I was talking to a non-thai restaurant owner in Pattaya the other day. 

 

He was thankful to all the farang retirees who live in Pattaya. They are the reason he is able to feed his family back home. 

 

Now I wonder why the authorities are making it harder and harder for the retirees to live in Thailand when they support the local economy. Even during this pandemic. 

Think it's something to do with being an alien....????

1 minute ago, transam said:

Think it's something to do with being an alien....????

did't get ur point but ok. 

 

my point is that farang retirees have been finding it hard to continue living in thailand due to visa rules and guess who is now supporting the local pattaya economy. 

 

the same farang retirees. 

3 minutes ago, lovethai123 said:

did't get ur point but ok. 

 

my point is that farang retirees have been finding it hard to continue living in thailand due to visa rules and guess who is now supporting the local pattaya economy. 

 

the same farang retirees. 

In what way are they finding it harder. 

1 minute ago, lovethai123 said:

did't get ur point but ok. 

In LOS a farang is referred to as an alien, ask immigration, not a foreign bloke, an alien, so to me I/we might be looked at as a zoological thingy....????

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

In what way are they finding it harder. 

in every way.i m talking pre covid era

so much discussion on this forum about the difficulties getting a proper visa to live there.

also many older guys told me similar things.

but turns out same older retirees are saving many small businesses. 

 

 

1 minute ago, lovethai123 said:

in every way.i m talking pre covid era

so much discussion on this forum about the difficulties getting a proper visa to live there.

also many older guys told me similar things.

but turns out same older retirees are saving many small businesses. 

 

 

Really? Have you got any statistics to back that up? Really we are small fry in the big scene of things.

 

Do you think the Thai economy will suffer if a few expat style bars and food places close down? Will the old retired guy taking an hour to drink his can of cheap beer in the bar really be missed?

 

Also they have not changed any rules or made it harder for visas.

 

They are only stopping the illegal ways that people use, stopping the  loop holes and people abusing the system.

 

If those expats are so poor and short of money that they have to do it that way then they can hardly be contributing to the economy and being the saviours of local Thai businesses can they? 

6 minutes ago, lovethai123 said:

in every way.i m talking pre covid era

so much discussion on this forum about the difficulties getting a proper visa to live there.

also many older guys told me similar things.

but turns out same older retirees are saving many small businesses. 

 

 

I don't understand everyone retiring here knows what is required of them to stay. 

If you have 800,000 in the bank and the pension keeps coming, I don't see the problem. 

If you are married you only need 400,000 for extension. 

18 minutes ago, transam said:

In LOS a farang is referred to as an alien, 

According to Sting,

an Englishman in New York, is an alien too. 

 

26 minutes ago, lovethai123 said:

in every way.i m talking pre covid era

so much discussion on this forum about the difficulties getting a proper visa to live there.

also many older guys told me similar things.

but turns out same older retirees are saving many small businesses. 

 

 

Well, your mates restaurant anyway......

9 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

According to Sting,

an Englishman in New York, is an alien too. 

 

I'm always amused by that term, as if I have landed on earth from another planet.

Have to disagree with the OP, if anything I am finding the process of getting my visa extension done easier every year.

19 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Also they have not changed any rules or made it harder for visas.

They most surly have.  Income was required to be verified by Embassy which most can not reliably do (even if they say otherwise).  So now a convoluted system of bank statements and financial paperwork for many.  Most of yearly 800k can no longer be used to support your stay as must be in account 5 months at full 800k and 7 months allowed to drop to 400k.  This is a major change for those that have emergency bills to pay but any dip in bank account could put them into illegal stay status.  

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm always amused by that term, as if I have landed on earth from another planet.

Have to disagree with the OP, if anything I am finding the process of getting my visa extension done easier every year.

Aaaah, the wheelchair ploy.....????.........????

37 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Really? Have you got any statistics to back that up? Really we are small fry in the big scene of things.

 

Do you think the Thai economy will suffer if a few expat style bars and food places close down? Will the old retired guy taking an hour to drink his can of cheap beer in the bar really be missed?

 

What matters is those  long stay farangs in Pattaya and other places whose existence has supported many small restaurants in this covid era. 

 

 I am sure the thai women are missing all sorts of men. 

39 minutes ago, transam said:

In LOS a farang is referred to as an alien, ask immigration, not a foreign bloke, an alien, so to me I/we might be looked at as a zoological thingy....????

Alien definition, a resident of one country who was born in or owes allegiance to another country and has not acquired citizenship by naturalization in the country of residence (distinguished from citizen).

 

Foreigners are referred to as alien's in the migration laws of many countries. The UK's original Aliens Act was written to keep the Scots in their place. They were considered the aliens at that time..

 

14 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

They most surly have.  Income was required to be verified by Embassy which most can not reliably do (even if they say otherwise).  So now a convoluted system of bank statements and financial paperwork for many.  Most of yearly 800k can no longer be used to support your stay as must be in account 5 months at full 800k and 7 months allowed to drop to 400k.  This is a major change for those that have emergency bills to pay but any dip in bank account could put them into illegal stay status.  

It means if someone wants to retire in thailand then keep aside 800000 baht in a  separate bank. Don't touch that money. Never ever. That's the safest way. 

Letmegethistraight

 

You spoke to a non Thai restaurant owner. 

 

He was thankful that all retirees are supporting him because he can feed his family "back home". 

 

Back home where? Kent, Blackstool? Alabama? Isaan? 

 

While you are splurging on black pudding some Chinese just bought 30% of condo building on sukhumvit road. 

 

 

7 minutes ago, lovethai123 said:

It means if someone wants to retire in thailand then keep aside 800000 baht in a  separate bank. Don't touch that money. Never ever. That's the safest way. 

