Of course the Farang is welcome in Thailand, but he must be able to fully pay for his stay and be able to give that stay his personal touch' (with 'he' is also meant 'she').
Recently the question was raised whether the farang are welcome in Thailand? A strange question in my opinion. Farang are welcome in almost every country. Why not? Every respecting country without too many political struggles opens its borders to foreigners, especially in the capacity of tourists, also as a long stay. Of course farang are welcome in TH. They come in droves and bring in money. If the farang is ever no longer welcome, it will move to another country.
The question really should have been: do farang feel good in Thailand? Whether a farang in TH feels comfortable depends only on a few factors, such as whether you can afford your stay and meet the Immigration income requirements. But also whether you are financially clear and set boundaries for in-laws, if you have them.
But first and foremost: whether you are able and competent to fit into the customs and habits of TH. Checking in and adjusting yourself and meeting the immigration conditions, and not being a clown financially and playing Sinterklaas to the in-laws: if you manage to do this, you will have a great stay in TH, and you will be fine. Knowing what you do, why you came to TH, and not fighting regulations. Who cares if an entrance ticket is more expensive, or a restaurant visit is more expensive. Who complains about paying 65 baht for a plate of pad thai instead of 40 baht for the Thai in a Tesco Lotus canteen? Go to Sizzler or Fuji and pay 800 baht for a copious meal? Buy your own ingredients at BigC and brew a decent dish yourself. Buy bread at Yamazaki and meat fillings at Tops. What are we talking about? Who wants Mama noodles with fried beetles?
The biggest pitfall for a farang is wanting to feel seen and caressed. He does that mainly with money. To feel accepted, he pays off family debts, pays for land and house, buys things, pays for groceries. Since it is mainly and usually about money in TH, it is tempting to know that you are present through money. But at some point he comes out of a cold shower and then the grumbling starts.
TH is far from ideal, certainly not permanently complimentary, every day is the same and the grind is lurking, besides: every day there are countless moments and situations that give rise to criticism and comment. A moped rider is always driven into the hospital, there is always a fatal domestic violence, it is always visible how corrupt society is, and how imperfect all kinds of government services are. If health problems also arise, the fence is completely over. Because where in TH can you get affordable health insurance?
In order to suppress frustrations, to nevertheless insist that TH is ideal, and not to have to question the decision to leave TH at some point, NL and the EU are taken by the horns as the object of complaint.
Oh well: is the farang welcome in TH? What a question. Of course he is. A more logical question is: does the farang know how to give meaning and interpretation to his stay in TH? I have my doubts about that. Very nicely someone described this in his comments. Literally he says: (Quote) “there are more things that annoy me than things that make me happy. My wife still makes me happy after 20 years and without her the choice would not have been difficult and the plane has already been booked to the Netherlands, the country where I have pledged my heart.” Been in Thailand for 20 years and actually want to go back to the Netherlands all those years!
Someone he said speaking: (quote) “Corruption also regularly comes into play, but I can live with that. I find the arrangement to get a visa if you do not have a monthly income of 65000 Bath (800.000 Baht fixed in an account for 5 months) rather absurd. What would you have to live on, if you can demonstrate 65.000 Bath per month income, then you can simply give out. I feel a little less welcome with these kinds of arrangements.” (end of quote)
Exactly, that's just how it is. The person concerned feels less welcome because he has difficulty meeting the income requirements. He turns it around: not him, but Thailand must adapt. Wonderful, such reasoning!
In conclusion: the farang is clearly welcome in Thailand, no proof or argument is required, but he must meet the income conditions, he must be able to afford his stay, and he must be able to give meaning and interpretation to this stay. If not: stay in the Netherlands.
Submitted by RuudB
In the Netherlands, the normal foreigner must be able to keep his own pants on, otherwise you lose the right to vrrojf. However, you also build up rights in the Netherlands, if you have lived and worked in the Netherlands for many years, you cannot just be declared undesirable. That has something to do with human values, human rights. That you don't evict someone who hasn't been a burden for years if they get into a position of dependency.
Thailand does not opt for that. With real freeloaders I understand that you try to turn it off, but with people who after a long stay can no longer (hold their own pants) later it is not so neat.
Nb: an important difference is of course that many Westerners in Thailand are a kind of holidaymaker or temporary guest, but this is extended time and time again. They choose not to get real immigration status. That difference in status also counts a bit, of course, are you a long-term guest or an immigrant?
