Foreigners Taking Over Land In North Thailand, Claims Farmers' Group

[007]

Hello, many times the foreign husbands need a large place to care for the sick buffalo the Thai wives have. This is a way to preserve the Thai culture and to use the buffalo manure for organic farming so that it is good for the environment. Cheers.

Recently the Queen of Thailand expressed concern about the shrinking numbers of buffaloes. Isn't that surprising, with all the 'sick buffalo' stories and sponsorship of new buffaloes by the 'farang'.

[astral]

As far as taking land from Thailand,  I always pack an extra suite case of soil and I am moving her whole property to the States.  

PS do I have to dig half way though the earth to get it all or is there a depth that can qualify as completely gone?

[AA1]

How about also looking through the history of the world.

When you have serious division in a country,

find a successful/wealthy minority from outside the normal race/religion,

build up jealousy amongst the basic population,

get anger/hostility against the minority

and with luck the internal problems will be 'forgotten'.

Look at:-

the treatment of the Jews in Europe going right back to Roman times,

the Indians in East/South Africa,

the Chinese in Malaya,

and so on.

Are we a suitable target now??

Sleep well.

[astral]

In Chiang Rai, chief of a palm oil cooperative Inkham Namwong claimed that around 70 per cent of farmland and plantation in the province had been rented to foreigners. He said he was waiting for government funds to help set up a new cooperative that would help Thai farmers compete against foreign-owned palm plantations.

-- The Nation 2009-08-12

Does Chiang Mai have the climate for Oil Palms??

Generally they are seen in the southern provinces, bordering on Malaysia,

where is is much wetter.

[bob6023]

So, what is the problem? These Thai farmers just have to go to US or Europe and buy all the land they want, IN THEIR OWN NAME !!!

so what is unfair?

:-)

I don't know about europe but they can and do buy land and businesses in their own names in US. No restrictons.

The only foriegners I see that own land here are the chinese, who basically own every business in Thailand.

Chinese found out centuries ago that thais were easy to control and they liked it here, hence , the chinese blood ties to thailand are very strong, they are involved in every aspect of thai business life. Any thing to make money. The gold shops are only one example.

They are smart, hard working and cunning. A lot of thai leaders have ties to china, remember thaksins grand mother was /is chinese.

[007]

All Thais will have you believe that "farang/falang" identifies non-Thai foreigners generally. DON'T believe it. It's a lie. It really means white(ish) skinned westener.

They always go after the westener because we are very soft targets and in the minority and so plainly obvious due to the colour of our skin. End of story!

They go after westerners, because most Thais are too dumb to identify other foreigners. I know enough Thais with daily contact with Filipinos and Japanese, who will still mistake every new Filipino or Japanese they meet for a Thai citizen, because they "look Thai". On the other hand, I, who hardly met any East Asian before I came to live in Asia, am now adept of classifying East Asians into nationalities, not always mind you, but still often enough. Reason is, that I have been interested in other places and cultures outside of my home country since I was a kid, while most Thais don't care about anything that is not Thai or from Thailand.

Edited August 13, 2009 by 7

[moskito]

Hmmm, when I lived in a rice-farming village near Chiang Mai in the mid-80s, the peasants used to complain about the foreigners buying up land, and cheating them in the market place. They meant Bangkok Chinese.

If the government permits the Chinese to buy land in the north, as the Chinese do in Burma, then yes a lot of land will move from Thai to foreign hands. Northern Burma is said to be a like a Chinese colony now. Look at the investment China is proposing to put into Thailand and Laos, and China is, or has, sent Mandarin volunteer teachers to provide free language lessons to the Thais and one would be almost led to think that China has a plan for Thailand and Laos.

So true TiloKarat but guess what is Thailand since hundreds of years! Thaigovernment is Chinesethai, Buisiness is 95% in Chinesethai hands, all the mayor properties and wealth is owned by Chinesethais, the best educated citizens are Chinesethai, the Elite in your Country is Chinesethai, most movies and all the bu..l..it soap operas in TV are made by Chinesethai....so Thailand never was colonialized????

