Thailand losing favour among expats: HSBC survey

[vinegarbase]

Good, they deserve to continue to lose reputation. Even good honest people trying to follow the laws and actually contribute to the country are being shafted every day by immigration. This country does not deserve the money or human capital that farangs have to offer being treated with such contempt at every turn. It's almost like the country has become a 'Big Joke'

[Esso49]

On 10/13/2018 at 1:03 PM, madmitch said:

About 15 times more people than a Thai Government survey!

But remember a Thai Government survey is generally in the region of  2200 head poll. And that is only within Thailand (Thai Government only do polls within Thailand) that they would need to do a survey.   The HSBC was a global survey so even if this global survey of around 22,000 people covered only 50 countries where expats were living,  then the poll count per country would be 400 heads.  That is only 18% of a Thai specific, Thai Government poll so hence the level of accuracy must be far far less.

[crazykopite]

It’s time Thailand copied Malaysia when it comes to long term visa . Each year seems to get harder and harder when it comes to expats visa’s and last week the BE informed us Brits that they will no longer be doing income letters which in turn will make the visa situation even worse after 13 years I have decided that there are greener fields on the other side of the fence

[dallen52]

On 10/13/2018 at 11:32 PM, CARLO BALDASSARRE said:

Wow,

      Keep going , i want to see how many things you don't like about thailand ...How long have you been living here..???....????

Newbie to TVF ?

 

I didn't say that I don't like.

Read again. 

I said these are some of the things we have to put up with.

 

As others have mentioned,  obviously others too.

 

And obviously positives that keep most of us here.

And being a non drinker and certainly not a womaniser, it must be something else.

 

Look through the previous topics.

There's plenty of comments. 

 

[Mike Teavee]

On 10/13/2018 at 10:30 PM, GinBoy2 said:

I’m always curious why Singapore ranks so highly in these surveys

 

It’s like Disneyland granted, great infrastructure, rule of law, but damn it’s expensive.

 

Me and Mrs G lived there for several years, but along with Hong Kong they were the most expensive place we have ever lived

Singapore is not expensive if you're working there as the higher salary & lower taxes more than offset the higher costs (mainly rent), in fact I took a 25% salary "Equalisation" cut when I moved there from the UK and I still had more money in my pocket at the end of the month.

 

I did the maths & worked out that my salary is 25% higher than it would be in Bangkok (for the same grade at the same company) & my tax is roughly 20% less - Which more than covers the 90,000 THB I pay in rent, don't need a car as public transport is clean, safe & ridiculously cheap (my 30 min bus journey to work is around 30 THB) plus all my favourite things to eat & drink (Beef, Cheese & Wine) are cheaper there.

 

Having said all of that, after 10 years I'm bored with the place so am in the process of moving to Bangkok & currently splitting my time between here & there (Don't plan on settling in Bangkok, but it makes sense to make my base here whilst I'm commuting every 1-2 weeks).

 

I've been coming to Thailand since I moved to Singapore and fell in love with the place on my 1st trip, however I have to agree with those who say it is becoming more difficult to move/live here so I may well find myself moving on again in a few years, but in the meantime I will enjoy my time here & be thankful that I can.

 

 

[GinBoy2]

On 10/13/2018 at 11:30 AM, 473geo said:

I enjoy an element of uncertainty, almost thrive on it, risk, ability to cope with and accept change, yep, married, my wife owns a house bit of land, two kids, I doubt they will want me out anytime soon, but who knows life is great.

Sorry what were you droning on about......ah yes fear of failure......

I don’t think it’s a fear of failure, but more a pragmatism of living in a country where you don’t have any citizens rights.

 

That just seems perfectly sensible to me

[GinBoy2]

5 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Singapore is not expensive if you're working there as the higher salary & lower taxes more than offset the higher costs (mainly rent), in fact I took a 25% salary "Equalisation" cut when I moved there from the UK and I still had more money in my pocket at the end of the month.

