TaoNow Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 (apologies for cross-posting to those who've seen this, but some "generals" may take note ) In reading through a range of posts on this forum (visa, general) it seems that a large number of posters feel that Thai regulations are arbitrary, irrational, or directed at them. In my experience, none of this is true. In several decades of working within the Thai bureaucracy (Ministry of Health) and nearly 30 years of dealing with immigration (mostly at Soi Suan Plu) my approach to ease the frustration of regulations was to try to understand the reasoning behind them. I would talk to the officials themselves, lawyers, other knowledgeable folk, and read related documentation to learn the background of these regulations. While knowing the rationale did not necessarily make the process of approvals or renewals any easier, it helped to ease the stress and reduce anger at the system. For example, take the requirement of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank for retirement and 40,000 baht a month income for non-retired, non-immigrant O visa holders. Some on the Forum have complained that these rules show that the Thai government only wants the rich, or that it wants to get farang to spend their money in Thailand. In fact, the reasoning behind these regulations is most likely to ensure that whomever settles here long-term has adequate financial means so that s/he will not be a burden on the state – whether or not they actually spend their income or savings in country. Thailand already has enough on its hands to cater to its own low-income. It hardly needs to encourage low-income foreigners to settle. And they are probably primarily worried about their nearest neighbors: Burma, Laos, and Cambodia. Burmese and Lao regularly cross the border to access subsidized health care at Thai government hospitals. This is a cost to the Thai economy since the hospitals are staffed and supplied according to estimated needs of the local Thai population. And the small fees the government hospitals collect from these foreigners does not come close to off-setting the total cost of the service. Take for another example the recently enacted regulations limiting visa-exempt visitors to 90 days in country in a 180-day period. Many think this is unfairly targeting the Western drifter (“farang khii nok”). In fact, this law is most certainly the outgrowth of pressure from the US and its allies to root out international terrorists. Think back to the case of the Indonesian terrorist Hambali who was arrested in Ayutthaya in 2003. That was the wake-up call that Thailand needed to clean house – but the target was not actually the peace-loving visa-runners from Khao San Road. A third example concerns the previous restrictions on land/house ownership for Thai spouses of foreigners. This law was first enacted during the Vietnam War era when there was concern that Vietnamese insurgents would marry (huu bao) Thai women and thereby gain a foothold in the country by owning land, building homes, and establishing a base of operations. The law which prohibited granting Thai citizenship at birth to children of foreign father-Thai mother couples had the same reasoning to it: Infiltrators could make dangerous in-roads via the citizenship of their children. While understanding the background to some of these regulations that affect us Western ex-pats doesn’t make it any easier to process our approvals, at least it might be some solace to know that the law isn’t after us directly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveDaBlues Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I understand what you're saying. BUT.....what bugs me is that the 'Officials' don't follow their own posted rules and regs. example: show me any official form/website where it states you must have 800,000 baht in the bank for retirement? It doesn't say that....it says 800k OR a statement showing you have a monthly pension of 65k OR a combo of both totaling 800k. When I initally went for my retirement visa I had everything in order including the monthly income statement stamped by the Embassy. I was denied because I didn't have the proper papers PROVING I had transferred in 65K each month. I later tried a different officer using the SAME PAPERS and he approved me There is a set of rules. Immigration should follow them. No more, no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 did anyone read it finish? I tried twice but fall asleep in the middle. If someone read it, please tell me whats the point of it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaanresting Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 did anyone read it finish?I tried twice but fall asleep in the middle. If someone read it, please tell me whats the point of it.... Was pretty intense, nothing new though, rule's are rule's. If you no like then bye bye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smartecosse Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 to the OP you actually think that the 90 days stops terrorists etc?? Have you nopticed how much of the land mass here is surrounded by water ................... you actually think the TERRORIST is gonna pay any attention whatsoever?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundman Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 (apologies for cross-posting to those who've seen this, but some "generals" may take note ) A third example concerns the previous restrictions on land/house ownership for Thai spouses of foreigners. This law was first enacted during the Vietnam War era when there was concern that Vietnamese insurgents would marry (huu bao) Thai women and thereby gain a foothold in the country by owning land, building homes, and establishing a base of operations. The law which prohibited granting Thai citizenship at birth to children of foreign father-Thai mother couples had the same reasoning to it: Infiltrators could make dangerous in-roads via the citizenship of their children. Just so some "falang" forum readers don't get in a panic. "Bold" above. If your spouse is a thai national, regardless of gender, they can buy, own & sell land. If a child is born to parents of which one is a thai national, regardless of gender, the child has the automatic right to thai citizenship. Throughout this forum there are threads with links to official thai documents with regards to these subjects. Cheers, Soundman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartempion Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Yeah TaoNow, how right you are! Take a farang marrying a thai woman and living in Farangland. Are you aware of the rights the woman has in Faranland? Now they come to live in Thailand, same rights eh? Bullocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Why are you posting the exact same post in two different places? Common Thread here is a duplicate post. Against forum rules. Thread closed *****CLOSED**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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