China dont need weapons to win a war in an Asian country, they never did, they never will,

[007]

How about also looking through the history of the world.

Look at:-

the treatment of the Jews in Europe going right back to Roman times,

the Indians in East/South Africa,

the Chinese in Malaya,

and so on.

So true. But no need to look at examples outside of Thailand. First it was the 'stingy, workaholic' Chinese the Thais could blame for anything negative in Siam, then it was the 'smelly' Indians, and now (esp. since 2000) it's

the 'cheap and smelly farang mafiosi', who betray the Thais by coming in person to spend their money, rather than sending the money only...

[farmerapache]

The rice industry in Thailand has been in the hands of the Thai/Chinese for generations. This is well documented. is this what they mean by foreigners? Surely not!

well said, but it's not only the rice industry,they have taking over the whole country,the whole goverment is nearly chinees

so i guess its more chinese foreigners who are jealous to the western ones.

i think that very soon we will live in china nr2 instead of thailand....amen!!

[fridgemagnet]

Do you think that this "hate the falang" rise in sentiment could be a cunning Chinese tactic, part of their overall drive to assimilate the region?

Is Toxin hiding out in China dominated parts of the world? Stirring up discontent, with a Chinese hero ready to replace the old guard.........

[LaoPo]

It is a legitimate concern. And the Chinese are indeed a threat to national security. Why is anyone surprised? Investment in foreign resources and land is a prime directive of the Chinese government. To not see the creeping presence of Chinese investment is to be oblivious to investment trends of the last decade. China has been on a buying binge in western countries buying up resource companies. It has done the same in its neighbours as has been pointed out in this thread.

China need not go to war anymore when it can readily buy assets. It is obtaining the necessary resources and financial flows through economic absorption. The USA is now so much in debt to China, that the Chinese can flex their economic might and cause serious pain in the U.S. The typical Americans is clueless as to the amount of debt held by China. The typical Thai is also clueless as to the influence China has on the Thai economy. Thailand isn't in the same predicament as the USA yet, but as Thailand looks to the Chinese for investments and financing of infrastructure, Thais should indeed be concerned.

The Chinese unlike western investors have no time for niceties like environmental impact studies or fair employment standards. Eventually, someone will realize that the western farang investors aren't so bad after all. If anyone needs an example of how China deals with competition one need only look to the Rio Tinto activity.

Here we go again with the anti-Chinese sentiment...but not justified:

"The recent spate of news on proxy ownership of rice farmland by rich foreign investors has stirred much public anxiety and nationalist fervour, although much of the news has been based on the news sources' concerns, rather than on concrete evidence. According to these news reports, the foreigners - mainly those from oil-rich Arab countries - are buying up rice paddies in the countryside and hiring the locals to till the land in order to ensure sufficient rice supply for their countries, and to benefit financially from the various rice support schemes offered by the government."

and:

"Out of familial gratitude, many daughters of poor farmers entered the sex trade to support their families. Many are severely exploited. Many have died from work-related sicknesses. But some, too, found love and security through marrying foreigners. They set up families and started doing business, as all couples do. We should be happy for them, shouldn't we? Why should we harass them with this proxy land ownership fervour?

Is it because it is much easier to hassle them than take to task the big investors, Thai and foreign, who are paying the land officials big time to get prime resort locations illegally?

Or is it because they prefer to turn a blind eye to the inequitable land ownership system, knowing that the politically powerful landlords are here to stay, regardless of their political colours?

Have some guts. Deal with destructive farming. Deal with big landlords. Deal with corrupt officials.

