Big Joke: Promises easier, faster and more "watertight" Immigration rules

[THAIJAMES]

41 minutes ago, Oww said:

Largely misunderstood. Sure big foreign multinationals 'invest' mega-millions in Thailand, providing lots of mostly crap, low to mid salary jobs. Meanwhile Mia farang & clan are living the good life doing FA off of foreign husbands...which life do you think the factory worker would prefer.

You are correct from an individual point of view but unfortunately immigration has to make decisions on the national level meaning that they prefer those mega corporations providing lots of crap jobs

[DaRoadrunner]

I believe Big Joke’s father is a close friend of both deputy junta chairman Prawit Wongsuwan and Pheu Thai MP Sanoh Thienthong.

I am curious to see what effect the recent election and change of Gov’t has on all this. Though the politicians are certainly more interested in dividing up their spoils than they are in us Farang.

 

Ultimately, there has always been one rule for the xenophobic Thais and another for the rest of us. One sees all this as the thin end of the wedge squeezing the Farang out. Though, Thailand being what it is, I also suspect one will always be able to obtain a visa if one has money.

[emptypockets]

36 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Personally I would never make a large purchase in Thailand.

Those days are gone, I only buy what I can get in my suitcase these days.

Four sons , the maid and the mother in law?

[zydeco]

2 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Troops..firstly, this is not a country called expatsland..but Thailand.
Every country has different rules/regs re non nationals living there.
I'm British..my Wife came to the UK with me 2005..the rules/regs were the rules/regs THEN.
Now..totally different rules/regs..financial bits n bobs requirements.
When my wife got her " indefinite leave to remain " visa..followed by naturalisation=British citizenship, the cost was " x " amount.
Now I believe the cost is " x+y+z " !!!
That's life.
Nothing anyone can do about it.
Maybe just maybe if some of the posting expats on this Forum started cutting back on non essentials like fags and booze, things could be better for them financially??!!
Cheers


Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Hope you haven't lost your swagger stick while reviewing the troops on the Kwai, Lt. Col. Nicholson.

[emptypockets]

19 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I believe Big Joke’s father is a close friend of both deputy junta chairman Prawit Wongsuwan and Pheu Thai MP Sanoh Thienthong.

I am curious to see what effect the recent election and change of Gov’t has on all this. Though the politicians are certainly more interested in dividing up their spoils than they are in us Farang.

 

Ultimately, there has always been one rule for the xenophobic Thais and another for the rest of us. One sees all this as the thin end of the wedge squeezing the Farang out. Though, Thailand being what it is, I also suspect one will always be able to obtain a visa if one has money.

One should keep ones head down and one will be ok unless one has been rorting the system and one cannot meet the quite easy requirements for ones extension of stay. If that is the case one should be prepared to implements ones plan B.

[metisdead]

Some nonsensical troll posts have been removed. 

[DaRoadrunner]

5 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

One should keep ones head down and one will be ok unless one has been rorting the system and one cannot meet the quite easy requirements for ones extension of stay. If that is the case one should be prepared to implements ones plan B.

Indeed, plan B already exists in the form of a list of potential alternate countries. Big Joke is no doubt losing sleep over the potential exit of so many Farang.

[DaRoadrunner]

6 minutes ago, metisdead said:

Some nonsensical troll posts have been removed. 

May I offer some assistance

 

[EricTh]

19 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Indeed, plan B already exists in the form of a list of potential alternate countries. Big Joke is no doubt losing sleep over the potential exit of so many Farang.

Thailand is the third most visited country in the world so I doubt the number of farangs who want to stay in Thailand will dwindle to the point of Big Jok losing sleep.

 

[DaRoadrunner]

5 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Don't you love a country where a spade is called a spade?

Oops that wasn't really pc was it?

But seriously it is refreshing not to be subject to the nonsense faux censorship of the west, where people cannot speak their mind without fear of being crucified. 

 

I worked in in a remote mining town in the Northern Territory of Australia. A friend and the local big boss( Google Gallurway Yunupingu if you feel like it) were going into a business partnership. Said friend wanted some certainty in the relationship. He said he wanted it in black and white. Local boss simply said I'm black you're white. No malice involved simply stating the obvious. The pc crowd would have gone in to melt down. Neither of those guys gave shit. It is what it is.

