Thai at Heart

Kannot.

The UK could fix the roads,they just choose not to.

Stock photos.

I am in the UK presently,the roads are atrocious.

My yearly road tax is £290.Screenshot_2015-11-25-09-00-03.pngScreenshot_2015-11-25-08-59-16.pngScreenshot_2015-11-25-08-58-03.png

Have u any idea of the cost of fixing one pot hole and what has happened to local govt funding who are responsible for just about everything other than motorways?

By the way, drive a smaller car, zero Road tax. Your Road tax doesn't go directly to fixing roads.

But French law cannot prevent a British person bringing their spouse to live in France! Daft perhaps but equal! The so called Surinder Singh route.

Only changes in EU law will change this or a decision to leave the EU. There will be many, many people avoiding national laws this way.

Doctors need to demonstrate a good standard of English. Not sure that the pharmacist does yet. Attempts are being made to change the rules so veterinary surgeons must meet English language requirements. Hopefully it will come to every job where lives are at stake!

No it is not equal. The spouse of EU citizen has more rights in the UK than those of the spouse of a British citizen.

It is the EU citizen that has the rights, not the spouse. A British citizen has equal rights should they chose to live in another EU country.

The more strict immigration rules only apply to nationals of the country settling in their own country. If you are British you can take up residence in another EU country and your spouse will receive the available healthcare etc in that country and will be exempt from language requirements etc.

Everyone is treated equally. It is one of the oddities of EU v's national law.

There is no language requirements to take a spouse to France. None.

Although I am a Brit, I have lived in Spain full time since retirement 15 years ago (see the post above)

I brought my Thai wife to Spain and applied for and eventually got her a Spanish "Foreigners" ID without any language requirements.

This ID allows her to come and go as she pleases, no visas or form filling and it's wonderful.

Exactly. If you were Spanish, you can bring your Thai wife to Britain with no income or language requirements.

As a Brit, you have to jump through a more stringent check than a European union citizen. This is a gross incongruity that should be changed.

The level required for non EU spouses married to EU and British citizens should be identical.

But French law cannot prevent a British person bringing their spouse to live in France! Daft perhaps but equal! The so called Surinder Singh route.

Only changes in EU law will change this or a decision to leave the EU. There will be many, many people avoiding national laws this way.

Doctors need to demonstrate a good standard of English. Not sure that the pharmacist does yet. Attempts are being made to change the rules so veterinary surgeons must meet English language requirements. Hopefully it will come to every job where lives are at stake!

No it is not equal. The spouse of EU citizen has more rights in the UK than those of the spouse of a British citizen.

It is the EU citizen that has the rights, not the spouse. A British citizen has equal rights should they chose to live in another EU country.

The more strict immigration rules only apply to nationals of the country settling in their own country. If you are British you can take up residence in another EU country and your spouse will receive the available healthcare etc in that country and will be exempt from language requirements etc.

Everyone is treated equally. It is one of the oddities of EU v's national law.

There is no language requirements to take a spouse to France. None.

But French law cannot prevent a British person bringing their spouse to live in France! Daft perhaps but equal! The so called Surinder Singh route.

Only changes in EU law will change this or a decision to leave the EU. There will be many, many people avoiding national laws this way.

Doctors need to demonstrate a good standard of English. Not sure that the pharmacist does yet. Attempts are being made to change the rules so veterinary surgeons must meet English language requirements. Hopefully it will come to every job where lives are at stake!

No it is not equal. The spouse of EU citizen has more rights in the UK than those of the spouse of a British citizen.

But a French man is not allowed to bring his 'illiterate' wife to France. A British person can bring their 'illiterate' wife to live in France!

Perhaps not logical but not racist and not discriminatory. The rights of nationals of both countries are roughly equivalent!

Ah, but a French man can bring his illiterate wife to Britain, whilst a British cannot.

The ultimate discrimination.

They have got themselves into a horrible mess because of the EU rules. Right now I am working with 2 Indian labourers in London, one with a Portuguese residency and another with Italian.

