Jump to content

New financial regulations for retirees: Nearly a third of expats may have to leave - but half on Facebook say they're off!


webfact

Recommended Posts

25 minutes ago, lmaxv said:

It sure seems to me that the government is making things difficult for the retired population with no added benefits for the country. If each expat retired in Thailand spent a VERY conservative 25,000 baht per month for the year, that's 300,000 baht. If say there are 40,000 retirees spending the 25K per month, that's 1 billion baht PER MONTH! If half are leaving, thanks to immigration authorities, they're taking 500 million baht with them that will not get spent in Thailand. If the requirement was simply 800,000 B on deposit at the time of extension and maintaining a 400,000 B balance for each month of the following year would simplify things. So think what these officials are willing to pull out of the hands of the common people in Thailand! Six billion baht per year...conservatively! So tell me, where's the benefit of chasing people away from Thailand? If any have better figures than this, chime in... 

6 billion a year is 10 million Chinese spending 600 THB each, peanuts.  

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve been here 12 years now, and I honestly expected things to get better as time went by, but it hasn’t. It’s getting worse. Every month there’s some new stupid “condition” introduced.

  The main reason I’m still here is because my wife is at home here, but Cambodia is starting to look better with every passing year.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Teddy3943 said:

I experienced that actually many Thais hate the farangs, although they seldom express this openly. Times will change if the businesses get less dependant on farang spendings...

What will change? Are you predicting public lynchings?

 

Thailand makes significant money from inbound tourism. Not so much from a large handful of retirees of mostly modest means. The contribution to the country's economy from this small group is going to be negligible if compared. 

 

There are hoops to jump through in order to be able to retire to any country, not just here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

LOL. No, it won't. The loss of the lower end of the financial strata will be insignificant, because of the change in visitor  demographics. The Russian and Asian visitor segments are experiencing double digit growth and they  present a much better value proposition for the Thais.

I would have to agree. Those leaving I would think would be those fudging the fact that they didn't really have the financial resources they stated on their financial declarations. I would hope that in actuality those that don't have the required funds for a retirement visa have some other option to stay provided to them by the government although I wouldn't count on it.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would wait and see, it will not be easy to implement, some officials have already complained. It also may scare off new applicants, not because they don't have money, but because of the constant hassle. The always changing conditions also don't create much confidence for retirees who want to buy property and settle down.

Looks to me the officials high up don't understand their own rules, the 800k are supposed to be the money to use during the year. Will they ask those who have a monthly pension, not to use any money the first 3 months and only half of their pension the rest of the year?

It shouldn't be too difficult to get the agents that fake the deposits and the officials who stamp the dodgy visas, they have been advertising in the open for many years. When I was 10 we used to play detectives, I would have solved the case in less than a week. ????

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, lmaxv said:

It sure seems to me that the government is making things difficult for the retired population with no added benefits for the country. If each expat retired in Thailand spent a VERY conservative 25,000 baht per month for the year, that's 300,000 baht. If say there are 40,000 retirees spending the 25K per month, that's 1 billion baht PER MONTH! If half are leaving, thanks to immigration authorities, they're taking 500 million baht with them that will not get spent in Thailand. If the requirement was simply 800,000 B on deposit at the time of extension and maintaining a 400,000 B balance for each month of the following year would simplify things. So think what these officials are willing to pull out of the hands of the common people in Thailand! Six billion baht per year...conservatively! So tell me, where's the benefit of chasing people away from Thailand? If any have better figures than this, chime in... 

There is the multiplier/velocity of money effect of that money as well...but they don't care...it's westerners out and Chinese and Indians in. They can finally show their hand now the shift is happening.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, side said:

What will change? Are you predicting public lynchings?

 

Thailand makes significant money from inbound tourism. Not so much from a large handful of retirees of mostly modest means. The contribution to the country's economy from this small group is going to be negligible if compared. 

 

There are hoops to jump through in order to be able to retire to any country, not just here.

nah...someone did bother to calculate,

a very modest 25k/month is a very low estimate,

that turns out to be 300k per year, that is many times more than nearly all tourists will spend

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Date Masamune said:

I think many COULD come back if they save resources.

 

Never thought there were so many on a shoestring here but 800k baht is not much money if you plan ahead

50% of Americans couldn't pay an unexpected $500 bill (according to a survey), 800k is $20,000.

Most off the western world is the same.

  • Like 2
  • Sad 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For a decade or so globalization was being promoted..

 

..and this is just one of the symptoms of a global crackdown/pullback on immigration. Trump and Brexit are showing the way...

 

..others are free to follow suit.

 

Three steps forward one step back.

 

Things will come around again but there will be casualties as there are always.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Just you.  They want me.  Visa extension every year no problems 20 years.  All the Thai people I know are nice to me.  Navy beans are a bit expensive but other than that everything is fine.

Me too! 17 years no issues.... Money has always been in Bank, drawing interest! Started putting interest in separate account, good pocket change for side trips satisfy Wife's whims... Only thing that would Piss me off is for them to say these funds don't count! You need being making deposits monthly....

The only activity they would see on this account is the monthly withdrawals of the interest! (17 years x 12 months equals 204 transfers of interest!)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, macanello said:

Paying a mortgage here every month of 20,000 baht and the car payments are 13000 Baht. Dead money isn't an option for me as the capital is being used constantly and being used in this country.

It looks like you need more money.

 

Welcome to Thailand!

 

PS - Don't shoot me I'm only a messenger

Edited by NightSky
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.











×
×
  • Create New...