Value Of Farang Residents To Thai Economy?

[Thaipwriter]

But the long termer visa runner won't be missed very much, which is my main point.

You mean the guys that have bought houses, cars, motorcy, gold, dozens of mobile phones...etc, etc, etc right?

No dummy. He means the 30 day poverrty packers. The POOR that border walk perpetually

just one "r" in poverty, dummy

[Heng]

Yeah I guess living in a 70k per month 5 bed villa, retired at 30, maids, gardeners, etc.. 4k USD per month min outgoings..

makes me a poverty packer also ???

Whoa. Making almost 3 million Baht a month AND still doing visa runs? There are plenty of Singaporean, Taiwanese here making less who have already have their PR... or more commonly, Thai citizenship.

edit: ah, I read that wrong. You're talking about your rent and in Baht. Sorry, have had a few this evening. Apparently the USD line fused with the 70k line.

Edited October 6, 2005 by Heng

[LivinLOS]

Yeah this poverty packer is just back online from watching a DVD in the projection theater..

All people on visa runs are poor backpackers.. Thailand doesnt get any benefit from the pittance we drop around locally..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LivinLOS: What part of Thailand do you hang out in? I have been pretty much all over but still can't decide on one place to live full time. Each area there has so much to offer! Plus, I do like traveling...so not ready to commit to any one place full time just yet.

My parents are getting old and just built a new house. They have asked me and my wife to stay with them for a 5-6 months to help get everything sorted. My father went crazy and spent 30k USD on an entertainment room. Unreal. He doesn't even know how to use it...oh well...I will sure enjoy getting it all together and watching movies.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Warning OT.

I live on Phuket.. I am young (32 retired at 28 ) and still enjoy the nightlife so am close to Patong which for me is not too seedy and still has a lot of fun with bars / discos / drinking / etc.. Phuket for me is a bit cleaner than Pattaya (though I could probably handle being out of the city jomtien side, you seem to get a lot more for your money over there..) and 4 years ago Samui was not able to have broadband etc..

I go mad if I am in busy urban living like BKK, plus my first wife was a Phuket born and bred girl so it all made sense).. Life here is good with the biggest problems being not becomeing a raging alchi If thats all there is to worry abotu after my last life experiences I am set !!!!

The HT thing was stuff I was into before in Europe (I used to beta test projectors and do calibrations etc.. I have a little bit of an eye and ear) and love movies so its a good way to relax and stops me being out every night

Edited October 7, 2005 by LivinLOS

[LivinLOS]

Told I can go the PR route if I bring in 40 mil and leave it here a few years.. Sorry dont see that as a suitable use for my money.. made 30% in the last few months on my assets.. 30% of 40 mil goes a lot further in visa runs than it does investing into Thailand.

Until July I was in a limbo state after a B running out and was doing the 30 day thing.. OK I flew to Singapore or KL rather than bus it to Ranong but this idea that everyone has to be some dreadlocked 'poverty packer' drinking water and arguing about the price of his phad thai is very very wrong.. I know many many long term expats who are all on the 30 day system.. Many of them enjoy the cruise up to Burma and spend a day or two in the casino and golf place up there on the island each month, or a trip to Hat Yai to 'pink lady' it away from their regular GF's..

Again these guys are not on a WP, they are not on 'long stay' visa's, people are not even figuring them into those numbers above, yet they support GF's, local businesses, local economy so well that Phuket is one of the most expensive places to live in Thailand.. Surely that very fact show how much input to the economy there really is ?? Where is the most expenive places to live outside the capital ?? Phuket, Samui, Pattaya.. Now where are the largets farang populations ?? Phuket, Samui, Pattaya..

Many of my mates are in the oil biz.. One month on one month off.. Thier 'homes' are in Thailand but they are on 30 day arrivals.. If ever the phrase sailor on shore leave was to fit anyones spending its those guys.. Weekend millionaires the lot of them..

I dont have the attitude that we are some kind of gods gift to Thailand or any superior attitude at all.. Only I do think that the massive amounts of foriegn excahnge brought into Thailand by these people and spent in the local (and issan ) economy is a VERY large boost and direct input to Thaland PLC.

[charles]

Yeah I guess living in a 70k per month 5 bed villa, retired at 30, maids, gardeners, etc.. 4k USD per month min outgoings..

makes me a poverty packer also ???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whoa. Making almost 3 million Baht a month AND still doing visa runs? There are plenty of Singaporean, Taiwanese here making less who have already have their PR... or more commonly, Thai citizenship.

