Congratulations on being independent financially. It makes a  big difference wherever you are.

Do your research and you are wise to spend three months here before committing. Even go home and return.again for a second bite since its an important decision that you are making.

Personally I've been retired here for over 7 years in Chiang mai and I love it- its my home now. Smoky season is unpleasant but we go away while that is on. We (my Thai wife of 30 years) and I planned our move over ten years and it went smoothly.

learn about Thai culture and what they think. They are really nice people and I like them. if you are planning to find a partner here don't look in the bars. Taking money off silly old men is an industry here. If you are looking for a partner look in places where you have an interest and you'll find a nice person there with similar interests. Its another big decision.

Life here will depend on your attitude You will not be able to change things but you might be able to change yourself. It worked for me the trick is to relax and appreciate the life here. It isn't perfect but it suits me and its more comfortable than my former home.

So good luck with your plans - you have made the right start.

 

13 hours ago, AlexRich said:

Try buying land and building a property on it in your own name. Something that a Thai National could do in my country. Or get involved  in a legal dispute with a well connected Thai ... the weight of justice will not rule in your favour. It’s okay to like Thailand, and it’s fine to tolerate TM30 and signing in at immigration, but no Thai citizen does that, only foreigners. You give up rights when you choose to stay in Thailand ... we shouldn’t pretend that we don’t.

And there is the crux of the matter. 

You cannot 'choose' to stay in Thailand.  You can, however, apply for permission to enter and stay.  If you meet the requirements you may be successful.  But you can never choose.  It's not like going to buy a car and choosing which brand or model you like. 

 

Many of the negative posters forget this and it feeds their negativity.  They seem to think because they 'chose' to grace Thailand with their prescence then they must be special. They are not - simply another foreigner.  Anything slightly annoying develops into a seething hatred for the country and the people. 

Throw in the fact that quite a few lose everything for love and you have the perfect storm. 

Don't forget ( and I'm guessing here)  the great majority of posters have only visited Thailand and never lived here for an extended period or they have been badly burned, gone home,  yet continue to post in an effort to convince themselves they did the right thing and someone else is responsible for the position they find themselves in. 

Like most things, negativity sells. 

 Rarely do you see threads on here about how great Thailand is treating people. 

On 9/29/2019 at 3:48 AM, AlexRich said:

Then Chile has the same entry rights as a European does, a 60 day visa that can be extended to 90 days. I used to take a trip somewhere else, like Hanoi, Bali, etc, and then return on a 60 day visa and extend it 30 days. My point is that you might not get away with that anymore. So I think you can be confident of 90 days each year, but my guess is that you will have problems if you try to do it again, even after a short break somewhere else.

 

 

No,Chile and Thailand has a bi-lateral agreement that gives citizens from Chile 90 days on arrival without applying for a Visa at home. It's not 60+30 days. 

22 hours ago, KC 71 said:

Chile has some of the best wine in the world


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Chilean wines cannot be compared to TVF whines,  truly world class.  And free! 

11 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Hello  Bruce,

At times your English is so bad, and at other times so good?

But even when your English is bad, you manage to make perfectly clear what you mean.

Strange.

Another give away was " Thai music we love"..... WE?

 

 

 

That's two of us that aren't fooled...

13 hours ago, oldhippy said:

The death toll stands at 17 now.

Don't you read TVforum?

The crazy driving here could possible lead to some negativity, don't you think?

Thailand, the perfect home to bashers and apologists.

Sad!

The sad thing is how it seems a person can only be classified in one of two groups.  Thai bashers or apologists,  brexiteers or remainers,  Trump lovers or haters. Everything is black or white. 

There is a third group called independent thinkers. Probably the most reviled group anywhere especially on this forum. How dare they be different to the media led standard groupings. 

Edited September 30, 20196 yr by emptypockets

5 minutes ago, allenberg said:

That's two of us that aren't fooled...

Would you like to elaborate for the benefit of the rest of us who are suspicious. 

12 hours ago, 4evermaat said:

I strongly suggest interacting with local foreigners offline.  

Ive tried, but its hard. People who speak the same language as me generally hate me on sight. Thts why I cruise around the local non english speaking markets, they think I am normal for what I am.

On 9/29/2019 at 12:07 AM, Iren1cuss said:

Back to my original question. Has it always been like this? I was so pumped about the idea of spending more time in Thailand but the amount of negativity surrounding the idea on these forums has me thinking twice about it. Maybe that's a  good thing, who knows. Some genuine input would be really helpful. Thanks!

