AGENDA - PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, UDON THANIBrick wrote: Anyway, here below is the essence of the Agenda i got hold of. I have cut out some detail which seemed more like a personal view or statement and tried to stick to the main facts. I think there are some statements that could have been better worded but this is what went out. Full text available tonight, if anyone wants a copy hopefully someone knows of a nearby place to do this.
17TH September 2012, 3-5pm.
1. To explore the possibility of changing the need of farangs to leave Thailand by way of the friendship bridge in order to renew visas.
At present large numbers of farangs pass through Udon Thani every day for the sole reason of renewing or altering their visas. It has been established that depending on where they start their journey they will spend between 5-10,000 baht in getting outside Thailand and re-entering Thailand, following a visit to the Thai Embassy in Vientiane.
If the service they receive could be achieved in an office in Udon Thani, it would help them and also Thailand, with increased revenue staying within the country. This would make Udon Thani more inviting to foreigners and thai investors.
The immediate monetary impact, based on 100 cross border crossings saved, would amount to some 500,000 to 1 million baht staying within Thailand - with a proportion being spent in Udon Thani province.
2. VISA CRITERIA
By far the most talked about subject on the list of expat frustrations are worries about the visa. Visas range from residency to tourist types and expats continually speak about them on a day to day basis.
Typical complaints are;
The retirement visa - due to world economic downturn and the strong baht more and more expats are finding that the levels of cash required for both retirement and marriage visas are becoming more restrictive.
Also specifically with the retirement visa many feel that the qualifying age of 50 years should be lowered by perhaps 5 years.
The vast majority of expats living in this country, on these types of visa, are supporting wives, children and extended families that would suffer financially should the expat be unable to fulfill the visa obligations and have to leave the country. Therefore consideration should be given to reduce the cash in bank levels by 50% in order to release cash flow in these hard economic times.
WORK PERMITS
Many expats who are married or in relationships with Thai citizens tend to establish small businesses for their families, helping them to increase their income and living standards. Expats that are in this position should not have to worry that they are breaking the law when they help and assist their families in this manner and consideration should be given, albeit by a set of rules, of an exemption from the need to obtain such a permit.
In the case of expats involved in charitable or voluntary work without payment should also be considered for exemption.
90 DAY REPORTING RULE
One other source of constant complaint in the visa system is the 90 day reporting rule.
Surely the reporting could be altered to a more helpful level of perhaps every 6 months or indeed remove it completely with provisos that should we change address then we must report this or face a fine.
3. PURCHASE OF LAND IN THE NAME OF AN EXPAT
Another hot topic of discussion.
There are many instances of expats paying for a small piece of land for the building of a dwelling house in their wife’partners name, who aare quickly rejected(?) and removed from that house/land with no recourse to the law.
We ask that consideration be given for a mechanism whereupon an expat can easily purchase in his or her own name, a small piece of land for building to avoid these instances and injustices.
We are well aware of the historical disasters in many countries where vast tracts of land have been bought by foreign people who destroy the local economy and cause hardship. This land is sometimes used for planting of food or other commodities to export to their countries of origin; I for one think such policies to be poorly thought out and have disastrous consequences for the host country, as in places such as my own origins, Scotland.
…regulation such as the land reverting to the government, or the thai family on the expats death or a time bound once only renewable government lease for a small number of rai.
4. TOURIST POLICE
All of the expat community in Udon Thani respect the proper Thai Tourist police.
They do however increasingly dislike some of the ways in which expat volunteer assistants to the Thai tourist police use their volunteer status.
(then some critiicism and a suggestion that they should not wear police uniform or do real police work without training)
5. ADVICE CENTRE FOR TOURISTS, EXPATS, INVESTORS AND BUSINESSMEN.
There is a great need for a government initiative for the provision of premises and staff to offer an advice centre…….(and lots more about this).
Follow on comment from Trubrit...
Have to agree with TB, seems to be a self serving agenda for some.trubrit wrote:Thanks for that Rick. This appears to be the agenda put forward to the Thai side by Mr Info & co. Obviously heavily biased to helping those that currently need to circumvent the current immigration rules.As I thought, not a reflection of the majority of us that do conform .It will be interesting to see the response, if any, as it fly's in the face of the present day attitude of making it harder for these people to stay here. .
:-" 
