Does Thailand Want Us Here?

[Heng]

It's not that Thailand doesn't want you here... you clearly don't want to be here yourself. If you did, you would be trying and/or working harder/smarter.

[Neeranam]

It's not that Thailand doesn't want you here... you clearly don't want to be here yourself. If you did, you would be trying and/or working harder/smarter.

Yes - a few years ago I was thinking of emigrating to Oz. There were a few obstacles in the way. If I had really wanted to - some hard work and perserverance would have got me there. However, I didn't have a strong enough desire(or too lazy) so didn't bother.

Poeple talk about emigrating to other countries but when it comes to Thailand they don't - they think it's like some kind of extented holiday and they should be treated better than other nationalities.

To the guy complaining about not getting a job as they are for Thais - learn the bloody language and get citizenship - or are you too busy lying on the beach in Pataya.

[samuibeachcomber]

geriatrickid,all your points are true,but it would be nice if farang married to thais were given more consideration,re visa requirements,owning house and land come to mind.after all the farang is legally married and will probably be taking care of extended family to some degree and i think should be given more consideration because of this.

Had a bad day have you?

No offense meant, but.....

Look, everyone has problems and everywhere is not "paradise".

I have a Thai family and I have to work outside Thailand to make a living. I get to see them twice a year if I'm lucky.

I've raised 3 Thai children and now one grandchild...no one (except my family) has ever said thanks for it.

I've supported a family for over 20 years working outside of Thailand.

Did I do all that because I wanted someone to say, "Thank you, Farang"?

No I did it for them.

Because I love them.

Beyond that, I don't need anything else.

But I know, because they told me, they love me. I'm dad. And now I'm grand-dad.

All the rest is meaningless anyhow.

Stop complaining, and grow up.

I dont really understand your reply,i was n't complaining just supporting a view that farangs married with thai family could be supported more with thai visa requirements.What is their to grow up about in saying that?

[unforgiven]

before anyone jumps up and down and shouts ,i love it in Thailand and always have.our neighbours are terrific and i have a good familly who never want anything(except her young brother,lazy sod),but its those in charge ,who always seem to want our money ,but give us nothing in return .things like double pricing,150 baht charge to take your money out of an a.t.m. draconian visa regulations ,not being able to own land ,ect what is it? they keep coming out with guff about making Thailand the perfect destination but to my mind its just b-llocks.

what do you lot think?

What is this 150 baht for the ATM ??....Pls explain

the banks have started charging 150 baht when you make a withdrawel from an atm with a non thai card.

get a thai bank account it's easy at KK

[Grumbles]

before anyone jumps up and down and shouts ,i love it in Thailand and always have.our neighbours are terrific and i have a good familly who never want anything(except her young brother,lazy sod),but its those in charge ,who always seem to want our money ,but give us nothing in return .things like double pricing,150 baht charge to take your money out of an a.t.m. draconian visa regulations ,not being able to own land ,ect what is it? they keep coming out with guff about making Thailand the perfect destination but to my mind its just b-llocks.

what do you lot think?

What is this 150 baht for the ATM ??....Pls explain

the banks have started charging 150 baht when you make a withdrawel from an atm with a non thai card.

Usually charge me 20 THB cheaper than back in Oz!!

[Neeranam]

It's easy anywhere, anybank.

[Grumbles]

Within the context of the 5 examples above, I think that the current annoyances of Thai regulations and visas pales in comparison. That is why I count my blessings and am grateful that the Thais aren't as nasty as some people.

Yet............

its clear that Thailand wants only well-to-do tourists to come here for a couple of weeks, spend a lot of money, have no interaction with the 'real Thailand', just the tourist spots, and bugger off home. they really don't give a sheet about the long term expats but i wonder who spend more in Thailand overall?

True but then again they have 70 million or so of their own to worry about already.

On the one hand I hate the fact my wife can be equal here in the USA but I cannot be equal there in Thailand.

But.......Having been born & raised in a Kingdom that became a somewhat unwilling state of the USA I can also see the fate of that.

Local folks can no longer afford land here as the speculators/foreigners have bought up everything & priced it well beyond their reach.

In some areas even the local folks that had lands from over 75 years ago end up losing it in the end. Because property values soar so do their property taxes. Thus they end up selling rather than losing it all together.

None of that would have happened if they had kept the keys to the gate.

So in that respect I do see a method to Thailand's madness.