If the government cannot address the real cause of landlessness, leave those women who now have a life with their foreign spouses alone."

http://bangkokpost.net/opinion/opinion/219...eign-scapegoats

LaoPo

[fiercesnake]

Xenophobic nonsense, written to incite more suspicion against foreigners for political purposes! Did you notice there is not one reference source given to show evidence. 70% of land??? Notice they don't do mathematics very well here, especially if it comes to having something skewed their way! Who said? What statistics department can show this? Sending large sums of cash out of the country? Who is? What source can show this? Sorry but if this was in a (real) court the clear lack of real evidence would just have a allegation like this thrown out. The general sentiment shown below is quite clear by other members that this underlying thread of xenophobia is aiming to blame every problem on the big bad farang or foreigner. Here again what group of "foreigners" are they talking about; large multi-nationals or just local white faced farangs? You know the ones supporting their Thai wife and hence the whole family, who assist to produce more and run the farm the way it should be, thus making Thailand more efficient and overall better in economic and social status.

Oh yes I can see the big bad nasty farang taking all the huge money from his wife's rice farm and sending it overseas into a Swiss bank account! Gosh! Seriously this is just hallmark reporting of a developing country. In a developed nation, one could take these fools to the journalistic ethics committee or make some complaint but I wouldn't bother here. These are the type of statements that breed resentment and falsehoods and are mildly reminiscent of Pre-Nazi Germany blaming economic and social inequality on Jews. One can just see the reporter writing this what colour shirt he was wearing and heading off to fly racist placards in the evening somewhere. Shame on "The Nation", shame, shame, shame ! Please, take some of your reporters to the BBC World News School so they can learn how to write properly referenced articles that just report the News and avoid highly biased political articles written to skew an audience to your own political agenda. I just hope most readers have enough sense to read between the lines and can discern the bias and underlying political thrust of these types of articles!

[seri thai]

There really seems to be a lot of anti-foreign sentiment lately. More than usual, that's for sure.

Bread and Circuses/Misdirection- look at the hand, not my pocket. Expect lots more to come in the near future

[CHINWA]

Thailand is a racist Nation always been, they want foreigners to leave money here and go away.

Historically in Thailand they start with gray market stuff, big bikes, yacht, boats, import cars etc.

Then they start chasing land, owned by Thai wife illegal unless she can prove all the money came from her own funding etc. Business owning land for foreigners etc. They reclaim all that.

Then clamp down on work permits and more visa shit again.

Funny part is there is less tourists to milk cash from now than in 49 years of history, Thailand is hardest hit together with South Africa in Expats moving away the last year. Virtually no foreign investment in new factories and businesses.

So for the remaining lot of us expect more shit hitting the fan.

The disturbing part is, if you are a Thai national going to a Western nation you may buy land, business ownership outright and all the benefits the Nation has to offer, here no way.

Also due to the skin colour of westerners they get hit hardest every time, however the foreigners they have problems with taking over, take jobs, land etc. is and has always been majority Asians. 90% of the Westerners follow the rules here, and how many Western expats live here? So we're talking about a very small number of people pushing the envelope.

They estimate 70% of all land is owned by Chinese, over 250,000,- Illegal Burmese workers, over 200,000,- Illegal Cambodian workers, Around a 100,000,- Laotians. Very high rate of Indians business takeovers and immigration. But every time they aim at foreigners they aim at falang who there are perhaps a few thousand who do not follow the rules. Many falangs who live here are retired or work offhsore, pulling in a steady stream of foreign currency into the country and securing a lot of jobs here. Another big group is business investors, or management for foreign corporations in BOI zones, they keep loads of Thai's employed, pull in currency needed and contribute to the society and get nothing back for it. Other runs small export outlets and so on... Are there falangs who is running around breaking laws yes there is, but is it worth chasing all the contributing people away for the sake of a few?

Obviously so according to the way they do things. So the rank of falangs will thin out more, they will continue to cling by pegging the Baht to the dollar. By this they prove how good it goes, all I see is a complete new total economical crash coming up in Thailand, and as long as the news and government can blame the falangs and swine flu the people are duped. Keep the people worried and they cling to the government for support... Swine flu where did all the coloured shirts go? Dangers with foreigners, keep rolling the news and people don't complain simple as that.

One day the house of cards falls, and I bet foreigners will be blamed yet again...