Neither can speak a word of English, but are free to work and live here. Both have their indian/european wives sitting in Portugal and Italy waiting to come to the UK once they have cash together.

British law cannot stop them.

British law cannot prevent the entry of the spouse of an EU citizen or resident, but it can prevent a Brit. This is ridiculous state of affairs.

There is no middle class here in Thailand, So the rich get richer by exploiting the poor. probably the same in any Country, But there is little protection in thailand for workers,

no middle class in Thailand? Say families earning between 30k and 200k per month I would consider middle class here. And this group has been growing steadily over the last 20 years and still keeps growing.

Thank you for dispelling and correcting such a fabulously simplistic and ignorant post. Or course there is a middle class here. And it is probably quite a bit larger than one would think. And they probably really drove the economy. The super rich represent what, maybe 2% of the population? There has to be another 10-20% that are in the 35,000 to 200,000 baht per month range. Most small entrepreneurs probably fall into that range.

By Thai standards, 200k per month is considered extremely well off. As I wrote elsewhere, statistically, the middle is 20 to 50k per month. The amount earning 200k per month is probably less than 1% of the population. The top 1% of the Thai population have a massive proportion of its wealth.

Too high by most measurements.

Four or five years ago the Bangkok Post profiled the founder of Oishi. He started with a single noodle cart in Yarowat. I believe the original founder of what became Red Bull also came from humble origins in Thailand.

Many of Bangkok's most successful restaurants began as small pushcarts or stalls. The very large and famous "Op Aroi" seafood restaurant in Town in Town started as a street stall 20 years ago. I'm sure the family that operates it has become very wealthy.

Red Bull was invented by an Austrian, Dietrich Mateschitz.

Uh no. It was copied by the Thai guy who saw a Japanese energy drink. Dietrich was working for Unilever or someone similar and saw red bull and approached the Thai guy, thus getting the international rights to it, and the Thai guy kept a shareholding in the international business.

I read it. It says 29% earned 15k or more. Well 20 to 50k might be an overestimation.

Still, it's relatively small. Go find the stats for the percentage with the top 20% of wealth. It is in the hands of a handful of families.

1000 quid a month to run a house and fund car loans etc is still very low by Western standards.

I am not sure if it is correct to asses the living standards of one country from another.

What one can do with 1K quid in TH is different to what could be done with that in the West, I guess.

Well, middle class is just a statistical measure on the average population distribution. From a practical point of view, Many in the middle class are funding cars (more expensive than the west) and mortgages with this 50k.

Its a measure. But, reality is, the middle class in Thailand aren't by a relative measure well off. Bear in mind this is above 20k. Try funding a household on 20k.

There is no middle class here in Thailand, So the rich get richer by exploiting the poor. probably the same in any Country, But there is little protection in thailand for workers,

First we need to define what "middle class" is.

I see plenty of middle class people in Thailand - but this of course is how I "see" it.

Various measures put it at 30% of the working population. Between 20 and 50k household income per month. Mostly in Bangkok.

I would estimate much higher:

"Steady economic growth since the 1960s has helped the Thai middle class of entrepreneurs, business people , professionals and white collar workers expand and become a significant slice of the Thai population. By some measures they have grown from 15 percent of the workforce in 1960 to 34 percent in 2000. If anything the pace has picked up in recent years. In 1990, only 9 percent of Thai households had a monthly income of 15,000 baht (about $500) or more. By 2004 this figure had risen 29 percent. [source: takashi Shiraishi, Yomiuri Shimbun, April 2006]".

http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Thailand/sub5_8c/entry-3229.html

The link makes a good read.

I read it. It says 29% earned 15k or more. Well 20 to 50k might be an overestimation.

Still, it's relatively small. Go find the stats for the percentage with the top 20% of wealth. It is in the hands of a handful of families.

1000 quid a month to run a house and fund car loans etc is still very low by Western standards.

