humbug

Right now 3.4 for 20 years, even with a resell value is vastly over priced, very few people will be paying 5 million for the new invite only package, maybe in 5-10 years time, maybe, 5 million might be a normal price for 20 years peaceful immigration living in the country , who knows, could happen with 10 years without millitary governments in the country to increase the outllook

But as a current member, even I look at these new prices on offer and know they are overpriced, too soon in the trajectory of the country to charge this, it took 10 years in the old days for people to view 1 million for 20 years, to be worth peaceful living in the country, this is problem right now with the 5 million package

My take on this is that it was planned for years, but the virus suspended the plans, until now or the near future, even a new government won't be that new, and will be influenced from the old regime

So changing the immigration act, will be for many reasons, not just the over 50 visa, but maybe how extensions are obtained, changing the laws around citizenship to push for more Chinese land and business owners, which would be maybe underneath all the recent 'special' agreements between Thailand and China, and increase requirements for everybody else to deter many more, and keep less of non-Chinese

who knows if it will all succeed, but they clearly have been planning, and big joke is just a mouthpiece, and you also never know, if this old regime will lose its way in the next 5-10 years, and the new fairer regime will become the new way of society, who might have much better ideas for immigration, it's a tough one to try and see too much into the future, but nothing wrong in trying to evaluate things 

But last weeks comments werent just for the audience of foreigners, it was probably telegraphing to embassies, that even if the excuse of biker gangs is fake and weak, it's still a good enough eccuse to use as a pretext to try and change many things regarding immigration, which would limit any strong reactions from embassies, and yes its clear many embassies don't give a damn, but this regime still will make sure they can deter any reactions

9 hours ago, mokwit said:

What kind of check and with who is this? I seem to remember it is for Thailand/Interpol notices not for criminal record from your home country? I don't think they get the non criminal record confirmation from an applicants country.

 

It will be up to us to get hard copy of this, not for the IB to get it.

Hold on, if someone been living here for 5-10 years, then the criminal record will be done in Thailand, they have 2 sections for records, one office for working here, the other office for going overseas or for immigration, even on here marriage visa holders state they had to get a local record check, so it will drpend, where you have been living, which will then be your record check

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks for sharing. 

The Chinese Thais will stoop to anything. 

I could tell you a. Few stories about Chinese Thais, like one telling the bank teller that my ID must be fake. She then said Chinese can become Thai but not farang, with that horrible, racist emphasis on the second syllable. 

Chinese Nationalists are just so fake, and hate it when proven facts are thrown their way, just like the poster I replied to, I always reply to a nasty racist Chinese/Thai with 'Go back to China' if they want to act a higher species, then good luck, because a few facts thrown their way, and they get to receive their own nasty medicine

18 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I don't see what's wrong about history saying the Thai tribal people originally came down from a part of southern china China and settled in a part of what is now Laos/Siam border.

Siam developed on from there and where I Iive the first Buddhist Thai Kingdom was established.

Your post is a proven myth, and Siam is a Vedic word, like many of the ceremonies going back 2000 years, the only reason why the indiginous people of this land were called Tai, because nobody in the past could tell them it was a myth and they were mis-labelled, and that there are actually from this land, very little to do with Tibet and South China, and as Vasi has researched close cousins to the Javanese

But you keep lying to yourself about the myth that people from South China settled in what is Siam/Thailand and became the Tai people, it's just fake

and here again just to re-inforce how fake your information is:

'famed Thai anthropologist and physician, Pravej Vasi, found high blood levels of Hemoglobin E in populations living in Southeast Asia, and in the Tai, Khmer, and Mon civilizations, but he did not find any of the blood markers in Chinese populations'

and one last time indigenous means they never came from another place, they were already here, just mis-named

Good luck

1 minute ago, John Drake said:

If Immigration is going to require us to deposit 1.2 or 1.6 million baht, shouldn't the law also require banks to insure deposits for that amount. Aren't deposits only insured to 800,000 currently?

