3 hours ago, nausea said:

Obviously, those who for it is no longer viable, i.e. , their money runs out. Haven't met a person yet who left Thailand for any other reason. 

I left because my job moved on.

12 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

I left because my job moved on.

Not enough cows to round up in Thailand?   LOL

I know three long termers, two have already booked their flights for April...leaving behind dogs, girlfriends and a lot of memories....the turning point will be next year at renewal, if in fact the 800/400 rule is enforced, it wont be an option for many, many guys but to leave or overstay.

2 hours ago, 55Jay said:

No, not yet.  The amounts required haven't changed, just the methods to demonstrate them.  

 

I have to admit though, it's a bit much all at once, starting with the Embassies, then the Thais following up with all this other stuff. 

 

Also will say the thing about leaving the money in the account after extension approval, while it doesn't affect me, it does annoy the s**t out of me on principle.  ????

 

No coincidence the Embassy letter and changing of seasoned funds come into effect so closely.

2 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

Cambodia & Philippines may seem better looking only exchange rate,

but prices there increase yearly 3% quicker than in Thailand (inflation).

Thailand is still one of the cheapest places providing you are not a boozer or kerb crawler...daily living costs are extreem;y cheap. I love the PI and will consider moving there, however as Im not a real drinker/smoker/sexpat its not a lot if any cheaper than here for daily needs but the visa situation is a breeze.

Im thinking of going to one of these, all far better than Thailand with hugs and kisses at immigration, people that genuinely love me , no corruption , and only 10 baht for retirement visa and no 90 day reports. Im leaning towards Mongolia . Once you've eaten horse meat on rice there is no going back too bland Thai food

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Andorra
• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• B
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• C
• Cabo Verde
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Central African Republic (CAR)
• Chad
• Chile
• China
• Colombia
• Comoros
• Congo, Democratic Republic of the
• Congo, Republic of the
• Costa Rica
• Cote d'Ivoire
• Croatia
• Cuba
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• D
• Denmark
• Djibouti
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• E
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Estonia
• Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
• Ethiopia
• F
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• G
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Georgia
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana

• H
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hungary
• I
• Iceland
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• J
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jordan
• K
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kosovo
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• L
• Laos
• Latvia
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• M
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mali
• Malta
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Micronesia
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar (formerly Burma)
• N
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia)
• Norway
• O
• Oman
• P
• Pakistan
• Palau
• Palestine
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal

• Q
• Qatar
• R
• Romania
• Russia
• Rwanda
• S
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• South Sudan
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Syria
• T
• Taiwan
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Togo
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• U
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• United Kingdom (UK)
• United States of America (USA)
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Vatican City (Holy See)
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Y
• Yemen
• Z
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

I fancy Syria

Im thinking of going to one of these, all far better than Thailand with hugs and kisses at immigration, people that genuinely love me , no corruption , and only 10 baht for retirement visa and no 90 day reports. Im leaning towards Mongolia . Once you've eaten horse meat on rice there is no going back too bland Thai food

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Andorra
• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• B
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• C
• Cabo Verde
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Central African Republic (CAR)
• Chad
• Chile
• China
• Colombia
• Comoros
• Congo, Democratic Republic of the
• Congo, Republic of the
• Costa Rica
• Cote d'Ivoire
• Croatia
• Cuba
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• D
• Denmark
• Djibouti
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• E
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Estonia
• Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
• Ethiopia
• F
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• G
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Georgia
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana

• H
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hungary
• I
• Iceland
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• J
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jordan
• K
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kosovo
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• L
• Laos
• Latvia
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• M
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mali
• Malta
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Micronesia
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar (formerly Burma)
• N
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia)
• Norway
• O
• Oman
• P
• Pakistan
• Palau
• Palestine
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal

• Q
• Qatar
• R
• Romania
• Russia
• Rwanda
• S
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• South Sudan
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Syria
• T
• Taiwan
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Togo
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• U
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• United Kingdom (UK)
• United States of America (USA)
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Vatican City (Holy See)
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Y
• Yemen
• Z
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Someone shoot this guy.

Leaving Thailand? Thats defeatism! Old soldiers will stand their ground on the Visa-Battlefield.

Besides, it is expected of a Farang to spend his last penny here and then jump off a high rise building.
It's traditional and is what is expected by Thai's of a pennieless Farang, him having lived in Thailand as a "non-immigrant" for 125 years.

5 hours ago, tabarin said:

over priced education, pollution,

Aside from the baby nonsense thrown by the Thais, these two are the biggest.  Spraying cars with water as they go through a toll is beyond stupid.  The education that is affordable comes with mediocre schools who don't know how to properly comport themselves.

