Have you read them all?

[swissie]

Have you read all the 1200 posts "British Embassy to...." (Visa Section) and 700 posts "easy ride for pensioners....."(Thai news)? Enlightened?

If not, take solace by reading this:
- Not only do home countries little for their expats (by way of embassy services), now they are even making it harder for their expats. = According to political correctness, pensioners should spend their money in their home country and not spend their money in a tropical paradise anyway. Sooner or later government pensions might be "adjusted", reflecting average income levels of the Host Country.

- The Thai's are not making it easier. Not necessarily by issuing new immigration laws, but rather by enforcing existing laws. If this "enforcement-drive" should extend to "visa-mills", there will be a lot of "Blood, Sweat and Tears" for a lot of Farangs in Thailand.

Longer term (let's face it): 3 week tourists is what the Thais prefer over expats by far. Nobody should be surprised, if one fine day the 800'000 Bht deposit for a Retirement-Visa will be tripled, with the final goal, that only Elite-Card-holding expats will remain. Those scenarios should be part of any retirement plans concerning Thailand, including the strong possibility that the Thai-Bath will steadily strenghten versus "western-currencies" in coming years.

- All of the above may be cause for some to re-think their retirement plans as far as Thailand is concerned. Others will hire reputable Bangkok lawyers to look for "loopholes" that "Big Joke" may prefer to overlook.
To others, the fact that the once slim and trim Thai-Ladies are getting sillier and fatter by the year may serve as the ultimate deterrent.

Finally: Times are a changing for Farangs in Thailand in many ways. BE PREPAIRED, NOT SURPRISED later on.

That's the essence of it all. Aren't you glad you didn't have to read almost 2000 posts to reach the same conclusions?
Cheers.

[chickenslegs]

Short on facts. Long on fear-mongering, speculation, and exaggeration.

 

Thai Immigration has not changed any of its policies, nor has it increased any of the financial requirements.

 

21 minutes ago, swissie said:

According to political correctness, pensioners should spend their money in their home country and not spend their money in a tropical paradise anyway. Sooner or later government pensions might be "adjusted", reflecting average income levels of the Host Country.

 

21 minutes ago, swissie said:

Nobody should be surprised, if one fine day the 800'000 Bht deposit for a Retirement-Visa will be tripled, with the final goal, that only Elite-Card-holding expats will remain.

 

22 minutes ago, swissie said:

To others, the fact that the once slim and trim Thai-Ladies are getting sillier and fatter by the year may serve as the ultimate deterrent.

Any facts or links to back up your assertions?

[swissie]

3 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Short on facts. Long on fear-mongering, speculation, and exaggeration.

 

Thai Immigration has not changed any of its policies, nor has it increased any of the financial requirements.

 

 

 

Any facts or links to back up your assertions?

I am merely extrapoliting current trends and perceptions of Thai Authorities and Long-Term Expats and their Thai-Family-Members  as far as "foreighn-low-income dwellers" are concerned into the future. The present is of no interest for folks planning to stay in Thailand long-term. As present (favorable) conditions may change overnight with a stroke of a pen.

Links? Plenty! Farangs, having lived with their Thai-Wifes in Thailand for 10 years or more are getting visits by the police even in the "sticks" of Thailand, even their Thai-Wifes not knowing "what is this all about", all of a sudden.

"Big Joke" can not individually "check-out" every Farang Isaan-Dweller, nor all the Farangs living in big cities. But it seems that a "Dragnet" has been cast out nationwide with the purpose of seperating "good Farangs" from "bad Farangs" with the help of local Police. (Unheard of before).

"Good Farangs" will eventually be allowed to purchase a Thai Elite membership card.

All speculative, right? Not really! A country that still feels surrouned by imaginary "foreighn-powers" and (worse) a horde of permanent Farangs, telling the locals that there are no ghosts and lightnings have nothing to do with evil spirits- of course those "Foreighn-Influences", (only destabilizing a century old well-established Power-Strucure, benefitting a few), can not possibly be sponsored, quite the opposite.

