Foreigners Feeling No Long Welcome In Thailand

[meadish_sweetball]

The basic point is, if you intend to stay here longterm, you will have to experience and deal with the less favourable aspects at some stage.

There are a number of things you can do to minimize them. The first one is a positive and humble outlook on things. You will make mistakes, you will be cheated and even when you think you have a valid point, it may be completely ignored. Can you handle this and still move on? If yes, then you can probably live here.

If you can't, maybe choose another place.

Most of us will never be able to change anything at the core of this country, but we can have some impact on a personal and local level. If you try your best to be a good ambassador for your country and culture, and learn about and respect the most important values here, as well as try to learn the language, it will open many doors and grant you more respect and appreciation.

Naturally it doesnt mean you will not get cheated, but you will be better liked by the majority, and may even be treated favourably for your efforts.

That's my experience anyway. We all need to complain every now and then, but it is always a good idea to try to see the other side as well.

And to take changes in countrywide policy as something personal is really not that logical when you think about it, is it? Unless you did happen to do something personally to the drafters of the legislation?

[Neeranam]

If you feel that you're unwelcome here ... you probably are.

Well said.

[atlastaname]

Unfortunately Thailand has changed for the worse over the last 6 years or so, and is starting to move away from the free for all it was in the nineties and towards a controlled county that it is now fast becoming e.g. the nightlife scene over the last 6 years is very different.

How was it different before?

It was more of an anything goes scene e.g. dancers could be naked whereas now they have to be partially clothed (i'm talking about the go-go bars of course) , before you could have more dancers that actually looked like they may still be remotely youthful , unlike now where increasingly they are looking more like grandmother . Another example which i know my Thai friends regard as absolutely stupid, is that at the front of soi 2 silom and soi 4 silom, they now have police checks where they check the ID of Thais (not foreigners note) before allowing entry . Even if you look like you are about to draw your old age pension Thais can't get in without the ID, and , if you go out even for a minute and come back in again you have to show it again despite the fact that they recognise you and know they have already seen it . We are not talking about entry to any bars here ,. we are talking about entry to the street itself

[GracelessFawn]

I wouldnt live in a place where I didnt feel welcome. If you havent burnt your bridge's then I would move to another country. Thats if your wife lets you

Well said, Don. You have a very good point!

Edited September 21, 2006 by GracelessFawn

[HeikoJT]

It's natural that , when you stay longer in a country, you see thing more realistically. And you tend to enjoy the positive sides but critzise the negative ones, or those you reckon to be negative. What you should do is accept the country as it is and stop compare it to your home country or others.

What I've seen is that many foreigners who live in Thailand sit together in the evening whining and complaining.

Many have never really arrived in their host country.

I do not know another country where the people accept you as much as the Thais do.

[Tornado]

Unfortunately Thailand has changed for the worse over the last 6 years or so, and is starting to move away from the free for all it was in the nineties and towards a controlled county that it is now fast becoming e.g. the nightlife scene over the last 6 years is very different.

How was it different before?

It was more of an anything goes scene e.g. dancers could be naked whereas now they have to be partially clothed (i'm talking about the go-go bars of course) , before you could have more dancers that actually looked like they may still be remotely youthful , unlike now where increasingly they are looking more like grandmother . Another example which i know my Thai friends regard as absolutely stupid, is that at the front of soi 2 silom and soi 4 silom, they now have police checks where they check the ID of Thais (not foreigners note) before allowing entry . Even if you look like you are about to draw your old age pension Thais can't get in without the ID, and , if you go out even for a minute and come back in again you have to show it again despite the fact that they recognise you and know they have already seen it . We are not talking about entry to any bars here ,. we are talking about entry to the street itself

Reading what you wrote and then looking at the thread title, made me chuckle.

[terry57]

So Sad now about Thailand.

extensions and visa fees gone up by 400%. no long 3 million investment enough. no lon 400,000 in a thai bank for them to keep when we die enough.

Then the 30 day visa kickout.

Next more bad news, more unwelcome messages.

