While I appreciate your argument, I think the wild card is Anutin. The recent crackdowns on many previously acceptable actions are probably his doing, though I could be wrong. The nominee system served a purpose. It brought capital into Thailand. It was never a secret. Anutin---or somebody--thinks its job is done. In order to entice only "quality retirees", it would not surprise me if the financial levels were increased dramatically, even if they dwarfed the average of other supposedly welcoming destinations. I could see something like $100K per year income or 3 million baht in a Thai bank. That isn't so high as to eliminate everyone, but it's high enough that it would suggest an ability to add more economic value to the Thai economy. A retiree living on 50K baht a month doesn't really add much value on his own, and I doubt the argument that an infinite number of 50K/month retirees adds up washes with Anutin. Plus, agents could still make money helping retirees to pretend they've plopped 3 million baht in a Thai bank. Finally, were I a retiree, I would not bank on being grandfathered, simply because I've been here for a long time, built a house, married a Thai woman, or produced mixed kids. Everyone best have a Plan B, just in case. Somehow, just somehow, I get the impression Anutin is not fond of westerners.
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