Expats air their concerns with Minister of Tourism & Sports

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

3 hours ago, how241 said:

It's a start.  People are talking.  It might help, maybe.

Talking to the wrong people, its immigration and the police that need to know what is going on. Check out the latest on Kho Samui, now they want blood tests and X-rays not just your email address etc....

[SOTIRIOS]

...seemingly detached from reality....

 

...basically a different market...and target market.....

 

...as for the 'masses'.....

 

...just trudge on....and good luck.....

[trainman34014]

36 minutes ago, performance said:

They are back in the dark age. I just got asked to submitt not one but two applications for extension of stay. They also installed a new copy machine in IMO. Obvious scam to make money. This is 2016 my departed mother could use a PC. One application entered into the system is enough for any man. what were they trying to sell. Thailand is the digital hub haha.

 

 

Don't know how many extensions you've done but i've been submitting two application dossier's for nine years, as that what is required for marriage extensions.   One lot stays local and the other lot goes to Bangkok.

[jobin]

Kudos to NancyL for speaking up for all of us who endure the early rising, multiple forms of little consequence, personal funds going towards questionable ends and all for the right to live here year round.

She did much more than i did to bring our headaches to the attention of the 'bosses'.

[jollyhangmon]

1 hour ago, Saladin said:

Were these matters brought up?

 

1. Why is there such inconsistency with issuing visas from one Thai Embassy to another when presumably the rules are made in Bangkok? I have had double entry Tourist Visas from Sydney and Kota Bharu with no problems but in Saigon I could only get a single entry plus they required me to show an air ticket out of Thailand.

 

2. Why a 3 months Tourist Visa is only good for 2 months and then the holder needs to waste a day at the notoriously inefficient Immigration Office to extend it for the last month. If it's a matter of making more money they could just stack the up-front fee. TAT would be well advised to do a survey to ascertain how many tourists opt instead to move on to a neighbouring country and spend their final month's tourist dollars there.

 

 

Yessir, that's the way to go, if for example one has to purchase a months worth of a neighboring countries visa just to obtain one for TH again anyway he can as well spend this time - and his money - there in the first place. 

[jerojero]

...seemingly detached from reality....
 
...basically a different market...and target market.....
 
...as for the 'masses'.....
 
...just trudge on....and good luck.....

Some relatively good comments, but your...
writing... style

..... makes....
Extremely...

difficult to read, .... my friend.... .

[Bule gila]

I'm a newbie here but had to register just to join in the laughs. I don't know why some of you 'long timers' even bother making sensible comments, you know it won't change, you know they don't give a toss. It's opium for the masses.

[Bule gila]

Oh dear, what have I done coming here.

[elektrified]

7 hours ago, Pimay1 said:

Evidently the 90 day reporting was not discussed. Too bad.

What is there to discuss?

[taharkin]

Kudos to Nancy for speaking on our behalf in a clear, calm voice.

[Glumpy]

'' the government estimates there are 30,000 expats in the North '''.......  maybe a lot more or a lot less !  So Immigration have no idea even after  all the tons of paperwork shifted every 90 days and each year for visas and re-entry forms etc etc  !!   Perhaps  the Malaysian system of issuing a 10 year visa , provided you have £30,000 permanently in your account , would be the best option . No 90 day reporting no yearly visa and no re-entry stamps. Simple. ........ but then that might upset the visa companies etc etc. ......I leave you to work out the 'etc, etc's !

[Capt Rob]

33 minutes ago, elektrified said:

What is there to discuss?

For the record the items discussed did include 90 day reports, retirement visas, immigration office being unable to cope with numbers presenting, the need for home owners being required to report themselves back in the country, the benefits to be had as a MM2H ( Malaysia my second home ), the issue of long term dwellers not being tourists but people who regard Thailand as home, the problems of getting affordable health cover for a given age, the variance between one immigration office procedure and another office, the lack of staff numbers in the CNX office.

The Minister Tourism and Sport gave considered and eloquent replies to questions from the floor. It was also mentioned that these issues were not new by some well spoken attendees.

My belief is that " tourism " are aware they are in a competitive market for the tourist dollar. With the offers across the Thai borders being evident to even the casual inquiry.

Will this be enough to galvanize the responsible Thai government and its officials into improving the lot of long stay tourist/guests ? Your guess will be as good as any.

Nancy L as a representative of the USA, UK, Australian and general Chiang Mai expat members was more than equal to the task

[Deepinthailand]

In a nutshell here we have it expats attacking expats who attend meetings with Thai officialdom.

Then decrying the expats who did bother to go with well they didn't do this or say that or the old chestnut they don't talk for me!!!!!.  Well I applaud those who turned up and the expats who were there as well.

