What is your value quotient here in Thailand?

[TonyClifton]

I started a thread a few days ago about my son's school ripping me off for 4000b.  

The usual replies ensued.  They comprise the following:

 

1. The people who agree and are supportive.
2. The Thai apologists who deem everything Thai to be ok, including deceit and lies.
3. The scaredy cats who will forecast gloom and doom for going against Thai corruption.
4. The trolls.
5. The clueless.

 

Regardless of who you are, do you know your worth here in Thailand?  As most of us are non-immigrants we come here for a duration which can last weeks to years.  I think many here think that they are ONLY guests of the Kingdom and as such, they should put up with anything pointed their way.  Each and every one of you spend your money here.  You don't come here to collect welfare as most do in my country, and you typically spend more here than most Thais do.  

 

Do you think of yourself as some interloper or do you rightly attribute to yourself the moniker of a consumer who spends considerable Baht in furtherance of the Thai Economy?

 

You can live anywhere you want.  You can spend your money where you want.  You chose Thailand.  Was it because it was cheaper to live here than somewhere else?  Don't you think the Thais should be thanking you daily for helping to prop up their economy?  I could easily spend my money in Vietnam and maybe I will.  

 

I recognize my value.  Do you?

 

 

 

 

[NanLaew]

7 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

Each and every one of you spend your money here. ... 

Yes we do.  But what percentage pay taxes here? And I don't mean VAT on purchases either.

 

8 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

You don't come here to collect welfare as most do in my country,

Most visitors of any sort to your country do not collect welfare. Guaranteed.

 

9 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

...and you typically spend more here than most Thais do.  

Citation (badly) needed.

 

...while you're looking that up, anyone else up for a balloon chase?

[TonyClifton]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

Yes we do.  But what percentage pay taxes here? And I don't mean VAT on purchases either.

 

Most visitors of any sort to your country do not collect welfare. Guaranteed.

 

Citation (badly) needed.

 

...while you're looking that up, anyone else up for a balloon chase?

VAT is a tax.  Why would you discount its importance?

 

Many visitors come to my country, overstay and they collect welfare.

 

Your point?

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

Your point?

Your post I guess.

[NanLaew]

4 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

VAT is a tax.  Why would you discount its importance?

 

Many visitors come to my country, overstay and they collect welfare.

 

Your point?

VAT payment in any country doesn't get you equal rights in those countries.

 

Glad you changed your 'most' visitors to just 'many' visitors. Hopefully, it will eventually be just 'some' visitors.

 

Yours?

[NanLaew]

22 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

I could easily spend my money in Vietnam and maybe I will.  

I've worked off and on in Vietnam for the best part of 8 years.

 

And you think the Thai's don't like us?

[canuckamuck]

24 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

I recognize my value.  Do you?

 

I've never met you.

[NanLaew]

My value quotient in LOS is zip, nada and zilch. Been like that for nan laew too.

 

On the other hand, if you want me to rank my self esteem...?

[metisdead]

Troll posts have been removed. 

[sanuk711]

1 hour ago, TonyClifton said:

I started a thread a few days ago about my son's school ripping me off for 4000b.  

Yes Tony...it had a fair run...but you like to milk it for some more.......*sigh.....

[stevenl]

41 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

Yes Tony...it had a fair run...but you like to milk it for some more.......*sigh.....

And unfortunately he did not understand the critics of his post.

[cyberfarang]

The OP`s questions have many avenues.

 

For me living in Thailand is a 50/50 situation. All my income comes from England, I don`t take even 1 baht from Thailand except for interest on my bank savings that I pay tax on,  and I also have some considerable savings banked with Thai banks brought over from England. I probably spend more money per month with local businesses than the Thai locals do. In this respect Thailand gains from me. On the other hand I can live in Thailand enjoying a much better quality of life for far cheaper than in my own country. So it`s a give and take relationship.

 

But there are those, many I have known and know personally that are staying in Thailand on very low budgets, hardly spending at all, they have meager savings, if any, and quite a few are working illegally, some using their Thai wives or girlfriend to front businesses and others working online. These are the people that are of no use to Thailand and unwanted by the government.

 

Unfortunately it is expats like me who get roped in with the begpats, having tougher times trying to get Thai banks to take me on and trying to convince the Thais that I am a reputable resident here because of the bad reputations many westerners have in this country. So in the end we all get discriminated against and viewed as not being trustworthy.

[TonyClifton]

27 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

On the other hand I can live in Thailand enjoying a much better quality of life for far cheaper than in my own country. So it`s a give and take relationship.

 

No, it's mostly a "give" relationship.

 

27 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

These are the people that are of no use to Thailand and unwanted by the government.

These people as you call them are also contributing.  Your post smacks of elitist sentimentalities.  Just because they don't contribute as much as you, doesn't mean that they are taking.  They are also giving but less than you.   

