Would You Leave Thailand ?

[catman20]

6 hours ago, villagefarang said:

This Farang is not going anywhere.

nor this one

Edited December 28, 2016 by catman20

[Chip Allen]

If they make it impossible, (which they are TRYING to do).....I would skip for Cambodia in a heartbeat. Simple economics is beyond the grasp of even the most educated Thai.

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, villagefarang said:

This Farang is not going anywhere.

I'm not going anywhere either, but I'm disgusted by the treatment of the Thai government towards us expats, jumping through unnecessary hoops, risking lives on visa runs, making it harder for us by tightening up more rules as the years go on, of course I could go back to the UK and leave my beautiful wife, and get blown about by hurricane this and then hurricane that, and having to find ways to avoid paying as much of these unfair taxes

as possible. Yes after all I have said, in Thailand the good still outweighs the bad. 

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, sendintheclowns said:

appreciate that. I guess my background is more ''complicated''. We are a western couple, moved around a lot in the past 45 years - this being our 3rd country of choice to live in. We have rental properties and we have always wanted to own the land we live on, just like the previous countries. there are just some other than forms, things which tip the balance in favour of upping stakes and moving to where we are not treated as second class citizens. It would be useful if anyone else replying discloses whether they married a Thai lady/man ? thanks for your time and the Best, for 2017, everyone.

"We are a western couple". Talking about western couples and going a bit off topic, what's happened to Soi Biker? 

[impulse]

5 minutes after my company quits mailing my paychecks to Bangkok, I'll have all the arrangements made to leave.

 

It'll take a week or two to divest everything I won't be packing off.  I'll have fond memories of the people I work with.  But I won't miss the place much at all.

[worgeordie]

Been here 30 years ,next year,I dont bother anyone, noone bothers me,once a

year get the extension,4 times a year mail in 90 day report,that's no hardship,

Thailand's been very good to me,have a great wife and daughter,and a nice

peaceful life,and when i kick off,i have a grave bought in Foreign cemetery,

so i will never leave.

regards worgeordie

[LivinLOS]

Everything and each posters views need focusing through the lens of life cycle, commitments and the need to validate previous choices.. 

 

For those happy and integrated.. Good for you.. For those older and slowing down.. I can see it being appealing.. For those on a fixed income or budget who doesnt go out much or consume imported items, I can see how it stretches.. Even for the sexpats and bar flys.. I can see what Thailand has to offer which on balance few other places do.. 

 

For me its the multiple Ds.. The dirt, driving, decrepitude, and dishonesty, which are driving me out more than some form asking for my social media accounts.. Sure you can wall yourself into ivory towers.. You can stay within your property line and not be bothered by it.. But after time in SW germany this summer, you look at the organisation here and wonder how it fails so hard.. Maybe I just need a break for a few years, but the appeals for me as a married guy are waning fast. 

 

 

 

 

[Mansell]

I love my wife.....I love this country warts and all.....I love these friendly smiling people......I love the weather.......I love living on much less money than America.

i don't think I will be leaving here any time soon. I always wanted to live in the tropics, and now I am. Enjoy it all.

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

Have spent the last year setting up exactly this.. From a few years ago buying 5 rai for the grand villa and maybe a bunch of rental homes around a pool (estimated 30 mil inward) to dropping off extensions back to a ME visa, going and setting up a fall back home in the west, starting a biz back there, and the full lifeboat option to be on a plane in a day or two without any real interruption to my life just in case.. 

 

What I discovered this summer was

1) the UK is probably cheaper, for the life I lead and the things I consume these days than Thailand is

2) theres sooo much to do that I had forgotten I loved (track days, racing calendar, flight lessons, music festivals, bands, etc).. 

3) making money is so easy back there that not only is it not costing me anything, its set to me making me multi 100k doing it. 

 

I am younger than some at 43, been 'retired' here since I was 28.. Allowed myself to become brainwashed by every expats complaints of trips home, the self validation of 'how great it was to be back' or holiday makers gushing over how lucky it is to be here.. Sure it may be fine at 60 to wind down and live slow in a semi decent climate but this last year has me enthused with the action of being back in europe, my only problems involve the wife / travel / our dog / etc.. 

 

Of course its cold and dark in the UK now.. So I am here.. Counting the days until the winter is over to get back. I am really wondering if I wouldnt do far better having a villa in portugal for the winter rather than here. The biz I have started can easily pay for that cost without touching any of my nestegg. 

 

 

Sorry. If you retired at 28 I don't think you are typical of the people here and are therefore in entirely different circumstances to most. The views of those who are just getting by and would have to weigh up their options very carefully and without 'grand villas' are more relevant.

Edited December 28, 2016 by Bangkok Barry

[simon43]

But, we also learned the next best thing was to enter into a 30+30+30 year lease. 

