TonyR101

Thailand does need its tourists back in the country, not only from select regions but from all over the world. I might be a dreamer but my suggestion would be -

1, Re-start scheduled international air flights into Suvarnabhumi Airport on a limited basis enabling Thai Immigration to handle the flow without undue airport crowding.

2. COVID test all arriving passengers and extend the arrival card to include more details of each passenger's programme in Thailand, prior to passport control.

3. Provide a lockable security tracking bracelet for each arriving passenger, collecting data similar to what we currently have on our Smart Phones, for a period of 14 to 20 days after arrival.

4. Advise passengers of hefty penalties for any avoidance of current health protection rules, and increase the strength of tourist police to make random passport checks, and assist tourists in keeping to the rules.  

The costs of tourist testing and hire of tracking bracelets, would be charged as a fee/deposit on arrival.

I'm clearly in a considerable expat minority here, as I will not be signing this petition. I believe this kind of reaction is exactly what the Thai Government want from the expat community.

I've lived in Chiang Mai, in my wife's house, continuously for the past 15 years, making occasional visit abroad and regular visits to other parts of Thailand. I has no idea that I needed a TM30 to stay at my home address until I visited Immigration to obtain a Re-entry permit a few weeks back.

Rather than winging about it, we have to ask ourselves - Why?

The Thai Government know as well as we do the outdated idiocy of Immigration rules and regulations. They know the effect it has on the foreign community, and they have a very good idea of what it is costing Thailand financially. Having a panel of self appointed ex-pats sitting at a round table with their 10,000 petition, facing a selection of Immigration and other Government officials, and explaining all these things will be seen as both patronising and objectionable, and it will be recorded as such. It will give a perfect excuse for the Government to push itself ever closer to total authoritarian control, and will help in its conflict with Thai political interests who would like to restore a greater degree of Democracy with the backing of Thailand's foreign community.

My advice to ex-pats is not to argue with the Government, but put your support behind those few who speak out in Thailand's parliament

I have absolutely no sympathy whatever with this family.

The solution to the problem is simple - 

Place the 800,000 Baht in a Thai Bank savings account. Take mother home to Nakorn to live you. Spend $1000 of the current $3,000/month cost on keeping mother in the loving care of a Thai maid. Use the other $2,000/month to repay capital/loan costs on the 800,000 and in twelve months time the family has kept both mother and Thai Immigration happy, and as a bonus has amassed an 800,000 Baht nest egg in a Thai bank. 

The headlines to this story are grossly misleading, and unfair to Thai Immigration. 

The many options to resolve the problem are quoted by other above. Most farungs I speak to in Chiang Mai have been firm supporters of the Thai junta ousting Thailand's democracy, yet openly critical of Thailand's lack of social justice and strict rules. When an election does come around, and any Junta opposition gets steam rollered, there is no support from the ex-pat community, only whinges about bars being shut. Thailand is full of elderly people with health problems live on support of their family on family incomes less $500/month. Why should the country suddenly become concerned about farung families eeking out a living on $50,000/month?

I've had a retirement visa for the past 15 years and seen many changes to the immigration requirements, and I've always had fair and polite treatment from Chiang Mai Immigration staff. Immigration here can be frustrating and bureaucratic but not unjust.

This law firm is far better informed than the dozens of ex-pats celebrating on Thai Visa over the last few days.

I'm fairly certain, from contacts in Chiang Mai, that I know why the transfer took place and it had nothing to do with Big Jokes immigration policies. Perhaps I'm biased because the changes he made in Chiang Mai were generally to the advantage of established foreign residents.

Big Joke received unfair criticism within the English speaking community, mostly driven by "cheap skate Charlie" residents with minds stuck in an era of colonialism. I've just read 25 pages of hypocritical waffle to prove my point, but Big Joke was an enemy of criminals, frauds, and cheats, and a friend of genuine foreigners willing to accept both rough and smooth of life in Thailand.

For anyone looking for a clue as to why this change is taking place, remember that Taksin Shinawatra started his career in the Thai Police Force.

Thailand's ruling Junta keep saying they want to bring democracy back to Thailand, but their re-written constitution and handling of the current election each point in the opposite direction. Many Thais believed the Thai Army Coup was an act of sedition, whereas the Army Generals leading it declared it as an act to restore democracy.

Democracy allows for freedom of expression, and during an election campaign candidates of all political leanings put forward their own views and criticise the views of others - that's democracy, not sedition. The current government can't have their cake and eat it - or can they?