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

[Thai at Heart]

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.

Add in comparing a country where the planning laws are so tight, that building on farm land is virtually impossible with a country where there is the possibility of putting a pig farm next to a 5 star hotel, means that the comparison is not really relevant.

[Electra]

I'm terribly sorry but your point is?

[peecee]

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,

The siamese migrated from China to SE Asia, their blood-line is chinese! Most of Europe, Australia & America accepts mixed blood and so should the Thai's; but their ancestory is not teached in school & their government scares them about foreigner's taking their land! A lot of their heavy industry is Japanese but they are told in school that it is Thai owned, similarly the telecoms industry is chinese owned! Thai's need to understand the global market economy work's for their benefit; that's how Bangkok evolved out of nothing to today's industrial giant!

[rufanuf]

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.

Your just a guest becuase you choose to be and becuase by your own admission you are retired! What about all the honest foriegners who bringing REAL investment (time, energy, new ideas AND money) into the country and employ loads of Thai's who might otherwise be without means of support? Theres nothing wrong with being old fashioned if you can afford to be, but for most of us in the real working world your comments are dillusional. Nationlistic, xenophobic sentiment is very negative no matter how you dress it up, and holds back nations for eons until they finally grow up and mature.

[oops]

Im really courious about the person who has made these allegations, could it be the same politician that wanted to use Thaskin Shinawats Satilite so he could see inside a cave where supposedly a large container full 100,000 dollar notes left from the japanese war..? Which the US government explained over and over they never printed a 100,000 dollar note. I clearly remember this because they actually posted a picture in the paper of a cave "like something off the comic BC" which went in a couple of feet and then supposedly dropped down several feet with containers at the bottom . I believe they even added an arrow on our behalf so we would understand the loot was in the container like one of those pirate maps but I think this arrow was more sophisticated . The thing that baffled me was that Thaskin changed his mind about letting the politician use his billion dolllar satilite so that they could get a better look into the cave but not before Thaskin himself actually went down to the cave to check it out. Does this have a slight stinch of the same Politician or expolitician......oops! you just have to smile... hence the land of smiles.

[Heng]

Wasn't the national anthem written by a German halfblood? How about the prime minister's tertiary education? Why bother studying abroad, why bother eating burgers and using Nokia and Motorola cell phones?

And your point is? That if you use a Nokia, then Nordic folks should be able to visit your house? Of if your kid plays with cheap plastic toys, then they have to play with the Chinese factory workers that made them?

[stingray]

Foreigners should not go into the farming business in Thailand. It's very dangerous overhere. Foreigners renting land, have much more knowledge about farming, invest money, develope the land, get sucessful business and the locals get mad and jaleous, because the foreigners earn money, wich is normal, then many locals don't have the possibilitie to invest money and develop the land and some of them maybe they have, but they don't do it or don't have any idea or proper knowledge, how t do. And now they complain. The problem is that foreigners can't own any land in Thailand. It's similar with everything in Thailand. Foreigners rent some property, to do business, doesn't matter if it's a Bar, Restaurant, Gesthouse or even some kind of SALES Business and if they are successful, next year the Landlord gonna increase the rent and keymoney to double amount regardless of the economic situation we have now. Therefore if someone want to do farming business i recomment to do this in Paraguay. Cheap land and YOU CAN OWN IT!

[winford]

The foreigners referred to are for the most part from China, Hong Kong and Singapore. People with the Mega Bucks.

[Heng]

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.

They aren't foreign if you go down to the amphur and get them a Thai ID card.

[mrtoad]

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.

The irony is that he probably owns a house, or has it in his wife's name, which is even more of a contradiction. I guess then, he would be one of the morons that he speaks so disparagingly about continually.

[stingray]

The foreigners referred to are for the most part from China, Hong Kong and Singapore. People with the Mega Bucks.

Ah, now i understand the picture. One time more we talking about "the chineses" Similar with the chineses landlords. Now i understand why locals go mad.

[animatic]

One thing seems missing in all this.

We don't call 2nd and 3rd generation Irish-American's, Swiss-Americans, Italian-Americans; as not being AMERICANS.

The hyphen just allows them to ALSO celebrate their ancestral roots, and yet they are STILL AMERICANS.

3rd 4th 5th generation Chinese Thais, were here in Siam and were here from the beginning of Thailand.

Chulalongkorn I believe gave them the option Thai-fy your names and you become Thais.

This came from the KING himself.

All these 'Successful Chinese-Thais' are now fully Thais.

What they didn't lose was their abilities as Chinese clans to organize a successful work ethic.

That some of those can questionably be called 'Native Thais' had the example right in front of their faces,

and yet failed to learn from it. Who's fault is that... not the Chinese-Thais for sure.