 

I have a sneaky feeling that this future change of immigration laws and extensions, will try to allow more 5 year visas to help the LTR gain more clients, and make it harder for 1 year extensions and introduce background checks every extension, to reduce the cheaper competition to the LTR, there was a lot to

unpack in those recent articles by big joke on this visa, and I worry that they just don't give a damn, as another visa 'business' M section at CW last 2 weeks was empty, normally there are 60-70 people waiting and sitting at that section, I know because I was next to it at N section, and my section people numbers were down by 50%
 

1 hour ago, Klonko said:

The potential of Chinese nationals living in China  (1) meeting LTR or new Elite requirements and (2) contemplating to flee an increasingly unfriendly environment  is probably huge and by far exceeding other foreign nationals. Therefore it makes sense to concentrate on the Chinese clientele. Thai come originally from Southern China, but I think money is the key driver, and Thailand has been navigating between China and the United States in the past.. On the contrary, if China is further expanding aggressively, the South East Asian countries will strengthen alliances between themselves and with other countries.  Same as with the new Silk Road and in Africa, where countries are realizing that investments from China come at a price and start to look for alternatives.

You missed the point, where I mention corruption using gold carrots and sticks by the Chinese with bags of gold and legal merging agreements, between Thailand and China, which always involve great benefits for the corrupted local regime, and one way traffic in benefits for Chinese, through, trade deals,future citinzenship, business ownership and land rights through full membership of belt and road, and side agreement of local national strategies of 20-25 years, merging laws of Thailand and Beijing, great for the Thai/Chinese wealthy elite, great for Chinese regional expansion, bad for 90% of the darker skin thais, and the rest of the expat community, or non-chinese community of foreigners

Nobody believes this regime is navagating between anything, it's why this regime and their Chinese partners, hate Move Forward Party so much, because Move forward plan to be a fairer society for thais, not this corrupt pro-Chinese, male-dominant gangster regime, that can take as they please, and gain wealth through connections eith Chinese/Thai businesses and the Chinese State, treating darker skin thais as low skilled imbiciles, only alive to make  money for the light skin chinese, sad, but thats where we are at, in this land right now

or the cheaper version and similar situation in Cambodia

50 minutes ago, Klonko said:

Visa requirements may be generally tigthened for "long term" stays because Thai authorities probably consider foreigners who can just afford Thai middle class standards for themselves and their Thai family not to add significant value to Thailand. The more the Thai economy is developping, the higher will be the expectations from "long term" staying foreigners. Foreigners with tight budgets - marriage with a Thai helps - can hope for continued inofficial schemes (and should not complain about "inefficient" bureaucracy).

That can be one part, the other part is this regime for 8 years has become so greedy, so interwined into helping Chinese regional expansion policy, that a police/immigration head in yesterdays english paper online too, about arrests of outlaw gangs, spent the most of the article saying 800k in the bank is too cheap, and should want more investors on 5 year visas and ask the next government to change the visa extension laws, this is your typical gangster regime in charge, little rule of law, male-dominant, and greedy as hell

and Bangkok immigration last week was half empty with 'M' section (business section) a waste land of 5-10 people waiting, normally 70-80 people waiting, I know because my section is N which is next to it, they don't care anymore, they have hands in the corrupt Chinese bag of gold, and that's that, unless Move Forward Party and its future parties changes this regime, and the country for the better in a fairer more rules based way

15 minutes ago, Pib said:

When I read your comment that I bolded above, it reminded me of a comment made by one of the Elite Visa Sales Agents here in Thailand which very recently (30 July) said the "new" Elite packages may not be as suitable for the majority their Western clients who live in Thailand.   It was the Sales Agent in my 30 Jul/Sunday post above which included the Youtube video made by that Sales Agent.

 

Now such a statement can be taken several different ways but since the agent mentioned "new" packages it implied to me the new packages may offer new benefits which will be less desirable than current Elite benefits. 

 

We'll just have to wait and see until the govt Thailand Elite company makes official info public versus the leaks/bits-and-pieces/rumors/opinions/etc., that are currently floating around which this thread fits into.