I feel like you live under a rock. It would be better if NL had an immigration system like Thailand:
– keep your own pants up, otherwise go back to your own country
– every 3 months just report where you are now, to prevent illegality
– proper control of who enters the country, in order to prevent as much crime as possible
Your state pension is no longer what it used to be, because in NL there is far too much money for illegal, criminal asylum seekers, and for example lawyers who continue to litigate at the taxpayer's expense.
There is nothing wrong with the fact that if people can no longer keep their own pants on that Thailand says, well, should we now support you at the expense of our own people? There is still a bit more work to be done for Thailand in Thailand itself, and for their population than paying for foreigners, who have gotten into trouble.
I get the impression that you are confusing regular short- and long-stay foreigners in the Netherlands (such as a Thai who is in the Netherlands to stay with a partner, study, work) with the subcategory of asylum and then the subcategory of abuses.
I am reasonably aware of the Dutch visa and residence permit requirements (see my files on this blog), so I am familiar with Dutch laws, procedures and practice. They really argue that a regular migrant is not allowed to hold up his hand and otherwise his right of residence is jeopardized. Well, the longer you live there, the more you build up. I understand that: it's difficult for you to say to a Thai person: 'It's nice that after 10 years of living here with your partner you're going to enjoy your old age, oh, but you can't get health insurance at a regular rate, and if you don't have enough money, Julie. on the bank, well then you better go back to Thailand because we are not going to support you even a penny, bye bye. Personally, I would find that inhumane. I would also not be in favor of a Thai in the Netherlands having to go to the IND every 90 days. Paperwork and costs for citizens and government with what benefit? A Thai who no longer meets the requirements and secretly wants to stay, what will he do? Report?
I don't really know the Thai rules and procedures, only the broad outlines. So I live under a rock in that regard. But I regularly read about illegal aliens in the Thai media. Overstayed, crossed the border illegally, etc. A monthly reporting obligation, does that really help to prevent or detect malicious foreigners? I think nefarious strangers simply go under the radar of the authorities... they won't report themselves.
There are checks at the border in both Thailand and the Netherlands. But the border cannot scan everyone who passes by, the border is too long for that. If you enter illegally, you can find shelter somewhere afterwards in both the Netherlands and Thailand. Now Thailand is quite big, also has a larger informal economy, I have the feeling that it is a little easier there than in the Netherlands to live and work illegally afterwards, looking back every day to make sure no one is ratting you out. And ultimately ends up in the spotlight.
I get the impression that some people don't mind that a foreigner has lived in Thailand (or the Netherlands) with their family for say 10 years, and that if the foreigner costs even a penny, it has to be returned to their own home. country. Daggg partner and any children. Being a little hard, not that weak stuff… ???!
The life you lead depends on choices you make.
If you emigrate to Thailand on a minimal income and don't realize that wages and prices normally rise faster in a developing country than in developed countries, you haven't prepared well enough.
The fact that wages and prices are growing faster has to do with the fact that products are sold all over the world.
For example, if the price of rice on the world market is higher than that in Thailand, the price of rice in Thailand will rise towards world market prices.
Then the wages in Thailand will have to go up, so that people can eat.
But who is actually responsible for those people who get into trouble?
At first the country of birth seems to me.
However, the Netherlands will not provide financial assistance to allow someone to live in Thailand, but will say: come back.
The Thai government then?
It only cares for its own nationals on a very limited level, should it then give a foreigner a more luxurious treatment?
That seems unreasonable to me.
Ultimately, therefore, the emigrant will have to solve his own problems.
Fortunately, if you are married as a Dutch citizen, you can take your wife and children back to the Netherlands. (there may be exceptions to this, but as a rule it is possible)
Maybe that's not the life you chose, but many people in the world are much worse off.
But if the Netherlands is just as hard as Thailand? : “oh your Thai partner doesn't have X euros in income or Y euros in the bank? Do you only have an AOW plus small pension? Well, let your wife ask her own country for help, she will not be able to enter the Netherlands”.
I wonder how welcome it is to deport someone after so many years of residence because a theoretical amount of money is not met. How welcome are the farang if they can move on to their own country and may have to leave their Thai partner and child behind? Not the life one would wish for but there are people who are worse off?
NB: Thailand is no longer a developing country, but an upper-middle income country.
Did Thailand ever invite you to come and live here?
You are tolerated under certain conditions, but you are not welcome.
