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

[hugocnx]

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

It is time to come clean. I am responsible for all of this.

 

I had a opportunity to meet Big Joke and I asked him if he could come up with a way to make the lines shorter at immigration.

 

 "7.9% said Yes plus 22.72% said it would seriously jeopardize their stay."

 

looks like a 30.62% decrease in the lines! 

 

 

Sad thing is that the lines are crowded with other folks than long stayers. Sorry, not a solution for the queue lines. Seems they like Chinese and other low spenders as long as those stay short time. Guess the whole pollution thingy is also to blame on foreigners. So finally...there are no good guys (left).

Edited February 4, 2019 by hugocnx

[bkkcanuck8]

Just now, HHTel said:

Really?  And would you say that they treat us like 'guests'?  I don't think so!

A guest is invited and treated accordingly.

A guest is on their best behaviour... and if this is the best behaviour by many ... then they would be considered unwanted guests by many.

[realenglish1]

 Although this does not affect me the problem with this rule is they should have grandfathered all the current retirees rather then have it affect who is already here There are going to be big problems if they do not correct this

No other country does this to their visa holders Its like just cancelling a visa without concern for the visa holder. On top of that It will affect the Thai economy and real estate values All of a sudden lots of apartments are not being rented 

 

Reap what you sow

[Thaidream]

14 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

It is even more awful and pitiful to be so low on funds or so cheap that one does not or cannot care for their own health.

Very very sad indeed....

What is sad is that there are still countries in the World (USA for one) that does not recognize that  medical care is a human right. Instead; Private hospitals only concern is how much they can charge and make a profit. Add in Big Pharma which is in cahoots with the private health industry; Governments and Insurance and you have a lose-lose situation for the sick and disabled.  Healthcare in America is the most costly in the World (not the best) and Thailand private hospitals want to follow that profile. Absolute madness!!

[Chippy151]

52 minutes ago, Lumbini said:

Look at this as an evolution as Thailand becomes a more upscale and cutting edge international country in Asia .

Did you mean Thailand?

Some parts of Bangkok maybe but it's still a dirty, stinking polluted hole. IMHO of course.

[shackleton]

leaving might be wishful thinking on some here as quite a few  have commitments which probably means staying plus quite a few of the retirees  don't have the money to start over again else where 

what numbers are we talking about a couple of thousand at the most ?

[Thaidream]

1 minute ago, shackleton said:

aving might be wishful thinking on some here as quite a few  have commitments which probably means staying plus quite a few of the retirees  don't have the money to start over again else where 

what numbers are we talking about a couple of thousand at the most

There are 75,000 Americans in Thailand per the US Embassy.  There are more  citizens of the UK than Americans.  The exact numbers are unknown to me but if 30% left- it  may not break the bank but would be noticeable and  get negative publicity.

[JLCrab]

Sorry to hear of all those planning to leave but I would maybe replace my 20 year-old 100cc Honda Wave if anyone is selling.

[Letseng]

6 hours ago, lipflipper said:

I will take a wait and see approach before cashing in my chips here in Chiang Mai. As usual with Thai Immigration they seem to always have their heads up their collective ars...es. One week it's a new set of financial criteria, the next week it's something different. I tend agree that Thai Government Officials simply don't want us here on a long term basis so they go about putting these ridiculous impediments in our way. I have already begun to look at Phnom Penh as a new place to put down roots, that liberal Business Visa that is available to Expats is a nice change from the B.S. that Thai Immigration put us through. Also Nha Trang in Vietnam is a viable option as a five year Visa is available there. Keep putting money into my Bangkok Bank account every month to simply satisfy some Immigration Official ain't gonna happen.

Sent from my CMR-AL19 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Look at cost of living in Cambodia. You may want to reconsider.

[Accidental Tourist]

My member name is not by accident; after 14 years leaving in the country with a BIO work permit I been working the last 10 years mainly outside of the country, but kept my residence in Thailand. Sometimes I came back to Thailand for a couple of months and joined in to the visa runs and applications in mostly Laos. So I have seen is all. 

It's not the money whats worried me, but the frantic changes in their policies. Now coming finally to a retirement, I might still continue with as a tourist with family status in Thailand, as I still planning to be a couple of months per year outside the country. I found this far more easy than all the paperwork of family visa involved; plus my local immigration is very helpful in this. And I can spend my money where as much I desire. 

[Kadilo]

Another 100 pages of pish on the way. 

[atyclb]

34 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

It's much more complicated than this.

 

1.  Many of us long term expats- -over 10 years and more have married; purchased homes; cars- sent Thai children to school including university and also taken care of extended families.  Considerable amounts have been spent based upon  retirement/marriage rules in place.  