Excellent your post. The illegal nationalities in Thailand mentioned above will stay as long as they pay the monthly amount estabished by....Those who want to have a normal life with their wives and kids are often confronted with news that are never the less disturbing and most of the times disgusting. This is not the way my wife for 24 years was treated in my country. The worst of all is when you are called to the land department after buying a house and asked to sign a paper where is written that you will never have the power to rent or sale the house as well as other cr_ap that sound very childish. My wife don't depend on my money so there is nothing for me to prove but I believe that the Thai Authorities have a lot to explain to those married with foreigners and feel unconfortable with all the demands. I don't think women's feeling here are important, what matters is that men that are men must have a mia noi. It's a atatus of bull sh... but prevails among society.

The house of cards will fall when there is no more panda bear to show and the flu is gone!

[doggie888888]

Foreigners taking over land in North, claims farmers' group

CHIANG MAI: -- Vast tracts of land in the North are now in the hands of foreigners, mostly through marriages to Thai women, a local farmers' group said yesterday.

Most of the land has been used for hotels and resorts put under the names of their wives, said Samarn Thadthieng, head of a group of farmers based in the Kuang River Basin in Chiang Mai and Lamphun. Plus, he said, there is an estate covering around 100 rai that only foreigners can rent.

He added that a large number of farmers also rented their farms to foreigners, and received payment in the form of rice instead of cash. In addition, he said, foreigners were also benefiting from the government's price-intervention scheme and were being given free rice seeds through other assistance programmes.

"This is dangerous, because these foreigners will turn from renters into beneficiaries exploiting Thai soil, sending remittances overseas and damaging the country's economy," he added.

He said government budgets were now being spent to benefit these foreigners instead of poor farmers, and those who have rented their land on a long-term basis to foreigners, end up encroaching on forests to obtain new land for themselves.

He called on the government and local administrative bodies to look into the matter.

In Chiang Rai, chief of a palm oil cooperative Inkham Namwong claimed that around 70 per cent of farmland and plantation in the province had been rented to foreigners. He said he was waiting for government funds to help set up a new cooperative that would help Thai farmers compete against foreign-owned palm plantations.

-- The Nation 2009-08-12

If you were a feudal landlord from the established families, wouldn't you be upset to find that you now need to confer with lowly Isaan types who have become legal landowners, when only 3 generations ago they were nothing but slaves (and/or chattels) to your grandfather? Oh what to do, cry the landed gentry, without being labelled as anachronistic and feudalistic? Solution: try to cut off the funding from their foreign ATMs so these lowly Isaan types will once again be put back into their rightful place in Thai society: as serfs.

Perhaps I am too cynical?

[mrtoad]

If you were a feudal landlord from the established families, wouldn't you be upset to find that you now need to confer with lowly Isaan types who have become legal landowners, when only 3 generations ago they were nothing but slaves (and/or chattels) to your grandfather? Oh what to do, cry the landed gentry, without being labelled as anachronistic and feudalistic? Solution: try to cut off the funding from their foreign ATMs so these lowly Isaan types will once again be put back into their rightful place in Thai society: as serfs.

Perhaps I am too cynical?

Perhaps you are right

[arthurwait]

Thailand is a racist Nation always been, they want foreigners to leave money here and go away.

Historically in Thailand they start with gray market stuff, big bikes, yacht, boats, import cars etc.

Then they start chasing land, owned by Thai wife illegal unless she can prove all the money came from her own funding etc. Business owning land for foreigners etc. They reclaim all that.

Then clamp down on work permits and more visa shit again.

Funny part is there is less tourists to milk cash from now than in 49 years of history, Thailand is hardest hit together with South Africa in Expats moving away the last year. Virtually no foreign investment in new factories and businesses.

So for the remaining lot of us expect more shit hitting the fan.

The disturbing part is, if you are a Thai national going to a Western nation you may buy land, business ownership outright and all the benefits the Nation has to offer, here no way.