4 hours ago, tabarin said:

Nonsense, before Europe enough English lived and retired there and in Spain as well.
Being afraid the visa for British people in Europe would become a problem is simply silly, typical fear crap that the mass media loves to use.

Where did I talk about Visa ??

I was thinking about more serious problems, like by example the reciprocal agreement that exist between all EU countries that allow to any European to have (nearly) free access to Health Treatment in any EU country. Without a deal, Britishs will no have it anymore in Portugal, Spain... and it could be  a serious problem for retirees. 

5 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Where did I talk about Visa ??

I was thinking about more serious problems, like by example the reciprocal agreement that exist between all EU countries that allow to any European to have (nearly) free access to Health Treatment in any EU country. Without a deal, Britishs will no have it anymore in Portugal, Spain... and it could be  a serious problem for retirees. 

EHIC is not an EU agreement, it's EEA.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-EEA-and-EU

I lived in Thailand for 10 years and moved back to the USA and back into corporate America.

 

We own a house and farm in Isaan.

 

I have a wife and son both in College for the next 4 to 5 years

 

I figure I will have to work 15 more years at which time I will be 72.

 

At that point I would have no financial issues what so ever.

 

If I decided to move back, I would be relegated to the boonies in Isaan where my wife's clan numbers around 150 people

 

Sure I would be bored off my ass but at that age, what else could one expect?

 

Would have the money to travel, pension, ssn, around 200k baht per month

 

Savings would be huge as well

 

Plus have a house in Florida paid off with a value of around $US 325K

 

Wife will also be a college graduate and could open a clinic or something in Isaan; who knows?

 

So the VISA issues would not be my concern.

 

What would be a concern is what Thailand will be like in 15 years?

 

My first trip to Thailand was in 1984 and by the time I moved there in 2003 the whole country had radically changed to corruption, greed, western mass advertising, you name it. It has only gotten worse the past 16 years. Floods, pollution, corruption, no benefits for farangs extended, etc.

 

10 years later I decided I better get back to the USA to plan for retirement

 

So the issue for me personally would be trying to understand exactly what Thailand will be like in 15 years?

 

Isaan probably wont ever change. There are still homes in my wife's village with no running water and it's 2019

 

Just impossible to plan that far ahead when Thailand could completely go upside down due to politics, pollution, crime, you name it.

 

I honestly think there is no way to understand what Thailand will be like in 15 years, so for me and my family the best is planning out to be here forever.

 

If in 15 years there was something to move back for, who knows?

 

Every person has there own decisions, whether to stay or leave.

 

Some are stuck and can't leave.

 

Best to have a backup plan for any scenerio, that way if things go belly up, you are already prepared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a Canadian friend who is a Pattaya club/bar owner and he and his family are moving to Canada in March. Primary reasons are that it is too difficult to make a sufficient living from the club/bar due to protection payments to 4, sometimes 5, entities and the high price of good education for his children, medical care, and general costs of raising a family to western standards.

 

 

14 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

I lived in Thailand for 10 years and moved back to the USA and back into corporate America.

 

We own a house and farm in Isaan.

 

I have a wife and son both in College for the next 4 to 5 years

 

I figure I will have to work 15 more years at which time I will be 72.

 

At that point I would have no financial issues what so ever.

 

If I decided to move back, I would be relegated to the boonies in Isaan where my wife's clan numbers around 150 people

 

Sure I would be bored off my ass but at that age, what else could one expect?

 

Would have the money to travel, pension, ssn, around 200k baht per month

 

Savings would be huge as well

 

Plus have a house in Florida paid off with a value of around $US 325K

 

Wife will also be a college graduate and could open a clinic or something in Isaan; who knows?

 

So the VISA issues would not be my concern.

 

What would be a concern is what Thailand will be like in 15 years?

 

My first trip to Thailand was in 1984 and by the time I moved there in 2003 the whole country had radically changed to corruption, greed, western mass advertising, you name it. It has only gotten worse the past 16 years. Floods, pollution, corruption, no benefits for farangs extended, etc.

 

10 years later I decided I better get back to the USA to plan for retirement

 

So the issue for me personally would be trying to understand exactly what Thailand will be like in 15 years?

 

Isaan probably wont ever change. There are still homes in my wife's village with no running water and it's 2019

 

Just impossible to plan that far ahead when Thailand could completely go upside down due to politics, pollution, crime, you name it.

 

I honestly think there is no way to understand what Thailand will be like in 15 years, so for me and my family the best is planning out to be here forever.

 

If in 15 years there was something to move back for, who knows?

 

Every person has there own decisions, whether to stay or leave.

 

Some are stuck and can't leave.