[KittenKong]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Yes we do.  But what percentage pay taxes here? And I don't mean VAT on purchases either.

 

I dont pay tax here because I am not required to. If I was required to I would do so (or, more likely, move).

 

But regardless of how much tax I do or dont pay here, every Baht I spend originated outside of Thailand (with the exception of a small amount of bank interest, but the interest is paid on a deposit of money from abroad).

 

Imported money is the very best type of money any country can possibly have, and it is vastly superior to tax revenue in every way.

[TonyClifton]

2 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

I dont pay tax here because I am not required to. If I was required to I would do so (or, more likely, move).

 

But regardless of how much tax I do or dont pay here, every Baht I spend originated outside of Thailand (with the exception of a small amount of bank interest, but the interest is paid on a deposit of money from abroad).

 

Imported money is the very best type of money any country can possibly have, and it is vastly superior to tax revenue in every way.

You are correct.  You're the first serious responder to this thread.  We pump pure money into this economy.  They should be thanking us at Immigration when we come and go.  

[InMyShadow]

You are correct.  You're the first serious responder to this thread.  We pump pure money into this economy.  They should be thanking us at Immigration when we come and go.  

I'm pretty sure the Chinese pump way more in than the average expat who ventures out for happy hour and a bowel of chicken noodle soup

 

[TonyClifton]

17 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

I'm pretty sure the Chinese pump way more in than the average expat who ventures out for happy hour and a bowel of chicken noodle soup

 

Is this a troll? Are you a troll? Do I really have to explain the concept of value to you?

 

Even the poorest expat puts money in the hooker's bank account who in turn buys things.  He pays rent or hotel and buys food from the street or stores.  This is not about who is spending the most money. 

 

Maybe you don't get it.  Pity.  

[JLCrab]

3 hours ago, TonyClifton said:

<snip> They should be thanking us at Immigration when we come and go.  

Don't hold your breath awaiting.

[nausea]

2 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

I'm pretty sure the Chinese pump way more in than the average expat who ventures out for happy hour and a bowel of chicken noodle soup

Yeah, I get your point. While it's nice to think our money should make us important, and I'm sure Western expats and tourists add to the economy, just how significant is it? It may be that compared to say Chinese, Japanese, and Korean investment, we're fairly irrelevant.

 

[NanLaew]

7 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

Unfortunately it is expats like me who get roped in with the begpats, having tougher times trying to get Thai banks to take me on and trying to convince the Thais that I am a reputable resident here because of the bad reputations many westerners have in this country. So in the end we all get discriminated against and viewed as not being trustworthy.

Popular myth #283... being tarred with the same brush.

 

Honestly, we just aren't that important to the locals and since it is their country, they have absolutely no obligation to extend better service to the legions of moaning, foreign squatters than the rubbish and inconsistent service they already serve up for their own kind. For every cranky foreigner unable to get satisfaction at HomePro, Bangkok Bank, Toyota, Big C, taxi and the local police station, there's probably 20 locals in exactly the same boat. The only difference is they can understand why they're getting shafted whereas the discontented foreigners variously throw out the race card and other such nonsense.

 

4 hours ago, TonyClifton said:

You are correct.  You're the first serious responder to this thread.  We pump pure money into this economy.  They should be thanking us at Immigration when we come and go.  

Responders please note; if you wish to be considered as serious, please agree to the OP's flawed premise that we are Buddha's gift to the masses.

 

Now, what's this about pumping something...?

[TonyClifton]

Responders please note; if you wish to be considered as serious, please agree to the OP's flawed premise that we are Buddha's gift to the masses.
 
Now, what's this about pumping something...?

Don't waste time here, go find a scammer to enable and defend.

Sent from my USA make America Great Again Motorola mobile phone.

[NanLaew]

41 minutes ago, nausea said:

Yeah, I get your point. While it's nice to think our money should make us important, and I'm sure Western expats and tourists add to the economy, just how significant is it? It may be that compared to say Chinese, Japanese, and Korean investment, we're fairly irrelevant.

 

Almost got it right. When compared to the money dropped by Chinese, Japanese and Koreans, we are TOTALLY irrelevant regardless if some of us are playing "barfine my sister me", putting the stepkids through college, making like gangbusters on the SET or buying a new Spivo every couple of years.

[NanLaew]

6 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

Don't waste time here, go find a scammer to enable and defend.

Sent from my USA make America Great Again Motorola mobile phone.
 

Come on Tony. We all know you're so much better than this. Debate the issues you are serious about like a man.

 

Or just give up...

[KittenKong]

3 hours ago, nausea said:

Yeah, I get your point. While it's nice to think our money should make us important, and I'm sure Western expats and tourists add to the economy, just how significant is it? It may be that compared to say Chinese, Japanese, and Korean investment, we're fairly irrelevant.