 

Comment of the Elite Sales Agent

 

 

 

I think I must have hit a factual nerve in your LTR sales agent brain previously, with your low-end sales pitches trying to keep the LTR thead alive, I already have a visa for nearly 20 years, it's called Elite, and most of my post you replied to was anout China and 8 years of changes, as directed at the upcoming changes to over 50 visas, spoken in the national press yesterday by aka 'big joke'

good luck LTR sales agent

11 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

I had a conversation with a Grab Driver today.  He pointed to the many Chinese Language signs on our drive in Chiang Mai and said the government is allowing “A soft Chinese Invasion”.  I agreed with him.  He also said many Thai people know the Chinese are dominating in Cambodia and are plundering it.  It seems like the informed Thai’s know what is happening but are powerless to do anything about it. Beside my age, things like this are the reason I would not invest in a 20 years non refundable visa.  If I was wealthy and in my 40’s my opinion would be different on the 20 year non refundable visa.  

There must be a point to your reply to my post, because I didn't see it, if you can't see whats been happening for the last 8 years on many visas and crackdowns and pro-chinese hints, well one thing is key now, if you rely on 12 month visas with the recent conments I mentioned then good luck

Last couple of days in articles attributed to the motorcycle gangs, police/immigration spent most of the article talking about changing the 'over 50 visa' and changing the extension laws, so nothing surpises about this regime, who are likely to stay in power for a few more years, Elite costing more is just part of a larger attack on reducing non-Chinese long term stayers and increasing Chinese long term stayers, we have all seen the huge signs for the last 8 years

All these latest moves will reduce western expats, unless they have a few million to lose, and increase Chinese long termers, who can get bank loans from Chinese banks with the okay from Thai/Chinese banks businesses, to buy companies, condos, houses, and in the near future gain more legal rights for their purchases, and only the few westerners will be able to compete

thats my take in it

Elite is just part of it as nearly 40% of new members are Chinese

3 hours ago, Gaccha said:

That's interesting. I found that all but one of the N1 counters were converted/turned into N2 counters for the entire morning. 

 

If things stay the same, it makes sense for me to go very late in the day. Around 3pm.

I have no idea, why that would happen nowadays, usually N1 can go into 150-200 ticket numbers and more if busy to 250-300, but N2 normally goes to 100-150, but there is actually only 2 desks for N2, and about 8-9 desks for N1, so maybe they were just so slow with agency students, teacher visa/extensions clogging up N2, they had to use N1 desks to quicken the process up,

but actually when they first N-section operated at Chaeng Wattana, N2 was only just for more rare extension/visas like monks, diplomatic etc,

and N1 was supposed to be for students,education, teachers,

but agents for school and students and their piles of passports, turned N2 into a little agent/immigration  desk at the back of N-Section,

overall, it can get quite slow at N section for everyone no matter was visa/extension you have

But I did notice last time I went recently, the numbers of people at immigration were very low, like half the amount of people normally there, so maybe N1 didn't have a long waiting list, and could help out, but I haven't seen it that empty for a long time

This is just beating of the chest, to a low IQ audience but also an excuse to embassies, who pretty much don't care anyway about expats in the country, to keep their attack on foreigners, they have done the last few years

they even mention retirees in other articles relayed to this shakedown, clearly this articel has omitted it cue go not wanting to scaremonger, well retirees don't have to work, so the idea that retirees are now included in this continued shakedown, just means they know they will be no reaction by the expat community, and they can continue to lie and mis-inform and just hype, for effect information to the low IQ local audience

On 7/14/2023 at 12:49 PM, Gaccha said:

The N counter is used for non-business work, such as diplomats, experts, teachers, as well as students and monks.

 

But what is the N2 subgroup specifically? 

The N2 section used to be only for diplomats, monks etc, there is actually a waiting room next to it, but over the years, it has been taken over by large group education and teacher visas, they still do the other visas, but because of the agents and their large group visas, the section sometimes becomes even slower than N1 section

On 7/13/2023 at 5:31 AM, ripper15 said:

CCP investagating crimminal activites is like have the fox guard the hen house. Not even funny.

