Are Farang coming here full time a thing of the past?

[wildewillie89]

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Oh, so you are not using the Pattaya immigration office. That makes everything you wrote off topic. This thread is about PATTAYA.

The thread actually has no relevance to the Pattaya Immigration Office either. So everything you just wrote was off topic haha...should play the ball, not the man so you dont look silly :)

[Rimmer]

Multiple off topic posts about immigration and visas have again been removed,  There is a forum dedicated to visas and documents.

Multiple public posts to stay on topic have previously been posted, further off topic posts will result in the topic being closed.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, wabear said:

Speaking for me only, Thailand has gotten a lot more expensive. I'm a gay man, and Thailand is no longer the only gay friendly country. Even China is opening up in the big cities. I've been vacationing in Thailand for almost 30 years, obviously I like the place, but I'm thinking in a few years when I retire, I'd prefer the freedom of spending time in different places in Thailand, and in Asia. And am I wrong that the weather is getting worse in Thailand?????

The weather now in Thailand is no worse than it ever was. There have been some storms that have brought flooding problems in Thailand, but Pattaya's flooding is entirely man made by destroying the previously functioning drainage on Beach Rd when they widened it.

[tropo]

4 hours ago, wildewillie89 said:

To go back on topic, I think variables (other than Visas), will be probably be having impacts on if people stay here full time. Instability within the political system, prices of things increasing vs them being possibly cheaper in other countries. People maybe are starting to feel the positives of the place are not worth the hassles of moving here (if they indeed do find them hassling). 

No way would have I moved here if I couldn't get what I was getting back in Australia. I wonder why half the people I met when I first moved here did move here. They didn't seem particularly happy. Same with many of the members on the forum. Seems to be once big sook fest. With members vocabulary being limited to 'corruption' and 'twerking'. It is a third world country, what did they expect on moving here? For it to be exactly the same as back home only a lot cheaper? Seems most people come for holidays, love life, then reality hits when moving here. Run out of money, need something to complain about. Third world countries are places you really need to prepare for if moving here...unless you have money coming out of your ears. 

 

You're under half my age. Trust me dude, your "reality" will come when I'm probably dead and buried... getting married to a Thai woman at age 27 (or did you marry at 25?). I'll put money down you'll have a lot of complaining to do in the future, when you wake up to a wife in her 50's and all your mates are prancing around with 20 plus beauties. I feel for you, but I won't be around to say I told you so. Your wife must think she hit the jackpot. I'm not surprised she's running around taking care of all your Immigration duties.

 

When I was your age I was living it up in Surfers Paradise as a single guy. You're too young for this gig.

 

You were 15 years old when I first visited an immigration office here, but you already know it all.

[tropo]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The weather now in Thailand is no worse than it ever was. There have been some storms that have brought flooding problems in Thailand, but Pattaya's flooding is entirely man made by destroying the previously functioning drainage on Beach Rd when they widened it.

Yeah, the weather is normal. There are no strict patterns as there is no clearly defined wet season. Some years we get a cool season, some years not. Last "cool season" didn't happen.

 

Having said that, good weather for me is an overcast day with as little sun as possible. I also really enjoy rainy days.

[wildewillie89]

42 minutes ago, tropo said:

You're under half my age. Trust me dude, your "reality" will come when I'm probably dead and buried... getting married to a Thai woman at age 27 (or did you marry at 25?). I'll put money down you'll have a lot of complaining to do in the future, when you wake up to a wife in her 50's and all your mates are prancing around with 20 plus beauties. I feel for you, but I won't be around to say I told you so.

 

When I was your age I was living it up in Surfers Paradise as a single guy. You're too young for this gig.

 

You were 15 years old when I first visited an immigration office here, but you already know it all.

Firstly, none of my mates are the type of guys who feel the need to date women who could be compared to either their daughters or granddaughters. So I do not think I will have that sort of problem. As a 27 year old I do not hang out at bars with grandpas either complaining about the country or how they screwed a girl that is in an unfortunate enough position she has to please men who revolt her (that must feel good). If they are your mates, then i will tell you now (whilst you're still alive), that 'I feel for you'. 

I had my fun back in Melbourne for a few years. I moved to Thai to settle down. The fun life gets pretty boring after a while, as I am sure we are all aware of. You will get the odd blokes who think otherwise, but usually their fun is restricted to paying for it. So it is hot and cold (when funds are available), and that is why they continue the lifestyle for decades. 

