Reason for anti-falang rules?

[laspalmas]

20 hours ago, DingDongLing said:

does thailand really have a huge number of tourists that overstay and go broke like the following story?

Criminals, overstayers,  work without permitt ...blah blah blah
Remember "Hangover" ??? for making such movies in Hollywood have to pay.
The direction was one and then a sharp turn for China.

[Traubert]

17 hours ago, DingDongLing said:

Yes tourists DIRECTLY and INDIRECTLY contribute a larger then reported portion of the economy, last year alone 2.3 trillion baht was claimed by REPORTED (probably for tax claims)  farangs. 

 

 

That's an awful lot of money between 250,000 farangs.

 

What are they eating? Gold?

 

249,999 when you take the man at Thaepae Gate out of the equation. Plus subtract todays jumpers.

[DingDongLing]

6 hours ago, laspalmas said:

Criminals, overstayers,  work without permitt ...blah blah blah
Remember "Hangover" ??? for making such movies in Hollywood have to pay.
The direction was one and then a sharp turn for China.

Hangover has to pay?  What

[CharlieH]

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[Los Luver]

Once, a year or so ago, I read on pattayaone that the police was called to 7/11 near Soi Buakhao. 2 farangs were suspected of stealing from the shop. When the police arrived. They found that the 2 farangs were hiding lot of items such tooth paste shampoo and other things... and the only things they wanted to pay were nudles and generally few items that costed less than 10 Baht.....

Later, the police found out that the thieves were overstaying their visas.....

[Snow Leopard]

I don't really see anti-farang rules. I see a military government obsessed with control, paranoia and bureaucracy.  We all talk about farang criminals, junkies, jakeys as being a problem in Thailand, Which they are of course. These type of people always seem to be grabbing the headlines in some way.

 

I think you need to look at the demographics and farang spending on this overall. I am fairly sure that the top end rich farangs spend enough money in the local economy to lift up the lower end spenders to average this out as a very positive increase to the local Thai economy. This requires joined-up thinking which military governments are not renowned for using. 

 

How many Thai Elite visas have been issued BTW, Does anyone know?

 

What percentage of the Thai population have 800K in the bank or earn 65,000B per month? 

 

[dotpoom]

On 5/22/2019 at 12:51 AM, DingDongLing said:

Does anyone know of any reasons why it keeps getting harder for us over the years?

Not getting any harder for me?

   I'm doing exactly the "same" ritual every year as I have been for the last 19 years (money seasoned in the bank)?

[geronimo]

1 hour ago, dotpoom said:

Not getting any harder for me?

   I'm doing exactly the "same" ritual every year as I have been for the last 19 years (money seasoned in the bank)?

As many posters have pointed out, clearing out the bad guys does affect some who simply don't have the money to meet the requirements. Collateral damage I guess you could call it. Having been here for 35 years, one thing I know, there is ALWAYS  a way around anything in Thailand, providing, of course, you have the money.

 

Many expats have a secure financial situation and they are merely inconvenienced by all these extra requirements, and the rest? Some will leave, but most will find a way to stay.

[1FinickyOne]

On 5/22/2019 at 2:23 AM, DingDongLing said:

My point of the thread is still, all these anti farang rules just lower thai economy overal

It seems to be a thing all around the world now... 

 

It used to be that farang were viewed as being wealthy... there now seems to be a large increase in farang who can no longer afford to live in the Western World and have chosen here above homelessness... 

 

I think most of it so far is not anti-farang just enforcing the rules that existed. No more unverifiable income statements and a bit of tightening up... 

 

In general, I think many farang over value their personal value to the Thai economy. 

[NoshowJones]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:54 AM, madmen said:

lot of scum here from major criminals to desperate old men stealing fruit. Its no wonder the The Thais are cracking down

In the thirteen years I have lived here, I would say about nine out of ten farangs are decent people, and it has been a pleasure to know them.

Of the ordinary Thai people In have been in contact with in any way, I would also say that 90% have been decent and honest.

I won't go in to all the details again, but the Thai government has been very shameful in the way we are treated.

I repeat, the vast majority of farangs here in my experience have been very decent people.

[1FinickyOne]

17 hours ago, DingDongLing said:

Yes report once a year like a criminal on good behavior.

Geez, that is really over dramatic... 

 

What for most is a simple process of paying an annual fee and filling out a few forms for the privilege of being allowed to take up residence in a foreign country [of my choosing] - - a very minimal effort... 

 

for some reason makes you and others feel discriminated against and like a criminal... really? 

 

Not sure where you are from but how easy is it for a Thai person to go live there? 

 

Not sure what you might want? 

[NoshowJones]

12 hours ago, SheungWan said:

So why are they still here?

