Finally some good news: Thailand tipped to ease 90 day reporting for foreigners

[sydneyjed]

16 hours ago, Kerryd said:

I would have thought most of the discussion would have been about the proposal to allow foreigners to "own land".

"In order to do this, it is proposed that foreigners will be allowed to purchase and own outright a house located on a development valued from 10 million baht, with a land size of not more than 1 Rai."
(my bolding and underlining)

Now it would depend on the actual wording of the law, but to me, what that says is that you would be able to buy a house (land) in a "development" (i.e. a housing estate) so long as the estate itself was valued at over 10 million baht and your land size was 1 Rai or less.

But that would hinge on the definition of a "development". Condos are mentioned separately so that's not what they are talking about in the passage above.

To me, it means that if, for example, the new "development" being built on Soi Khao Noi (Chokchai 9 or something I think ?) was valued at over 10 million baht, you (as a foreigner) would be able to buy a house in that development so long as the land size didn't exceed 1 Rai.

Otherwise the passage would have been worded "a house valued from 10 million baht,...." and wouldn't have mentioned "located on a development".

The significance of allowing foreigners to own up to 80% of a condo development would also be significant as well. The current rule (of no more than 49% foreign ownership) is meant to prevent foreigners from (technically) owning the land the condo project sits on, as the foreigners would (in theory) never be able to make up the majority of a condo's "board".

Changing that rule would mean foreigners could make up the majority of the board and therefore "control" the land. It would also allow them to control things like the maintenance fees and other aspects (including approving/disapproving new owners I think ?).

One has to wonder though, if these changes are aimed at a specific demographic - and I can guarantee you that it isn't "old white guys" from the West. They may be beneficiaries of such changes if they go through, but you'd better believe the gov't isn't even thinking about them at all when they do stuff like this.

I suspect that with all the money China has been pouring into the country, or is planning to in the near future, the powers that be are making changes to keep them happy.
(Remember not too long ago there was an article about a Chinese company that was planning on spending something like 4-5 billion on a new condo building to be built near Immigration in Jomtien. That's one example. Then there's the high speed train project that is supposed to link Thailand and China. The submarine deal with China. And so on and so on.)

You can bet that there are Chinese language forums similar to TV where they probably discuss a lot of the same things we do. We don't see them of course, but I can imagine that they'd discuss things like "90 Day Reports" and not being able to own land as well.

I can also imagine that it would be really hard (and awkward) for Thailand to try and pass a law that allowed one set of people to do something while excluding a different set, so some of us may get "lucky" if they do make the changes suggested in the OP.

Not going to hold my breath on it though. So much can change between now and when (if) it happens and so much can depend on the different interpretations of a single word.

Like "development". 
 

I think you are onto something here as now China is for want of a better word 'on the nose' with many other countries at the moment(Australia included)so needs to park its money somewhere .Just hope that the same outcome we are seeing in Cambodia now with mass property developments strangling large parts of the country don't happen in Thailand but I fear this may well be exactly what happens when Chinese money is thrown around like confetti.

[Stargeezr]

Right now anyone can come to Canada, live here a few years, and become a true blue Canadian citizen.

  Then you can work, own land and home, live where you want, do what ever you want, and retire and get a pension

as well.  Plus have a Canadian passport. Can you do that in Thailand?  I know that I cannot, I even have a brother in law who came to Thailand from

China when he was a very young boy, and all he has is a pr, or id card, is is an immigrant. He has to go renew his status

each year or lose his status.  Thailand is still 3rd world to me,  because of their 3rd world way that the government and immigration

operate even after all the years that they have had to change. I very much doubt that there will be much for change even now,

but I guess being hopeful is not a bad thing.

Geezer

[Xmas]

For myself I would like to see the 90 day reporting abolished. It was ok when the online capability worked. As to the Visa situation I would to see that made easier and the insurance sitution improved. Very difficult for older persons to find health insurance to meet some Visa requirements. I am hoping for some postive news.

