SURVEY: Proposed immigration changes -- enough to save Thailand?

[Scott]

According to Bloomberg, the Thai government is considering  changes to the 90 day reporting and the regulations on land/property ownership by foreigners.   They believe by doing so, the government will be able to attract skilled workers and retirees with deep pockets.  In your opinion, will this be enough to boost the severely sagging economy?

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1213676-finally-some-good-news-thailand-tipped-to-ease-90-day-reporting-for-foreigners/

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-12/thailand-mulls-visa-rule-overhaul-to-lure-investment-tourists

 

 

[Pedrogaz]

There e is a great deal of over legislating in Thailand. Think about this dow America change its immigration policies every year, or the EU? Thailand seems to want to change everything every year....but that is not the way to make things better.

[Skeptic7]

WAY too little, WAY too late. This place is OVER. Pattaya/Jomtien shuttered and a Ghost Town. Lek hotel and Holiday Inn Express and countless others shuttered.

 

Terminal 21 EMPTY. NO idea how all those restaurants and high end stores are still open. Even if tourists want to come back, which is doubtful, there's nothing to do or even come back to. Pattaya Beach Road is mostly shuttered and much of it ain't coming back anytime soon. 

 

Udon Thani is a Ghost Town, but seems a lot better than Pattaya & Jomtien. 

 

The only positive is Pattaya & Jomtien beaches appear much fresher and cleaner. May even brave a dip. 

[kingstonkid]

The abilty to purchase depending on what it is may attract either more people or make it easier for those of us that are here to purchase a house with the knowledge we will not get as screwed by Thai ladies.

 

Personally I think they would be better off to amend the retiree limits and allow retirees to either earn a living or keep them selves busy with certain professions.

(i.e. teaching, helping their wives at their stalls or shops)  

One of the things that blows my mind is this restriction that you can not clear a table at your gf restaurant or help at the local market without a work permit.

 

[gamini]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

There e is a great deal of over legislating in Thailand. Think about this dow America change its immigration policies every year, or the EU? Thailand seems to want to change everything every year....but that is not the way to make things better.

nothing has changed in tke  last 20 years still 800k retirement and 400k marriage. What has changed is the tightning of the financial rules due to people using others to put up  the funds!

[natway09]

Anyone complaining about the financial requirements & red tape to retire in Thailand for over 50's has got rocks in their head & (or) has never looked at most other countries 

requirements.

On the survey, is structured for replies of a negative nature.

We think we are the only country suffering from this ?

On the 90 day report, it is a pain in the bottom & unnecessary unless address change

[Surasak]

If a building and the land it stands on is to allow foreigners to own it outright, then the land and buildings previously purchased with foreign money for wife, girlfriend should apply in retrospect. Multi millions have been invested by foreigners who have no legal right of ownership and are forced to sell within 12 months of a demise, or the government take it from you. One stood a better chance against Dick Turpin. 

[connda]

This country pretty much pisses on anyone who isn't considered a Hi-so - Foreigner, Thai, or otherwise.

[thailand49]

For me, I believe in a balance policy the continuing problem as noted by Bloomberg is "  deep pocket "  Set your policy as to the minimum requirement stop worrying about how much individuals are going to spend life anywhere people spend differently just stop jerking everyone around and playing favors to certain groups, overcharging double pricing, people aren't stupid do the right thing be fair when that happens people will come  enjoy and have a good time even the cheapest person will spend. 

You want to create a bubble you are just asking for trouble. You want elite visitor but do the math you just make yourself look stupid just not worth the expense, you want to offer visa for buying 10 million baht property the numbers are low the theory one buyer at that price make up for many visitors spending is unrealistic!  The list is long real long!????

[EricTh]

The Thai government can be quite fickle-minded, the rules keep changing all the time. 

 

The visa requirements get tougher and tougher every year, endless copying of documents, inane 90 day reporting, online system that breaks down, nasty immigration officers (at some offices).

 

I don't think it's going to change.