Lots of reasons, Thai wife, Thai family, property bought and paid for.

Don't forget, a lot of retirees came here before all this hoop jumping started.

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, Los Luver said:

Once, a year or so ago, I read on pattayaone that the police was called to 7/11 near Soi Buakhao. 2 farangs were suspected of stealing from the shop. When the police arrived. They found that the 2 farangs were hiding lot of items such tooth paste shampoo and other things... and the only things they wanted to pay were nudles and generally few items that costed less than 10 Baht.....

Later, the police found out that the thieves were overstaying their visas.....

There are always a few rotten apples in a barrel.

[Tropposurfer]

On 5/22/2019 at 4:26 AM, SteveK said:

Thailand has historically often hosted some of the shiftier farangs, who were either into something suspect or couldn't return home for whatever reason. And then you've got the reputation as being a sex-pat haven. I suppose they want to clean up their international reputation, and in doing so have become more stringent regarding who they allow to stay as a long-term guest. The financial requirements ensure that the guests do not become a financial burden for whatever reason, whilst also attempting to weed out the types of characters you mentioned above.

 

Thailand still wants as many visitors as possible - they just want the people who turn up, drop 100k, and leave 13 days later. They don't want long-term visitors who get by on 20k a month, and have little emergency funds to hand should something go wrong, which seems fairly reasonable. Despite all the complaints, Thailand visa policies are still much easier to adhere to than countries like Canada or the UK.

 

Thailand isn't anti-farang, it's anti-poor (at least when it comes to allowing foreign visitors into the country). If you're rich enough to get the elite visa, I doubt very much that they would care what race, or even what species you are!

 

 

What a sane, non catastrophising post :  Thank the Gods there are some sane, moderate, non-paranoid, non-victim, reflective people like yourself.

[newnative]

  Thailand welcomes people to come and live here and is far more welcoming than some other countries.  Now, they do want you to be able to support yourself here so they require you to either have 800,000 in the bank or an income of 65,000 a month.  Seems perfectly reasonable to me--they give you not just one but two ways to qualify.  If you have neither 800,000 or 65,000 monthly income, perhaps you should remain in your home country where, hopefully, you will be able to avail yourself of support services for the needy.

[rocketdave]

Sane! I don't think so!

If you think paying a premium of 90% of the cover per year (the premium increasing each year as you get older) is sane then your opinion of sane differs greatly from mine!

[jesimps]

In my 12 years here, I've only seen one destitute farang. He hung around outside Tesco Lotus in South Pattaya and appeared to be sleeping rough there. I haven't seen him for a while, so maybe he's been deported. All the long stay farange I encounter seem to be fairly prosperous and well behaved. 

[maxcorrigan]

"Thailand visa policies are still much easier to adhere to than countries like Canada or the UK".

True, but once you are over the initial hurdle, that's it, my wife has an ILR in UK we now live in LOS for the last 5 years, and as long as she shows her face in the UK every two years (with or without me) and gets her passport stamped, or decides to live there permanently she is covered, with no 90 day reports or yearly request for an extension with it's multitude of forms, photos, copies, home visits etc. she can buy land or anything else she want's, these are things not allowed to us in Thailand!

Maybe UK rules have changed now, but that's how it is with us!

Other than that a good post!

[malibukid]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:26 AM, SteveK said:

Thailand has historically often hosted some of the shiftier farangs, who were either into something suspect or couldn't return home for whatever reason. And then you've got the reputation as being a sex-pat haven. I suppose they want to clean up their international reputation, and in doing so have become more stringent regarding who they allow to stay as a long-term guest. The financial requirements ensure that the guests do not become a financial burden for whatever reason, whilst also attempting to weed out the types of characters you mentioned above.

 

Thailand still wants as many visitors as possible - they just want the people who turn up, drop 100k, and leave 13 days later. They don't want long-term visitors who get by on 20k a month, and have little emergency funds to hand should something go wrong, which seems fairly reasonable. Despite all the complaints, Thailand visa policies are still much easier to adhere to than countries like Canada or the UK.

 

Thailand isn't anti-farang, it's anti-poor (at least when it comes to allowing foreign visitors into the country). If you're rich enough to get the elite visa, I doubt very much that they would care what race, or even what species you are!

 

 

i will surely miss guys like this.  i did not come here for the girls or the drink.  i came here partly to meet some interesting and eccentric people.  sadly they are an endangered species by being priced out.  where have all the colorful people gone?  Thailand would like to become gentrified without fixing it's infrastructure and solving it's problems like pollution.  if they want to clean up their image why not crack down on prostitution and the sleaze it attracts would no doubt leave. a guy stealing a few oranges is harmless compared what you attract with vice.

