26 replies to this topic

[petesie]

I found this very interesting article and thought it is best shared.

Is Thailand getting tired of tourists?

Thailand, one of the most beautiful countries to visit, relax, and play. A nation that has long been known for its friendly people, fabulous temples, great food and beautiful women—and least I forget, its wild night life and its standing as a world renown destination for sex tourism.

Millions of people from nations all around this great blue globe we call home have ventured to this mystical land over the years to not only enjoy all that the country has to offer in all manners of tourism, but to work, and or, retire–to spend their remaining years in peace and harmony.

All this was made even easier in the past by the relatively affordable cost of housing, combined with the low cost of living and the availability of superb and readily accessible medical care.

For three decades the government of Thailand has made it possible for those looking to enjoy an affordable and fun filled holiday, or to live out their golden years in relative comfort and security to do so, and to do so fairly easily.

For many years the immigration process in regards to visas for everything from a simple thirty to sixty day tourist visa, a long stay visa for work purposes, and or, retirement visa was a fairly easy undertaking.

A tourist visa could then, and still can be obtained at your point of entry into the Kingdom, with long stay and retirement visas obtained through a visit to the immigration department, and at a moderate cost.

There was also a time that buying a house was a lot easier, and considerably more affordable.

Here-in lays the problem however.

The last couple years has seen the regulations pertaining to the issuance of visas become not only more complicated and restrictive, but more costly as well.

The government of Thailand has, for some reason known only to the politicians involved, decided to make it harder and more costly to obtain, and or, renew work permits, long stay and retirement visas.

The requirements in place at this time require that you pay an enormous fee up front, in the neighborhood of one-hundred-ninety-one thousand baht (6,400.00 USD) to apply for a retirement visa, you then have to have at least eight-hundred thousand baht (26,700 USD) in a Thai bank, which personally scares me as Thai banks are not very secure in my opinion, and then guarantee that you make at least eighty-two thousand baht, or over twenty-seven hundred USD per month in retirement income.

Now with this amount of income on a monthly basis, many of us could make out fairly comfortably at home.

It is becoming more complicated to purchase a residence as well as put the needed protections in place like a “Superficies” that will act to protect you in the event your Thai partner decides she, or he wants to sell the land out from under you. And unfortunately this does happen frequently.

Now as far as medical care is concerned, most find it highly affordable when comparing cost to their home country. And the Kingdom is one of several Asia countries offering medical tourism, however in order to seek treatment for anything other than a minor ailment, you better bring the Platinum Visa or American Express along.

Why?

Simple, if it is determined you will need to be admitted to the hospital, and or, require surgery; you will need to pay an immense deposit up front, if not the total estimated cost, many times you will be asked to surrender your passport to the facility, unless you have medical insurance that cover the cost for you, most do not.

And in the event you find yourself in need of emergency treatment and care; if you do not have the available funds you most likely will not be treated. Your only hope in many cases, the public hospitals, not so nice as far as medical facilities go, and you still have to have the ability to come up with the funds within a very short period of time, and before being released.

The overall cost of living has been climbing to boot, particularly in, and around the bigger cities, Bangkok a case in point.

Many of the everyday food items we have come to enjoy and take for granted in our diet; eggs, milk, bacon and such, have become more expensive to purchase and enjoy than we found them to be in our native lands, with many of these products being produced within the country itself. Go figure.

Those new to Thailand will find that if they budget their funds, they may be able to just get by on around 10,000 Baht, or approximately three-hundred-thirty US dollars a month. This is an average wage for a working Thai. And then if, and only if, you choose to live in a small studio or one bedroom apartment with no air-conditioning, or virtually few creature comforts, as well as having to live in a predominately Thai neighborhood many times in a not so desirable area off the beaten path in regards to ease of transportation like the Skytrain and Underground.

Now if you eat as the majority of Thai’s do, two or three meals consisting of rice and veggies combined with either pork, beef, chicken, or fish, in small quantities, or dine at one of the numerous sidewalk food carts or stands, one can get a cup of steamed or sticky rice, a small portion of pork, chicken, beef, or fish, with a sprinkling of veggies for around thirty-five to forty baht—approximately a dollar fifteen to a dollar fifty.

However if you are like the majority of foreigners; “Farang” that come to the country in search of a relaxed and financially affordable lifestyle, you will find in order live in a fairly comfortable manner it will set you back at least 35,000 to 40,000 baht (twelve-hundred to thirteen-hundred-fifty dollars), per month, and only if you still chose to rent a one bedroom, or small two bedroom apartment. And if you elect this route due to income restrictions, you will never be able to receive a retirement visa.