 

None of these assets are considered when application for extension of stay is considered. In addition,  there is no long term extension of stay for us even though we have committed, in some cases. decades to Thailand. We can't buy into the Social Security  medical scheme like expats in other countries and have no land rights. No extension for us past 1 year.

 

2. Thailand or any other country has the right to set limits on numbers of foreigners allowed and set financial standards, so the issue is not that.  The issue is providing a policy and executions of that policy that is consistent and applied fairly throughout the Kingdom.  The reality is that it is not.

 

3.  Thailand has  a problem- it has grown weary of Western foreigners- simply because it has so many that come for the  beer and the ladies. For decades it has allowed unfettered entry; unfettered tourist visas and made it easy for  foreigners it now does not like to stay in the country.  Thai people are tired of seeing drunk foreigners; unruly service girls that cater to them and every other type of foreigner that is involved in scams and other criminal activities.

Just as an aside- they  will eventually tire of Chinese purchasing large blacks of condominiums and establishing a business controlling large tracts of land.

 

4.  The problem is that since Thailand has encouraged and abetted bad behavior ( and made big money from it) it now wants to become another Singapore and get rid of most of it and control the rest.  The majority of  Expats living  in Thailand obey the law; keep a fairly low profile; raise families and treat others with dignity.  Mixed in with the good are the bad-albeit a small minority- but they stick out because their behavior is so noticeable.

 

5.  The question is how to get rid of the bad without also forcing out the good.  Part of the problem is that the bad are protected by the corruption that exists within the country. We all know who abets the system and allows it to continue. And the truth is that as long as the corrupt practices are allowed to exist- the 'bad' will use it to stay and the others who live in peace and obey the law will be inconvenienced. 

 

You want to change the 'rules'- do it and enforce it against those who abuse the system and leave the rest of us alone.

 

 

 

 

 

good points but i dont think most thais/ average thai is bothered by westerners that come for beer and ladies. most are in their own private isolated universes. they too have a huge business based on alcohol and girls

Edited February 4, 2019 by atyclb

[robsamui]

5 hours ago, sumrit said:

Think about it. The ones who say they are leaving are doing so because they haven't got 800k in the bank. They aren't going to hurt the banks. The only people they will hurt is the agents and IO's they have been bribing to get their illegal extensions.  

Very shortsigted view. I've been living here full-time for 23 years. During this time my income has averaged 40,000 baht per month. I've never had 800,000 baht in the bank. But I've put well over 12 million baht into the Thai economy. 

 

Now I'm taking it to Vietnam, where it's much cheaper, much easier to stay, and foreigners are viewed as a welcome cash-crop right across the board.

If Thailand was a restaurant, then its business plan would be low quality and high-priced, and have no regular locals eating there, only tourists. And in the first low season it would go bust because there was no customer-base to keep it going.

Edited February 4, 2019 by robsamui

[Thaidream]

3 minutes ago, atyclb said:

good points but i dont think most thais/ average thai is bothered by westerners that come for beer and ladies. most are in their own private isolated universes. they too have a huge business based on alcohol and girls

Edited 1 minute ago by atyclb

You are right but this type of business draws many  people who cause trouble . Some just can't handle alcohol and are downright  disgusting and are abusive to Thais.

[bkkcanuck8]

5 minutes ago, robsamui said:

Very shortsigted view. I've been living here full-time for 23 years. During this time my income has averaged 40,000 bath per month. I've never had 800,000 baht in the bank. But I've put over 12 million baht into the Thai economy. 

 

But now I'm taking it to Vietnam, where it's much cheaper, much easier to stay, and foreigners are viewed as a welcome cash-crop right across the board.

Well, now they can use the land to tend to other farangs who will put more into the economy than a mere 40,000 baht per month ????  When you are talking crops every once in a while you have to cull them to make the farm healthy... too many low value crops ????

Edited February 4, 2019 by bkkcanuck8

[bwpage3]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It does appear that this administration, and especially the biggest joke, are trying to do everything in their power to discourage ex-pats from staying here. Does it not? These imbeciles should be making our lives easier, and making visa policy simpler. Rather they seem to be tightening the noose, every chance they get. To call them ignorant, fearful, xenophobic, non-visionary, and misguided would be a vast understatement. Biggest Joke said he would make things easier and simpler. He is doing just the opposite, and barely even disguising his contempt for foreigners. He is the single biggest threat to the ex-pat community right now. 

 

One can only hope that come election time, all of this nonsense will be over, and both Prayuth and especially the biggest joke, will be sent out to pasture for the rest of their lives. They are not doing anything that benefits their nation, and they are picking on good men, who are bringing a lot to the table. Dumb and dumber. What can one say? 

They want your money, not you! 

 

Plus they don't want foreigners educating their Thai women who will then be able to tell the difference between corruption scams and truth.

