Less Western Expats arriving than ever before and a significant fall in working Western expats now in Thailand

[utalkin2me]

7 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

stickman led the exodus and we all know why ..thai forums have less and less posters nowadays

I don't know why.

 

I live on the outskirts of bkk. Call me crazy but seven years ago there was hardly a farang. I could go a week and see one. Now they are everywhere. I suppose they aren't western or something, but the numbers surely aren't dwindling. 

[utalkin2me]

29 minutes ago, tropo said:

Why would "the future of the Western Expat in Thailand" be worrying? Who's worrying about it? Certainly not the government, with all the (stupid) hoops they force them to jump through, and operations like "X-Ray Operation Outlaw Foreigner". Expats are being made to feel less welcome by the year.

 

The government is mainly interested in affluent, high-quality tourists.

 

I wouldn't be worried in the slightest if half the Western expats leave tomorrow. Why would that affect anyone that wants to stay until they turn the lights off? Expats have choices - they can leave and relocate elsewhere.

I do not care either, and not sure why I would unless I owned a go go bar or something. 

 

I personally would highly favor seeing fewer farang mugs. Yet, as I reported, I am seeing about ten times as many as ten years ago, at least where I live. 

[tropo]

3 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

I do not care either, and not sure why I would unless I owned a go go bar or something. 

 

I personally would highly favor seeing fewer farang mugs. Yet, as I reported, I am seeing about ten times as many as ten years ago, at least where I live. 

Where do you live? In Pattaya, they are definitely declining. Here, of course, the streets are full of tourists, so expats don't stand out.

Edited August 2, 2018 by tropo

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, Bangkok Ape said:

Anyone who's relocation choice is restricted to PI and Thailand is clearly a sex tourist.

Or a tourist who likes sex. But I hear it's real cheap in Burma.

[moontang]

8 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

stickman led the exodus and we all know why ..thai forums have less and less posters nowadays

likely because the place that was the core of his business and sponsors became a ripoff transvestite circus, complete with no happy hours and drinks costing more than a days wages for a Thai,

 

I did notice the number of TVF posts that start with "My partner and I" are up exponentially......

[utalkin2me]

1 hour ago, tropo said:

Where do you live? In Pattaya, they are definitely declining. Here, of course, the streets are full of tourists, so expats don't stand out.

I live near bearing bts. 

[mduras01]

I've experienced far more xenophobia and division back home in the US. I never quite caught the whole xenophobia thing here--or at least not to the extent described on TV. Maybe I'm just too dumb to see it in front of me, but I've been treated really well in my 5 years here. Yes, I've been given the finger here once, but the guy was disabled and clearly had issues - which was a lot better than the gunpoint holdup at my home in the US. I've had minor issues here, sure, but nothing like the overt hatred back home. I just think Thailand is doing what any country would do - attracting those who will spend and add value. Side note: If they opened up foreign land ownership, prices would sky rocket by multiples. Foreign demand and speculative individual investors would simply kill the dream of any hard working thai to own land in their own country.

Edited August 2, 2018 by mduras01
Grammar error corrected

[garyk]

I'm an American. Lived in Thailand for 8 years. Loved it for the most part. But, I am getting older and am tired of the BS. Have been traveling to Mexico and South America some now. Much much better choice for us North American folks.

Visa = easy.

Cost of living about the same as Thailand.

Can buy land legally.

Just a pleasure compared to Thailand IMO. I still have a retirement visa in Thailand. But, only come back a few months a year and less and less every year now.

Great memories, but not the best retirement destination anymore IMO.

 

Thailand is small and traveling around is a hassle. I like to drive to different countries in the area and it is a nightmare. A lot of country's in Asia will not let you drive your vehicle in.  Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia( I got in but not that easy) You are kinda stuck.

 

Every country has it's own language, where in Mexico and South America Spanish is mostly spoken and understood.

 

Not my idea of a great place to retire.

But, as I said great memories.

Edited August 2, 2018 by garyk

[Enoon]

8 hours ago, AdamTheFarang said:

I am done with Thailand.........

 

Really?:

 

Which Province Offers The Best Lifestyle?

By AdamTheFarang
Started Tuesday at 05:37 PM

 

 

 

 

[Bangkokazy]

In my opinion, Thailand is used up.
 

[Damrongsak]

13 minutes ago, Bangkokazy said:

In my opinion, Thailand is used up.
 

My Thai teacher once told us that average Thais were not sophisticated, but civilized.  That was 40+ years ago.  What happened to that?

