1 hour ago, trigpoint said:

Think you've lost the plot on Westerner's who live near the border of Thailand, whether it be Laos or Cambodia, see other posts about sending Laos or Cambodian people for their monthly shops to Tesco, massive inconvenience for expats, what they supposed to do, fly in from Vientiane or Phnom Penh and leg it across the border with their shopping? Get real, jimster.

 

He just doesn't get it. 

A off topic inflammatory post meant to derail the topic has been removed.

Thai immigration is something to be suffered

You are about a year behind as that information on  2 visa exempt was known  from entries last year.

However, as pointed out in this topic, the law did not become effective until it was officially published in the Royal Gazette recently.

I suspect  at least some of the delay in publishing  the law was due to the death last year of the previous king and now it was published with the new king's consent.

 

All this bikering about crossing tbe border. It wont affect lao citizens or cambodian citizens or Maymar citizens there is an agreement between countries.All this will affect border hoppers and those foriegners living in the other countries. Quite simple in my eyes you choose to live in other countries so stop whinning about Thailands rules. You will get 2  exempts per year just bring a big wagon over and shop for 6 months easy.

On 12/26/2016 at 3:27 PM, dbrenn said:

'Rich guys in, poor guys out' does seem to be the general drift of all the recent rule changes 

And then forgetting that even "poor guys" bring into the country an average of 50,000 baht a month.

I can not escape the idea, say 250,000 guys bringing in an average of 50,000 baht every month, not to mention the investment in housing and means of transport,  is quite a boon to the economy.

A much bigger boon as what the relatively few elite card holders bring in.

 

'Rich guys in, poor guys out' does seem to be the general drift of all the recent rule changes 

I understand your frustration. Visa laws are annoying. 

 

If these laws are annoying you wouldn't dream the trauma  a citizen of a poor country has to endure to get a visa to a Western country!

 

On ‎14‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 11:11 AM, hansnl said:

And then forgetting that even "poor guys" bring into the country an average of 50,000 baht a month.

I can not escape the idea, say 250,000 guys bringing in an average of 50,000 baht every month, not to mention the investment in housing and means of transport,  is quite a boon to the economy.

A much bigger boon as what the relatively few elite card holders bring in.

 

Thailand's GDP in 2016 was US$406.8 billion

 

I cannot escape the idea that the contribution of a few poor farangs  in the big picture is irrelevant and would not be missed ! 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, ravip said:

'Rich guys in, poor guys out' does seem to be the general drift of all the recent rule changes 

I understand your frustration. Visa laws are annoying. 

 

If these laws are annoying you wouldn't dream the trauma  a citizen of a poor country has to endure to get a visa to a Western country!

 

Almost none.. Providing that Thai citizen has the kind of funds to actually do so, without being a burden to the state, rural farm girls are not that bracket. 

 

Just this last month, wife given a 5 year tourist visa for UK, dont have to even think about that until 2022 (no reporting, no address forms, no 90 days, rock up and buy land, etc etc etc) and also a 6 month schengen visa.. 

 

All as simple as filling in the forms, showing a few 100k gbp on hand, and buying the tickets. 

On 12/26/2016 at 3:27 PM, dbrenn said:

'Rich guys in, poor guys out' does seem to be the general drift of all the recent rule changes 

lot of expat backroom chatter about this these days; some of us are quite serious in contemplating where to go/relocate;

would only take the 3 M bank requirement for extensions and there would be long lines of whiteskins at border points and airport departures;

since i have just built a house here, i would have a 'dual abode' and use the long term tourist visas here;

am personally leaning toward cambodia;

no stretch of imagination that a military dictatorship, fronting the real rulers, would come up with this as a new policy

I think some people should look at the date on the post they are replying to.