Visa-free access to the UK in new roadmap pact signed in Bangkok on flying visit by Cameron

[bkk6060]

Women's groups will probably fight it.  They don't want a bunch of Thai girls coming and taking their men.

[jacko45k]

22 hours ago, Tazmo said:

It could also be a financial nightmare for the Banks. I know it used to be easy to get a credit card and some other nationalities ran up their cards to the limit then cleared off.

I really struggle to appreciate how letting Thai tourists in for 30 days Visa free affects this?

[Henryford]

Did CaMoron agree to uplift pensions for inflation for expats  in Thailand? thought not.

[brewsterbudgen]

50 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Did CaMoron agree to uplift pensions for inflation for expats  in Thailand? thought not.

Cameron is Foreign Secretary, not the Chancellor or Pensions minister.

[Lopburikid]

23 hours ago, sambum said:

 

 "they used to by my students in a private language school years ago."

??????????????????

Think you should apply for a place at the Public School to learn English!

Obviously, a typing error, to anyone with a brain. I would suggest you start your sentences with a capital letter.

[Lopburikid]

19 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Sounds like the UK is on top of things...........

Could work out well for UK citizens retired in Thailand.

[sambum]

8 hours ago, Olmate said:

? 

I think I can nearly understand your post if I concentrate!

[sambum]

4 hours ago, Lopburikid said:

Obviously, a typing error, to anyone with a brain. I would suggest you start your sentences with a capital letter.

 You mean the sentence of yours that I quoted in my post? :-

 

"they used to by my students in a private language school years ago."

 

You are not allowed to change or alter anybody else's posts on AN!

 

 

[Olmate]

31 minutes ago, sambum said:

I think I can nearly understand your post if I concentrate!

Going by your reply of ???, I see you need 3 goes at every 'little thing', which you no doubt have in your mit as u tap away! 

[sambum]

44 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Going by your reply of ???, I see you need 3 goes at every 'little thing', which you no doubt have in your mit as u tap away! 

 

I can usually manage "little things" at the first "go", but there are exceptions! 🙂 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sambum]

There was an article on BBC News many years ago which I have never forgotten.

 

The Mayor of a little village in Switzerland had been approached by the Muslims for his permission for them to build a mosque in the village.

 

His reply went something like this:- "People come to Switzerland, and to our  village to see the lovely scenery - the lakes, the mountains with the snow capped peaks, and to appreciate the countryside and little houses that have remained the same for centuries - no skyscrapers or massive hotels because we and people who visit here like it the way that it is. So if you want to build a mosque, I suggest that you go back to the country that you came from to build it there - we don't want one here!"

 

He probably wouldn't get away with it today because he would be running the risk of offending somebody! 

[kwilco]

For decades the UK, and most of the west has not taken Thailand seriously. They have lost influence and valuable trade.

They have failed to recognise and address the rising influence of China.

With war in Europe and potentially serious conflict in Asia the UK and western allies will need Thailand to be on their side. At present it isn't.

UK ignores Thailand at its peril

[MicroB]

On 3/22/2024 at 6:00 AM, Mike Teavee said:

 

I'm all for easy travel & this is great news for me personally if it comes off as I plan on taking the GF for a trip to the UK next year, but I can't stand Cam-a-moron.

 

 

No idea how he was let back into the government never mind Foreign Secretary (Though it wouldn't surprise me if he's prime minister once Sunak gets the push).

 

Life is the farce which everyone has to perform

 

 

It would be great to see that, to see collective gammon heads explode. Unlikely. And I'm a party member, but outvoted by the blue rinse brigade, so it will never happen, unless he was unopposed, and there are too many cabinet incompetants circling to let that happen.

 

He's actually doing a good job as foreign secretary, a lot more active the previous ones, during a very tricky time. James Cleverley, armed with a 3rd rate degree in hospitality, was out of his depth; the scruffy ex-officer act only goes so far. Now he in charge of the police LOL. Liz Truss incredible bad judgement at every level, gotten worse leaving office. Referred to as a Poundland Thatcher, that's an insult to Poundland. Dominic Raab; famously on a beach while British troops were effectively engaged in a fighting retreat out of Kabul. Hunt had a few gaffes when in office, such as supporting the Saudis after they bombed a school. Boris Johnson did a lot of condemming, but then got pissed at a party hosted by an ex-KGB officer, while carrying the NATO battle plans. I'd have to go back to William Hague for a FS that I had confidence in in handling the UK's external affairs.

 

internationally. I think he knows he's just preparing the ground for the next foreign secretary, set his successor's agenda (UK foreign policy, the calamitous Brexit policy aside, has more continuity than other government policies, eg NATO, US-UK relations, UK-France relations. Generally, there is a high degree of cross-party agreement in foreign relations, and that has to be, because complex international agreements are rarely concluded within the life of a parliament).