 

Best to have a backup plan for any scenerio, that way if things go belly up, you are already prepared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously, you started planning for your retirement a bit late in life. Financially secure at the age of 72, ready to enjoy life?

- Your equasion only consists of the financial aspect of life, it doesen't include the factor "time". 

How much time do we have? A limited amount of time is the most precious thing that was given to us laying in the cradle.

7 minutes ago, swissie said:

Obviously, you started planning for your retirement a bit late in life. Financially secure at the age of 72, ready to enjoy life?

- Your equasion only consists of the financial aspect of life, it doesen't include the factor "time". 

How much time do we have? A limited amount of time is the most precious thing that was given to us laying in the cradle.

I agree with you - time is a very critical factor in retirement. So at 72, on average, you'll only live another 10 years. Below is an excerpt from a recent article on retirement.

 

Government and Gallup data reveal a lot about what retirement is like for Americans today.

It starts at age 61, even though many tell Gallup they planned to work longer. And based on some morbid math — the average remaining life expectancy of someone who’s made it to their early 60s (23.3 years), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — you should plan to be retired for at least a few decades.

Your mileage may vary based on things such as your work (accountant versus rodeo clown, for example), diet, family health history and participation in extreme sports leagues

 

Stupid Question. Those who dont like it here , and those with no money.!.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

I lived in Thailand for 10 years and moved back to the USA and back into corporate America.

 

We own a house and farm in Isaan.

 

I have a wife and son both in College for the next 4 to 5 years

 

I figure I will have to work 15 more years at which time I will be 72.

 

At that point I would have no financial issues what so ever.

 

If I decided to move back, I would be relegated to the boonies in Isaan where my wife's clan numbers around 150 people

 

Sure I would be bored off my ass but at that age, what else could one expect?

 

Would have the money to travel, pension, ssn, around 200k baht per month

 

Savings would be huge as well

 

Plus have a house in Florida paid off with a value of around $US 325K

 

Wife will also be a college graduate and could open a clinic or something in Isaan; who knows?

 

So the VISA issues would not be my concern.

 

What would be a concern is what Thailand will be like in 15 years?

 

My first trip to Thailand was in 1984 and by the time I moved there in 2003 the whole country had radically changed to corruption, greed, western mass advertising, you name it. It has only gotten worse the past 16 years. Floods, pollution, corruption, no benefits for farangs extended, etc.

 

10 years later I decided I better get back to the USA to plan for retirement

 

So the issue for me personally would be trying to understand exactly what Thailand will be like in 15 years?

 

Isaan probably wont ever change. There are still homes in my wife's village with no running water and it's 2019

 

Just impossible to plan that far ahead when Thailand could completely go upside down due to politics, pollution, crime, you name it.

 

I honestly think there is no way to understand what Thailand will be like in 15 years, so for me and my family the best is planning out to be here forever.

 

If in 15 years there was something to move back for, who knows?

 

Every person has there own decisions, whether to stay or leave.

 

Some are stuck and can't leave.

 

Best to have a backup plan for any scenerio, that way if things go belly up, you are already prepared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may have shed loads of money when you are 72 so think you wont have any visa issues....well, what if health insurance is mandatory for any visa/extension....at 72 you wont get cover, and the way things are going this could be a very strong possibility....oldies better start to make other plans

You may have shed loads of money when you are 72 so think you wont have any visa issues....well, what if health insurance is mandatory for any visa/extension....at 72 you wont get cover, and the way things are going this could be a very strong possibility....oldies better start to make other plans

Yup, I think we will see a mini exodus right now and over the next few months.
Bring in mandatory health insurance and that mini will become a mass in no time .

58 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yup, I think we will see a mini exodus right now and over the next few months.
Bring in mandatory health insurance and that mini will become a mass in no time .

This sounds cruel but its fact. nobody will miss the poor, they hardly contribute to the economy and are undesirables not only in Thailand but globally.

Best thing they can do for themselves is forget the Asia dream nonsense and head back to their nanny states and take advantage of the welfare system

You can vote here, staying or leaving?

 

 

2 hours ago, Banana7 said:

I have a Canadian friend who is a Pattaya club/bar owner and he and his family are moving to Canada in March. Primary reasons are that it is too difficult to make a sufficient living from the club/bar due to protection payments to 4, sometimes 5, entities and the high price of good education for his children, medical care, and general costs of raising a family to western standards.

