"referring to foreign nationals from Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and Africa"

He forgot USA, Australia and new Zealand.

And who will define what is undesirable behaviour?

Could be anything that he dislike?

Signs stating "Thai people are not welcome"?

I didn't hear anything about it.

Any way a xenophobic attitude could be perceived here?!

10 minutes ago, Rinato said:

"referring to foreign nationals from Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and Africa"

He forgot USA, Australia and new Zealand.

And who will define what is undesirable behaviour?

Could be anything that he dislike?

Signs stating "Thai people are not welcome"?

I didn't hear anything about it.

Any way a xenophobic attitude could be perceived here?!

Every way.

It's classic.

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I guess we're allowed to die by suicide or murder, but it's strictly forbidden to die of natural causes here now. Thank you for clarifying that Mr. Anutin. I must be very careful to make sure that I don't die, and upset you.

So I wonder if the PM thinks it's okay for us to die here as long as we're cremated rather than buried? Go ahead and die just don't take up any Thai land in the process.

55 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

I am thinking that the long awaited tourist tax could usefully be used as a deportation tax. They don't really intend to use any of it to actually benefit tourists so at least it would be better than simply lining someones pocket.

How would deporting undesirables not benefit tourists?

Good luck for the next few years.

You guys are getting cooked!

Mark it.

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

he displayed very ugly racist tendencies

In truth the MAJORITY there do

but when it becomes out in the open

socially acceptable

& government approved

as it seems to be now

things may get

complicated
for you guys

4 hours ago, sambum said:

"........stay for 5 years without contributing one satang to the economy."

Do they eat out of tins and bring their own water tankers then?

Tell me how they contribute?

7 hours ago, NemoH said:

The cemetery was a zoning and licensing issue - it was never a foreigner vs local issue. If it had been a Thai cemetery, it too will be removed but this did not happen because Thai cremates their dead. In any event, I am beginning to see Anutin's frustration and him breaking into irresponsible and immature comments serving only his political base and enraging all the long term foreign residents. He should not complicate matters.

I would like to add a bit of history regarding the thousands of dead soldiers from Australia, Britain and USA who paid the ultimate price to help Thailand keep it's sovereignty in WWII. There are many cemeteries here where they are buried. He repays the sacrifice with this?

If it wasn't for these soldiers Thailand would most likely be speaking Japanese and Anutin would not exist!

3 hours ago, sambum said:

I agree with a lot of what you say - you don't see boatloads of illegal immigrants rolling up on the beaches here!

One of the things that spoiled his rhetoric was his tasteless comment about not dying here - merely confirmed that he hates farangs anyway.

agree, but the illegal immigrants over here don't really need a boat, the just come over fm Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. However, most people coming to Thailand are tourists and expats spending good money to buy properties, supporting Thai families and pissing them off is definitely a short sighted approach. Anutin is just stoking xenophobia to distract from his own mess and he doesn't realize that he hurts the Thai economy most and sustainably.

3 hours ago, connda said:

If you buy anything in Thailand, you pay a 7% Value Added Tax. Everyone who is a consumer purchase goods in Thailand supports the Thai tax base.

And so do tax paying Thais, most go to government hospitals which are funded by Social Security payments. Nah...all these leeches do, is take, take take

Edited Friday at 09:23 AM2 days by baansgr

8 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Thailand has tens of thousands of long‑term retirees, and every province is full of older expats who’ve bought homes, married locally, and contributed to the community for decades.

Yes, it was a pretty stupid thing to say. Then again it keeps with his persona and dislike of foreigners in general (particularly westerners). Having said that, he was reacting to the misguided, but increasingly, self-entitled Israeli community here. The Chabads are impersonating religious venues - or even pretending they are Israeli territory (like an embassy) - yet licensed as restaurants. Then to claim the community needs a 1,200 plot cemetery sends a further signal that they are intent on growing and further isolating and ring fencing themselves in some kind of false entitlement. So that was the context of his remarks. Still, not very wise. While Buddhists cremate, Muslims in Thailand burry their dead, many Christians do too. Foreigners of all walks have made Thailand their home, contributed to the economy, and one day will die. Few plan the location of their passing. So he insulted all of us.

