Visa vs Climate: which one will push more expats out of Thailand?

[Brunolem]

2 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Any examples? I'm sure there are some but claiming many have gone bust and the customers not protected might be a stretch.

 

Most US bank savings and checking accounts are insured by the FDIC (the government) up to (I think) $250K per account, which (I think) was raised from $100K after the last crash.

 

Brokerage accounts and whatnot are not covered but some retirement accounts are. I am assuming you are not lumping riskier investment products in with savings accounts. 

 

Problem is: the FDIC doesn't have the money! 

 

It is like AIG in 2008, insuring everyone and one's dog, but having nothing to back up its deals...hence the 180 billion bailout... 

 

Social security is another example, but they have a suitcase full of IOUs, like the guys in Dumb and Dumber, except that this is for real! 

 

[Yellowtail]

17 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 

It should be a reasonable process, that takes into account the 65,000 baht, or the 800,000 in the bank, which is far more than the average Thai is able to bring to the table, or put in the bank. It should be a process where courtesy is displayed, and not surly, obnoxious encounters with bureaucratic ninnies, who love to flex their muscles by saying no. It does not need to be a ridiculous and humiliating exercise, demonstrating hatred toward foreigners. They can be doing so much better. There is so much room for improvement, it would literally take me a full day to break it all down. Be serious. This has nothing to do with the Thai people. Most Thai people like us. This is about an obnoxious administration that needs to get the hell out as fast as possible, before they tear their nation apart. 

If you don't know, just say you don't know. Your experience with Thai government workers seems to have been significantly different than mine. That said, they are government workers, yes?

 

I never met anyone in the administration, you? 

[Yellowtail]

7 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Problem is: the FDIC doesn't have the money! 

 

It is like AIG in 2008, insuring everyone and one's dog, but having nothing to back up its deals...hence the 180 billion bailout... 

 

Social security is another example, but they have a suitcase full of IOUs, like the guys in Dumb and Dumber, except that this is for real! 

 

 

They can just print more...

[Lacessit]

51 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

So how do you think the visa requirements should be structured? Anyone that is able to get here should be able to stay as long as they like and do whatever they like while they are here?

 

Perhaps the Thai people don't want their county westernized, should what they want count or only what you want?

 

 

 

I would like to see visa requirements structured, so that after a qualifying period where we pay our way and stay out of trouble, we get some recognition of that by easing the constraints.

 

Thailand is already westernized. You only have to look at the McDonalds, KFC's and Pizza Hut franchises where Thais cluster like lemmings to see that.

[ballpoint]

How about if Thailand introduced reciprocal visa rights with Western countries?  ie stay long enough, learn the language and culture, and qualify for property ownership, residency and citizenship.  But, on the other side, you'd need to do a whole lot more than just fly in aged 50+ with a spare 800,000 baht.  And, for those who are married locally, try taking your Thai wife back to your own country, show 400,00 baht and expect that she will be allowed to live there.  I wonder just how many would go for that, and how many would be forced out if that became the rule?  Sometimes it pays to be careful what you wish for.

[Yellowtail]

10 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I would like to see visa requirements structured, so that after a qualifying period where we pay our way and stay out of trouble, we get some recognition of that by easing the constraints.

 

Thailand is already westernized. You only have to look at the McDonalds, KFC's and Pizza Hut franchises where Thais cluster like lemmings to see that.

1

It's easy to throw out broad generalizations (good guys in, bad guys out) but putting a policy with is a bit more difficult.

 

I've never had any issue renewing my visa, getting my driver license, getting my ID, getting a work permit or getting SS health coverage. My experience with the Thai government has generally been positive.

 

McDonald's, really? So the US is becoming more and more like Italy because they eat pizza? 

[Odysseus123]

10 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

How about if Thailand introduced reciprocal visa rights with Western countries?  ie stay long enough, learn the language and culture, and qualify for property ownership, residency and citizenship.  But, on the other side, you'd need to do a whole lot more than just fly in aged 50+ with a spare 800,000 baht.  And, for those who are married locally, try taking your Thai wife back to your own country, show 400,00 baht and expect that she will be allowed to live there.  I wonder just how many would go for that, and how many would be forced out if that became the rule?  Sometimes it pays to be careful what you wish for.

Well..hmmm..

