Mr Meeseeks

Just now, khunpa said:

Rule no. 1: Only invest in what you can feel comfortable to lose and walk away from.

 

That goes for love-/family life, condo purchases, business setups... basically EVERYTHING here.

 

If you can't do that, then expect to end up disappointed. If not from Covid, then for sure one day, when you get old, sick and run out of money. 

Absolutely. 

This is the first most basic principle you must learn on arrival to Thailand and recite it as a daily mantra so you never forget it. 

1 minute ago, Kadilo said:

It shows their complete contempt for the those that invested their savings and retirement funds already and then want to attract more  by offering sweeteners. 
 

It is sadly a stark warning to anyone like myself who thought Thailand was their future retirement home. Some times you need to see it to believe it. 

Was knowing your visa is temporary for a year and you have to report every 90 days to disclose your whereabouts not evidence enough?

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

and now finds himself unable to get back to Thailand from the UK despite having 13 million baht of assets in the country including a valuable and now empty property in Bangkok.

Who buys property to live in, in a country where they have no right to reside?  ????

Pretty clear that they don't want foreigners coming in at the moment and that is both justifiable and understandable given current circumstances and public opinion.

When will these people learn that they are only temporary visitors for purposes other than tourism and plan accordingly? 

Important to note that a State of Emergency has been declared in Bangkok which are not words you want to hear when discussing economic recovery.

One of the most important factors that will affect the Thai economy is political stability and that looks like it is coming to an end with events in Bangkok yesterday and Suthep the Southern gangster mobilising his troops again despite joining the monkhood and promising to stay out of politics forever. No mention of these important events anywhere on the Thailand news feed, which I find utterly baffling yet unsurprising, given the grave importance to the nation and the expat community.

Political unrest, COVID-19 and a global economic recession or depression will see a complete and total collapse of many countries' economies that have a reliance on foreign inflows. Thailand is one of those countries with a reliance on exports, tourism and foreign investment in manufacturing.

Sure, Thailand will survive but it won't be the same country coming out the other end, not by a long shot.

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

That's a privilege?

Buy or invest you can have a visa or work permit... I call it blackmail.

The fact is that if you wanted a work permit and associated visa as a means to remain in Thailand legally there are easier and cheaper options if one is so inclined to go down that route.

27 minutes ago, Dialemco said:

Anyone considering purchase of property would be well advised to wait until next year when prices may be at a more realistic taking into account world recession. Meanwhile maybe good time to consider changing the law so that property may be purchased and owned by foreign nationals. 

Anyone buying anything now must be certifiable.

They will never change the property and land ownership laws under a nationalist military government either. Especially when they are there to protect the country's biuggest landowner. Cross that one off your Christmas list.

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Further, if there's no quarantine how will tourists from countries with very small infection rates / death rates be handled? Will they be allowed to travel in Thailand with no quarantine and same rules as the Chinese tourists?

 

And what about farang with retirement visas (and others) caught outside but currently located in countries with very low infection/death rates, will they be allowed to enter no quarantine if they stay isolated at their homes in Thailand 14 days? 

 

And on another angle, when will Thailand take advantage of the many new tests, many will impressive accuracy and results within 15 minutes. Some could be bought at pharmacies. And Thai health ministry changing to a new set of protocols for on-going testing and filing of test reports? 

I think it has been very clear from the outset that there will be one rule for Chinese and another rule for everyone else.

As to retirees, well they are deemed the highest risk, and thus at the very bottom rung of the pecking order.

The impending economic disaster will unfortunately propagate even more fascistic and nationalist tendencies among these inadequates so I would proffer that it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

And as we have so often seen during the history of mankind, incompetent regimes that try to perpetuate themselves amid demagoguery without the will of the people always end up destroying themselves and others in the end.

1 minute ago, holy cow cm said:

Now as I just find this article of Bernard passing I am truly a big bit sad. I am an old school fan from the good ole days of Bangkok and the exploits the most of the guys n girls will never understand or Feel. Bernard was in every way in the trenches same as us in that time of life. 

There was nothing like and likely never will be again.

It was in a word, incredible.

Crime is going to skyrocket and guess what? Foreigners will be a prime target.

I have just hired a local ex-military driver/bodyguard and I will keep him around for the next year or until the economy improves as I expect things to get really bad in the coming months.

I met Bernard often when I was a regular in Patpong and Soi Cowboy in the 90's and 00's. He was always interesting company and his wife Aree was always polite and pleasant. 

He was a throwback but those were the days when Bangkok really was the wild, 24 hour party city that it had the reputation for. 

Now? A shadow of its former self. Most of the characters are dead or gone and they have managed to rid the city of most of the bars that were worth visiting.

RIP Bernard and RIP Bangkok.