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

[timendres]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

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?

 

Sorry, but you just made the previous poster's point. If the expat had the $500k USD, then no problem. "Afford" means being able to also meet the visa financial requirements, since you are an expat. What seems unfair is when the rules are changed to cause someone who could previously afford to reside suddenly find themselves ousted, especially when they have invested heavily in the country in which they reside. Which is why it would be nice if Thailand would recognize those who have invested in a house, family, etc. It is a problem all expats are faced with, and especially difficult for those of us who are not wealthy.

[CharlieH]

Off topic posts/responses removed.

 

[yogi100]

I am not an expat but I'm retired and currently spend a lot of my time in Pattaya using the visa that I obtain from London's Thai Embassy that allows you to stay for 90 days at a time as long as you are in receipt of a pension. I believe it's a METV and it now costs 150 quid. It just went up from 125.

 

This visa will no longer be available when my current one expires. That does not make me feel very welcome in the LOS any more.

 

A close friend of mine was interrogated at BKK airport last time he came for a 4 week holiday and the female IO accused him of working in Thailand. He is also retired and just comes to the LOS as a regular holiday maker and like myself has done so for years. She eventually relented and snapped "Go" at him slapping his passport down on the table at the same time.

 

Could you blame him if he no longer feels he's welcome in the LOS.

 

He and I both have homes in the UK. Neither of us have ever been in any kind of trouble in Thailand. It must be rather unsettling these days if you're a full time ex pat.

 

So far none of my ex pat pals have relocated or gone back home but it's early days yet and obviously the exchange rate isn't helping either.

 

 

[Jingthing]

 
Sorry, but you just made the previous poster's point. If the expat had the $500k USD, then no problem. "Afford" means being able to also meet the visa financial requirements, since you are an expat. What seems unfair is when the rules are changed to cause someone who could previously afford to reside suddenly find themselves ousted, especially when they have invested heavily in the country in which they reside. Which is why it would be nice if Thailand would recognize those who have invested in a house, family, etc. It is a problem all expats are faced with, and especially difficult for those of us who are not wealthy.

No it doesn't.
Afford to live is about cost of living.
Being able to navigate the visa system is separate.
Sometimes that's about financial requirements for visas and sometimes it's not.
For example some nations ban HIV positive people. That has nothing to do with either affording the cost of living or the visa requirements.
That isn't even debatable.
It is NOT always only about the money.
That is both false and moronically simplistic.
Cheers.


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[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

i created the reality of being at Thai immigration.

 

 

Was it unreal?

[sunnyboy2018]

2 hours 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. 

Plenty of people who did live here. Who could afford to live here have been TOLD they cannot afford to live here by an arbitrary financial dictat and changes in the administration of some rules. My total annual income and spend here is greater than that which is required but is not accepted because it the amount differs from month to month or arrives bi monthly.

[JamJar]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

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.

 

You are oversimplifying. I have money and can visit as much as I like. But I don't like the stress of turning up with a legitimate tourist visa from my home country, with the feeling that I could be grilled and turned away. 

So i just don't bother to go.

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

sorry everyone creates their own reality.

 

 

Your gave birth to an IO?

 

 

[brokenbone]

just about every civil thai i came across were friendly,

i think its entirely down to immigration policies,

and individuals in police, that makes me feel unwelcome.

 

i think the rants about unfriendly thais

comes down to

'too expensive to rent a hooker on my fixed income'

[AlexRich]

You put too much emphasis on personal issues like whether someone smiles at you or not and not enough on systematic changes to the terms of living here for a foreigner ... new immigration rules that give the impression that they want to get shot of as many westerners as possible, with the exception of those foreigners who are willing to pay for the privilege through elite visa system or by leaving large sums of money dead in a Thai Bank account. And constant monitoring through TM30 ... they will soon be microchipping your arm at the airport. 

 

Although the rules have constantly changed over the decades we’ve only really seen this since the military’s coup ... with a growing emphasis on nationalism.

 

My conclusion is that the rules are designed to make you feel unwelcome ... because you are.

[bkk6060]

20 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

My total annual income and spend here is greater than that which is required but is not accepted because it the amount differs from month to month or arrives bi monthly.

You really need to educate yourself on the new rules.

[timendres]

18 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

No it doesn't.
Afford to live is about cost of living.
Being able to navigate the visa system is separate.
Sometimes that's about financial requirements for visas and sometimes it's not.
For example some nations ban HIV positive people. That has nothing to do with either affording the cost of living or the visa requirements.
That isn't even debatable.
It is NOT always only about the money.
That is both false and moronically simplistic.
Cheers.

Thank you for calling me a simplistic moron.