I may be wrong, but if you are married under Dutch law, I don't think the Dutch government can keep your wife and (your) children out.
The Netherlands has never invited our Thai partner to come and live in the Netherlands? So should we see the Thais living in the Netherlands as a form of tolerance, a favor? To be withdrawn if the treasury or society experiences any inconvenience from the Thai guest?
Are Dutch people not welcome in Thailand? There are fellow commenters here who have a work permit and work for Thai institutions, there are those who have permanent residence, even thought someone who is naturalized Thai.
And you don't enter the Netherlands by waving a wedding paper. The Netherlands can keep your Thai wife out. If the income, civic integration, etc. requirements are not met, your wife will not be able to enter the Netherlands. Despite a nice file here on the site, there are still those who think that the doors of the Netherlands are wide open... come on in... but it is not that easy and then the Netherlands would still be weak according to some.
If a Thai-Dutch couple has a minor child, there are possibilities since last year due to a ruling by the EU court (Chaves ruling). Does the Thai have to show, among other things, that he takes care of the child and that 'the child is so dependent on you that, if you do not get a right of residence, the child has no choice but to enter the territory of the European Union with you? to leave.' :
https://ind.nl/Familie/Paginas/Ouder(s)-van-een-minderjarig-Nederlands-kind.aspx
I wrote 'married under Dutch law.'
That is not the same as getting married in Thailand.
Getting married under Dutch law can be difficult, but that was caused by marriages of convenience.
Marry against payment, then wife (or hubby) gets a residence permit and then divorce and marry the next one.
If there had been no limit to this, 20 million people would now live in the Netherlands.
It also seems unlikely to me that the government could deport your child (proven by a DNA test).
Things may be different for your partner's child.
The same problems could arise there as with sham marriages.
Getting married, divorced and leaving the children behind in the Netherlands, to build a new life there.
Whether the Netherlands has invited your partner or not is not important for the situation in Thailand.
In general, the Thai government is not in favor of immigration.
That is why it is almost impossible to obtain a permanent residence permit.
Apart from that, of course, there are foreigners, who can be of great use to the Thai government.
You have to be a little kinder to that.
Thailand is not an immigration country, ergo you cannot emigrate to Thailand.
Then explain what foreigners are like in Thailand with a permanent resident status or naturalization to Thai? You have non-immigrant visas and that label exists because you also have immigrant statuses.
TheoS, to emigrate is to leave your country. Van Dale says 'Moving abroad.' You can indeed emigrate to Thailand.
Whether you also immigrate can be approached in various ways. Immigration is 'to settle somewhere from another country'. Settling is going to live somewhere; nowhere is it required that you live permanently or have a permanent permit.
For Thai tax law you are already a 'resident' after six months. Resident is resident, (permanent) resident, inhabitant.
Once you are here, you can choose from extensions, becoming a resident or becoming a national. And that depends on your wishes, wallet or travel behavior.
They compare Thailand too much with the Netherlands
This culture is simply different and we are only guests. It's a nice country, isn't it?
machiel
This is the second deeply colored rose-colored glasses within 24 hours on this blog with an extensive argument, which is still touching. Thai people who have your money within reach will generally be friendly, because why kill the goose that lays golden eggs. The Thai, who has nothing to expect from the foreigner who camps here, would rather see him/her leave today than tomorrow. It has little to do with whether you are a decent person and behave decently, but the Thai is a self-oriented person who rejects everything that is not Thai. Except for the nice toy produced in industrialized countries elsewhere.
In my opinion it is getting worse rather than better, sometimes to the point of being rude. Anyway, I'm staying here to keep my girlfriend alive, because love is stronger than feelings of discomfort. This is my overall impression, I also met really friendly and good Thai people, but the above is the underlying tenor.
The recently asked question, whether the Farang is still welcome in Thailand, of course, had to do with the often cumbersome rules and laws that many tourists and expats from their country are not used to.
Of course, Thai laws and regulations are not made in Amsterdam or Brussels, and we will have to adapt if we want to stay in this country as a tourist or permanently.
If we look at the TM30 procedure, which the expat or tourist does not have to deal with directly, it is still very disturbing that the Thai husband has to pay her own husband, who moreover often also paid for the house, within 24 hours. to register.
Often a local Police, which is clearly mentioned as a possibility on the form, does not feel at all called upon to bend a finger in this matter.