It's definitely a good idea to think twice about living in Thailand (or any other country).

I think all farangs who live here for a couple of years had the experience that when they were a few weeks in Thailand they thought they understand Thailand. Then a few month later they know they didn't understand it correctly at the beginning but now they know what's going on. And some years later the same happens again.

In my experience even people who live in Thailand since 20 years or more have a limited understanding about Thais - and I include myself in that group. There are still surprises which nobody expected.

 

Coming back to your question if you want to live here: If you like it, try it. But maybe try it like: Let's stay there for 1/2 year and let's look how I feel after that time. Don't make a decision what you will do for the rest of your life because probably you feel bad if you made the wrong decision. But if you decide what you will do for the next 6 month and then decide again what you plan to do for the next year things are easier and you don't put yourself under pressure.

 

And obviously be aware of all those things which are too good to be true. Nobody will sell you a cheap share in a successful bar. The beautiful young girl who will always love you maybe won't do that. And it is interesting to listing to those guys who know best, and maybe they know a lot. But maybe they don't. Keep your common sense! 

On 9/28/2019 at 7:07 PM, Iren1cuss said:

Back to my original question. Has it always been like this?

I've been here as retired for 15 years only, and I'm as happy now as when I decided to move here. There is nothing wrong with Land-of-Smiles if you have your things planned just a little, and you can fulfill the requirements that has not really changed (that much), but the authorities have rather enforced the original intention of the regulations.

 

I agree with other posters in that some of the negative replies are from posters that had difficulty in fulfill the basic demands for an extension of stay based on whatever legal reason. Some negative posters might have other sad experiences in Thailand; but again, IMHO, things that often could have been avoided by preparation and planning, and being aware of eventually taken risks.

 

Being a part-time expat sounds like an excellent idea, I know other happy "part-time" folks here, or folks living part-time in their home country during the (few) warn and nice summer months. Depending of your origin, it might be worth to check any benefits of a 183-days stay, i.e. fully taxable, and an eventually DTA with your cold southern home-country.

????

 

Edit: PS: When I first time visited LoS in 1987, I got 10 percent less baht when exchanging my home-country currency, than I get know, and already back then, in '87, I had the feeling that I could live here. The meanwhile average consumer-price-index inflation rate is pretty much equal to the equivalent inflation rate in my Scandinavian home-country...????

Edited September 30, 20196 yr by khunPer

1 hour ago, emptypockets said:

Anything slightly annoying develops into a seething hatred for the country and the people. 

Nailed it and the seething continues for years even after the individual has moved back into his mothers basement. 

Hmm, it's an interesting question, with a myriad of answers.

 

Negativity of course is in the eyes of the beholder.

 

There are those, who generally tend to be in the 'trapped' category, you know who you are, who have depleted all resources and sorta hang on by a thread. Every minor change to visa rules sparks  more hatred.

 

Then there are those, who just kinda tire of the place (I include myself) after a few years, and express views of the reality of the place which they kept hidden for their initial stay in Thailand, while the rose colored specs were on.

 

Both these scenarios can be viewed as negativity by a lot of the newbies and apologists. But the opinions come from totally different angles.

 

One emanates from a hatred of 'what Thailand has done to ME'.

 

The other just tends to be sadness for what Thailand actually is.

 

If you can read Thai, check out some of the Thai expat forums, then you will read some real negativity from Thai's living in farangland. TVF doesn't even come close!  

It’s the whingein’ poms mate. They are never happy. Unfortunately there is an army of them invading the world with their negativity.

They arrive in another country and can’t stop going on about how nice and warm it is and, wouldn’t it be nice to live here every day.

 

Then, at the end of the 2 week stay, after searching for all the western food restaurants and comparing prices to back home, end up as red as a lobsters ars@@ole and drinking beer that’s too cold for their weak bellies, they get back on the plane and say, ooh never again Nellie, I can’t wait to see the lads in factory back home to warn them to never visit that place. Never again I say, never!!

 

Of course, there is the occasional decent pommy ????

Edited September 30, 20196 yr by ianezy0

On 9/29/2019 at 1:26 AM, oldhippy said:

OP, can you afford health insurance ?

If not, don't even concider Thailand for a long term stay.

If yes, go for it.

May be Op can afford to pay his bills regardless? While medical service has become more pricey, it is not unaffordable.

"Why so much negativity?"

 

Too many rhetorical questions!

