News Forum - OPINION – Thai government making it hard to live and work in Thailand

[Pinetree]

9 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Surely that’s a chicken & egg situation. There aren’t many expats here who are highly skilled or qualified as they are all elsewhere. If they made it easier then there would be. Apart from the odd delay in issuing the right visa,  I’ve never experienced a problem getting a work permit in Thailand. The companies I worked for took care of it all. I can only go off what others say in regard to the difficulties in going it alone

I agree. If you are right for the post then you're  right, but it can still be difficult.  The expats that I come across here, that seem to do most of the moaning, are government school teachers,  University lecturers, bar 'owners' and some who want to start a business here that is in direct competition  with the locals.  I'm not at all sure what these types expect 

[francoa]

On 3/8/2022 at 12:03 PM, Marc26 said:

Europe absolutely does do that

Canada and the US does it as well

I have worked in Canada for 16 years on  work permits

Every 3 years when they renew my work permit my firm has to advertise my job and then prove that a Canadian can't do my job

My job is somewhat unique in that I have accounts that we can point out a Canadian couldn't bring with them into the job

I dont care about Canada. Europe does not do it. Europe also does. or discriminate other nationa. Europe doesn’t charge double prices for tourists…list goes on 

[LoongFred]

3 hours ago, francoa said:

I dont care about Canada. Europe does not do it. Europe also does. or discriminate other nationa. Europe doesn’t charge double prices for tourists…list goes on 

Thailand is a destination by choice. You know how pricing in tourist areas is world wide. You need to build into your budget and chill out.

[MrNovax]

On 3/8/2022 at 8:36 AM, Pinetree said:

I have worked in both places and in Taiwan.  They all three have incredibly tough polices for the employment of skilled foreign workers.  T

I cant speak to your experience but have known several people who worked there legally with moderate "skill."  But since i have no personal experience ill take your word for it.  Either way, excluding human resources from an economy is not beneficial no matter how many countries do it.  As with most government policies, it hurts many people by a little to help a few by a moderate amount which is overall detrimental to an economy.   The problem is that the few who are moderately disadvantaged make the most noise and foolish policy ensues.  

[huhuarf]

Threads like this always bring out the golden oldies, offering up such gems as "Thais should get the jobs first."

Genius advice.  So you think farangs (who get paid significantly more than the local population) aren't bringing in a skill set that makes them marketable?

I work at an international school.  Yes, it's true you could grab a thai teacher.  And yet, parents continue to pay a premium for what we offer.  

Oh right, and I look forward to the retires whinging about insurance requirements changing.  I figure about due for that.

[Sparktrader]

1 minute ago, huhuarf said:

Threads like this always bring out the golden oldies, offering up such gems as "Thais should get the jobs first."

Genius advice.  So you think farangs (who get paid significantly more than the local population) aren't bringing in a skill set that makes them marketable?

I work at an international school.  Yes, it's true you could grab a thai teacher.  And yet, parents continue to pay a premium for what we offer.  

Oh right, and I look forward to the retires whinging about insurance requirements changing.  I figure about due for that.

Nothing wrong with "Thais should get the jobs first". 

You may find this odd, but it could very well be the case of a Thai being more prepared and better suited for teaching English than a farang. What if the Thai grew up in some English speaking country and studied there his degree? 

Gifting away jobs to foreigners is one of the many reasons causing the very noticeable demise of Western democracies.

 

Thai companies should always get the best candidate, but whenever two candidates are identical, the Thai should be prioritized.

[huhuarf]

Just now, Sparktrader said:

You may find this odd, but it could very well be the case of a Thai being more prepared and better suited for teaching English than a farang. What if the Thai grew up in some English speaking country and studied there his degree? 

Then any smart business would scoop them up, especially if they are cheaper.  By the way, I don't teach ESL that shit is beer and pizza money.

All the more power to a thai who studies and lives abroad, develops perfect English, and returns to a 35k baht job.  Thing is I think they tend to have higher aspirations. 

[Marc26]

17 minutes ago, huhuarf said:

Threads like this always bring out the golden oldies, offering up such gems as "Thais should get the jobs first."

Genius advice.  So you think farangs (who get paid significantly more than the local population) aren't bringing in a skill set that makes them marketable?

I work at an international school.  Yes, it's true you could grab a thai teacher.  And yet, parents continue to pay a premium for what we offer.  

Oh right, and I look forward to the retires whinging about insurance requirements changing.  I figure about due for that.