The alternative in many remote areas is often a kilometer-long journey, which takes a lot of time, to further burden the often already very polluted air with additional CO2 emissions.
The same polluting ride, which in my opinion could also be arranged differently, is again subjected to the mandatory 90-day notification.
Also the 2 price system, which many tourists find as the most normal thing here on the blog, is also quite offensive to many thoughtful tourists who think it is justified discrimination.
Of course, some readers will come back with the hackneyed old saying that this is just a different culture, and if someone doesn't like it, just don't come or get the fuck out.
By the way, I would like to see these people, who think everything is good and normal as long as it comes from the Thai government, if they had to make the same procedures for their Thai relationship mandatory in the Netherlands or Belgium.
Think that the question, whether people with a Thai relationship were still welcome in the latter countries, was clearly heard everywhere.
Can you imagine how many Thais can still come to NL, if they can show THB 65.000 / 35 = € 1850 /month of their own NET income? And NOT being able to show it once is a one-way ticket to Schiphol.
By the way: THB 65.000 / month… how many Thais have that much monthly income?
Not really fair. Thai salaries are about 30% of Dutch salaries. So 65.000 should be 20.000 Baht : 35 = 570 Euro. And yes, there are many more Thais who have this income than you think. They don't give that up so they don't have to pay taxes. But even the fruit stall in the morning generates about 25.000 baht per month.
Don't know where you live
But if you are here in the isaan
800 baht in a few hours
Earned by selling fruit
Why toil in the sun for 10 hours for only 300 bath
Construction worker earns here if you're good 500 bath
Turnover is not profit, does she get the fruit for free?
You don't have to pay anything from the salary either?
Harry,
Say an annual income of 750.000, about 10% of all Thai households, and therefore about 7.000.000 Thais.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/716001/share-of-household-income-levels-in-thailand-forecast/
Households are listed, so a household consists of approximately 3,1 people. That leaves only 2,3 million Thais with 750.000 per year. And I even dare to dispute that, this 2,3 million, I suspect it is considerably lower. Name me a group that earns well, and in large numbers?
Oops, you're right, Ger-Korat, my apologies. And it's even less... There are about 20.000.000 householders in Thailand, 10% of them, 2.000.000, earn 750.000 baht or more per year. Divided by 3, that is 700.000 people, 10% of what I first reported... stupid.
Tino,
There are 18 million households in Thailand. Large difference between households and inhabitants (inhabitants).
The income requirement is absurd, because if you have an income of, for example, 1200 euros (Bath 41.520, =) then you can easily keep your own pants in Thailand. Especially if you have a Thai partner and your own house.
Other than that I agree with the story. Don't complain too much and otherwise go back to your own country.
For the Thai people, we are welcome, at least that's how I felt.
We are also welcome for Emigration, provided we meet their requirements
Of course, a 'farang' cannot be categorized under a single denominator. They can be classified into various categories. For example, short-term holidaymakers, winter visitors, backpackers, those who go on holiday/family visit to Thailand with their Thai partner, expats who work in Thailand for a shorter or longer period of time and the (early) retirees who stay in Thailand for a long time on the basis of of their annually renewable residence status and often live with a Thai partner, with or without children. Each 'farang' experiences in its own way whether or not it feels welcome and that feeling is of course determined by a variety of experiences, one of which takes a certain fact more seriously than the other. Most of my circle of friends and colleagues who have visited Thailand for the first time come home with enthusiastic stories, but a friend of mine, who ended up in a water scooter rental scam despite my warning, clearly felt less welcome in Thailand . Families often stick to one or two holidays, but bachelors/divorced colleagues are usually irresistible and feel more than welcome. Sounds and is like kicking in an open door, but that doesn't make it any less reality. For the farangs who have been staying in Thailand for a long time, other motives apply to whether or not they feel welcome. Some have bad experiences with immigration officials, others are annoyed by increased entry fees that affect their feelings. My own feelings of feeling welcome are largely formed by dealing with the Thai people. As far as the in-laws are concerned, that's fine, it would also be strange if that wasn't the case, since they are, among other things, by us are treated to trips, dinner parties and very well-stocked shopping carts. Furthermore, I mainly come into contact with Thai people who earn from me, such as hotel and restaurant employees, beach bar owners, shop staff, taxi drivers. Almost without exception I receive a hospitable treatment, which will undoubtedly also be due to the tips I have given. In addition, over the years I have also made a number of Thai acquaintances with whom I get along well. So I feel more than welcome in Thailand. Perhaps it is also an advantage that I only have a very poor command of the Thai language and therefore understand very little of the sometimes very unfriendly comments about farangs, at least according to my Thai family / acquaintances. Of course, many farangs are also guilty of very indecent behavior in public. The Thai 'smile' is still praised, albeit in a declining trend, but in my opinion that friendly appearance of the Thai is not always the reflection of his true thoughts. And whether they are all so happy with all those different farangs from all those many countries I highly doubt. However, as long as they can earn money from it, it all seems like cake and egg, after all, money sweetens labor, but yes that is worldwide and partly in view of the fact that there is hardly any social relief from the government in Thailand, I cannot blame them to take.