[Brunolem]

41 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I would like to see visa requirements structured, so that after a qualifying period where we pay our way and stay out of trouble, we get some recognition of that by easing the constraints.

 

Thailand is already westernized. You only have to look at the McDonalds, KFC's and Pizza Hut franchises where Thais cluster like lemmings to see that.

What could be done is something similar to was is done with driving licences. 

 

First you get one year, then two, then five... 

 

People who have been here for 10 years and have setlled down, should not be submitted to the same obstacle course as people who just arrived. 

 

Now, it is fair to say that Western countries are much worse than Thailand when it comes to visas. 

 

Western countries are paradise for illegal immigrants and hell for legal ones. 

 

So, of course, it's a bit difficult to teach lessons to Thailand when you know how your embassy treats Thai citizens... racism at its worst! 

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

It's easy to throw out broad generalizations (good guys in, bad guys out) but putting a policy with is a bit more difficult.

 

I've never had any issue renewing my visa, getting my driver license, getting my ID, getting a work permit or getting SS health coverage. My experience with the Thai government has generally been positive.

 

McDonald's, really? So the US is becoming more and more like Italy because they eat pizza? 

Now you're just being contrary. I haven't had difficulty with retirement extensions either, just wish they weren't so damned complicated.

I assume you haven't watched The Godfather, Sopranos etc. to assess the extent of Italian influence in the US. Or eaten at Tony Romano's. Can't get any more Italian than Caesar's Palace. Frank Sinatra? Dean Martin?

[Nyezhov]

21 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'm fairly sure that life is rigged by one person ......... God.

And I absolutely know there is no hope for me.

Wisdom.

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I assume you haven't watched The Godfather, Sopranos etc. to assess the extent of Italian influence in the US. Or eaten at Tony Romano's. Can't get any more Italian than Caesar's Palace. Frank Sinatra? Dean Martin?

Considering that 6% of the US population is of Italian ancestry, Id say their influence is fairly substantial.

[Yellowtail]

31 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Considering that 6% of the US population is of Italian ancestry, Id say their influence is fairly substantial.

But they came back when people assimilated. 

[Henryford]

Here in Pattata the weather is great IMO. Range from 23-28 at night to 30-38 during the day. The weather is the reason i came to Thailand in the first place (well one of them). I can't understand why anyone complains about that.

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

Here in Pattata the weather is great IMO. Range from 23-28 at night to 30-38 during the day. The weather is the reason i came to Thailand in the first place (well one of them). I can't understand why anyone complains about that.

That is because you were not there 20 years ago, when there was a cool season... a range between 25 to 35 degrees in early February is nothing cool. 

We used to be 10 degrees below that... 

[CMNightRider]

Last night my dog ate most of the scrabble squares from my scrabble game.  This morning, I couldn't help notice my dogs poop made more sense than Immigrations yearly visa requirements for foreigners.  

 

I'm fairly certain this is one of many reasons, Thai Immigration visa requirements will push out more foreigners from Thailand than the climate will. ????

[Yellowtail]

7 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

Last night my dog ate most of the scrabble squares from my scrabble game.  This morning, I couldn't help notice my dogs poop made more sense than Immigrations yearly visa requirements for foreigners.  

 

I'm fairly certain this is one of many reasons, Thai Immigration visa requirements will push out more foreigners from Thailand than the climate will. ????

Feed your dog dude, and quit picking though it's crap...

[Yellowtail]

8 hours ago, Brunolem said:

That is because you were not there 20 years ago, when there was a cool season... a range between 25 to 35 degrees in early February is nothing cool. 

We used to be 10 degrees below that... 

 

While it seemed like an overly wet, warm winter this year, I don't remember much cool weather. 

 

So when we get a warm winter in Thailand it's Global Warming, but when we get a cold winter in the US it's just weather, yes?

[Brunolem]

2 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

While it seemed like an overly wet, warm winter this year, I don't remember much cool weather. 

 

So when we get a warm winter in Thailand it's Global Warming, but when we get a cold winter in the US it's just weather, yes?

Indeed! 

 

The abnormaly cold weather on the US East Coast has been caused by a displacement of cold air from the North Pole, which in turn is too warm. 

 

Last year, there were days during winter when temperatures at the North Pole were above freezing despite the fact that it was 24 hour night time! 

 

In Thailand, it is not one warm winter, but a long series of them. 

