My 2cent / tuppence opinion concerning "immigration moving goal posts" and "Thai Baht strength forcing expats out"

[Lupusthai]

 

Prologue:

(excuse my poor English, please! I learned only German, Latin and ancient - Homer's - Greek at school. My - formerly good, but not perfect - English skills deteriorated significantly for 13 years speaking mostly "Tenglish".)

 

I moved to Thailand permanently in Nov. 2006 at age 59 due to health reasons.

Exchange rate at that time was > 52 THB/€, my pension was around 1,500 € or > 75,000 THB.

Background money in Europe was around 50,000 €.

I made a deposit of 800,000 THB on a fixed deposit account (earning 3.5% interest).

After travelling around Thailand in former years, I decided in Feb. 2007 to settle in Cha-Am, Petchaburi province.

I bought a (new, central position, detached, 250 sqm garden around) house for 2 Mill. THB, payable in 3 installations of THB or € at my preference until 12/31/2007 with a fixed exchange rate of 56 THB/€.

 

Nowadays I have a pension around 1,800 € equiv. 62,000 THB and around 60K € + 1,8 Mio THB background.

 

Since 2009 I'm married to a Thai preschool-headteacher, income >> 60K THB/month, no need for financial support, but 'valuable' gifts accepted...

 

Now to the Expat-problems:

 

I.          The stakes, hurdles, loops of the Thai-Immigration:

 

From 2007-2017 I've been attached to the Prachuab-Khirikhan-HuaHin Immi.

Problems then:

 

·        the office moved its location 5 times during those years (sic!)

 

·        until a "crack-cleanup" end of 2011 the officers have been deeply corrupt.

 

My notice from May 2011:

 

“The bankbooks show:

-                   from 11.02.2011 to 15.03.2011 I had a minimum deposit of (#1=605,020 + #2=300,000) = 905,020 THB

-                   on 15.03.2011:  (#1= 343,157 + #2 = 0 + #3 = 500,000) = 834,157 THB

-                   from 16.03.2011 to 11.05.2011  I had a minimum deposit of (#1=337,980 + #3=500,000) = 837,980 THB

 

There is not one single day in the critical timespan (and even a year before), I didn’t deposit at least 834,157 THB.

 

The officer told me: You didn’t deposit 800.000 THB on Thai Bank accounts during the last 3 months, so your

documents are not according to the law and I refuse the Visa-prolongation.

 

I asked her, to show the documents to the head officer.

When she returned, she told me:

 

If you are willing to pay 4.000 THB, then your documents are according the law and you can get your Visa prolongation.

 

If not, you must pay 1,900 THB for the (failed) Visa application. We will give you 6 days to go to the German Embassy in Bangkok, where you can get the certificate about your pension – we know that you get a pension. Then you can come back, pay 1,900 THB for the Visa and you will get it!

 

(I think they calculated: 2 * 1,900 for Visa + 1,200 for the pension certificate + travelling cost amounts to more than 5,000 THB, so I should be willing to pay the requested ‘tea-money’)

 

They have been right: (unwillingly) I paid the ‘fee’ to make correct documents after some personal profit ‘really correct’.

 

Of course, I didn’t get any receipt for the 4,000 THB, but could say only “kop khun maak maak” to those honest employees of the Thai Government!”

 

·        From 2012-2017 no problems, always served by a German-speaking and German-friendly officer.

 

In 2018 I was ‘moved’ to the Tha-Yang-Petchaburi Immigration.

 

Since that date the so called “loops & hurdles” significantly EASED compared with the former existing – but not enforced – rules:

 

·        I don’t need to go out for a 90-day report. 5 minutes at the computer and it’s done!

 

·        I don’t need to go out for a TM.30 report. 5 minutes at the computer/mobile and it’s done!

 

·        I must show 800K THB only 2 months before extending my stay permit.

 

·        In case of Emergency I can use 400K of my deposit for 7 months.

 

·        I can get my Reentry-Permit just-in-time in the airport

 

·        The Extension-/Reentry-fees didn’t increase for 13 years.

 

Fazit:

 

Long(year)-stayers in Thailand must show up at their Immigration-bureau once a year and are “fleeced” by shocking 1,900 THB / 55 € / 61 $ / 48 £

II.          The strength of the Thai-Baht and Exchange rates:

 

The strength of the Thai currency doesn’t have any influence on your THB deposits!

(except you want to “repatriate” – then a strong Baht is more than welcome!)

 

But your monthly budgets suffers, of course…

 

I managed it, to keep my monthly living-expenses at around 30K THB for 30 years now…

How?
In the beginning I regularly ate at high level restaurants like “Raya” in Cha Am or “Putharasca” in Hua Hin.