Dear Harry… You would be surprised… The difference between rich and poor in Thail is huge
We don't see much of the richer Thai… They absolutely want nothing to do with us….
What we often come into contact with are the poor people… and the girls from the Isan…
They desperately need us….
And these thai people who still smile when they see us
But just continue to celebrate I would like to say…
greetings to everyone..
John M.G…
“I find the arrangement to get a visa if you do not have a monthly income of 65000 Bath (800.000 Baht fixed in an account for 5 months) rather absurd. What would you have to live on, if you can demonstrate 65.000 Bath per month income, then you can just spend. I feel a little less welcome with these kinds of arrangements.”
“He turns it around: not him, but Thailand has to adapt. Isn't it wonderful, such reasoning!”
Nonsense from a moral knight.
Just because you live in another country doesn't mean you can't have an opinion anymore. He thinks it's absurd. Nothing wrong with it.
On average, Westerners feel very happy in Thailand. But these are the people who don't worry about anything and speak out about all kinds of things without being asked. I can easily get by in Thailand with an amount of 200 Euro per month. However, I don't have my own house. I also don't have an expensive Vito. I don't smoke. I don't drink alcohol. And I don't have to support any family. My wife does have 2 houses of her own, which is an advantage.
Kidney
Thailand is a nice country. Where everyone who abides by the law can live happily. Cheap, friendly. People are friendly. Oh well, there's always something to get excited about now. Enjoy life, because sometimes it only lasts a little while. And you're always dead longer than you were ever alive.
And if you are bored, just open the Thailand blog and you will see the world with different eyes.
This is the naked truth right?
goort says on July 9, 2019 at 13:14 PM
I feel like you live under a rock. It would be better if NL had an immigration system like Thailand:
– keep your own pants up, otherwise go back to your own country
– every 3 months just report where you are now, to prevent illegality
– proper control of who enters the country, in order to prevent as much crime as possible
Eddie Shanghai
quote: “for example, whether you can afford your stay and meet the Immigration income requirements. But also whether you are financially clear and set boundaries for in-laws, if you have them.”
Apparently the writer assumes that EVERY expat has to deal with financial conditions from the Thai Immigration Service (in this case is retired) and that all in-laws are poor and hungry for money.
I dare say that a minority of Dutch expats in Thailand have to deal with the financial demands of the Thai government. After all, this does not apply to expats who:
– study here, old and young
– working here on a local, Thai contract
– working here on a foreign contract (e.g. being seconded)
– digital nomads (mostly young professionals who work exclusively online and who live entirely in the Netherlands according to their papers)
– who have a permanent residence permit for Thailand
– for reasons related to social security (health insurance) live part-time in the Netherlands and part-time in Thailand.
And then there is a group of expats for whom the financial conditions are not such a problem because they arrange them with the in-laws. I know of cases where the in-laws borrow money and give land and/or real estate as security to the bank for (part of) the amounts that Immigration wants to see in a bank account. And why not? The land and real estate will pass to the children in due course and why not use it now to help your daughter and son-in-law?
So: I say it is not a problem, but the phenomenon certainly does NOT apply to the majority of Dutch expats.
It is a pity that there is no insight into the reason for staying in Thailand. Read an article yesterday about Scandinavians and it was accurately told to the person how many people have an expat visa and extended it, for example, and the same for pensioners with a non-immigrant visa. And from that you could also see the increase and decrease per country and per visa type. Only if you can also show this to the Dutch and Belgians will you bring some light into the darkness. Then I wonder why the Immigration does have the data for Scandinavians (Norwegians, Swedes, Finns, Danes and Icelanders) and provided it to someone or to the media or otherwise. In short, who has contacts at Immigration to apply for this? Because I know that if it is known in 5 countries, then certainly also for our 2 countries.