Where once Farang were looked upon as a welcome addition to the cultural mix of the country, as well as an added boost to the Thai economy, it has slowly, but surely been changing. Foreigners in the Kingdom are, to put it in a politically correct manner, tolerated. Thailand has become to a degree, somewhat dependent on foreign tourism to help keep their economy stabilized, and to aid there standing within the top percentile of third world countries worldwide. In fact a major portion of the Thai economy comes from tourism. Yet they seem to forget their roots. Had it not been for the United States having four bases within the country during the Vietnam conflict, and the millions of dollars pumped into Thailand, the country would still be, in many areas, one big rice paddy.

Many women within the Kingdom, and I am not referring to just the working girls, see Farang as “Walking, talking, ATM machines.” Strictly a source of added income and status to benefit them and their families and nothing much more, unless of course you count the land and houses that many Farang are seduced into buying for their “beloved” ladies, only to end up losing down the road.

Another problem is that approximately 75 percent of the Thai people do not speak English, not even within the major cities like Bangkok. Take this in comparison of its neighbor; Cambodia, yet a poorer nation–where somewhere in the area of 80 percent speak English, in fact many speak not only their native language of Khmer, but English and French as well.

Go figure!

In the three plus years I have resided within Thailand I have found the level of friendliness, and acceptance of foreigners to be on the decline. Many times while waiting for the Skytrain, or in line at a 7-11, I have been pushed aside by Thai’s in a hurry, and with not even a “Sorry!” I can recall numerous times while waiting at the curb with my wife, who by the way is Cambodian, along with my two daughters while waiting for a Meter-Taxi, only to have one pass us by and pull in to pick up a Thai fare standing not ten feet from us, or in many cases have the driver actually refuse to take us where we wanted to go.

To top it all off, a major factor making many of the Farang residents I personally know, as well as many businesses nervous, is the very delicate, and very unstable political situation within the country.

Having experienced the last major fiasco of political unrest in Bangkok in 2010 first hand, one where taxi drivers refused to pick up fares out of fear of being shot at by the police or army. Having watched the events unfold on TV, and reading the stories in the papers as a few thousand Thai’s, the “Red Shirts”, literally brought the country to its knees with three months of demonstrations and property destruction costing not only numerous Thai lives, on both sides, as well as a the lives of a few foreigners, but thousands of Thai’s lost their jobs, as well as billions of baht in overall damages, not to mention damaging the country economically through the loss of business, businesses, and tourist dollars.

I know, as do many of the foreign residents within the Kingdom, it is only a matter of time before this nation is torn apart with another major situation of political unrest, or even, God forbid, a civil war. Unfortunately however this may be closer than one might imagine..

If you are one that is still interested in visiting, working, or even retiring to Thailand, I encourage you to do your research first—then, and only then, if you are still up to the trip, due so with caution and foresight.

I for one am returning to the security of the USA. Although the economic picture is not sound, I do have a decent retirement income, and most importantly, I am a citizen, have the ability to receive medical care if needed in an emergency, can live on my retirement, especially since I have a house to return to, and don’t have to worry about being caught up in a civil strife involving the army and police that is only beginning to take root here, but such is life in a third world nation.

[xyzzy]

"Where once Farang were looked upon as a welcome addition to the cultural mix of the country, as well as an added boost to the Thai economy, it has slowly, but surely been changing."

I would suggest it's been this way for quiet a while. It's just a matter of how long it takes one to realize the situation.

[onetruesaxon]

Great find Petesie

I have just returned myself from my latest trip and found this latest one to be the worse trip ever from scamming bar girls to just hungry hookers who DO only see us as stated, ATM's

What surprised me most was the unfriendliest of some of the nicest people i thought i knew.

Either i have been going to often or my time has finished and time to find new places to visit.

TJ™

Fancy the Philippines this June or July ?

[RobiSLO]

Great find Petesie

I have just returned myself from my latest trip and found this latest one to be the worse trip ever from scamming bar girls to just hungry hookers who DO only see us as stated, ATM's

What surprised me most was the unfriendliest of some of the nicest people i thought i knew.

Either i have been going to often or my time has finished and time to find new places to visit.

TJ™

.

Fancy the Philippines this June or July ?

Why not.

BR

p.s.
Why not.. really.

[tourist]

thanks Petesie, for sharing this on the Forum.
I agree with most of what has been stated, at least from my "recent" experience (from 2005 till..last September).

