21 hours ago, anotheruser said:

 

You really no nothing about living in Laos do you? Look at what is sold in Laos and you will see that the country is very dependent on Thailand. Why do you think many things are priced in Baht? I will give you a hint... because they are bought in Thailand.

 

Virtually every restaurant in the capitol gets their stuff from Thailand. For an example of how it affects people let's say theoretically you live in Thailand. Now let's say they say you no longer are allowed to shop at any mall, Tesco, Big C, Tops, Rimping, powerbuy, homepro, Thai Watsadu, global house, index, robinsons, Mark and spencers, and the list goes on and on.

 

If you really don't see how not being able to access all of those regularly try building a house with out them. There really isn't much available in Laos and it does affect the development of the country. things are slow because literally every single thing you need has to be trucked in. 

 

Over 90% of consumer goods come from outside of Laos. If you want sticky rice and lao lao and live in a thatched hut you can get the stuff for that in Laos, for anything else it is imported.

 

That isn't even taking into account health care. So yes to answer your question everyday life is deeply dependent on having access to Thailand.

So why choose Laos as a base then? Choose a country to live where you can get those things if they are important to you. Don't blame Thailand for regulating its borders. Blame Laos for being underdeveloped or start a company there which will import these goods and make some money.

So why choose Laos as a base then? Choose a country to live where you can get those things if they are important to you. Don't blame Thailand for regulating its borders. Blame Laos for being underdeveloped or start a company there which will import these goods and make some money.

Difficult if you're married to a Laotian with a Laotian family...

2 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

Difficult if you're married to a Laotian with a Laotian family...

 

Difficult to start a company or difficult to move to a country where there are more facilities.

Difficult to start a company or difficult to move to a country where there are more facilities.

Difficult to not have Laos as your home.

The very simple explanation is: Thai Immigration wish to stop people doing border runs on the cheap and living in Thailand, the number of folk in Thailand bouncing across the land border and back every 30 days (or is it 15?) must be huge. As is usual, there has been no thought to the effect this ruling will have on those doing the opposite, living in Laos and skipping across the border every 30 days.
 
The Lao visa situation is completely untenable for those wishing to make their home there.
 
There are three basic legal options.
 
1 - pay for a visa on arrival every 30 days, easy ($30 I think) but you have to cross the border to do so. Herein the problem for a lot of expats.
2 - pay for a business visa, once a year ($500 I think + many documents etc) and cross the border annually.
3 - get permanent residence - almost impossible - I am married to a Lao and a permanent residence visa is  a possibility 10 years into the future. I know one guy who has got his after 20 years and he is well connected. I lived there and the marriage process took two years, lotsa money and a foot high stack of documents, three interviews with officials and not all succeed in the application.
 
This is why the Nong Khai shopping trips are so popular.
 
Mind you I remember when the Thai Nong Khai Immigration folk were doing a "runner hunt" once when I crossed into Nong Khai on my way to Bangkok, they were obviously looking for folk residing in the Nong Khai environs, because when asked where I was going to, I replied Bangkok and they let me go with a smile.
 
So it may be that after a while, they bow to pragmatism , or should I say, forget to check.

Maybe they thought of this, but did not consider people living in Laos their responsibility.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

On 1/8/2017 at 5:37 PM, JLCrab said:

The implications are simple: Other than the now 2 allowed land border visa-exempt entries per year, a non-Lao citizen living in Laos can either enter Thailand on a visa obtained at the Thai Embassy or Consulate in Laos or get a Lao citizen to cross into Thailand and do their shopping for them and bring the items back into PDR Lao.

 

Visa-exempt entries via air are still non-restricted.

 

I hope someday you can find the ability to see a tree in the forest. 

10 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

So why choose Laos as a base then? Choose a country to live where you can get those things if they are important to you. Don't blame Thailand for regulating its borders. Blame Laos for being underdeveloped or start a company there which will import these goods and make some money.

 

Because up until a few weeks ago these restrictions didn't exist? that's like asking a retiree why they moved to Thailand if they couldn't meet new requirements for having $300,000 in a bank that was introduced a week ago. 

 

I hope that all people commenting on this site that lack empathy for others find themselves in the worst circumstances later on. 

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

Maybe they thought of this, but did not consider people living in Laos their responsibility.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

 

The numbers of expats in Laos are not that large.  They will survive this no problem people that settle in Laos tend to be a bit tougher than the average Pattaya transplant.  

 

The lining in the cloud is this will make it harder for others to come to Laos. Thailand doesn't care and that is actually right. The lack of empathy from people in Thailand is what is irksome. I hope they tighten up on visas in Thailand and bring the righteous to their knees.  lol 

The end of the much promoted 'Medical Hub' in Thailand?

13 minutes ago, hgma said:

The end of the much promoted 'Medical Hub' in Thailand?

Get a visa between heart attacks. don't have a stroke more than twice a year.

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by anotheruser

4 hours ago, anotheruser said:

 

I hope someday you can find the ability to see a tree in the forest. 

It ain't a matter of empathy or seeing the BIG picture -- Thailand puts in some new regulation and within a New York second people again on here are saying "Don't they realize ...?" or "What would be a better solution ... " or "Here they go shooting themselves in the foot again ... " or "They don't understand how people live in the real world ..." or some other reaction as to why a certain class of non-Thai people now know how to set the Thai Immigration or some other rules for the Thais better than the Thais do and it just gets tedious.

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by JLCrab

Yes it does get tedious. Have a good evening.

6 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

Yes it does get tedious. Have a good evening.

It's morning here in Thailand. Where are you?

 

At my condo near Asoke. Any other questions boss? It is raining and the pic isn't great but that is Petchaburi road if you are familiar with Bangkok. On the left is the airport link to Swampy.

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by anotheruser

Yeah -- I know it's dark and raining but how come I can't see that high horse you're sittin' on?

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by JLCrab

3 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Yeah -- I know it's dark and raining but how come I can't see that high horse you're sittin' on?

To say have a good evening just sounded more polite than <deleted> off evidently you don't take a hint easily. Are you even in thailand?

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by anotheruser

Hints? Not at 5 AM here in the Isaan boondocks... and the feeling is mutual, I'm sure. It's just living in Thailand I would rather roll with the punches should they come rather than putting myself in a position where I could easily get punched.

 

But since you are in Kroong-Tep why don't you go to the Ministry of Interior HQ and tell them how their stupid new regulation adversely impacts all those non-Thai citizens not living in Thailand want easy access to Thailand in a manner and frequency of their choosing? 

Edited January 9, 20179 yr by JLCrab

Easily get punched? Afraid you loat me now please take your meds.

Punched as in if the rules change, as rules tend to do, I could be in a world of hurt as if punched -- and you're the one who thinks it's evening here in Thailand.

5 hours ago, anotheruser said:

 

Because up until a few weeks ago these restrictions didn't exist? that's like asking a retiree why they moved to Thailand if they couldn't meet new requirements for having $300,000 in a bank that was introduced a week ago. 

 

I hope that all people commenting on this site that lack empathy for others find themselves in the worst circumstances later on. 

 

Do you have a link to this?  I have seen nothing that says an extension based on being over 50 now requires 300,000 USD/10695000.34THB .

 

It seems this topic has run its course since it down to bickering between a few members. Topic