Long-term foreigners - Staying or Leaving?

[luckyluke]

Permanently in Thailand since 2000.

 

I am doing my extension ( 15th last month) on base of L.o.I., take ca. 5 minutes, nothing changed.

 

I do my 90 days on line.

 

Never been asked a TM30, I live in Bangkok now after 15+ years Pattaya.

 

I am in Pattaya again now since end December till 28 February to do my extension, no TM30 was asked at Jomtien last month, only my rent contract.

 

I transfer 2000 Euro monthly, at a moment this was = 100000 ThB, now 70000 .

 

Being 70 my desiderata changed, and I accommodate with the amount received.

 

No intention to move out of Thailand.

[NanLaew]

16 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

BTW, if you want to live in the USA, just enter as a tourist, move to a sanctuary state/jurisdiction, and never leave.  You can get a DL, job, etc, all w/o being legal.  In fact, employers prefer illegals - and if you commit a felony, tell the judge you are afraid of being deported, and they will knock it down to a misdemeanor.  Repeat DUI offender?  No problem if you are an illegal - but hell the 1st time if a citizen.  You will have significant privilege over actual citizens or legal-residents there.

Let me guess here. Republican?

[chainarong]

4 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

If Thailand is a retirement joke destination...what countries merit serious consideration?  

Just Google, I think one of the best at onetime was Granada in the Caribbean, I haven't looked for some times, my next retirement is a confined space with silk lining and imitation gold handles.

 

 

[NanLaew]

3 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

Permanently in Thailand since 2000.

 

I am doing my extension ( 15th last month) on base of L.o.I., take ca. 5 minutes, nothing changed.

 

I do my 90 days on line.

 

Never been asked a TM30, I live in Bangkok now after 15+ years Pattaya.

 

I am in Pattaya again now since end December till 28 February to do my extension, no TM30 was asked at Jomtien last month, only my rent contract.

 

I transfer 2000 Euro monthly, at a moment this was = 100000 ThB, now 70000 .

 

Being 70 my desiderata changed, and I accommodate with the amount received.

 

No intention to move out of Thailand.

And that's why he's called luckyluke.

[nickstav]

I'm considering leaving if it becomes too much of a hassle to stay. There are a lot of deadbeats here in Thailand that don't meet the requirements to stay, and they should be forced to leave. But many, like myself, fulfill all requirements and contribute to the society. Why make it harder for us? They should be making it easier, as many countries are doing. I don't want to have my pension direct deposited into a Thai bank. I don't want to be forced to have medical insurance that won't cover pre-existing conditions. 

Recently spoke to a nice guy here on holiday. He lives in Vietnam. He's been there 4 1/2 years on 90 day tourist visas. No problems he says. Cheaper, generally cleaner, better food. Planning a recon trip there soon.

[lamyai3]

10 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

I transfer 2000 Euro monthly, at a moment this was = 100000 ThB, now 70000 .

Sailing close to the wind there. Lucky you've still got the income letters. 

[JackThompson]

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Let me guess here. Republican?

No, we don't have a party that represents the interests of the citizens of the USA.  The D's and R's both support any policy or lack of enforcement that floods the labor market to the benefit of the transnational corporations who own them. 

 

The only difference is, the R's want to take away the social safety net from the Americans they drive into poverty this way ("crackdowns" on food-stamps, etc), while the D's pretend they can just print money forever to pay for the health care and social-services of anyone who can sneak across the open-border, plus the Americans these policies displace from formerly decent-paying jobs. 

[JackThompson]

49 minutes ago, MrPatrickThai said:

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

So yes I am looking at alternatives where the natives are friendly

Typical colonial attitude. 

That's ridiculous.  We are not "in control" of the Thai govt/country by any stretch - and should not be.  We cannot even own land here, which I consider a good thing, as it prevents exactly the sort of "colonial" type results - turning the locals into renters paying foreigners for permission to exist in their own country.

 

The question is, if I come to a country and spend foreign-sourced income there, will I be treated with a "thank you" attitude, or a "bleep you" attitude.  The Thai people are gracious and friendly, but many in immigration and some other bureaucracies show us the latter attitude.  This has nothing to do with "foreign control" - which is what colonialism was all about (though it raised living-standards for locals in most cases to spite this).

