Quote:
Originally Posted by oddball
Absolutely correct , i did it for 7 years , but saw and heard what can happen if you step out of line , even inadvertantly due to a lady-friends shinanagins , Thai are always right and the Falang takes the blame . Just like to warn newbies of the downside so that they go prepared instead of finding out the hard way . Colin .
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General truths are not always truths.
My wife (a farang) was involved in a three-car smash up a few years ago and the Thais were found to be at fault and even paid their fines while we were at the police station. So - the "fact" that a "farang" is always at fault is not true. I will accept though that it is the case a bit too often.
A retirement extension on a visa is easy to get and you don't really need to make border runs every 90 days. Or at least mine doesn't require that. Also, usually, any visa will do as there is not a specific "retirement visa" - it is an "extension of stay". Personally, I have found the immigration officials polite and businesslike. That is sufficient for what they need to do and perhaps appropriate. I was not there to make friends or find a drinking buddy - I was there to conduct some business and if I followed the procedures correctly, I got them done. I dressed and behaved appropriately, as we should in any government office. I have had no problems figuring out the ins and outs of various visas and "extensions of stay" while I have been here. They are a bit of a challenge though - in any country.
I find life on Phuket (been here about seven years now) unproblematic, simple, relatively inexpensive (though I DO live well) and relaxing. But - I am not in the bars every night - or any night really - and I mind my own business. I am friendly and get along well with my Thai neighbors and I don't drag hookers into the neighborhood that they need to worry about. Easy peasy.
My reference comes from living in five different countries since 1989 and while I am probably going to p*iss a few people off - I think that experience in a variety of countries softens Thailand's edges a bit. It is, yes, a developing country will all the problems that entails - but if one comes here seeking no special advantage and follows the rules they should do just fine.
If someone comes here and starts dating hookers and (I just can't believe it happens but it does) falls in love with a hooker - then they probably would have fallen for even the lousiest con man back home too.
So . . . I guess what I am trying to say is that Thailand can be a great place for retirement. I suspect that the people jumping off of the tops of hotels, would have had the same problems no matter where they went.
Just my opinion.