By Barry Kenyon

[Jun]

I definitely smell tea money here . . .

Yes.

I'll leave it to other board members to share their stories of border runs, but some of those smell of tea money too.

[Gaybutton]

If Thailand sees this as competition, maybe they'll finally relax some of the immigration requirements for expats. If they do, I hope they'll start by significantly reducing the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account requirement.
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Several neighboring countries compete with Thailand for foreign retirees

By Barry Kenyon

August 20, 2024

Thailand offers a multiplicity of long-term visas for women and men well past the first bloom of youth. They include annual extensions of stay, the 5-20 years Elite visa and the 10 years Long Term Residence (LTR), each of which has its own scale of charges with assorted pluses and minuses. None of them allows direct ownership of land by foreigners, nor guarantees a path to permanent residency or citizenship. Purchase of condominiums is allowed but does not generally result in visa concessions. Since January 2024, anyone spending six months or more in the kingdom may be liable to personal income tax on remitted income.

Malaysia has had a 5-20 years My Second Home program since 2002 but there have been a succession of changes, including the requirement to purchase and retain a property and associated land (100 percent in their name) in order to spur growth in the local market. Perks include obtaining visas for spouses, parents and children under 34 years. Unlike Thailand, Malaysia imposes the requirement to live in the country for at least three months per year, although a dependant relative can substitute where the visa holder is still of working age. Malaysia is not currently insisting on foreign tax residents paying tax on remitted income from abroad.

Cambodia seems to have abandoned an earlier second home campaign, but the Retirement ER visa gives one year which is annually renewable. Retirees aged at least 55 years do not need to provide written proof of status or finances. Property ownership laws are strict and similar to Thailand’s. In theory, Cambodia requires foreign residents to file and pay taxes on their foreign income, but there are few signs of enforcement for this kind of visa. Cambodia allows foreigners to purchase citizenship provided they invest or donate US$300,000, an offer taken up with alacrity by rich Chinese in particular.

The Philippines offers a Special Resident Retirement Visa (SRRV) which offers a renewable two-year permanent residence ID card. Those over 35 years must deposit US$50,000 in a Philippine bank (less for pensioners), which can later be used to help buy a condominium unit, and show proof of a monthly income. Remitted cash from sources outside the Philippines is not subject to tax. Foreigners can lease land for 50 years with extensions for 25 years more. The Philippines are unique in the region for granting a notional permanent residency from day one of the SRRV.

It follows that the issues for longstay retirees in the region vary country by country. None offers the kind of dual citizenship or second passport which are common in permanent residence visas throughout the Caribbean for instance. Malaysia and the Philippines offer favorable tax conditions for foreign retirees, although Thailand offers a range of tax privileges in the Long Term Residence detail. Property ownership remains problematical across the region, although the purchase of condominiums or long-term leases is common. Use of local nominees to buy property or to conduct business is extremely risky throughout south east Asia. Cambodia probably offers the easiest bureaucratic route to longstay retirees, but the country lacks the kind of infrastructure westerners are used to. There are no sure answers, just individual preferences and priorities.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ees-469228

[Jun]

The Philippines offers a Special Resident Retirement Visa (SRRV) which offers a renewable two-year permanent residence ID card. Those over 35 years must deposit US$50,000 in a Philippine bank (less for pensioners), which can later be used to help buy a condominium unit, and show proof of a monthly income. Remitted cash from sources outside the Philippines is not subject to tax. Foreigners can lease land for 50 years with extensions for 25 years more.

That's two problems solved by the Philippines.
1 Rather than requiring money to be kept in a bank, it seems like owning property is an acceptable asset.
2 People retiring in their 50s are highly unlikely to encounter the problem of outliving their lease.
(If the Pattaya Mail article is accurate this time)

[Gaybutton]

Since different immigration offices often just make up their own rules, it would come as no surprise to me if different Thai embassies and consulates do the same.
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Individual embassies interpret Destination Thailand Visa rules and fees

By Barry Kenyon

August 23, 2024

If foreigners are wondering about the detail of DTV applications, embassies of Thailand worldwide will likely understand. Several of those already showing DTV registration fees, such as Laos and Sri Lanka, have yet to publish any information. The more prominent, such as Washington DC and London, have published the guidelines of the original Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT), but add discreetly that further information could be required. Others, such as the Thai embassy in Cambodia, are waiting for the latest online technology before they can even begin processing DTV.

The most detailed checklist of requirements for the DTV is provided by the embassy in Kuala Lumpur. It goes beyond the TAT-released information. For example, applicants are required to show proof they have a Thai condominium rental agreement or Thai property lease for at least six months ahead. Digital nomads must show a copy of their employment contract or business licence authenticated by the embassy of the country where the company is located. The bank statement to be shown must be at least three months old before concluding, as per the regulations, with a 500,000 baht (US$14,000) or more balance.

