New condo buyers offered visa and Elite Card but stranded expats are left out in the cold

[webfact 78,344]

New condo buyers offered visa and Elite Card but stranded expats are left out in the cold

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The Thai media once again spouted optimism from the authorities at stimulating the economy by offering long term visas via Elite cards to buyers of condos of ten million baht up.

 

Thai Rath even repeated that those who invest a million dollars in property can get a work permit and all this will bring in 20 billion baht to the economy.

 

But this is in stark contrast to many existing condo owning expats who are stranded abroad and can't even get get back to their lives and investments in Thailand.

 

Thaivisa has been inundated with cases of the stranded after we published one case recently and asked for those in similar positions to come forward with their stories.

 

One such person in England is a  retiree who had been working elsewhere in Asia before the pandemic struck and now finds himself unable to get back to Thailand from the UK despite having 13 million baht of assets in the country including a valuable and now empty property in Bangkok.

 

He expressed his frustrations and feelings that he has "been excluded from the life I planned and invested heavily in".

 

This person has made their life around Thailand for more than three decades but was recently told by the TAT in London that the prevalence of the virus in the UK made any applications to come back from there pointless. 

 

Other people with property and a whole range of personal and work  issues who are stranded abroad through no fault of their own have also expressed their frustrations.

 

Many were obliged to leave Thailand at the start of the pandemic due to bereavements and health issues. They didn't want to go but had to.

 

For them, people who love the kingdom and have contributed extensively to the life and welfare of the Thais and their country,  these moves to encourage foreign investment are a slap in the face.

 

They feel abandoned and unwanted and where there were only positive feelings in the past, negativity is starting to creep in. 

 

Thaivisa will be highlighting their plight in a series of articles in the coming two weeks as no one in the Thai media are speaking up for them.

 

Thaivisa plans to take their concerns forward to the Thai authorities to highlight the injustice for those who have invested heavily both financially and personally in Thailand.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-10-15

 

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[ezzra 43,588]

Contradicting confusing and mixed up signals that we we're getting from all those talking heads, no unison, no uniformity, every person with something to say gets up and say it, correct or incorrect that's doesn't seems to matter to them...

[Mr Meeseeks 4,066]

Pretty clear that they don't want foreigners coming in at the moment and that is both justifiable and understandable given current circumstances and public opinion.

 

When will these people learn that they are only temporary visitors for purposes other than tourism and plan accordingly? 

 

 

[Mr Meeseeks 4,066]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

and now finds himself unable to get back to Thailand from the UK despite having 13 million baht of assets in the country including a valuable and now empty property in Bangkok.

Who buys property to live in, in a country where they have no right to reside?  

 

 

Edited October 15, 2020 by Mr Meeseeks

[Grumpy John 5,214]

"It sucks to be on the outside looking in"  That's a homeless hungry person looking in a restaurant window.  I am guessing here but now the folks in Britain who want to come back have the same feeling....just not necessarily hungry!   

[RotBenz8888 17,844]

I now the pain, I was stranded abroad for 6 months away from my family. I hope they'll relax the rules for those who have their life in Thailand, many who do not fit in any of the groups currently eligible for CoE. 

[ukrules 20,791]

The current situation should be a warning to anyone considering buying anything.

 

If you can't access your property for what might be a year, is it really yours?

 

[Kadilo 12,379]

“Thaivisa plans to take their concerns forward to the Thai authorities to highlight the injustice for those who have invested heavily both financially and personally in Thailand“

A step in the right direction.  

[Kadilo 12,379]

It shows their complete contempt for the those that invested their savings and retirement funds already and then want to attract more  by offering sweeteners. 
 

It is sadly a stark warning to anyone like myself who thought Thailand was their future retirement home. Some times you need to see it to believe it. 

 

 

 

[Mr Meeseeks 4,066]

1 minute ago, Kadilo said:

It shows their complete contempt for the those that invested their savings and retirement funds already and then want to attract more  by offering sweeteners. 
 

It is sadly a stark warning to anyone like myself who thought Thailand was their future retirement home. Some times you need to see it to believe it. 

Was knowing your visa is temporary for a year and you have to report every 90 days to disclose your whereabouts not evidence enough?

[darksidedog 50,816]

Expecting a sensible and coordinated approach on anything from the Thai authorities is a waste of time. Foreigners to their mind are simply not important. The fact that we add so much to the economy is a point they can't get their heads round and long term, this is going to bite them in the you know where.

[Kadilo 12,379]

43 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Expecting a sensible and coordinated approach on anything from the Thai authorities is a waste of time. Foreigners to their mind are simply not important. The fact that we add so much to the economy is a point they can't get their heads round and long term, this is going to bite them in the you know where.

If not financially, then this image projected that foreigners are not important will bite them from all angles once they want to attract back tourism. Add the current demos in the mix and Thailand’s image is not looking so good. 

[holy cow cm 12,083]

It is a total slap in the face to the already invested people or retired visa people Thailand is locking out. They should plainly allow all of them to walk through the 14 day quarantine and then get back to their homes here and on with their Thailand life. So rude and uncaring. 

[Pib 14,255]

 

Quote

“Thaivisa plans to take their concerns forward to the Thai authorities to highlight the injustice for those who have invested heavily both financially and personally in Thailand“

 

I expect the Thai authorities public response will be, "Wow....first I heard of these problems facing farangs....someone should do something....but it won't be me."

 

[2 is 1 2,814]

5 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

It is a total slap in the face to the already invested people or retired visa people Thailand is locking out. They should plainly allow all of them to walk through the 14 day quarantine and then get back to their homes here and on with their Thailand life. So rude and uncaring. 

I agree whit you , but have to remember that Thailand change all the time they visa rules. And current situation force them to do something new! Yes it's not looking nice if watching back in time, but time is much different than last year and before that.