On 9/29/2019 at 3:48 AM, AlexRich said:

On 9/29/2019 at 3:30 AM, Iren1cuss said:

 

Regarding a longer stay, there is a bilateral agreement between Chile and Thailand, it allows Chilean citizens to stay up to 90 days with no visa required. Supposedly there are also no restrictions for new entries to the country, meaning that when I leave the 90 period starts over. It seems too good to be true but I'll make my research before trusting this information. So far I've had 0 problems with immigration in Thailand.

Then Chile has the same entry rights as a European does, a 60 day visa that can be extended to 90 days.

The OP says that Chile has an agreement whereby no visa is required, you're talking about his coming here on a visa.

There's always a constant churn among foreigners abroad though.

 

The local dynamic exacerbated by foreign exchange rates and an emboldened Thai Immigration Service's sustained campaign to tighten policy and enforcement operations. 

 

Immigration seems satisfied with itself, for now, so perhaps TVF will settle into a new normal. 

 

Matterafact, I hear a big jet landing at Swampy, no doubt a few new guys will need guidance about Thai women (or men).  Then sin sod.  Later, a water pump that won't stop short-cycling at the newly built 3bed/2bath in an upcountry moo baan. ????

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

No,Chile and Thailand has a bi-lateral agreement that gives citizens from Chile 90 days on arrival without applying for a Visa at home. It's not 60+30 days. 

Okay, I’ve never heard of that before. But my central point is that it is no longer possible to be a perpetual “tourist”, and come for 90 days, pop over to Vietnam for a few days, return to Thailand, then rinse and repeat. 

 

My guess is is that the OP will have no trouble visiting Thailand for 90 days once per year ... but if he tries to stay longer he’ll get immigration issues.

Edited September 30, 20196 yr by AlexRich

2 hours ago, madmen said:

Nailed it and the seething continues for years even after the individual has moved back into his mothers basement. 

Your post is a typical one from the “Thaier than Thai” fraternity that pollute Thai Visa. 

 

Thai Visa is a good source of information on the pit falls of living in Thailand. A rose tinted view of Thailand is useless for the many who arrive here from another country but haven’t done their homework. It’s important to get a warts and all view if you are a newcomer, and once you get there you can take your time to understand the place, whilst avoiding pitfalls. 

 

I’m a great deal more grateful to the people who post “negatively” than those that try to silence them. 

 

Edited September 30, 20196 yr by AlexRich

It's not negativity, it's the truth, and only tourists or people who know nothing could not understand this.

 

 

Unfortunately what with poor exchange rates, a perceived lack of interest in foreigners  living in Thailand, issues with immigration, medical insurance, bribes, poor police attitudes and to cap it off a government which project an image that they don't want us, unless you are Chinese! I guess many feel unwelcome, a pity!

5 hours ago, suzannegoh said:

I'm not so sure that it correlates to financial issues, I know some affluent farangs who are plenty negative about Thais and Thailand.  I think that it correlates more with personality type, and perhaps with the amount of time that they spent in developing countries prior to moving to Thailand.

that sounds logical... my interactions with farang is somewhat limited though i have recently bumped into several people who were as they said sad abt leaving.. made some excuse abt having the money but were afraid the banks would steal everything... all of which led me to believe it was not true.... the people i know with money are quite happy...

 

and all the talk of jumping through hoops and over hurdles for a visa??? i have been doing this for 20 years... it is not more than a few hours a year and some nominal fees.. same as always... 

 

now if someone does not legitimately qualify it might seem a hurdle.   

having lived here over five years now, the only change I notice is on this forum.
I see enormous infrastructure projects and other construction, varying numbers of Tourists, somewhat retreating real estate prices what is good for people willing to invest now and coming year, and currently an apparently slowing economy.

We are living up North, and people are the same as before, only difference is that I understand better what they are saying.

So if you fancy living here in Thailand, why not travel around a few months, stay in places where you think you will like it and decide where to "settle".
Plenty of normal (i.e. not complaining) people around.

6 hours ago, Soundspeed said:

if you are planning to find a partner here don't look in the bars.

my suggestion is to go to a big University for Thai language Classes. 
Plenty of intelligent people attend these institutions ????

On 9/29/2019 at 1:26 AM, oldhippy said:

OP, can you afford health insurance ?

If not, don't even concider Thailand for a long term stay.

If yes, go for it.

Yes, but what happens when you reach a certain age, sometimes the insurance company will drop you as they know that it is very likely they will have to pay out as you, like almost everyone else, will eventually make claims.

2 hours ago, AlexRich said:

I’m a great deal more grateful to the people who post “negatively” than those that try to silence them. 