Maybe there is a reason behind it but really don't see why you are always trying to denigrate people with this "visa runs" thing. Big deal! If you don't work and have plenty of cash, visa runs can be arranged to be a pretty enjoyable "break" anyway. Personally, I'm on yearly visa extensions, which are a walk in the park, although I find it difficult to see how this conveys any kind of superiority.

Same goes for PR and Thai citizenship. If you've already plenty of wealth in a developed country, there really isn't much value in them at all. I dare say for someone from Taiwan or China the chance to have a passport from another country would be much more valuable - even a passport that is more Division 3 than Premier League.

Edited October 7, 2005 by charles

[Heng]

Yeah I guess living in a 70k per month 5 bed villa, retired at 30, maids, gardeners, etc.. 4k USD per month min outgoings..

makes me a poverty packer also ???

Whoa. Making almost 3 million Baht a month AND still doing visa runs? There are plenty of Singaporean, Taiwanese here making less who have already have their PR... or more commonly, Thai citizenship.

Maybe there is a reason behind it but really don't see why you are always trying to denigrate people with this "visa runs" thing. Big deal! If you don't work and have plenty of cash, visa runs can be arranged to be a pretty enjoyable "break" anyway. Personally, I'm on yearly visa extensions, which are a walk in the park, although I find it difficult to see how this conveys any kind of superiority.

Same goes for PR and Thai citizenship. If you've already plenty of wealth in a developed country, there really isn't much value in them at all. I dare say for someone from Taiwan or China the chance to have a passport from another country would be much more valuable - even a passport that is more Division 3 than Premier League.

Nah, just looking at visa runs as a pain, especially the mandatory aspect of them. Some people apparently enjoy it, (although those in old age that one sees struggling up the steps at immigration at Soi Suan Phlu may not all fall in that category), haven't ever said anything to the contrary.

Nothing superior about it, more like a frequent flyer card, with about the same level of conveniences. It's just amusing to me that many complain about the lack of said conveniences and then pretend like they don't want the card.

Edited October 7, 2005 by Heng

[charles]

although those in old age that one sees struggling up the steps at immigration at Soi Suan Phlu may not all fall in that category

Nah, it's all done downstairs at Suan Phlu these days.

[craigt3365]

I have done the "turn around" border crossing at almost every place you can think of. The one in Ranong was probably the most interesting. Poi Pet is just ###### depressing. Now that I think about it, I did Poi Pet 3 times over a 2 year period. All three times from Bangkok on that special bus for visa runs. It was funny as ###### to see the bus from Pattaya. What a bunch of crazies! Quite funny to see that group of guys walking around like deer in headlights trying to figure out what to do....

[Heng]

although those in old age that one sees struggling up the steps at immigration at Soi Suan Phlu may not all fall in that category

Nah, it's all done downstairs at Suan Phlu these days.

I'm talking about the three steps from street/parking lot level to the ground floor.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

although those in old age that one sees struggling up the steps at immigration at Soi Suan Phlu may not all fall in that category

Nah, it's all done downstairs at Suan Phlu these days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm talking about the three steps from street/parking lot level to the ground floor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Nam Kao]

>>>I'm talking about the three steps from street/parking lot level to the ground floor.

Pretty disrespectful talk from a Thai

[The_Other_Mac]

although those in old age that one sees struggling up the steps at immigration at Soi Suan Phlu may not all fall in that category

Nah, it's all done downstairs at Suan Phlu these days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm talking about the three steps from street/parking lot level to the ground floor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know it well.

[Heng]

>>>I'm talking about the three steps from street/parking lot level to the ground floor.

Pretty disrespectful talk from a Thai

Nah, all in fun NK. Although I can't take responsibility for those who are sensitive.

[Nam Kao]

I guess i am turning "Thai"

[cclub75]

Well you have part of an answer.

Many residents use in Thailand their "home" visa card....

For recall : 100 billions THB it the amount of the debt of the "oil fund" in Thailand (when oil was subsidized).

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/13Oct2005_biz39.php

James Murray, executive vice-president for Visa International, said international cardholders spent 99.1 billion baht in Thailand in 2004, a 26% rise from the previous year and equivalent to more than one quarter of Thailand's total spending in tourism. The statistics excluded cash withdrawals made by visiting tourists totalling 40 billion baht.

Last year, there were about 11.7 million foreign arrivals to Thailand, up 10.1 million in 2003 and their total spending was about 384 billion baht, up from 309 billion baht in 2003.

Visitors from the United States were the largest Visa spenders, followed by those from the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and Sweden, which together accounted for 53% of the total international Visa spending in Thailand last year.