Who is actually leaving?

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, myshem said:

I know them all and nowhere can compare, and you exactly know this as everybody here.

I would be happy to live in any of them (apart from Laos).

They all compare quite well to Thailand with very minor plus and minus points.

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by BritManToo

[RichardColeman]

have gone already - though was kinda forced on me by my tenant dying recently ! I doubt I will return to live in Thailand - I cannot meet the 800,000 baht and am quite simply not prepared to tie up that amount of money in a country with continuous coups. 

 

For me, I will first attempt to get my wife and kiddie out of Thailand to the UK - sell my house and buy a cheaper one up north to show UK immigration the money combined with a small pension I have and everything should be OK.

 

Nearly all of the falang i used to sit by the pool by, cannot meet these requirements and were pushing them before the change. Most will be forced to leave now and their money gone from the Thai economy - and families now potless. I expect a whole new batch of middle aged thai women to start appearing at the bars soon 

 

[Suradit69]

19 hours ago, tabarin said:

Agree but luckily the average English does not get much worse than it is here in Thailand lol.

You mean among Thais or posters on TV.

 

Among Thais at least in Bangkok or Pattaya I've found many Thais to be more functionally fluent in English than I, or most farang I know, will ever be in Thai.

 

 Best not to comment on TV posters who are, or want to be, teachers of English here.

 

 

 

[tabarin]

Just found out that one only needs to EARN 850 euro / around 30K baht to get a in between long term visa in my country The Netherlands. 
Guess it really makes more sense to just focus on that for my Thai wife than me staying here.

Laughing at Thailand and their minimum requirements even harder now.

Edited February 25, 2019 by tabarin

[Benmart]

21 hours ago, Pravda said:

Remember many celebrities who claimed they'd leave if Trump won?

 

This is the exact same repeat of that. Empty threats.

Did you initiate a scienticfic, verifiable research paper? If not, your conclusion is without merit.

[Captain 776]

Only 2 groups.

 

The ones that have been lying for years because they are here on a shoestring.

 

None........the same ones that said they would leave USA if Trump won.

The next one that leaves USA will be the first.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Captain 776 said:

Only 2 groups.

 

The ones that have been lying for years because they are here on a shoestring.

 

None........the same ones that said they would leave USA if Trump won.

The next one that leaves USA will be the first.

You're wrong. 
Many that legitimately have the income and/or funds are leaving or will be leaving. The only question is what percentage. I think at least twenty percent. 

[Mbaki]

Still in my honeymoon period only been living here for 5 years but have no intention of leaving, have no problem with visa requirements and plan on living here for the rest of my days with my wife and son ????

[Pedrogaz]

20 hours ago, sanemax said:

Yes. I am considering relocating , jut trying to decide where to go next .

Been in Thailand nearly 10 years and just feel that now is the time to go elsewhere .

Not just the visa situation , as I'm used to that , having spent all my time here on tourist visas and visa exempts .

  Embassys and immigration used to be quite welcoming when applying to visas and entering Thailand , these days its "What are you doing coming back here again" , I could deal with that though , but theres other things going on personally and I just feel that now is the right time to go somewhere else .

   Had a great time here , no hard feelings , just time to move on

I know how you feel about it being the time to move. I love Thailand but feel that it is getting hostile to retirees and so combining the two I am looking to move. This is not because of finances, but because I am the type of person who does not like jumping through hoops for petty officials.

I'm thinking to move back to Europe....maybe Spain or Greece....somewhere with decent weather, decent security but less of the 3rd world crap.

[steven100]

21 hours ago, None The Wiser said:

Ghana where it's so peaceful

yes .......  i'm sure it is  ????

[Bullie]

21 hours ago, colinneil said:

Disagree mate, i know an English man who had been here about 14 years, left Thailand on thursday, said he was going to Portugal

I'm doing the same in 2 weeks, taking the family  to Coimbra, Portugal. 11 years of Thailand serves me for a lifetime...

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

I'm thinking to move back to Europe....maybe Spain or Greece....somewhere with decent weather, decent security but less of the 3rd world crap.

Spain and Greece have gone a bit 3rd world in the past 5 years, they aren't like they used to be.

[BritManToo]

48 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Among Thais at least in Bangkok or Pattaya I've found many Thais to be more functionally fluent in English than I, or most farang I know, will ever be in Thai.

My Thai family aren't functional at anything apart from drinking, whoring and starting up business that last a month or two.

Yes, I know, It's probably my fault for associating with the wrong sort of local, your pals are different.

I just wonder how well you know 'your Thais', they do tend to lie about their success a bit.

[Gecko123]

21 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.

That's a really good point. Another thing people forget is that trying to learn the local language from scratch while you're abroad is not the same thing as taking classes at your local community college before you arrive. A native speaker can often struggle to explain grammar to a non-native speaker in English. Nowadays, unless you really get out in the sticks, it's really hard to learn a language 'on the go' because everyone cuts you off and tells you they speak English.

[kannot]

3 hours ago, tandor said:

i have difficulty coming with my wife.

i  dont  but  only  after  youve  gone  out

[Gecko123]

My theory about who will be most affected by 800K requirement:

 

Unmarried working class Brits primarily living in Pattaya and Bangkok with low/no savings, but who were previously able to meet the monthly income requirement with their pensions, but following the post-Brexit devaluation of the pound, are no longer able to do so.

 

This is just a theory. No offense intended. If true, I empathize with their plight, and am interested in anyone else's thoughts on this matter.