The route to DTV via soft power, such as cookery classes or Muay Thai, is also evolving. The TAT regulations specify a letter of acceptance from the sponsoring company but, according to several reports, that company should be registered with the Department of Education in Thailand. This is presumably to prevent “fly-by-night” groups cobbling together a training program to get round the rules. Some embassies require proof of income over the past six months, not just a bank statement showing 500,000 baht here and now.

The notional cost of DTV is 10,000 baht (just under US$300) but all embassies currently operating the visa impose an inclusive service surcharge. For example, the Thai embassies in the USA quote a total of US$400, the London one 300 pounds and the New Zealand diplomatic post the equivalent of 1,000 pounds. (For reasons unknown, the New Zealand Thai embassy is always an outlier on visa fees). Once paid at registration, the fee cannot be returned. Those applicants with a history of significant overstay in Thailand had best think carefully as they can be refused on their past immigration record.

The immigration bureau, not the foreign embassies or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is responsible for actual entries and extensions. In an interview, the spokesman for MFA said that Thai immigration officers at airports and borders could ask for updated information throughout the five year period, even though the Ministry was unlikely to do so. The immigration bureau has not commented publicly to date on that issue and officer discretion is the most likely outcome. In the meantime, the best advice is to review carefully the requirements of the DTV in your home-based country or one where you can prove beyond doubt you are temporarily resident. Each embassy is uniquely responsible for the detail within the broad framework agreed by the Thai Cabinet.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ees-469544

[2lz2p]

A Canadian friend of mine spends about half his time in Pattaya (Canadian winter) and the other half in Canada. He was on a retirement extension using 800k in a Thai bank getting a Re-Entry Permit before departing Thailand and returning so he was here for the annual renewal.

With the introduction of the DTV, he decided that was for him as he met the qualifications - he is an IT specialist with his own company. By getting the DTV, he said he would no longer have to keep the 800k in a Thai bank. Instead he needs only the equivalent of 500k baht and it can be kept in his Canadian bank. The DTV is multiple entry and has a 5 year validity - 180 day permission to stay on each entry.

He has now received the Visa. He said he was required to provide the following documents:

Passport Page
Photo
Proof of residency (used Alberta Driver's License)
Most Recent Bank Statement
Letter of Employment Verification

CA$650.00

After about a week they asked for my most recent payroll stub

They emailed it to me the next day.

[Gaybutton]

Birds, booze and banter remain the Pattaya attraction for Brits

By Barry Kenyon

August 26, 2024

Everyone agrees that Pattaya is evolving into something different, even if nobody is sure what that will be. However, the resort’s downtown Soi Buakhao district, sometimes over-simplified as Little Britain, is proving highly resistant to change. Many of the bars, clubs and gogos retain English-sounding names, whilst fish and chips on a Friday and roast beef on a Sunday are the dominant cafe and restaurant themes. There are between 500 and 1,000 mostly small units of enjoyment in the Soi Buakhao and L.K. Metro vicinity, depending on where you draw the boundaries.

In the aptly named UK Massage Parlour, Khun May sums up, “I’d say that 70 percent of our customers are Brits and the rest Americans and Europeans. You don’t yet see many Indians or Chinese in this district precisely because they feel in a minority.” Surprisingly, there’s only one Indian restaurant, Tikka Center, on the actual strip even though there are dozens in nearby areas. A manager at the popular residential Diana Estate said, “The vast majority of our renters and owners are still Europeans, not much different from 30 years ago.”

Unlike Pattaya’s Walking Street, Little Britain is busy during the day with Thai markets selling everything from exotic fruit and vegetables to second-hand clothes and car accessories. There are no pedestrian footpaths and the traffic chaos is virtually 24/7. The most popular daytime bars are those with a frontage overlooking the fumes as elderly expats in groups recall their younger days or talk of recent conquests. Beers start at a knockdown 55 baht (1.2 pounds) and a single room with aircon can be as cheap as 500 baht (11 pounds) if you know how to bargain in off-season.

That’s not to say that the scene is static. The nighteries are not as busy as in the pre-covid era and for sale and for rent signs are noticeable in the side streets. Businesses regularly open and then close or change hands. Part of the famous Treetown Complex is being demolished to make way, some say, for a plush condominium. Some businesses, for example barber shops, have gone upmarket after renovation and charge up to 200 baht (4 pounds) for a haircut. That suggests they are catering for new markets, especially style-conscious Thai young men, rather than balding expats who are used to paying half that amount.