 

 

Let's make no mistake. "Early-Bird" Farang Bar investors made a killing when Pattaya was "young". Example: In 1982 a Bar at the corner of Walking-Street/Soi Diamond could be leased for 100K PER YEAR, based on a 30 year lease. No kidding!
Those "Early-Birds" got rich (even by Euroean Standarts). This was at a time when "Visa-Issues" were on noboby's agenda.
Sad to say: Most fortunate "Early-Birds" that I have come to know are no more financially "well-situated". They seem to have invested their windfall financial gains into "Wine, Woman and Song" plus some questionable Real-Estate Ventures.
Some of them strarting to educate themselves as to what the old "nanny-state" can do for them after a 20 year absence.

Social-Security is the most unnecessary thing on earth unless one needs it. Right?

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

EHIC is not an EU agreement, it's EEA.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-EEA-and-EU

Quote:

1. What is the European Economic Area?

"The European Economic Area (EEA) brings together the EU Member States and three of the EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). It was established by the EEA Agreement, an international agreement which enables these three EFTA States to participate fully in the Single Market. It covers the four freedoms, i.e. the free movement of goods, capital, services and persons, plus competition and state aid rules and horizontal areas related to the four freedoms (see point 4 for an overview of what is included in the EEA Agreement).End "quote".

 

= This is why "BREXIT" is such a problem. Exiting the EU means exiting the EEA. To maintain EU privileges, UK would have to join EFTA.

Never mind. WAY OFF TOPIC. I always felt that subjects on Thai-Visa should focus on Visa-Matters, the price of Beer and Thai Women compared to the rest of the women in the universe. The world needs simplification. Urgently!

15 hours ago, nausea said:

Obviously, those who for it is no longer viable, i.e. , their money runs out. Haven't met a person yet who left Thailand for any other reason. 

I gave you a "like"....and then I thought ..hang on a minute ....the screaming loud motorbikes with the exhaust modifications....are slowly but surely making me think very strongly about leaving after being here for the past 19 yrs. The problem really is that nothing ever appears to be done about it?

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

EHIC is not an EU agreement, it's EEA.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-EEA-and-EU

ok,

but Switzerland is party to the arrangements I think.

 

32 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

ok,

but Switzerland is party to the arrangements I think.

 

 

just checked, all EEA member states + Switzerland

 

(Gibraltar is included.)

 

Very few will actually leave. 

 

Some apparently think that if they threaten to leave it will somehow convince Thailand to change the rules in their favour.
Some apparently think if they drag out the "what about all the families that will suffer if we are forced to leave" argument, that will convince Thailand to change the rules.

Some apparently think that they contribute so much to the Thai economy that it will collapse if they leave (despite the fact they are threatening to leave because they can't meet the financial requirements so their "contributions" to the economy are probably minimal as well).

Some just like to bash Thailand and will take any opportunity to do so.

 

I suspect that maybe a dozen or 2 might actually leave. Most - that can't afford to be here - will try to fade into the background and hope they never get caught (i.e. overstayers).

 

The rest will grumble and gripe and do what they need to do to meet the new requirements and carry on.

 

The vast majority of us (I'm assuming it's the vast majority) already meet the requirements so it won't be a hassle anyways. We'll just continue on like we've been doing for years. Some will dream about what the country would be like if all the people who keep threatening to leave, actually did leave (and couldn't come back).

16 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I am surprised that one issue about moving to somewhere else is basically never mentioned: the language!

My Thai is far away from perfect but good enough to interact with the locals - even the Thais who don't speak any English at all.

 

If I would move to Cambodia or Lao or Myanmar or Portugal or many other places this would mean learning another language. That takes time and it's not getting easier for people who are a little older.

 

It's ok to go on holiday somewhere and rely on English speaking tour guides. But I think living somewhere includes knowing the local language - at least some of it.

Difference is Spanish or Portuguese are easy to read,and trust me most guys know how to say "Una cerveza por favor"

16 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I am surprised that one issue about moving to somewhere else is basically never mentioned: the language!

My Thai is far away from perfect but good enough to interact with the locals - even the Thais who don't speak any English at all.

 

If I would move to Cambodia or Lao or Myanmar or Portugal or many other places this would mean learning another language. That takes time and it's not getting easier for people who are a little older.

 

It's ok to go on holiday somewhere and rely on English speaking tour guides. But I think living somewhere includes knowing the local language - at least some of it.

If I ever had to move from Thailand, that could prove difficult, why, because my wife does all the talking in Thai, so I suppose to get around that problem if it ever arose, I would have to remarry a girl of the intending country, Laos, Maynmar, Portugal, etc etc, so that she could speak on behalf of me and my wife.

 

Who said 3's a crowd ????

 

Anyone remember Nam Era when 5 Cents U.S. was worth one Bht.?. If You can, try to think why it still isnt around that..its still just Rice, Tarts, n Tourists. Only big change is Car Assembly and they aint Thai.