Expats moving from Thailand to Philippines?

[RBM]

On 3/8/2020 at 10:32 PM, Old55 said:

Good point RBM, it would be interesting to read that article.

Do you guys think the same thing could happen in the Philippines?

https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Thailand-s-foreign-retirees-see-their-good-life-slip-away?n_cid=NARAN185&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=infeed&utm_campaign=IC+V2min&utm_content=FB_Most_Read&fbclid=IwAR3CV0A9BP4qTjciNGArybROzAwCSN6iGdo1quoqADZEhFnsWA5YhPFMxoc

[AusExpat]

On 3/9/2020 at 2:12 AM, Jollygoodfellow said:

This issue has been going on for quite awhile now and more so visa regulations but I also think from watching youtube and people living there that many dont know its not that hard to remain legale with your visa.  

From my understanding talking to TH expats is that the rules changed from having either a sizeable lump sum or a provable pension to having both, and with the strength of the Thai Baht added to the difficulties meeting the requirements.

The old fellows only on a pension often cannot get the lump sum in the bank (which also has to now be in the bank for 6 months(?) rather than just a current statement. Also Thailand, besides rent and taxis, has gotten expensive when you consider what you pay in US dollars. I used to be able to get a rice meal in Pattaya for 20 baht at 45B = US$1, now it's 40B for a meal at 29B = US$1.

I left Thailand about 8 years ago as a friend who'd been living there 20 years said "It's like they opened hunting season on the falang" the police were targetting foreigners for everything and nothing. Last trip there last year I told my friend who still lived there I'd like to hire a motorcycle, he said "Can't do it, the cops won't accept foreign licenses anymore, not even International Drivers Licenses, you need a Thai license or they'll book you."

Also met some TH expat bikers in Cambodia last year, said the police were targetting them too, and it was difficult for them to stay, and difficult for them to ride their bikes across the border even.

But all in all it's a lot harder there now than previously jumping on the bus once a month to the border.

I see that same happeneing here eventually, so I'm going to apply for PR here whilst it's still relatively easy.

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 minutes ago, AusExpat said:

I see that same happeneing here eventually, so I'm going to apply for PR here whilst it's still relatively easy.

Good for you and hope it works. I see some youtube videos that would dispute what you say more to the fact of lack of information in Thailand ( talking about visa )  but anyway of course so much is changing now everywhere so what's correct a month ago may not be tomorrow. 

[AusExpat]

12 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Good for you and hope it works. I see some youtube videos that would dispute what you say more to the fact of lack of information in Thailand ( talking about visa )  but anyway of course so much is changing now everywhere so what's correct a month ago may not be tomorrow. 

Ah, yes, I think the difficulties are dependant upon your financial staus so different people will have different views.

The other problem I experienced while living in Thailand is regardless what the Immigration office rules are each area will implement the rules as they wish. It was well known while I was living there which embassies to visit and which to avoid at any given time - thus the original popularity of the Thai visa forums as you had to check who was giving visas and who wasn't before you booked your flights.

[Heeb]

1 hour ago, AusExpat said:

From my understanding talking to TH expats is that the rules changed from having either a sizeable lump sum or a provable pension to having both, and with the strength of the Thai Baht added to the difficulties meeting the requirements.

The old fellows only on a pension often cannot get the lump sum in the bank (which also has to now be in the bank for 6 months(?) rather than just a current statement. Also Thailand, besides rent and taxis, has gotten expensive when you consider what you pay in US dollars. I used to be able to get a rice meal in Pattaya for 20 baht at 45B = US$1, now it's 40B for a meal at 29B = US$1.

I left Thailand about 8 years ago as a friend who'd been living there 20 years said "It's like they opened hunting season on the falang" the police were targetting foreigners for everything and nothing. Last trip there last year I told my friend who still lived there I'd like to hire a motorcycle, he said "Can't do it, the cops won't accept foreign licenses anymore, not even International Drivers Licenses, you need a Thai license or they'll book you."

Also met some TH expat bikers in Cambodia last year, said the police were targetting them too, and it was difficult for them to stay, and difficult for them to ride their bikes across the border even.

But all in all it's a lot harder there now than previously jumping on the bus once a month to the border.

I see that same happeneing here eventually, so I'm going to apply for PR here whilst it's still relatively easy.

I wonder if the attitude towards expats in Thailand will change in the aftermath of covid-19, I would think the tourism money pumping into the economy is going to take a serious hit for quite awhile

[Freebie]

1 hour ago, Heeb said:

I wonder if the attitude towards expats in Thailand will change in the aftermath of covid-19, I would think the tourism money pumping into the economy is going to take a serious hit for quite awhile

Maybe the wont be so quick to extend a warm welcome to the Chinese either...which was their largest inbound tourist market