Agreed, if i had listened a bit more to the moaners, i'd probably have avoided a couple of mistakes.

i love Thailand it's just some of the new immigration rules they have put into effect over the past year or 2 that makes life difficult. affidavit of income made life easy when applying for a renewal of extension of stay, there are other ways the the imm. could have handled it.

90 day check in, if you live in BKK it's a half a day wasted to visit Chang Wattana, does imm. think criminals are going to do a 90 day check in ???? They make you feel like you are always being watched

 

Change of rules for money in the bank, why should I have to prove to imm. I have enough to live on, If i don't have enough money to eat or have a roof over my head it's my own fault has nothing to do with imm. They are not supporting any foreigners.

TM 30 why must you go to Imm. every time you dont spend a night in your own home. Some people travel out of the country every week for business reasons. Does this mean i must take off my job every monday to report to imm. When you arrive in Thailand you fill out a TM 6 this info is put into their computer system. Why must you duplicate it by having to fill out the tm 30

 

I had no problems living here for the past nine years, I followed the rules and everything was fine. Now the imm.  wants to follow your every move. just my opinion

 

4 hours ago, Blue bruce said:

TM 30 why must you go to Imm. every time you dont spend a night in your own home. Some people travel out of the country every week for business reasons.

Even the great Nation USA has their own TM30 for citizens & foreigners alike all must report every time they move about.

But they don't call them citizens or foreigners, They call them sex offenders ???? True Story & kind of funny thinking where Thailand got the idea & more so do they consider all foreigners possible sex predators? Because really if it was worry over terrorist they would just beef up the requirements for entry visa's

 

https://www.smart.gov/faqs/faq_registration.htm

Edited September 30, 20196 yr by meechai

11 hours ago, Blue bruce said:

i love Thailand it's just some of the new immigration rules they have put into effect over the past year or 2 that makes life difficult. affidavit of income made life easy when applying for a renewal of extension of stay, there are other ways the the imm. could have handled it.

90 day check in, if you live in BKK it's a half a day wasted to visit Chang Wattana, does imm. think criminals are going to do a 90 day check in ???? They make you feel like you are always being watched

 

Change of rules for money in the bank, why should I have to prove to imm. I have enough to live on, If i don't have enough money to eat or have a roof over my head it's my own fault has nothing to do with imm. They are not supporting any foreigners.

TM 30 why must you go to Imm. every time you dont spend a night in your own home. Some people travel out of the country every week for business reasons. Does this mean i must take off my job every monday to report to imm. When you arrive in Thailand you fill out a TM 6 this info is put into their computer system. Why must you duplicate it by having to fill out the tm 30

 

I had no problems living here for the past nine years, I followed the rules and everything was fine. Now the imm.  wants to follow your every move. just my opinion

 

1)

Immigration had nothing to do with the 3 embassies not issuing income letters anymore. Those were not income letters based on actual income. Blame your embassy.

2)

Every expat in Thailand isn't staying in BKK and have to go to CW for the 90 days report. You can even do it online.

3)

I agree with the money in the bank <deleted>.

4) 

The TM30 is a pain in the ass if you're staying in BKK and have to go to CW. But,again, everybody aren't staying in BKK. Every local immigration office doesn't require a TM30 report when travelling in Thailand, and coming back home.

You can do it online even as a tenant in your own name.

5)

The address on the TM6 doesn't have to be your official/permanent address in Thailand, it's more of an initial/first address when coming to Thailand. A tourist can even write "Travelling around" if he wants. It's totally accepted by Immigration at the airports. 

 

Everything is about where you're staying in Thailand. As an expat living here for years, I am not visiting my local immigration office more now than I did a few years ago, and it's 5 min away from my condo. 4x 90 days reports,each one done in 3-4min including waiting for my turn (and no TM47). 1 extension per year which last time (in May) took me 4min incl. 1 min waiting. 

Where I'm staying immigration are not really tracking me, because I don't have to do the TM30 report when travelling in Thailand. 

 

9 hours ago, meechai said:

Even the great Nation USA has their own TM30 for citizens & foreigners alike all must report every time they move about.

But they don't call them citizens or foreigners, They call them sex offenders ???? True Story & kind of funny thinking where Thailand got the idea & more so do they consider all foreigners possible sex predators? Because really if it was worry over terrorist they would just beef up the requirements for entry visa's

 

https://www.smart.gov/faqs/faq_registration.htm

What??

 

Are you trying to equate a old guy living in Thailand who is required to to a TM-30 when he goes on vacation, to a sex offender in the US who can't live within 1000 yds of a school and is required to report his location?

 

Thats a stretch!