There will always be ner'do'well elements in any society who looking,

solelyfrom their lineage and nothing else,that that have not competed

and look to besmirch or denigrate those who do make a success.

Same in any society and any country.

But white buffaloes with happy bronze wives making a go of it in quicktime

make an even greater impression of rubbing in the unsuccessful faces,

even if it isn't vaguely part of their make up to do so.

hel_l not even Asian; the bastards! Jingoism and parochialism in their worst aspects.

So they get targeted first as times get tough.

Edited August 13, 2009 by animatic

[Arkady]

Cry me a river. A Thai woman dose not suddenly loose her citizenship when she marries a non national. Haters just need to suck it up and find another scapegoat for their own inadequacies and financial problems.

That seems to sum things up quite nicely. Thai women married to foreigners can quite legally buy land, as long as both partners sing the Land Dept form to vouch that it is totally hers and not part of the conjugal property. Thus the land they are talking about in most cases is .....er hers quite legally which means it is Thai owned and they can moan all they want that it is unfair that their daughters have not married farangs and got money for them but there isn't much else they do legally. Rice farming is a restricted profession but no one has said they saw farangs actually working in the fields. As for renting land, this is quite legal for foreigners to do, as long as they don't do the rice farming themselves.

The article was very badly written and The Nation's subs should never have printed it like that. However, it does indicate the worsening xenophobia, particularly to do with land. Anther article I saw suggested that it was wrong for African countries to allow foreign agribusiness companies to buy or lease land for rice farming, as this will create more unfair competition for Thai rice exports. There are serious issues to do the rapidly declining competitiveness of Thai rice farming which is exacerbated by the government handing out price subsidies instead of investing in improving yields. They refuse to accept that the world has changed and they have been left behind with their parochial myopic attitudes. Since inefficient rice farming involves a huge chunk of the population, even though it is now a tiny part of the economy, and their votes are important to politicians, we can expect this situation to get much worse in the coming years and create a great deal of social and political tension.

[LaoPo]

The foreigners referred to are for the most part from China, Hong Kong and Singapore. People with the Mega Bucks.

...who told you ?

"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"

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

LaoPo

[capt_canada42]

I went home to Manitoba Canada and my older brother said to me the Germans are buying out all the farms we need to pass laws to keep them out or there will be nothing left for Canadians.

I said so what they bring money into the country and expertise and they marry locals and when they die the farms pass on to there wives and kids. Its not like they are going to put the dirt in a container and take Canada back to Germany.

It reminded me years ago when Canadians had a hard on for Americans they were going to buy Canada out and then later the Japanese and then the Chinese.

Hate and fear in all the years I have lived here I see only hate and fear of outsiders

Edited August 13, 2009 by capt_canada42

[moskito]

WOW, 7 pages and nobody said....ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN... :D

Take it like it is in Land of ROFL...

[Eggmeng]

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?

I have never heard a Thai refer to the Chinese as the "Jews of Asia". In fact I rarely meet one who understands the difference between a Christian and a Jew. If they did however, and had a more worldly view, it wouldn't surprise me to hear them refer to the Jews as "The Chinese of the West."

On the other hand, I did hear friends and family in the US use this expression when I was growing up. As they were fair minded people (and in many cases Jews themselves) I think what they had in mind were some cultural similarities that included a respect for the value of education, frugality, a strong work ethic, and yes, good business sense. But not the odious bigotry expressed by the poster.

As for the contibutions made by the Jews and the Chinese respectively in their adopted homes, I think these speak for themselves.

[stingray]

WOW, 7 pages and nobody said....ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN... :D

Take it like it is in Land of ROFL...

In Europe or US i would consider to buy property (if i have enought money), because i CAN own it and there is a law. But common senses telling me, overhere the distance between locals and foreigners is to much and the law isn't correct sometimes. Therefore foreigners should not boil the situation in, try to buy property or do farming. To high risk to lose everything. The situation could go similar as in Zimbabwe, 12 years ago. And then........?

[Jingthing]

As they were fair minded people (and in many cases Jews themselves) I think what they had in mind were some cultural similarities that included a respect for the value of education, frugality, a strong work ethic, and yes, good business sense. But not the odious bigotry expressed by the poster.

I second all that. Calling the Chinese the Jews of Asia is not in itself an antisemitic or anti-Chinese phrase. Of course if it is spoken by an antisemite or anti-Chinese in a negative context, it could be used that way. I also don't think Asians generally use that phrase, it is mostly Occidentals. Cheers and Shalom.

Edited August 13, 2009 by Jingthing

[LaoPo]

One thing seems missing in all this.

We don't call 2nd and 3rd generation Irish-American's, Swiss-Americans, Italian-Americans; as not being AMERICANS.