 

I did the maths & worked out that my salary is 25% higher than it would be in Bangkok (for the same grade at the same company) & my tax is roughly 20% less - Which more than covers the 90,000 THB I pay in rent, don't need a car as public transport is clean, safe & ridiculously cheap (my 30 min bus journey to work is around 30 THB) plus all my favourite things to eat & drink (Beef, Cheese & Wine) are cheaper there.

 

Having said all of that, after 10 years I'm bored with the place so am in the process of moving to Bangkok & currently splitting my time between here & there (Don't plan on settling in Bangkok, but it makes sense to make my base here whilst I'm commuting every 1-2 weeks).

 

I've been coming to Thailand since I moved to Singapore and fell in love with the place on my 1st trip, however I have to agree with those who say it is becoming more difficult to move/live here so I may well find myself moving on again in a few years, but in the meantime I will enjoy my time here & be thankful that I can.

 

 

Don’t get me wrong we both loved Singapore, but apart from the high cost, we sorta got island fever after a while.

Trying to get over the Straits on a weekend to get out of the place was a pain in the ass, and we just got fed up of it

[CARLO BALDASSARRE]

3 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Newbie to TVF ?

 

I didn't say that I don't like.

Read again. 

I said these are some of the things we have to put up with.

 

As others have mentioned,  obviously others too.

 

And obviously positives that keep most of us here.

And being a non drinker and certainly not a womaniser, it must be something else.

 

Look through the previous topics.

There's plenty of comments. 

 

YES I am a newbie since may 18,

Lived in thailand 20 years now ,i am 54 can't believe some of the Bu#$ #@it i hear on this site though ....

[Sydebolle]

I would have mentioned being treated like a 2nd class person everywhere and all the time, being harassed to death by bureaucracy (two visits and a combined six hours ordeal to extend my driving license and I've been legally driving cars for 40 years), the total overpricing on everything simply because I have white skin - apart from terrible pollution and endless traffic jams.

Why am I still here? I have a big family here, otherwise I would have packed and left long time ago ???? 

[Sydebolle]

I would have mentioned being treated like a 2nd class person everywhere and all the time, being harassed to death by bureaucracy (two visits and a combined six hours ordeal to extend my driving license and I've been legally driving cars for 40 years), the total overpricing on everything simply because I have white skin - apart from terrible pollution and endless traffic jams.

Why am I still here? I have a big family here, otherwise I would have packed and left long time ago ???? 

[gunderhill]

On 10/13/2018 at 6:17 PM, dallen52 said:

Just back in the UK for a family funeral and talking about the survey.

 

My brother and his wife cannot understand why we put ourselves through the hoops just to live in Thailand.?

 

Money in Thai bank. 

65,000 b income.

Border runs. 

Non O visas etc.

Retirement extension. 

90 day reporting. 

Report residence. 

Carry I.d. All times.

Random stops on the street. 

Corrupt police system and cash fines in the pocket. 

Crap exchange rates.

Needs for private insurance. 

Cash up front at public hospitals.

The soi dog's. 

Rubbish on the streets.

Crazy bike drivers..

 

I will stop there and see if I can think of the positives. 

 

*I think he is currently winning the argument. 

 

No rates on property, no real enforcement, no stupid overpricing.........call out for heating guy £45 just to "take a look" in the Uk and "you cant take a look yourself its  illegal must be "gas  safe" registered, ridiculous taxes on everything, road tax for a dirty diesel that the govt of 15 years ago pushed you to buy is now getting very expensive and they will ban or heavily tax diesels in cities  soon. More white paint road signs on the road than road itself, more speed cameras than cars.

Depends what suits you sir.

[dallen52]

54 minutes ago, CARLO BALDASSARRE said:

YES I am a newbie since may 18,

Lived in thailand 20 years now ,i am 54 can't believe some of the Bu#$ #@it i hear on this site though ....

