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How Much, in hard Cash, do you Contribute to the Thai Economy Each Year? Ex Tax.


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Last year when I was on tinder I hooked up with a 23 year old girl. I was 46 at the time. 

 

I even felt stupid sagging her. She had a live YouTube channel where every night she'd play a guitar and sing out of tune and there were loads of men gifting her. I thought what a bunch of freaks and they were 10 years younger than me. 

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This reads to me like another subject how important a person thinks he is because he spends. Sad to say, but it is delusion and embarrassing because it leaks self importance and disconnect from reality. Statement will read rude to some, but it is the cruel truth: Governments do not care about small spend farang and do not want them.

 

Ok, so someone spends 1,000,000 baht in a year. So what? If you think 1 million baht or even 3 million baht is special, you are wrong.  Look at the financial reality please. Let’s start with this;

 

1. What is 1,000,000 baht?

It is approximately.

-USD $32,000    AUD $41,000  GBP  £23,000  Euro  €26,000

As is obvious, 1 million baht is nothing special. Even at 3X this, it is still nothing special.

 

2. What does Google show typical household spend is?

USA- USD $63,000, Australia - AUD $74,000  UK - £30,571     EU (Belgium) €52,000

Why would someone think that spending 1 or 3 or 5 million baht a year, is noteworthy?  Does farang government make celebration  when someone spends average household spend? I do not think so.

 

3. What is cheapest  investment visa?

USA EB% - $900,000, Australia AUD $1,500,000   UK £2,000,000   Belgium €200,000

I mention this because OP makes like his spend his spend is spectacular, like it is a big investment in Thailand.  It does not come close to what foreigner is expected to spend elsewhere to be investor class.  

 

However, what really makes the shock for me is the inability to understand that small spend foreigner does not do much to benefit local society. The presence is not an infrastructure investment that creates large number of good paying jobs. It is spending on goods and services that typically result in zero net benefit to Thailand.

Thailand does not benefit long term because foreign resident buy chicken or beer or laundry soap. The small profit made on purchases of services is offset by the cost of the foreigner presence. There is cost to the pollution and carbon footprint of the foreigner.

Oh yes,  someone will say, but  typical Somchai make less than the small spend farang. Yes, this is true, but the poor Thai has purpose and that is to work for the Thais who make tens of millions of baht in a year. Small spend farang does not work in shop or factory or clean floor. The small spend farang does not work building economy or providing valuable service and is not really contributing. Thailand has millions of people who cost more than they bring but they are needed to serve those who have power/money.  Every country has this. However, a country does not need foreigners who do non contribution.

 

At best, a smaller spend foreign resident may push into area of society break even or small incremental gain. Nothing to make the jump for joy.  The foreigners who matter most are those who come short term or even 2-4 months. The short term “millionaires” are the ideal visitors because they spend much more than they cost. And they create the jobs in tourism. The short term tourists have big spend per period they are in Thailand.

Unless the long term stay foreigner has ongoing investments and large spend, then the person is not as valuable as other class of visitor or longer stay resident like foreign company representative that pays big taxes and gives  many jobs to Thai. 

 

The reality for small spend farang is not much different for a foreigner in western countries. 

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4 hours ago, Lacessit said:

About 700K baht/year, would be a fair bit less if I was not supporting a Thai family.

I play golf three times a week, live comfortably, eat mainly Thai food or cook for myself.

 

I am baffled how anyone could spend 2 million baht a year, unless they were either barfining every day, or getting drunk on Glenfiddich every day.

Why do half the posters here talk about everything in relation to getting drunk or barfines f f s . Get a life

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2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It's funny that some people here brag about how much they spend.

Does this make you feel good somehow?

I think I know a couple of well off foreigners in Thailand. Most of them don't really talk about money. And if they talk about it then it's more like complaining that everything is so expensive.

But please feel free to tell us what a big spender you are.

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Went to the local  supermarket today in Chauffeur driven  pick  up truck, wore my  cap  all the way when driving, threw 350  baht on two  boxes of  small  Milo cereal on  offer bought two for 109 baht, two  bottles  of  milk on offer  79  baht each 1  small  bottle  of lemonade incase any visitors  come they can share and one bottle  of yoghurt  drink 22  baht for me .

'Id  show you the recxepit  but I'd  have to wipe the <deleted>  off  it as I recycle the paper.

Edited by Rampant Rabbit
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Usually ~ 1.2M per year as most of my travel is overseas with this past year being an exception with lots of staycations in Bangkok and frequent trips to Samui and Phuket.

 

I don't follow the "visa through spend" argument though. Considering many if not most people don't tax their money in Thailand and get their money from overseas or by working remotely. In the worst case by illegal means and honestly I wouldn't want my government back home to give a visa/residence permit/passport based on their spend from unverified sources.

 

That being said for heavy spenders I'd simply get the 20Y Elite Visa for 1M and never have to deal with that craptola again. The expense pained me a few months but it felt increasingly better over the month/years.

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2 hours ago, starky said:

Why do half the posters here talk about everything in relation to getting drunk or barfines f f s . Get a life

Excuse me? When did I say I did either? I have a good life here, I think the last time I was in a bar was about 7 years ago.

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34 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Excuse me? When did I say I did either? I have a good life here, I think the last time I was in a bar was about 7 years ago.

My apologies I must have misunderstood when you said

"am baffled how anyone could spend 2 million baht a year, unless they were either barfining every day, or getting drunk on Glenfiddich every day."

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5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

What was the OP about again.  Oh yeah that's right.......How Much, in hard Cash, do you Contribute to the Thai Economy Each Year? Ex Tax. Some wanted examples so there you have it.  To each his own. Enjoy 

Imagine an OP would ask how many girl did you "meet" in Thailand. Is that a reason to write all about it?

But then I guess on TV that could go on an on. 100,    1000,    no I had at least 10,000. Yeah, sure.

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4 hours ago, starky said:

Cant win on this forum can you? People ask what you spend, then demand proof or call you a liar and then if you relent and try try explain what you actually spend your a show off. Incredible! Never seen so many jealous bitter people in the one place.

What would you think about a person in real life if he talks in detail about how much money he spends on this and that?

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