The recent events in New Zealand really crystallised how far this has come. 

When the bad guy blew up the concert in Manchester we were encouraged to hug a Muslim. When the white nut case shot 50 odd Muslims in Christchurch we are encouraged to hug a Muslim. 

This is only an example and not a call to change the tone of this thread.

When Big Joke says black or whatever... It is what it is.

So are we now expected to hug Big Joke?

[Tomtomtom69]

7 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

New?  Maybe in terms of tourism, but the Cinese connection to/with Thailand is hardly a recent development and, aside from the mention of South Africa, there's nothing to suggest that any nationality is being targeted. 

 

I seriously doubt that Thailand is looking to encourage a massive influx of Chinese retirees, spouses for Thais or small scale businesses run by Chinese beyond the ethnic Chinese Thais who already are settled here in significant numbers.  

Excellent comment and I agree with you. If Thailand did do something as stupid as that (why would they?) they would encounter 100 times the problems they are getting from even the worst farang. Just one look at China's proximity to Thailand, it's massive population (which is larger than that of all white western countries combined) and the propensity with which Chinese people like to leave their homeland and set up businesses abroad makes it clear China is the country to fear. I don't see farang opening up businesses and staffing them with their own people in foreign countries, but that's exactly what Chinese people do in Laos, northern Myanmar and other countries they can get away with it. Luckily, Thailand is not such a country. One is struck immediately by the proliferation of Chinese language signs everywhere in Laos, even in Vientiane, nearly 700 km south of the Chinese border. Upon returning to Thailand via Nong Khai, you leave "mini China" and arrive back in a country that hasn't become someone else's economic colony. Signs are mostly in Thai or Thai/English, the way it should be.

[emptypockets]

8 minutes ago, Oww said:

Any countries total economy is complex with many levels. I shall not question your better than most farangs status due to your...BIL..my point is the "figures" he says have been done to death are hugely skewed by multinational corporations investing big money mostly to enrich themselves. They are here for cheap labor. By the way the petrochemical industry is a very small percentage of the overall Thai economy. (I know some extremely rich Thais by the way and they would be the first to recognize that they are the rare exception. All you need to do is Google the average wage of Thai citizens....But hey continue enjoying your good feelings there. By the way you didn't mention what your BIL thinks of you.

Google any countries average wage and it will always be skewed

The BIL feelings towards me? Don't know , haven't asked me but when we kick back have a couple of beers together and watch the old Pink Floyd Pulse dvd together I don't feel anything negative from him. Quite the opposite actually.

 

Of course multinationals are here to exploit cheap labour. My Toyota Hilux in Australia years ago was built in South Africa, the Mazda BT 50 was built in Thailand. The next four wheel drive will likely be built in Indonesia. In years to come they will most likely be built in the next cheap but business stable country, my guess Myanmar. Brazil and Mexico went through it then got too expensive. So will Thailand. International business has no conscience Most people know or should know that.

[emptypockets]

12 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

So are we now expected to hug Big Joke?

Whatever turns you on. Stick your tongue in his ear if you think you can get away with it.

That's what I love about Thailand

[EricTh]

17 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

Upon returning to Thailand via Nong Khai, you leave "mini China" and arrive back in a country that hasn't become someone else's economic colony. Signs are mostly in Thai or Thai/English, the way it should be.

You might want to read this to change your perception.

 

http://eastasiaorigin.blogspot.com/2017/07/main-ethnicities-in-thailand.html

[Tomtomtom69]

6 hours ago, DrTuner said:

But it ain't politically correct to point out some cultures are more prone to cause trouble, tsktsk.

Who cares, we're in Thailand not in America or Australia. let's leave the PC BS in those countries and not export it to Thailand.

[hottrader77]

14 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

They always promise exactly the opposite of what is going to happen !!  

Compulsive lying, I believe, is the term ????

