The fate of Thai expats

[bkk6060]

On 12/11/2020 at 6:12 PM, Mavideol said:

been here over 20 years yet they still have to deal with the visa daily changing hurdles, 

Daily changing? A false exaggerated statement.

[madmen]

On 12/11/2020 at 8:23 PM, snoop1130 said:

weird. We can do almost all of the things we used to do, except we cannot easily return to see family and friends in our countries of origin. Or if we do, we risk many weeks of quarantine, huge expense and the stress of trying to return to Thailand.

 

 

It's just 14 days and visa exempt. Your being a bit dramatic 

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

When my Thai wife of 14 years soon, first arrived in Australia

Doesn't Thailand as a sovereign country have the right to have different rules from Australia? 

 

the larger picture is that as a guest here, you are not in charge - I have no idea why you think you should be or that laws should suit you [or me] I can't make or change laws in my own country... who are you to think you can make/change rules in a foreign country?

 

It is still far easier for someone from USA to come retire here than it would be for a Thai to even get a tourist visa for a visit in USA... in evaluating laws you should also realize there are ones that fall in your/our favor... not sure about you - but life/laws does not seem to go 100% as to my whims.. 

 

 

[transam]

On 12/12/2020 at 9:34 AM, kenk24 said:

I am glad you appreciate your life here, but really, do you think that gives you the right to write the rules here? 

 

I still don't understand why expats come here and think that Thailand should write new rules to conform to their particular circumstances because they spend 20 baht + per day at the local noodle stand... 

Weeeeell, it seems LOS turns to the outside world to get ideas, provide work and fix things, so why not some outside input to show a more reasonable way for foreigners in LOS....????

 

A guy I knew was 75 years old and bed ridden, married for over 20 years, on his yearly extension he was had to be manhandled into a pickup to be taken to immigration where they could see his face.......Now to me that is totally ridiculous, perhaps to you it's not.........????

[WhatupThailand]

I have to wonder why all the commie countries around S.E. Asia offer a 1 year Visa

to all, without all the extra paper work and nonsense that Thailand requires.

Also why is it that old folks on retirement here, are not given some consideration,

due to getting older and less mobile, making it ever more stressful each year ?

As to the 90 day report, why not save the trees and use less paper, by only making

it required if your address changes, rather than doing duplicate info, over and over.

I just think of all the "Make Work"  that could be done away with, to save millions of Baht.

[1FinickyOne]

13 minutes ago, transam said:

Now to me that is totally ridiculous, perhaps to you it's not.

No I agree - they should make different rules for each and all of your friends...

 

though I think they have medical exceptions if your friend needed one... so, they have already provided the avenue... 

[transam]

1 minute ago, kenk24 said:

No I agree - they should make different rules for each and all of your friends...

 

though I think they have medical exceptions if your friend needed one... so, they have already provided the avenue... 

Not for him they never, but he is no longer with us.....I have sat in immigration listening to farangs getting grief for nothing.

How about this last month for me... Went for extension, been married 14 years, visa every year, no problem.

This year, wanted my UK divorce papers from waaaaaay back, I said why, to get married in LOS I had to get my embassy to provide proof I could get married, which I did and got married, every year immigration or consulates have been very happy with my paperwork, so why are you asking now in the middle of a pandemic...?

He said go home and find something..................???? 

 

And you think all is hunky-dory......????

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

Doesn't Thailand as a sovereign country have the right to have different rules from Australia? 

 

the larger picture is that as a guest here, you are not in charge - I have no idea why you think you should be or that laws should suit you [or me] I can't make or change laws in my own country... who are you to think you can make/change rules in a foreign country?

 

It is still far easier for someone from USA to come retire here than it would be for a Thai to even get a tourist visa for a visit in USA... in evaluating laws you should also realize there are ones that fall in your/our favor... not sure about you - but life/laws does not seem to go 100% as to my whims.. 

 

 

 

Typical, you didn't see where I was coming from at all, like I said earlier, as the saying goes.....

[luckyluke]

11 minutes ago, transam said:

And you think all is hunky-dory

 

Certainly not.

 

But for every "sad" story, there is a "happy" one.

 

So far since 2000, mine is a happy one; married with a Thai lady for 20 years as well, but "Retirement Visa" based on income in homeland ( no any kind of obligations).

 

Have always been a breeze, will find out next month, if still the case. 

[Techno Viking]

How can one be a Thai Expat in Thailand ?

[CorpusChristie]

5 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

How can one be a Thai Expat in Thailand ?

 

  A Thai ex-pat is a felang  ex-pat who lives in Thailand .

 

[Techno Viking]

Just now, CorpusChristie said:

 

  A Thai ex-pat is a felang  ex-pat who lives in Thailand .