Also due to the skin colour of westerners they get hit hardest every time, however the foreigners they have problems with taking over, take jobs, land etc. is and has always been majority Asians. 90% of the Westerners follow the rules here, and how many Western expats live here? So we're talking about a very small number of people pushing the envelope.

They estimate 70% of all land is owned by Chinese, over 250,000,- Illegal Burmese workers, over 200,000,- Illegal Cambodian workers, Around a 100,000,- Laotians. Very high rate of Indians business takeovers and immigration. But every time they aim at foreigners they aim at falang who there are perhaps a few thousand who do not follow the rules. Many falangs who live here are retired or work offhsore, pulling in a steady stream of foreign currency into the country and securing a lot of jobs here. Another big group is business investors, or management for foreign corporations in BOI zones, they keep loads of Thai's employed, pull in currency needed and contribute to the society and get nothing back for it. Other runs small export outlets and so on... Are there falangs who is running around breaking laws yes there is, but is it worth chasing all the contributing people away for the sake of a few?

Obviously so according to the way they do things. So the rank of falangs will thin out more, they will continue to cling by pegging the Baht to the dollar. By this they prove how good it goes, all I see is a complete new total economical crash coming up in Thailand, and as long as the news and government can blame the falangs and swine flu the people are duped. Keep the people worried and they cling to the government for support... Swine flu where did all the coloured shirts go? Dangers with foreigners, keep rolling the news and people don't complain simple as that.

One day the house of cards falls, and I bet foreigners will be blamed yet again...

Quote: Thailand is a racist Nation always been, they want foreigners to leave money here and go away.

Wrong, it is exactly the opposite and many ex pats here, just don't seem to get the picture.

Thailand is not a racist nation, but rather it is not a multi racial or multi cultural society. There is a difference between racism and culturalism.

Also Thailand does want foreigners to spend and invest their money here, but not necessarily for them to go away.

For example, all my income is obtained from the UK in the form of a pension, brought over to Thailand and spent here. Plus I have a substantial amount of savings from the UK, invested in Thailand with Thai banks. Meaning that besides any interest that I pay tax on from my bank accounts investments here, I have not even taken 1 baht from Thailand, but rather I am using money here solely obtained from abroad.

The Thais are my hosts and permit me to stay in exchange that I give something back, so everyone's happy all round.

Over step the mark and start over stepping the boundaries, than that is going to cause problems which will decrease tolerance levels the Thais have towards Europeans, because they view the situation as rich Westerners taking advantage of a third world nation whether this is fact or not.

I sincerely hope that Farangs are never given equal status here and that Western influences will remain limited so as not to destroy the uniqueness of Thai culture.

There are too many behind the scenes Farang illegal business and landowners who are using Thais as fronts for their activities, this is common knowledge.

These morons who continue to disregard the Immigration, land & property ownership and prohibited professions laws are not doing themselves or people like myself and many other Farang ex pats here who are abiding by the laws, any favours, the results of which will only create more restrictions and tightening up of the Immigration laws for all of us.

Thank you.

Finally...a rational post instead of all the other knee jerk (poor me...the falang) posts.

Having travelled around SE Asia for many years, I really no longer like LOS much because the culture has been changed by decades of tourists (mainly of Europeans decent), especially in BKK and the "tourist areas". Greed has taken over. I dont' experience the greed and western influence much in the neighboring countries. It is a peaceful and pleasant feeling... unlike much of LOS. I hope it doesn't happen to the neighboring countries soon, which are still have much of their old culture. However, I do see the greed in the Chinese communities throughout SE Asia. That is why the Chinese are called the Jews of Asia by other Asians and disliked by many Asians...especially in Indonesia. Most of the Chinese take from the local communities and give nothing in return, are exclusive, not friendly, etc. They are dispised for good reason.

If falangs in LOS are whinning about not being able to own farm and hotel land, etc., they should get the f%# out and go home where they can own land.

That way they will be happier. Correct?