If you read most of the posts, people aren't saying that at all

People are saying it is common(and the law) in most countries to give an equal qualified citizen a job over a foreigner seeking a work permit

 

I bring in millions of dollars of revenue into Canada yearly and pay well into 6 figures in personal  income taxes

And I still have to prove a Canadian can't do my job every 3 years.......

[Janneman]

Look at it like this: how easy would it be for a Thai to get permanent residence visa plus working permit in the European Union?

[Marc26]

6 minutes ago, Janneman said:

Look at it like this: how easy would it be for a Thai to get permanent residence visa plus working permit in the European Union?

I don't know what point you are making

 

But, and I don't have experience in the EU

But Thais do get work permits and PR relatively easy in Canada, when qualified

[oldschooler]

On 3/7/2022 at 11:05 PM, Stardust said:

Sure also japanese but the user wrote farangs and thats why I used farangs/ foreigners. Yes in chonbury mainly from Germany and Japan. Anyway in all modern productions/ companies in the eastern corridor (chonburi, Rayong) the main economic and industrial area in Thailand many foreigners. Over 2000 companies from Germany BMW,etc automotive, energy etc and for sure many japanese company and also many automotive mazda etc etc . As I worked in such international companies in south east asia I know them from inside and the problems they have as described.

“Farang” in Thailand exclusively means White Westerner ( or Guava fruit).

Japs are “ yippon”. There cannot possibly be “ 2000” German companies in Thailand ( maybe 200?).

[HiuMak]

On 3/7/2022 at 2:17 PM, Thaiger said:

This is a letter from a concerned expat who has been working, legally, in Thailand, for a number of years but says that now it’s getting nearby impossible for many law-abiding, tax-paying expats to obtain a new visa. Re-printed with permission. Hello, I wanted to talk about a major issue that’s happening in Thailand regarding people’s visas. I see that no one is talking about this topic and it’s really frustrating. Basically everyone who was living in Thailand for yearsssssss with proper work visas, paying tax every month and so on, lost their jobs because of Covid-19. Since then, they […]

The story OPINION – Thai government making it hard to live and work in Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

10 years in Thailand and no home. Does that qualify for citizenship in Thailand?

[huhuarf]

5 hours ago, Janneman said:

Look at it like this: how easy would it be for a Thai to get permanent residence visa plus working permit in the European Union?

Do foreigners often get PR here?  Wouldn't know it from all the hoops and hand-wringing around long term planning here.

[LoongFred]

9 hours ago, huhuarf said:

Then any smart business would scoop them up, especially if they are cheaper.  By the way, I don't teach ESL that shit is beer and pizza money.

All the more power to a thai who studies and lives abroad, develops perfect English, and returns to a 35k baht job.  Thing is I think they tend to have higher aspirations. 

Your correct that ESL jobs are generally low skill and pay. Qualified teachers shy away from them. The best teachers tend to go to major Thai universities and even there the pay isn't great. Most have to have a side gig to survive. There is also a lot of completion from teachers from the Philippines, but quality and pronunciation can vary. They will generally work for less and may have better education levels.

Back in the day when I was on a education grant in Bangkok, I supplemented my grant money with teaching English at AUA. The pay was better and they were able to find teachers who for the most part were American military dependents. Now that source of teachers is no more and the qualifications for ESL teachers has fallen. 

Many of these former AUA Thai students went on to graduate studies in the US and frequently visited my wife and I in the US.

[Pinetree]

44 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

The best teachers tend to go to major Thai universities

I think you will find that the best never set foot in Thailand. For university qualified people, the research environment here is appallingly bad and massively underfunded, for high school/college, the best are in the own countries, or for Asia, in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Japan, where the teaching environments and the pay rates are  much better.  I would say that the  teachers are here for reasons other than teaching.

[Soidog]

10 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Thai companies should always get the best candidate, but whenever two candidates are identical, the Thai should be prioritized.

Can’t disagree with that. Except in Thailand, the foreigner can’t even apply for the job. In fact many jobs make it clear you have to be aged 25-35. I’ve even seen ones that say you must be Male or must be Female and attractive in Appearance. The word “Backwards” doesn’t even start to describe Thailands employment rules. 

[Soidog]

9 hours ago, Janneman said:

Look at it like this: how easy would it be for a Thai to get permanent residence visa plus working permit in the European Union?