Edited February 25, 2019 by Gecko123

[pogal]

4 hours ago, Aussieroaming said:

Nobody discusses 5 or 10 years from now, when the immigration requirements will have likely risen. Will people be able to put away the funds when it increases. Only need to look at the magnitude of change since 1998 to estimate what that cost might be. The 800 k baht is neither capped or static, it will increase over time.

yup, I'm planning on leaving but not for another 7 years. On good money now but definitely leaving as soon as I've paid off my house back home. 

Bored of the menatility here. It's been a fun filled 20 years but really need to get back to reality, family, and a relatively logical, educated society. Oh, and peacefulness. Miss silence so much! ????

And fresh air. And home grown food without chemicals or drugs. 

Lots of things I miss. 

Uncertainty is the main reason for my decision. There's certainty back home but very little here. When I'm old I don't want to worry about visas, getting hit by a bike on the footpath or scammed by cops, and check in's after I travel etc. 

I just want to enjoy retirement ????

Leave Thailand for the young or wealthy ????

Lots of nice memories here but not from the last few years ????

Us long timers got it good 20+ years ago. Newbies don't really know the difference so it's no big deal to them I guess. 

Anyway, no complaints, it's just time to move on. 

Thanks for all the fish????

[pgrahmm]

3 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Philippines, gun rule does not appeal, extra judicial killings (no thanks) and if u upset the fanatic running the place visa removal and deportation.

During elections they'll stop & search your car for weapons - sometimes twice on the same outing - nice place.....not...

[MuuKondiao]

23 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Here are enough threads on TV with people who have trouble getting a long term visa. So there must be some who will leave or not return from what was planned as a visa-run.

That is the scenario I am working with. To Vietnam the end of Feb. expecting to receive a 3-month Viet visa there at the airport ... three months to get acculturated and settled in and to apply for the TV to Thailand.

 

I don't get it why so many people are arguing here about leaving or not leaving - threatening to go but changing their minds - paying the cost for a visa agent - putting your freedom in jeopardy for trusting a Thai scam artist who may or may not have the connections he claims and may or may not have influence  on corrupt I/O's, but you should have known better than to trust him.....

For those who are making it in Thailand: stay and be well; for the ones who feel the need to bail out or life could be easier somewhere else, or they don't fit in anywhere: let them pursue their dreams. How does it hurt you that they say the grass looks greener to them over there?

[Chippy151]

I'm leaving Thailand this Friday. I've lived in Bangkok for 12 years. My honeymoon period finished a few years ago. I should have left then.

Sick to death of the traffic, pollution and heat.

[tandor]

2 hours ago, kannot said:

i  dont  but  only  after  youve  gone  out

..then she must have been your missus all the time.

[Aussieroaming]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'm old, will probably be dead by then, no need for me to worry.

No, but the 50 somethings who are retiring early should really be considering a couple of points.

 

1. They should base future income requirements not the prices now but on the future costs of living, including rises in immigration holding funds. 

 

2. Not all of them will automatically be entitled to a pension in their home country if they get it wrong and have to bail out of their retirement plans in Asia or wherever after they reach the official retirement age if they have been out of the country for a number of years (Australia is one example).

 

[brokenbone]

everyone thinking of retiring abroad should

consider permanent residency or citizenship mandatory.

it shouldnt be up to debate if they can stay or not

as the body crumbles at old age

[CGW]

3 hours ago, pogal said:

Miss silence so much! ????

That is the one "thing" I miss the most! 

& decent beer off course ????

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, brokenbone said:

everyone thinking of retiring abroad should

consider permanent residency or citizenship mandatory.

it shouldnt be up to debate if they can stay or not

as the body crumbles at old age

PR is an important aspect.

Such comes relatively easy for citizens of EEA states as long as they stay in the EEA area.

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, Aussieroaming said:

2. Not all of them will automatically be entitled to a pension in their home country if they get it wrong and have to bail out of their retirement plans in Asia or wherever after they reach the official retirement age if they have been out of the country for a number of years (Australia is one example).

 

Western 50 year olds will be lucky to get a pension anywhere, it's becoming a thing of the past, work until you drop.

[melvinmelvin]

20 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Western 50 year olds will be lucky to get a pension anywhere, it's becoming a thing of the past, work until you drop.

true,

the number of countries moving in that direction increase

 

young people today have a harder job securing a future decent pension

 

 

[melvinmelvin]

22 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Western 50 year olds will be lucky to get a pension anywhere, it's becoming a thing of the past, work until you drop.

 

I am happy that my pensions are not affected by me staying in LoS,

apart from the lousy  exchange rates - these will get worse I guess, with LoS catching on re economy

and industry

 

[tingtongtourist]

12 hours ago, Kerryd said:

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).

Bravo, thats a great and accurate observation sir.

 

 ThaiVisa have so many winers, moaning about how bad Thailand is, corruption, double pricing, unfair to farang, bad woman. etc etc..

 

they saying its been going down the tubes for years and themself, has been leaving for the passed 10 years but never gone.

 

funny, now Immigrationnforcing and old finance requirement the same guys who been "leaving" for 10 years now screaming Blue murder about getting "forced out"

 

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

they saying its been going down the tubes for years and themself, has been leaving for the passed 10 years but never gone.

Out of the 7 or 8 friends (aged 50-70) I made in Chiang Mai over the last 10 years

4 died, 1 returned to Australia, 1 returned to the UK, 2 are living in Cambodia.

I'm the only one left out of the group I knew.

 

3-4 of us still meet up every year, last year it was HCMC, this year it was Siam Reap.

Edited February 25, 2019 by BritManToo