 

 

 

[MicroB]

On 3/22/2024 at 11:25 AM, bananafish said:

In exchange for a 90-day visa-waiver entry for UK, I'm all for it. 

 

The issue is, when UK people are caught overstaying in Thailand, they just get deported without hassle. When the UK try to deport illegals, the whacky lefties step in and make it difficult for the government to enforce its own rules. 

 

 

Keeping to the nation in question, rather than conflating issues (ie. maybe some people ought not be deported due to incompetance within the Home Office), generally the evidence is Thai wives/partners when given deportation orders, self deport, at no cost to HMG. A Malaysian-Chinese friend, who is a consultant surgeon in the NHS, married to an English nurse, kids, own house etc, was going through the process of getting ILR, which as you no doubt know, involves a period of purdah when one mustn't leave the UK, except under exceptional circumstances. He has no intention of gaining UK citizenship, as Malaysia doesn't allow dual nationality. He knows that means he will have less rights, and is content with that.

 

He was invited to be Best Man at a wedding in KL. He thought he would write to his case worker, seeking permission, thinking they would either say, yes, thats fine, no problem, or no, you cannot go. Instead he got a thrd answer; a deportation order, with 10 days to settle his affairs. I wish he had a "whacky left(y)" come to his aid. But no, he had to pay a very capitalist lawyer over £5000 to appeal his case. He got to stay, £5000 poorer, and the Sinophobic civil servant responsible for the incompetance, kept his job. He missed the wedding, but at least kept his family together.

 

Numerous stories like this, indicative of the Home Office targetting low hanging fruit to meet their quotas imposed by the right wing nutters (as an alternative to whacky lefties).

 

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/caversham-woman-faces-deportation-despite-husband-having-cash-to-meet-home-office-rules/

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/wife-deportation-removal-home-office-thailand-mark-ngam-ngon-leonardi-a9027421.html

 

(Tulip Siddiqi and Diane Abbott would probably meet your definition of Whacky Lefties. The husband was lucky he had them. Even so, where was the Public Interest in keeping his blameless wife in prison while the HO dragged its feet)

 

One from the Gammons' favourite read

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2945844/Widowed-Thai-mother-deported-forced-leave-children-British-husband-killed-car-crash.html

 

(cruel and heartless comes to mind, but also the Home Office knew, ultimately, that she would put up less of a fight)

 

Look at Home Office deportation stats:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returns

 

For Q1-Q4 2023, a total of 25,646 people were earmarked for deportation, all nationalities. 19,253 voluntarily returned home. 6,393 (25%) were enforced. A further 24,587 got no further than border control, and returned home.

 

If I split it by nationality; Albanians are the biggest group. 5771 were deported after immigration, and of that, 2,501 (43%) were enforced return; ie they were detained. For that time, that's not unexpected. By the way, the former Albanian soldier who did my fence and patio, worked like a trooper, turned up on time every day, refused payment until I approved, insisted on bank transfer only to his business account. Meanwhile, English builder who put up my conservatory (3 years on, still numerous issues), spent his time moaning about the Irish who did my driveway, and the "Pakis", and the "Blacks", filled my garden with empty Red Bull cans, turned up at random times, wanted cash up front, and then moaned when I pointed out his VAT number had expired. Bald prick, wish I never trusted Trustpilot.

 

For Thais, 120 were deported, of which 110 self deported, so only 8% were actually detained. A further 15 didn't get past passport control. Of those deported, not surprisingly, 100 were women. 9 detained were women.

 

Look at Vietnamese; remember the lorry load found dead in the back of an Irish biscuit lorry (the driver is now doing hard time). Vietnamese face broadly the same visa issues as Thais. The stats state 34% were detained; detention rates are a strong proxy about how people are found, usually overworking. Self deportation generally indicates more of an administrative issue, eg. UK partner dies.

 

LOL, 559 Freedom loving Yanks try it on each year, 328 undesirables don't get past passport control at Heathrow. Of the rest, 23% end up in chokey/detention centre. Thank god for regulations, because the UK will be over run with MAGA supporters and Jan 6ers looking for work. Aussies and Kiwis are a law abiding lot. 55 don't make it in after that 24 hour flight. 65 are deported later, of which 12% are found working in a bar or coffee shop.

 

No one from Laos and Combodia wants to come to the UK. Only 1 was stopped at the border, 3 voluntarily went home. Malaysia has visa free arrangements with the UK. 186 Malaysians a year are refused or deported from the UK. 96 are turned around at passport control. 90 are deported afterwards, of which 18% have an enforced deportation (ie in the detention centre). For China (PRC), the numbers are quite big, but compliance rates are high. 262 get turned away at the airport. 1741 are deported after, but 3% have an enforced deportation. For Taiwan, the numbers are very small, but 50% are detained.