 

But you used the $500k USD investment as your example, and I simply stated that this was about being able to "afford" the visa, which is integral to being able to "afford" to live in the country in question. Bringing HIV into the equation changes the argument and, of course, represents a case that is not about "affordability". Similarly, in Thailand, having a criminal record would prevent obtaining a visa or extension of stay. Your argument is similar to saying "I would be able to buy a house, if I did not have to pay taxes". The visa requirements are integral to your being able to afford to live in another country, specifically because you are an expat.

[from the home of CC]

10 minutes ago, JamJar said:

 

You are oversimplifying. I have money and can visit as much as I like. But I don't like the stress of turning up with a legitimate tourist visa from my home country, with the feeling that I could be grilled and turned away. 

So i just don't bother to go.

I'm writing more to the situation of living here long term. You can blame all the folks who consistently bent and broke regulations to stay here long term on the wrong visa for the overall increased scrutiny. Thailand has decided that enforcement of the immigration rules at their borders is an important issue just as it is in my country. IMO many tourists have only their selves to blame.

[Enoon]

1 hour 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.

 

 

Noticed that.

 

You did the right thing.

 

WILCO

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2019 by Enoon

[from the home of CC]

44 minutes ago, yogi100 said:

It must be rather unsettling these days if you're a full time ex pat.

not in the least..

[GalaxyMan]

2 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

In the long run, Thailand will pay a price for purging their country of westerners.

What a laugh. The only farangs that they're trying to 'purge' themselves of are the obvious criminal element and those farangs who can barely afford to be here. If you can afford to be here, Thailand is a piece of cake. Try affording somewhere else and see what you end up with. I think it's sad that they're causing families to be torn apart, but I've never heard it said that any Asians gave a shiit about anyone but themselves, Thailand included.

Edited August 31, 2019 by GalaxyMan

[canuckamuck]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i created the reality of being at Thai immigration.

 

 

The reality of being at Thai immigration is not something I would be proud of creating.

[Matzzon]

It´s just a boring expression of the need to constantly moan about something.

[Jingthing]

Plenty of people who did live here. Who could afford to live here have been TOLD they cannot afford to live here by an arbitrary financial dictat and changes in the administration of some rules. My total annual income and spend here is greater than that which is required but is not accepted because it the amount differs from month to month or arrives bi monthly.

Excellent example of what I've been trying to say. There are many types of reasons to call it quits here.

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[Jingthing]

...

 

i think the rants about unfriendly thais

comes down to

'too expensive to rent a hooker on my fixed income'

I call BS. Says a lot about you though.

 

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[madmen]

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Plenty of people who did live here. Who could afford to live here have been TOLD they cannot afford to live here by an arbitrary financial dictat and changes in the administration of some rules. My total annual income and spend here is greater than that which is required but is not accepted because it the amount differs from month to month or arrives bi monthly.

 

But it was all sweet until Your embassy shut you down correct?

[Jingthing]

Thank you for calling me a simplistic moron.
 
But you used the $500k USD investment as your example, and I simply stated that this was about being able to "afford" the visa, which is integral to being able to "afford" to live in the country in question. Bringing HIV into the equation changes the argument and, of course, represents a case that is not about "affordability". Similarly, in Thailand, having a criminal record would prevent obtaining a visa or extension of stay. Your argument is similar to saying "I would be able to buy a house, if I did not have to pay taxes". The visa requirements are integral to your being able to afford to live in another country, specifically because you are an expat.

I didn't call you a name. Goodbye.

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[Jingthing]

What a laugh. The only farangs that they're trying to 'purge' themselves of are the obvious criminal element and those farangs who can barely afford to be here. If you can afford to be here, Thailand is a piece of cake. Try affording somewhere else and see what you end up with. I think it's sad that they're causing families to be torn apart, but I've never heard it said that any Asians gave a shiit about anyone but themselves, Thailand included.

Baby with the bath water innit.

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[JaiLai]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

No it doesn't.
Afford to live is about cost of living.
Being able to navigate the visa system is separate.
Sometimes that's about financial requirements for visas and sometimes it's not.
For example some nations ban HIV positive people. That has nothing to do with either affording the cost of living or the visa requirements.
That isn't even debatable.
It is NOT always only about the money.
That is both false and moronically simplistic.
Cheers.


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It's ALWAYS about the money.

 

 

[Jingthing]

It's ALWAYS about the money.
 
 

Desist from altering the emphasis in my posts. That is not OK.

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[JaiLai]

16 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Desist from altering the emphasis in my posts. That is not OK.

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I've only highlighted something, changed nothing.

 

Relax....

[Momofarang]

5 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

with me saying kop coon krup

Hmmmh, "kop coon krup"? why not, after all they call us Farangs, so why not call them c..ns.

[Jingthing]

21 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

I've only highlighted something, changed nothing.

 

Relax....

Again, you never have my permission to change the emphasis on my posts. 

[JaiLai]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Again, you never have my permission to change the emphasis on my posts. 

Ok, i'll ask next time ^_*

[Jingthing]

Ok, i'll ask next time ^_*

The answer is no.

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