I'm a little concerned about the "one false move and you're out," and police state/snitch social climate this rhetoric is fostering. Some of this criteria like "contrary to Thai culture and disrespecting Thais" are pretty subjective and if decisions about revoking visas and deportations are made on an increasingly local level, where are the safeguards that personal vendettas, xenophobia, and genuine cultural misunderstandings aren't given excessive weight?

And what exactly constitutes "Thai culture?" Is blasting music without any consideration for your neighbors "Thai culture?" How about not repaying loans? Is blowing your horn at a reckless driver who almost killed you showing disrespect for "Thai (driving) culture?" What happens if you get in an argument over being overcharged or shortchanged? Thais get angry, they can call you "ai Farang' and 'ai hia' and no one bats an eyelash, but if you made some derogatory comment in anger about Thais in general, are you gonna get thrown out of the country for disrespecting Thais? I also worry that some Thais might feel emboldened to pick fights, disrespect you, take advantage of you, etc., on the theory that you'll be too timid to assert yourself out of fear of a visa/deportation action.

Edited Friday at 09:45 AM2 days by Gecko123

26 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Tell me how they contribute?

They have to eat and drink and live somewhere don't they?

Well despite it not boding well, as who knows who they'll come for next once these natioalists get their way, it is easy to see why it's has transpired into this territory. The Thai government is the maker of all this by flinging the gates open after Covid to any and all as they are terrified about their economy and the spending holiday makers do in all areas.

However, it's never as simple as that because they now have all the problematic nationalities that just are toxic wherever they go and don't care about anything like the law or respectful behaviour and the P has truly been taken. Now, there is a demand for a knee-jerk correction and all the normal foreigners and expats that follow the law and just want to live somewhere they love to be, are as usual, the ones to suffer from the actions of the morons.

If Thailand wants better tourists and them spending more, then you need to bar certain nationalities from swarming in and releasing chaos. Trouble is, that that would require a period of adjustment where revenues would fall and the locals would get the hump about it and become politically problematic... it's the devil or the deep blue sea really, and will not be solved anytime soon, as you can't satisfy high-revenue outcomes and only accept the bigger spenders because perceptions, reputation, and sentiment has to change for the better to attract them and that takes time and effort from the country.

Also, this is all happening at a time when the current government coalition is fractured and under serious flak/pressure for their failings and misdeeds... and they need a distraction boogie-man to punch, and foreigners are the easy option as it costs them nothing to be like that. Letting in all the Russians, Israelis, and Indians etc. was a mistake.

22 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

. it's the devil or the deep blue sea really, and will not be solved anytime soon, as you can't satisfy high-revenue outcomes and only accept the bigger spenders

Fully agree on the problematic nationalities (or at least the sense that those nationalities have disproportionate numbers of problematic visitors). But I don't think Thailand has any choice, financially, but to let in tourists from a wide range of countries. Thailand has failed repeatedly with campaigns to attract well-healed, high-income earners for long stay tourism. Simple fact is that those people can go wherever they want, whenever they want. Why would they stay for a long time in Thailand? They might come for a few weeks, then go to Europe, then the Caribbean. Sure some will stay and maybe buy a place - but still travel elsewhere too. Thailand is lovely place for most of us, great people, nice beaches and relatively good value. But it is not a high-end place like some other parts of the world. It's just not. This is not billionnaires' row.

57 minutes ago, cynic1 said:

I would like to add a bit of history regarding the thousands of dead soldiers from Australia, Britain and USA who paid the ultimate price to help Thailand keep it's sovereignty in WWII. There are many cemeteries here where they are buried. He repays the sacrifice with this?

If it wasn't for these soldiers Thailand would most likely be speaking Japanese and Anutin would not exist!

I'm not sure if we're reading the same history text but Thailand was occupied by Japan during World War II. They were basically given a choice by the Japanese to be occupied or colonized and they chose occupation as the lesser of two evils. Thailand was actually considered an enemy of the allies and there were several bombing raids that took place over Bangkok. It wasn't until mid to late 1944 that Thailand grew large enough cojones to stop cooperating with the Japanese, as they were already on their knees due to their massive and multiple failed campaigns in Burma and throughout the Pacific.

