Thai Marriage Laws

[MJ]

I was reading that you can actually buy yourself into Thailand. Takes 1 million Baht, this gives you a Thai elite status. There are many benefits, including speedy immigration clearance, and a limousine service from the airport, but the most beneficial is the 5 year visa. It was intiated by the Taksin govt. He had anticipated 1 million members, but to date has less than 5000.

[???]

M.J.,
Are you sure it costs 1,00,000 baht to get an elite card ? I thought it is 1,000,000 USD. That's why only around 5,000 are sold.

[robin]

There are 3-types of Elite Card available: An individual card costing 1 million Baht (US$ 25,650) with transferable lifetime membership for one person, an individual card for foreigners living in Thailand priced at 2 million Baht (US$ 51,300) and a corporate card costing 2 million (US$ 51,300) with a 30-year membership for two people.

[MJ]

No, it's 1 million Baht. I have a friend who bought one. He does a lot of business throughout asia, Thailand being the exception. Although he likes to live here. he isn't married so it works well for him.

[MJ]

Robin,
That individual card comes with a 5 year visa right. Do you know what happens after the 5 years? Can you renew it for another 5 years or do you need to pay another 1 million Baht?

[Aussie John]

I find it intriguing that such a topic as this has few actual Thais responding.
It just goes to show how little indifference many Thais have for the honest westerner trying to live honestly within the kingdom under the current visa laws.
Thai people in the west enjoy their liberty. They are not alienated from their communities and are actually encouraged by western governments to promote their culture. Thai communities in Australia are given grants to establish Thai temples so as to encourage the Buddhist faith.
One day the laws will change in the kingdom as new generations will question the laws that inhibit basic freedoms of westerners willing to become part of Thailand but not because they are excessively wealthy..
Hopefully one day, luuk krueng (half Thai /half western) will move into the political sphere and fight for the rights of his/her western parents.
Just as we here in Australia have Asian senators, polticians and mayors so diversity has a voice and not just the 'facade of freedom' offered to honest westerners married to thai nationals in Thailand.
What does Thailand fear.? If it is the notion of 'change' then they fail to acknowledge one of the basic truths of Buddhism and that is nothing is 'permanent ' including the 'Thai Elite' who at present not only control Thailands economy but also the populations inward sense of thinking that westerners can not become decent thai residents or citizens.
Long live Diversity for at least there is a communal voice.

[maximilien]

The fate and the wealth of Thailand is not in the hands of Thais, but of Chinese. And Chinese are the most xenophobic people worldwide. They have the power in Thailand. Vietnam resisted better to their control and grasp on their own country. Thais says they were never colonized ? This is not true : they have been been colonized by the Chinese who fled their country and communism. Do you think Mr Thaksin is a Thai ? He is a Chinese. This is why he is so rich... In Thailand, 10% of Chinese have 90% of the wealth, and they do not want to share with farangs !

[MJ]

Aussie John,
Good words. I will have to encourage my daughter to enter the Thai political arena. Then i may get half a chance.

[Aussie John]

As the irrationality of this debate will seemingly continue, I've come to the conclusion that the reason the elite of Thailand who write and impose xenophobic laws do'nt and wont recognize 'Unity in diversity' due to their own 'spiritual ignorance'
"It is a blindness to the true nature of the world as well as the man which corrupts 'seeing' and understanding, creating this false sense of seperateness"
As a great philosher once said.
"Control is the source of strategic power"
In Thailand this may be viewed as the
'Power to monopolise, the power tp polarize, the power to distort, and of course the power to sanction the very xenophobic laws that continue to keep the very real dispora of Thai elites in virtual control over the 'Kingdom of the Free"

[triptrip]

does it ever cross anyone's mind that thailand has a 66 million population and growing and it does not need to be fueled further by massive emigration of foriengers to its land?

look at china, ppl from different provinces needs to apply for resident permit before they are able to find work and a place to stay.

ur from oz, of course, with a mere 16-17 million ppl and a country the size of a continent needs to breed like rabbits or open their door to any tom dick and harry in order to populate the country. but the downside is ur opening a floodgate of undesirables. check out the recent muslim vs non muslims stand off in ozzie.

in sum, thailand has more than enough ppl on its own. giving away PR like in Ozzie will just worsen the situation and not to mention the army of undesirables living in the beach city near bangkok will do to the already badly bruised image of Thailand.