I do not 'know it all', but I moved into a family here who have a pretty good idea of it. My father-in-law just signed off not long ago to have the new Immigration office built a few kms from the wife's house (he is the Mayor - ex Army). My wife is a government official so has better understandings of how things go than others (as she is indeed obviously educated and can comprehend a basic list of what to bring to Immigration - seems many cannot). And in terms of living a stress free life, my uncle is boss of police in my city (the thing I didn't like about Melbourne was the constant parking fines I used to get). I get my free government health care here and free health and education/bachelor for my kids. The wife will be on a pension bigger than the Australian pension when she retires (eligible for early retirement at 47), and if she dies before me the government will pay me out. Not to mention they pay 30% of the Mrs home loan (and give very good interest rates). 

Read various threads about the advantages of marrying public servants if you, for some reason, cannot believe any of that.

So, I do NOT have it all worked out, but to move from the most liveable city in the world (Melbourne), as voted the last 6 years, I needed to make sure I had a hell of a lot of it worked out. Which it seems I do in my opinion. As it stands now, with the different work I am able to do vs living costs, I am even more financially better off living here (as I do not need to pay for a house/rent/general living). 

To get back to the thread...I understand most people don't get all of that, so that is why I am of the belief that as the country gets more expensive (electricity increase not long ago), people will start to look elsewhere. But for me, clearly I am better off here and have pretty good understandings of how the place goes. 

[tropo]

2 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

Firstly, none of my mates are the type of guys who feel the need to date women who could be compared to either their daughters or granddaughters. So I do not think I will have that sort of problem. As a 27 year old I do not hang out at bars with grandpas either complaining about the country or how they screwed a girl that is in an unfortunate enough position she has to please men who revolt her (that must feel good). If they are your mates, then i will tell you now (whilst you're still alive), that 'I feel for you'. 

 

2

LOL> perhaps you don't have mates like that, but your mates probably have. If you think your view on life will be the same in 20 years, you're dreaming. As I said, when I was 27, I was living it up in Australia. I didn't even venture to Asia until my 40's.

 

You're on a honeymoon that will end. You've only just arrived.

 

If you're as connected, wherever you live, as you say you are, then you're never going to have problems with immigration. You can probably get your extensions without any paperwork. You could be making it up and just trolling, but if it is real, nothing you have to say is of any value to "normal" people living here.

[wildewillie89]

3 minutes ago, tropo said:

LOL> perhaps you don't have mates like that, but your mates probably have. If you think your view on life will be the same in 20 years, you're dreaming. As I said, when I was 27, I was living it up in Australia. I didn't even venture to Asia until my 40's.

 

You're on a honeymoon that will end. You've only just arrived.

 

If you're as connected, wherever you live, as you say you are, then you're never going to have problems with immigration. You can probably get your extensions without any paperwork. You could be making it up and just trolling, but if it is real, nothing you have to say is of any value to "normal" people living here.

There are many people here who have married into government families. Hence, why the threads exist about marrying government women. In terms of the actual thread subject,  I would say it is very relevant. As that thing alone could be the difference if people live full time here or not. As it was for me, and many others here. 

I have been here 2 years. Travelled here 9 or 10 times previously, all over the country. Travelling is the honeymoon period, the fist 6 months is the frustration period of how locals do things. After that people should have figured out methods of being at ease with themselves. Maybe not, if you haven't since your 40s. But knowing the inner details of most things, it helps me deal with them. 

Who cares if my mates have...are you saying that I must only spend time with people if they bring along someone else? Stretching it here. 99% of my friends in Thai are Thai anyway, so that irrelevant point in the scheme of things doesn't have any impact on me anyway. 

You are you. I am I. Two completely different people. What maybe works for you clearly doesn't for me. What has worked for me, clearly seems it wouldn't have for you. The world would be boring if everyone had the exact same path in life. Can add my FB if you need to see photos of me at different award ceremonies. You can get your mates granddaughters to translate the awards if the poor girls ever got a chance to be educated. Or look at the threads re govt officials, no one just happens to know the finer details for no reason, other than having a government wife. 

[tropo]

3 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

There are many people here who have married into government families. Hence, why the threads exist about marrying government women. In terms of the actual thread subject,  I would say it is very relevant. As that thing alone could be the difference if people live full time here or not. As it was for me, and many others here. 