[Pravda]

On 5/22/2019 at 3:36 AM, DingDongLing said:

He ate the orange constantly, daily, for months.  I assumed stores had great security as its only 200 baht a shift

They probably caught him at eventually if he kept coming

 

 

 

 

You started a thread about some unknown Farand eating oranges at Big C, yet in another thread you say you spent time in Thailand in your room, playing internet with your gf.

 

So, you are the ultimate long stay foreigner Thailand wants to get rid of.

 

 

[malibukid]

On 5/22/2019 at 2:03 AM, losworld said:

why not simply not allow anyone in with criminal records duh or you one to presume that everyone is guilty until proven innocent?

how about biometrics at the airports like KL has.  catch the red bull boy.  criminal background check for visa.  

[malibukid]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:54 AM, madmen said:

lot of scum here from major criminals to desperate old men stealing fruit. Its no wonder the The Thais are cracking down

a guy stealing an orange vs. a scumbag criminal.  now thats a fair comparison

[malibukid]

On 5/22/2019 at 2:21 AM, DingDongLing said:

I seriously know one that talked about that before.

 

I do not think thais care about the source of income, so criminals who robbed a bank back home but not here, are welcomed to spend their loot

the laundry is open for business

[thaiguzzi]

On 5/22/2019 at 3:45 AM, DingDongLing said:

SIck of these visa trips.  I might just stay in cambodia/Laos next time. 

Excellent.

Don't bother coming back either or posting your constant ridiculous topics and opinions.

And that old classic;

don't forget to shut the door on the way out....

[abrahamzvi]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:26 AM, SteveK said:

Thailand has historically often hosted some of the shiftier farangs, who were either into something suspect or couldn't return home for whatever reason. And then you've got the reputation as being a sex-pat haven. I suppose they want to clean up their international reputation, and in doing so have become more stringent regarding who they allow to stay as a long-term guest. The financial requirements ensure that the guests do not become a financial burden for whatever reason, whilst also attempting to weed out the types of characters you mentioned above.

 

Thailand still wants as many visitors as possible - they just want the people who turn up, drop 100k, and leave 13 days later. They don't want long-term visitors who get by on 20k a month, and have little emergency funds to hand should something go wrong, which seems fairly reasonable. Despite all the complaints, Thailand visa policies are still much easier to adhere to than countries like Canada or the UK.

 

Thailand isn't anti-farang, it's anti-poor (at least when it comes to allowing foreign visitors into the country). If you're rich enough to get the elite visa, I doubt very much that they would care what race, or even what species you are!

 

 

I think you are right, but I would just correct your statement to the effect that if you are rich enough..., in so far that Thailand welcomes any tourists that have enough money to cover their stay therein. Even people applying for a retirement permit are welcome provided they satisfy the lawful requirements, i.e. are of the required age and have enough funds to lead a comfortable life in Thailand. What is wrong with this? Try to retire in Australia, New Zealand, USA, or Canada. The financial requirements are far stricter, aren´t they?

[Tonyt00]

That must take a lot of energy, to go and check on the oranges every day! Must be the mafia eating all those oranges, need to check the apples also. 

[Vacuum]

On 5/21/2019 at 7:00 PM, SteveK said:

Tightening up the visa regulations, and having more overstayer crackdowns will surely purge many foreign undesirables

lol. These "undesirables" just have to scrape up 20K baht for the agent, to get a one year extension. The real "undesirables" are the corrupt IOs who let them doing this.

[gamini]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:56 AM, losworld said:

yes there are criminal undesirables but that is hardly an issue for retirement reform... what are you smoking?

The retirement reform is to weed out retirees who are breaking the law by using agents to put up the funds required to get the necessary visa. You can't blame Thailand, just blame the dishonest farangs .

[Stevemercer]

To be fair, I think Immigration is making an effort to not make life harder for farang in a genuine marriage with Thai citizens.

 

The new rules apply to expats on retirement visas (many of whom, admittedly, may be married). There seems to be a genuine immigration policy not to make life harder for those on married visa's/extensions in case they leave the country (and abandon their wife/children).

[PerkinsCuthbert]

1 hour ago, malibukid said:

i will surely miss guys like this.  i did not come here for the girls or the drink.  i came here partly to meet some interesting and eccentric people.  sadly they are an endangered species by being priced out.  where have all the colorful people gone?  Thailand would like to become gentrified without fixing it's infrastructure and solving it's problems like pollution.  if they want to clean up their image why not crack down on prostitution and the sleaze it attracts would no doubt leave. a guy stealing a few oranges is harmless compared what you attract with vice.

Odd you should say that, I came for the vice and boy was it good back in the day! But times change and advisedly we move with the times, so that now I am a model, moral farang of means.