 

 

[wgdanson]

6 hours ago, wgdanson said:

You can however spend as much of that money as you want/need. It does not have to stay in the bank.

Why are some of you confused and one sad?

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

Why are some of you confused and one sad?

I'm usually confused because I'm at that age.

[atyclb]

10 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

15 minutes ago, atyclb said:

good points but i dont think most thais/ average thai is bothered by westerners that come for beer and ladies. most are in their own private isolated universes. they too have a huge business based on alcohol and girls

Edited 1 minute ago by atyclb

You are right but this type of business draws many  people who cause trouble . Some just can't handle alcohol and are downright  disgusting and are abusive to Thais.

 

typically the people that cause trouble do it in the venues / areas catering to vice and it is just a part of business as usual.  thai venues have security issues and deal with lots of the same problems. very normal for mass fights to break out at big name music concerts.

 

at a tawandaeng food/beer complex i have seen on multiple occasions a specific large table of apparent alcoholics that drink and start a fist fight every time. security knows them and watches them ready to intervene and diplomatically eject them for the night but welcomes them again the next day. revenue

Edited February 4, 2019 by atyclb

[Jiggo]

3 hours ago, aripengu said:

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. ????

Wow a sensible comment at last, not too many on this post, a friend who knows an immigration  official told him the rules would be unworkable, will just have to wait and see, I have a plan B.. 

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, Hupaponics said:

So much talk, and so little action.

Pai pai you FB peasants. Why you not leave already?

I'm waiting for the last one to leave so I can turn off the lights, I'm eco-friendly that way. The ones wanting to stay are welcome to turn into a gollum, precious.

 

Last Saturday I heard one of my buddies is pulling the plug after 15 years. Going back to UK, the reason being he's gotten fed up with pretty much everything around here. Another one bites the dust. I think I count three in the last half a year.

[catman20]

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

yeah, and I'm having sex with two blondes in a Ferrari tonight.

id like to see that, be a bit cramped na ????

[Jingthing]

Sorry to hear of all those planning to leave but I would maybe replace my 20 year-old 100cc Honda Wave if anyone is selling.

You don't sound very sorry. No biggie.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[scorecard]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It does appear that this administration, and especially the biggest joke, are trying to do everything in their power to discourage ex-pats from staying here. Does it not? These imbeciles should be making our lives easier, and making visa policy simpler. Rather they seem to be tightening the noose, every chance they get. To call them ignorant, fearful, xenophobic, non-visionary, and misguided would be a vast understatement. Biggest Joke said he would make things easier and simpler. He is doing just the opposite, and barely even disguising his contempt for foreigners. He is the single biggest threat to the ex-pat community right now. 

 

One can only hope that come election time, all of this nonsense will be over, and both Prayuth and especially the biggest joke, will be sent out to pasture for the rest of their lives. They are not doing anything that benefits their nation, and they are picking on good men, who are bringing a lot to the table. Dumb and dumber. What can one say? 

 

It does appear that this administration, and especially the biggest joke, are trying to do everything in their power to discourage ex-pats from staying here. Does it not? 

 

Is it really that simple? Is it not surprising that Thailand is trying hard to get all of this into a much better picture and with the primary intention of what's best for Thailand?

 

 

[JLCrab]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You don't sound very sorry. No biggie.

I didn't write the rules. 

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, wombat said:

before me i trust. i love sloppy seconds

Somebody is putting in a bid for the good taste award on this thread.

[atyclb]

19 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

They want your money, not you! 

 

Plus they don't want foreigners educating their Thai women who will then be able to tell the difference between corruption scams and truth.

 

 

 

doubt it as their own non education system and culture renders a high % resistant to learning regardless of who is teaching

[craigrosier]

If holding a float of 800k is too taxing, then maybe you are not the kind of retiree that Thailand needs.

[atyclb]

22 minutes ago, Jiggo said:

3 hours ago, aripengu said:

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. ????

Wow a sensible comment at last, not too many on this post, a friend who knows an immigration  official told him the rules would be unworkable, will just have to wait and see, I have a plan B.. 

 

 

agree.  potential retirees will weigh "risk vs benefit" in that the rules can be changed under their feet and that many already having invested in property and putting decades of their lives had been squeezed out with little or no regard to family hardship. it is not as if they did not have enough to eat and live comfortably already.

 

while it is true china has a shortage of women, chinese men able to afford foreign vacation travel represent the minority and their social status and wealth already assures them the "pick of the litter" among available chinese women. highly unlikely they will be setting up shop with issan women.

Edited February 4, 2019 by atyclb

[utalkin2me]

I suppose I admit to speaking selfishly, but I would love it if a big chunk of foreigners left. I bet many Thais would too.