They are lyiers i was taken for interview at the airport having arrived at suvanhammi airport and wanting my 1st free 30 day stamp , i arrived in thailand in december with a 60 day visa paid in uk in feb i extended that which i paid 1,900 baht for so i did not leave thailand then , then i went for holiday to singapore for 2 nights and came back to thailand been my first time outside thailand i wanted a 30 day stamp and was taken for the interview and told i was doing illegal thing ( a complete lie ) and he said that tourists can only spend 3 months in thailand in 1 year 60 days plus an extension ( a complete lie ) as you are allowed 2 free 30 day stamps , this was my 1st one , i eventually got a 30 day stamp which i can extend 30 days but i dont fly back uk till start of june so i will be going out start of april and getting a 60 day visa from thai embassey in cambodia or malasia or loas as i need to re enter to get my return flight start of june to uk , they are such greedy people in charge now not wanting to give a free 30 day stamp but by LAW they have to , INTERNATIONAL LAW is something top official  dont understand !! hope election results change things 

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Indeed, plan B already exists in the form of a list of potential alternate countries. Big Joke is no doubt losing sleep over the potential exit of so many Farang.

I too have my plan B in place, but I'll really miss Her Indoors and my stepdaughter when I'm in the Philippines. I'll visit them of course, if I can get back in occasionally, but whereas a few years back it would've been exciting, the thought of being able to do my own thing, the thought isn't so appealing at 75 yoa. I'll also miss my house and garden too. Some on here compare it with the rule changes for Thai spouses moving to the UK, but my goodness, once you in there, you're in. None of this worry every time BJ opens his B mouth.

[AmericanSafety]

I'm 41 and sniffing at retirement at 50. Thai wife and 2 daughters with dual citizenship. We have multiple properties in Thailand. I am rather fortunate. However, I have a number of good and honest friends who rent condos and live on modest pensions or social security. I can't see them being able to stay. Most of which sold up shop in their native country and have no connections back there any longer. These moves seem like a financial culling of expats which I find quite disturbing. These men aren't charlatans, grifters, yabbaheads or malcontents. They aren't a cause for crime or a burden on society. These developments may very well have me reconsider my family's future in the Land of Smiles.

[jesimps]

3 hours ago, emptypockets said:

 

I bow my head to the master. Or to keep it multinational and inclusive for the pommy whinges who appear to be the majority on these types of threads..... I dips me lid guv' ner ( while tuggiing forelock in a cowering manner).

Worked two years in the top end and can state categorically, that there isn't a whinger in the history of the world worst than an Ozzie whinger. They're worse than Mancs! One of the reasons I didn't stay in Oz after my two year tour ended was the whinging from the Ozzies. I had a girlfriend there who made my life a misery, whinged from morning 'till night. How anyone who lives in that beautiful country would want to spend their whole life whinging is beyond me. 

[jesimps]

4 hours ago, Benroon said:

Expats never have and never will come close to ‘supporting the Thai econony’  an economy worth $455billion - the sums have been done to death on here.

 

Long  term expats have a grossly inflated opinion of their worth here 

It's got nothing to do with the Thai economy in general, but more about the humanitarian aspect of supporting a Thai wife and family. Most of us don't think of our worth, we'd just like to be left alone to support our family without the monthly changes to the rules which we seem to be getting since BJ took over the hot seat.

[jesimps]

4 hours ago, Genmai said:

 

This is either some very convincing LARPing or a bunch of condescending PR speak that is an insult to the many horror stories which you can read about on this forum.

 

 

When you or someone says something like “don’t jump to conclusions, wait and see because the changes might be positive” – I don’t believe a word of that, and likely the majority of readers here don’t either. This is because frankly speaking the foreign expat community’s trust in immigration has been completely eroded. Neither you nor anybody on this forum can point to any of the numerous changes in immigration procedures made within the last 5 years that haven’t made things WORSE for law-abiding foreigners living here long-term instead of making them “faster” or “watertight”. (The only example I can think of is the work permit change - as a business owner you are no longer restricted to working at one specific location or having to carry out duties as they pertain to your particular job title only. This was a good change that meant corrupt officials can no longer arrest restaurant owners for carrying out forbidden manual labour, i.e. carrying crates of potatoes in their own kitchen). For the honest retirees, students, business owners and married folks – every change so far has overwhelmingly resulted in adding more hurdles and impediments. I understand this country has the unfortunate attribute of presenting itself as a favourable destination for criminals. Why should we suffer for that? You can give out a cake to every retiree who happens to visit CM immigration on their birthday – it won’t cover up for the fact that everybody feels a clear lack of distinction being made in the methods here between processing criminals and law abiding expats.