2 special posted blogs about welcome or not in Thailand with all their advantages and / or disadvantages. Pink glasses or not, you are still the factor whether you want something or not and can comply with the rules that apply there.
First of all, you decide to emigrate to a country or to go as a tourist.
Before you do this, find out what requirements you have to meet and what the country has as added value for you. Only then do you make your own decision.
Thailand has a fairly strict immigration policy (should be the same in the EU) Thailand is a country that protects itself but also its citizens as well as their professions and production processes. USA is currently on its way back, see the trade war with China. But the Netherlands also does the same for large companies with regard to no taxes on the profits of those large companies (shell, Unilever, etc.). As an enterprising Dutch person in the Netherlands, I therefore feel robbed by the government, especially when the rate of 72% was still there. used to be. So 72 cents of every guilder profit went to the government, so shell paid nothing. I used to not know this, but it is now widely confirmed.
So you decide to go to Thailand yourself, you know which income requirement you must meet to be allowed to stay here as a GUEST, you also know the 90-day notification. There can be no discussion about that.
The country itself through their protectionism they protect their citizens by asking lower entrance fees in mostly all sights. You can see it as discrimination, but also as protection of your own population. Those thoughts lie with the person himself.
Thailand income requirement for annual visa, we are all talking about it, the strong bath, the EU that keeps the Euro low because it is better for the problem southern countries (low refinancing rates) and thus supports their own exports, here we go again protectionism .
I've been here 15 years, 15 years ago there was already an income requirement of 65.000 pm or 800.000 in the bank.
After these 15 years I can only conclude that the income requirement is still the same, but everything has become between 100 and 150% more expensive, that will not be in everything, but many are. The income requirement has never been adjusted to this inflation, may we still be somewhat lucky. I do have my opinion on this, which is mainly aimed at people (expats) who are retiring, for that group there should be a lower income requirement of say the same if you are married, 400.000 per year. That would be fairer because those groups spend a little less together and need less, after all, they already have everything.
Feeling welcome or not is also so personal, but if you accept the rules as they are and get past why you have to pay more for entrance (you do or don't) you can live well here. All kinds of people (expats) have made commitments with a Thai family or wife, who is the smartest????? The same is about corruption, I have never experienced it, nor am I sensitive to it. I am and will remain master of myself in what I do with it.
In short, the 2 blogs welcome or not is very personal, the country is in any case open to anyone who wants to follow the rules and there is nothing wrong with that. If you want to go to the USA, your name must first be screened and you must be notified in advance when boarding the plane that you are coming. It is not that far in Thailand yet.
Of course I would also like the bath to become less strong, but everywhere in the EU and USA they are lowering interest rates on government bonds, here the central bank in Thailand raised interest rates in December 2018 and partly because of this higher interest on deposits ,s and strong bath. Confidence in the EU and USA has been seriously disrupted, you can see that with every movement in gold and bitcoins. It is crazy that Germany issues government bonds for a period of 10 years and gets 0,40% on it so that the buyers get some guarantee of repayment. This is really the world upside down and mainly due to EU, ECB and USA and not blaming Thailand.
Gr. Roel
It is difficult to make a comparison in terms of immigration policy. This way you can be the 'endless holidaymaker' in Thailand. Renewing a Non-immigrant (i.e. short stay) time and time again. That is not possible in Europe: a short stay means that you MUST leave and can only return after an interruption outside Europe. Just like with actually immigrating, a permanent residence costs quite a bit of money in Thailand, but in the Netherlands it is less expensive. Both have language requirements.
On the one hand, Thailand is easier, you can stay here as a digital nomad or with money in the bank. In the Netherlands that is not an option. The Netherlands is stricter here than Thailand.
On the other hand, once you are in the country and after a few years of residence, the Netherlands will not simply kick you out of the country if you are no longer solvent as a foreigner. Thailand seems to say 'too bad, you can go back to your own country'. Judging by the reactions and thumbs up here, quite a few readers seem to be fine with this: taking tough action against immigrants. If the foreigner is going to cost money, he or she should leave. The Netherlands is weak. It's a shame that as a Dutch-Thai couple you have been living here or there for ten years, get away because we are not Crazy Henkie. Relationships have to suffer, only people with money are welcome.
In that case, I would personally be happy with a less strict migration policy that also takes the interests of the family into account in determining who should be deported and which foreigner can stay.