But with the increasing devaluation of the € against the THB I switched my behavior more and more to:

-         Ordering High-quality food for home-delivery in Bangkok and cooking at home

-         Enjoying my wine/beer/spirit in my garden

-         Reducing my drives to BKK, Phetburi or Hua Hin – any way its no fun anymore due to congested roads and missing parking lots J

 

This way I kept my monthly expenses constant….

 

And I’m not living like the often cited “cheap Charly” – I eat and drink only the best food, my electronic- and kitchen-equipment is on high-highest standard, living (mostly single) in a big “designer”-house, big ½ Rai garden etc.

What I don’t need:

“social value” attributable things like Rolex, Porsche, Designer-clothes and so on…

 

III.          Some relief for the “Thai-bashers” & “Expat-whiners”

 

I’m sad as well with the development Thailand experienced during the last decades…

 

LOS definitely LOSt a lot of its charme and ambience. Best to describe my sentiment and feelings is by listening to some music:

  

[thequietman]

4 hours ago, Lupusthai said:

I managed it, to keep my monthly living-expenses at around 30K THB for 30 years now…

Came here when you were 59 years old. So ........... you are 89 now! Wow, well done sir. ????

Edited June 29, 2019 by thequietman

[sammieuk1]

Your English is very good and count yourself lucky at this present time your not English with a pound???? 

[JamJar]

49 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Came here when you were 59 years old. So ........... you are 89 now! Wow, well done sir. ????

 

No.

 

Quote

moved to Thailand permanently in Nov. 2006 at age 59

 

So approx. 72.

 

Many visit for months and then go home. 

[Matzzon]

8 hours ago, thequietman said:

Came here when you were 59 years old. So ........... you are 89 now! Wow, well done sir. ????

Yes, if you live in 2036. ????

 

To the OP: Thanks for a nice story.

[Lupusthai]

8 hours ago, thequietman said:

Came here when you were 59 years old. So ........... you are 89 now! Wow, well done sir. ????

oh sorry, that was a typo! Should be 13 years! And I'm 72 as JamJar  correctly calculated.
????

 

8 hours ago, JamJar said:

So approx. 72.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

Good post,

but it does summarise why some farang expats are complaining.

They want to live like kings in a poor land, but the formerly poor land is becoming wealthy and so cost of living increases. If they are not prepared to live a more normal life, indeed they will be suffering or gone.

Such things as driving a car long distance instead of taking the bus/ train and using taxis/ songtheaws at destination, eating at expensive restaurants and drinking expensive booze.

Thailand is still extremely cheap place to live if one doesn't want to be a king in the land of the poor.

 

Immigration. I hated going there, and in the end paid an agent. Just couldn't be bothered with the BS and irrationality of the system.

[cooked]

28 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Good post,

but it does summarise why some farang expats are complaining.

They want to live like kings in a poor land, but the formerly poor land is becoming wealthy and so cost of living increases. If they are not prepared to live a more normal life, indeed they will be suffering or gone.

Such things as driving a car long distance instead of taking the bus/ train and using taxis/ songtheaws at destination, eating at expensive restaurants and drinking expensive booze.

Thailand is still extremely cheap place to live if one doesn't want to be a king in the land of the poor.

 

Immigration. I hated going there, and in the end paid an agent. Just couldn't be bothered with the BS and irrationality of the system.

I don't care about being relatively "poor". I care about the fact that my initially THB49 000 pension has shrunk to THB 42 000 over the last 7 years and don't fancy being forced to go back home or do all sorts of (expensive) fancy semi-legal manoeuvres to get extensions in my dotage.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, cooked said:

I don't care about being relatively "poor". I care about the fact that my initially THB49 000 pension has shrunk to THB 42 000 over the last 7 years and don't fancy being forced to go back home or do all sorts of (expensive) fancy semi-legal manoeuvres to get extensions in my dotage.

Live long enough and one discovers that life is <deleted>.

Bad things happen throughout life, but as we get older we are less able to cope with the bad things.

Caring is rather irrelevant, when life is kicking us in the butt.

[marcusarelus]

12 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Good post,

but it does summarise why some farang expats are complaining.

They want to live like kings in a poor land, but the formerly poor land is becoming wealthy and so cost of living increases. If they are not prepared to live a more normal life, indeed they will be suffering or gone.

Such things as driving a car long distance instead of taking the bus/ train and using taxis/ songtheaws at destination, eating at expensive restaurants and drinking expensive booze.

Thailand is still extremely cheap place to live if one doesn't want to be a king in the land of the poor.

 

Immigration. I hated going there, and in the end paid an agent. Just couldn't be bothered with the BS and irrationality of the system.

Did my retirement extension this week.  12 minutes total.  My driver does my 90 day reports so for one year spent 12 minutes at Immigration office.  I agree BS irrational system.  ????????????

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Did my retirement extension this week.  12 minutes total.  My driver does my 90 day reports so for one year spent 12 minutes at Immigration office.  I agree BS irrational system.  ????????????

I take it you don't use the Chiang Mai immigration department.

