Chiang Mai wants to promote “Long stay tourism”

[khwaibah]

Chiang Mai wants to promote “Long stay tourism”

Pushing for a 3 year visa

The

Chiang Mai

Chamber of Commerce is working to pressure the Thai government in increasing the length of time for a retirement extension and allowing 90 day reporting to be done online to ease the process for elderly visitors, especially Japanese who make up a large portion of retired foreigners living in Chiang Mai.

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml

[krisb]

Good idea.

[Ulysses G.]

Very good idea.

[Sparkles]

We live in hope................................I suggested this idea 2 years ago, ie we pay 1900 x 3 up front for a 3 year visa. Was met with a shake of the head.

I don't think they could cope with on line reporting.I mean how long did the bar code system last, ? once for me.

However the Japanese do seem to have more pull than any other country apart from the Russians.

[4dyg]

yeah but then those despicable scamming untrustworthy farang (that's you) would take all their money out of their bank account in the interim

Edited June 1, 2014 by 4dyg

[MESmith]

3 x 800,000 up front for 3 year extension

[Loptr]

Good idea, but a bit racist, no?

especially Japanese who make up a large portion of retired foreigners living in Chiang Mai.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Good idea, but a bit racist, no?

especially Japanese who make up a large portion of retired foreigners living in Chiang Mai.

I keep seeing the Japanese army guy around in his uniform.

Last week he was walking around with a rifle in his hands, bit iffy considering the current situation.

[bigguy53]

Like it very much

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[chiang mai]

3 x 800,000 up front for 3 year extension

In principle yes, but locking up £50k for three years at dismal interest rates of return, that's scary. If it were simply proof of assets when applying, that would be good.

[cmsally]

Good idea, but a bit racist, no?

especially Japanese who make up a large portion of retired foreigners living in Chiang Mai.

I keep seeing the Japanese army guy around in his uniform.

Last week he was walking around with a rifle in his hands, bit iffy considering the current situation.

That guy is actually Thai according to a friend who apparently lives near him (in the old city area).

As a matter of coincidence we were just talking about him yesterday and saying we hope he doesn't get carted away!!

[coma]

Are only the Japanese inconvenienced by 90 days reports ?

[ajarnsiam]

I sincerely hope not, CM is aleady looking much too much like an open geriatric ward.

Or, if they do, I hope the financial criteria are also revised (upwards) and enforced.

[chiang mai]

I sincerely hope not, CM is aleady looking much too much like an open geriatric ward.

Or, if they do, I hope the financial criteria are also revised (upwards) and enforced.

Hate to disappoint but most geriatrics are here to stay, whenever the financial criteria is uprated it typically involves grandfathering existing visa's under existing schemes.

[ajarnsiam]

I sincerely hope not, CM is aleady looking much too much like an open geriatric ward.

Or, if they do, I hope the financial criteria are also revised (upwards) and enforced.

Hate to disappoint but most geriatrics are here to stay, whenever the financial criteria is uprated it typically involves grandfathering existing visa's under existing schemes.

Uh, I beg to differ

- the forum is littered with the "I can't take it any more, I'm off" threads, usually followed by the witty "Don't let the door hit you etc etc"

- "here to stay" - hm an unfortunate choice of phrase in relation to geriatrics, wherever they may be

- visa rules can and have been rewritten, as we have seen in the last year, nay the last few weeks; and at long last it appears that the rules relating to overstaying have begun to be enforced a little more effectively - delighted.

[chiang mai]

I sincerely hope not, CM is aleady looking much too much like an open geriatric ward.

Or, if they do, I hope the financial criteria are also revised (upwards) and enforced.

Hate to disappoint but most geriatrics are here to stay, whenever the financial criteria is uprated it typically involves grandfathering existing visa's under existing schemes.

Uh, I beg to differ

- the forum is littered with the "I can't take it any more, I'm off" threads, usually followed by the witty "Don't let the door hit you etc etc"

- "here to stay" - hm an unfortunate choice of phrase in relation to geriatrics, wherever they may be

- visa rules can and have been rewritten, as we have seen in the last year, nay the last few weeks; and at long last it appears that the rules relating to overstaying have begun to be enforced a little more effectively - delighted.

Let me put this in simpler terms:

Holders of O-A visa's today will typically not see their minimum income or money in the bank limits changed, even if new higher amounts are agreed for new O-A visa applicants, historically this has been the case and it's likely to remain so going forward.

The odd thread that does appear where the OP tells us he's off, represents only a very small percentage of all visa holders. There's nothing to suggest that such people are in the main O-A retirement visa holders, the obverse is more probable since retirees tend to "settle in" and are not as transient as younger people.

What has happened is that retirees on fixed income have been squeezed in recent years as THB has strengthened against their home currency, that has caused some retirees to leave and is your best hope if your dreams are to come true! But be careful what you wish for Ajarn because such a development would almost certainly cause inflation which means your teachers salary will go less far and it might turn out to be you that has to leave.

Finally, the Christian grave yard at Gymkhana is home to many ex-pats who are indeed, here to stay!

[Tony Aparichio]

Good idea, but a bit racist, no?

especially Japanese who make up a large portion of retired foreigners living in Chiang Mai.

in the western world yes racist & the poster would lose his job. Here a simple statement of fact.

Bad Tony

[wolf5370]

Think they'll have to wait 2 years until the Junta is gone - their trend on immigration and those here on continuing tourist visas is hardly aimed at making long stay easier. Retirement extensions might stand a greater chance - though not sure how that equates to "long term tourism", as opposed to "immigration for purposes of retirement". The way to dal with it would be to grant retirees PR after a given time without the costs or red tape.

[Berkshire]

Good idea, but a bit racist, no?

especially Japanese who make up a large portion of retired foreigners living in Chiang Mai.

Why worry about a tiny piece of commentary if the new regulations benefit everyone equally? If anything, you should be thanking the Japanese if they were the ones who got the gov's attention.

[spidermike007]

yeah but then those despicable scamming untrustworthy farang (that's you) would take all their money out of their bank account in the interim

They don't call you Mr kindness and the possessor of a charitable heart for nothing. Keep up the community spirit.

Spidermike007