Im sure will certainly introduce yourself to more, in no time at all.

[sletraveler]

On 10/13/2018 at 2:34 PM, marko kok prong said:

Agree with Patongo, visa is a hassle,and this stupid 90 day reporting, my immigration office and the one i used before that brought in a 'service' whereby you pay a fee [no receipt} and they put your name in a big book and your 90 day slip turns up in the post,now i guess that will be gone due to Big joke. Every year the rules seem to change just to cause the applicant more hassle,compare this to the Philippines 1 month on arrival,then you can extend "how long would you like sir" no financials asked for,so you get a year go back get another and go back get another after 3 years you leave 24 hours enough and it starts all over again.

Secondly Thailand is no longer cheap for many things,electric maybe slightly less than Aussie,water very cheap,no rates,but i recently built a house and it cost me around 120,000 to transfer chanotes on land of house under construction and another i own opposite. Beer 65b for a large Singa thats nearly 3 dollars Aussie,dont know how much a long neck costs back there now but not to bad,of course i live up country so much cheaper than Bangkok,Phuket ect,but it is not as cheap as it was. The hassle of doing simple things as often you have to have a Thai with you as the English skills are so poor and i can speak a fair bit of Thai but not fluently,too be honest there are days i wonder what the hell i am doing here.

Why not just mail in your 90 day report.  It’s easy and nearly fool proof.  Not sure about Oz but I recently visited good ol USofA and a breakfast cost me 18.00 usd. Cheapest hotel was about 80.00, my house there rent is equal to my entire social security check.  Women there are obese AF with tats and piercings everywhere.  So here in Thailand I have very little to bitch about.  

 

[mrfaroukh]

The main problem is constantly changing the law regarding visa which is very irritating. Now new problem with pension letter that will effect many . On the other hand the countries are catching up with Thailand with service to expats. 

 

Health care is also not that cheap here. If you don't have a expensive health insurance a few hundred thousand coverage is not much.

[blackhorse]

The main problem is constantly changing the law regarding visa which is very irritating. Now new problem with pension letter that will effect many . On the other hand the countries are catching up with Thailand with service to expats. 
 
Health care is also not that cheap here. If you don't have a expensive health insurance a few hundred thousand coverage is not much.

Letter change has zero to do with thailand. It's everything to do with the BE that pulled the pin.
No other country is effected. Use your brain and ask why that is.

[sanemax]

15 minutes ago, blackhorse said:

Letter change has zero to do with thailand. It's everything to do with the BE that pulled the pin.
No other country is effected. Use your brain and ask why that is.

Didnt the Thai authorities implement new rules about what they need and the British Embassy came to the conclusion that they were unable to issue the letters, considering the new requirements ?

[blackhorse]

Didnt the Thai authorities implement new rules about what they need and the British Embassy came to the conclusion that they were unable to issue the letters, considering the new requirements ?

Show me the link to these "changes". Immigration website unchanged

[sanemax]

Just now, blackhorse said:

7 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Didnt the Thai authorities implement new rules about what they need and the British Embassy came to the conclusion that they were unable to issue the letters, considering the new requirements ?

Show me the link to these "changes". Immigration website unchanged

I dont have  link , that is what I read somewhere 

[blackhorse]

There are many threads so no point discussing it here. I just wanted to reply to the poster saying thailand is no good because of visa changed and it's not true

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, blackhorse said:

There are many threads so no point discussing it here. I just wanted to reply to the poster saying thailand is no good because of visa changed and it's not true

There have been numerous changes to visas over the last few years .

The double entry tourist visa is now non existant , the single entry had been restricted and visa exempts have been restricted .

   The education visa has had more restrictions placed upon it , six month studying instead of one year , and more rigorous checks are being made on the retirement visa now.

  Five years ago, you could come to Thailand as stay as long as you like by a variety of visas , that isnt so these days .

  For the genuine retiree or married to a Thai person , things maybe havent changed too much , but for others without 800 000 in the bank and not married etc , things have become more difficult .