Money is one complaint, but is a worldwide issue.... everyone wants it, not just Thai's

Do Thai's like Falang apart from the money?

Are we talking about Thai govt. and policies, or the people on the street?

If Thai Govt, always taking care of own interests.... natural to some extent.... but true, not as equal for those married to Thai's who would like to own land.... however, being very beautiful, wouldn't allowing falang to own land also increase the amount of marriages.... no ladies left for the Thai guys coz suddenly there's even more bonus to being married to a Thai. Result, no land left either! By the way, the country is run by Thai guys.

If people on the street.... depends on their interactions with the falangs they cross..... some falangs can't get into a taxi without going beserk and getting hit over the head. Other falangs look at every woman like she can be paid for his pleasure. They get hot headed at everything thrown their way.

Others come, are genuine, not social outcasts from their home countries, and get on with life. They interact calmly and pleasantly with people, rather than ranting and raving. In my experience, they are welcome, even if they don't have alot of money. More welcome than the rich prick who's a donkey's ass who can't control himself.

Getting back to the three stages of living in Thailand;

1) party stage; everything is great, rose colored glasses

2) can't stand it; too many contradictions, enemy to the the state

3) Accept Thailand for what it is... has good, and bad. Same as everywhere, right?

Mind you, stage 3 tends to be subject to a heavy dose of stage 2 most of the time.

I don't care whether I'm welcome, but I do care about how happily I live; not influenced to a large extent if we're welcome or not... really nothing too bad to complain about in Thailand at the moment.

If I had to imagine my wife living in Oz, sure, the Govt. has some great anti-discrimination policies. And while many people (usually those who have travelled a little) may be warm and welcoming, many rednecks wouldn't...... or the type of falang mentioned above that can't get along even in their own countries.

So, is there any answer? I think just get on with life and enjoy Thailand. It's freakin hot, visa's are a pain in the ass, but that happens. Take care, keep your head on, love your family and smile alot. Be careful with money, but appreciate a little for those who don't..... not neccessarily those who want to take it though...!

Long post, eh. Blab.

Very succinctly put! Couldn't agree more.

[bungy007]

Weeeeeeeeee, another thread about us and them.

When you use the term "us", please don't assume that we are all the same. If your "us" includes people of marginal income, lacking needed job skills or not possessing an ability to truly contribute to the well being and economic growth of Thailand, then yes, your assessment is correct. Horrible isn't it that

So let's look at your complaints shall we?

draconian visa regulations

Thailand has the same position as other countries like Australia, Canada, the USA and the EU. When was the last time you saw Australia set up a recruiting booth in Africa, India or even Europe and ask uneducated people that would contribute nothing of great value to the society or economy to move to Australia? You do realize that the UK, USA etc. all impose financial requirements in order to obtain investment or retirement visas right? Do you know how difficult it is for a Thai to get a tourist visa to a western country?

things like double pricing,

We already have a thread going on that but I know from my own experience in other countries that I often paid more for local services. Need some examples? Take boring Canada;

- University tuition for "foreign" students is in the tens of thousands while students resident in the province pay only a few thousand.

- Medical care is "free" to residents that may pay for some services such as non hospital based tests. Foreigners pay rates and costs that would preclude most Thais from obtaining medical care. For example, the charge to a non resident for a doctor visit can be $100-$250 depending upon the province. This is significantly higher than the $20-$40. a foreigner is charged in Thailand.

- Entrance to SixFlags amusement park in Montreal: Non residents pay approx. 2X the cost of residents.

150 baht charge to take your money out of an a.t.m.

What's your point? Western banks do the same thing. When use a bank that isn't my branch in the west, I pay an atm access fee + my bank's added fee. This can amount to 150B as well. I just noticed that my west issued Mastercard has been adding 200b fees to my card for purchases I made on the internet in the west.

,not being able to own land ,

Did you know that in Prince Edward Island, Canada non residents are not allowed to purchase land? The locals passed the law because they were worried about all sorts of rich foreigners coming in and buying up the province. It has withstood all sorts of court challenges because the law was intended to protect the local culture. Just like in PEI, if there would be a free for all in Thailand that would occur if foreigners were allowed to own land. Large chunks of agricultural land would be drawn out of the economy. Nevermind that, but alot of folks whining about not being able to buy land might then be whining about Indians, Chinese and Arabs forcing up land prices beyond the reach of western retirees because they were on buying sprees.