I have been here 2 years. Travelled here 9 or 10 times previously, all over the country. Travelling is the honeymoon period, the fist 6 months is the frustration period of how locals do things. After that people should have figured out methods of being at ease with themselves. Maybe not, if you haven't since your 40s. But knowing the inner details of most things, it helps me deal with them. 

Who cares if my mates have...are you saying that I must only spend time with people if they bring along someone else? Stretching it here. 99% of my friends in Thai are Thai anyway, so that irrelevant point in the scheme of things doesn't have any impact on me anyway. 

You are you. I am I. Two completely different people. What maybe works for you clearly doesn't for me. What has worked for me, clearly seems it wouldn't have for you. The world would be boring if everyone had the exact same path in life. Can add my FB if you need to see photos of me at different award ceremonies. You can get your mates granddaughters to translate the awards if the poor girls ever got a chance to be educated. Or look at the threads re govt officials, no one just happens to know the finer details for no reason, other than having a government wife. 

According to your bragfest, you're married into government officialdom with strong connections to the military and police and living in a town or village where they run the show. We know you will never have problems with visas in your situation. We get that. Your wife does everything for you. You could probably present them with signed toilet paper and still get your extensions. You could probably stay without any visa at all.

 

You don't have much to offer regular people who are not connected. They continue to jump through hoops and continue to be treated with disrespect by Immigration officials. Many of the people you insult here have been dealing with immigration for over a decade and see the changes. 

 

 

 

 

[wildewillie89]

11 minutes ago, tropo said:

According to your bragfest, you're married into government officialdom with strong connections to the military and police and living in a town or village where they run the show. We know you will never have problems with visas in your situation. We get that. Your wife does everything for you. You could probably present them with signed toilet paper and still get your extensions. You could probably stay without any visa at all.

 

You don't have much to offer regular people who are not connected. They continue to jump through hoops and continue to be treated with disrespect by Immigration officials. Many of the people you insult here have been dealing with immigration for over a decade and see the changes. 

 

 

 

 

You made the implication I didn't know, I corrected you. Hardly a 'bragfest'. Don't go around labeling people you do not know. A lesson for you for today lol.

You are under impression that I walk around all mighty? I overstayed my visa last extension, I paid the 500 odd baht or whatever it was (just like everyone else does). The family is very grounded, but I am sure you have the stereotyped belief of Thai officials, so no point trying to change that belief. 

Generally immigration are kind if you have the relevant documents ready to go (as I experienced in offices not in our city last year), we make their life easy so they are happy. We also follow the exact same procedure everyone else does. Bring the required documents, they get sent to Bangkok, and then we get the stamp. But lets not make this a immigration issue again, that is done and dusted.  

[tropo]

Just now, wildewillie89 said:

 You are under impression that I walk around all mighty? 

 

Yes, I am.

 

I'm discussing the problems that Immigration presents to regular people and the reason why many people are fed up with Thailand and leaving (that's the topic, right?). Where I live in Thailand, Pattaya, very few people are in your situation. Having spent 11 years discussing visas on this forum, I have a fairly good idea what problems people have been having over the years, and that real problems exist that are NOT the fault of the applicants. 

 

I had no idea, when you first started insulting regular people that have problems, that you're being specific to the visa needs of expats who are married to government officials. I don't read those threads. 

 

There's another, very important consideration that you have totally missed. All nationalities are not treated equally by Immigration. Do you think that all readers here are from English speaking, developed nations? My wife, for example, does not get equal treatment to me. Back in the days when we were going on visa runs there were occasions when she didn't get a visa and I did... presenting all the same documents.

 

Let's take an example using the Australian immigration department. Do you think they treat all nationalities equally? Of course not. Some nationalities walk in - other have to jump through hoops.

[tropo]

26 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

 Generally immigration are kind if you have the relevant documents ready to go (as I experienced in offices not in our city last year), we make their life easy so they are happy.  

 

And you know that based on what? 2 years experience of your wife doing your extensions in some provincial office somewhere where she knows everyone? Now you speak for all Immigration officials all over Thailand?

 

They can be downright rude without any provocation whatsoever.

[wildewillie89]

26 minutes ago, tropo said:

Yes, I am.