 

 

Ohh ok, Yeah Iam an expat but definitely not Thai.

[rott]

Many of us had not left the country for years before Covid and have no intention of leaving for years after. 

No big deal. 

[Mike Teavee]

I read the “40th Stay in a Hotel” & thought WOW, that’s a lot until I realised I’m on my 73rd nights stay tonight with 7 nights already booked for Xmas.

 

It is interesting to see how many more Thais are travelling domestically (low prices & The Travel Together scheme really helps) & I do wonder if the end result will be more tourism aimed at Thais with Farang taking a back seat (which we already do to our Asian friends).

 

Whatever, at 54, I enjoy my lifestyle in Thailand but can happily move on if/when I no longer do (might even get my 1/2 for a house in Mindanao back if I moved to Philippines ???? ) 

[1FinickyOne]

50 minutes ago, transam said:

And you think all is hunky-dory.

I have never had a problem in over 20 years and in fact Immigration has been very helpful a couple of times when I screwed up... but then again, I am polite and respectful... and I appreciate that I am allowed to live here... 

 

I surely don't feel Thailand needs me to teach them how laws and customs should be... and I am realistic enough to know that things change... but you have lived long enough to know that too... right honky? 

 

I have read so many comments here about people trying to sound like big shots and bragging that they cursed out the IO... real nice.. does that ruin things for people like you? Maybe put an IO in a bad mood just for enforcing their laws... 

 

Gotta say, I accept Thailand as being Thailand and things are pretty 'honky dory' for me.. 

[1FinickyOne]

3 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Now that could well be because back in the civilised or should I say modern day world or other more advanced countries

sure, you are misunderstood - you say things like that and complain that you are misunderstood and are not trashing Thailand... 

 

If you want so badly to live in the 'civilized' world... and you say this is not it... then you must be rather foolish to live here... seems a logical conclusion... 

[transam]

1 minute ago, kenk24 said:

I have never had a problem in over 20 years and in fact Immigration has been very helpful a couple of times when I screwed up... but then again, I am polite and respectful... and I appreciate that I am allowed to live here... 

 

I surely don't feel Thailand needs me to teach them how laws and customs should be... and I am realistic enough to know that things change... but you have lived long enough to know that too... right honky? 

 

I have read so many comments here about people trying to sound like big shots and bragging that they cursed out the IO... real nice.. does that ruin things for people like you? Maybe put an IO in a bad mood just for enforcing their laws... 

 

Gotta say, I accept Thailand as being Thailand and things are pretty 'honky dory' for me.. 

I think you are making assumptions about me just to bolster your case. Now here is an update to my tale for you.

 

My wife, after listening to a load of cr_p from the immigration bloke, piped up, "My son is a Border Patrol Policeman, he has served in the Kings Protection Command, at this moment he is doing his stint in our local Temple as a monk, my husband brought him up, and we are confused at your requests at this late date.

 

After that the bloke remained quiet, so just because your experiences have been hunky-dory, try opening your eyes regarding others, there's a lot of us about ..????

 

[4MyEgo]

3 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

sure, you are misunderstood - you say things like that and complain that you are misunderstood and are not trashing Thailand... 

 

If you want so badly to live in the 'civilized' world... and you say this is not it... then you must be rather foolish to live here... seems a logical conclusion... 

 

There is logic in your conclusion.

 

Where am I complaining, I am stating the obvious, well at least that's what I thought and if I am not mistaken, I would think that most expats see it my way, i.e. the 90 day reporting and annual extensions are draconian, stressful and should be obsolete, I mean an easy alternative would be to grant expats a 5 year visa x 5 times the annual fee paid up instead of repeating the process every year and having to do the 90 day reporting, I mean have you ever wondered what the heck the 90 day reporting is for, for you to confirm that you are still at the same address, give me a break !

 

If someone dared think outside the square up top, they would more than likely be transferred to another post, i.e. unless there are ways to extract more $'s from the Aliens for a visa that lasts longer, say 5 years, like the Elite visa, 500,000 plus baht, or perhaps you still have your blinkers on so to speak, oh, wait, you will now try to convince  me that the 100,000 plus baht per year for the Elite visa is worth it and for what reason vs given expats a 5 year visa under the current fee structure that they pay 1,900 baht per year which could be multiplied by 5, what's that, yes, no money in it is there so keep things as per normal and they can keep doing the annual grind to keep the IO's at their desks and jobs.

[transam]

8 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

sure, you are misunderstood - you say things like that and complain that you are misunderstood and are not trashing Thailand... 

 

If you want so badly to live in the 'civilized' world... and you say this is not it... then you must be rather foolish to live here... seems a logical conclusion... 