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, Skeptic7 said:

WAY too little, WAY too late. This place is OVER. Pattaya/Jomtien shuttered and a Ghost Town. Lek hotel and Holiday Inn Express and countless others shuttered.

 

Terminal 21 EMPTY. NO idea how all those restaurants and high end stores are still open. Even if tourists want to come back, which is doubtful, there's nothing to do or even come back to. Pattaya Beach Road is mostly shuttered and much of it ain't coming back anytime soon. 

 

Udon Thani is a Ghost Town, but seems a lot better than Pattaya & Jomtien. 

 

The only positive is Pattaya & Jomtien beaches appear much fresher and cleaner. May even brave a dip. 

They have brought it on themselves and I doubt that they care very much. so nothing will change. 

[UTH001]

If Thailand choses, the country will survive without retirees or tourists, the government does not care either way. What annoys me though is the ever increasing arrogance toward foreigners (not by ordinary Thai people though). While Thais can easily buy real estate abroad, for some unknown reason this is not possible for foreigners in Thailand. Tourists (like foreign residents) are not seen as welcome guests but rather as easy targets to get as much money out of them as possible. Don't get me started on dual pricing! And while I understand the reason for some Immigration rules (doubt Immigration is a favorite in any country...), 90 day reporting is complete nonsense as is the re-entry visa system. Just costly and serving no purpose whatsoever. Australia used to have re-entry visas too, but got rid of it decades ago, thank goodness! And not even being able to do FREE volunteer work without a work permit, surely Thailand misses out on a lot of goodwill! All very difficult to understand...

[Airalee]

The financial requirements don’t bother me.  Neither does the fact that I can’t own land (I do own a condo).

 

What bothers me (and not just the 90 day reporting...even if it can be done online) is having to sit in traffic, back and forth to immigration.  Run around making copies of stuff that they already have copies of.  All the damn paperwork, visits by immigration to my house, certificates of residency for this and that.  It all just becomes tiresome and no...I don’t feel like paying an agent to do it all for me...not because of the cost of an agent but because that in itself is just another hassle.

 

Retirees want one thing...a hassle free lifestyle.

 

It’s not about the money....it’s the TM(pick whatever number you want) boondoggle that drive me crazy.

[superal]

48 minutes ago, EricTh said:

The Thai government can be quite fickle-minded, the rules keep changing all the time. 

 

The visa requirements get tougher and tougher every year, endless copying of documents, inane 90 day reporting, online system that breaks down, nasty immigration officers (at some offices).

 

I don't think it's going to change.

Plus they can change the laws/ rules at any time to suit themselves , so make things enticing for a couple of years then revert to the old rules at the expense and loss to the foreigner . 

[mlkik]

2 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

The abilty to purchase depending on what it is may attract either more people or make it easier for those of us that are here to purchase a house with the knowledge we will not get as screwed by Thai ladies.

 

Personally I think they would be better off to amend the retiree limits and allow retirees to either earn a living or keep them selves busy with certain professions.

(i.e. teaching, helping their wives at their stalls or shops)  

One of the things that blows my mind is this restriction that you can not clear a table at your gf restaurant or help at the local market without a work permit.

 

Surely if retired that means retired. How can you be retired and still work? Is tyat not an oxymoron?

[bkk6060]

None of these will ever happen.  In fact, would not be surprised if they make things more difficult in the future.

[KarenBravo]

13 minutes ago, superal said:

Plus they can change the laws/ rules at any time to suit themselves , so make things enticing for a couple of years then revert to the old rules at the expense and loss to the foreigner . 

 

Can you give an example?

[bobbin]

9 minutes ago, mlkik said:

Surely if retired that means retired. How can you be retired and still work? Is tyat not an oxymoron?

You have never been to a Walmart/Costco/insert retail name here..?

[KarenBravo]

I'm sure that the 90 day report will be dropped. It wastes the time of the retirees and the immigration officers.

 

The land purchasing rules will not change. Just imagine a populist politician and/or a military man.