[Glumpy]

To whose comment was 'Deepinthailand' replying ?

[niss3]

Expats? They only talk about tourists. Long time tourist... Must be good to live in the north when you are just a tourist...

[moe666]

I live in Thailand, I am not a tourist. Please tell me why someone from the Ministry of Tourism is concerned about me it should be immigration. If this has a positive affect great but lets all wait and see but donot hold your breath waiting on it.

 A log term extension of stay would be great but do you really think any of the Thais who attended can make this happen. Keep on doing what you have been doing it is what you signed up for from the get go.

[Torrens54]

10 hours ago, how241 said:

It's a start.  People are talking.  It might help, maybe.

I agree but we've TALKED Before and NOTHING has eventuated, aside from another Talk Fest... BUT Fingers  Crossed for a better result this time.

[fish monger]

I take it that Kobkarn was nowhere to be seen....?  I bet she was shopping.

[balo]

At least she mentioned that we are allowed to work remotely here.  Not always easy to understand what they think about that .   It must be at least 10000 foreigners working remotely from CM .  Just give us a visa that is easy to understand, you could call it : visa for digital nomads, 

 

 

 

 

[kannot]

12 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

 

You seem to be assuming that the people ("we") who would tell them the "truth" would be typical of the chronic moaners and whiners on Thai Visa. Many expats, possibly the silent majority, would not pose ridiculous complaints or make disparaging comments in a childish attempt to shock "them." 

 

If you're fond of the truth, many of those who complain endlessly are not representative of expats in general. 

pls  provide your statistics for this? I see "possibly"

How about a one off id so we dont have to provide 400000000000000 passport  photo copies, dumping  90 day reports or fixing the crap website which fails more times than succeeds.

How  about after staying 5  years with 5  extensions a 5  years  visa  like Elite  do? or standardising all immigration rules  not officers  whims/bad  days.

[kannot]

6 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

In a nutshell here we have it expats attacking expats who attend meetings with Thai officialdom.

Then decrying the expats who did bother to go with well they didn't do this or say that or the old chestnut they don't talk for me!!!!!.  Well I applaud those who turned up and the expats who were there as well.

sorry  i  live 800km  away

[hawker9000]

12 hours ago, grumbleweed said:

Can't think for a minute why they'd be interested in knowing that

 

We may as well tell them everything is hunky dory because 

1. They'll do sod all

2. If we told them the truth they'd probably need therapy for the rest of their lives

"2. If we told them the truth they'd probably need therapy for the rest of their lives"

 

On the contrary.  'Acceptance' is an important part of Thai culture, and completely obviates the need for any such therapy.   The truth simply goes in one ear and out the other.  When it comes to foreigners, that's always been true.   And most likely always will be.  So tell them the truth.  Don't tell them the truth.  Expect substantially the same result, except for maybe some lip service which is seen as the grease on the wheels of tourism.   (Hence this meeting in the first place.  Delusional over-invested expats who'll clap gleefully on cue for anything - and by law still have money in the bank - always welcome as the tools they are.)

 

[LawrenceN]

5 hours ago, kannot said:

pls  provide your statistics for this? I see "possibly"

How about a one off id so we dont have to provide 400000000000000 passport  photo copies, dumping  90 day reports or fixing the crap website which fails more times than succeeds.

How  about after staying 5  years with 5  extensions a 5  years  visa  like Elite  do? or standardising all immigration rules  not officers  whims/bad  days.

 

I was there, in my role as a warden (volunteer) for the US Consulate. I solicited ideas in advance from my golf group and others. About 50 people that I know were given the opportunity to respond in the days before this meeting. I spoke for them because I asked them what they wanted me to say. I volunteer for the US Consulate, but I brought along ideas from Aussies, Brits, and Americans.

 

You're not alone. The suggestions you made above were raised by several other people, and I relayed them to officials at the meeting. In addition, I said (speaking into the microphone for the whole room to hear) that Immigration needs to use the technology that they already have in hand, fix the apps that don't work (e.g. 90-day reporting and appointments), and quit processing so much paper. This would benefit all of us, a win/win for us expats and for the over-worked Immigration folks in the Chiang Mai office (and elsewhere?). During a break, I cornered the two Immigration officials who came. They like to emphasize that their hands are tied by the law. I reminded them that laws and policies are made my people and can be changed by people. They interjected, "But not us, we're employees." So I said, "You're insiders. You know the problems. Send them up the hierarchy." They nodded, but I was left with the impression that they think they are powerless.

 

One thing that didn't come through strong enough in the article is that many of us objected to the oxymoron "long-stay tourism." We said repeatedly that we're not tourists and that we regard ourselves as members of the community. We have a lot of skills and experience to offer and we're underutilized.

