Ease rules for foreigners, Gov urges Bangkok

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangura told Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop yesterday that the government will need to make life easier for foreigners if Phuket is ever to develop into the “international city” envisioned by the government.

“Yesterday I met with the DPM Suwat to discuss preparations for the arrival of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra next week,” he told the Gazette today.

“I told him that if the government really wants Phuket to attract international investment, then it will have to make it easier for foreigners to get visas, work permits and extensions of stay.”

The Governor, who recently returned from a trip to the US, said Immigration, the Labor Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would all need to upgrade their procedures and services to international standard in order to enable Phuket to do the same.

“The government departments that deal with foreigners are all still using the same old systems. When investors arrive, they first have to go to Immigration, then to another agency for a work permit. It’s too complicated,” he said.

Gov Udomsak said that DPM Suwat made no commitment, but said he would discuss the matter with the departments concerned.

--Phuket Gazette 2004-08-20

Does this mean we get the bus pass at 65.

Gov Udomsak said that DPM Suwat made no commitment, but said he would discuss the matter with the departments concerned.

No doubt the Deputy Prime Minister is losing sleep agonizing over the hardships faced by foreigners from the Thai bureaucracy...

Gov Udomsak said that DPM Suwat made no commitment, but said he would discuss the matter with the departments concerned.

No doubt the Deputy Prime Minister is losing sleep agonizing over the hardships faced by foreigners from the Thai bureaucracy...

Suwat is too busy stealing gold medals from young women to be concerned about the problems faced by foreigners.

The Governor, who recently returned from a trip to the US, said Immigration, the Labor Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would all need to upgrade their procedures and services to international standard in order to enable Phuket to do the same.

[/b]THAT IS OUR MAN

The Honerable Govener of Phuket is quite correct in his assessment of the situation, but interestingly is it more or less difficult in other countries to get the paperwork done.

Has anybody asked expatriates in ones home country about the processes and requirements?

I know when I married my wife in the UK, the process was relatevely easy apart from about three visits to Luna House, but we were able to obtain basically a permanant residency stamp in her passport that allowed her to stay in the UK indefinately and allowed her to work without major restrictions, I don't know, but suspect that certain professions would be barred.

But for non-marriage related expats the process in quite long winded with sponsership etc, unless you bring in lots of money.

So I think that we can hope........