 

I don't want to take this topic off-course.  But the 30+30+30 lease has never been legal in any shape or form.  Legal opinion is that if it were challenged in Court, then the initial 30 years of that 'fake' lease would also be declared false and non-enforceable.

 

I suggest you go and talk with a lawyer, preferably not the one that 'sold' you the idea of a 30+30+30 year lease.

[LivinLOS]

5 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Sorry. If you retired at 28 I don't think you are typical of the people here and are therefore in entirely different circumstances to most. The views of those who are just getting by and would have to weigh up their options very carefully and without 'grand villas' are more relevant.

 

You obviously dont see much of the Surin set who populate the west coast of Phuket.. The exact people Thailand wants to come here.. 

 

For all of the things that frustrate me.. The things that do excite me, the things which give me hope.. Is the pace of change which is probably upsetting for a huge portion of expats. 

 

The way young modern Thais are developing a craft beer scene.. The nice bars and environments they are making for themselves, where you dont see many farangs at all, and the ones you do see are working, younger, more comfotable with the rising costs.. The fact the middle income Thais I meet there tend to be just as exasperated by the exact same frustrations over inequality in opportunity, corruption, lack of responsibility, etc..

 

Young modern urban Thailand actually gives some hope.. However the exact things which is working for them, will work against expat budget lifestyles.  

[LivinLOS]

6 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

I don't want to take this topic off-course.  But the 30+30+30 lease has never been legal in any shape or form.  Legal opinion is that if it were challenged in Court, then the initial 30 years of that 'fake' lease would also be declared false and non-enforceable.

 

I suggest you go and talk with a lawyer, preferably not the one that 'sold' you the idea of a 30+30+30 year lease.

 

 

It was, as they say, accepted and endorsed by local land offices as 'legal' at that time.. 

 

[overherebc]

Making plans to hopefully leave next year. Been here since early 90's and have met some of the most untrustworthy scheming people ever and that is a sad thing to say about some of the expats here in Thailand.

[daveAustin]

This comes up every once in a while. Despite the current gov and forever spiralling prices (plus high bahts vs crashing Western currencies) etc, I don't think anything major is going to happen, such as 'get out of here' or BIG visa changes. However, it is quite fickle, and, IMO, you never know and no matter how set you are (I like it here and like being around Thais), one should probably have some sort of plan B. But, yes, defo a very different place to 10-15 years ago.

[Rhys]

well that is mighty white of you  

[mpyre]

4 hours ago, sendintheclowns said:

Fair questions and comments. First, please excuse the length of my reply. we moved here, originally, part time in 1992 and thought renting would do for us. 6 months here and 6 months in Vancouver.  We did learn very quickly that we cannot buy land. But, we also learned the next best thing was to enter into a 30+30+30 year lease. That lease was registered at the land Dept., so, one would imagine the regulations would not change. This is probably the biggest worry, I think. The property rules do keep changing and they change retroactively.  My understanding is that all land departments will now refuse to register a lease with extension clauses.

Secondly, The 'personal information mining' is what comes to mind. in the past 12 months, (although it was an old regulation), the TM28/30 has been introduced. I wouldn't mind if it worked. In 2016, I submitted 4 different forms (TM47 and TM30's) which have been lost, or thrown away (registered post and I included the stamped SAE's). This required me to drive to Nakohn Immigration twice and to Phuket Immigration once. 

In 2016, we had the requirement to file personal information forms, which originally asked for personal family details, bank accounts and your computer id. Unfortunately, we were one of the first to file, without being advised that the last bit of info. was voluntary. The last Visa extension (supported by the 800k deposit certficate) was delayed, whilst the senior officer scanned through the 3 month         certified bank statements - ''we need to make sure that you have money coming in to Thailand to live off'' Look, we've been happy living here for 20 years.

A senior bank manager interviewed me, in November, at our village branch, out of the blue - ''where do you live, what are you doing in Thailand, what kind of visa do you have, do you know you can't work anywhere in Thailand, does your country send you money''. This has been my bank for 23 year; my local branch for 12 yrs.  Again

OK - some of this is 'normal', for the third world. But, I cannot say that my wife and I are looking forward us hitting our 80's and dealing with, potentially even more of the ''this is not your country'' attitude which, we all know the education system is still beating in to school children. In summary, we have no desire to up and leave Thailand. I was curious to see what the general population of TV members think, currently, esp. western couples, who do not have Thai family connections.

Thailand is not an immigrant nation...the "attitude" toward foreign residents is as simple as that. Unlike USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Global Colonist Great Britain where immigrants have been the norm for centuries, and the heart and soul of economic growth, countries like Thailand, Japan, Korea and China have always viewed foreigners with some trepidation,  and rightly so, given the Imperial history (including Asian Imperialism) of the past 500 years. You may think this is all ancient history, long forgotten, but it is not...it is ingrained in the very consciousness and soul of these cultures.