 

I'm discussing the problems that Immigration presents to regular people and the reason why many people are fed up with Thailand and leaving (that's the topic, right?). Where I live in Thailand, Pattaya, very few people are in your situation. Having spent 11 years discussing visas on this forum, I have a fairly good idea what problems people have been having over the years, and that real problems exist that are NOT the fault of the applicants. 

 

I had no idea, when you first started insulting regular people that have problems, that you're being specific to the visa needs of expats who are married to government officials. I don't read those threads. 

 

There's another, very important consideration that you have totally missed. All nationalities are not treated equally by Immigration. Do you think that all readers here are from English speaking, developed nations? My wife, for example, does not get equal treatment to me. Back in the days when we were going on visa runs there were occasions when she didn't get a visa and I did... presenting all the same documents.

 

Let's take an example using the Australian immigration department. Do you think they treat all nationalities equally? Of course not. Some nationalities walk in - other have to jump through hoops.

You seem to be of the opinion that visas only extend to members who make a complaint on this forum. Which would be a tiny percentage...which leaves a majority of other people, whether married, single, working, retired whatever, who have absolutely no problems and feel no need to ask for advice. None of my colleagues or friends who lived here over 3 year periods (before i moved here) just as workers ever had problems with visas for instance.

Wouldn't that just be an eligibility issue then set by the specific country? There is generally reasons why some countries passports are favoured over others. Illegal living, threats to security etc etc. Like in Australia a Taiwanese person has the option to get a 2 year working visa, a Thai person can only do 1 year. Due to risks of illegal living. 

[wildewillie89]

12 minutes ago, tropo said:

And you know that based on what? 2 years experience of your wife doing your extensions in some provincial office somewhere where she knows everyone? Now you speak for all Immigration officials all over Thailand?

 

They can be downright rude without any provocation whatsoever.

Well the office wasn't even here when I moved here (hence why it has since been signed off), so naturally we had to go to the next city at first (where we don't know anyone). Obviously have had experience at embassys in both Australia and bordering countries also. 

I didn't dispute they can be rude. That again goes back to my point. If everything is there, and it runs like clockwork (have all they need), they will generally be pretty good. They are generally rude if you haven't pre-prepared (forcing them to do more work) or are rude yourself. 

The same with any job really. Also these sorts of thing can have quotas sometimes. Which is another variable of eligibility people fail to recognise. Especially the permanent residency aspect of things if we are discussing 'full time'. 

[tropo]

17 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

You seem to be of the opinion that visas only extend to members who make a complaint on this forum. Which would be a tiny percentage...which leaves a majority of other people, whether married, single, working, retired whatever, who have absolutely no problems and feel no need to ask for advice. None of my colleagues or friends who lived here over 3 year periods (before i moved here) just as workers ever had problems with visas for instance.

Wouldn't that just be an eligibility issue then set by the specific country? There is generally reasons why some countries passports are favoured over others. Illegal living, threats to security etc etc. Like in Australia a Taiwanese person has the option to get a 2 year working visa, a Thai person can only do 1 year. Due to risks of illegal living. 

No, it's not an eligibility problem. It's the way they treat different nationalities. You have a lot to learn about Thailand and it seems you're living in a protected cocoon of government officials, police and military, all part of your extended family.

[wildewillie89]

15 minutes ago, tropo said:

No, it's not an eligibility problem. You have a lot to learn about Thailand and it seems you're living in a protected cocoon of government official, police and military.

Well tell me what it is?

 

So is Australia's difference in conditions between Thai and Taiwanese got nothing to do with certain risks they have deemed possible from people from those countries? Is Saudi Arabia not an eligibility thing regarding Israelis. It may be considered racist, it is the same way some visas only extend to wealthy people, it can be shit. The country is looking for certain people, like all countries are. But at the end of the day the country sets what the eligibility is doesn't it, not the applicant?

 

So if the person doesn't fit into the quota for that day but maybe does for another day, I would say that's not too different from anywhere else in the world. Just tough luck unfortunately. That falls down on requites and eligibility in my books, which i said is fine to complain about. What my point has been the whole time is purely the actual process of how to obtain various visas is pretty piss easy. If someone isn't eligible due to race, or doesn't have money in terms of marriage or retirement visa, complain all you like. I would accept that. I complain about the money aspect of visas all the time. However, many on here complain about the actual process!

[Rimmer]

There are four public requests to stay on topic the last one advised it will be closed if you can not, so now it is

//CLOSED//