A little known fact is that for every ton of food, clothing and medicine supplied to Allied soldiers in Burma by the middle of 1944, the Japanese were receiving just one kilo. That's just how desperate things were for Japan by the middle of 44.

However if you skip forward to the 1960s America plowed billions of dollars into Thailand to help build its railways, highways and other infrastructure and an argument could be made that without that investment Thailand might still be a relatively insignificant backwater. Obviously America had its agenda due to the Vietnam War but it was still a massive investment nonetheless, and it was done at a time when Thailand was still quite primitive and undeveloped.

Fool's like Anutin tend to forget that kind of thing, as it's very likely he's never read a history book.

Edited Friday at 10:20 AM2 days by spidermike007

11 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Thailand was actually considered an enemy of the allies and there were several bombing raids that took place over Bangkok. It wasn't until mid to late 1944 that Thailand grew large enough cojones to stop cooperating with the Japanese, as they were already on their knees due to their massive and multiple failed campaigns in Burma and throughout the Pacific.

That's my understanding too. Pretty well documented - though the Thais would rather forget it. I don't know of any allied solders' graveyards in Thailand.

9 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

I don't know of any allied solders' graveyards in Thailand.

Well, one of the most famous ones is in Kanchanaburi with the Bridge Over the River Kwai cemetry. I visited, and the oldest soldier's grave I found was a 38-year old British captain.

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

How would deporting undesirables not benefit tourists?

.... or those of us who've lived here for many decades -- and have gotten tired of farang trash allowed to remain, and further repeat their antics. No, send them home...even if that means paying for their airline ticket. Anutin seems to be a pretty stalwart leader, from many aspects.....

15 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

Well, one of the most famous ones is in Kanchanaburi with the Bridge Over the River Kwai cemetry. I visited, and the oldest soldier's grave I found was a 38-year old British captain.

Ah yes, of course. Forgot about the allied POWs in Thailand under Japanese rule. But certainly there was no fighting in Thailand by allied troops - there was no house to house fighting etc. Bombing, some shot down, captured, brought over from Burma, etc.

14 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

"If they are going to die, they should go die back home, not here."

No problem in caring Cambodia.

Foreigners can die with dignity within the country.

Another anti-foreigner comment from an obnoxious Thai man - just like his reaction about COVID and dirty foreigners! This man does not like foreigners - just their MONEY!!

It is all well and good that they wish to deport criminals, but the way he expresses himself implies something more... the average citizen—in a country where educational standards remain uneven or even deficient across large segments of the population—could easily interpret this as applying to all foreigners. It began with ayut; as prime minister and a coup-leading general, it was easy for him to rally citizens from across the country behind military might—a population shaped by its environment from birth. Then came nut, who found the task even easier; he is best compared to onald rump, as it is simple to whip up right-wing nationalist sentiment under the guise of deporting specific foreign criminals. Before we know it, we might hear that the wai greeting is being replaced by an arm raised straight out in front of the body🙁

and of course, all IMO.

Felt

I'm silently hoping that Anutin has run his course and his superiors decide he is longer their man because he is such a nasty Richard. Thais are getting a little annoyed at the moment.

As I've indicated before xenophobia is predictable and understandable in societies under stress, but what really makes me angry is potential targets of the xenophobia thinking they're too "good" to ever be a target CHEERING on harsh anti-foreigner measures. It's truly vomitous.

15 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

I'm silently hoping that Anutin has run his course and his superiors decide he is longer their man because he is such a nasty Richard. Thais are getting a little annoyed at the moment.

While ever he his making them money, he'll remain.

This could be bad news for all foreigners living here.

It's not ideal to be living perpetually on renewable visas with no permanent residency.

Edited Friday at 11:49 AM2 days by save the frogs

11 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Anutin’s line about foreigners needing to “go die back home” is completely detached from the demographic reality.

Thailand has tens of thousands of long‑term retirees, and every province is full of older expats who’ve bought homes, married locally, and contributed to the community for decades.

If the goal was to reassure people, then telling residents they’re welcome to spend, invest, and retire here — but not to die here — probably isn’t the winning message he thinks it is!

