Focus on quality, not quantity

For a long time now we have heard re: tourists the rallying cry. Quality before Quantity, and we all know that the Thai associate money with quality, so it just seems they are extending that concept to us immigrants .Starting with enforcing the monetary regulations for Non O visa's so there is no way round them , then logically the next step, increasing the amount needed .

My thoughts echoed there Mr. Mash.
After 8 years of living here and pumping my sov's into the economy, only to witness the country slowly destroy itself, I'm now considering other S.E.Asian countries where I'll feel more welcome.

I don't get it.

The article is about tourists, but you guys are talking about non-immigrants and their problems. Seems to me they are 2 different subjects.

Tourism has increased by nearly 50% since I came here in 2002. 10+ million to 15+ million in that time. It sure doesn't seem like they've been doing a bad job of growing the industry, particularly when you consider the SARS scare and political unrest here.

I think it makes sense to try to encourage wealthier tourists. They will spend more while here and put less stress on the infrastructure than higher numbers of low spenders.

As a non-immigrant I haven't found it difficult to stay here other than the once a year visa extension which I've always managed to get, although it's been frustrating at times.

But then again, if it's too much for you, then looking elsewhere makes sense.

[quote="UdonExpat"]I don't get it

maybe you will get it , eventually.

when the the 800, 000 bht reqd in a thai bank account , is increased ,
think of a number ? 1000 000 bht that may satisfy , for a while .

that will give the resident khouns , something to moan about .
lol

I do get that, but it has nothing to do with tourism. I guess you don't get that.

I've been doing a marriage extension for the very reason you state above. I don't want to get grandfathered in on a retired extension that may have a income/savings requirement I can't meet.

I currently have enough income/savings to qualify for a retirement extension, but if the USD continues to decline I can see a day when I might not have enough income/savings to qualify. So, I go through the extra stress and hassle of doing a marriage extension. If the USD gets so low that I can't qualify for that extension then I also probably won't be able to afford to continue living here anyway.

But I still don't see what this has to do with tourism. We aren't tourists.

Compare Thailands attitude to long term foreign residents to that of the Phillipines......

In the Phillipines foreign tourists can now stay for a period of 16 months without the approval of the "commissioner" or 24 months with approval.....you have to extend every two months.
If,after 16 months you dont get approval to extend for 24 months then you have to leave the country for ONE DAY !!
Presume you can then come back and then start the process again for another 16 months,renewing every 2 months.

To me that is actually encouraging foreigners to stay long term in the country.For sure you wouldnt want to stay in Manila but an island like Cebu is very nice with lovely beaches.The people speak English and there are plenty of lovely girls,as well.It has a reputation for being more violent than Thailand but I dont think Cebu is too bad.

Cambodia it is easy to get a 1 year Business visa on arrival at Immigration......you dont have to have a business.....nobody checks....they just want your dosh for the visa.

Hong Kong....UK subjects can get a visa on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.

Malaysia.....UK subjects can get visa on arrival for stays of up to 90 days.

Thailand appears to be going in a different direction as regards long term foreign residents than all these countries.
Maybe many of us will be posting soon on Cebu Map !

Zidane wrote:Compare Thailands attitude to long term foreign residents to that of the Phillipines......




Thailand appears to be going in a different direction as regards long term foreign residents than all these countries.
Maybe many of us will be posting soon on Cebu Map !

I really don't see what the problem is . I have been here continuously on 10 year retirement visa .Just an occassional re-entry visa . Thats as good as it gets as far as I'm concerned .You can stick all those other countries. Whats the attraction? Oh I see . you don't need so much money.!

Yes,I'm on extensions based on retirement as well.
At the moment,fine no problem but what if they suddenly changed the criteria to 100k baht per month for retirement or 60k baht per month for extensions based on marriage.
I'm sure many long term expats here wouldnt be able to meet the requirements and would have to face up to the prospect of leaving the country.
It would be an act of despair to return to live somewhere like the UK again long term so it does no harm to be aware of possible options in SE Asia.
Always have a PLAN B ready.......

Zidane wrote:Yes,I'm on extensions based on retirement as well.
At the moment,fine no problem but what if they suddenly changed the criteria to 100k baht per month for retirement or 60k baht per month for extensions based on marriage.
I'm sure many long term expats here wouldnt be able to meet the requirements and would have to face up to the prospect of leaving the country.
It would be an act of despair to return to live somewhere like the UK again long term so it does no harm to be aware of possible options in SE Asia.
Always have a PLAN B ready.......

Well , What if? There are so many what if's they don't bear thinking about, but we are not talking what ifs we are talking about the apparent clamp down on those that try to get round the current regulations requiring monetary proof , albeit legally but certainly against the spirit of the law .I am sure the majority of us adhere to the annual Non O visa renewal requirement by showing either proof of pension or savings , currently we have no problems , maybe a little inconvenience, but no problems . It is those who try to circumvent those rules, false marriages, multi tourist visa runs, and yes the Non O multi entry was a way of not having to provide proof of income , They are the ones that are having the door slammed on them. and in my opinion , not before time. They are the ones that have caused us that abide by the spirit of the law with our annual renewal, to prove our marriage is not one of convenience, by providing photo, witnesses etc .Their activities to get round the rules intention have made the hammer fall on us .So if by tightening up on them it makes life just a little easier for us that obey them , then , I am all for it .

IF (and I say IF) the limits/criteria for Retirement/marriage visas were increased, wouldn't those who already have such visas be "ringfenced" anyway?
E.g. if one already qualifies under the existing 65Kpm or 800k in the bank criteria, and they raised the figures, would one have to fulfil the new criteria.

I see any general tightening up as being aimed at the short-term "hand to mouth" and illegal worker "brigade", who seek to extend their stays by making frequent border crossings and understandably are not considered by the Thais as highly desirable..

Somehow the authorities need a system to weed out bad apples, or the country will be overun with immigrants including those considered "not highly desirable. "

What other measures are appropriate that would be enforceable and effective?