My girlfriends family on her mothers side are Chinese. Yes the are successful. Yes they own a lot of land . Her Grand Parents came here in poverty and the family made everything they had.

No one has farmed since the Grand parents all do other businesses and they have given plenty back. They have paid for Thai peoples children to go to university in Europe. They have set many Thai people up in business. They rent land to Thais at ridiculously low rent. They have lent lots of money which lots of it people were not able to pay back those people bring them a meal every so often out of free choice. They don't except the money back No one as far as we know despises them when there are many people have respect for them.

Maybe it's you should drop the knee jerk ridiculous and offensive posts.

The comment by someone else about the third/fourth generation Chinese/Thai kids doing nothing except spending the money is true in some mentioning no names

Edited August 13, 2009 by arthurwait

[CHINWA]

Thai culture, belongs to me! jai dee, belongs to me, Jai dee, most certainly in hindu and budhisem the land was here before you were born and shall still be here when you are long dead, how can it belong to you or me

we never know... some less scrupulous guys might have been shipping it way...

[MikeRay]

Everytime I´m on holiday in my wifes village someone offers me (WIFE) his land for lease or to buy or whatever. As i`m absolutely not interested and they know it, it annoys me as it effects my holiday. But they want money and none of the neigbours has money to buy it, so I get the offers.

[macjai]

Hope it doesn't end up in a similar position as has been taking place in Philippines...

A Cry for HELP from BORACAY ISLAND resort owners to ALL MANILA INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS HELP!

Since May 2001 on Boracay Island, the newly elected Mayor Cawaling and Attorney Calizo have joined forces by forming the new Adelvin Security Agency. Once an agency is established anybody (WITHOUT PROOF of LAND OWNERSHIP like an Absolute Deed of Sale and Tax Declaration ) can file a P500 court claim against a land owner and hire large groups of armed security guards to take possession of any valuable Boracay land or beach resort. Since technically, it's involved in a civil court case this agency can claim they were hired by the fictitious "owner", thereby ignoring due process of law, claiming to represent one or more opposing persons, succeeding on threatening and intimidating the LEGAL LAND OWNER'S manager or caretaker. We have all of the proof of ownership, the Absolute Deed of Sale, the past 10 years of taxes paid, the Tax Declaration with Sketch plan surveyed by Geodetic Engineer Escabarte and the oppostion has nothing.

http://forums.gov.ph/thread.asp?rootID=1842&catID=2

http://www.overseaspropertymall.com/region...xpat-investors/

[dave111223]

I liked the bit about remitting money overseas.. yeah I can just see that.. Farangs sending money out of Thailand...

Yup we've got to send money back home to our poor extended families where 1THB buys a corvette.

[Ricardo]

The som-tam lady asked me, was it true that we farangs owned 122% of Chiang-Mai province, and that we were planning to ship it all back to Europe, where it would be worth so much more ?

I confirmed that this was all true, then explained plate-tectonics to her, to reassure her that in time all Thais would also become farangs, with nice white skins !

[Thai at Heart]

I (through my wife) have purchased land in Chinag Mai, Chiang Rai, and Ubon Ratchatani.

We have built several houses, developed fish farms, and using a lot of land to plant rice and trees for paper production.

In the process we have provided employment to more than 200 Thais, NO FOREIGNERS!. When house building takes place the towns that we build in, boom by the sudden influx of cash and local hiring of labor. The Thais party, and drink A LOT! They are quie happy and always listen out for where our next investment will be taking place and place their job hiring request to us.

In Lamphun the sitation is true. We own nearly all the Internet Cafes (as well as Chiang mai), a big piece of land, built a very big house and most of my neighbours are Australians, Belgians and Italians. Since we have developed in the area, land prices have sky rocketed. In 1997 we could buy a single Rai for next to nothing! Now the land (especially near foreign houses) is going for up to half a million baht per rai! We get Thais coming everyday asking us if we want to buy their land for a prime price! AND yes they also ask if they can have the cash and rent th eland back from us to carry on their farming activities. In Lumphun, we are being offered prime real estate which we buy (some plots over 20 million) and rent back to them to carry on their mini marts etc...

