Report Thailand Tightens Grip on Retirement Visas Amid Wealth Shift

[Peterw42]

So nothing has changed for retire visa's, and no plans to change anything.

The sad thing is, this will be quoted and referenced in future posts, "they don't want us here"," why expats are leaving" etc.

 

In the unlikely events that retire visa's do have some new requirements, you can always just switch to a DTV. They appear to be handing them out in cereal boxes, nothing more than a foreign bank statement and a photo of your amazon drop shipping page required.

[lordgrinz]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

An extra 200 baht and an hour of time.is a small price to pay for living in paradise

 

Paradise?! LMAO 🤣 

[baansgr]

12 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Paradise?! LMAO 🤣 

Well,.I think it is, as do many others..

[Mindful Spender]

If they want to stop people who are only coming for the (agogo)-bar girls, they should make earning money from drinks, girls get from others, illegal. It will stop those jobs instantly

[lordgrinz]

4 hours ago, baansgr said:

Well,.I think it is, as do many others..

 

Yes, the older men chasing 20 yr old bar girls or ladyboys (not that there is anything wrong with that), sitting on barstools until 2-3am drunk as a skunk, scammers, potheads, and the occasional Pedophiles run out of their home countries. To them, yes, this must be a "paradise".....the rest of us have higher standards.

[pacovl46]

22 hours ago, foureyes10 said:

After 25 years I very sadly realised that the combination of a lying wife and confused, predatory immigration practises made my living in "the land of smiles" a bad dream!

I've spent every cent buying and updating 10 rai of land, 3 houses, cars and tractors only to find that the "wife" doesn't want to sign a lease for the house (to give some security)!

 

A corrupt immi Major who wont sign a visa application (even after paying the fee) because he wanted a 15k grease! Extra requirements on 90 day reports (maps, financial reports, tea money)

 

Time to go back to the nanny state (Australia) where the voters re-elected a party who wants to tax unclaimed capital gains!! At least the Ozy government pays its bills (unlike you-know where) I have friends who have been waiting 3 months for contracted money to be paid by the PEA!

So sad.

Just for your information. If you can prove that the money for the land, tractor, houses etc. came from your bank account she will have to reimburse you. She can’t just take everything and boot you out. If she doesn’t have the money, she’ll have to sell, which means she most likely ends up with nothing after you got your cut! 
 

Also, the corrupt immigration place isn’t the only place you can go to! 

[pacovl46]

21 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

The retirees and middle class tourists. This repeated idea (notion) by successive Thai governments that the answer to better tourism revenues involves tens of thousands of multi-millionnaires flocking to Thailand and living here year round, spending lavishly 364 days a year, is just mind numbing to me. Multi-millionnaires might well buy a condo here as a pied a terre, maybe even fairly large ones, but so what? If they're wealthy they might live in it for a few months of the year (winter) and then live in their own country during its summer, and then travel for 2-3 months a year to other places. Not many are going to be splashing cash around year'round in Thailand. It's a fantasy.  And even if they did, how would the country, as a whole, benefit?

Exactly! 

[LivingNThailand]

23 hours ago, palmbeachblueeyes said:

If Thailand wants a new source of income they should develop the assisted living industry.  I don't know about the average retiree but many retirees are sitting on a lot of cash to pay for care in their last year's.  

great idea.  But not going to happen, unfortunately.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

The issue is not about those who are here - it is about the newbies who are now choosing other countries instead of Thailand.  The Philippines especially makes it a lot easier and cheaper to apply, and does not mandate Expats must report to Police every 90 days and complete TM30s if in another province, and allows Expats to leave and re-enter the country at will, and does not mandate ripoff insurance, and does allow Expats to work or run a business and they do not have to hire 4 lazy Thais for every Expat employed, and they make the annual extensions simple and easy and minimal costs, and throughout the Philippines many locals speak good English, and lots of other Pros compared to Thailand.  Vietnam and Cambodia are moving towards the Philippines model, while both Malaysia and Indonesia (Penang and Bali) also offer better deals and less stress.

 

And all of those countries are not threatening to hit Expats with income taxes, and they just do not have the same number of negative media stories about crime and corruption, nor about buildings and roads collapsing and massive road deaths and other accidents.  Make no mistake - Thailand is less attractive nowadays and other countries are more attractive - to newbie Expats.  The waves of Korean and Japanese Expats in 90s, and then the Americans, Aussies/Kiwis, and Europeans in 2000s - are over.  The sexpats and backpackers will always visit - and some will stay - but the glory days are IMO over.  The rich and wealthy will still visit the island resorts - but they are a very small percentage of the overall numbers.  Middle income newbie retirees are now looking elsewhere - Thailand has lost its lustre - it was inevitable.  Philippines, Costa Rica, Vietnam, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia, Portugal, Panama, Spain, and Ecuador are now the most often recommended destinations for 'western' Expats to live and retire overseas. Thailand is often in the lists too, but they are not number one anymore - sometimes 2-4 and sometimes 9-10. 

 

But like many others here, I have a lovely Thai wife and home, and I will stay here as long as I can - ideally until in my 80s. But if Somchai at the local Provincial TRD Office demands that I pay income taxes based on his decision of what I should pay being a rich Falang, then I will be leaving Thailand earlier than planned. Likewise, if the Immigration Police impose another wave of draconian crackdowns on 'bad guys' that also kicks the proverbial out of the 'good guys' too, then I am out of here.  Probably use Philippines or Vietnam as a base, and then travel to Thailand twice each year as a 3 months tourist.     

[Mad Mustang]

I lived in Thailand for 12 years on a lifetime elite visa. Watched the place flip flop itself oblivion. Might be good for low spending so called tourists and holiday makers but to live or retire in for foreigners now, no thanks. Inflation and indecision have ruined it. The country is in massive GDP debt trouble and will be an utter mess by 2028.

I took a trip to Cambodia and the only thing Thailand has better as far as I could see were some of the roads. Went back to Bangkok, packed up and was gone within 3 weeks. Nicer people, better food, everything basically 1/2 the price and no BS 90 day reporting, easy work permits for those who want them. Seems Thailand has had its day. For me it has.

[jcojco]

On 6/4/2025 at 7:18 PM, lordgrinz said:

Thailand will continue to shoot itself in the foot, which seems to be the norm now, especially under the control of Emperor Thaksin.

In the shadows, isn't the WEF, through its "Global Young Leaders," insidiously trying to take control of the destiny of this country? If you don't share this deadly ideology, maybe it's time to get out.