 

At least for the UK, I think the evidence that Thai people are more likely to overstay, work illegally, than other nationalities is actually quite weak. By and large, those deported are compliant wives and girlfriends. Its about 50-50 m/f who are actually detained, so that doesn't suggest any particular bias towards parts of the black economy. I really don't see why Thai citizens should face more challenges than Malaysian citizens or Hong Kong passport holders. If its about "foreigners", then the requirements for Commonwealth nations should be increased.

 

 

[MicroB]

4 hours ago, sambum said:

There was an article on BBC News many years ago which I have never forgotten.

 

The Mayor of a little village in Switzerland had been approached by the Muslims for his permission for them to build a mosque in the village.

 

His reply went something like this:- "People come to Switzerland, and to our  village to see the lovely scenery - the lakes, the mountains with the snow capped peaks, and to appreciate the countryside and little houses that have remained the same for centuries - no skyscrapers or massive hotels because we and people who visit here like it the way that it is. So if you want to build a mosque, I suggest that you go back to the country that you came from to build it there - we don't want one here!"

 

He probably wouldn't get away with it today because he would be running the risk of offending somebody! 

 

Unless the Muslims were Swiss born and bred. In the modern era, the first mosque wasn't built in Switzerland until 1963 (this was a nation happy to do business with the nazis....). That's enough time for 3 generations of Swiss to be born who were muslim. You still think they should go "home" or not practice their faith?

 

No, he wouldn't get away with it now, because we are better than that now. I grew up in an era when I would go down to the Connie club with mum and dad, and grandad would introduce a chap sitting next to him as "Sambo". I'd hate to go back to that era now.

 

[MicroB]

On 3/22/2024 at 3:23 PM, GinBoy2 said:

They are indeed.

 

There is a reason why tourist visas are so hard to get, because the history of Thai's overstaying!

 

In my wife's circle of Thai friends here in South Dakota, only her and one other came here legally, all the rest overstay until eventually they ended up marrying and getting an adjustment of status.

 

How many Thai's are in South Korea as overstay?

 

I bet anyone who lives outside Bangkok with a Thai wife knows at least one.

 

Good luck with this Mr Cameron, cos you're gonna need it, great story for illegal immigration control!

 

I know of a large number of Britons who went to the US on J-visas, which is a non-immigration visa aimed at academics, which you are not supposed to change to an immigration visa in the US. But they did, they got job offers in industry, and the employer fixed it with some made up job description. So comment on that, on the British people illegally entering the US, and taking US jobs.

 

That's basically how Elon Musk ended up in the US. He entered as a student, under false pretences, with the objective of getting a job in Silicon Valley. What he did was no better than a Thai lady getting married to stay. And they've probably done less harm than he has. None of them called a British man a "paedo" and got away with it.

[BayArea]

17 hours ago, Olmate said:

What u mean "we"? paleface.! 

Don't assume I'm a pale face you simpleton

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, Lopburikid said:

Could work out well for UK citizens retired in Thailand.

OK, I will bite. In what way? People have already debunked the possibility of frozen pensions being released, visas, well only a possible impact on waivers for tourists is what I expect. Trade... the price of my HP Baked beans and Yorkshire Tea from the Expat shop might get cheaper? I am pessimistic, only interest is getting more money from each other, my situation is very much unimportant. 

[Olmate]

6 hours ago, BayArea said:

Don't assume I'm a pale face you simpleton

Not into the Lone Ranger and Tonto then thai basher!! 😂

[sambum]

14 hours ago, MicroB said:

 

Unless the Muslims were Swiss born and bred. In the modern era, the first mosque wasn't built in Switzerland until 1963 (this was a nation happy to do business with the nazis....). That's enough time for 3 generations of Swiss to be born who were muslim. You still think they should go "home" or not practice their faith?

 

No, he wouldn't get away with it now, because we are better than that now. I grew up in an era when I would go down to the Connie club with mum and dad, and grandad would introduce a chap sitting next to him as "Sambo". I'd hate to go back to that era now.

 

 

I read Enoch Powell's speech "Rivers of Blood" speech occasionally just to refresh my memory to remind me of how things were, and what they have become.

