A recent survey carried out by the Pattaya today newspaper has looked into the current worries of the regular Pattaya Expat.

The key matters concerning long-term farang in Pattaya are visa prospects and their own health care. That is according to a local survey carried out by Pattaya Today with 100 expats, mostly retired British but also involving mainland Europeans, Americans and Australians. The newspaper is not claiming this was a scientific survey but was conducted by interview and telephone over a two-week period.

Almost all those contacted said their biggest concern at present was the ambiguity which they sensed about future visa policy in Thailand. At present most long-stay farang have a one year extension of stay based on retirement. A new 10-year visa for those over 50 years and their families has been introduced by the government, but the rules are complex – requiring police clearance from the home base and many financial documents – and can only be obtained in the country of origin and not in Thailand.

Full story: Pattaya One

Pattaya One / Pattaya Today