I'm not really welcome here.

you know what gets me about these sorts of posts punters ?

is that, no person is forced to come to los or stay in los if they dont feel that they are enjoying them selves or feel threatened in any way.

now its not rocket science that los is not for everyone, but i for one love los and i know that many people on this forum do as well.

us people that do love los, appreciate los warts and all can really enjoy our selves as we are aware of its dark side and make allowances for this.

if you hang around los for a while and get to know her, you will soon learn that this is how things work here and soon adapt to it.

now, if im having a little drink somewhere and some punter is having a winge and complaining about things in this country, i think to my self, mate you are a real losser, should just pack your bags and run home to your mommy for a cuddle never to return.

as at the end of the day, what are you doing here ?

just my opinion punters.

cheers

[jdinasia]

The basic point is, if you intend to stay here longterm, you will have to experience and deal with the less favourable aspects at some stage.

There are a number of things you can do to minimize them. The first one is a positive and humble outlook on things. You will make mistakes, you will be cheated and even when you think you have a valid point, it may be completely ignored. Can you handle this and still move on? If yes, then you can probably live here.

If you can't, maybe choose another place.

Most of us will never be able to change anything at the core of this country, but we can have some impact on a personal and local level. If you try your best to be a good ambassador for your country and culture, and learn about and respect the most important values here, as well as try to learn the language, it will open many doors and grant you more respect and appreciation.

Naturally it doesnt mean you will not get cheated, but you will be better liked by the majority, and may even be treated favourably for your efforts.

That's my experience anyway. We all need to complain every now and then, but it is always a good idea to try to see the other side as well.

And to take changes in countrywide policy as something personal is really not that logical when you think about it, is it? Unless you did happen to do something personally to the drafters of the legislation?

Hear Hear!!

[Little_Buddy]

I too feel unwelcomed, and yes I am here legally no issues there. But the new policies and regs make me feel like farangs are not welcomed. I also have had some dealing with Thais in the past that make me feel that not only is it the govt. position that I should not be here, but also the thais.

That said, I have seen a lot of farangs being just plain rude, or nasty to Thai people... So my point is, at times I think they are forming an opinion with just cause. (Sadly)

Probably impossible to know, but do you guess that the farangs you've seen being rude or nasty to Thais may in fact be responding to the feeling of being unwelcome and looked down on by the Thais?

Probably a chicken & egg thing...

[Little_Buddy]

Thailand, specifically Bangkok, has become steadily more tame and boring over the last 6 years and that pleases the puritans here on TV.

Has it become so only for farang, or also for the Thai and the Japanese, Korean, Chinese and other Asian tourists?

I suspect the crackdown has only been on farang places, in response to the bizarre hysteria and pressure from Western governments obsessed with criminalizing "sex tourism". Am I wrong?

[Little_Buddy]

- the bank standard chatered but she was a thai manager - says it all - TIT - but give a 5,000 baht bribe and their all over you - TIT

Sorry to ask - I know what tits are, but what is TIT? I've seen this a few times on the forum, still can't figure it out...

[Little_Buddy]

English cuisine and English women - the foundation of a great seafarer nation! :-)

[Little_Buddy]

Unfortunately Thailand has changed for the worse over the last 6 years or so, and is starting to move away from the free for all it was in the nineties and towards a controlled county that it is now fast becoming e.g. the nightlife scene over the last 6 years is very different.

How was it different before?

It was more of an anything goes scene e.g. dancers could be naked whereas now they have to be partially clothed (i'm talking about the go-go bars of course) , before you could have more dancers that actually looked like they may still be remotely youthful , unlike now where increasingly they are looking more like grandmother .

Oh, man - that SUCKS! Even at Nana Entertainment Plaza? I was there just about 6 years ago - it was GREAT. They're not naked anymore? They're not even young anymore?

So what can we do? If we want to find a cute, 18 - 22 year old babe, where do we go now?

By the way, did this crackdown only affect the places catering to farang? I'm betting that places catering to Thai and other Asians are completely unaffected, and are probably racier than ever. Am I right?

(If so, I don't blame Thai racism against farang, but rather the enormous pressure put on Thailand and other "sex tourism" destinations by Western governments, who are in turn kow-towing to man-hating feminist groups and/or sex-hating religious groups).