The hyphen just allows them to ALSO celebrate their ancestral roots, and yet they are STILL AMERICANS.

3rd 4th 5th generation Chinese Thais, were here in Siam and were here from the beginning of Thailand.

Chulalongkorn I believe gave them the option Thai-fy your names and you become Thais.

This came from the KING himself.

All these 'Successful Chinese-Thais' are now fully Thais.

What they didn't lose was their abilities as Chinese clans to organize a successful work ethic.

That some of those can questionably be called 'Native Thais' had the example right in front of their faces,

and yet failed to learn from it. Who's fault is that... not the Chinese-Thais for sure.

There will always be ner'do'well elements in any society who looking,

solelyfrom their lineage and nothing else,that that have not competed

and look to besmirch or denigrate those who do make a success.

Same in any society and any country.

But white buffaloes with happy bronze wives making a go of it in quicktime

make an even greater impression of rubbing in the unsuccessful faces,

even if it isn't vaguely part of their make up to do so.

hel_l not even Asian; the bastards! Jingoism and parochialism in their worst aspects.

So they get targeted first as times get tough.

Once more I agree with you.

This "nonsense" talk by a lot of people that someone is Thai-Chinese or Chinese-Thai is pure and utter nonsense.

Once you have an ID card in your pocket and/or passport of a certain country you are CITIZEN of the same country.

Your descent, colour or bloodline doesn't count anymore. You pay taxes in the country you are citizen of and not in the country your ancestors were born in.

But, I'm afraid it's not so easy to get rid of that kind of pointing, especially because Thailand is FAR OFF of becoming ever a multi cultural country. Thailand is likely to be more of a racist country than a modernized western country like Nort America, Europe, Australia and NZ.

The same as the Americans point to Afro-Americans and the French to the Pieds Noir (Algerians) or other EU nations to the Moroccans and Turks, even if they are the 2nd or 3rd generation.

The problem is that a lot of social problems in the areas described, are caused by those groups and therefore pointed at, describing them as such.

In Europe we have lots and lots of problems because of the lower education of those youngsters and the weak social control by the parents who were not educated whatsoever when they came to western Europe initially.

Strange enough we NEVER had those social problems with guest laborers from Italy, Spain and Portugal, (also from poor neighborhoods) who came BEFORE the EU asked for more workers, this time from Morocco and Turkey....

What a world.

LaoPo

Edited August 13, 2009 by LaoPo

[kotsak]

Well, as long as it doesn't end up like the Jakarta riots of May 1998..

[sassienie]

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.

The irony is that he probably owns a house, or has it in his wife's name, which is even more of a contradiction. I guess then, he would be one of the morons that he speaks so disparagingly about continually.

I met my Thai wife in England 23 years ago.

She lived at the Thai embassy in Kensington, London England and was secretary to her Uncle, the Thai ambassador.

At that time my wife was earning more than me and when we married my wife sent money over to Thailand from her wages for the purchase of land and some houses.

In 2003 with our daughter, we all moved to Chiang Mai Thailand permanently.

The house that she bought and we now live is in our daughter’s name as insurance that if my wife died, I can remain in the house as a tenant of my daughter.

The property is all for my daughter in the future and all I have is my pension and savings brought over from England.

Everything above board, nothing to hide and have the documents to prove it.

I also have documents from the metropolitan police in London that shows I have no criminal records.

My daughter is now a part time policewoman with Immigration here in Chiang Mai; she deals with visa applications and with the arrests of Farangs who over stay their visas, drug dealers and other undesirables.

If one phones Chiang Mai Immigration after hours, it is my daughter’s voice on the answer machine.

Edited August 13, 2009 by sassienie

[animatic]

What a world.

Edited August 13, 2009 by animatic

[rkidlad]

You have to be oriental to be Thai. My gf's mother is Vietnamese. She has a Thai passport and ID card etc. I jokingly said to my g/f, if your mum can be a citizen, then so can I. She quickly and sharply replied 'never!' I was curious and asked why? She said her mum looks Thai, and I don't. (My g'f really is a nice person, it's just she has it ingrained in her)

The bottom line is, this is a developing country, in every aspect. I don't wanna be Thai, I don't bang on about how I love the culture and suck up, cos to be honest, they don't always like it. I'm from England, and proud. I have a good job here, I pay tax, keep my head down, offend no one, stick to the letter of the law and mind my own business.

I have a country I can go back to any time, where I have rights that I'm happy with, people who respect me and call me their own. Better to be a outside in someone else's country than your own.

I feel bad for the foreigners here with families who have the best intentions but have absolutely no rights. But at the end of the day, If I get married and have kids, I won't do it here. I'll take my g/f back to England and be safe in the knowledge that I will be treated fairly.