I would only add also that the exchance rate EUR (USD ) vs THB has been deteriorating a lot, affecting both retired ex-pat (which I can only guess as not my personal case...) and visitors , probably forced to shorten their stays and, generally speaking of course, downgrading their tourist-life standards...

my 2 cent there...

cheers !

[dixon cox]

No real surprises or news in the article, but in summary it's probably a general opinion harboured by a fair few regular travellers to the Kingdom for several years.

The Philippines is where you should all be going now. Thailand has become rather old hat these days and the Thais could do with a wake-up call, they've become far too complacent in recent years. It would be wonderful to watch the gravy-train chug over to another country just to see their little Thai faces.

[aussieguy]

Is Thailand getting tired of tourists?....question should be "Are tourists getting tired of Thailand ?" more like it.

[boomdraw]

Great find Petesie

I have just returned myself from my latest trip and found this latest one to be the worse trip ever from scamming bar girls to just hungry hookers who DO only see us as stated, ATM's

What surprised me most was the unfriendliest of some of the nicest people i thought i knew.

Either i have been going to often or my time has finished and time to find new places to visit.

TJ™

i learned long ago to be honest with myself in that no matter how amazing a place is if your hearts gets bored with it then its probally a blessing, u just gotta look elsewhere. I found thailand lost its charm for me long ago, now lets face facts, thailand without the mystique or charm is still alot more mystique rich n charming as most places u can think up, i really wish thailand would make visa's easier, back in 2001 u could go to the police station/imagration by the beach in patong and just go ''heres my 20 bucks for 30 more days'' and your done. now u gotta leave the country on a buss driven by a meth head who banks corners so fast n hits bumps in the road that make u feel like your in a airplane hitting turbulence , i used to take buses to phuket from bkk to save money n be safer i figured, i think flying is safer in thailand. but yeah thailand doesnt to me seem to thrilled with us that much anymore, i personally could give two fucks what they think, i dont really need sunshin blown up my ass all day by smiling sex workers, just between the hours of 12am-4am.

[petesie]

There's probably a bit of truth in all your sentiments.

I'm taking my hard earned mazuma to Boracay next month...just for a change.

It's not that I'm fed up with LoS, the scamsters can please themselves as all we have to do is call checkbin and we're off and to be honest lads we don't really go there looking for love, do we?

I noticed the change in the attitudes in the early 90's, nowadays I just take folk as I find them...then move on.

For the Farang long termers it's going to be an uphill struggle with the change in Thai expectations and the harsh reality of the worlds economic situation; major companies are shifting their factories to other Asian locations and more advantageous currencies. This will surely have a major knock on effect on the populace.

The impending changes in LoS do not bode well so we might as well enjoy it while we can, I used to think I could happily retire in Thailand, now I have no ambitions to join the Pattaya Flying Club.

[RobiSLO]

I was having the same discussion yesterday and come to think… if EU guy in late 30s, not rich yet not poor who can still work for few decades before he’ll be good to throw in trash bin (me) wants to live in Thailand with his chosen LB there is almost no legal way to do it apart from language school scams or some other gray ways to get visa… but in any case it is complicated, costly and more or less don’t worth the problems you have. You can marry Thai GG but first of all I don’t like to have problem with her Thai husband and let’s face it once you drove Ferrari (my ex or my present ladyboy) you can’t go back to beaten old Lada (most GGs I saw who are stupid enough to marry farang for "love" ).

On the other hand my good friend didn’t even marry Thai GG (she is now in late 30s so sure no first grade material), he only made her pregnant, took her home to EU and in two years... she got permanent residence in EU, child is of course born citizen of SLO. She never needed to attend any bus visa run to some border shithole town, she is poor as a church mouse but still wasn’t asked to produce any monthly income statement and on top of it she got every single social security payment plus family got government subsidized brand new 3 room apartment in our capital, rent they pay equals the money I spend on my motorcycle gasoline…

BR

[Ivor Biggun]

I have found over the past few years that there had been an increased xenophobic attitude. When all goes wrong, pick on the foreigners to divert attention. Just skim read this so far ( it is Friday night!) but for a start the retirement sums are wrong. Its 8O0k OR a proportion of that sum and a monthly income, verified by the embassy. Also to get the visa direct from immigration, without using an agent is in the region of b4000 ( more on this when i apply for my visa next year ) The constant change in the interpretaion of ambiguous visa rules by different embasies and consulates has not made the task easier either- the goal posts constantly change for those of us trying to live here within the rules. The big kick in the bollocks for those of us with a UK pension was the drop from B73 to B48

I'll have a proper read through at the weekend and comment further if appropriate.