Another example which i know my Thai friends regard as absolutely stupid, is that at the front of soi 2 silom and soi 4 silom, they now have police checks where they check the ID of Thais (not foreigners note) before allowing entry . Even if you look like you are about to draw your old age pension Thais can't get in without the ID, and , if you go out even for a minute and come back in again you have to show it again despite the fact that they recognise you and know they have already seen it . We are not talking about entry to any bars here ,. we are talking about entry to the street itself

THIS, on the other hand, is reassuring. I sympathize with the inconvenience Thais must go through, but this seems like a very sensible precaution in the age of terrorism. One reason I haven't been back in 6 years is the strong feeling that Nana has to be one of the top targets. That would instantly destroy a decent chunk of Thailand's tourism business for years.

Now, I could come up with a better solution, but it would be even more politically incorrect than what they're already doing, so I won't even post it here.

Edited September 23, 2006 by Little_Buddy

[Little_Buddy]

I do not know another country where the people accept you as much as the Thais do.

I'm don't doubt what you say, but I'm curious about which other countries you're thinking of?

[Axel]

Sorry to ask - I know what tits are, but what is TIT? I've seen this a few times on the forum, still can't figure it out...

TIT = This is Thailand.

[Little_Buddy]

Sorry to ask - I know what tits are, but what is TIT? I've seen this a few times on the forum, still can't figure it out...

TIT = This is Thailand.

Aha! Thanks so much!

[Sing_Sling]

English cuisine and English women - the foundation of a great seafarer nation! :-)

[~G~]

I want my name on the hotel company so that I can get a WP and pay taxes - and then use this to support my PR application in the future. No can do they tell me, because it's almost impossible to form a ltd company now that engages in real-estate. Better off just putting it all in your wife's name....

You're certainly unwelcome if you want to get a piece of the real estate business here.

[Donz]

So, the OP voices his concers and cites examples of how he feels that Thailand is making it more difficult for non-Thai residents to live in the country and all he gets is crap . . . nice people we have here on TV.

Would you not care to address the issues he raises ...? I guess answering that would cause you to think too much.

POT...KETTLE...BLACK.

You're really one to talk, aren't you, horse? After all the crap I've seen you give out....

'Address the issues' - indeed!

You are an odd fellow, indeed, Crawford.

Here you give me a little slap, with no examples, and in your next post you say bravo to a poster who agrees with what I had said . . .

What a welcome addition to TV you are . . .

DONZ, please come over, we need your ascerbic wit to counter Crawford!

I will be over soon enough.

When I get there I will make the place a better place.

Maybe I will even show you how to enjoy life

[The Philosopher]

So Sad now about Thailand.

extensions and visa fees gone up by 400%. no long 3 million investment enough. no lon 400,000 in a thai bank for them to keep when we die enough.

Then the 30 day visa kickout.

Next more bad news, more unwelcome messages.

I'm not really welcome here.

Having been coming to Thailand at least twice per year since 1986 - I do feel there is some truth in this. Gradually Thai people have beome less friendy - the certainly have become more aggressive in trying to remove ones currency. I have particulary noticed the attitude change in terms of hotel staff and people who perceive themselves to be important. The people who work in currency exchange booths are getting more rude every time I visit. This is just probably the way of things as a country grows and develops the people change. A pity really because I can remember when everyone had a smile.

[Ulysses G.]

So Sad now about Thailand.

extensions and visa fees gone up by 400%. no long 3 million investment enough. no lon 400,000 in a thai bank for them to keep when we die enough.

Then the 30 day visa kickout.

Next more bad news, more unwelcome messages.

I'm not really welcome here.

Having been coming to Thailand at least twice per year since 1986 - I do feel there is some truth in this. Gradually Thai people have beome less friendy - the certainly have become more aggressive in trying to remove ones currency. I have particulary noticed the attitude change in terms of hotel staff and people who perceive themselves to be important. The people who work in currency exchange booths are getting more rude every time I visit. This is just probably the way of things as a country grows and develops the people change. A pity really because I can remember when everyone had a smile.

I really fell that this is a bunch of cr*p and I've been here as long as The Philosopher. There were plenty of nasty, rude "important" Thais in Thai Embassies, Immigration, on the border and elsewhere when I first came here, and, if anything, these "important" people have gotten much more polite over the years.

