My mom is retiring with us in Samui. We feel very safe, much safer than we felt in the States. Even when we were in Bangkok, it felt like a very safe city, even walking alone. Crime statistics are much better here than they were where we're from in Alabama.

@Ken ********

seconded, we just left there to come to Thailand. Absolute shit show. would not go back.

IDK if that's even a good idea. Immigrants with permanent residency or those in the US legally going to their hearings are being rounded up, detained, and put in what basically amounts to camps.

Kasper Eriksen, a green card holder, who's been living in the US legally since 2013, is married to a US citizen, and has multiple children with her, has been detained at his nationalization hearing with no explanation in Mississippi.

Johnny Noviello, a Canadian citizen who had been a legal permanent resident since 1991, was detained by ICE for removal, and he died in custody.

Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a natural born US citizen was filming an ICE raid in Foley, AL (about 45 minutes from my US address). He was detained as illegal. He showed them his Real ID driver's license, which proves citizenship. The ICE officers laughed and told him it was fake (it wasn't) and detained him anyways.

Renato Subotic, an Australian citizen and head coach of the Australian MMA team, was planning to conduct a seminar in the US. He was detained due to a small error in his visa, held for 24 hours in a facility where he claims he had to fight other detainees, before being deported.

A 6 year old boy undergoing cancer treatment, his 9 year old sibling, and their mother were at an immigration hearing for asylum status when they were detained for deportation. They were trying to do things legally by asylum status. Now the child cannot get cancer treatment.

These are just a few cases. They're not looking for the "worst of the worst." They're detaining and deporting anyone they can. You can be here on legitimate business (like a seminar), be a permanent resident, or even a natural born citizen. Hell, they're talking about denaturalizing Zohran Mamdani just cause they're mad he won the NYC primary.

Even in the smaller city I'm from, Mobile, there's ICE raids and now none of the immigrants will show up to their jobs. Like I said, that citizen detained was only 45 minutes from my home in the US. I wouldn't feel safe bringing a non-citizen, especially one who's not white, into the US right now.

If you entered on a visa, not exempt, you will also need a copy of your visa. Just extended in Koh Samui a few days ago. Needed that as well.

@Michael *******

luckily someone put me in touch with the BOI and they clarified my wife will qualify for a dependant's visa after the 25th. That's a huge relief for me.

@Brandon ***********

you're right about their responsiveness. I already heard back confirming that my wife will be eligible for a dependant's visa once same sex marriage takes effect.

@Brandon ***********

than you so much for this information! I was getting some red flags when she dismissed the LTR so quickly with me already having most of the paperwork. I'll definitely reach out to the BOI.

@John *********

hi, thanks for the info. I'll definitely reach out to them. I'm totally remote, and would be staying in Thailand full time. I have permission from my employer to work remotely from Thailand keeping my US job, and they'll provide any paperwork needed to verify that status.

What kind of company does your husband do remote work for. If the company is publicly traded or worth over a certain amount of money, you've done a specialized job for over 5 years, have permission to work from Thailand, and make over $80,000 equivalent/year - there's a LTR visa for that. There's more info on like the Thai embassy site or through agents. We're moving there next year and that's the visa I'm seeking.

@Jeffrey *********

thanks, yeah, Thailand has stem cell therapy for Parkinson's that the US doesn't have, and we're looking into that. Though she'll still need meds, it'll slow it down.