For those of "us" that are responsible citizens and have either the financial wherewithall or important job skills or that can help the economy, the welcome is there. If someone just wants to sit around drinking beer and copulating with impoverished sex workers in Pattaya and that would be considered trash in his or her own country, no the welcome isn't there.

Personally I agree with many you state above but being around her for almost 3 decades I realize growing hostility towards "aliens". And to be frank, this started in that moment the very red man came to power...

Totally agree with both postings! What a stark contrast between pre and post 'election' of red man to PM! Wish we could turn the clock back on that one!

[ianh68]

if you cant trust your wife enough to put assets in her name, i pity you.

It's not so much the wife in isolation, it's the potential extended family responsibilities that lead me to be prudent.

On the general front, life here is fine if you follow this advice from a fellow poster: "Mind your own business and don't be greedy."

[Shotime]

The 150 baht is pure BS. No, they do not like us. You may as well accept it and just smile cause the best you can do is get stomped if you don't. It seems to be getting worse. I'm talking about the general masses. They think you are stupid, wealthy. and don't belong here.

I would eat at a local Thai restaurant where the food was good, and the people who worked there were very nice. The other day, the woman who runs the place asked me if "I have little money." I couldn't believe what she was saying. I don't eat there anymore, and stay within a two block area of my hotel. Except when my golf buddy picks me up in his car. I am running out of patience with groups of motor=bike, tuk-tuk drivers having a big laugh when I walk past them. Of course, I respond by saying something about their mothers in English or (in Thai) "No, you are." The "No, you are" usually quiets things down immediately. I'm not particularly funny looking, but who knows. I am also out of patience with their inability to learn anything. It's not their fault. They were never taught how to learn.

Before anyone says it, don't worry, I've had my fill of this country, and planning to leave soon. Good luck to the rest of you.

Edit: It's also way too hot here.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Shotime

[bungy007]

the thai elite like to limit what foreigners can do to protect what they have. remember when the chinese came into thailand and with a little hard work they took over the power and wealth of the country in just a short time. most of the regular thai's now complain that they are greedy and power hungry. jealous maybe? the elite are just ensuring that they keep there majority piece of the pie. they know the amount of wealth foreigners stand to produce is more than enough to make them no longer "elite".

Words of wisdom and should be required reading on this site! Further information can be found in a great book called 'Lords of the Rim' - the book describes the different Chinese communities around the Pacific Rim with a chapter entitled Durian Tree detailing Thailand's experiences with the yellow peril! Check out the faces of our captains of industry/politics/military etc - rarely a non-Thai/Chinese face to be found!

[Heng]

I'm not particularly funny looking, but who knows.

[Shotime]

How do some members, with only a few posts, get to have member group headings like "Banned?"

[Heng]

the thai elite like to limit what foreigners can do to protect what they have. remember when the chinese came into thailand and with a little hard work they took over the power and wealth of the country in just a short time. most of the regular thai's now complain that they are greedy and power hungry. jealous maybe? the elite are just ensuring that they keep there majority piece of the pie. they know the amount of wealth foreigners stand to produce is more than enough to make them no longer "elite".

Words of wisdom and should be required reading on this site! Further information can be found in a great book called 'Lords of the Rim' - the book describes the different Chinese communities around the Pacific Rim with a chapter entitled Durian Tree detailing Thailand's experiences with the yellow peril! Check out the faces of our captains of industry/politics/military etc - rarely a non-Thai/Chinese face to be found!

Yeah, and nevermind the thousands of successful foreigners who have somehow made it.

Just because one doesn't have the drive to be the next Bill Heinecke, Bernhard Grimm, or Tony "this is my favorite red Polo shirt" Pattaya, doesn't mean there's a conspiracy keeping you down. In reality, only you are keeping you down.

[bungy007]

Weeeeeeeeee, another thread about us and them.

When you use the term "us", please don't assume that we are all the same. If your "us" includes people of marginal income, lacking needed job skills or not possessing an ability to truly contribute to the well being and economic growth of Thailand, then yes, your assessment is correct. Horrible isn't it that

So let's look at your complaints shall we?

draconian visa regulations

Thailand has the same position as other countries like Australia, Canada, the USA and the EU. When was the last time you saw Australia set up a recruiting booth in Africa, India or even Europe and ask uneducated people that would contribute nothing of great value to the society or economy to move to Australia? You do realize that the UK, USA etc. all impose financial requirements in order to obtain investment or retirement visas right? Do you know how difficult it is for a Thai to get a tourist visa to a western country?

things like double pricing,

We already have a thread going on that but I know from my own experience in other countries that I often paid more for local services. Need some examples? Take boring Canada;

- University tuition for "foreign" students is in the tens of thousands while students resident in the province pay only a few thousand.