Edited August 2, 2018 by Damrongsak

[spacebass]

6 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Perhaps making retirement visas less of a hassle, putting an end to all the 90 day reporting, making life easier to get a yellow book, a driving licence an alien ID card, not having to bulge around all over with one's passport and stop racketing the legal and decent foreigners at road blocks, may help ?  And maybe posters and national campaigns that rather say "Welcome Foreigner".....instead of "X-Ray Outlaw bust foreigner etc. etc"..... could also help to bring back foreigners ?

But Thailand does not want long term foreigners.

[stanleycoin]

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

my god, I had better put a chain around my compound's front gate and a mattress up against the front door. 

I'm impressed if your still into knee-tremblers at your age. 

 

[rumak]

8 hours ago, JAG said:

I'm not (yet) retired. I teach part time, teach online for a few hours a week and have a small occupational pension. I can live in rural northern Thailand, in a pleasant, comfortable if not luxurious (paid for) house, on about 4 rai of land, on which we grow almost all our fruit and vegetables - well actually my wife does, I just offer advice, which she ignores! I have a wife and daughter. I can afford to run an old but adequate pick up, which I can replace with a similar vehicle if necessary.  I can have a night out with a few beers and a curry every couple of weeks. I can afford to eat out with my wife and daughter every couple of weeks. It is a comfortable lifestyle, and I am very content. 

 

There is no way that I could live like this, in the UK, on my income. And it rains too much. Thailand wins.

Not much different than my life.....also in rural northern Thailand.  Not a bad place to be put out to

pasture,  i reckon   ?  Some Lomyai, papaya, mangos,  and waiting for our avocado trees to grow .

[rumak]

5 hours ago, moontang said:

likely because the place that was the core of his business and sponsors became a ripoff transvestite circus, complete with no happy hours and drinks costing more than a days wages for a Thai,

 

I did notice the number of TVF posts that start with "My partner and I" are up exponentially......

I did used to start with "my partnerS and I"......but have had to slow down some.  Happens to us all.

Edited August 2, 2018 by rumak

[kannot]

12 hours ago, worgeordie said:

It's harder finding Farang tenants for rental properties now,

10 years ago relatively easy,now its Chinese (only as a last

resort) and Thais (never again),not racist ,just good business

practice.

regards worgeordie

Too true, the number of  Western renters has dropped dramatically and as you said the Chinese, well in many cases filthy pigs, some Thais are ok  but many have similar low standards regarding keeping a room clean and undamaged.

[kannot]

10 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I feel like this survey reflects accurately what I've observed.

 

The hollowing out of the under 35 expat demographic probably can be explained by Thailand's war on foreign teachers without work permits, creeping rise in cost of living, and improving economies in the West. Suspect that many working aged expats who were paid in their home currency have found cost of living here has shot up and left as a result. Crackdown on beer bar scene has probably made Thailand less attractive to some as well. Still, expect that next downturn in the West will probably trigger a new wave of retirees and early retirees looking to stretch their pensions in Thailand. With the global homogenization of culture and mass tourism, worldwide tourism has simply lost a lot of its allure.

 

Survey also thoroughly debunks the myth that majority of expats over here are broke. Note rates of home ownership, car ownership, and monthly expenditures reported.

 

Also of interest was that while the majority of expats appear to be living in major metropolitan areas and popular seaside towns, a full third (32%) of respondents fall into an "all other" category, presumably many in smaller cities, towns and villages, i.e., rural Thailand, which, in my opinion, is under-rated as a place to live.

a  big  plus here is no land property taxes  annually such as the UK "rates", there are  many downsides though

[kannot]

8 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

my god, I had better put a chain around my compound's front gate and a mattress up against the front door. 

 

 

the tinfoil hat man , dont forget that!

[kannot]

4 hours ago, mduras01 said:

I've experienced far more xenophobia and division back home in the US. I never quite caught the whole xenophobia thing here--or at least not to the extent described on TV. Maybe I'm just too dumb to see it in front of me, but I've been treated really well in my 5 years here. Yes, I've been given the finger here once, but the guy was disabled and clearly had issues - which was a lot better than the gunpoint holdup at my home in the US. I've had minor issues here, sure, but nothing like the overt hatred back home. I just think Thailand is doing what any country would do - attracting those who will spend and add value. Side note: If they opened up foreign land ownership, prices would sky rocket by multiples. Foreign demand and speculative individual investors would simply kill the dream of any hard working thai to own land in their own country.

have u seen the price of land here?? its ridiculous already and as for BKK condos even more crazy for the crap quality.