If anything, foreign residents are probably treated much better than the should be, given the historical circumstances...just ask the Maori, the Aborigines and the American Indians.

[georgemandm]

6 hours ago, mstevens said:

I can't answer the question of whether I would leave Thailand or not - as I do not live there - but I can explain why I choose not to live there year round.  Over the past few years I have spent several months each year in Thailand.  I enjoy it as a base to visit other parts of the region.

 

This past year I spent almost 9 months in Thailand.  Last year it was less than 4 months.  The year before it was maybe 8 months.  Unlike many, I fly back Down Under every few months and don't stay in Thailand for any more than 4 months at a time.  I like Thailand, but I like my own country too!

 

I am under 50 and semi-retired (I have passive income but do not work) so if I wanted to stay in Thailand I guess my visa options would be to use multiple-entry tourist visas or buy the the Elite card.  If I was going to spend most of my time for the next 5 years in Thailand I would get the Elite card.  However, I find after a few months I need to get away from Thailand for a couple of months and find the place all gets a bit much for me.  At times it is just too hot and at other times I get annoyed with the people - that is the foreign residents.

 

Thailand has a lot going for it but living year round is too much for me.  I enjoy the variety of moving backwards and forwards between Australia and Thailand and find that splitting my time between the two countries keeps me happy and I bore of neither.

 

 

I feel the same as you going and coming to Australia, just come home Australia after 4 months in thailand and am so much happy here .

just everything is just so much better then thailand it is like black and white , Australia being white, like had ex ray to day after a  accident in thailand some months ago cost me not dollar.

the shopping at home in Melbourne just so good and prices not far away from thai prices.

My thai loves Australia just say how lucky we are to have a great county like Australia.

Not care but not understand how someone can give up a great county like Australia and move to thailand full time , but up to them .

I could never ever live full time in the land of so called smiles, of what I see not a lot of smiles.

 

[Don Mega]

sigh, how inconvenient. Guess I l just have to give my passport to HR like i used to for my 90 day reporting, which takes me about the same time as reporting online.

Edited December 28, 2016 by Don Mega

[laislica]

We spend 5 months in Thailand so my wife can spend time with her family.

6 months plus in Spain where the cost of living is similar to Thailand, if you are able to remove the cost of housing.

My Thai wife has a Spanish Foreigners ID, good for 5 years and can come and go without further paperwork or costs.

No TM 30 or 90 day reports for her.

She part owns property in Spain.

She has Spanish NHS cover.

The weather is semi tropical, it feels safe, the language is easy to learn, we have Thai friends.

 

We are currently beginning to talk about not visiting Thailand for winter 2017/8.

Air fares saved could be spent bringing a couple of family members to Spain for a holiday.....

I am almost 75 and she almost 55 and I hate/am allergic to mozzies!!!! Which is my biggest bitch about Thailand.

I dread "after dark"when the mozzies are most active and so I miss going out for walks etc.

 

Soon after Songkran we will return to Spain and I will breath a sigh of relief.

We have a car in Spain but not in Thailand because of the crazy driving here....

We would also like to spend time traveling in Europe to visit some of the many friends we have there.

Oh, and see some snow LOL

 

We just had a holiday with friends to the Bridge over the River Kwai and then on to Hua Hin where the attractions seem to focus on bar girls and the like and sleazy places.

Places that are of no interest to me or my wife.....

 

[Don Mega]

4 minutes ago, laislica said:

We spend 5 months in Thailand so my wife can spend time with her family.

6 months plus in Spain where the cost of living is similar to Thailand, if you are able to remove the cost of housing.

My Thai wife has a Spanish Foreigners ID, good for 5 years and can come and go without further paperwork or costs.

No TM 30 or 90 day reports for her.

She part owns property in Spain.

She has Spanish NHS cover.

The weather is semi tropical, it feels safe, the language is easy to learn, we have Thai friends.

 

We are currently beginning to talk about not visiting Thailand for winter 2017/8.

Air fares saved could be spent bringing a couple of family members to Spain for a holiday.....

I am almost 75 and she almost 55 and I hate/am allergic to mozzies!!!! Which is my biggest bitch about Thailand.

I dread "after dark"when the mozzies are most active and so I miss going out for walks etc.

 

Soon after Songkran we will return to Spain and I will breath a sigh of relief.

We have a car in Spain but not in Thailand because of the crazy driving here....

We would also like to spend time traveling in Europe to visit some of the many friends we have there.

Oh, and see some snow LOL

 

We just had a holiday with friends to the Bridge over the River Kwai and then on to Hua Hin where the attractions seem to focus on bar girls and the like and sleazy places.

Places that are of no interest to me or my wife.....