- Medical care is "free" to residents that may pay for some services such as non hospital based tests. Foreigners pay rates and costs that would preclude most Thais from obtaining medical care. For example, the charge to a non resident for a doctor visit can be $100-$250 depending upon the province. This is significantly higher than the $20-$40. a foreigner is charged in Thailand.

- Entrance to SixFlags amusement park in Montreal: Non residents pay approx. 2X the cost of residents.

150 baht charge to take your money out of an a.t.m.

What's your point? Western banks do the same thing. When use a bank that isn't my branch in the west, I pay an atm access fee + my bank's added fee. This can amount to 150B as well. I just noticed that my west issued Mastercard has been adding 200b fees to my card for purchases I made on the internet in the west.

,not being able to own land ,

Did you know that in Prince Edward Island, Canada non residents are not allowed to purchase land? The locals passed the law because they were worried about all sorts of rich foreigners coming in and buying up the province. It has withstood all sorts of court challenges because the law was intended to protect the local culture. Just like in PEI, if there would be a free for all in Thailand that would occur if foreigners were allowed to own land. Large chunks of agricultural land would be drawn out of the economy. Nevermind that, but alot of folks whining about not being able to buy land might then be whining about Indians, Chinese and Arabs forcing up land prices beyond the reach of western retirees because they were on buying sprees.

For those of "us" that are responsible citizens and have either the financial wherewithall or important job skills or that can help the economy, the welcome is there. If someone just wants to sit around drinking beer and copulating with impoverished sex workers in Pattaya and that would be considered trash in his or her own country, no the welcome isn't there.

Another know it all Canada basher. You don't say what "unboring"country your from but I am sure its magical which is why you live in Thailand right? You might want to educate yourself a little before you start throwing out insults and "facts"

Canadians pay some of the highest taxes in the world which is why medical and tuition is affordable for most Canadians. The Thai double pricing goes way beyond tuition and medical. There are dozens of examples, but I am sure you have heard them all being an expert and all.

From the PEI official website.

"A person who is not a resident person of PEI shall not have an aggregate land holding in excess of five acres or having a shore frontage in excess of one hundred and sixty-five feet unless he/she first receives permission to do so from the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

A student accepted at a Canadian school does not have to "pay off" immigration every 90 days.

Get your facts straight

you are right, they do it much more efficiently - once a year.

Thanks for the info. on Canada........he also misrepresented visa policies in the USA, my country.

It is infinitely easier for a Thai to live and work in the USA than it is for an American to do the same in Thailand.

Just a few examples:

1) a Thai can start a business without have to put any money in an American bank account and does not have to hire three Americans,

2) a Thai married to a US citizen is virtually certain to be granted a long term "hassle free" visa, and they often are granted citizenship (takes time but it is frequently granted)

3) a Thai married to a US citizen is given a "re-entry permit card" that is good, I think, for three years, allowing him to leave and enter the country without having to worry about losing visa status

4) a change in visa status does not require leaving the United States

5) once granted a visa there is no 90 day reporting

Fair point too! I do think that once a marriage has taken place and been deemed not to be an alliance based on convenience to get around red tape, a new permenant visa should be available without the need for yearly renewals and 90 day reportings. Caution is a wise trait but there must come a time when we stand the test of time and should be accepted and allowed to carry out our responsibilities to our families as well as enjoy the love we receive without the sword of damacles hanging over us!

[goodheartman]

if you cant trust your wife enough to put assets in her name, i pity you.

It's not so much the wife in isolation, it's the potential extended family responsibilities that lead me to be prudent.

On the general front, life here is fine if you follow this advice from a fellow poster: "Mind your own business and don't be greedy."

call a spade a spade sir. YOU WOrried you got a golddigger on your hands. You people ar in so much denial its hilarious.

