How to Save the Economy

[Lunchbob]

Begin a common sense, genuine program to grant Thai citizenship to people who meet a set of criteria that reflect the nation's new values.

[simon43]

who meet a set of criteria that reflect the nation's new values.

I hope you don't mean that they meet the Dear Leader's 12 commandments

[konying]

But how would that save the economy?

[Naam]

But how would that save the economy?

wealthy people from all over the world would flock to Thailand to obtain Thai citizenship and then spend their billions here. even those citizens who's home countries do not allow dual nationality would gladly give up their former passport in exchange for a Thai passport which allows you to travel to most countries without any restrictions

[FritsSikkink]

Begin a common sense, genuine program to grant Thai citizenship to people who meet a set of criteria that reflect the nation's new values.

don't know much about economy then.

[konying]

Begin a common sense, genuine program to grant Thai citizenship to people who meet a set of criteria that reflect the nation's new values.

don't know much about economy then.

Or common sense

[weegee]

Why not 5 yr visas for married people who support Families here, and have lived in one place in Thailand for over 5 yrs....?

90 day reporting is old world thinking...get rid of it for Married Families, for goodness sake....

This doesnt help the economy that much...but it helps ease the tension associated with it for genuine foreigners and their immediate family.

As far as citizenship goes WHY?...It's not really needed for most of us here...the way i see it.

[Cypress Hill]

Frankly, Thailand would be best served handing out free tourist visas.

An increase in tourism would be worth far more to this country than doling out citizenship to a handful of TEFLers and a few coffin-dodgers with goat-cheese pensions.

[impulse]

Frankly, Thailand would be best served handing out free tourist visas.

If the piddly cost of a visa is a deciding factor in where to go on holiday, those aren't the tourists that can save the economy.

[Cypress Hill]

Frankly, Thailand would be best served handing out free tourist visas.

If the piddly cost of a visa is a deciding factor in where to go on holiday, those aren't the tourists that can save the economy.

If you're talking about Westerners, you're probably not wrong but remember; there are a hell of a lot of BROWN and YELLOW tourists too.

Whitey just isn't as important any more

When Thailand waived visa fees for Chinese and Taiwanese this time last year, it worked quite well.

What they MAY lack in individual wealth compared to Westerners, they more than make up for in sheer weight of numbers.

Bottom line; they have a damn sight more impact than ex-plumber Sid's twice yearly pilgrimage to Big C with his newly-inherited extended family to show off while they load a pick up with cheap, pastel-coloured, plastic tat

[konying]

If we really are getting into it . For starters removing stupid business ownership regulations so foreign companies or individuals can actually own and control their companies without Thai shareholding.

Then allowing some house ownership , even restricting it to brand new or certain price range .

Then making business owners eligible for citizenship without jumping through fire and 20 year waits . Though if first 2 implemented, there would be no need to become a citizen.

What's more, foreign owned companies are pretty much the only ones paying taxes, while many Thai owned ones , hardly pay any . And that applies across most businesses and industries.

Being in business I interview people daily, believe it or not but most who came from Thai owned businesses do not and never had social security .

[impulse]

Frankly, Thailand would be best served handing out free tourist visas.

If the piddly cost of a visa is a deciding factor in where to go on holiday, those aren't the tourists that can save the economy.

If you're talking about Westerners, you're probably not wrong but remember; there are a hell of a lot of BROWN and YELLOW tourists too.

I'm talking about any tourist to whom the cost of a visa will sway their choice of holiday location. At some level of holiday spending, tourists put more wear and tear on the infrastructure and more strain on the resources than they contribute to the economy. That goes for white, yellow, brown and green tourists.

[Cypress Hill]

Frankly, Thailand would be best served handing out free tourist visas.

If the piddly cost of a visa is a deciding factor in where to go on holiday, those aren't the tourists that can save the economy.

If you're talking about Westerners, you're probably not wrong but remember; there are a hell of a lot of BROWN and YELLOW tourists too.

I'm talking about any tourist to whom the cost of a visa will sway their choice of holiday location. At some level of holiday spending, tourists put more wear and tear on the infrastructure and more strain on the resources than they contribute to the economy. That goes for white, yellow, brown and green tourists.

Regardless

Thailand is courting Chinese tourism for a reason; that reason is money

There are more of them, they spend a lot and they have little interest in staying.

If Western immigrants were spending as much, there'd be a drive to woo them.

They're not so there isn't

[MaeJoMTB]

An increase in tourism would be worth far more to this country than doling out citizenship to a handful of TEFLers and a few coffin-dodgers with goat-cheese pensions.

Retired people do not qualify for Thai citizenship.

TEFLers don't earn enough to qualify for Thai citizenship.

[tumama]

New values? And what would those new values be?