jayboy

1 hour ago, paddypower said:

I assume you meant to write ''  . If we DON'T want things to stay the same, things will have to change''   ????

 

No, I meant what I wrote.It was an allusion to famous quotation from a young aristocrat in Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's great novel , The Leopard.In other words, putting it into a local context, the unelected elites {no need to spell out the details) who control Thailand will have to accept there are major changes ahead which will diminish their wealth, influence and power.If they wish to retain a significant portion of their current favourable position, they will have to negotiate and compromise.It is called enlightened self interest, admittedly not a commodity in great supply in Thailand.

2 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Still astounded that we're caught up in this fabricated red-shirt/yellow shirt nonsense. 

What they do well is continue to keep us divided. 

It reflects a real division of interests so it's is not nonsense or fabricated.Yes, unity should be the aim but that will involve painful compromises - a massive reduction of inequality on one side and the rejection of unfeasible populist policies on the other. If we want things to stay the same, things will have to change.

On 7/28/2023 at 7:25 AM, paddypower said:

one half of the population against the other

More like 10% against 90%.

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

That's interesting, maybe their 'criteria' has changed but 27 years ago I asked the Immigration senior who conducted my interview if being married to a Thai lady made getting PR more easy?

 

His response 'Not really because we assess you / are you the type of foreigner we want to have holding this status, and we don't assess your wife at all, so not really relevant.

 

That's 27 years ago, maybe that's changed.  

I think we are effectively saying (and were advised) the same thing.I chose the option which seemed simplest.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Passe question.

Is it? As a supporter of marriage equality myself, I would have thought it well worth asking since in the UK at least civil partnership provides all the legal protections of marriage. I suppose the difference is essentially an emotional one, and that of course is important.

It's a minority opinion but some distinguished gay commentators, such as Mathew Parris, prefer civil partnerships over marriage.Here's Parris on the subject:

"I no longer see civil partnership as second-best to marriage. There’s a clarity about it: simple, and shorn of the baggage and hoopla. The estate is to become open to heterosexual couples too, and I offer you this firm prediction: more and more younger couples will choose it. Already I can think of three (straight) couples, friends who haven’t married because there’s something about that word they recoil from.

The church (most of it), Islam and much of Judaism wish to define “marriage” their way. I say let them. Leave them to bark at intrusions on their terminology. Give them their word and their barbed wire, and let us find our own words."

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

In your view 80K USD may be a low level for the West, EU and UK, but for Thailand that's around 225K Thb per month.  How many Thai's make that type of money, ergo why its an amount they decided to use as the WP amount.  How many working expats, working here in Thailand also make that kind of money, the answer would seem to be just a small percentage and why those that make this type of money on a pension are looked at as wealthy, for Thailand at least.

 

How many pensioners make almost 8K USD a month on there pensions? Again its a small percentage.

I'm not sure that comparing required income for LTR wealthy pensioners with Thai levels is relevant.As for corporate expats working here I can assure you that the level is often far above (2 or 3 times or much more) Baht 225,000 per month especially when benefits in kind (often taxable) are taken into account.

The point of the LTR scheme is to attract high potential foreigners who would like to relocate to Thailand long-term, the purpose being to help boost economic development and stimulate overseas investment in the country.The other categories of the LTR scheme are consistent with this aim but not the "wealthy pensioner" category.I think its great that some pensioners are able to take advantage of this scheme but the BOI rationale remains obscure.

As a matter of interest what is the rationale behind the "wealthy pensioner" category particularly as the financial criteria for income have been set at a relatively low financial level?

10 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I suspect (but could be wrong) its a lot easier to get a Yellow Book than it is official Thailand PR status. 

Er, you suspect correctly.

44 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

The reasons for this could be multiple. 

It most probably is because of the attitude of the foreigner, or maybe lack of spoken Thai. 

 

There are many ways around this. Firstly, don't start criticizing Thai culture and their lack of whatever. Learn Thai culture and how to over come these hurdles. It might be by bring a few donuts, or using the name of someone of influence you know. 

Alternatively, tell them you need it as you are applying to become a Thai national, showing them the checklist that is issued by Special Branch police.  Tell them that  if they refuse to comply, you'll take them international court.

I know you are a converted citizen but I wonder how much you know about Thai culture. Who but a mad man would dream of criticizing Thai culture in front of a public official anyway? It is certainly not necessary to bring donuts or any other kind of tasty comestible or for that matter to invoke some influential person. (Most foreigners and apparently some converted citizens have no idea what a public official would regard as an "influential person.") I don't think it's necessary to comment on how a public official would react to being threatened with the special branch or, ludicrously , with an international court.

What's needed is to be an affable nicely behaved and appropriately dressed farang ideally accompanied by an educated middle class/upper middle class Thai.Then if everything is in order you will almost certainly get what you want.

Incidentally as someone who is a long time sceptic on the pink card's usefulness, I don't think one need pay too much attention to the obviously inappropriate wording on the card's back.It's an anomaly that most understand, at least those who have ever heard of it.

17 hours ago, Foxx said:

7/11 is owned by CP ALL.  CP ALL is owned by the Chearavanont family.  No connection with the current senate or the military, AFAIK.

So much to unpack here.Won't comment on this particularl family but the small group of business oligarchs are entirely part of the structure opposed to any change to Thailand's sham democracy.

29 minutes ago, Pib said:

especially when you have a Thai spouse.

Irrelevant.Makes no difference to the (not very high) standard of Thai language required.

29 minutes ago, Pib said:

I did some serious googling on the PR requirements I came across several very creditable websites that gave good details

No you didn't because there are no "very creditable websites" giving details of PR.Most are appalling and are littered with errors including the one you quote which wrongly suggests a work permit comes with PR.The only source that can really be recommended is Asean Now/formerly Thai Visa (this forum) which gives all the information the applicant needs to know.It's a a lot to wade through but all the information is here.

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

But PR status is achieved on a points system and being married to a Thai spouse 'gives you points' and the language requirement is no longer 'mandatory' - an applicant can accrue points through other means.

There is a points system but I have been assured by an unimpeachable source that exceptions are made from time to time if a candidate flops in one or more categories including the Thai language test.In truth they couldn't care less for example whether a candidate is married or not or whether he has a patchy educational background.What does matter in these iffy cases is the amount of tax tax paid.If a well connected/ non crook farang has paid buckets of tax over the prescribed period, he will get PR - even if not generating enough points in other areas.

On 7/11/2023 at 11:05 AM, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

In my 33 years of experience, those are the nicest Thai people that there are.

They really aren't.

2 hours ago, NZAMBOY said:

a Thai bank that has a decent rate for term deposits

Dream on

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

Obviously, it would have been better if she knew the rules. However, kudos to her for changing her decision (which involved some loss of face). That is quite unusual in a Thai official.

Yes, I had the same thought - a different and less hidebound generation one hopes and less obsessed with face.

Recently on arrival (I have Thai PR) a youngish female Immigration official - steering the hordes to their queues - insisted I join the foreign queue despite having seen my white book and stating it's the nationality of passport that counts.I shrugged and complied but mentioned to her that the rules have apparently changed.She was adamant but to my surprise appeared a few minutes later and told me to come with her to the priority queue.I'm guessing my remark that the rules had changed had unsettled her and she had then consulted her boss.I should say the complete encounter was business like in tone and without a hint of hostility on her side or my side.

3 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

the source might have to do with it as well

Exactly