What are expats really saying when they say they don't feel welcome anymore in the LOS

[4MyEgo]

Apologise for the book, so if your not into long reads, please exit now and save me the angst later.

 

I am just trying to read into all of this stuff here on TVF when I see in some posts that farangs are not feeling welcome in the LOS anymore, it's changed etc etc, well don't all things change, e.g. the feeling, the vibe, attitude, places, people, etc, etc.

 

I ask myself, what do we expect, the red carpet rolled out; Thai: Oh here comes a farang, quick.......get the red carpet ?

 

Thai's from my experience don't usually smile when they see a farang, does that make us feel unwelcome ? only if we allowed it to.

 

Have we ever asked ourselves what would they have to smile about: Thai: Oh.... a farang, quick smile ???? or should we perhaps be asking ourselves why don't they smile at us, or should we ask ourselves how many Thai's have we smiled at today ?

 

If we ever decided to leave tomorrow, I am sure they would all be saying, "up to you" translated in the western world, "do I really give a rats a$$" is what we would would generally say to anyone not happy living in our homeland, right ?

 

I have been living here 4 years now, been a traveller here since 2005 from the south to the north, never had an issue with a single Thai, all welcoming, well especially in a hotel or a restaurant or something like that, i.e. they have been trained to welcome us, it's part of their jobs. In places outside of those mentioned, I am always the one who literally smiles first when I have eye contact, I do this to relax them as most don't know how to receive us IMO and get nervous because most cannot communicate with us and it could be that they don't want to lose face or something like that, e.g. get embarrassed is perhaps a more appropriate word, I mean, have you ever gone somewhere in a big store and they either go in the opposite direction or stare at the ground when you walk on by, but when you grab one, they are really shy and trying to assist, and if your any good at playing games where you try and paint the picture and they get it, they have a good old laugh.

 

I don't have an issue with the Oz $ dropping 20%, I don't have a problem with the government as they are not my government, corruption, immigration rules, 90 days, yearly extension, and now the TM30, sure up my nose like a rubber hose, but we have to adjust, as invasive as it is, or we can huff and puff, up and leave, or get angry and not comply, "up to you" but I don't believe this is what is making or pushing expats to leave, sure the drop in their currencies will have a major impact if they don't have reserves in place on top of any pension that they may be receiving. 

 

When I moved here 4 year ago, the 10 year plan was put in motion, not once did I feel that I needed to be received by the Thai's, I have my thoughts on them and I am sure they have their thoughts on me. I go about my merry way, even at the Lotus check-out, the girls, 99% of the time, have a long face, so roll the dice, Hello, Good Morning, Sawadee Krup, and they smile, ice broken, even if its a half smile, it's broken, and most times now they know me when I approach them, smile already registered, and I repeat what I said to them last time, and what I do notice is when I am leaving the checkout, the long face comes back ready for the next customer, so it's not a farang thing.

 

The PTT service station that I always fill up in or others, as I put my window down, they look straight over to my wife in the passenger seat, as if to say, what would you like, with me saying tem tung diesel Krup, now I could be offended that he didn't acknowledge me first, but after I tell him what I would like, capoom, capoom and he goes on his merry way, wai-ing me when he collects the money and gives me the change back, with me saying kop coon krup, you see where I am going with this and if it isn't enough, the sister-in-laws, yes 3 whenever I see them, never say hello, or acknowledge me, talk about feeling out of wak, but if I say, hello, its hello boss, how are you chatta chatta chatta, the father-in-law is a classic, not a word of English, married his daughter 12 year ago, not a word, if I say hello pau, he will raise his head, but that's it, language barrier, no translation to the daughter, tell him this or tell him that, I don't get offended, period, they are who they are and they don't communicate with us because it's too hard, smile and that might open up a channel to embarrass them, well that's my take on it, as for the immigration officers or cops, they are just grown up kids who look as if they could kill, but once you break the ice with them, there ok and interested to know more about us and our countries and how things work, but if their boss walks in, it's quiet and busy working, they are under the pump, maybe that's why they don't smile ?

 

I have had a few close calls of wanting to leave, but nothing to do with the government, as for the Thai's and their mentality or should I say lack thereof, without putting them or sounding like I am putting them down, with regard to what they do that annoys me, has been the way it has been for who knows how long, and who am I to tell them how to do things, like to stop burning their rice and sugar cane fields, yes there is lack of government and law enforcement there, and on the roads, guess I just have to suck it in so to speak, as for the drivers, riders on the road, "take extra care". I could go on, like school teachers cutting kids hair, (not mine), otherwise it would be in the front page of the papers and on all the news channels if it was ????. But I think you get the jist of it, i.e. I wouldn't want some foreigner telling me what to do in my homeland, period.