In Chiang Rai, we have built a beautiful house for my wifes parents, provided employment for the whole town for 6 months while building and have transformes a once ugly town into a beautiful village as everyone renovated their houses from th emoney they earned from us AND the materials they were stealing from us while building...... its funny how most houses in the otwn have turned out to be the same color as my in laws!

What is wrong with that... they need the money and the land is technically is a "Thai" name!

We, foreigners run the biggest investment risk, as we could be booted out any time! AND land taken away for our spouses!

The irony is that we cannot sell these plots back to Thais... they just wont pay or can't pay what we did!...I gues they will just forcefully take them back and thank us for the investments!

Khop Khun Karp! Ting Tong Falang!

P.S. Managed to sell one piece of land with house in Rangsit, bought it for 4 million spent another 2 million to finish it off (as the Thai owner could not) and sold it to a nice German guy with a Thai wife for a profit! In the process the Thais were happy while working therebuilding and land scaping!!!!!

Now don't come lecturing us with your business logic. Can't you see this is an emotional issue and careful analysis of the benefits your money coming into the country may bring, isn't allowed.

[ServeUncutUncle]

But... But... It started with my Bar Girl who wanted some Baht for the Families Sick Water Buffalo, and just grew and before I knew it, I had paid and owned for a New Farm...Dont blaim me

[ThaiItAgain]

There really seems to be a lot of anti-foreign sentiment lately. More than usual, that's for sure.

Perhaps the cause for the anti-foreign sentiment might have something to do with

those foreigners that are sited as being involved with "Billions of baht theft", "scams on ATM'S"and "drug related involvement" as is often reported. Foreigners will come under the spy glas or and scrutiny of the officials as a result of that. In my opinion, these type of incidents certainly have something to do with the as you put it "anti sentiment".

Anything the Sensetionalists and the anti foreigner lobyist/mongers can get there teeth into they will.

So if we Foreigners/Farangs wish to be less visible; then perhaps some Foreigners need to pull their head in when they come to Thailand and not malke it difficult for those of us who just want to live a nice life in Thailand.

[CHINWA]

My question is this, How does the person who wrote this article and the Thai Government suppose Farangs are to care for their wives, children and extended families, if we are unable to buy homes and land to provide for them? Thailand is good about advertising to the Farang about how nice it is to retire there with a Thai wife, but don't stay or buy land, just bring or send money and spend it here. Thai women like living in Thailand and do nt want to move, but I for one will quickly divorce if these two things happen. 1.) not allowed to provide home and land for my family, 2.) my wife does not get a visa to join me in my home country. I will not be one to send money freely and only get to be with my wife 15 - 30 days a year.

Farangs are not allowed to own land in Thailand. That is the law. I have never seen an advertisement encouraging farangs to "take a Thai wife and retire in Thailand." If you don't have assets or business interests in your home country that you can live off of, then get a work permit and get a job or start a business in Thailand.

First of all sorry for my English.

What none of you nor all the governments thought is that the children born from a Thai and Farang couple will always have in mind that one of the progenitors was, by law, excluded form the registration of the house or land bought by the family for the family. If this is the culture they want to induce into the coming generations is wrong. The farang progenitor will die one day but the son/daughter will always have in mind what was done to the parent. Is this the way to teach the new generations how to preserve and be proud of their culture or bring them shame for being a born in one of the very, very very few countries where a small piece of land with a house is more important than the image of a father or mother in a decent family. We are in the 21st century and it is time for the authorities to stop descriminate who marries who and treat families the same way/ Where there is a farang parent there will always be one or more luk krung that I am sure will always be on the parent side and never on the policy where one of the progenitors is not considered as part of the family. A VERY UGLY AND CHILDISH LAW when so many real problems continue without solution nor attention from the authories. Let's hope that some day one of our kids have the chance to bring the top people to reality. Poor is the country where the family values have so little consideration in favour of the arrogancy of some people.

