What about us? Furious retirees/expats in Thailand slam proposals to attract wealthy foreigners

[madmen]

How many retirees without a bean left before next pension? How many retirees without any form of health insurance? How many retirees leaving the Thai health system to pick up the tab? 

 

How many are dying with the tax payer paying for cremation? 

The contribution to society is very very tiny and of course the thais know this! But reading this forum you would think the whole village must worship big bwana 

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, thaibook said:

just the place if you like things run by criminal gangs although if you make the right connections you will be well protected.

They're mainly operating in western Europe and particularly Britain.

 

"Good Luck"

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Old Croc

[GammaGlobulin]

On 9/15/2021 at 10:33 AM, Whale said:

I have been here 38 years son.

38 years?

Try 50 years.

Yet, what does that matter?

 

The number of years has nothing to do with it.

[fakser]

On 9/15/2021 at 6:04 AM, mikebell said:

They are trotting out this hoary old chestnut more and more frequently now as desperation sets in.  The wealthy will not come to live in a place where there is no rule of law; no police force; dangerous roads AND a pandemic of corruption from the local cop up to the very highest in the land. Droughts and floods alternate regularly and then there are the dogs!

But you did

[Thunglom]

2 hours ago, thaibook said:

just the place if you like things run by criminal gangs although if you make the right connections you will be well protected.

How about a Thai island??

[Thunglom]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

38 years?

Try 50 years.

Yet, what does that matter?

 

The number of years has nothing to do with it.

I've met so many foreigners in Thailand who have lived here for decades and yet till know nothing about the country.

[Thunglom]

1 hour ago, madmen said:

How many retirees without a bean left before next pension? How many retirees without any form of health insurance? How many retirees leaving the Thai health system to pick up the tab? 

 

How many are dying with the tax payer paying for cremation? 

The contribution to society is very very tiny and of course the thais know this! But reading this forum you would think the whole village must worship big bwana 

There are MANY foreigners living here - especially Brits who don't have sufficient or even any health insurance - once treated for a pre-exisiting disease insurance companies may then refuse future cover. Being a retiree this is a particularly acute pron=blem and one that potentially costs the Thai state money.

[ericthai]

14 hours ago, John Drake said:

From the United States government: 

 

That is for emergency care only.

[scorecard]

"What about us?"

 

Good point.

 

However let's be very realistic, call a spade a spade, the folks driving this and hoping/pushing  to get government to support them with policies/regulations making it attractive for foreigners to come and get long-term visas, no 90 day reporting, own land etc., are just greedy ruthless unethical property developers who have no interest or concern re what foreigners already in Thailand (some with money and many who just survive) think. They couldn't care less.

[champers]

This initiative is borne out of a lack of funding and professional expertise for the Eastern Economic Corridor.

I came here to retire, not to work, plus I don't even have the skill sets required anyway. If anyone wants to invest money in the EEC I am sure there will be many avenues avaialable but I am not interested enough and don't feel I am missing out in any way.

So what is there for me to get het up about? Nothing.

[mikebell]

5 hours ago, fakser said:

But you did

I came to live near my son.  I am not wealthy - (UK State pension.)  The topic is about enticing wealthy tourists. If I were one I certainly wouldn't live here.

[mikebell]

13 hours ago, Thunglom said:

I would say tt is precisely what WOULD attract them.

Why, given their supposed wealth, would they risk it?

[sirineou]

I understand why they might want immigrants to to report every 90 days, for reasons I don't agree with, they might want to keep track where they are.

I get it, it's the law and I abide.

So what happens to those seasons if you have money, are they no longer valid? Or does money buy you anything in Thailand? 

They now want to create a two class expat system also. One set of laws will apply to one class, and another set of laws to the other .

[Whale]

6 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The number of years has nothing to do with it.

To do with what? You have lost me.

[GammaGlobulin]

10 minutes ago, Whale said:

To do with what? You have lost me.

The number of years one has lived in Asia has nothing to do with one's love of Asia.

 

You might live in Asia for a hundred years, and never get it, nor love it.

 

Or, you might touch down in Asia, for only a minute, and fall in love.

 

Get it?

Got it?

Edited September 17, 2021 by GammaGlobulin

[zzaa09]

7 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

38 years?

Try 50 years.

