britainmal

I don't know the figures, so I can't say she is wrong.

Deputy BOT governor on fiscal policy, Ajana Waikwamdee (อัจนา ไวความดี)

She said that the negative economic factors that could disrupt the economy are oil prices, economic growth of trading partners, and regional currencies. She said the positive factor is improved investor confidence in the country.

I can't see economic growth of trading partners a negative thing and as far as having improved investor confidence, I can't see this with all these anti-foreigner investment remarks.

Mr. Bpansak Burepan should read my other article responds on this forum.

however, his performance on the deal seems to have had a hidden agenda, especially amending legislation to boost the allowed foreign ownership in telecom business to 49 percent.

He is opening the country to foreign investment, which will make Thailand a rich country. Closing Thailand to foreign investment will make it like China and the Soviet Union in the Communist era. There are many countries that have opened there economy to foreign investment and they have not been invaded like the Thai media portrays negatively of this occuring to Thailand if it opens up its' investment doors.

The Thai gov't seems to forget all this coruption that takes place are with the Thai-Chinese social elites. Foreigners doing business are the least corrup and they are helping poor population improve their lives. Who is really improving the lives of the Issan people not the Thai Gov't for sure.

You are totally mistaken Mr. Dutch. China will diversify their currency holdings not abandon the USD. The Chinese will still hold the majority USD in their basket of diversified basket of currencies. The USD is still the strongest and stable currency in the world, even though it is falling in value. The USA economy is worth 13 Trillion USD. The only close countries are Japan and the EU. This is no where near China even with the fact that China is now the low wage factory start up capital of the world. China may have surpassed Italy in GDP, but China's Per Captial Income is far below that of Italy.

They don't make any sense. During the FTA talks the Thai government said that the Banking sector is weak and will take 20 years to be economically strong. Now , they are saying they are already economically, sounds Just like another sign of fear of foreigner sickness.

Why in the world would they stand up for foreigners' rights? As soon as that happened, all job opportunities would probably close up for them since they are now associated with a foreign "invader", or at least outsider. Forget ever being considered a "Thai" celebrity.

They also have foreigner blood and this is not true that all jobs will close up. Investment and Job Competition creates a better economy. This is why all Western countries in the world do not operate on this idealogy of Protectionism.

There's a reason why the luuk kreungs here often marry with Thais - so they will still be considered a "special" Thai person versus "normal" farang. I would personally otherwise be suspicious of where their true loyalties lie.

This is the problem in Thai Society and as long as you can speak the Language well and you like being here then, you should be accepted into this society. Just like everywhere else.

It's the same reason why the Chinese in Thailand do better than those in other Southeast Asian countries. For example, in Indonesia there have been several large-scale massacres of Chinese living there who show off their success as a distinct ethnic group. In Thailand, the Chinese her e assimilate well and even change their last names to be Thai

The Thai-Chinese do not consider themselves Chinese. This is why they don't have those same problems. They only consider themselves Thai. That is also why most Thai-chinese can't speak a word of Chinese versus other Asian and Western Countries.

I think the Luuk kreungs' need to stand up for foreigners' rights in Thailand They have the power because they are Thai Nationals/Western Nationals. The problem is they pretend only to be 100 percent Thai.(example Tata Yang).

Would agree to many of the reasons outline above. However, the big mac is chosen due to the fact that it best represents the theory of PPP, that a certain product sold in different markets, made with the same level and amount of inputs (labour, production techniques), should in fact cost the same.

I would agree also

What distorts the prices however, are things like trade barriers, subsidies, inflexible labour markets due to different minium wage laws and immigration restrictions, which affect different markets.

I agree with you again, very smart Samran.

Other things being equal, if a McDonalds worker in Indonesia, China, Argentina, Malaysia, Thailand etc etc, were allowed to jump on a plane tomorrow and go work in the UK, McDonalds in Thailand would be forced sooner or later to pay their workers here more to stem the exodous.

That is correct also, but don't forget this would affect other sectors. This means raise wages, raise the cost of living, and Thailand is no longer a low cost destination.

If Thailand allowed people from neighbouring countries to work in McDonalds', the price of a burger maybe even lower. Please remember not everybody working in McDonalds is poor just go to Mc Donald's in Siam Square and you can meet the PM's daughter.

Equally, (other things being equal again), if the EU scrapped its trade barriers and stopped bloody lavishing french cows, allowing Aregeinian beef imports, then the price of a burger in the EU will decrease somewhat towards asian levels.

I agree with that.