There is no middle class here in Thailand, So the rich get richer by exploiting the poor. probably the same in any Country, But there is little protection in thailand for workers,

First we need to define what "middle class" is.

I see plenty of middle class people in Thailand - but this of course is how I "see" it.

Various measures put it at 30% of the working population. Between 20 and 50k household income per month. Mostly in Bangkok.

Could it just be that the Thai-Chinese work with their BRAINS?

They have had access to 40mn labourers at less than 10 usd a day for the last 100 years.

They were first to market and have managed to keep any competition out.

And the Thais didn't have access to the very same workers at the very same salary?

Ah, but they lacked access to capital.

And where did the poor Chinese immigrants get capital? For sure they didn't bring it with them.

Your theory is flawed sir.

Of course the Chinese never lend money to each other.

So thousands of POOR ( as in no money ) Chinese immigrants come to Thailand, and they ALL lend money to each other ?

Could you explain how that actually works?

There has been Chinese merchant a d trading business all over south East Asia for many hundreds of years. Not all were penniless. Nowhere near.

So now we are back where we started

Why aren't there Thai merchants all over Asia? Could it be about BRAINS?

Or do you want to claim that the Chinese got their starting capital by just digging it up from the earth?

No. But they have very successfully kept Thailand to themselves and some have made billions. Good luck to them, but most of the largest companies sit behind restrictions to entry and thus enjoy a very advantageous state. Just look at the raising of restrictions on banking made just today.

It's much easier to make a massive business without significant competition. They have been extremely successful.

As an example though there were period when Thais weren't allowed to travel which were exempted for Chinese. Thais historically haven't been very entrepreneurial, the Chinese have always.

This said, the amount of self made Thai Chinese mega businesses in the last 20 years is rather limited because the old money still dominates govt policy.

This has to change for Thailand to move forward. I don't resent them, just acknowledge that the success of many of the businesses I Thailand that made it massive have done so behind the guise of protectionism.

Could it just be that the Thai-Chinese work with their BRAINS?

They have had access to 40mn labourers at less than 10 usd a day for the last 100 years.

They were first to market and have managed to keep any competition out.

And the Thais didn't have access to the very same workers at the very same salary?

Ah, but they lacked access to capital.

And where did the poor Chinese immigrants get capital? For sure they didn't bring it with them.

Your theory is flawed sir.

Of course the Chinese never lend money to each other.

So thousands of POOR ( as in no money ) Chinese immigrants come to Thailand, and they ALL lend money to each other ?

Could you explain how that actually works?

There has been Chinese merchant a d trading business all over south East Asia for many hundreds of years. Not all were penniless. Nowhere near.

Could it just be that the Thai-Chinese work with their BRAINS?

They have had access to 40mn labourers at less than 10 usd a day for the last 100 years.

They were first to market and have managed to keep any competition out.

And the Thais didn't have access to the very same workers at the very same salary?

Ah, but they lacked access to capital.

And where did the poor Chinese immigrants get capital? For sure they didn't bring it with them.

Your theory is flawed sir.

Of course the Chinese never lend money to each other.

Could it just be that the Thai-Chinese work with their BRAINS?

They have had access to 40mn labourers at less than 10 usd a day for the last 100 years.

They were first to market and have managed to keep any competition out.

And the Thais didn't have access to the very same workers at the very same salary?

Ah, but they lacked access to capital.

Could it just be that the Thai-Chinese work with their BRAINS?

They have had access to 40mn labourers at less than 10 usd a day for the last 100 years.

Isn't that using your brain?

Well, some could call it sweatshop exploitation, but each to his own.

Could it just be that the Thai-Chinese work with their BRAINS?

They have had access to 40mn labourers at less than 10 usd a day for the last 100 years.

They were first to market and have managed to keep any competition out.

The issue with this is who can force him to change. With little liability for an accident who has an incentive to change. If the owner was liable for 10 my baht if he fell off, then it would change in a second.

All self made wealth in Thailand is by Chinese immigrants. You wonder why?