 

Maybe we are sort of home sick, maybe the plays with us, the mossies, etc etc, but know if we return, our cost of living will spike two fold at least, our lifestyles will go backwards as a lot would have to return to work if they could find employment, let alone want to work again, not me thank you very muchly, I am retired, and am not competing with the younger eager ones, but moving would be too easy, staying is challenging, i.e. having to put up with a lot of things that are different to what we are used to, at the end of the day, it is what it is, and yes it's up to us, but what will we accomplish by exiting for unknown pastures, perhaps a repeat of what we are going through no, perhaps we should look at it as, we should take the good with the bad and look for that balance, and try to smile more often, but don't get caught out if a Thai doesn't reciprocate. 

 

I don't have the answer unfortunately, but will remain here with a positive approach for as long as it takes to hopefully never reach my breaking point. 

[from the home of CC]

IMO what's really being said is " I can't afford to live here anymore" end of story..

[4MyEgo]

10 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

IMO what's really being said is " I can't afford to live here anymore" end of story..

+ 1

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

IMO what's really being said is " I can't afford to live here anymore" end of story..

Sometimes, but not always. Also dealing with the recent onerous visa rule changes is totally separate from affording to live here. You need to be able to navigate that visa system AND afford to live here. I detest efforts to over simplify these issues. 

[NCC1701A]

you create your own reality.  

 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, NCC1701A said:

you create your own reality.  

 

Try that on an immigration officer if your application doesn't meet the requirements du jour. 

[NCC1701A]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Try that on an immigration officer if your application doesn't meet the requirements du jour. 

i created the reality of being at Thai immigration.

 

 

[CMNightRider]

Maybe what expats who have lived in Thailand for years but are now leaving are saying is "enough is enough."  Thai Immigration has taken their moronic rules and regulations for foreigners to live in Thailand, to some sort of stellar height.  

 

In the long run, Thailand will pay a price for purging their country of westerners.  If these people want a dictatorship, then I hope it works out for them.  According to world history, leaders who have gone down this road before didn't fair too well.    

[soalbundy]

Just now, NCC1701A said:

i created the reality of being at Thai immigration.

 

 

Not really since the 'you' is just a concept and you aren't a doer so nothing really happened except your rejection of stay.

[JaiLai]

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sometimes, but not always. Also dealing with the recent onerous visa rule changes is totally separate from affording to live here. You need to be able to navigate that visa system AND afford to live here. I detest efforts to over simplify these issues. 

Not sometimes, always.

 

If you can afford to live here then you can pay people to take away the hassles of visa system, end of.

[from the home of CC]

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sometimes, but not always. Also dealing with the recent onerous visa rule changes is totally separate from affording to live here. You need to be able to navigate that visa system AND afford to live here. I detest efforts to over simplify these issues. 

Ultimately the visa rule changes are about money -  negating the embassy letters and more money and time for seasoning. IMO if you have the means to live here, the TM 30 is a minor inconvenience that can be solved online eventually. I detest the over complication of issues seemingly just for a reason to complain - either you have enough money to satisfy the requirements here or you don't.

[from the home of CC]

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Try that on an immigration officer if your application doesn't meet the requirements du jour. 

Yes, the onus is on you to meet those requirements..

[NCC1701A]

40 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

The PTT service station that I always fill up in or others, as I put my window down, they look straight over to my wife in the passenger seat, as if to say, what would you like,

he is being considerate by not making you and him lose and face and taking the path of least resistance.

41 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I ask myself, what do we expect, the red carpet rolled out; Thai: Oh here comes a farang, quick.......get the red carpet ?

i don't expect anything, but many times the red carpet has been rolled out just because I'm a  white farang. Getting my drivers license is one example.

44 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Maybe we are sort of home sick, maybe the plays with us, the mossies, etc etc, but know if we return,

the last thing I will every be is home sick, and I have a lot of money and can go back to the USA any time I want. I could live in a ski resort or beach town or own my own farm or small ranch. no thanks.

 

op you did not say how old you are.

 

[Essex Reject]

*takes out pistol, points it towards head*

[NCC1701A]

7 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Not really since the 'you' is just a concept and you aren't a doer so nothing really happened except your rejection of stay.

sorry everyone creates their own reality.

 

[from the home of CC]

12 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

Maybe what expats who have lived in Thailand for years but are now leaving are saying is "enough is enough."  Thai Immigration has taken their moronic rules and regulations for foreigners to live in Thailand, to some sort of stellar height.  

 

In the long run, Thailand will pay a price for purging their country of westerners.  If these people want a dictatorship, then I hope it works out for them.  According to world history, leaders who have gone down this road before didn't fair too well.    

dictators are not the only ones that end up paying in the long run, think of those countries who robbed, raped, and enslaved their way to vast fortunes that remain today - your fate awaits you..

[luckyluke]

7 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

either you have enough money to satisfy the requirements here or you don't.

Even with the money, one must abide to the way they decide it should be showed. 