[Tug]

Deeds not words

[a3tsw]

14 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Think the fine is up to 5k.

or  1,000Baht & 4 Banana Cakes

[metisdead]

Posts using trolling images and trolling videos have been removed. 

[ICELANDMAN]

2 hours ago, sydneyjed said:

I think you are onto something here as now China is for want of a better word 'on the nose' with many other countries at the moment(Australia included)so needs to park its money somewhere .Just hope that the same outcome we are seeing in Cambodia now with mass property developments strangling large parts of the country don't happen in Thailand but I fear this may well be exactly what happens when Chinese money is thrown around like confetti.

 

That's exactly what the government wants to save thousands of real estate developers and the banking system from bankruptcy.The Chinese are outrages for investment in the Western world now so Thailand wants to attract them and prices will skyrocket

 

[rioD]

I have a retirement income of 8000 USD and lived in Thailand with my (American) wife and daughter, in a luxury high-rise on the beach in the Wongamat area of Pattaya. My daughter attended an expensive international school. My total expenses we roughly 5000 USD per month.  Spending 200-300,000 baht per month would require a load of stupidity and wasteful spending.  Had I been single with no dependents I believe I could live very well on 2000-2500 USD per month.  In fact if living on the beach wasn't important to me I could live good there for possibly half that amount as I often did when I came to Thailand as a tourist.

[The Man Who Sold the World]

Well… concerning allowing foreigners to own land, in Thailand or any other country… that right or privilege, if granted, is only a legislative pen stroke away – for the good of the country. “eminent domain” comes to mind.

 

As far as easing the rules on 90 Day Reports – somewhere in the great reach of the many, many branches of the Thailand government is a computer which keeps track of and tallies the amount that the Thai government receives in fines. Probably quite a considerable sum when added up.

 

Are the Thai’s going to let that money evaporate away into nothingness without a replacement revenue stream from the same source? I wouldn’t.     

[glegolo]

Before this thread is getting too damn toxic, I like to say that from my own point of view, I really do not care a bit about this "problem" many of you guys have with this 90 days reports.

 

I go down every 3 month to the imm.office, hand over my passport to the employee, sit down and wait for about 6-7 minutes, and the passport will be handed back to me. All smiles and home I go....

 

What is all the fuzz about???

glegolo

[EVENKEEL]

It takes me longer to fill out the form at immigration than it does for lady behind plastic barrier to process it. Easy peasy

 

[clivebaxter]

23 hours ago, brian2f2f said:

I dont study thai. Sadly if i did that id get in trouble for not doing a 90day report then. Its all about money and making problems nothing more. Ive had problems with immigration ever since i used an agency last for my extension and they went to a differenr provience to do it in instead if bkk. Heck even when i went to do my first 90 day report i almost got my exyension revoked just bevause of it and forced to leave thailand. 

 

Which is why once you go the visa way and start bribing IO's in another province for an extension you are stuck with them for 90 day and return stamps. You were lucky they did not revoke your extension, you are only legally able to get that in the province where you live. Try going yourself to KK or Nan and tell them you live in Bkk but want to get an extension there!

[Saltire]

The 'big deal' for doing my 90 day in person is the 320Km round trip to spend 5 minutes in the office.

 

For 4 years I have used the online for all but one of my previous reports (last one being new passport requring a visit to move stamps and do 90 day at the same time).

 

So it's not a case of 'popping down' for many of us.

 

Mine is due 17 April, I will go 20th and when I am there ask if they will accept mail in option in lieu off no online.

 

It really is a PITA and I would do a happy dance if it was done away with.

 

 

 

[clivebaxter]

24 minutes ago, glegolo said:

Before this thread is getting too damn toxic, I like to say that from my own point of view, I really do not care a bit about this "problem" many of you guys have with this 90 days reports.

 

I go down every 3 month to the imm.office, hand over my passport to the employee, sit down and wait for about 6-7 minutes, and the passport will be handed back to me. All smiles and home I go....