Yet, what does that matter?

 

The number of years has nothing to do with it.

50 years?

Try 64 years.

 

...and it doesn't matter.

[Whale]

20 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Get it?

Got it?

Crude? Rude? Go back to the original question/assertion I replied to. 

[GammaGlobulin]

8 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

50 years?

Try 64 years.

 

...and it doesn't matter.

64 years?

 

I am still working on it.

 

Thank you.

[scorecard]

On 9/16/2021 at 4:03 AM, spermwhale said:

I love how the Thai government and many Thai people want foreigners to stay out of their business and they never want our help when it comes to planning and risk management. Mind your own business farang!

But now the government is out hat in hand begging rich foreigners to move to Thailand to boost the economy because they are too inept to make it happen themselves. This is what global panhandling looks like. Pathetic. They make it hard as hell for foreigners to live there and Prayut and company have been on a sustained path of making it more and more difficult for people to stay without running afoul of constantly changing immigration rules. 

Now with the economy in shambles they suddenly need foreigner's help in the form of their money. It disgusts me frankly.

And here's a news flash: The majority of well-heeled foreigners would NEVER live in Thailand with its unrelenting humidity, filthy streets, garbage strewn small towns and <deleted> infrastructure. The majority of my high-earning friends would never in a million years move to Thailand. It's just not that fantastic. 

"...But now the government is out hat in hand begging rich foreigners to move to Thailand to boost the economy because they are too inept to make it happen themselves. ..."

 

Is that correct?

 

Is it the actual government pushing these ideas?  NO!

 

These recent media announcements aren't official announcements of actual policy.

 

These recent media shout outs are coming from the real estate / property developers who want to sell real estate / property. 

 

Why? Very simple reason, they know well that overall the Thai economy is at rock bottom and into the current and mid term future the number of Thai folks who can afford to buy condos is very very limited. So they aim strongly/specifically at foreigners who they believe can afford to buy condos.

 

Regarding the comment about owning land; again just beat up by the property developers who know what will get the attention/praise of foreigners. But will foreigners ever own land in Thailand?

 

IMHO there is no chance whatever this will happen. 

 

Just one reason, this would mean serious changes to sovereignty etc., laws. It would need very big support from both the lower and upper houses of parliament. 

 

Ultimate bottom line - a very big majority of the members of the upper house/the senate are military appointees, 99%/100% of these people will NEVER EVER support foreigners owning land.

 

Plus the basic every day Thai populace will never support foreigners owning land in Thailand. Ask your Thai relatives?

[Artisi]

6 hours ago, Thunglom said:

There are MANY foreigners living here - especially Brits who don't have sufficient or even any health insurance - once treated for a pre-exisiting disease insurance companies may then refuse future cover. Being a retiree this is a particularly acute pron=blem and one that potentially costs the Thai state money.

Why does it cost Thailand money, there is no free or cheap treatment for foreigners. 

[GammaGlobulin]

51 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

50 years?

Try 64 years.

 

...and it doesn't matter.

Sorry.

But, if I might be so bold, I think that it does matter.

It matters from a point of perspective.

64 years in Asia...Matters.

If you think this does not matter, then I beg to disagree.

For various good reasons.

Sorry.

 

For example: Asia is important.

 

Secondly: It has taken me 50 years to truly understand the Asian mind.

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by GammaGlobulin

[Artisi]

10 minutes ago, scorecard said:

"...But now the government is out hat in hand begging rich foreigners to move to Thailand to boost the economy because they are too inept to make it happen themselves. ..."

 

Is that correct?

 

Is it the actual government pushing these ideas?  NO!

 

These recent media announcements aren't official announcements of actual policy.

 

These recent media shout outs are coming from the real estate / property developers who want to sell real estate / property. 

 

Why? Very simple reason, they know well that overall the Thai economy is at rock bottom and into the current and mid term future the number of Thai folks who can afford to buy condos is very very limited. So they aim strongly/specifically at foreigners who they believe can afford to buy condos.

 

Regarding the comment about owning land; again just beat up by the property developers who know what will get the attention/praise of foreigners. But will foreigners ever own land in Thailand?

 

IMHO there is no chance whatever this will happen. 

 

Just one reason, this would mean serious changes to sovereignty etc., laws. It would need very big support from both the lower and upper houses of parliament. 