[tb86]

before anyone jumps up and down and shouts ,i love it in Thailand and always have.our neighbours are terrific and i have a good familly who never want anything(except her young brother,lazy sod),but its those in charge ,who always seem to want our money ,but give us nothing in return .things like double pricing,150 baht charge to take your money out of an a.t.m. draconian visa regulations ,not being able to own land ,ect what is it? they keep coming out with guff about making Thailand the perfect destination but to my mind its just b-llocks.

what do you lot think?

1.) Does any government really want foriegners, no they want your money though.

2.) Visa laws, its actually pretty easy to be here if you have a good reason.

3.) land here is cheap, thailand should be for the thais, get a condo or have your wife buy land .If you cant trust your wife, well thats your fault.

4.) atm fees well show me a place that dosent have them if your using a atm that isnt part of your own bank.

5.) if you live here, get a local bank acct for day to day spending

Would you be happy in uk if there were a bunch of drunken african dudes haning out with prostitutes in your home town, whilst not making any real social contributions to your society, other than funding the previously mentioned?

The Thais in charge generalize, why do you think farang generaly have such a low status in this country, I know that this is a broad generalization of all expats. If we were all here working and making a positive contribution to the larger community, as many of us do, id bet the rules would be more in our favor.

[bungy007]

yeah. all these broke back packers and english teachers would be running things if not for the elites and their unfair laws!

Im Angry! Grrrrrrrr!

contrary to what you may think not all of us here are backpackers and english teachers. some of us have real jobs and earn real money which can be invested in things such as housing and land.

currently foreigners can not own land here but their company can. there is always a loophole, especially in thailand. this being said if someone wants to, they could in fact own a company which owns land. therefore owning land. however, not everyone wants to own 49% of their land with 7 other thais as chairmen of the company. i know i dont.

my point here is if these laws were opened to allow foreigners to own land directly many people would rush to buy. at least up until the last two years when thailand succesfully f***ed themselves. so today im not sure that it would make a difference.

all in all the laws favor thai and trample foreigners. but maybe that is part of the plan. or should i say welfare program.

bargirl: "my darling!! i help you, you buy land put in my name. we live together long time"

stupid farang: "ok great idea. heres my account information. you handle the transaction"

you know the rest.

I don't know which of your posts to object to more. Both are crassly stereotypical. I'm not even quite sure what Tony's point is, although I can see it's laden with sarcasm. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt Tony; perhaps we even agree.

Arnoldjr, I want to give you a chance to retract (at least some of) your comments. To suggest that teaching English is not a 'proper job' is simply offensive. There are many English teachers working in this country that are well-quallified, diligent, capable, professional or any other positive quality that you might like to attribute to them. I don't know what you do, or why you think that it's so much better than educating others, but quite frankly, unless it has some positive social influence, then it's just you trying to get your grubby little mitts on some cash. I don't see any benefit to Thai cultural values coming from you, so why should they let you stay? FYI, as a teacher, I also earn real money, and could afford to buy land or a house if it was made easier, and I educate their children. Of course this is why I have a work permit and a proper visa

Both of you need to realise that teachers are not the same as back packers although some backpackers become teachers. (Think back to your high school maths about sets and subsets if you can remember that far back). Of those, some will be good and some will not. Backpackers are people who are taking some time to experience the world, many are graduates.

'Nuff said.

Exactly! Couldn't have put it better and the two posters should be hanging their heads in shame! I have been teaching English for 17 years and have my own company so I can buy a house if I wish and I do own land - 5 rai which includes the bank of a river! I provide my own work permit! I started out as a backpacker in Thailand having gone traveling for a year after deciding on a sea change! So on both counts you two should be well and truly ashamed! Having said that, your probably just a couple of dickheads so I won't be holding my breath!

[Geekfreaklover]

[

Fair point too! I do think that once a marriage has taken place and been deemed not to be an alliance based on convenience to get around red tape, a new permenant visa should be available without the need for yearly renewals and 90 day reportings. Caution is a wise trait but there must come a time when we stand the test of time and should be accepted and allowed to carry out our responsibilities to our families as well as enjoy the love we receive without the sword of damacles hanging over us!

I agree it is difficult for married couples that have been together 10-20 years and the male alien should have to cross the border or report every three months. I believe the situation is different if a foreign female has been married to a Thai male for longer than 3-5 years? - Automatic residency I think. The system is obviously flawed and biased in that respect.

[bungy007]

Arnoldjr, I want to give you a chance to retract (at least some of) your comments.

OK Adolph, let's get everyone to retract comments that you personally don't agree with. What else don't you like?