Exactly, and because of all the corrupt Thai-Chinese agreements, Thai beareaucrats are meant to travel to China for training, what the article missed through it's fake information, is that already thai immigration passes on all Chinese passports to the Chinese embassy for first allowing any extension before Thai immigration approves

That nugget was reported, when the Chinese Christians were found, after extending their stay

What the report also fails to admit, the Thai 20 year national strategy, isn't a national strategy, but a Thai-Chinese agreement to merge laws over the 20 years, this is why these Thai beauracrats have to go, the Chinese will demand this training, just like they do with all the countries that have full membership to the Belt and Road, like Thailand, and all have similar 20 or 25 year National strategies

Imagine how many billions have been paid over the last few years by China, to corrupt this regime to sell out the country

Malaysia through 1mbd and Chinese corruption is finding out it ran into 15-20 billion dollars

12 months visa eg retirement, marriage are disgraceful, and only temporary, whereby you have to re-apply, the next 12 months, shocking that authorities nicknamed one retirement, how can you retire, when every 12 months you have to re-apply, same with marriage, just absurd what the military/chinese backed regimes have been doing to foreigners for decades

The amount of vitirol towards Elite is just crazy, because you pay a large amount up front, but can stay without re-applying for 5,10,20,30 or lifetime, it's exactly what the retirement or marriage visas should have been for those people for many decades, retire/marriage should be like permanent residents

try looking at other countries permanent residence visas which are 5,10,20 years, costs are lot higher than Elite

it comes down to how much you value your peace of mind living in a country or if you can pay a large amount up front, that's not applicable to everyone, so it has financial restraints on many, on what they can afford, but at least its available that's a big plus to expats

14 hours ago, brianthainess said:

TIT no one takes responsibility for anything.

Rule 1. don't loose face,

rule 2 deny  everything

no more rules apply.

It's not about one county called Thailand, it's a country like many that have no or little functioning rule of law, instead law is used for oppression and suck in western capital, these companies, government agenicies, or anybody who thinks they are above the glass ceilling or class system for what ever reason, don't need to service people, unless they think the person could react in a meaningful

way, clearly this lady is looked down on, and any repurcussions through this media story will be forgotten, as the lady cannot ever win in this male-dominant non-rule of law corrupt society

Tony Fernandes used to say that Airasia in Asia can always get away with late or service was bad, and if some one complains, nobody needs to do anything to make amends, no regulators will ever care about the customers, in Europe whole different story

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

If the children went to school they would learn things about IT and could help their parents with it instead of starting to work in the fields on a very early age.

That wasn't what I was reading in the article, I see it as another brainwashing activity by the generals, using fake but western sounding organizations, which would be controlled by the generals workhorse department ISOC (Internal Security organisation), the article never states this information directly, but

'Anti-Fake News Centre'

'Office of the National Cyber Security Agency'

and the rest of the departments and orgs are just for show, to make it seem palatable,

no wonder they hate Move Forward Party, but I can't see any other party including Taksins that would try to disrupt any of this going forward

Went past Ratchada today, and saw the re-development of what was Snop pub, into Mingming entertainment, with a large sign next to the building, all in Manadarin, wanting workers, salary in yuan, as the club is opposite the Chinese embassy, but as one closes, another one opens

Sounds like criminal background check, geez, this regime keeps turning the screws, hopefully a new regime, will produce fairer policies for immigration practices, but as I have no knowkedge of Jomtien or the marriage visa system, I just hope is an over the top singular request, not a future all-in policy

Oh my, 1000+ overstayers caught in a week, just like so many articles from arresting foreigners, to 2000% demand increases in property demand, to economic figures all doing so well, yes we are so low IQ, we foreigners, we believe anything, or maybe it's for the rest of the countries population, that they look down on, regarding them as playing the banjo's in the movie scene 'deliverance', 

just so much horse manure, wrapped around a ounce of truth, and if anyone pushes, you lied through your big rear behind, it's off to the non-rule of law court system for criminal defamation,

and if you can't prove it, with live stream video, with clear audio, where all involved are shouting 'we did it, guilty as sin' then it's a billion baht compensation, with a group of filthy corrupt lawyers and all other staff from the court house, with bags of cash, in their new benz's