His name is actually Sontee and not Sondti. This guy is not a friend to foreigners. He is very anti-foreigner unlike Thaksin, which is Foreigner friendly. Was Thaksin Anti-foreigner before he was elected? I Think this guy(Sontee) is just trying to repeat history, so he can get into power quickly.

The Rich Thai companies can compete against Western companies. They are investing oversees buying up western Companies. Don't just look at Thailand as small and poor.

The "labour" from these countries is just that.

Uneducated labourers, fine for building houses etc

but unsuitable as factory workers. As another poster points out

you virtually need a degree for that, well almost.

Do You really need a degree to be a factory worker? The answer is No and their is no

requirement under Thai law. The problem is just

like Western Countries is that the career fields

They(Thais)are choicing is getting more

sophisticated. (For

example, instead of Laborous work they choice to work as Taxi drivers or in the

tourist field) easy money and not so tiring. This is only in the begaining stages and Thai's are still uneasy about foreigners filling in their jobs even the cheap labour jobs. As far as needing a degree to sell shoes in Robinsons, this is for the reason to keep out all those uneducated Thais's from the provinces from coming to Bangkok flooding the job market that is why even to work in a Thai massage shop you need to spend money and take a course before you can start to work.

The Thai's are notorious for their Xenophobia.

This statement basically sums up everything.

Thai chief executives are concerned about the large amount of foreign capital flowing into many industries and they say that foreigners could pose a new threat along with uncertainties about oil prices and global trade imbalances.

Foreign investment poses a threat to the Thai Chief's executive's control over the Thai economy. Basically, They want to dominate the economy and they think just because They are Thais they should have be able to do it without fair competition. Don't forget The Thai Chief executives are just as rich.

They are concerned about a shortage of labour in the manufacturing sector

He forgot about the people from Burmese ,Lao and Khmers. They are more focused on deporting these people instead of looking how useful they are to the Thai Economy and actually respect them for it. In the West these people would have a voice, but in Nationalistic Thailand they don't.

Business nowadays is not a fight against Thais but against foreign capital......

Let me correct that statement, He meant to say, "My Business monoploy in Thailand is under Threat, since I am starting to lose my free ride status."

However, they expect competition to intensify, particular in the property and steel markets.

There monopoly in the Thai econmy may be undermined.

Thiraphong Chansirir, chief executive of Thai Union Frozen Products Plc, said that although the overall economic picture seems to be improving, small businesses are faced with stronger competition and a shortage of labour.

I don't think Mr. Thiraphong Chansirir Company does not have to worry about small business and Labour shortages , but his monopoly in the Thai Economy. Don't forget a few years ago he bought the largest US Tuna company Star Kist.

Foreign capital has been injected the most into the property sector, particularly from Singapore. For example, a Singaporean company City Development has already bought up to seven or eight buildings in prime areas in Bangkok. So, small and medium players will face much more difficulty,” Anant said.

Small and medium are already facing stiff competition from The rich Thai companies buying up prime areas making them expensive for the Poorer Thai business. The main issue is that Rich Thai Monoploy buying up the poor Thai non-monopoly. It is not about a foreign Threat, but The Thai Monolpoly starting to use lose their dominance power.

The Thais are proud of their history, even though they've been invaded by the Burmese many times, they managed,through negotiation, to keep the British and French at the borders.

However Thailand has been colonized economically by the Chinese, much like Singapore.

They are in denial of their history and the motto is Spread the lies how good we are as a nation even if it is not true. For example the colony issue, The West is free sex heaven but Thailand is not, Thai women dress conserative and Farang women dress too sexy. Lies Lies and more Lies, Thai society needs to stop living in world of denials and admit the truth. I know they can't fool us.

All these regulations, I think it is better to just rent.

May I suggest you spend some time at Sun Tower or SCB Park Plaza and count how many expats you see? And that is basically just one industry.

Really, You are still talking about a small number of foreigners. The foreigners that are working for does companies are either excutives or have degrees from very prestigious universities.

I wonder how many other countries in Asia you have worked. Thailand is not much different then any other place.

I still say English teachers are minority in Asia.

TH

You are wrong. How many foreigners in Thailand do you think are teaching English? Count.

You could possibly be right about the salary issue. Many foreigners do not want to work for 60K baht per month when they could make 333K per month back in their home country.

I did not mean that. 60k is a good starting salary in Thailand and many foreigners would be happy with that.

As for your second comment, "unfair" to who... you or the locals (Thai)?

I refering to both parties.