 

What is all the fuzz about???

glegolo

 

But not all offices are the same, mine wants 5 pp copies as well as a copy of the last TM30 before they will even give you a queue ticket, went 2 weeks ago, Held up by agents coming in with handfuls of passports, took about a hour.

[VocalNeal]

Just now, Saltire said:

The 'big deal' for doing my 90 day in person is the 320Km round trip to spend 5 minutes in the office.

 

Why i moved to a place where Immigration is 15kms down the road.

[Saltire]

Just now, VocalNeal said:

 

Why i moved to a place where Immigration is 15kms down the road.

That's my plan and will also be taking into account the friendliness factor of the IO I move to. Like many of us we go where the wife's land is and having cared for her mother and father for 4 years we are now free to move.

 

Distance and hassle/corruption factor needs taken into the equation. My IO is great, small and quick for everything, nice people and never any obstacles for obstacles sake, and never hinted or asked for any undue payment.

 

Only obstacle now is Covid!

 

Closer to a hospital will be good too.

 

 

 

[metisdead]

A troll post with a "kee nok farangs" comment and the posts defining that comment have been removed. 

[Sydebolle]

Weed smoking going on? 

"The government says that if it can attract one million retirees each spending 100,000 baht per month or 1.2million baht per year, that would generate 1.2 trillion baht per year for the economy." 

This is in stark contrast with the 40 - 60 million Chinese ransackers who do not mix at all with the above wishful dream ......... The Chinese will be back, the one million retirees - good luck with that one. Study what the Malays did; no 90 days nonsense, five year visas, one house/apartment legally own able, first car duty free, second car duty privileged. 

The reason why that did not take off as expected is the beautiful little towers all over the land with some screaming and shouting going on - five times a day. 

[ParkerN]

On 4/12/2021 at 6:05 PM, Dmaxdan said:

They could scrap the current 90 day reports and instate a new 3 month report.

That'd fool us! 

Won't happen. Control is ubiquitous, but sending the message that the government controls us is even more important, It's crucial that foreigners understand who owns the country and at whose whim new regulations can be enacted. I did a 90-day report last week, and the muppet in uniform could not deduct 14 from 21 without a calculator on the third try.

 

Nice to know that the people we are forced to report to are themselves so well educated, but it seems important that the professionalism of the government service can be relied up at all rimes.

 

Not.

Edited April 14, 2021 by ParkerN

[glegolo]

1 hour ago, clivebaxter said:

 

But not all offices are the same, mine wants 5 pp copies as well as a copy of the last TM30 before they will even give you a queue ticket, went 2 weeks ago, Held up by agents coming in with handfuls of passports, took about a hour.

OK I can understand your dilemma now. Didn´t think it was that kind of a hassle for you guys down there in the swamp..

 

Here nothing of the sort, just smiles, stamps, and home you go... Maybe you should get settled somewhere, so you can at least forget about the TM30.... I have never done a TM28 or TM30 in my life so far....

 

glegolo

[MisterTee]

1 hour ago, ParkerN said:

Won't happen. Control is ubiquitous, but sending the message that the government controls us is even more important, It's crucial that foreigners understand who owns the country and at whose whim new regulations can be enacted. I did a 90-day report last week, and the muppet in uniform could not deduct 14 from 21 without a calculator on the third try.

 

Nice to know that the people we are forced to report to are themselves so well educated, but it seems important that the professionalism of the government service can be relied up at all rimes.

 

Not.

People with nasty hostile attitudes often trigger bureaucrats.   

   I've seen it happen so frequently that I do my best to appear amiable no matter how I really feel.

[DaddyWarbucks]

41 minutes ago, MisterTee said:

People with nasty hostile attitudes often trigger bureaucrats.   

   I've seen it happen so frequently that I do my best to appear amiable no matter how I really feel.

Spot on.                        

“Go along to get along”.

Farangs who cause trouble at Immigration spoil the scene for all of us.

 

[Billy Bloggs]

On 4/13/2021 at 5:52 AM, Ralf001 said:

is the 90 day reporting really that much of a burden ?