 

Nancy Lindley did a great job of summarizing our views. I was one of many who forwarded suggestions to her in advance of the meeting so that she would be prepared to represent our views.  She didn't just make it up on the spot.

 

The Tourism and Sports Minister, Khun Kobkarn, came across as sympathetic and thoughtful. You who criticize her so cynically and bitterly might want to remember that, even at her level, she is one in a crowd of government ministers who have competing interests and opinions. She has no authority to tell the Immigration Police what to do, or to change the law. However, from what I saw, she is aware of the problems and is willing to advocate for more flexibility in immigration policy. It's good to have an ally in a high place, even if she doesn't wave a magic wand.

[hml367]

14 minutes ago, LawrenceN said:

 

I was there, in my role as a warden (volunteer) for the US Consulate. I solicited ideas in advance from my golf group and others. About 50 people that I know were given the opportunity to respond in the days before this meeting. I spoke for them because I asked them what they wanted me to say. I volunteer for the US Consulate, but I brought along ideas from Aussies, Brits, and Americans.

 

You're not alone. The suggestions you made above were raised by several other people, and I relayed them to officials at the meeting. In addition, I said (speaking into the microphone for the whole room to hear) that Immigration needs to use the technology that they already have in hand, fix the apps that don't work (e.g. 90-day reporting and appointments), and quit processing so much paper. This would benefit all of us, a win/win for us expats and for the over-worked Immigration folks in the Chiang Mai office (and elsewhere?). During a break, I cornered the two Immigration officials who came. They like to emphasize that their hands are tied by the law. I reminded them that laws and policies are made my people and can be changed by people. They interjected, "But not us, we're employees." So I said, "You're insiders. You know the problems. Send them up the hierarchy." They nodded, but I was left with the impression that they think they are powerless.

 

One thing that didn't come through strong enough in the article is that many of us objected to the oxymoron "long-stay tourism." We said repeatedly that we're not tourists and that we regard ourselves as members of the community. We have a lot of skills and experience to offer and we're underutilized.

 

Nancy Lindley did a great job of summarizing our views. I was one of many who forwarded suggestions to her in advance of the meeting so that she would be prepared to represent our views.  She didn't just make it up on the spot.

 

The Tourism and Sports Minister, Khun Kobkarn, came across as sympathetic and thoughtful. You who criticize her so cynically and bitterly might want to remember that, even at her level, she is one in a crowd of government ministers who have competing interests and opinions. She has no authority to tell the Immigration Police what to do, or to change the law. However, from what I saw, she is aware of the problems and is willing to advocate for more flexibility in immigration policy. It's good to have an ally in a high place, even if she doesn't wave a magic wand.

 

 

Although I don't agree with some things in your post, LawrenceN, your comments regarding the Immigration employees and what they said about their hands being tied and what others intimated that basically they cannot make the changes - that is how it is in Thailand! 

[nemrut]

'Long-stay tourists' is just a euphemism for 'economic migrants.'

 

How many countries in the west are so accommodating to 'long-stay tourists' going so far as to publicly listen to them whine about lower living standards and lack of infrastructure...

[Atum]

1 hour ago, nemrut said:

'Long-stay tourists' is just a euphemism for 'economic migrants.'

 

How many countries in the west are so accommodating to 'long-stay tourists' going so far as to publicly listen to them whine about lower living standards and lack of infrastructure...

It sounds like you are comparing Long-stay tourists not to economic migrants, but to refugees or illegal immigrants.

[siam2007]

will this event take place at other provinces too ?

I mean, CM is not the only province with a lot of Expats on a.... EHEMMMM....  "long stay tourism " basis

[elgordo38]

19 minutes ago, Atum said:

How many countries in the west are so accommodating to 'long-stay tourists' going so far as to publicly listen to them whine about lower living standards and lack of infrastructure...

Your absolutely right but listening is all they do. They excel in this department well are really experts.  Accommodating well that is open for a long discussion. 

[doggie1955]

Wait!....Is this the same Minister of Tourism that said Pokémon Go would save Thailand?

All I know is that Sihanoukville, Cambodia is looking real good right about now.

[elgordo38]

1 minute ago, doggie1955 said:

Wait!....Is this the same Minister of Tourism that said Pokémon Go would save Thailand?

All I know is that Sihanoukville, Cambodia is looking real good right about now.

Why do you think she is the minister of Tourism its her thoughtful insight savvy thinking and of course her astrologer who tells her what percentage the future climb rate will be for tourism. Anything less than 20% in unacceptable. She is soft spoken unlike the lady that does the North Korean news. I really love her the North Korean news lady. She makes you want to jump off your chair and salute. I wish I could make up a DVD of her broadcasts it would sell like hotcakes.