[luckyluke]

7 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Sailing close to the wind there. Lucky you've still got the income letters

I am fortunate to have a net pension of 2200 Euro, so still some marge.

 

In Belgium how more you earn, how more deduction the government made, your pension is include in this deduction.

 

It is not extraordinary that some only receive 55 % from their monthly gross income.

[HAKAPALITA]

As long as im not Shot at, ive stated in most Countries.But not one that was good as Home before emigrants made me leave.

[Longcut]

2 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

 

Totally agree with you. I just love how many TV posters here say "that's it for me, my bags are packed". Truth is I would like to actually know how many people actually keep their word and leave.

 

For me it is like a stalemate where people say things and then daringly stand by and watch who will move first, with no intention of budging themselves.

 

Rosie O'Donnell syndrome.  

Always threatening to leave, but never does. 

[Kenchamp]

1 hour ago, MrPatrickThai said:

I think for most I've met, that should read, "many retired guys come to Thailand because of the young desperate women" and get hooked in by one with stepkids.

They blow all their savings on the woman and her family, who won't ever contemplate selling her gold or father's pickup truck to help their loved husband get a visa easily.

And what about the resr of us? Not the ones you might associate with in the bar or didn't you know there are lots of decent Thai girls out there?

[Henryford]

The question is not whether I have plans to leave but will Immigration grant me a visa. If they don't i will be FORCED to leave.

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

A lot in the UK rely on benefits to top up their pension to survive, which, in my book, is not enjoying their retirement.

In your books yes, but it all depends on the individual and what their wants and needs are.

Some need a holiday overseas twice a year while some need the bowling club once a week.

Some want to be near family 

( grandchildren etc ) while some want to be as far away from family as they can get.

Some hate cold weather, some hate hot weather.

Some like to relax, read etc while others want to walk, go to exercise classes or something you can't do in Thailand have a little business sideline and maybe make a few quid a week from it.

 

You can't really make a statement that another persons 'retirement life style' is a bad choice just because it's not what you like.

 

Above is not to criticise you, it's just a comment. ☺

[mokwit]

5 minutes ago, Henryford said:

The question is not whether I have plans to leave but will Immigration grant me a visa. If they don't i will be FORCED to leave.

If our application next year is rejected IMO most likely we will be given 7 days to leave the country and might have problems getting a tourist visa or Visa exempt entry on arrival to come back in and clear out our apartments etc under those circumstances. Something to bear in mind in planning.

[Psimbo]

Oh for god's sake- ANOTHER thread about the same topic. GET OVER IT.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, MrPatrickThai said:

I think for most I've met, that should read, "many retired guys come to Thailand because of the young desperate women" and get hooked in by one with stepkids.

They blow all their savings on the woman and her family, who won't ever contemplate selling her gold or father's pickup truck to help their loved husband get a visa easily.

That pickup-truck probably is a "work truck," so selling it isn't an option, unless you think going back to buffalo+cart is viable. 

 

If hubby is providing stable income (a man's primary-function in a traditional family), she would sell the gold to keep that coming in.  If hubby is not providing a stable income, she would be a fool to sell it.

[Thaiwrath]

18 minutes ago, overherebc said:

In your books yes, but it all depends on the individual and what their wants and needs are.

Some need a holiday overseas twice a year while some need the bowling club once a week.

Some want to be near family 

( grandchildren etc ) while some want to be as far away from family as they can get.

Some hate cold weather, some hate hot weather.

Some like to relax, read etc while others want to walk, go to exercise classes or something you can't do in Thailand have a little business sideline and maybe make a few quid a week from it.

 

You can't really make a statement that another persons 'retirement life style' is a bad choice just because it's not what you like.

 

Above is not to criticise you, it's just a comment. ☺

You, quite conveniently, missed out the "some pensioners NEED to go to food banks in the UK, just to survive". That is not a choice, it is a necessity.

[Olmate]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Not true. I pay nothing as I'm in the social security scheme. Some Thais are, some not, just like some aliens are and some not.

So your the burden on the hospital, not me I,m full fare!

[HAKAPALITA]

Amuses me that Millennial Me Me come here thinking they can ever earn enough to retire . Those ive met are sad buggers, Teaching, or E Begin just for waiting for their Parents to die to get something.Then they end up back home on SS. Hisatory Repeats very much here.

[ubonjoe]

The same poll has been done already, No need for another one.

This topic