[NCC1701A]

I can remember as a kid in the states going to get gasoline with my father. It was 24 cents a gallon. 

[spidermike007]

There are alot of valid reasons for complaints here. But, upon reflection I have even more complaints about living in the US, at this point in time. I would do it if someone was willing to pay me $1 million a year. For less than that, I do not think so. The quality of life there has diminished to a pale shadow of what it used to be. I think in general, the world population is increasing, inflation is rampant worldwide, despite what the fools tell us, and the quality of life is not what it used to be. That is just something we have to deal with. It is what it is. Make of it what you will. Some of us have been fortunate to carve out a pretty nice existence here. 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I can remember as a kid in the states going to get gasoline with my father. It was 24 cents a gallon. 

I don't remember what proportion of my wages I spent on petrol in the 70s and 80s, but I never had an issue going on 7 hour each way journey because of fuel price. Now taking a 20 minute trip has to be necessary. 

Added to that, the <deleted> government has just added 4 cents a litre fuel tax. Hopefully they will be history in next year's election.

[watcharacters]

On 6/30/2019 at 7:19 AM, cooked said:

I don't care about being relatively "poor". I care about the fact that my initially THB49 000 pension has shrunk to THB 42 000 over the last 7 years and don't fancy being forced to go back home or do all sorts of (expensive) fancy semi-legal manoeuvres to get extensions in my dotage.

 

When I retired I was guaranteed only one thing.      My pension rate was fixed but all other costs (mostly health) would continue to go up.

 

Add to that the fluctuation of currency  rates and exchange fees and you have the recipe for a continuing lower standard of living.

[connda]

19 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I can remember as a kid in the states going to get gasoline with my father. It was 24 cents a gallon. 

I can remember when a gallon of gas and a pack of smokes both cost 26 cents.

[DoctorG]

13 minutes ago, connda said:

I can remember when a gallon of gas and a pack of smokes both cost 26 cents.

#MeToo

[BritManToo]

20 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I can remember as a kid in the states going to get gasoline with my father. It was 24 cents a gallon. 

I remember my wages were 14 pounds a week.

[jensmann]

15 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

When I retired I was guaranteed only one thing.      My pension rate was fixed but all other costs (mostly health) would continue to go up.

 

Add to that the fluctuation of currency  rates and exchange fees and you have the recipe for a continuing lower standard of living.

i still don't get what the op is trying to tell. all normal.....

[Old Croc]

On ‎6‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 5:20 PM, Lupusthai said:

I learned only German, Latin and ancient - Homer's - Greek at school.

Just wondering  -  did the knowledge of the Ancient Greek language have any practical value in your life?  Or, for that matter, the Latin? 

[Cryingdick]

The problem with Thailand is it used to be so cheap everybody spent all their money. 

[marcusarelus]

22 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I take it you don't use the Chiang Mai immigration department.

I did for 3 years never any problems and then moved because of the smoke.  

[blazes]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Just wondering  -  did the knowledge of the Ancient Greek language have any practical value in your life?  Or, for that matter, the Latin? 

He probably went to a Jesuit school in Bavaria...

[marcusarelus]

22 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I can remember as a kid in the states going to get gasoline with my father. It was 24 cents a gallon. 

I remember when beer and cigarettes were free in Vietnam.

 

 

[Psychic]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Just wondering  -  did the knowledge of the Ancient Greek language have any practical value in your life?  Or, for that matter, the Latin? 

I had to study Latin for 3 years.

It is a boon for trying to translate Romantic languages.

It is also useful for understanding a lot of unfamiliar English words.

And you learn some history while you are doing it.

Actually kind of sorry my Christian Brother school never taught Greek.

Google Translate does any translating now but that wasn't available for decades.

So, I am happy now that I had my crazy Latin teacher ( he was fluent in 11 languages) but I think they were all a bit nuts.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I remember my wages were 14 pounds a week.

I remember starting as a trainee chemist. 1 pound 10 shillings a week. By the time I had paid board and train travel, I had 5 shillings left to spend on myself.

I spend more than  that week's earnings on a one hour massage now.

Edited July 2, 2019 by Lacessit

[thaiboss]

Greetings my situation i am 65  my pension 21.000 thai baht  in Thai bank now 7 million thai baht ..... how do you think i stay on untill my move to the  universe ????   

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Just wondering  -  did the knowledge of the Ancient Greek language have any practical value in your life?  Or, for that matter, the Latin? 

Latin is useful when identifying fellow rich kids who went to better prep schools.  

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, thaiboss said:

Greetings my situation i am 65  my pension 21.000 thai baht  in Thai bank now 7 million thai baht ..... how do you think i stay on untill my move to the  universe ????   

Another 28 years if you can make it on 40k/month.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

2 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Latin is useful when identifying fellow rich kids who went to better prep schools.  

Chip, shoulder, much?