[mrtoad]

So if we Foreigners/Farangs wish to be less visible; then perhaps some Foreigners need to pull their head in when they come to Thailand and not malke it difficult for those of us who just want to live a nice life in Thailand.

And your point is?

[NanLaew]

Or maybe Cambodia where a foreigner can legally work , A one year business visa is $25 and they are doing a lot down there to encourage tourism , certainly one place I will be looking into further in the very near future

If they don't want the ' Falang' here then let's all p**s off and see who they can con , rip off and complain about then , Thailand is no longer the ' favourable ' destination for falangs .

ebroguy

Did you even READ the OP before spurting off? The key word is FOREIGNERS. Or is your vision like your mind and sees 'hate farang' everywhere?

Off you go to Cambodia then. Mind how you go.

They never seem to have a go at the Chinese, pretty much every rich Thai I have come across is half Chinese, Chinese or married to a Chinese person.............seems like the further the economy falls the more anti farang feeling there is.

Hmmm, tough one this. Correct me if I am wrong but the last time I checked, Chinese were.... FOREIGNERS! I think your reading is pretty good but you need to brush up on your comprehension.

And a bit of geography probably won't go amiss.

If Thailand is not a racist country, then I beg you to please define racism

Wait! I have a better idea. Why don't YOU go off and search the dictionary for the meaning of racism and then get back to us.

While you are there, browse to the 'P' section and check out PARANOIA. OK?

[Electra]

The politics of envy and social (dis)integration are as old as time itself and in this story the rural Thai vested interests are simply voicing concerns a Welsh indigent might recognise when he despairs at rich London folk pricing him out of his own market.

The twist here is that the Bankokian has no interest in either paddy Isaan land or the womenfolk that are compelled to leave the area through poverty to engage in a leisure industry that ultimately leads to the falang phenomemon who happen chance fill the vacuum created by that very disinterest. That the acquisition is stimulated by sin sod payments and the wifes's desire to show a bigger face funded by the falang's disposible income is conveniently forgotten when one day the village wakes up to the fact that the process of selling to the nouveaux riche has rendered them landless and mere renters. Naturally, a crude nationalism will rise out of the smouldering resentment but who can blame them? The Welsh person driven to burning down holiday cottages is a product of a fully developed western society with all the education that entails yet he still embarks on a stupid course that ultimately benefits no one.

As a previous poster has already noted, the hilarious claim that the falang are sending remittances home to Falangland raises the story into the realm of fantasy that only the Thai could achieve and for that I am actually quite grateful and confirms my belief they are truly a unique people.

[vahack]

My wife after three decades of living and working freely in the US without even having to have a work permit or visa because we are married, wanted to come home and spend real time with some of our family here.  Notice I said our family not his or hers.  We have been married longer then most in Thailand have been around.  Yet now after ten years here I am still only an unwelcome tourist on a visa they might renew.

She did buy a small piece of land for a home and she has her money and bank accounts in both the US and here, but some how I don't trust rules will make any difference if someone wanted to take anything they wanted.  So now we go by the Vegas rule.  If you can't afford to lose it don't bring or even buy it here in the first place. As a result we don't have much here and never will.

good (or really bad) to see that someone married 3 decades is worried about the same things. my home country welcomed my wife for 2 years, but she wanted to settle in Thailand. so we come here, where she (and my money) is welcomed, but i am hated, and once a year i worry about being kicked out.

i am also moving slowly on our house building, as i realize the government is positioning itself to take away all land owned by farang wives. i sold two houses in the US before the real estate crash. i could easily invest that money in Thailand, but they won't let me invest. they will, however, take the money off my hands with a crooked little smile.

Thailand is a strange and unwelcoming land for sure.

regarding the farmland silliness - the average GROSS revenue for rice in our area is 9k baht a year per rai. 9k wouldn't even cover half a month of dining out for us. so ya, i'm sure there's lots of farang serious about farming for profit. haha.