Best piece of advice I ever received about Thailand was 'don't take this place seriously, have fun, do what you need to do but expect nothing in the long run'

Mai pen rai and all that.

[LaoPo]

I met my Thai wife in England 23 years ago.

She lived at the Thai embassy in Kensington, London England and was secretary to her Uncle, the Thai ambassador.

At that time my wife was earning more than me and when we married my wife sent money over to Thailand from her wages for the purchase of land and some houses.

In 2003 with our daughter, we all moved to Chiang Mai Thailand permanently.

The house that she bought and we now live is in our daughter’s name as insurance that if my wife died, I can remain in the house as a tenant of my daughter.

The property is all for my daughter in the future and all I have is my pension and savings brought over from England.

Everything above board, nothing to hide and have the documents to prove it.

I also have documents from the metropolitan police in London that shows I have no criminal records.

My daughter is now a part time policewoman with Immigration here in Chiang Mai; she deals with visa applications and with the arrests of Farangs who over stay their visas, drug dealers and other undesirables.

If one phones Chiang Mai Immigration after hours, it is my daughter’s voice on the answer machine.

1. you/wife should have bought houses in Kensington those days

2. Is that a threat ?

What a world

LaoPo

[Pops]

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

Why would foreign owned palm plantations do so much better then Thai owned palm plantations ??

Even that much better that the Thai Farmers need a cooperative to compete against the foreign owned palm plantations.

Seems like they cannot get anything right these poor sods and I bet ya they weren't complaining when receiving the cash upon sales of their land.

However it remains a fact that foreigners cannot occupy themselves with commercial farming in Thailand, that is reserved for the Thais !

In developed countries however we have government offices that control designation and usage of land.

If Thailand could develop to the point that its government offices work properly maybe we do not see this type of stupid news-paper articles any-more.

[capt_canada42]

You have to be oriental to be Thai. My gf's mother is Vietnamese. She has a Thai passport and ID card etc. I jokingly said to my g/f, if your mum can be a citizen, then so can I. She quickly and sharply replied 'never!' I was curious and asked why? She said her mum looks Thai, and I don't. (My g'f really is a nice person, it's just she has it ingrained in her)

The bottom line is, this is a developing country, in every aspect. I don't wanna be Thai, I don't bang on about how I love the culture and suck up, cos to be honest, they don't always like it. I'm from England, and proud. I have a good job here, I pay tax, keep my head down, offend no one, stick to the letter of the law and mind my own business.

I have a country I can go back to any time, where I have rights that I'm happy with, people who respect me and call me their own. Better to be a outside in someone else's country than your own.

I feel bad for the foreigners here with families who have the best intentions but have absolutely no rights. But at the end of the day, If I get married and have kids, I won't do it here. I'll take my g/f back to England and be safe in the knowledge that I will be treated fairly.

Best piece of advice I ever received about Thailand was 'don't take this place seriously, have fun, do what you need to do but expect nothing in the long run'

Mai pen rai and all that.

More racism your GF comments. Her mother paid off for her ID did you know that or do you even care .

Frankly we who live here don't need your sympathy if you want to help get rights for all of us buckle down and help.

Frankly I get more tired of the guys living here than I do the locals.

[dondraper]

You have to be oriental to be Thai. My gf's mother is Vietnamese. She has a Thai passport and ID card etc. I jokingly said to my g/f, if your mum can be a citizen, then so can I. She quickly and sharply replied 'never!' I was curious and asked why? She said her mum looks Thai, and I don't. (My g'f really is a nice person, it's just she has it ingrained in her)

Its pretty logical actually.

The people doing the paperwork are easily bribed and dumb.

You can't claim to be Thai if you are a Caucasian. If you are an Asian American, then you could.

People make the mistake thinking every single Government regulation or loophole is part of some bigger, more sinister plan and not just a matter of bureaucracy.

Your gf's mother probably also speaks better Thai than you huh?

[moskito]

OK, to be honest, I AM GLAD about every Farang investing money here for the only reason of making MORE money and then went bankrupt.....I am loving these guys, specially the old ones which should be retire, watch the sun and having a cold beer on their terrace. Problem is most of them CANT RELAX, they always want more more more more....IDIOTS.

We have someone of this old pals from US in Phuket. He was running a nice small restaurant, now he owns his own so called MALL.....this old fart is close to 90 but the only reason why he is still alive seems to work on his next million.....one day he will die in his <deleted>...n mall and never had fun except counting money, then I will laugh again.....

I will never understand why people always want more more more and try to fulfill that dream in Thailand, we have HOUSE FOR SALE ads on nearly every house in Phuket which is owned by a Farang, I never build my house here for the reason of winning money,

[dondraper]

go to a 5 star hotel. tell them you want to look at one of their suites. get back downstairs and tell them no thank you. go back to your studio apartment.