But that was never the intent - the 800k was to show you had enough funds to stay the year just as the 400k is for marriage.   It was not designed as a bail bond but to show funds to live.

1 hour ago, lovethai123 said:

did't get ur point but ok. 

 

my point is that farang retirees have been finding it hard to continue living in thailand due to visa rules and guess who is now supporting the local pattaya economy. 

 

the same farang retirees. 

But they're only "supporting the local economy" because they live here, they have no choice but to support it and they're not bringing Covid!  There's no charitable aspect to retirees buying what they need to live.

 

What Thailand doesn't want is retirees coming back here from countries that have a rampant Covi-19 problem and that makes sense whether those involved are tourists or retirees.

 

What rules are you referring to that retirees who are already here are finding hard to cope with, there's been no changes to them, have there?

2 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Alien definition, a resident of one country who was born in or owes allegiance to another country and has not acquired citizenship by naturalization in the country of residence (distinguished from citizen).

 

Foreigners are referred to as alien's in the migration laws of many countries. The UK's original Aliens Act was written to keep the Scots in their place. They were considered the aliens at that time..

 

10 hours ago, Pravda said:

While you are splurging on black pudding some Chinese just bought 30% of condo building on sukhumvit road. 

This person employes a thai staff and a foreigner staff for cooking. His business was dependent on tourists. There are no tourists now. 

Since some farang retirees visit his restaurant, he is able to provide salary to the staff and also take care of his family in his home country.

 

In an economy every bit counts. Chinese can put in truckloads of money but how is that going to help the cleaning staff employed in his restaurant.

 

He was thankful to the farangs who didn't go back home and stayed in Thailand and he is able to run his business. Though he is not making profits but he is surviving. 

9 hours ago, Tick Nurner said:

There's no charitable aspect to retirees buying what they need to live.

neither he nor I meant it.

But he was thankful that they didn't leave Thailand and chose to stay, Thats the point.

 

 

17 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

In what way are they finding it harder. 

many people with families  and business here, also retirees as the writer states are now not allowed to return.thats what i think he means

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation recently issued a statement that domestic violence is on the rise, due to strained finances and increased alcohol consumption, due to Covid.

 

How is Covid primarily hitting the economy in this country? One has only to look at the shuttered businesses: bars, restaurants, hotels, vans, taxis, airlines, and some retail. All of which were fueled by tourism.

 

All of this trickles down into all corners of Thai society. All those workers are now spending less. All of them are less able to support their families. Then all of the places where they spent their money are feeling the same. The hi-sos certainly aren't feeling the pinch, but they're quite the minority. This pinch is being felt by the majority.

 

Now, whose income hasn't been affected, and thankfully has remained rather steady? All of those incoming pensions. They aren't being charitable? I'm sure they have family members who've had their hands out due to their impacted incomes, and I doubt they've been saying no. I know because I'm one of them, tho I am just an English teacher. I've been paying electric bills and buying groceries for some family these past few months, since the lockdowns began.

 

No, we're hardly the saviors of the Thais, I'm not asking for that designation. But to say we're just a drop in the ocean is ridiculous. We're definitely making a much needed contribution in the absence of tourism, upon which this country is heavily dependent. Their face saving culture loves to tell us otherwise. But just look at the shuttered businesses, all of those struggling, and the effects which cannot be ignored, that we hear about in the news each day.

18 hours ago, lovethai123 said:

I was talking to a non-thai restaurant owner in Pattaya the other day. 

 

He was thankful to all the farang retirees who live in Pattaya. They are the reason he is able to feed his family back home. 

 

Now I wonder why the authorities are making it harder and harder for the retirees to live in Thailand when they support the local economy. Even during this pandemic. 

You wrote "non-thai restaurant owner .... feed his family back home" and in the next paragraph "support the local economy" ????

18 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

I don't understand everyone retiring here knows what is required of them to stay. 

If you have 800,000 in the bank and the pension keeps coming, I don't see the problem. 

If you are married you only need 400,000 for extension. 

I pay myself the required 65,000 baht a month (no need to keep 800,000 baht in the bank) and never had a problem extending my retirement visa... No problem getting a retirement visa or extending it if you have money.????

7 hours ago, lovethai123 said:

This person employes a thai staff and a foreigner staff for cooking. His business was dependent on tourists. There are no tourists now. 

Since some farang retirees visit his restaurant, he is able to provide salary to the staff and also take care of his family in his home country.

 

In an economy every bit counts. Chinese can put in truckloads of money but how is that going to help the cleaning staff employed in his restaurant.

 

He was thankful to the farangs who didn't go back home and stayed in Thailand and he is able to run his business. Though he is not making profits but he is surviving. 

 

I don't disagree, but who brings in more money? 

 

Corporations run the world not mom and pop stores. This is also the case back home. 

 

I am simply arguing that the government doesn't care about small fish. 

18 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I'm always amused by that term, as if I have landed on earth from another planet.

Have to disagree with the OP, if anything I am finding the process of getting my visa extension done easier every year.

Yes, English is a funny language. Sometimes one word can have many meanings and other times, many words can have the same meaning.

19 hours ago, lovethai123 said:

I was talking to a non-thai restaurant owner in Pattaya the other day. 

 

He was thankful to all the farang retirees who live in Pattaya. They are the reason he is able to feed his family back home. 

 

Now I wonder why the authorities are making it harder and harder for the retirees to live in Thailand when they support the local economy. Even during this pandemic. 

I've been on retirement extensions for about 14 years, no problems. Money in the bank year round.

18 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

But that was never the intent - the 800k was to show you had enough funds to stay the year just as the 400k is for marriage.   It was not designed as a bail bond but to show funds to live.

But you cannt SPEND more than 50% of that 800k ie Bht 33,333 per month.

Better to do the monthly transfer from abroad which allows you to spend every last satang.