 

I have in my home the duvets and clothes to prove it, which I didn't buy for pleasure, but out of necessity, yet which I have not used for many years. 

 

During the previous decade, every year we had weeks with temperatures falling below 15 C at night. 

 

We were sleeping with socks, pants, sweatshirt and a heavy duvet. 

 

In the early morning, the villagers used to set a camp fire to warm themselves up, and I didn't want to get out of bed because I was feeling too cold. 

 

This hasn't happened for years now, but I still have the clothes to remind me what used to be... 

[Yellowtail]

4 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Indeed! 

 

The abnormaly cold weather on the US East Coast has been caused by a displacement of cold air from the North Pole, which in turn is too warm. 

 

Last year, there were days during winter when temperatures at the North Pole were above freezing despite the fact that it was 24 hour night time! 

 

In Thailand, it is not one warm winter, but a long series of them. 

 

I have in my home the duvets and clothes to prove it, which I didn't buy for pleasure, but out of necessity, yet which I have not used for many years. 

 

During the previous decade, every year we had weeks with temperatures falling below 15 C at night. 

 

We were sleeping with socks, pants, sweatshirt and a heavy duvet. 

 

In the early morning, the villagers used to set a camp fire to warm themselves up, and I didn't want to get out of bed because I was feeling too cold. 

 

This hasn't happened for years now, but I still have the clothes to remind me what used to be... 

 

 

I have been here 18 years and I do not remember it ever getting down to 15, and I have NEVER worn a sweatshirt here.

 

I've always slept with only a sheet and the air conditioner on all year.

 

 

 

 

[Poopyface]

Visa hassles i can handle, hot weather no problem.

Clueless burning and toxic clouds, however, and I'm gone...

[Brunolem]

12 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

I have been here 18 years and I do not remember it ever getting down to 15, and I have NEVER worn a sweatshirt here.

 

I've always slept with only a sheet and the air conditioner on all year.

 

 

 

 

That is probably because you haven't been living in Isaan... 

 

All the villagers in Isaan own a duffel coat/parka, and a wool cap, which they don't use anymore... yet they bought them for good reason... 

 

[dick dasterdly]

12 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

I have been here 18 years and I do not remember it ever getting down to 15, and I have NEVER worn a sweatshirt here.

 

I've always slept with only a sheet and the air conditioner on all year.

 

 

 

 

I live on Phuket, and have occasionally needed a sweatshirt first thing in the a.m. (very early) when taking my dogs to the beach in a samlor.

 

I'm hopefully mostly used to the heat nowadays, hence why I can be 'cold' early in the morning, but have to agree that here on Phuket, I've never seen the temp. go down below 24C?  A question mark, as I'm not sure the temp. readings on my clocks are entirely accurate ????.  I rarely use aircon at night, just a fan.

 

A couple of years ago (?) it was WAY too hot for a few weeks, and so I ended up buying an aircon for the downstairs area - which hasn't been used since that VERY hot period.

[Yellowtail]

13 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

That is probably because you haven't been living in Isaan... 

 

All the villagers in Isaan own a duffel coat/parka, and a wool cap, which they don't use anymore... yet they bought them for good reason... 

 

 

Yes, and all the girls at the plant wear winter coats and leg warmers when it gets down to 25.

 

If I road a motorcycle I would likely wear a jacket.

 

[Brunolem]

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

Yes, and all the girls at the plant wear winter coats and leg warmers when it gets down to 25.

 

If I road a motorcycle I would likely wear a jacket.

 

When you don't know what you are talking about, then just don't talk! 

 

[Yellowtail]

Just now, Brunolem said:

When you don't know what you are talking about, then just don't talk! 

 

 

This from a guy that believes the climate has changed such that Thailand's average temperature has risen 10 degrees. How funny is that?

 

Why not provide some actual data, rather than pointing to your old winter coat as some kind of proof. 

[Brunolem]

3 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

This from a guy that believes the climate has changed such that Thailand's average temperature has risen 10 degrees. How funny is that?

 

Why not provide some actual data, rather than pointing to your old winter coat as some kind of proof. 

I never said that Thailand's average temperature has risen 10 degrees, but that the low nightime temperatures we have in Eastern Isaan these days are up to 10 degrees higher than they used to be, that is 25 C instead of 15 C. 

 

I don't know what's going on climatewise in other parts of the country, I am just talking about my area...