Thread: Thailand vs West

I just wonder how people feel about their treatment here in terms of visas and the rest of it by the government compared to the way your government treats foreigners in your country.

Many people just come here as tourists so I'm interested in their feelings on this. I am interested in people who work with an intention to stay or who have family connections through marriage. I also know that it is easier for a foreigner to come here in general than it is for a Thai to probably go abroad. What I am interested in is the treatment for those who do stay abroad.

I have a friend who married a Brit and she just got her residency permit just after a couple years there. It is quite different than the story here. I guess I am jealous of the fact that it is so easy to get long term residency overseas in other countries than it is here. It's almost like they pass perminent residency out when you get off the plane. Here on the other hand it seems to me that the government is interested in keeping people in the dark about it and making the process as long as possible. Am I wrong about this?

Generally, I feel jealous about this whole situtation. I work in a position where loads of Thais have been or plan to go abroad so that probably helps to make me this way. Even though I have a family here I feel that the government doesn't want me to be able to take care of them. It's not the same for foreigners in western countries. Since I arrived here I can say that my feelings toward this country have become more and more negative.

Any thoughts on this? I guess I am interested in your gut feelings about the whole situation. Do you feel that you are treated fairly? Does your government treat people fairly? Should it change it's immigration laws?



( I posted this here but if the mods feel it would be better in the lounge or some other place feel free to move it)

can you imagine all the hippies and English teachers we would get if it was easy to get residency here ? the immigration situation here is not symmetric with the one in the west, hence the rules are tougher here for a lot of logical reasons

^ untrue and naive.

The Chinese Thais, now that they are in, want to keep their influence to the max and everyone else's to the minimum; hence the irrational laws/visa status crap.

The UK is much worse, but if you get into the UK it's like winning the lottery.

Thailand has a choice: 1) let the folk in to spend their money; 2) don't let them in to spend their money. But, they decided upon option 3: let them in until they've spent all their money (and help them as much as possible in this process). It does make sense from their perspective, but it is the opposite from the UK perspective; if you live in the UK then you pay into a system that handsout to everyone (but you). If you leave the UK then you just join a system where you pay in and get nothing in return... Many folk from the UK are quite upset about this state of affairs, I can understand that.

Thailand is better for Thais than others, and why shouldn't it be. They don't even pretend to be fair or equal; they don't want us, the Sino-Thais really don't want us, but they are prepared to suffer us for as long as it takes to get our money; then we're out...

Simple really.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

but if you get into the UK it's like winning the lottery

I thought it was if you escaped you had won the lottery

^ maybe true too.

I haven't been back for 10 years, so I probably only remember the good parts...

Fair call.....

I'm jumping through fewer hoops, than i ever did in Australia, as an Australian.....a few 90 day reports....so what....none of the politically correct crap of the west.....here a falang is not expected to be correct...politics are best left to those with ''the ways and means''...

All in all no complaints.....oh! except the beer is hot and the women are flat.....or was it the other way round....

What's your situation here anyways? Did you come with a pension or wealth to start a business? Or do you live contract to contract? How many years have you done the 90 day reporting? Do you have a family to support or are you just an extended stay tourist? Are you doing it by mail from upcountry? In BKK, they don't accept mailins are far as I have heard.

I do think people can live here and do what they want, they just have to be corrupt/ stretch the law. Your business will be in your wife's name or you do it under-the-table. You might buy citizenship which one of my Taiwanese students parents did. It's just hard to accept that commit crimes is the right way to live. I would definitely suggest it to anyone who is serious about staying here. Of course you can go through the citizenship process which should take 10 years or something like that after you have been here for a few years. It would be nice if the system were a bit more reasonable.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^ maybe true too.

I haven't been back for 10 years, so I probably only remember the good parts...

It's beneficial to go home every so often. I had not been home for 38 months and the usual complaints in Thailand were starting to bother me. 2 weeks at home, and I was damn glad to get back here, even with all it's faults.

It can help but you can't run away from reality.

Originally Posted by PaulBunyon

Fair call.....

I'm jumping through fewer hoops, than i ever did in Australia, as an Australian.....a few 90 day reports....so what....none of the politically correct crap of the west.....here a falang is not expected to be correct...politics are best left to those with ''the ways and means''...

All in all no complaints.....oh! except the beer is hot and the women are flat.....or was it the other way round....

What's your situation here anyways? Did you come with a pension or wealth to start a business? Or do you live contract to contract? How many years have you done the 90 day reporting? Do you have a family to support or are you just an extended stay tourist? Are you doing it by mail from upcountry? In BKK, they don't accept mailins are far as I have heard.

Paul....you are a worry....you are really high on this persecution thing...
nobody is doing it to us....we...all of us are self made men..

to answer you more specific questions....which i do without reservation..

a. for the last thirty-five years i have worked for the greatest [at][at][at][at] God ever shoveled guts into....i have been self employed since i was twenty-five...from the time i worked out others were just as stupid as i am...and in some cases more so..

b. i have reported every 90 days for the last eight years...soon to be nine..

c. i live with my two wives and the three children i have fathered with them...in all i support nine people in my household....nieces i house and provide schooling for...nephews i provide employment for.

d. we, in the past reported by mail to Non Kai...no problems...since the Immigration Office has opened in Khon Kaen, it's a breeze..

e. i rule the household with an iron fist....there is no fucking about...and everybody knows it.

f. we live on about 60k a month....give or take.

g. my kids have Australian Citizenship and land in their own names....the women do not, have land...

h. i no longer have personal ambitions....outside of my children having the best possible start and chance in life....they are presently being educated in the Catholic School here in KK City.


Now i am sure there is enough information above to bring on the most virulent attacks....so be it...

for my part i work under the K.I.S.S. System....Keep It Simple Stupid...
don't over think things there are always simple solutions...

e.g. the Thai people won't register land in your name...register it in your kids name....locked up for twenty years in trust....at least you have a home.....and the women can't piss it away.

Just play it by the numbers....and thank what ever mischance that drove you to this land of constant surprises and abundance.

Thai & Flippa women have a difficult time getting a visa for the UK as most of them seem to end up selling their sexy little bodies to gentlemen who are fed up with fucking pigs. Therefore, the UK Government (when Jack Straw was Foreign Secretary) issued a notice to the UK Embassies in Thailand & Flippaland to be very tough as he didn't want to be responsible for British women not getting 'any' any more.

Even the rich & famous have to shag pigs in the UK - look at Rooney for fek's sake!

Originally Posted by BobR

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^ maybe true too.

I haven't been back for 10 years, so I probably only remember the good parts...

It's beneficial to go home every so often. I had not been home for 38 months and the usual complaints in Thailand were starting to bother me. 2 weeks at home, and I was damn glad to get back here, even with all it's faults.

Yep, I should pop back soon. I agree with you, but I'm kinda worried about how it will turn out...

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Thai & Flippa women have a difficult time getting a visa for the UK as most of them seem to end up selling their sexy little bodies to gentlemen who are fed up with fucking pigs. Therefore, the UK Government (when Jack Straw was Foreign Secretary) issued a notice to the UK Embassies in Thailand & Flippaland to be very tough as he didn't want to be responsible for British women not getting 'any' any more.

Even the rich & famous have to shag pigs in the UK - look at Rooney for fek's sake!

Marmite....how could you!!!
.....another unsavory truth...

Are there any businesses in Thailand which are legally 100% owned by a westerner without Thai citizenship or a wife involved? Just curious about this. Are the large western corporations required to offer 'foreign shares' on the Thai market?