After dark, the clubs take over to offer night-action birds, booze and banter. The most popular street after 7 pm for gogos is surely L.K. Metro. The sexy shows may be less drastic than 20 years ago, but they can be described as bold. Draft beers start at 50 baht but there’s an expectation you will absolutely need female company and pay handsomely for it. Take-out bar fines, payable to the club owners, can be as high as 800 baht (30 pounds) and that won’t include a much larger tip for any envisaged horizontal leisure pursuits. There’s no shortage of ladyboys – or ladybugs as they are known locally – but they are usually freelancers hovering outside. However, the gay scene as understood is centered far away in Boyztown or the Jomtien Complex.

The warning signs for the future may be the absence in Soi Buakhao of visa shops whose traditional role has been to assist foreigners with the bureaucracy of Thai immigration. There used to be four and now there are none. Former owner Khun Katee said, “There are fewer Brits and Europeans these days looking for annual and long stay visas. Also, the recent decision to give tourists 60 days on arrival with easy extensions, compared with 30 days in the past, means they don’t need agents to help them get a longer stay.” He added that he was now going into business with a Chinese company selling tours, mostly to Phuket and Bangkok. “There are one billion Chinese waiting for their first passport. They’re the future.”

Story and photos: https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... its-469832

[Jun]

The warning signs for the future may be the absence in Soi Buakhao of visa shops whose traditional role has been to assist foreigners with the bureaucracy of Thai immigration. There used to be four and now there are none.

Perhaps there are no dedicated visa shops, but unless there have been very recent closures, Soi Buakhao has at least a couple of shops that do travel and assist with Thai visas.

[Gaybutton]

Yet another Thai military coup is unlikely say experts

By Barry Kenyon

August 31, 2024

Although Thailand has suffered a military coup about every seven years since 1932, experts say the conditions are not right for a putsch right now. Coup historian Barbara Tuchman said, “To put the garment of legitimacy is the first aim of every coup,” but the circumstances are very different from those in 2014 when general Prayut Chan-o-cha cancelled the constitution with considerable public support. For example, the Ministry of Defence regulations have now been amended to allow the prime minister to suspend generals suspected of planning a coup as well as abolishing the military courts against which there was no appeal.

More significantly, the military-supporting civilian “yellow shirts” who organized vast street demonstrations against the civilian administration 10 years ago are no longer a powerful force in Thai politics. At that time, the pretext for military intervention was the attempt in parliament to abandon the criminal charges against exiled Thaksin Shinawatra and allow him to “come home”. Of course Thaksin is now a free man, having received even a pardon from the monarch, and an influential adviser to the ruling Pheu Thai party. The former prime minister two days ago dismissed the possibility of another coup precisely because the ingredients of violence and chaos on the Bangkok streets isn’t present.

These days the military-backed parties in the Thai parliament are much weaker than before. The unelected Senate, with 250 individuals nominated by the Prayut government, has been abolished and its successor body is not empowered to play any part in choosing the prime minister. Former deputy premier general Prawit Wongsuwon heads up the small Palang Pracharath Party, but this has recently split into two feuding parts with about half its members actually joining the civilian Pheu Thai administration. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who split with general Prawit before last year’s general election, has now retired from active politics to become a member of the Privy Council. The Thai army, with its 1,700 generals, is no longer a unified force in the political arena.

Of course, the advent of yet another ruling military junta cannot be discounted altogether. Suspicion of billionaire tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra remains very significant and he has yet to face a trial on charges of disloyalty to the crown. But the main argument against the likelihood of a coup is the existence of an alternative way of subverting politics: the constitution court. The unelected body of nine judges, created in 1997, has jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, the appointment and removal of public officials and issues regarding political parties.

This is the body which recently banned the popular Move Forward Party (now renamed People’s Party) and dismissed the prime minister Srettha Thavisin. Many observers now refer to the reality of judicial coups rather than military interventions. There is no need for “warfare” when you have “lawfare”.

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/yet-an ... rts-470479

[Jun]

Or to summarise:
The constitution & courts replace coups. One elected leader has been blocked and another has been removed.

I have ideas for the First Amendment to that constitution, but won't get into that here.

[Gaybutton]

The constitution & courts replace coups.

With the system the way it is, who needs a coup? The Constitutional Court judges are appointed by the Thai senate.

The will of the people doesn't seem to have much to do with it other than local elections. As long as I've lived in Thailand I've seen several governments come and go. Few of them last very long. It will be interesting to see how long the current government lasts.

In my opinion, it doesn't matter how government officials get to be government officials. Nothing much ever changes anyway. The biggest changes I recall over the years are the bar opening hours and immigration requirements. Other than that, what else has significantly changed?

With the latest government now in office, I'm not expecting much of anything new. We'll see. If anything does change, let's hope it will be an improvement.