 

 

 

I don’t think most foreign expats here would even really mind  all these increasing intrusions and barriers to conducting their life here in a free manner IF the bureaucratic nature of conforming to all the requests was eliminated and streamlined in accordance to technology available in the modern era. Immigration must have warehouses full of useless papers with boxes where my address is written down on at least 100 different documents.

 

 

 

Easiest visa requirements in the world? You’ve got to be joking. There are plenty of other countries who offer more and with an easier process to boot. I can go to Georgia right now and stay for 365 days on a visa-exempt entry stamp, during which I can open up a bank account, etc. I can also go to Taiwan visa-exempt, extend my stay, then hop out to Hong Kong and back to Taiwan, rinse and repeat for years whilst happily spending my money in the local economy. Vietnam offers a straight forward business visa with minimal requirements, etc etc etc. Secondly, fulfilling the initial requirements is only half the battle since maintaining your legitimate stay here isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Thirdly, I speak from my own business experience: from the moment of incorporating my Thai company to the moment I was finally issued a work permit the time spent was almost 12 months. I will spare you the details of that saga suffice to say that it was a nightmare. My lawyer had to compile multiple copies of my documents just for the company registration and bring a change of clothes in his car for a potential multi-day trip. Why? Because he had to drive around different districts until he found an office where the officials didn’t make up rules and regulations as they liked. Also, why should I as a small business owner in Thailand be forced to pay myself a monthly wage five times that which an average Thai earns (after incurring additional expenses of having to hire 4 Thais – excluding my partner who owns the majority of course – to sponsor myself)? That’s all business/work related, but the same inept official attitude seems to apply to retirees and marriage visa holders since there are numerous reports of people being told conflicting information from less-than-helpful staff.

 

 

 

As for the education visa being abused by long-term residents with no intention of pursuing education – again, why should I or other genuine students care or be targeted by the response to this? Also, why does immigration conveniently leave crooked schools out of the picture? Aren’t the schools in the wrong for offering fake students the ED visa? A cynic might say it might have something to do with brown envelopes. Again from personal experience: I took a language course in the first year of my stay here. The school explicitly sold me a 1 year course taught over Skype (it was and continues to be advertised openly as such). They faked my test results to always be at least 95% correct when I couldn’t even understand most of the material. Upon visa extension they specifically told me to lie to immigration and tell them I attended class physically because “immigration don’t understand what is Skype”. I was also informed that if there was a random check on the school I should come quickly and show my face. Then I found out the lessons only went on until the 6 month mark. They said  “you pay 12 months visa, but we teach you only 6 months”. If I wanted additional lessons I could come to an “agreement” with my teacher. What the hell are genuine students expected to do in this situation? Report the school and risk losing the visa, or worse – getting charged for defamation because corrupt officials are most likely involved?

 

 

 

I could go on and on but you get the picture. So, you can talk like a spooky detached AI about “the problems with your forum” and make all the claims of “false information being spread” but forgive me for being anxious and EXTREMELY sceptical of this announcement when in my experience the only effects law abiding expats have been subjected to here as a result of new rules and regulations have been overwhelmingly negative.

 

 

 

To all the people saying that those who are concerned are overreacting or “just put the bloody 800k in the bank and be done with it” – you are the proverbial frog in the pot. Look around and ask yourselves – what procedures have immigration implemented in the last 5 years that made things better instead of worse for genuine expats here? It might not affect you today but if you aren’t taking stock of the clear direction things are heading in and preparing accordingly then you are making a grave mistake.

 

Really good post, but the rose-coloured specs of some of the posters on here will filter out all the good points you made. In fact, if BJ resigned from his job tomorrow, there'd be a queue of farang from TVF applying for his job.

[jesimps]

5 hours ago, KittenKong said:

10 years ago to get my retirement extension I used to have to deposit 800kB, fill in a form, stick on a photo, provide an electricity bill, pay 1900B and wait for an hour in Immigration.

 

These days I do exactly the same but I only have to wait about half the time.

 

On top of that I get paid 2.5% interest for my deposit and I can even claim back the withholding tax paid on the interest.

