Thailand is often considered as the true paradise country. To the infrequent visitor this is a country with beautiful weather, friendly people, good medical and infrastructural facilities and low cost of living. But for the Foreigner in Thailand who is living here, the reality is anything but picture perfect. Foreigners being a minority group here are often regarded with distrust and disregard. They are treated the same way too. Apart from the treatment meted out by the locals, the laws in Thailand are not that foreigner friendly either.
Immigration woes
Immigration is one of the most primary areas where a Foreigner in Thailand will start facing the problems. The visa system in Thailand is extremely biased. Even if a person marries a Thai native and moves to Thailand, that person will still have to maintain a visa-run by leaving the country in every 2 months. The only logical reason for this cycle of making the foreigner exit the country and enter it again seems to be the money which is earned in the visa-run procedure. This is a classic bureaucratic arrangement for reminding the Foreigner in Thailand that he/she is not welcome in the country but being allowed to stay for a regular price.
“Farang ki nok!”
Farang is the term by which Thai natives call the Foreigner in Thailand. The phrase “farang ki nok” is actually an abuse, often directed at the foreigners living in the country. Literally, the phrase means ‘bird-poop foreigner’. This tells the kind of racist treatment meted out to the foreigners by the people in Thailand. The foreigners are often seen as a source of income and are exploited in every way possible. There is also no shortage of examples of violence against the foreigners living n this country. Be it tourists or foreign citizens, mugging and violent beating are common. As a foreigner living in Thailand, one needs to practice extra vigilance while moving out on the streets or after dark.
Injustice in schools and governmental organizations
A local Thai regards a Foreigner in Thailand with much resentment because often the foreigners end up getting the best jobs and better salaries. For instance, in government schools an average local Thai English teacher might not be able to even converse in English. If a foreigner enters the scenario he ends up being better. Hence, it is often seen that foreigners are not given the higher ranks they might deserve because a local is in that position owing to his experience in years. Capability doesn’t count. Again, bureaucracy is at play.
Twisted property laws
For a foreigner, holding a property in Thailand is the biggest stumbling block. A foreigner can only buy property in his/her spouse’s name – who should be a native. Only a 30 year old lease on land can be bought by the Foreigner in Thailand who is not married to a local. And land titles given to foreigners are often taken away by exploiting legal loopholes. Thailand is indeed anything but paradise for the foreigner living in it.