A Chinese immigrant, or any Chines for the matter, starts a business and works in it until he isn't able to handle all the work by himself. Then he will employ some people, but still will work every day more hours himself than any of the workers he employs.

A native Thai starts a business, goes to the bank to borrow money for the new Benz and large house, employs as many people he can get, and puts his desk in the middle of the shop and does nothing else as shouting at his employees and counting money.

In my experience of the Thai Chinese business people I knew and still know in Thailand, they have an absolutely pathological hatred of paying taxes.

The Thai Chinese model works for family, and little else.

You're right, my point was that they work themselves and don't rely on other people to do the work.

Well it's quite a lot easier to get ahead without having to pay what you are meant to by law.

It is what it is.

Do you know many Thais that pay taxes?

Plenty in Bangkok and elsewhere.

All self made wealth in Thailand is by Chinese immigrants. You wonder why?

A Chinese immigrant, or any Chines for the matter, starts a business and works in it until he isn't able to handle all the work by himself. Then he will employ some people, but still will work every day more hours himself than any of the workers he employs.

A native Thai starts a business, goes to the bank to borrow money for the new Benz and large house, employs as many people he can get, and puts his desk in the middle of the shop and does nothing else as shouting at his employees and counting money.

In my experience of the Thai Chinese business people I knew and still know in Thailand, they have an absolutely pathological hatred of paying taxes.

The Thai Chinese model works for family, and little else.

You're right, my point was that they work themselves and don't rely on other people to do the work.

Well it's quite a lot easier to get ahead without having to pay what you are meant to by law.

It is what it is.

All self made wealth in Thailand is by Chinese immigrants. You wonder why?

A Chinese immigrant, or any Chines for the matter, starts a business and works in it until he isn't able to handle all the work by himself. Then he will employ some people, but still will work every day more hours himself than any of the workers he employs.

A native Thai starts a business, goes to the bank to borrow money for the new Benz and large house, employs as many people he can get, and puts his desk in the middle of the shop and does nothing else as shouting at his employees and counting money.

In my experience of the Thai Chinese business people I knew and still know in Thailand, they have an absolutely pathological hatred of paying taxes.

The Thai Chinese model works for family, and little else.

There is no middle class here in Thailand, So the rich get richer by exploiting the poor. probably the same in any Country, But there is little protection in thailand for workers,

Rubbish, Thailand's middle class has been the fastest growing group for the past decade.

"BANGKOK, 14 March 2013— Thailand makes UNDP’s list of “high achievers” in East Asia—a group that includes China, Indonesia, Viet Nam, and Malaysia. The rapid human development progress of Thailand and Asia-Pacific nations are helping drive a historic shift, with hundreds of millions of people lifted from poverty and billions poised to join the South’s fast-growing middle class, according to the 2013 Human Development Report, which was launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on March 14 in Mexico City".

http://www.th.undp.org/content/thailand/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2013/03/15/undp-report-lists-thailand-among-asia-s-fastest-growing.html

These days, globally middle class is defined as between 10 and 20 usd a day.

Wow wee. I feel very happy to be one of the uber rich.

In Asia in general most rich people used to live in poverty before and became rich through their business. Whereas in Europe most rich people have inherited their wealth. Behaviour is also very different. Rich people in Asia tend to take more risks when investing, they seek opportunities to make more money whereas rich people in Europe tend to be risk-averse and focus on wealth preservation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_by_net_worth

5 of the top 20 inherited their wealth.....

Not many recently. The major markets are in the hands of a select few, and barriers to entry are everywhere. No digital billionaires in Thailand recently either.

Most Thais are living on $300 a month and they would not call their life "miserable"..

Of course I "need" more for my life to be comfortable, but each to their own

Did you ever ask a Thai who earn 15k how he felt about his life?

Better still, did you ever ask to swap with a Thai earning 15k so you could see if you were ecstatic or miserable on15k. I mean each to their own, but I reckon it's basically pretty shit.