Expat or Immigrant ?

[cornishcarlos]

Which one would you consider yourself ?

Article is not Thailand specific but those of us living here should be able to relate.

http://www.siliconafrica.com/dont-call-them-expats-they-are-immigrants-like-everyone-else/

[SoiBiker]

What an appalling article.

That said, I wouldn't call myself an immigrant, as to me that implies someone who aspires to permanent residence.

[inbangkok]

I won't refer to myself as either. I am here on a temporary stay until I feel like returning to America. I don't know when that will be quite yet.

[cornishcarlos]

Immigrant to me implies intent to remain, whether as a permanent resident or not. I would guess that 80% of us that are married intend to stay ?

[villagefarang]

Having spent my entire adult life here in Thailand, expat doesn’t seem to cover it. I guess I am closer to an immigrant as this is my home.

[NanLaew]

Neither.

Farang is what we (mostly) are.

...although just the other day, a sweet old Thai-Vietnamese lady did mutter something about 'yahk' when I asked her to move out of my window seat where she had wrongly parked her arse.

[chrisinth]

Considering that you reside in this country (Thailand) with entry granted on a non-immigrant visa, with extensions based on said visa, that should really answer your question......................

[cornishcarlos]

Considering that you reside in this country (Thailand) with entry granted on a non-immigrant visa, with extensions based on said visa, that should really answer your question......................

Not everyone here is on extensions of said visa...

This is more following the gist of the linked article, as in do you distinguish between the 2 descriptions as the article implies ?

You should really read the linked article before making comments

[chrisinth]

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Considering that you reside in this country (Thailand) with entry granted on a non-immigrant visa, with extensions based on said visa, that should really answer your question......................

Not everyone here is on extensions of said visa...

This is more following the gist of the linked article, as in do you distinguish between the 2 descriptions as the article implies ?

You should really read the linked article before making comments

I did read the racist article that you linked, and yes, it is racist. If a coloured gentleman or woman resided in Thailand, it would still say non immigrant on the visa.

If you are not here on an extension, how could you even regard yourself either an immigrant or an expat? You would just be a visitor..............

If on a long term visa, it would still be non-immigrant.

[SoiBiker]

I find it quite interesting how expat is such a loaded term for some. If you reside outside your home country, you're an expat. No other qualification is required.

[cornishcarlos]

Correct, some people would find the article racist. I think it was meant to be.

My point is not what it says on your visa, I was wondering how people on TVF would describe themselves ?

It's not a trick question, just interested to hear what members think.

[cornishcarlos]

Plus you don't have to be on extensions to be classed as either. Plenty of people work part time out of country but live here. They come back in on various different options.

Edited January 25, 2015 by cornishcarlos

[rijb]

To most Thais, you will always be an 'outsider', regardless of your legal status.

[cornishcarlos]

To most Thais, you will always be an 'outsider', regardless of your legal status.

Again, this is not what Thais think, it's only how you would describe yourself.

Didn't think this would be so hard

[Rhys]

Too busy living my life the way I want....

[Evilbaz]

We are all aliens ...

[cornishcarlos]

Too busy living my life the way I want....

Too cool for school...

Don't bother to reply then.

[rijb]

To most Thais, you will always be an 'outsider', regardless of your legal status.

Again, this is not what Thais think, it's only how you would describe yourself.

Didn't think this would be so hard

This might be hard for you to understand.

You're no expert on what Thais think. And neither am I.

However, I've observed Thai behavior for more than 40 years. Their actions speak loud and clear.

[cornishcarlos]

To most Thais, you will always be an 'outsider', regardless of your legal status.

Again, this is not what Thais think, it's only how you would describe yourself.

Didn't think this would be so hard

This might be hard for you to understand.

You're no expert on what Thais think. And neither am I.

However, I've observed Thai behavior for more than 40 years. Their actions speak loud and clear.

Stop replying to a question that was never asked...

I am not interested in what Thais think or how long you have observed Thais.

Read the OP again before replying please

[rijb]

You're asking the wrong question. I was trying to help you out.

But, you don't know what you don't know.

[villagefarang]

I have never been treated like an outsider by my Thai friends, but that probably says more about their background than mine, as well as the kind of people I prefer to associate with. I have never claimed to be Thai but I have had many friends who claimed me as one of their own.

[Swamp Thing]

I'm an alien and proud of it!

[cornishcarlos]

You're asking the wrong question. I was trying to help you out.

But, you don't know what you don't know.

No, I am asking the question that interested me...

Congratulations though, you have just become my 1st ever 'ignore' candidate. Never thought I would use that function but you justify it, bye..

[chrisinth]

CC, to answer your question, I would regard myself as an ex-pat rather than an immigrant.

If it ever came to that..........................

[cornishcarlos]

Thanks, some people read the question

[tom07]

I can understand where the writer – a black African in Africa – is coming from, given the history of European intervention in Africa and its aftermath. Thailand’s history is very different of course, particularly wrt colonialism, so I think the article has little relevance here, and the question is almost meaningless.

We persons of European descent are all farang here of course. It’s just about the only thing we have in common!

[Jingthing]

Yeah, I'm an expat from the U.S. and I don't even work here.

If a black, Asian, or Latino American was working here or retiring here without immigrant legal status, they'd be expats too.

But honestly, the article writer does have a point.

In the U.S. a Brit doing a decent job but not immigrating would likely be referred to as an expat but an Indian also doing a decent job temporarily would more likely be referred to as a guest worker. That is racist. But a black Brit would probably be called an expat too!

Not even getting into crappy work like farm working ... they'd never be called expats.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Jingthing

[Costas2008]

I never labeled myself as an expat or immigrant.

The way I look at it is, that I worked hard all my life to have the financial means now, to reside in any country I choose.

At the moment, I'm happy living in Thailand.

That doesn't mean that one day I will not change my mind.

So I consider myself more as a long term visitor, satisfied with what I got now.

Expats or immigrants usually have the chance to become citizens of the country they chose.

I have no chance of that, ever, living here.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Costas2008

[cornishcarlos]

Now we got some thinkers

[tom07]

Depends how you define “expat” and “immigrant”.

To me an expat is more than just a foreigner; it has overtones of professional or managerial workers of European descent in the colonial and post-colonial periods. I’ve met some guys who fit this description but none in Thailand.

An immigrant to me is an erstwhile foreigner who has obtained citizenship in a new country. I have met a few bona fide Indian immigrants in Thailand who came here decades ago to flee the mass killings during partition in northern India. I have never met a person of European descent (farang) who has Thai citizenship, though I know there are a few.