   With house visits and checks on the 800 000 in the bank , things have become more difficult for people on long term visas . 

  Yes, if you can abide by all the rules , not too much change , but for others, the changes mean that  they go and live elsewhere

[metisdead]

Some troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[CARLO BALDASSARRE]

Tell me ,what's so hard to have all things ready and complete for the extension ...

Absolutely nothing ...How long have we farangs been living here on retirement visa an marriage visas ,....i really can not see the problem if your organised ....so what if they need more information ,so what ...provide what's asked of you an be humble .........

I have never ever had an issue ....seems like if your on a retirement visa and not married ...it's getting tougher , deal with it .

(Trolls to the left of me ,Trolls to the right ,Trolls in front of me ..seems what i say is never right )....lol......

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, CARLO BALDASSARRE said:

Tell me ,what's so hard to have all things ready and complete for the extension ...

Absolutely nothing ...How long have we farangs been living here on retirement visa an marriage visas ,....i really can not see the problem if your organised ....so what if they need more information ,so what ...provide what's asked of you an be humble .........

I have never ever had an issue ....seems like if your on a retirement visa and not married ...it's getting tougher , deal with it .

(Trolls to the left of me ,Trolls to the right ,Trolls in front of me ..seems what i say is never right )....lol......

That reminds me.https://youtu.be/DohRa9lsx0Q

[tingtongtourist]

On 10/13/2018 at 3:10 PM, peter14 said:

Rich retired then with 800 k into show in bank. Not everyone can do 

My thought every time i hear this:

 

How can you even retire if cannot afford 800k baht in a bank account?

 

I guess it really explain a lot of the bitterness and negativity you hear on this site.

 

Can only think a lot of people must be "stranded" in Thailand, because if you cant afford 800k baht, then its logical to say,

you really cannot afford to retire anywhere in the world.

[Chriss77]

I was shocked at the AU exchange rate and the general cost of things in tourist areas. I just recently attended the MOTO GP, coming from Bangkok, after, we then went to Phuket for a few days to visit friends.

I have no problems when i return to our village near Chum Phae, but it does hurt the wallet when i want to go for a blow out.

My other friends were discussing the same issues, they are now going to the Philippines for new years as a result.

I like Thailand, and my wife is Thai, so i have an emotional connection in some form, but it is obvious that Thailand is becoming more expensive and we will be visiting other countries now a little more, and less time in Thailand ????

[blackhorse]

It's tough going for pensioners on the AUD that have to pay rent. It's no wonder 5k fan rooms are popular

[Kwasaki]

14 hours ago, tingtongtourist said:

My thought every time i hear this:

 

How can you even retire if cannot afford 800k baht in a bank account?

 

I guess it really explain a lot of the bitterness and negativity you hear on this site.

 

Can only think a lot of people must be "stranded" in Thailand, because if you cant afford 800k baht, then its logical to say,

you really cannot afford to retire anywhere in the world.

Well before all these recent BE problems you could stay if over fifty on a retirement extension for 16,000 but now you have to pay 32,000.

That is why I'm sticking to my marriage extension.

[tingtongtourist]

30 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Well before all these recent BE problems you could stay if over fifty on a retirement extension for 16,000 but now you have to pay 32,000.

That is why I'm sticking to my marriage extension.

ok, im not sure what you mean by BE?

 

im also a bit confuse what visa and why you had to paid 16k and now its 32??

[Kwasaki]

36 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

ok, im not sure what you mean by BE?

 

im also a bit confuse what visa and why you had to paid 16k and now its 32??

This thread sort of conisides with the BE thread Brittish embassy which has is stopping letter for pensions income. 

You could get a retire extension for 16000 per year I guess immigration wants more money so it's been put up to 32000 so I will not do that now. 

 

[blackhorse]

This thread has shown there are hundreds of different ways to say EXACTLY the same thing