Stupid Is As Stupid Does

[gzu88bv]

To get a visa to my country, perhaps not. But once a Thai has legally immigrated to my country, then yes, it is a lot easier than in Thailand. There are no quarterly or yearly visa runs to do, no communication with gov't about where one lives every 90 days, an automatic right to work, social security benefits (if needed), etc. Thailand makes it difficult for legitimate visa seekers (i.e. those that are married to a Thai and/or have Thai children). If someday I decide to live in Thailand it is not because I really want to, but I would do it because of my wife and children. My wife (who is Thai) should not have to feel that her gov't is discriminating against her for life because her husband is a farang.

Good point Gumball. And yes, I express here my voice and say that this all is not only discriminating but humiliating especially for those married Thai-Falang couples with child(ren), who stay in this country legally and do not live on the back of others.

[bkk_mike]

RichardEllis, I fully agree with you!

I finally got my Marriage Visa Extension this Year, but not on the grounds of income (which I could show, with all relevant documents they told me to provide a few days before, when I inquired), but rather on 400000 Bt in the Bank, which was paid in a few days before within Thailand.

They are clueless within their own stupid rules. No one there understands them. So, in order not to lose face, they make up rules as they go. A shame for Thailand.

I hated the foreigner who are stay in this Country and always say something bad to here. Who make dicision to stay, you or thais, Are we begging you to be here? I know that my country have so much difference than your beautiful home country. Think twice! what make you stay here? if thais stay in you country, is it easier?

Thais in the UK - if there legally - is easier... - You do need to pass English tests now to get permanent residence (ILR), but my wife got hers before those changes came in.

She got her ILR on her first, AND ONLY, trip to the immigration office in Croydon. Now she has it, so long as she never spends more than 2 full years outside the UK in one go, she never needs a visa for the UK again.

(Yes - it took ALL day, sitting waiting and I lost a day off work - but you don't get forced to go through the same process EVERY year, year after year after year...)

Getting the settlement visa was a lot harder, especially in my case as I'd met my wife while she was in the UK illegally overstaying on a visit visa. But once you have a valid visa, the UK is relatively easy. (Getting less so these days - with the language tests and life in the UK tests before getting ILR now - but still a LOT easier, but more expensive, than Thailand.)

Why do foreigners like to stay here? - It's a nice place to live with no snow in the winter, and a LOT cheaper to live in than London. (Also my wife and children are Thai citizens - why shouldn't I live here?)

Why do you hate foreigners?

[chinthee]

Whatever happens on my next trip to Suan Plu I do hope that if I get arrested by immigration police that I will get a chance to have the immigration Police General sing to me in my holding cell, the way he did to infamous peodophile John Marc Karr. Anybody remember that? I forgot what song he sang.

That may have been the most entertaining part of that fiasco.

Thanks for that flashback chinthee. That one was so weird I thought I may have only imagined it. Thanks for the confirmation. The Thai police crooner comforted the unfortunate Mr. Karr with this BeeGees oldie:Smile an ever lasting smile, a smile could bring you near to me.Don't ever let me find you gone 'cause that would bring a tear to me.This world has lost it's glory, let's start a brand new story now my love.Right now ther'll be no other time and I can show you how my love.Talk in ever lasting words and dedicate them all to me.And I will give you all my live I'm here if you should call to me.You Think that I don't even mean a single word I say.It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away.You Think that I don't even mean a single word I say.It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away.It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away.It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away.

Dear Lord, please tell me it ain't so... Sweet Jesus.

Rich

Lannarebirth did a good get on that trivia. Barry Gibbs ain't got nothin' on that police general. Such a voice. Such memories. Such a worthy audience...such an impression on the world...

[Sunny Valentine]

RichardEllis, I fully agree with you!

I finally got my Marriage Visa Extension this Year, but not on the grounds of income (which I could show, with all relevant documents they told me to provide a few days before, when I inquired), but rather on 400000 Bt in the Bank, which was paid in a few days before within Thailand.

They are clueless within their own stupid rules. No one there understands them. So, in order not to lose face, they make up rules as they go. A shame for Thailand.

I hated the foreigner who are stay in this Country and always say something bad to here. Who make dicision to stay, you or thais, Are we begging you to be here? I know that my country have so much difference than your beautiful home country. Think twice! what make you stay here? if thais stay in you country, is it easier?

Well, the decision to stay here in this beautiful country with great people (and terrible bureaucrazy!) was made jointly between me and my Thai wife.

If Thais stay in my home country, they have a set of rules, and once they comply, no more problems, no mpore hassles, no more daily changes of the rules, no limits in working, or owning property ....

I understand your sentiment, but I suggest you get the facts right first!

[englishoak]

Thais in the UK - if there legally - is easier... - You do need to pass English tests now to get permanent residence (ILR), but my wife got hers before those changes came in.

She got her ILR on her first, AND ONLY, trip to the immigration office in Croydon. Now she has it, so long as she never spends more than 2 full years outside the UK in one go, she never needs a visa for the UK again.

I agree, more than that after being resident/married for a further three years you can apply for citizenship and hey presto a full UK passport to follow.

I hated the foreigner who are stay in this Country and always say something bad to here. Who make dicision to stay, you or thais, Are we begging you to be here? I know that my country have so much difference than your beautiful home country. Think twice! what make you stay here? if thais stay in you country, is it easier?