If they had the right skill set/experience and qualifications from a university with international recognition, then they can do it. They can do it far easier than a foreigner can in Thailand. The problem is that even the best university in Thailand (Chulalongkorn) is globally ranked 215th

[LoongFred]

26 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

I think you will find that the best never set foot in Thailand. For university qualified people, the research environment here is appallingly bad and massively underfunded, for high school/college, the best are in the own countries, or for Asia, in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Japan, where the teaching environments and the pay rates are  much better.  I would say that the  teachers are here for reasons other than teaching.

Not  necessarily true. Medical research in Thailand is sponsored by many international organizations,  including from EU, UK, US and Japan.  Universities such as Chula and Mahidol are recognized on a world scale. Many are affiliated with western universities and exchange staff. The AIT is also first rate. I don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. The other reason why professional researchers come to Thailand is specific studies such as Schisomyiasis on the Mekong river or other infectious diseases. Additionally the SEATO medical research laboratory is staffed by American and Thai scientists. If you have no ideas what's going on you shouldn't comment.

[LoongFred]

39 minutes ago, Soidog said:

If they had the right skill set/experience and qualifications from a university with international recognition, then they can do it. They can do it far easier than a foreigner can in Thailand. The problem is that even the best university in Thailand (Chulalongkorn) is globally ranked 215th

And what is the global ratings of the university you attended and received graduate degrees from. 

Actually Mahidol University is higher rated. But rating are only relative and depend on who's doing the rating

 

[Soidog]

9 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

And what is the global ratings of the university you attended and received graduate degrees from. 

Actually Mahidol University is higher rated. But rating are only relative and depend on who's doing the rating

None of your business Fred where my degree is from.  Educational achievements are like wealth. Those with the real thing don’t need to flaunt it. Try not to be so crass in the future. No one is fooled by your fake medical references which anyone can find on Google.

Mahidol is ranked 250th. Tje universoty I went to is ranked 27th. Of course ratings are relative, that’s what ratings means.  You establish a series of metrics and then rate them “relative” to each other. I would have thought you would know that. Maybe you need to re-read that book on how to Fake being a medical practitioner. 

[Anjli]

So while the rest of the world is putting sanctions on Russians, Thailand wants to HELP Russians??? WOW! Whatever happened to standing with Ukraine against an oppressive megalomaniac dictator, who is targeting and killing innocent civilians in a soveriegn country. That's appalling Thailand. Do better!!

[Pinetree]

1 hour ago, LoongFred said:

Not  necessarily true. Medical research in Thailand is sponsored by many international organizations,  including from EU, UK, US and Japan.  Universities such as Chula and Mahidol are recognized on a world scale. Many are affiliated with western universities and exchange staff. The AIT is also first rate. I don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. The other reason why professional researchers come to Thailand is specific studies such as Schisomyiasis on the Mekong river or other infectious diseases. Additionally the SEATO medical research laboratory is staffed by American and Thai scientists. If you have no ideas what's going on you shouldn't comment.

Not true at all, but don't take my word for it.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings

 

[LoongFred]

3 hours ago, Pinetree said:

Not true at all, but don't take my word for it.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings

Welcome, Roche and others along with Smithsonian institute and Who have joint research programs with Thai universities.

You must look at the criteria used to rank Universities. It's not based on teaching success. Ranking is often influenced but number and scope of publications. Many professors do little or no teaching which is carried on by their research assistants. Likewise research by research assistants is frequently listed as the supervising professor first. 

[LoongFred]

1 hour ago, LoongFred said:

Welcome, Roche and others along with Smithsonian institute and Who have joint research programs with Thai universities.

You must look at the criteria used to rank Universities. It's not based on teaching success. Ranking is often influenced but number and scope of publications. Many professors do little or no teaching which is carried on by their research assistants. Likewise research by research assistants is frequently listed as the supervising professor first. 

Thai universities were originally set up for specic programs not general programs. Mahidol was originally the University of Medical Sciences and had various campuses that specialized in various aspects of medicine. Comparison don't work well,  when comparisons are not on the same planes. Also all comparison seem to vary but higher rating do not assure a better education. 

[Soidog]

47 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

Thai universities were originally set up for specic programs not general programs. Mahidol was originally the University of Medical Sciences and had various campuses that specialized in various aspects of medicine. Comparison don't work well,  when comparisons are not on the same planes. Also all comparison seem to vary but higher rating do not assure a better education. 

None of what you have said makes any sense I’m afraid. What planes are you referring to? Are you sure you mean planes?