I agree with Arnoldjr, and I also agree with free speech.

I also agree with free speech and am willing to defend that right and have done so when warranted. I will even defend your right to do so even when your post consists of twaddle and defines you as a few sandwiches short of a full picnic

[bungy007]

It's not that Thailand doesn't want you here... you clearly don't want to be here yourself. If you did, you would be trying and/or working harder/smarter.

Yes - a few years ago I was thinking of emigrating to Oz. There were a few obstacles in the way. If I had really wanted to - some hard work and perserverance would have got me there. However, I didn't have a strong enough desire(or too lazy) so didn't bother.

Poeple talk about emigrating to other countries but when it comes to Thailand they don't - they think it's like some kind of extented holiday and they should be treated better than other nationalities.

To the guy complaining about not getting a job as they are for Thais - learn the bloody language and get citizenship - or are you too busy lying on the beach in Pataya.

If only it could be that easy - to get citizenship is a 'mare by all accounts. Furthermore, the jury is still out on whether it is really worth the hassles and expenses to get citizenship. Bloody crazy if you ask me! Or perhaps they don't really want us here!

[bungy007]

the thai elite like to limit what foreigners can do to protect what they have. remember when the chinese came into thailand and with a little hard work they took over the power and wealth of the country in just a short time. most of the regular thai's now complain that they are greedy and power hungry. jealous maybe? the elite are just ensuring that they keep there majority piece of the pie. they know the amount of wealth foreigners stand to produce is more than enough to make them no longer "elite".

Words of wisdom and should be required reading on this site! Further information can be found in a great book called 'Lords of the Rim' - the book describes the different Chinese communities around the Pacific Rim with a chapter entitled Durian Tree detailing Thailand's experiences with the yellow peril! Check out the faces of our captains of industry/politics/military etc - rarely a non-Thai/Chinese face to be found!

Yeah, and nevermind the thousands of successful foreigners who have somehow made it.

Just because one doesn't have the drive to be the next Bill Heinecke, Bernhard Grimm, or Tony "this is my favorite red Polo shirt" Pattaya, doesn't mean there's a conspiracy keeping you down. In reality, only you are keeping you down.

'Not saying you can't make it but that those who have who came before us aren't exactly bending over backwards to allow us to get a good footing on the ladder of fortune, so to speak. Not complaining as I would probably do the same if I was part of the Thai/Chinese community - who needs the competition?

[Heng]

the thai elite like to limit what foreigners can do to protect what they have. remember when the chinese came into thailand and with a little hard work they took over the power and wealth of the country in just a short time. most of the regular thai's now complain that they are greedy and power hungry. jealous maybe? the elite are just ensuring that they keep there majority piece of the pie. they know the amount of wealth foreigners stand to produce is more than enough to make them no longer "elite".

Words of wisdom and should be required reading on this site! Further information can be found in a great book called 'Lords of the Rim' - the book describes the different Chinese communities around the Pacific Rim with a chapter entitled Durian Tree detailing Thailand's experiences with the yellow peril! Check out the faces of our captains of industry/politics/military etc - rarely a non-Thai/Chinese face to be found!

Yeah, and nevermind the thousands of successful foreigners who have somehow made it.

Just because one doesn't have the drive to be the next Bill Heinecke, Bernhard Grimm, or Tony "this is my favorite red Polo shirt" Pattaya, doesn't mean there's a conspiracy keeping you down. In reality, only you are keeping you down.

'Not saying you can't make it but that those who have who came before us aren't exactly bending over backwards to allow us to get a good footing on the ladder of fortune, so to speak. Not complaining as I would probably do the same if I was part of the Thai/Chinese community - who needs the competition?

Actually the opportunities are there, and in many cases the 'footing' is even better and easier to get a hold of. I think the main issue is that so many people can't seem to get their heads around the fact that it's a different ballgame with different rules.

[dbrenn]

the thai elite like to limit what foreigners can do to protect what they have. remember when the chinese came into thailand and with a little hard work they took over the power and wealth of the country in just a short time. most of the regular thai's now complain that they are greedy and power hungry. jealous maybe? the elite are just ensuring that they keep there majority piece of the pie. they know the amount of wealth foreigners stand to produce is more than enough to make them no longer "elite".

