The "Over 50's" marriage ban

[Korkenzieher]

Today, being April 1st, a well known site put out a fairly believable article about Thailand proposing an over 50's marriage ban between foreigners and Thais, similar to a Cambodian proposal some months back.

Ostensibly, this would be to protect Thai youth, and to prevent the older partner becoming a burden on Thailand.

Now, this got me wondering. How exactly does someone become a burden on Thailand. It is something we hear often enough but no one ever seems to come up with detail. There are no pension, social welfare, hardship, healthcare provisions available of which I am aware. Is there some system by which a Farang partner to a Thai can, in extremis, throw themselves on the mercy of the state here?

Answers on a postcard, please to...

[brianks]

April Fool's Day. Neighbor is CEO of ThaiVisa.com and after I got all riled up about article, he showed me how they generated this farce. Good job as I didn't even realize it was April Fools day. Have forgotten most farangland holidays since moving here.

[Spitfire]

Yes, lots of milage to be got out of this topic if it wasn't an April fools day wind up, teasing topic for sure, would attract a fair few rants indeed.

Silly name for a holiday anyhow, just whips up images of that hate figure Beadle to me.

However, just in case you want me to have a good old fashioned rant about it Korkenzieher, then I've got one prepared dude if it would be entertaining.

[Korkenzieher]

Well, it certainly has touched a raw nerve, given how quickly it appears to have gone viral. If you put the (supposed) spokesperson's name into google - Tawatchai Suksoom - you'll see it has been picked up on in German, Danish and other language papers already. Not sure how much there is to be gained by railing against it here though, and I certainly didn't seek to start spreading it further. However, Spitfire, if you want to have a good rant , I don't think you need my permission!

But I am genuinely interested in that other concept. How *exactly* do we (as retirees, as distinct from out of control tourists) become a burden on Thailand?

[Spitfire]

Mr K, why not then, for some entertainment value but also on the subject matter from said asked question.............

So, just to get into the spirit of things and give it some 'meat', then I will share my rant.

All other rants welcome..............

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Well, I'd probably say that we can't, period. Here's why........

How exactly does someone become a burden on Thailand.

Almost impossible as you can't stay here in the long term unless you have money or work, period. Border hopping is almost impossible/pointless now, unless you are rich and adventurous, and on any other type of visa then money is required. OK, can mess around with the single entry non O/tourist visa but need money to extend often and would still need money to renew it every three months or less if on a TV, if you can be arsed.

Even with a work permit you are entitled to the free 30 baht health scheme if you really needed it, but I hear that there are quite a few things it doesn't cover now, not sure though exactly (probably A&E), others maybe could confirm on that one, Dr M? Most decent work places now give private insurance like BUPA etc, so I can't see a foreigner claiming it (the 30 baht scheme) anyhow.

I think that Thais get 500 baht a month pension when they reach 60-65 (not exactly inspiring), but that extends no further than the local old folk.

It seems to me that Thailand is configured for foreigners to fall flat on their faces in every way possible, including business, thus they get the naive investment even on a small local scale, which is still good for them and might as well have it from the optimistists, and imo there is not many ways for foreigners to become a burden apart from perhaps through the hospital angle when they don't pay their bills. This, however, is reciprocated by the Thais in other countries doing exactly the same so is a non issue imo, just racist and short sighted hospital/government officials whinging.

There are foreigners, including people/sponsors on this forum, that circumnavigate this but they are often like the Thais in the fact that you have to have money in the first place to have a successful business and make money. Working your way up, as we call it in the west, is a deluded dream these days, maybe in decades past perhaps, because the system is configured to keep people down and not give them a chance of liberation through hard work, that's been clocked a while back. To make money you need to have money in the first place + connections, and even then, it's a gamble, big time.

What you say is completely correct as there is no this and that options here for foreigners, so the question is rhetorical, even if my post seems a bit harsh.

Is there some system by which a Farang partner to a Thai can, in extremis, throw themselves on the mercy of the state here?

Don't think so, and I'm pretty sure they don't care about it. Also, the system is designed to whittle out these people before it gets to that and they are on a plane home long before they really need help. Those that persist in staying after it's gone south often end up in jail. The indifference of the system here is breathtaking really imo.

Well, there you go......

Edit - Tidying up and typos.

[Super Joe]

Now, this got me wondering. How exactly does someone become a burden on Thailand. It is something we hear often enough but no one ever seems to come up with detail. There are no pension, social welfare, hardship, healthcare provisions available of which I am aware. Is there some system by which a Farang partner to a Thai can, in extremis, throw themselves on the mercy of the state here?