 

 

 

So in a nutshell, you don't live in Thailand so why  bother replying ?

[catinthehat]

Currently developing our Plan "B". Just a few more pushes will put us over the edge.

[laislica]

10 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

 

 

So in a nutshell, you don't live in Thailand so why  bother replying ?

 

 

Ha ha

The posting police have just woken up he he

FO!

[rijb]

Absolutely.  You never know when a contingency plan might come in handy.

[Generalchaos]

Agree with the OP, for anyone here long term, it is like another brick in the wall!

 

Try Chiang Mai for marriage extension....more hoops to jump through than a trained poodle! They cancelled Queue Online, they closed the Airport office with no notification, not even sure where we are supposed to apply this year.

 

If you think nothing has changed here since 2003, then you are wearing rose tinted spectacles or just too dumb to notice.

 

You could walk into Chiang Mai Immigration in the afternoon back then, no appointment, no stupid tickets from the defunct machine, no queue online, no agent NOTHING! and get a years extension without the least bit hassle!

[Naam]

9 hours ago, villagefarang said:

This Farang is not going anywhere.

and neither is this one

[Don Mega]

40 minutes ago, laislica said:

 

 

Ha ha

The posting police have just woken up he he

FO!

 

 

Been awake since 4am Thai time, you ?

[IMA_FARANG]

No, not unless I had to.

I have been here for over  3 years now, and  , though not perfect, I would rather stay here with my reasonably good xituation than be back in the U.S.A.

Just my opinion, not everyonr may agree,

[1FinickyOne]

I have no plans to leave. I know some people find the visa requirements difficult, which is hard for me to imagine. I guess it is relatively quite easy and nothing has changed for my retirement visa for a long time, so, it is not getting harder. 

 

What is getting harder?

 

I have owned land back home and been taxed handsomely on that land, enough to make it feel like a rental. Yes, I have a Thai wife and family and pleasaed to put everything in their names... it is just paper... 

 

And if someday I have to leave -- well, I have enjoyed my time here... 

[alfieconn]

1 hour ago, laislica said:

We spend 5 months in Thailand so my wife can spend time with her family.

6 months plus in Spain where the cost of living is similar to Thailand, if you are able to remove the cost of housing.

My Thai wife has a Spanish Foreigners ID, good for 5 years and can come and go without further paperwork or costs.

No TM 30 or 90 day reports for her.

She part owns property in Spain.

She has Spanish NHS cover.

The weather is semi tropical, it feels safe, the language is easy to learn, we have Thai friends.

 

We are currently beginning to talk about not visiting Thailand for winter 2017/8.

Air fares saved could be spent bringing a couple of family members to Spain for a holiday.....

I am almost 75 and she almost 55 and I hate/am allergic to mozzies!!!! Which is my biggest bitch about Thailand.

I dread "after dark"when the mozzies are most active and so I miss going out for walks etc.

 

Soon after Songkran we will return to Spain and I will breath a sigh of relief.

We have a car in Spain but not in Thailand because of the crazy driving here....

We would also like to spend time traveling in Europe to visit some of the many friends we have there.

Oh, and see some snow LOL

 

We just had a holiday with friends to the Bridge over the River Kwai and then on to Hua Hin where the attractions seem to focus on bar girls and the like and sleazy places.

Places that are of no interest to me or my wife.....

 

 

Seems like your losing a month every year 

[al007]

I have never been happier in my life than I am today, and I have had far more than most

 

I have a couple of technical problems like two different cancers, not identified earlier due to possible hospital malpractice

 

I retired 23 yrs ago, and travelled the world

 

I screwed up a few times, well lets say no more !

 

I have so far only been married four times, this time 9 yrs, so far so good, I am married just a day at a time!!

 

The Russian/ Israeli lady, well actually the bitch not from hell but much worse, wife No3

 

She took 90% of my world wide assets after 18 mths

 

I am such a lucky man, I came to Thailand, 10 yrs ago looking to be picked up, I was, I did choose Hua Hin

 

Because I thought it was a little more upmarket

 

I suggest those who are not happy look at themselves

 

God has looked after me so well, he/she is very busy so we have to help, it is not fair to expect it to happen without our help

 

I posted this yesterday, when UbonJoe said the government site had been closed down

 

Well what a positive way to protect against hacking, have nothing to hack

On the same basis all vehicles, trucks, busses,  minivans and cars need to be banned, 

Then road deaths over the holiday period would be substantially cut

Happy holidays, I will go next week to immigration in the OX cart !

 

Gentlemen and Ladies

I consider I am fortunate and grateful to be here in Thailand

 

I have far too many imperfections, if in doubt ask my wife, Thailand also has imperfections

 

Lets be happy we are fortunate enough to be living here

 

So far as I understand no one will stop us returning to our original country

 

God Bless and Happy New Year