I grew up in an era when (in my city at least) there were no brown or black or  yellow faces. There was nobody to "offend" with Christmas nativity plays, and nobody hid their faces behind face veils or masks. I could go out and play alone in my street without fear of abduction or interference, and drugs were something you got from the doctor when you were ill. Knives were something you only had if you were in the Boy Scouts, and guns were things that soldiers used in wartime. There were no boatloads of illegal immigrants trying to get into my country in order to get clothed and fed and housed by my Government, and then try to change the religion of my country into the religion of the country they were desperately trying to escape from.

So, yes, I would like to go back to that era now, and as a certain pop song would put it "Those were the best days of our lives"!

[sambum]

17 hours ago, kwilco said:

For decades the UK, and most of the west has not taken Thailand seriously. They have lost influence and valuable trade.

They have failed to recognise and address the rising influence of China.

With war in Europe and potentially serious conflict in Asia the UK and western allies will need Thailand to be on their side. At present it isn't.

UK ignores Thailand at its peril

 

With comments like that - especially your final sentence - it is blatantly obvious why Thailand is not yet accepted as an equal by most of the Western world - they don't take kindly to threats, even if they are friends with one of the "BIG BOYS". It is not a player on "The World Stage", and is not "The Hub of Hubs" that it purports to be, and with its main obsession being with tourism rather than production, I see no reason to expect any significant change in the situation in the near future.  

[Neeranam]

Great news, as I recently renewed my Thai passport to a ten year one. 

I'll be able to tell the UK authorities I remain in the UK, if I use my Thai passport to travel there. 

[kwilco]

2 hours ago, sambum said:

with its main obsession being with tourism rather than production

What do you mean by that? Hardly reflects the reality of the Thai economy.

[sambum]

3 hours ago, kwilco said:

What do you mean by that? Hardly reflects the reality of the Thai economy.

 

I mean exactly what I said. Everyone from the PM to the RTP seems obsessed with promoting the image of Thailand as a holiday destination, and from single figures pre Covid, the contribution of tourism to the GDP has leapt to about 18%. 

[kwilco]

3 hours ago, sambum said:

 

I mean exactly what I said. Everyone from the PM to the RTP seems obsessed with promoting the image of Thailand as a holiday destination, and from single figures pre Covid, the contribution of tourism to the GDP has leapt to about 18%. 

You said " main obsession being with tourism rather than production, "

Tourism has for years accounted for around 20% of GDP.

 but "production"?? - Thailand is making the shift from agriculture to industrial and service economy..... Agriculture accounts for just below 10% and industry in general is over 35% and is increasing - the Thai motor industry is in the world top ten and bigger than the UK motor industry. Electronics industry includes many world brands Western etc...

 

 

[sambum]

28 minutes ago, kwilco said:

You said " main obsession being with tourism rather than production, "

Tourism has for years accounted for around 20% of GDP.

 but "production"?? - Thailand is making the shift from agriculture to industrial and service economy..... Agriculture accounts for just below 10% and industry in general is over 35% and is increasing - the Thai motor industry is in the world top ten and bigger than the UK motor industry. Electronics industry includes many world brands Western etc...

 

 

 

"Tourism has for years accounted for around 20% of GDP."

 

Not according to figures that I read before Covid! However I shouldn't need to repeat the point that I was making which is that from what I read the emphasis from the Government is more on tourism than production. I don't recall seeing any rhetoric at all from the Government about production, but I see lots of articles about tourism. Maybe I should change my choice of reading material? 

 

However, this is in danger of going off topic, (which from memory was about Visas?) so I won't be making any more comments on this subject. 

 

Have a nice evening.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

This statement really is as clear as mud:

"A key upshot of this agreement is that active talks will now focus on granting visa-free access to Thai passport holders in the United Kingdom."

 

These are tourist and business visas for short stays (for how long it doesn't say). I do not see how this is an advantage for Thais already living in the UK.

Cameron is an idiot so I would guess this is another meaningless excuse for diplomats (civil servants) to spend time flying back and forth for a chat.

I can only hope it leads to getting rid of 90 day reports for UK expats in Thailand.

 

 

[BayArea]

17 hours ago, Olmate said:

Not into the Lone Ranger and Tonto then thai basher!! 😂

Thai basher?? Far from it.  I'm married to a Thai and have beautiful mixed Thai children. On top of that, I'm of S E. Asian descent.  I guess you can't detect sarcasm in my original post.  It's ok. Have a pleasant day. 

[DonniePeverley]

On 3/23/2024 at 1:02 AM, Henryford said:

Did CaMoron agree to uplift pensions for inflation for expats  in Thailand? thought not.

 

Personally i've never understood why the UK government should be giving out handouts to people not living in the UK anymore. 

[MicroB]

20 hours ago, sambum said:

 

 

I grew up in an era when (in my city at least) there were no brown or black or  yellow faces.

 

When was that grandad, 1920?

 

Good old days, right.

 

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