[catman20]

13 hours ago, worgeordie said:

It's harder finding Farang tenants for rental properties now,

10 years ago relatively easy,now its Chinese (only as a last

resort) and Thais (never again),not racist ,just good business

practice.

regards worgeordie

i got out of the landlord business 8 or 10 years ago as i could see supply was out striping demand.

[stanleycoin]

2 hours ago, spacebass said:

But Thailand does not want long term foreigners.

and i thought Thailand loved me !!!!!!!! 

Note,  to self, don't post whilst still pissed up.

Edited August 3, 2018 by stanleycoin

[ramrod711]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

Still many Expats don’t have Health Insurance

 

Much has been written over the last 12 months about whether or not it will be made mandatory for all expats to have health insurance in order to live in Thailand. 59% of expats have health insurance (34% do not whilst 7% no but plan too soon). Those in Bangkok, typically a bit younger and also working, show highest levels of health insurance with 70% having this.

I have a budget of 70,000 baht per month, my vehicle is paid, we built our house for cash, recently spent 117,000 baht for a 60 meter well because water was becoming a sporadic comodity. In short, we are comfortable, but not rich. My Thai wife has health insurance I do not. I am diabetic, well controlled (I work out and swim 800 meters, 6 days a week). Health insurance would be useless for me, diabetic, 66 years old etc. . I have money put away for medical bills, but it is in my home country, I don't want it here. If the government insists on health insurance they better make sure that their is a company that will provide it because I haven't found one that will in cases where there is a pre-existing condition. I'm happy here, don't want to leave, but I can go if they insist.

[stanleycoin]

8 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

I have a budget of 70,000 baht per month, my vehicle is paid, we built our house for cash, recently spent 117,000 baht for a 60 meter well because water was becoming a sporadic comodity. In short, we are comfortable, but not rich. My Thai wife has health insurance I do not. I am diabetic, well controlled (I work out and swim 800 meters, 6 days a week). Health insurance would be useless for me, diabetic, 66 years old etc. . I have money put away for medical bills, but it is in my home country, I don't want it here. If the government insists on health insurance they better make sure that their is a company that will provide it because I haven't found one that will in cases where there is a pre-existing condition. I'm happy here, don't want to leave, but I can go if they insist.

They may insist you have a very huge lump of cash in the bank to pay for medical cover if needed one day.

( they wouldn't would they !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). 

That would be,  above and beyond the 800, 400 thousand in the bank extension of stay requirements they have now,   what you think a straight 1 million on top ?

I would not put anything past this lot. 

 

Edited August 3, 2018 by stanleycoin

[rodney earl]

If I was not so engrained over here I would not be here.!!!

[Jeffrey346]

15 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

stickman led the exodus and we all know why ..thai forums have less and less posters nowadays

Expats leaving Thailand has little impact on the amount of forum posts.

Forums in general are a declining industry as more and more groups [previously forums] are now on social media sites like FB and Twitter. 

[pattayadgw]

I'm seeing more and more farang retirees moving away from home ownership and going back to rentals due to the uncertainty of the country and its future

[bkk6060]

Been commenting on this the past year.

The same faces in the same places in Pattaya rarely see a new person.

The girls who work massage, etc. that I know say the same.

I think in 10 years or less there will be few coming/remaining.

 

 

[bkk6060]

7 hours ago, utalkin2me said:

I don't know why.

 

I live on the outskirts of bkk. Call me crazy but seven years ago there was hardly a farang. I could go a week and see one. Now they are everywhere. I suppose they aren't western or something, but the numbers surely aren't dwindling. 

Those are mostly people who can no longer afford the rents in lower Sukhumvit. Not newbies.

[bkk6060]

10 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

Hong Kong is an interesting place.

 

I love HK.

But, at 4 times the cost.

[smutcakes]

13 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

The way they treat expats here with the hoop jumping and can't be a citizen or own anything even if have Thai Family is atrocious. Even if the expat wants his own business then they have to have a certain amount of Thai.  90 day reporting and virtually being considered a 3rd rate person here is just how it is. 

There is nothing to stop you having a 100% foreign owned business in Thailand and operating normally. If you want to own land in Thailand, other than a couple of exceptions then you need to have more than 50% Thai owned.

 

Your post is just one example of someone with very limited knowledge on company ownership etc starts spreading misinformation to other uninformed persons.

 

You can be a citizen here if you qualify as i am sure a number of people on TVF already are, i am currently in the process of doing so.  Its a process with requirements, if you meet those requirements you will be granted citizenship, if you don't you will not. Same as any country.