Yes

[Baerboxer]

On 4/12/2021 at 5:32 PM, Andrew Dwyer said:

Just get the 90 day online report working again or scrap the whole thing , don’t overthink it and over complicate it with a concoction of stoopid new rules ................................ I know, I know, wishful thinking on my part ????

 

Totally agree; and preferably your second suggestion! Just make it a rule that people have to notify immigration if they change their permanent address. It's confirmed every year when applying for an extension of stay anyway.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, MisterTee said:

People with nasty hostile attitudes often trigger bureaucrats.   

   I've seen it happen so frequently that I do my best to appear amiable no matter how I really feel.

 

Spot on. Keep smiling, always be polite and never ever challenge in a way that could make someone loose face. 

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, Saltire said:

The 'big deal' for doing my 90 day in person is the 320Km round trip to spend 5 minutes in the office.

 

For 4 years I have used the online for all but one of my previous reports (last one being new passport requring a visit to move stamps and do 90 day at the same time).

 

So it's not a case of 'popping down' for many of us.

 

Mine is due 17 April, I will go 20th and when I am there ask if they will accept mail in option in lieu off no online.

 

It really is a PITA and I would do a happy dance if it was done away with.

 

 

 

 

Indeed. Some people have much further to travel; and some offices are more "unique" in their requirements for things. 

 

It's also the case that things can go smoothly, almost becoming a breeze for several years and then, for no particular reason or logic someone decides to make it more awkward. It's the "whim of the boss, new boss or individual officer that can make a simple task difficult, for no apparent reason. 

[ParkerN]

Just now, Baerboxer said:

 

Indeed. Some people have much further to travel; and some offices are more "unique" in their requirements for things. 

 

It's also the case that things can go smoothly, almost becoming a breeze for several years and then, for no particular reason or logic someone decides to make it more awkward. It's the "whim of the boss, new boss or individual officer that can make a simple task difficult, for no apparent reason. 

 

There's always a reason. Sometimes the reason is merely to improve their self-esteem. They are Thais after all... with all the self-esteem issues that come bundled with that.

[The Man Who Sold the World]

I’ll add my five baht worth…

 

I moved to Thailand several years ago. Rental in Patts for a year. Registered to do 90 Day Reports on-line. 

 

Wife and I purchased house in Nonthaburi. TM28 filed, addresses on DL’s changed, usufruct, yellow book, pink ID card. Map to residence, annual extensions, etc.

 

So, long and short of it, I have registered my address with Thailand bureaucrats many times. And repeatably as required, annual extensions, DL renewals, etc. Not to mention Tops, Tesco, Lazada, Grab, Panda, delivery systems. COD – they ever have a problem finding me.     

 

So, I am (read that as was) fortunate. Nonthaburi does not or did not allow on-line 90 Day Reports. But, I initially registered in Pattaya and I have filed my 90 Day Reports on-line for years. Even when I left the country and returned on-line reporting worked.

 

Now the system is down. Before it would take me fifteen minutes to register my 90 Day Report, print the Pending report, wait a day or two or three then print the Approved and report again date. Cut and affix into my passport. No more than an hours time requirement per report.

 

Recently had to file my 90 Day Report in person. 2 hour drive there (traffic, always traffic). ½ hour in queue for number. 20 minutes for number to come up. IO took passport and documents. An hour later my name called, one of a couple dozen passports. Received everything back OK. Out the door. Another 1 ½ drive home.    

 

Long story, it ate up my day. Couldn’t do another thing other than my required 90 Day Report that day. Without on-line reporting - Five days per year spent at Nonthaburi Immigration.  

 

Just about anybody in the world can find me, except Thai Immigration it seems.  

[Ralf001]

3 hours ago, Billy Bloggs said:

Yes

 

how ?

[pedro01]

On 4/12/2021 at 5:20 PM, Phuketshrew said:

Pure fantasy.

 

Agreed, unless they loosen land ownership laws.