 

For instance, many people used TransferWise, to find out it wasn't the way Immigration wanted to see the incomes. 

[from the home of CC]

1 minute ago, luckyluke said:

Even with the money, one must abide to the way they decide it should be showed. 

 

For instance, many people used TransferWise, to find out it wasn't the way Immigration wanted to see the incomes. 

as suggested many times on the site when some embassy letters were cancelled, park the required funds in the bank, again, it's about money..

[timendres]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Thai's from my experience don't usually smile when they see a farang, does that make us feel unwelcome ? only if we allowed it to.

 

Have we ever asked ourselves what would they have to smile about: Thai: Oh.... a farang, quick smile ???? or should we perhaps be asking ourselves why don't they smile at us, or should we ask ourselves how many Thai's have we smiled at today ?

Every time that I smile at a Thai, I get a pleasant smile in return. Humans are funny that way.

[Samui Bodoh]

About 6 months ago, I decided to cut my time spent on TVF by about 80%.

 

These days I am about 80% happier.

 

Get out from behind the computer and go live a little... it's fun. Even (especially!) in Thailand

 

Have a nice day.

 

[luckyluke]

Just now, from the home of CC said:

park the required funds in the bank

Is one option. 

I can still obtain a Letter of Income which so far is still accepted by Jomtien Immigration. 

They may ask for further documents, never did in 15+years, but they can of course ask it next time. 

I don't have to have any amount on a Thai bankbook, neither do I have to transfer monthly any money to Thailand, if I don't want to. 

This may of course change one day, so is the now 800000 (it may be 1200000 Monday) 

Everything is possible in L.O.S..

 

[from the home of CC]

4 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

Is one option. 

I can still obtain a Letter of Income which so far is still accepted by Jomtien Immigration. 

They may ask for further documents, never did in 15+years, but they can of course ask it next time. 

I don't have to have any amount on a Thai bankbook, neither do I have to transfer monthly any money to Thailand, if I don't want to. 

This may of course change one day, so is the now 800000 (it may be 1200000 Monday) 

Everything is possible in L.O.S..

 

I, too, still have this option though I've never used it. Probably when the time comes when I may want to, the option will not be available. One way or another I'll deal with it. One thing I've learned over the years is that nobody owes me anything in this life and if I want something I have to go and get it for it won't be handed to me like a balloon to a 10 yr old..

[madmen]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

IMO what's really being said is " I can't afford to live here anymore" end of story..

+100

[4MyEgo]

53 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

op you did not say how old you are.

1 shy of the big 60

[timendres]

22 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

One thing I've learned over the years is that nobody owes me anything in this life and if I want something I have to go and get it for it won't be handed to me like a balloon to a 10 yr old..

The very definition of being an adult. 

[madmen]

35 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

About 6 months ago, I decided to cut my time spent on TVF by about 80%.

 

These days I am about 80% happier.

 

Get out from behind the computer and go live a little... it's fun. Even (especially!) in Thailand

 

Have a nice day.

 

Bingo. Everything is multipled here to be a lot worse than it actual is. Even the smallest issue = Collapse of the real estate sector, the end of tourism and crash of the economy and the purging of all white people

[4MyEgo]

49 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

About 6 months ago, I decided to cut my time spent on TVF by about 80%.

 

These days I am about 80% happier.

A friend of mine recently referred me to a site called PornHub, I declined his referral I saw it would mean more hand movements, and to be honest I have enough trouble with hand movements on the keyboard in this chair as it is just typing stuff on TVF, and that site would probably end my life, although enjoyably as opposed to listening to all the wingers on TVF.

 

But I like will take your advice on cutting back on TVF, hmmm maybe I will mix it up TVF 40% and PornHub 40% ????

 

[Jingthing]

Ultimately the visa rule changes are about money -  negating the embassy letters and more money and time for seasoning. IMO if you have the means to live here, the TM 30 is a minor inconvenience that can be solved online eventually. I detest the over complication of issues seemingly just for a reason to complain - either you have enough money to satisfy the requirements here or you don't.

Now you're backtracking.

You said
IMO what's really being said is " I can't afford to live here anymore" end of story..

No it is not!

Maybe this will help you understand.

Suppose a country requires buying a house minimum 500k usd to live there legally.

But in the same country you can rent a nice house for 500 usd monthly.

Most potential expats could afford to live there.

But they couldn't deal with the visa system.

Got it now?

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[timendres]

7 minutes ago, madmen said:

Bingo. Everything is multipled here to be a lot worse than it actual is. Even the smallest issue = Collapse of the real estate sector, the end of tourism and crash of the economy and the purging of all white people

Indeed! The only colors the IO sees are gold, purple, pink and green.

[Puchaiyank]

Good boy!  Just leave 500 baht on my desk and fetch me that newspaper in the lobby on your way out...????