I have just gone through the process for my Thai wife and daughter. That means they will always be able to return to the UK and enjoy the full benefits of being a UK citizen, anytime in their future. Sure there are some requirements you have to meet now such as passing a test and a certain level of English language but that is a good thing . Yes the process of immigration is a whole lot easier, fair and permanent in the UK

I hope to return to Thailand in a few years and live with my family with at least some stability / security on the Visa system but to be blunt, following the current changes in the Thai visas and all the endless reporting year after year I wonder if it really will improve.

Being under 50 I would probably just go for the Multi Visa and accept that foreigners are not really wanted I'm sorry to say.

It dosn't matter that I can meet the minimum requirements as a partner it's the fact that the process has to be repeated on an annual basis with increasing red tape.

It dosn't matter that I speak, read & write Thai or that I have a degree or even that I could start up a business .We will never be granted equal human rights in Thailand and I accept that.

But I don't have to like it or jump through immigrations hoops every year just to get a paltry annual Visa with all the added paperwork should I wish to travel outside the country.

I will not be forced to register at an address I might wish to move from ( god forbid may be more than once a year ) I do not wish to live in a condo and refuse to purchase a house ( wifes name ) that I may have to leave if my visa is not renewed by some official who can refuse you on a whim or their inability to understand their own rules.

I will not start up a business just to satisfy the salary expectations ( accepting I don't pick a business on the restricted list ) when I have more than enough to live on for our future but not in a pension. I will not break Thai law and work illegaly either.

I will resume life in Thailand and integrate as before fully and willingly, but I will not accept the current visa process is fair, sensible or even sustainable in it's present form.

Most of all I will not be demeaned by having all these restrictions demanded that quite frankly are humiliating and makes a mockery of the very translation of the word Thailand = Free Land

Don't get me wrong I love Thailand and spent five happy years living there and I will do so again but until they change for the better I can only say the UK will always be our home and Thailand a place of temporary residence, and I truly hope that changes but if not mai pen rai.

[Big A]

I agree, more than that after being resident/married for a further three years you can apply for citizenship and hey presto a full UK passport to follow.

I have just gone through the process for my Thai wife and daughter. That means they will always be able to return to the UK and enjoy the full benefits of being a UK citizen, anytime in their future. Sure there are some requirements you have to meet now such as passing a test and a certain level of English language but that is a good thing . Yes the process of immigration is a whole lot easier, fair and permanent in the UK

I hope to return to Thailand in a few years and live with my family with at least some stability / security on the Visa system but to be blunt, following the current changes in the Thai visas and all the endless reporting year after year I wonder if it really will improve.

Being under 50 I would probably just go for the Multi Visa and accept that foreigners are not really wanted I'm sorry to say.

It dosn't matter that I can meet the minimum requirements as a partner it's the fact that the process has to be repeated on an annual basis with increasing red tape.

It dosn't matter that I speak, read & write Thai or that I have a degree or even that I could start up a business .We will never be granted equal human rights in Thailand and I accept that.

But I don't have to like it or jump through immigrations hoops every year just to get a paltry annual Visa with all the added paperwork should I wish to travel outside the country.

I will not be forced to register at an address I might wish to move from ( god forbid may be more than once a year ) I do not wish to live in a condo and refuse to purchase a house ( wifes name ) that I may have to leave if my visa is not renewed by some official who can refuse you on a whim or their inability to understand their own rules.

I will not start up a business just to satisfy the salary expectations ( accepting I don't pick a business on the restricted list ) when I have more than enough to live on for our future but not in a pension. I will not break Thai law and work illegaly either.

I will resume life in Thailand and integrate as before fully and willingly, but I will not accept the current visa process is fair, sensible or even sustainable in it's present form.

Most of all I will not be demeaned by having all these restrictions demanded that quite frankly are humiliating and makes a mockery of the very translation of the word Thailand = Free Land

Don't get me wrong I love Thailand and spent five happy years living there and I will do so again but until they change for the better I can only say the UK will always be our home and Thailand a place of temporary residence, and I truly hope that changes but if not mai pen rai.

Well said.

I think there are increasingly more and more people starting to think like that. Of course, you are going to get the 'if you don't like it.....' brigade, but let them have their fume. I've been here 10 years and I have seen the immigration stance go from easy and welcomed to difficult and 'where's yer money, Johnny Westerner?!' and more hurdles than the Olympics.

[tijnebijn]

I totally agree with the latest posters .

Thailand is not as free and welcoming as it seems .

[deejah]

as one poster suggested:

on the last recent trip to pinang end of july 07,

i met more than one person who said getting their marriage visa was VERY easy down there

[JimmyTheMook]

Mr. Arse, with a nick name like yours

Funny it comes up as Dumb Arse on my computer screen.

[mrtoad]

[

I hated the foreigner who are stay in this Country and always say something bad to here. Who make dicision to stay, you or thais, Are we begging you to be here? I know that my country have so much difference than your beautiful home country. Think twice! what make you stay here? if thais stay in you country, is it easier?

The answear to is it easier? Is yes it is.

People who live here, pay taxes, invest here and support their Thai famailies are perfectly entitled to have a point of view. It's one of the joys of freedom of speech and the opportnuity to discuss. Not everything here is perfect and certainly not everything in our home countries are perfect.

Your attitude suggests that it is wrong to debate or discuss problems that people encounter on the basis that we are non Thai. I'd suggest you get a little bit more worldly wise and stop living in a cocoon.

Edited August 13, 2007 by mrtoad

[TAWP]

Don't blame him, he is a product of their own system.

applesple>> is it ok if my [thai] wife says it was easier for her to get papers and workpermits than it is for me? is atleast she allowed to complain? Perhaps time for her to sign up too.