said:

This is not an answer to my question.You  speak about money transfer from a UK bank to a UK bank.

Not the same as a money transfer between a Thai bank and a UK bank.

People will post anything about what they did 30-year ago just to increase their number of posts. ????

13 hours ago, Cadbury said:

The official economy and the "black" economy which some experts say is one of the largest "black" economies in the world. It is claimed the "official" economy is only 59% of the total economy. 

Do you have a link to assert the number?

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

printing-money for spending on social-services, dams, roads, etc. 

Printing money will cause inflation and there is no shortage of investors to invest on roads, dams, etc if it makes economic sense. For government to do it, it needs revenue and less spending on Military. May be higher taxes to generate revenues for investing in infrastructures is required. Inviting foreigners with foreign sourced income is not a panacea for economic growth for a country like Thailand. No industrialized export based country in the World has done that I don't think Thailand has world class economist who can create a new model that will make it possible.

I don't know who wants stronger baht except importers. Do you have an article that says who are these people? Exporters (65% of the economy) want weaker baht and pounding the central bank to intervene. But central bank is afraid to so. It is not only the fear of US, other countries also can impose tariffs if central bank intervenes to keep a 100% floating Baht weak by currency manipulation. 

Thailand has few choices now. Improve its labor productivity, go back to pegged currency like pre Asian crisis, or wait for Chinese recession.

38 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Forcing expats to hold money in the banks longer also strengthens the currency. 

Yes it does. I am not saying immigration has thought through the entire economic impact excessive tourists and foreign retirees in Thailand. In Thailand every department does its own things. TAT wants to tout their numbers without realizing what is happening to the baht. Bottom line is that no export based Industrialized country like Thailand has reached economic growth inviting foreign retirees. It may time for its neighboring country to do that. Thailand should focus to improve its growth on export and tighten cheap retirement heaven and make it more expensive like Malaysia.

14 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

If immigration were working as part of a government whose goal is to maximize the well-being of the Thai people, they would prevent foreigners entering who are likely to be a financial-burden (no welfare here, but can exert downward pressure on wages and job-opportunities) and encourage as many as possible who have more income (foreign-sourced) than the locals.

 

Bringing foreign sourced income may strengthen baht and that will reduce export (65% of the economy vs 17% for entire Tourism), resulting in lots of job losses and people's pension and Social Security of the future. It is a dangerous proposal for country that does not need any foreign currency. may be it was ok a decade ago when one could get 40BHT/USD. 

 

42 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Almost none have SWIFT so they must have used a 3rd party and it may not have been via SWIFT.

My credit union does not have swift. I think may be same for almost all credit unions. By the way, how much do they charge for a swift? Is the rate Ok? 

On 2/24/2019 at 8:56 AM, CaptainJack said:

He is a United States FBI trained graduate and knows exactly what he is doing and how to bring down  criminal organizations. 

Ok, I don't think it is American mafia or Pablo Escobars or El Chapo. These are agents bribing TIs to allow desperate farangs to stay here when they don't meet financial requirements. Nothing more. By bringing down these people, nothing great will be achieved. And if he wants to really root out corruption, he should listen to foreign investors. Investors never complain that they cannot send their experts because of corruption in immigration. They complain corruption in places that prevent them to invest more. 

On 2/24/2019 at 8:56 AM, CaptainJack said:

I am working on a legal (not lying to travel insurance companies I'm traveling when in fact I'm living there) and that will be settled this week.

Did you settle on this one? Can you elaborate on this? This helps lots of people in Thailand with no insurance. 

On 2/21/2019 at 10:42 PM, BritManToo said:

My pension may not be large, but it arrives every month and is more than 90% of locals in SEA earn.

Why it is even relevant? Does it mean one must get higher privilege than the locals because their pension is more than 90% of locals?

3 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I opened my savings account with just my passport and Thai driving licence to provide address.

Ok, when was that? Looks like a driving license has some value. How can I get one? Is there any agent in Pattaya area who can help me getting a Thai Driver license using my US driver license and an International Permit?