Longtime political cartoonist 'Stephff' loses work permit & visa

[MJP]

Imagine 16 years of living in the country and based upon the reinterpretation of the rules you are no longer wanted. Under such circumstances who can truly invest here when they have to treat each yeah like your last, being a farang in Thailand seems to be a life without a future. Which I suppose is the intention of the powers that be.

I've come to the same conclusion recently and realise that even for those of us married with children, homes and all that stuff . . . all the eggs cannot be kept in the Thailand basket and I'm not confident I'll retire here.

[dru2]

You members here don't see what has been happening to foreigners in Thailand. There is a campaign , in the media, when reporting news about foreigners. The negative word play to paint those who break the law and those who are law abiding with the same brush. They encourage thais to distrust and be suspicious of "Foreigners" until distrust turns to fear and fear gives way to hate. We are branded as liars and cheaters by the actions of the few bad people who come here. Soon we will be as vile as a the butterfly man spoken of by brokenhearted Thai women we meet. It is the paradigm shift that the perpetrators, of this campaign, are aiming for until we all are viewed in a negative light. This character destruction will see changes in rules to make it difficult living here. Relationships will be affected and destroyed by the stigma of being with a foreigner. Your Jobs and businesses lost because of some non compliance to nonsense.

Whyareyouandwhatareyoudoinghere?

Just leave.

[jayboy]

Ironic that someone who spent years cheerleading all things yellow is now in this situation for having been "lukewarm" about the coup.

Countless daily cartoons of Thaksin bashing had seen him able to apply his trade with no problem whatsoever but a "lukewarm" reception to the military was enough to get him into this trouble. Maybe now he'll understand one of the key grievances of red shirts that you're allowed anything if you're on the right side of the elites but nothing if on the other.

Having said that good luck to him, hope he gets his work permit back, doesn't deserve this.

I agree completely.He is in my view painfully unfunny and an indifferent draftsman and I have never had the impression he understands that much about Thai society and politics except at the ploddingly superficial level.He very much echoes the urban middle class - once insanely obsessed with Thaksin as the root of all evil and now disenchanted with the Junta's incompetence.As you suggest there is no penalty for the former view but in his case some difficult consequences for the latter.Still it's wrong that he should be penalised in this way so one must record one's support for him.

[kiwikeith]

"Although Peray’s work was known for an anti-Shinawatra stance and lukewarm acceptance of the 2014 coup d’etat, he has for some months made fun of junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha"

Well he asked for it then .

The self appointed can not take a joke, but he makes plenty of them.

[SoiBiker]

Ironic that someone who spent years cheerleading all things yellow is now in this situation for having been "lukewarm" about the coup.

Countless daily cartoons of Thaksin bashing had seen him able to apply his trade with no problem whatsoever but a "lukewarm" reception to the military was enough to get him into this trouble. Maybe now he'll understand one of the key grievances of red shirts that you're allowed anything if you're on the right side of the elites but nothing if on the other.

Having said that good luck to him, hope he gets his work permit back, doesn't deserve this.

I agree completely.He is in my view painfully unfunny and an indifferent draftsman and I have never had the impression he understands that much about Thai society and politics except at the ploddingly superficial level.He very much echoes the urban middle class - once insanely obsessed with Thaksin as the root of all evil and now disenchanted with the Junta's incompetence.As you suggest there is no penalty for the former view but in his case some difficult consequences for the latter.Still it's wrong that he should be penalised in this way so one must record one's support for him.

A fair view of his output in my opinion - although I'd also add that there's a rather unpleasant element of racial stereotyping in much of his work.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

I think calling a political cartoonist a journalist is a bit of a stretch anyway. What's his average work day about five minutes scribbling on a cocktail napkin at his favorite watering hole? Good news is Charlie Hebdo is hiring. Why not go to France and poke fun at Muhammad for a change and see how that works out for you?

You should try to do it on daily basis then and see what you come with...

Typical answer from a goverment which doesnt want to have critics in its face.

Political cartoon is a very efficient way to send a message or critic to the public and the politics...