If your home country has lax employment laws that permit the hiring of foreign nationals over locals, then petition your gov't to change the laws such that they are fairer to you. I wish you good luck. But don't expect Thailand to change their laws so that they are fair to you.

The West has very lax labour law when it comes to hiring foreigners that is why Thai's want to work in the West than lets' say Japan.

Hi

What I mean is that for the vacancies we currently have we will not sponser work permits. Therefore you have to be able to legally work in thailand without a wp.

I only posted the salaries to give you a guide to what you could expect in the local market should you be able to find employment.

best regards

mn

You don't want to hire foreigners because the salary is too low for us and because of the unfair labour regulation that requires a company that hires a foreigner must employ 5 locals.

...Is English teaching the only (or best) "package employmemt" opportunity available for expats in Asia or are there are other well kept-secrets out there?...

I kinda had to laugh at this one. The facts are that English teachers are by far the minority Expats in Asia, even in Thailand. There are literally [hundreds] of thousands of Expats working in virtually every industry, Construction, finance, manufacturing, etc, throughout Asia. Most are on either job shop contracts that pay close to home country salary and housing and transportation allowances or on corporate packages that include overseas uplifts, housing, transportation, home leaves, etc.

TH

I don't think so Mr. Thaihome, with Thailand's very restrive labour law how can you employ foreigners unless a foreigner comes here to open up a business which means that you still have to hire only Thai people for your invested business you have not choice.

its all bout oil

Again you make no sense

How about Cambodia? Actually I think in the future, say 30 years from now Cambodia will be what Thailand is now in economic terms. The main reason why so many foreigners come to Thailand is the low cost of living and well developed infrustructure. I don't think Thailand can keep the prices low for 30 more years. I see Cambodia as the future because Thailand will be too expensive in 30 years maybe even Laos also.

The US side is keeping this trade deal secret too. I think the People who protested in Washington are very stupid becasue they think Thailand is a Third world country when it is not. Thailand is spending all this money on infustructure and providing free health care under the 30 baht plan, which means that all the poor in Thailand are getting free medicine. A little rise in the price of drugs will not hurt Thailand. If this was Cambodia it would hurt them, but Thailand is not Cambodia in economic terms. The Thai's don't want to open there economy to foreign investment any further because they want to have the right to dominate their economy. The Thai side wants to export their products tariff free right way and in return they want to lower tariffs in a time span of 10 years. The Thai side talks about a level playing, but it seems the Thai's only want the FTA to benefit themselves.

USA dont want to pay farang price, that all

That statement you made makes no sense.

Maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick with this, but how can the shinawatra family 'sell' the Shin corp? They're selling (maybe, maybe not) their 40% stake. Does a 40% stake mean they own the company?

I agree with ovenman, once the opening up/liberalization of the industry gets fully in it's stride, and serious competition comes along, Shin, Dtac, TOT, CAT etc are going to have real problems. At the moment it's a nice, cozy cartel, everyone is making money despite being barely able to tie their shoelaces themselves.

We're beginning to see it now, CAT is starting to scream blue murder because they can see the end of their monopoly on control of the internet here, and the silly money the ISP's have to pay them.

It's gonna get real interesting!

Mr Sierra01 I agree with you 100 percent.

The US side is keeping this trade deal secret too. I think the People who protested in Washington are very stupid becasue they think Thailand is a Third world country when it is not. Thailand is spending all this money on infustructure and providing free health care under the 30 baht plan, which means that all the poor in Thailand are getting free medicine. A little rise in the price of drugs will not hurt Thailand. If this was Cambodia it would hurt them, but Thailand is not Cambodia in economic terms. The Thai's don't want to open there economy to foreign investment any further because they want to have the right to dominate their economy. The Thai side wants to export their products tariff free right way and in return they want tolower tariffs in a time span of 10 years. The Thai side talks about a level playing, but it seems the Thai's only want the FTA to benefit themselves.

Don't forget this guy is very anti-foreigner. I think Thaksin's party should be changed to the Democratic Party and Sontee should be TRT. We(Foreigners)should not support this rich selfish loser that uses politics to make his money empire grow. Go to Lumpini Park and take a look at the Sontee banner that says, "Thailand is not foreigner land".(In Thai) Thai politics should be friendly to foreigners because we(foreigners) are the ones that are making this country rich.

PR is the first step to citizenship, and there are a fair few farangs there who have got it.

I don't have to ring them up anymore because you answered my question already.

How about finding work in the UAE? much more safer, Do you have enough money to open up a business in Thailand? You could try that?