Strange that those who enjoy it here and have a positive image of life here are often reproachfully told that they look through rose-colored glasses. Could the fact that you constantly run into problems here also be a little bit down to yourself? I'd say try those rose colored glasses too. Then life looks much nicer than through such an inky black. Both in Thailand and in the Netherlands and Belgium. (I'm colorblind, so rose-colored glasses don't do me any good. But if I didn't, I'd put one on right away.)
Dear Francois, you are right. Apparently you are not allowed to have a positive image of TH because rose colored glasses. Now I know that I don't have rose colored glasses on. That is also not possible because I am one of the few with a lot of comments to TH. I have nothing at all with the strict money needs of Thai people, I am very critical of the passive-aggressive nature of Thai people, and I am always amazed to see how Thai organize their society. I pronounce all that too.
Anyway, my reader submission was not about TH or the Thai at all. It is about farang, and as may be clear in particular about those who believe they (have to) seek or already have long-term residence in TH. What are their motives for doing so, and are they able to give meaning and interpretation to their stay? Are they satisfied with their decision, do they look back with satisfaction on their (past) life in NL, and do they have a positive outlook on how to spend the rest of their lives in TH?
I've asked questions along these lines before, but only gotten mixed answers. It's all aimed at NL because it's no good: too many rules, let foreigners in, AOW not high enough, and pension not indexed, you don't get health insurance. And about Thailand, the grumbling is legion. That's why I wondered: what are those farang actually doing in Thailand? Why do they live there? Why not go back to NL if things are so bad in TH?
Thailand is clearly fed up: (1) make sure you can (more than) meet the income requirements, (2) make sure you are able to provide for your own medical needs, (3) don't clash with the Thai or the TH- government.
Now the farang. Accept these 3 conditions and you will have a great time in TH. I would like to hear/read more about that.
The requirements are indeed clear: As a married person you get a discount on the income requirements and it is therefore quite important to consider what a realistic amount is 🙂
It's always the same too. In addition, I have also often remarked: in addition to a financial loss, there is also a sudden drop in judgment and other mental abilities upon departure.
Your question about motivation is not that difficult to answer. My partner and I are both Dutch, so our motives are not related to the relationship. Then what? In the Netherlands we should have worked for another 10 years. And in the Netherlands we would never have received a permit for the kind of house we built, nor could we buy so much land for next to nothing. (For those who immediately shoot into impossible mode: don't worry, the ground is in the name of a Thai). And finally: we don't like the cold very much :-).
Do we think the Netherlands is a rotten country? No. Were we unhappy in the Netherlands? No. It's just a nice challenge to live in a completely different culture. And to enjoy all the advantages and accept all the disadvantages. If anyone knows of a country with nothing but benefits, I'd love to hear about it.
No, farang are not really welcome in Thailand, at least from the authorities' point of view – certainly not in the last 5 years. You can base that on: a forest of rules and requirements that are often absurd and sometimes even contradictory or impossible to follow. In addition, the rules change from time to time. In addition, they are randomly applied or not. In addition, it is the way you are often treated by immigration personnel, even if you speak Thai - even if you work here and pay taxes here. You don't get much in return for the latter, by the way, but that aside. Almost all farangs I know in Thailand have been living here for 10+ years, mostly working, and often with wife and children here. And everyone actually feels this way to a lesser or greater degree. That's not whining (some do) but in itself it's just a sober observation.
There is also a simple explanation for this and it has to do with power structures. People don't like highly educated people asking questions, whether they are farang or Thai. And we all fall into the category of people who don't blindly accept what the boss, monk, teacher or government says. That's un-Thai. The fact that we then marry Thai people and have children undermines authority in the long term, at least in the eyes of those in power. So unless you come with a big bag of money, people would rather lose you than get rich. It is a bit short-sighted and it is of course a bit more nuanced, but if you understand the Thai hierarchy a bit and understand how people grow up here, you will be able to understand the principle.
Everyone has different reasons for being here and in the end it is a personal decision. Every country has good and bad sides. It's no use for anyone to complain, but I'm also not in favor of the 'if you don't like it, then fuck off' argumentation that the writer seems to follow. There are plenty of farangs here who make a very healthy contribution to Thai society, government and economy, who also try to follow the regulations as best they can, but who do have some very reasonable reservations about the way in which they have to jump through all kinds of hoops with the Thai government and get very little or nothing in return. I also wanted to shed some light on that side of the story.