 

"We are selling Thailand to foreigners now and the foreigners are responsible for the land price going up and out-pricing hard-working Thais".

 

A sure-fire vote-getter among the populace.

[bobbin]

Maybe this will be the silver lining of the pandemic...

 

Half-measures will add little to Government coffers or the peoples' stomachs..

 

They really need to stop the tinkering..

 

Do not encourage foreign retirees to settle in Thailand and then start moving the goalposts after they have made the move..

[ParkerN]

Just now, Pedrogaz said:

There e is a great deal of over legislating in Thailand. Think about this dow America change its immigration policies every year, or the EU? Thailand seems to want to change everything every year....but that is not the way to make things better.

 

[bobbin]

I do realize that the financial requirements have been unchanged in the nearly 20 years since I retired here.... on a 1 year visa.

 

 

[Bangkokhatter]

Poll title is a bit dramatic, Thailand does not need saving and if it did it would take more than a few retirees to do so.

Also tourists and retirees are different and require different immigration policies.

Current tourist issues are all down to Covid nothing else, despite the decline in Western tourism

Being married and working here i would welcome any about turn on property laws and admit the immigration can be a pain for some, but i think we all know his is not going to happen.

[ParkerN]

I don't think the calculus of change in immigration policy is very helpful.  It isn't about what changes to make, it's about how well the changes are done and how far ahead the government is thinking when planning those changes.  From the survey attached to this post it is clear that those who are familiar with other  national governments do not believe that changes to be brought in by the Prayuth government will be brought in sensibly or well,  and I have to say I think it is probable that Thailand's track record of making change large and small encourages optimism.  To be frank they make a mess of things, and do so repeatedly and habitually.

 

One of the first thing this government could do to improve their management of the country, is to listen to what people are saying.  At present, it seems that the government believes it has nothing useful to learn from other people, whether or not they are in possession of relevant skills.

 

The situation in Thailand is not going to get better, until they start to listen.

[kingstonkid]

4 hours ago, mlkik said:

Surely if retired that means retired. How can you be retired and still work? Is tyat not an oxymoron?

 

I take it you are not retired LOL

 

Most people that are retired need something to keep their mind and body busy.  To take up time.

 

Some retirees choose the bottle or the babes on nana or walking street.

Some have families to keep them busy.

 

BUT especially here you need something to do or you go bat sh!t crazy.

 

When I came here I had surgery and we had the great flood.  There was nothing that i could do for 6 months and it drove the gf and everyone that knew me crazy because I was BORED.

 

I am not saying a full time job I am talking about something a few hours a week.  Hell you even need a different visa to be a volunteer.

[kingstonkid]

4 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

I'm sure that the 90 day report will be dropped. It wastes the time of the retirees and the immigration officers.

 

The land purchasing rules will not change. Just imagine a populist politician and/or a military man.

 

"We are selling Thailand to foreigners now and the foreigners are responsible for the land price going up and out-pricing hard-working Thais".

 

A sure-fire vote-getter among the populace.

 

A start to real estate might be to just allow legal 50 50 ownership.  That would at least give us some protection.  

[fusion58]

On 4/18/2021 at 4:07 AM, Scott said:

They believe by doing so, the government will be able to attract skilled workers and retirees with deep pockets

 

In most cases, “retiree” and “deep pockets” is an oxymoron.

 

 

[mlkik]

8 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

 

I take it you are not retired LOL

 

Well I have lived in Thailand for 5 years now and have not worked for 5 years. So am I retired or just lazy?

[mlkik]

13 hours ago, bobbin said:

You have never been to a Walmart/Costco/insert retail name here..?

No only Big C ,Tesco, Robinsons,Macro,Tops etc.

[NoshowJones]

13 hours ago, bobbin said:

I do realize that the financial requirements have been unchanged in the nearly 20 years since I retired here.... on a 1 year visa.

 

 

The financial requirements have not changed, but what about everything else?