Thailand Visas - More strict and possible dream come true - READ THESE

[Gaybutton]

Let's see if it actually happens.

My guess is if this tourist visa comes to be, it will not be equivalent to a 10 year retirement visa. I think it will allow tourists, as you say, to come and go as they please for up to 180 days or less in Thailand per year, for the next 10 years without any further visa requirements.

If that does happen, why do I think the following word will end up being the result: Backfire

As for the retirement visa, I foresee no changes whatsoever from the current rules. I think most likely this 10 year tourist visa will have no benefit for retired expats. On immigration's list of which groups are going to get a break, expat retirement visa holders seem to always be way down at the bottom of the list . . .

I think immigration's idea of giving retirement visa holders a break is the fact that they have not raised the 1900 baht visa fee.

[Jun]

As for the retirement visa, I foresee no changes whatsoever from the current rules. I think most likely this 10 year tourist visa will have no benefit for retired expats. On immigration's list of which groups are going to get a break, expat retirement visa holders seem to always be way down at the bottom of the list . . .

If the objective were to set rules purely to generate economic benefit for Thailand, a rational response would be to figure out which categories of people contribute the most to the Thai economy. Then provide good visa opportunities for such people whether they be retired, tourists or running businesses.

Except:
1 Thailand officially excludes foreigners from many business sectors, which is almost certainly to the detriment of the Thai economy.

2 Whatever rules they do set tend to be circumvented by tea money.
(i) e.g. Dodger mentions numerous expats living on barely over 30,000 baht a month
(ii) You don't have to go far to find foreigners controlling businesses. Bars, for example.

Incidentally, one obvious reason to pay an agency 14,000 for a visa without the 800,000 baht in a bank account would be poverty, for certain expats.

Another could be investment returns. If you had that 800,000 baht invested in a S&P500 for the last 10 years, it would probably be worth about 1.6 million baht now, after we deduct all the tea money paid. (Approx, since I ignored exchange rates). No savings account could manage that.

If I ever settle in Thailand, I would follow the rules for the visa, but some have a higher risk tolerance.