And about Charlie Hebdo : you re a big troll under a bridge

[animatic]

The Nation should state clearly in their letter that he is a staunch Anti Thaksin cartoonist which will be enough for a revoke of his WP and Visa.

Actually that would place him squarely WITH the current staunch anti-Thaksin regime.

[ballpoint]

Dont take it personally Stephff, it is not only you that is finding this problem. Farangs married to Thais now must produce their NEIGHBORS house documents to get their non O. This of course might be somewhat problematic if you don't get along with neighbors or don't have any at all. Visa denied. It's all part of the junta's xenophobia and nobody has been more critical (and hilariously so - thank you!) than yourself. Please continue to lampoon these fools from overseas, you still submit cartoons to the Nation from abroad without a thai work permit.

I never heard about these neighbours documents we have to provide for extension visa (thai spouse) too ?

Maybe his neighbours own ''his'' house and he is not aware/wife didn't tell him the whole story

Maybe she's actually the neighbour's wife?

[Tomtomtom69]

Dont take it personally Stephff, it is not only you that is finding this problem. Farangs married to Thais now must produce their NEIGHBORS house documents to get their non O. This of course might be somewhat problematic if you don't get along with neighbors or don't have any at all. Visa denied. It's all part of the junta's xenophobia and nobody has been more critical (and hilariously so - thank you!) than yourself. Please continue to lampoon these fools from overseas, you still submit cartoons to the Nation from abroad without a thai work permit.

What? Please explain this one.

My neighbors, although not on bad terms with each other don't talk to us, nor to one another. Everyone leaves each other alone and I would never want to bother them for something like this. This sounds like the biggest joke ever.

[Tomtomtom69]

After 16 years in the country why didn't he apply for permanent residency?

Why didn't he apply for citizenship?

You only need to be resident in Thailand for 3 consecutive years on a non-B or non-O + work permit to be eligible to apply for permanent residency.

Is he married to a Thai? If so, he can avoid the permanent residency and just apply for citizenship after the same 3 years on a non immigrant visa + work permit.

[jaidam]

Dont take it personally Stephff, it is not only you that is finding this problem. Farangs married to Thais now must produce their NEIGHBORS house documents to get their non O. This of course might be somewhat problematic if you don't get along with neighbors or don't have any at all. Visa denied. It's all part of the junta's xenophobia and nobody has been more critical (and hilariously so - thank you!) than yourself. Please continue to lampoon these fools from overseas, you still submit cartoons to the Nation from abroad without a thai work permit.

What? Please explain this one.

My neighbors, although not on bad terms with each other don't talk to us, nor to one another. Everyone leaves each other alone and I would never want to bother them for something like this. This sounds like the biggest joke ever.

i don't want to further derail this thread but yes, for my non o extension i need to provide copy of my neighbors house book and id, also neighbor must accompany us to immigration. This is an unbelievable hassle as we live hours away from the nearest immigration. Its not just Stepff that has been picked on, its many non o holders too.

[SoFarAndNear]

Dont take it personally Stephff, it is not only you that is finding this problem. Farangs married to Thais now must produce their NEIGHBORS house documents to get their non O. This of course might be somewhat problematic if you don't get along with neighbors or don't have any at all. Visa denied. It's all part of the junta's xenophobia and nobody has been more critical (and hilariously so - thank you!) than yourself. Please continue to lampoon these fools from overseas, you still submit cartoons to the Nation from abroad without a thai work permit.

What? Please explain this one.

My neighbors, although not on bad terms with each other don't talk to us, nor to one another. Everyone leaves each other alone and I would never want to bother them for something like this. This sounds like the biggest joke ever.

i don't want to further derail this thread but yes, for my non o extension i need to provide copy of my neighbors house book and id, also neighbor must accompany us to immigration. This is an unbelievable hassle as we live hours away from the nearest immigration. Its not just Stepff that has been picked on, its many non o holders too.

For what reason do they want to do this? Do they just want proof you really live over there. And why do that even if you life there for years and do this on your second or third extension?! Makes no sense?!

[connda]

He will probably find that, ironically, he is less likely to be sued for defamation and he will have greater freedom of expression based outside of the Land of Smiles. Look at the silver lining in the cloud.

Edited February 8, 2016 by connda