I remember this: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... ners-bills

And when you die here you can be a bit of a pain in the arris apparently I remember the appeal from HH tourist police a few years back as they 'occassionally' get lumbered with the costs when no family members stump up.


I'm not supporting them at all, just remember them. Not really much all in all, and pretty few and far between cases overall I'd guess. So in the grand scheme of Thailand, not particularly relevant!?


SJ

[Korkenzieher]

I remember this: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... ners-bills

From that article, my emphasis:

"Many retired foreigners who came to Thailand with the hope of settling down here are now struggling after spending their pensions wastefully and marrying Thai women, some of whom left them after their money ran out."

So, you see, it's all in our best interests really.

[Super Joe]

I didn't know the government cared so much

SJ

[Arcadian]

[quote="Korkenzieher"

after spending their pensions wastefully and marrying Thai women ::[/quote]


Shouldn`t that be the other way round?

[Tigermoth]

Please forgive me for my naiveté - I am extremely confused on this issue!
If Thailand is so offensive to foreigners... why, ooh why are so many foreigners fighting tooth & nail to settle down there?
Is there any country which really has it's doors open to foreigners today (especially for Asians)?
If a foreigner living in Thailand looses all his money and has no way to get back to his country - would he be an asset to the Thai Government?
It is very strange to me, that people decide (solely on their own) to live in Thailand and then keep complaining about the country without any positive comments - and continue living there, continuously complaining.
Normally, we decide to 'move' to a better place than we are in now - rather than to a worse place, is it not?
If we choose a foreign country to live-in - we cannot expect that country to adjust to our 'likings' - rather, we should adapt to and respect that country.
Any advise on the above would be much appreciated.

[MrPlum]

If we choose a foreign country to live-in - we cannot expect that country to adjust to our 'likings' - rather, we should be adapt to and respect that country.

Well said.

The difficulty is, just as with a new love who can 'do no wrong', the longer you spend with someone or in one place, the more the mask slips and you start to see the unsavoury aspects. Wealth breeds envy. Xenophobia breeds resentment. Cultural differences can create misunderstanding and distrust. Corruption is a cancer on all societies and plagues poor Thais just as much as 'rich' 'falangs'.

There are many who have had their Thailand experience spoiled, not by Thais but by foreigners, and become disillusioned.

If you are lucky enough to avoid the predators, and are still unhappy, a few days back in your own country is always a useful reminder, why you left in the first place.

Avoiding 'whinging poms' is highly recommended, as is constantly reminding yourself you are a guest and treat your hosts with respect. Whether you feel they deserve it or not.

I may criticize everything else that is going on in the wider world but I don't 'pee on my own pond', by bad mouthing locals, the town, or Thailand. Do this enough and you are guaranteed to be miserable.

Your mental approach to living can be summed up by how golfers play the game.

I'm always delighted to complete a round of golf and am still amazed when I manage to get the ball in the air or get the ball near the hole. Once during a round is enough to bring me back. I don't remember all those missed putts. Only the ones that went in. Yet I've never seen so many angry people throwing their clubs, shrieking with fury, abusing caddies and playing the course for much of the time in the foulest of moods. And this is just after the first hole!

Perhaps there is a lesson there?

[dtaai-maai]

There's way too much thought being given to this business of expats complaining all the time. I don't much care for them either, and I tend to fall in the "if you're that unhappy, go home" camp - but I occasionally have a whinge myself. Don't we all? Didn't we whinge when we were at home?
Forget farangs and Thailand; is there any group of immigrants in any country in the world who have just settled in and got on with life without a single complaint?

How boring would paradise really be?

[Spitfire]

Yeah DM! Plenty of complaining immigrants back west and elsewhere. Good stuff MrP, especially about the mask slipping the longer you stay somewhere. The pros still outweigh the cons here, you just lose the 'stary-eyed' condition that so many have, especially the apologists. To me, bs is bs wherever you are and deserves to be labeled as such. Also agree about the 'other' foreigner problem as there is much garbage around, a lot of which can't go back to whence it came.

[dtaai-maai]

...the 'stary-eyed' condition that so many have...

I usually get that about 4 a.m....

Incidentally, Spitty, you really should check out that quote of yours and Sir Colin...

[Spitfire]

If you're refering to who actually said it, then yes, there is some confusion as to who exactly it is but quite a few do acredit it to Sir Colin. I think he did something comedy related titled "The second mouse gets the cheese" or at least that is what I found on Google when I looked. However, it is always possible that something was overlooked by myself in the thousands of results of course.