While I agree with you in theory I think he was more talking about people setting up cemeteries for each religion.

I am planning to stay here and realize that when my time comes I will be cremated like most Thais and looked after in the samelight

38 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

While I agree with you in theory I think he was more talking about people setting up cemeteries for each religion.

I am planning to stay here and realize that when my time comes I will be cremated like most Thais and looked after in the samelight

Easy for you to say.

For Orthodox Jews burial is a big taboo.

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

While ever he his making them money, he'll remain.

In many cases there's even more money to made when foreigners are forced to leave in a hurry.

Use your imagination.

1 hour ago, thailand49 said:

You mention noted correctly which is what the heart of the problem today which the majority of people visiting or living here don't get the big picture.

When it comes to the leaders of this country I personally don't give a rat ass who they are and even whether they went to Harvard or not the are all in the same boat corrupt because to be in office any part of government anywhere in Thailand it is all about nepotism old boys network.

I don't think there is one person in government when watching the tube at night the channel that shows government events nightly aren't related in some manner. Personally there is no rags to rich stories that a person can come from nothing and ne PM of this country.

I don't pay much attention to the guy Anutin if he has said and done the things as noted at least I know where he stands he isn't much different than the lowest and highest Thai I've met they might not say it to your face but that pride is embedded in all of them.

When I first got here I had encounters over the smallest stuff because I look like them but once they found out I wasn't the level of the incident increase 200% towards me one encounter I came within a CM of being killed.

When it comes to this article there isn't anything that he said that any expat living should be concern if you follow the rules even if you don't which is the case for everyone. Although he has nothing to do with this article the hate or dislike sounds the name same as for Trump.

It isnt just here but every country Thailand included is to protect their own guess what it is like make America great again, no country want outsider to commit crimes to take over their country Thailand guess what, England, France, Spain, Australia.

Because they are scare <deleted> of the Chinese, loss of face call it what you want how do I know I've been saying it for years the Chinese Triads have been here for centuries up north half of my family specifically from Hong Kong are triads which is how I got introduced as early as 70's to Thailand.

Everything that has been happening isn't about farangs it is about the Chinese Triads which they are scare to point fingers at only one person has done it

CHUWIT, formerly a MP, nick name the massage king who sounded years back Triads had taken over the country.

It started with Tuhao, then follow by the raid in Pattaya leader Feng, Mr. Ming which were tipped off like Thaksin and escape arrest left country. Prelimary investigation found after these Triad faction had taken over and control more that half of the province ln Thailand and on record 72 of them digging deeper these Triads, their businesses, the money laundering their partners "NOMINEES "

familiar word included the riches Thais in the country.

All the stories today about crackdown on so call nominees are the small fish! The big fish they can't go after doing so exposes all of them including those at the very top most likely include the man here so disliked!

It is nothing but Smoke and Mirror all show! For their people who are so nationalistic and blind to what is happening. Like everything they got to place blame and the white man or foreigners is an easy target. This is the same with the banking it is the expat when everyone knows it was the Chinese who were paying bank official BBC in Pattaya to turn a blind eye, 200,000 baht a pop to open accounts for Chinese tourist.

As noted I've been here 20 years not looking for trouble done good done bad but if you play their game anything this guy's say is nothing to worry about.

Some guys here are scared of their own shadow

Keeping their country keeps the system in place doing so the corruption money keeps them in office for their siblingss of the future.

True! You can't own land here what makes anyone think they can be bury here LOL, 🤣

1 hour ago, kingstonkid said:

While I agree with you in theory I think he was more talking about people setting up cemeteries for each religion.

I am planning to stay here and realize that when my time comes I will be cremated like most Thais and looked after in the samelight

3 hours ago, Ray60 said:

Anutin ... doesn't realize that he hurts the Thai economy most and sustainably.

Do you really believe he doesn't realise driving foreigners away will hurt the Thai economy?

Why would he care?

Modern politicians are ALWAYS happy to throw local poulations under the bus

if it means they're rewarded finanacially ($$$$$) or not exposed for

eg. banging little kids.

Can anyone give an example of a current PM or Pres who's actually doing the best for their constituents?

.