 

Should I feel "under siege"?

BJ must love you. Surprised you aren't in the UK running for parliament, lots of people who'd drop their friends in the cart there. No wonder we're fighting a losing battle here, too many 5th columnists.

[AdamKnight]

23 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Says absolutely nothing other than a load of waffle about doing "something" while reinforcing the blatant racism Thailand has towards black people.

Just the opposite, Thailand was too open to visitors from Africa early on. I've been visiting Thailand since the mid eighties and there truly has been a growing scourge of bad actors from Africa pulling stunts in Thailand and that's undeniable. I hope I never see Thailand allow cancer tumours to metastasise like the many areas in the US that are basically criminal hell holes. Thailand is not PC   That should be the only legitimate concern, period

[spidermike007]

9 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

All of the things you mention in your second sentence were happening before Big Joke became head of immigration and before the last coup for that matter.

 

At least he's trying to do something about it. The real question will be if he succeeds or if he "takes a sledge hammer to crack a walnut" and makes it actually much worse for many genuine expats with Thai families.

 

We'll just have to wait and see. But previous civilian administrations haven't been particularly friendly to expats so not sure whichever administration is in will make much difference.

I am many of my friends have seen a major shift in attitudes, on the part of alot of government officials, towards foreigners, in the past few years. I blame Prayuth and the biggest joke for some of this.

 

He is not a crusader. He is a fraud. Sorry, but he is doing little to help Thailand, and much to harm it.

[Puwa]

14 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

wife gave me a rough translation regarding marriage and business visas/extension of stay:

800K in the bank for 6 months before application

 

quote from channel 7:
 

 

i guess that will stem the flow of retirees to marriage visas.

 

the hits keep on coming..

 

 

That's an incorrect translation of an article which also has incorrect information. The relevant text in Thai, which is a reporter's summary of the issue, concerns the problem of agents who circumvent the financial rules for extension. In describing the problem, the reporter incorrectly states that there is a need to keep 800k in the bank for marriage and family support visas, and that is what the agents are helping people avoid. However we know that different amounts apply to these visas. There is absolute no mention in the article of specific recommendations regarding the amounts or seasoning rules for marriage. 

[lamyai3]

7 hours ago, malibukid said:

Jesus was poor, but rich in grace.  but BJ would not realize this

Maybe BJ is short for Bejeezus 

[swissie]

27 pages of speculation. Why not await the new Police Order and having it interpreted by Ubon Joe?

- But a few things are already certain: In the end, only Farangs that can fulfill the financial requirements will remain.
A few years down the road, in Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines they will play the same song: "Only Farangs that can fulfill the (increased) financial requirements will remain. Same song. No use to relocate, unless your life-expectancy is 92.

A Scenario: "Big Joke" is going 1 or 2 steps too far and the headlines in the Western-Press will read as follows: LONG TERM FOREIGHNERS BEING EXPELLED FROM THAILAND FOR TECHNICAL REASONS, FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR IMMOVABLE ASSETS, WIFES AND CHILDREN BEHIND, LEAVING THEM EXPOSED TO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE IN THAILAND.  
(The UN crying foul: "Human rights violation, racism, arbitrary act of a semi-democratic Governement", etc etc) Something like that may reighn in BJ and his crusadors. Forcing him/them to selectively seperate the Good Guys from the Bad Guys, as he promessed when he took office.

Conclusion: Long-Term Farangs with Wife and Family are relatively safe. Relax! All others have no reason to relax. Unfortunately.

[DaRoadrunner]

16 minutes ago, swissie said:

(The UN crying foul: "Human rights violation, racism, arbitrary act of a semi-democratic Governement", etc etc)

Well, the UN might if we were Muslims! However, most of us on this thread are Westerners in Thailand, nobody knows or cares about us. Relax, you'll get your Visa, .... so long as you have money.

[lamyai3]

7 hours ago, Genmai said:

So, you can talk like a spooky detached AI about “the problems with your forum” and make all the claims of “false information being spread”

The strange use of pronouns makes me wonder if the forum wasn't just paid a visit by the Borg.

 

We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your documents. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your forum will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.

[NightSky]

Its slowly nudging towards the point of no remain as eventually it wont be worth all the hassle.