 

Ultimate bottom line - a very big majority of the members of the upper house/the senate are military appointees, 99%/100% of these people will NEVER EVER support foreigners owning land.

 

Plus the basic every day Thai populace will never support foreigners owning land in Thailand. Ask your Thai relatives?

Doubt the basic Thai gives a rats a rse about who owns the land, so long as they can survive from day to day - that's all that's on their mind. 

[thaibeachlovers]

20 hours ago, the green light said:

THAI officials have a negative opinion about the farangs living in thailand.

they called them the dirty farangs"  "low class with money"

Thailand has been advertised for many years as an expat hot spot 

 

it is these "low class with money" that has supported many thai women and children, open farang restaurant.. and spend tons of money daily on Thai products and entertainment. They have kept the economy going, 

 

 

however they have been treated with disgust and prohibit to go to high end massage parlors and special clubs. They are not allowed in the "la di La" upper class places

 

Thai needs to changes their attitude about farangs if they want more to stay in thailand.

 

 

 

Have you considered that Thai officials don't care about the sort of women that marry farangs, and don't care if farangs want to stay in Thailand, or not?

 

Quote

Thailand has been advertised for many years as an expat hot spot 

End quote

 

Not to my knowledge. It's been promoted as a tourist hot spot, but mainly for those that stay on visa exempt 30 day stays.

It's extremely easy to visit LOS if on a 30 day visa exempt visit.

[thaibeachlovers]

17 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Doubt the basic Thai gives a rats a rse about who owns the land, so long as they can survive from day to day - that's all that's on their mind. 

The basic Thai has little to no say in what happens in LOS, IMO.

[StevieAus]

22 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Thailand remains one if the most welcoming cointries for retirees in the world. 

Glad to see some gratitude. 

Thailand is a develiping country, and as we develop, visa requirements are going to become more reciprocal with other nations. 

It seems to be only poor retirees, or those with a self-entitlement

issue that are complaining. 

The government is targetting well off foreigners and some are self righteously attacking them to try to raise their low self esteem.

 

 

My expat friends are happy here as are others I have spoken to over the years, it only appears to be a group on this site who constantly complain, mainly I suspect who came from a Welfare State. Despite their complaints about so many things that are wrong in Thailand they never leave to return to their Utopian homeland.
As my late mother used to say “ Some people are never happy unless they are complaining” which I believe sums up the situation.

As a lawyer I had a good lifestyle in Sydney but would never swap it for what I enjoy now in Northern Chiang Mai Province.

The people are friendly and helpful the food great and fantastic scenery.

If a have to spend a few hours each year renewing my retirement extension and a total of 16 minutes a year with the ninety day reporting that is not a problem.

[thaibeachlovers]

21 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Secondly: It has taken me 50 years to truly understand the Asian mind.

 

IMO no farang will understand the Asian mind any more than men will ever understand the female mind, no matter how many years they spend studying them.

[zzaa09]

38 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Sorry.

But, if I might be so bold, I think that it does matter.

It matters from a point of perspective.

64 years in Asia...Matters.

If you think this does not matter, then I beg to disagree.

For various good reasons.

Sorry.

 

For example: Asia is important.

 

Secondly: It has taken me 50 years to truly understand the Asian mind.

 

I was born into it. 

[GammaGlobulin]

6 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

I was born into it. 

All the better.

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, Thunglom said:

I've met so many foreigners in Thailand who have lived here for decades and yet till know nothing about the country.

I've met many to; I think the problem is that they don't learn the language. Quite simply, you can't understand the culture of a country if you don't learn the language. 

If I were in charge of immigration, I'd have a Thai language test for yearly visa extensions.  There is no excuse for immigrants being illiterate, full stop.

[StevieAus]

33 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Why does it cost Thailand money, there is no free or cheap treatment for foreigners. 

I don’t know what your definition of cheap is or whether you have obtained treatment from a government hospital where compared with what you would pay as a private patient in Western countries it is very cheap.

I can also see a specialist doctor seven days a week at a top Chiang Mai Hospital for 500 baht about $AUS 22.00

The cost in Sydney these days depending on the speciality is $AUS 300- 400

That is after visiting a GP for a referral and waiting for an appointment no visits on a weekend.