 

Tourism generally (including indirect income and local tourism) accounts for just under 20% of GDP here. Excluding local tourism and indirect income it's around half that.

 

In many ways tourism is better income than inward investment is as investors do have a tendency to want to see some sort of profit later, which they will generally want to repatriate. Also inward investment may come with strings attached. Spending by tourists is largely one-way and definitive, and carries no strings. Few tourists will leave Thailand with more than an empty wallet, some cheap souvenirs and possibly a dose of diarrhoea or the clap.

 

As for Chinese tourists, they may be very numerous but they dont stay long and they dont spend much individually. So long-term expats and frequent farang visitors do indeed spend more individually. I know several people who have spent more here supporting hookers girlfriends than I spent buying my condo and car, and that includes some people who complain that they cant afford to buy a condo here.

 

Either way, as far Thai people are concerned they should be appropriately thankful to all tourists who come here as all of them leave money behind. Unfortunately many Thais are not thankful, especially the ones whose incomes are closely connected with tourism. I think this is very short-sighted of them, but many Thais are indeed very short-sighted.

[marko kok prong]

12 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

The OP`s questions have many avenues.

 

For me living in Thailand is a 50/50 situation. All my income comes from England, I don`t take even 1 baht from Thailand except for interest on my bank savings that I pay tax on,  and I also have some considerable savings banked with Thai banks brought over from England. I probably spend more money per month with local businesses than the Thai locals do. In this respect Thailand gains from me. On the other hand I can live in Thailand enjoying a much better quality of life for far cheaper than in my own country. So it`s a give and take relationship.

 

But there are those, many I have known and know personally that are staying in Thailand on very low budgets, hardly spending at all, they have meager savings, if any, and quite a few are working illegally, some using their Thai wives or girlfriend to front businesses and others working online. These are the people that are of no use to Thailand and unwanted by the government.

 

Unfortunately it is expats like me who get roped in with the begpats, having tougher times trying to get Thai banks to take me on and trying to convince the Thais that I am a reputable resident here because of the bad reputations many westerners have in this country. So in the end we all get discriminated against and viewed as not being trustworthy.

Similar situation to my own,there is a guy in town who has a very meager pension,due in no small part to the fact he retired voluntarily at 36 or so,toward the days when his pension arrives he borrow's money from many people,which he does repay, he has no health insurance,now for one reason and another neither do i at present,and recently had a serious op in the local hospital,the bill was some 53,000 baht,incredibly cheap by western standard's,and no problem for me to pay,i do wonder what this guy would do in a similar situation,as no way would he be able to pay that sort of money. I sort of feel a bit sorry for him,living hand to mouth like this,as he is quite a nice guy,and admits he probably should have worked longer. There is no way i would have moved here if i was not fiscally sound,and could enjoy myself,if i had to live in such a fashion i would do so back in Australia ,where at least you have a social security safety net.

[marko kok prong]

9 hours ago, TonyClifton said:

Is this a troll? Are you a troll? Do I really have to explain the concept of value to you?

 

Even the poorest expat puts money in the hooker's bank account who in turn buys things.  He pays rent or hotel and buys food from the street or stores.  This is not about who is spending the most money. 

 

Maybe you don't get it.  Pity.  

Easy there Tony,don't get overwrought,and what's all this about hookers,we don't all use their services,and not all of us have a girlfriend/wife who has been one,i think you could find a better analogy than this.

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, TonyClifton said:

You chose Thailand.  Was it because it was cheaper to live here than somewhere else?  Don't you think the Thais should be thanking you daily for helping to prop up their economy?  I could easily spend my money in Vietnam and maybe I will.  

I chose Thailand because the beaches and the women were lovely, and I stayed because it's warm and cheaper.

I don't think anyone ever sincerely thanked me for anything, including the western hag from hell that took me for almost everything I had, and the Thai woman that attempted to do the same, or my own country that now considers me a burden despite having served for many years and paid mucho taxes. I certainly don't think the Thais give me a thought, except at immigration, and I know they feel not an iota of gratitude, as with almost every person I ever helped my entire life, in any country.

 

If you feel the Vietnamese would be more ''grateful" to you, perhaps you should move there, but I think you will find the gratitude you expect in return for whatever largesse you bestow on them is lacking.

 

I have noticed that a lot of farangs think they contribute much to the Thai economy, when in fact it's so insignificant it's almost invisible.

[thaibeachlovers]

I forgot to mention that my "value quotient" is exactly the amount I spend here. Not one satang more or less.

[marko kok prong]

Re reading the OP from Tony i really don't know why he is getting so wound up over this.

[FritsSikkink]

You forgot:

 

6 the people who didn't believe my racial issue and thought there could be an other reason.

 

Please go to Vietnam