Words of wisdom and should be required reading on this site! Further information can be found in a great book called 'Lords of the Rim' - the book describes the different Chinese communities around the Pacific Rim with a chapter entitled Durian Tree detailing Thailand's experiences with the yellow peril! Check out the faces of our captains of industry/politics/military etc - rarely a non-Thai/Chinese face to be found!

Yeah, and nevermind the thousands of successful foreigners who have somehow made it.

Just because one doesn't have the drive to be the next Bill Heinecke, Bernhard Grimm, or Tony "this is my favorite red Polo shirt" Pattaya, doesn't mean there's a conspiracy keeping you down. In reality, only you are keeping you down.

Right - you don't hear the farangs who are successful whinging all the time. There are channels to a successful life for a foreigner in Thailand, but they require the right skills, hard work and good decisions.

[dbrenn]

It's not that Thailand doesn't want you here... you clearly don't want to be here yourself. If you did, you would be trying and/or working harder/smarter.

Yes - a few years ago I was thinking of emigrating to Oz. There were a few obstacles in the way. If I had really wanted to - some hard work and perserverance would have got me there. However, I didn't have a strong enough desire(or too lazy) so didn't bother.

Poeple talk about emigrating to other countries but when it comes to Thailand they don't - they think it's like some kind of extented holiday and they should be treated better than other nationalities.

To the guy complaining about not getting a job as they are for Thais - learn the bloody language and get citizenship - or are you too busy lying on the beach in Pataya.

That's an intereting observation - nobody expects to land in a country like Oz on a tourist stamp, and find all sorts of short cuts in place to get status and rights that are given to residents and citizens.

So many people expect special treatment in Thailand, simply because they are foreign. They despise the locals and whine about inequality, without actually doing anything about it. They have nothing to offer, but expect to be given the same rights as the locals.

[ernest1966]

Neeranam

To the guy complaining about not getting a job as they are for Thais - learn the bloody language and get citizenship - or are you too busy lying on the beach in Pataya.

To the guy making the asinine assumptions.

- I am not in Pataya (and just to negate other sterotypes before you wish to state them, nor do I lie around on a beach, nor am I a prop at the local bar, nor is my g/f wife, 30 years and 30stone lighter than me)

- I am learning the bloody language, albeit slowly, I am tone deaf, lol, hard with a tonal based language

- I wasn't complaining,. more of an observation on all the jobs I have seen advertised online

- As per other threads, yeah... get citizenship, hmm, minimum of 5 years to get max 10... great idea, what other great ideas can you come up with, go on... pray tell

So, plonker, think before you type, <deleted>

[thaimate]

It's not that Thailand doesn't want you here... you clearly don't want to be here yourself. If you did, you would be trying and/or working harder/smarter.

another ,who didnt actually 'READ" my original post..

Edited April 26, 2009 by thaimate

[Robroy]

I realise my country (Australia) makes it harder for Thais to enter than Thailand does for me to enter it.

However I did find the endless visa runs a bore after 4 years in Thailand, & decided to jump ship to Cambodia, where you just pay someone off & get a year's multiple re-entry work visa without having to fill out a form. No need to ever leave the country either: renewals are all done here.

It's much easier, & much less stress: you're never thinking, 'Now when do I have to book that plane/bus out of the country, and where will I go this time?'

Everyone is different. There's no right answer.

But personally I was contributing a lot to Thailand, & for me the ceaseless visa runs weren't worth it in the end.

[martyboy]

It's obvious to most ex-pats living in Thailand and those who visit the country regularly that the Thai government are getting more greedy, opportunistic and scheming. Look at the outrageous visa fees and the cost of getting a few days extension and the prohibitive fines if you overstay a short time. Speak to any ex-pat teacher and see how disillusioned they are. The Thais seem to forget it is we farangs who dragged them out of their poverty stricken agrarian backwater with our money spent there over the decades. Now they are 'sitting pretty' they just exploit us. Time will tell when farangs put their two fingers up and go to Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam instead.

Edited April 26, 2009 by martyboy

[Lockstock]

Xenophobes make poor hosts.

Seconded.

Totally agree.

I'm afraid that I totally disagree. In my experience (10yrs), you learn the language, learn the culture, understand the religion and Thais will treat you as one of their own. Be different and expect to be treated differently.

Blimey! The UK, and a lot of other western coutries are becoming more right wing by the day. We are as bad as you are accusing them of being.

Thailand does not owe you acceptance. You have to work at it as with everything in life.

Maybe things are just different out in Issan and away from the big cities.