Rant over. But still, a short 10 years into the future, I am confident that my current "speculations" will have turned into reality.
As said before: BE PREPAIRED NOT SURPRISED later on.
Cheers.  

[Kwasaki]

6 hours ago, swissie said:

As said before: BE PREPARED NOT SURPRISED later on.
Cheers. 

If you want to worry about it, be my guest as well as Thailand's. ????

Edited October 12, 2018 by Kwasaki

[marko kok prong]

Excellent op from Swissie, i think he has hit the nail on the head on several points,the authorities much prefer 3 week tourists,visa rules for expats constantly changing, visit's by local Police to expats on retirement visa,only ever used to be for marriage then only after first application. Well know that many high up in government view expats with scorn,despite the number of Thai families supported by said expats which they either do not think about or care.

  As for the visa agents well i personally know of at least two local expats who use them as they have neither the income or lump sum,so they could be gone,one guy has a wife partially disabled from a stroke who he has been with for over 20 years what happens to her? Do they go back to the UK assuming he can get her a visa and do what,sleeping under a railway bridge.

 Indeed the times are a changing,i have a lump sum invested offshore by a company i employ in the Uk,as well as a varied monthly stipend from another source,i have toyed with the idea of bringing this to Thailand,but the appointment of big joke has made me scrap this idea completley, i hope Swissie is wrong but i fear he may be right as he says'BE PREPARED NOT SURPRISED" in the future have a plan b if you can.

 Many may claim big joke is only cleaning up immigration,i for one think he also has a darker manifesto as outlined by Swissie.

[Lacessit]

Thailand does rank number 4 in the world in terms of the cash the country derives from tourism, so it's not a surprise the sector is valued.

The answer to the rest of the speculations is to stay under the radar.

[swissie]

On 10/13/2018 at 10:04 AM, marko kok prong said:

Excellent op from Swissie, i think he has hit the nail on the head on several points,the authorities much prefer 3 week tourists,visa rules for expats constantly changing, visit's by local Police to expats on retirement visa,only ever used to be for marriage then only after first application. Well know that many high up in government view expats with scorn,despite the number of Thai families supported by said expats which they either do not think about or care.

  As for the visa agents well i personally know of at least two local expats who use them as they have neither the income or lump sum,so they could be gone,one guy has a wife partially disabled from a stroke who he has been with for over 20 years what happens to her? Do they go back to the UK assuming he can get her a visa and do what,sleeping under a railway bridge.

 Indeed the times are a changing,i have a lump sum invested offshore by a company i employ in the Uk,as well as a varied monthly stipend from another source,i have toyed with the idea of bringing this to Thailand,but the appointment of big joke has made me scrap this idea completley, i hope Swissie is wrong but i fear he may be right as he says'BE PREPARED NOT SURPRISED" in the future have a plan b if you can.

 Many may claim big joke is only cleaning up immigration,i for one think he also has a darker manifesto as outlined by Swissie.

Quote: "they have neither the income or lump sum,so they could be gone,one guy has a wife partially disabled from a stroke who he has been with for over 20 years what happens to her? Do they go back to the UK assuming he can get her a visa and do what,sleeping under a railway bridge."

 

That's the part of the Thai-Immigration Law that shows best how "valued" Farang Expats are.

- Once the Farang can no more fulfill Immigration requirements = He's out! It is irrelevant how long he has been married to his Thai-Lady or how long he has supported her and her family.
Indeed, the only "tangible" benefit for a Farang marrying a Thai Lady is that he can apply for a marriage Visa, thus reducing the "Visa-Deposit" to 400'000/ 40'000 Bht p/M. That's all as far as tangible benefits are concerned.
Although not within any Thailand Context, I allow myself to quote the honorable Donald J. Trump: "The lousiest deal ever....."

To put it into perspective: A Farang taking his Thai wife to his home country, she will automatically receive permanent residency status as long as they are married. (Possibly beyond). Regardless of their financial situation. With no if's and but's!

Especially as a married Farang in Thailand, make sure you can always fulfill the current Immi-Requirements. And (more importantly), future Immi-Requirements.
Cheers.