Do you Wai at the Tesco checkout.....?  ????

[4MyEgo]

20 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

Gotta say, I accept Thailand as being Thailand and things are pretty 'honky dory' for me.. 

 

I got to say that most of us are honky dory here, i.e. until we hear someone blow their own trumpet that they not only can hear what is being said, but can't see as well.

 

Who was it that sang what a wonderful world ????

 

[transam]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

I got to say that most of us are honky dory here, i.e. until we hear someone blow their own trumpet that they not only can hear what is being said, but can't see as well.

 

Who was it that sang what a wonderful world ????

 

I have feeling..... "If you don't like it, go home"....is heading our way.....????

[4MyEgo]

5 minutes ago, transam said:

I have feeling..... "If you don't like it, go home"....is heading our way.....????

 

I thought he already said that, or was I getting that feeling too ????

 

[473geo]

Ahh but you see guys there is a farang making a point/questioning/complaining and there is making a point/questioning/complaining from a Thai. Trans highlighted this, wife is seen as a little more qualified than the farang, so if you have an intelligent wife with confidence and spirit there is the perfect method of conveyance, when required, you can just sit and look bewildered to meet the expectation of these high ranking officials ????

[Pravda]

I read it from beginning to end. Can someone tell me where's the punch line? 

[473geo]

37 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

There is logic in your conclusion.

 

Where am I complaining, I am stating the obvious, well at least that's what I thought and if I am not mistaken, I would think that most expats see it my way, i.e. the 90 day reporting and annual extensions are draconian, stressful and should be obsolete, I mean an easy alternative would be to grant expats a 5 year visa x 5 times the annual fee paid up instead of repeating the process every year and having to do the 90 day reporting, I mean have you ever wondered what the heck the 90 day reporting is for, for you to confirm that you are still at the same address, give me a break !

 

If someone dared think outside the square up top, they would more than likely be transferred to another post, i.e. unless there are ways to extract more $'s from the Aliens for a visa that lasts longer, say 5 years, like the Elite visa, 500,000 plus baht, or perhaps you still have your blinkers on so to speak, oh, wait, you will now try to convince  me that the 100,000 plus baht per year for the Elite visa is worth it and for what reason vs given expats a 5 year visa under the current fee structure that they pay 1,900 baht per year which could be multiplied by 5, what's that, yes, no money in it is there so keep things as per normal and they can keep doing the annual grind to keep the IO's at their desks and jobs.

Can you provide a valid reason why Thailand should make it easy for people from all over the world to arrive and take up residence? Most countries in the world have a filter system to avoid being over run, Thailand for me appears about right. I moved to NZ took 2 years preparation to get my residence visa!!!

[Odysseus123]

On 12/12/2020 at 11:02 AM, HAPPYNUFF said:

As the Colonel Blimps of the old British  Army in India would say, " The dash chaps gone native, old boy"

"Carruthers has got the doolally,old bean,-thinks he's on the road to Mandalay..."

[Odysseus123]

On 12/12/2020 at 11:02 AM, HAPPYNUFF said:

As the Colonel Blimps of the old British  Army in India would say, " The dash chaps gone native, old boy"

double post.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Odysseus123

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, 473geo said:

Can you provide a valid reason why Thailand should make it easy for people from all over the world to arrive and take up residence? Most countries in the world have a filter system to avoid being over run, Thailand for me appears about right. I moved to NZ took 2 years preparation to get my residence visa!!!

 

Well, since you asked.

 

Multiculturalism seeks the inclusion of the views and contributions of diverse members of society while maintaining respect for their differences and withholding the demand for their assimilation into the dominant culture.

 

[473geo]

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Well, since you asked.

 

Multiculturalism seeks the inclusion of the views and contributions of diverse members of society while maintaining respect for their differences and withholding the demand for their assimilation into the dominant culture.

 

 

OK so there is a good sustainable level of multiculturalism, and the balance is just fine, leave the 'filters' in place, seem to be up to the job - thank you

[Ventenio]

On 12/11/2020 at 5:23 PM, snoop1130 said:

For me it has been a very, very privileged Bangkok lifestyle. I have lost count of the number of people around the world who have said they want my life!

 

Can you really write this with a straight face????

 

Let me continue....

 

"My daily life has been extraordinarily enriched by the outpouring generosity of such warm fellow Thais who surround my blessed life.   The entire world would cry in jealousy as I embrace soft smiles, warm glances, and overall an aurora not found easily.  Bliss, paradise, nirvana, my life is complete."

 

This actually sums up the backpackers, until you talk with them for an hour and learn how they ended up in Thailand and off the normal path of life......then you hear the weirdest stuff imaginable...

Edited December 13, 2020 by Ventenio