As far as Thais having "become more aggressive in trying to remove ones currency", that is not true either. Just one example, I can remember when a farang couldn't go into a Department Store without the staff following, and bothering the heck out of them every step they took. It is a lot better now.

THESE are the good old days!

[Donz]

When I see one of them wear a red shirt, it makes me feel unwelcome.

It must be because they hate foreigners

[kiakaha]

I feel welcome and comfortable here.Permit extensions are easy, life is business as usual.

[simon43]

~G~, the point is that I have zero interest in engaging in real-estate! Our hotel is on long-term rented land. But the recent imposition of the company regs puts companies involved in hotel ownership into the same group as companies involved in real-estate, (ie buying/selling land or property).

Anyway, we have decided that the hotel will have to be in my wife's name only. I will then have to make a new Thai company which will engage in software etc. So I will get my WP and pay taxes for this software company.

My plan was to use the hotel project as something which would benefit my PR application. (ie - I had invested x million baht in a hotel for disabled tourists which brings income into Thailand AND does some social good by helping disabled tourists and Thais to have a nice holiday etc). With my name not appearing on this hotel venture at all, I assume that it's presence will count as nothing for my PR application.

Simon

[simcity]

So Sad now about Thailand.

extensions and visa fees gone up by 400%. no long 3 million investment enough. no lon 400,000 in a thai bank for them to keep when we die enough.

Then the 30 day visa kickout.

Next more bad news, more unwelcome messages.

I'm not really welcome here.

Having been coming to Thailand at least twice per year since 1986 - I do feel there is some truth in this. Gradually Thai people have beome less friendy - the certainly have become more aggressive in trying to remove ones currency. I have particulary noticed the attitude change in terms of hotel staff and people who perceive themselves to be important. The people who work in currency exchange booths are getting more rude every time I visit. This is just probably the way of things as a country grows and develops the people change. A pity really because I can remember when everyone had a smile.

Perhaps that is due at the fast peace the world is changing! everyday million of Thai in front of the television are watching soap of people with houses / car / luxury !

Life expense is increasing so much in Thailand, it affect low salary wage earner a lot!

I will be not be happy if I live with 7000 baht a month!

Perhaps the wakeup call is a hard one! Yes the smile is not there so much, but sometime I do not blame them.

[Donz]

Yeah lets start blaming the Television now lhahahahahha

[Sulaphat]

So Sad now about Thailand.

extensions and visa fees gone up by 400%. no long 3 million investment enough. no lon 400,000 in a thai bank for them to keep when we die enough.

Then the 30 day visa kickout.

Next more bad news, more unwelcome messages.

I'm not really welcome here.

I think you might have gotten things turned around a bit. Now that the fees and deposit amounts have gone up, it is actually quite likely that you are now more welcome than when the fees were lower.

[terryp]

We as foreigners have never been wanted here in Thailand…only the monetary assets that we can drop on the table before we fly back out.

I saw a massive change in Thai attitude in the early 90’s as more foreigners were arriving and spending more…more angry Thai men because you were with their girls, and understandably they did not have the cash to compete against a brash European.

Thai Rak Thai was not made as a joke, it was a direct front to Foreigners coming to Thailand then investing into sectors the Thai elite did not approve of…hence not Thai Rak Tuk Khun.

I have seen some truly terrible things due to Thai jealousy…normally a bottle or an astray in the back of the head and some violently much worse.

Those with their heads in the clouds who say how wonderful these people are and how we are wanted and loved must be wearing rose tinted specks…Thailand the land of smile…The biggest cliché ever

But go on shot me down and give the pathetic ‘go home if you don’t like it” answer; those are only fooling themselves…as the day always comes around when they too feel the unwanted attitude…whether when they are being told by some Thai official to go home if they don’t like, after being ripped off in a business deal or being blamed for a road accident just because you were at the scene and helped a victim? Or walking around one of the large retail shops… noticing the sly looks you get…I’m talking about the Thai guy in his mid twenty’s that would quite happily put a knife in your back

If you weren’t here the accident would never have happened …just like all that terrible money you made us take…We have never been wanted here.

[jdinasia]

so --- terryp ----- WHY are you here?

[Donz]

Terryp,

Why do you want to live in Thailand then if you feel so much hatred towards the Thai people?