@Bart *************

actually Portugal is quite easy to get a 5 year residency visa which can be turned into a 10 year visa. They call it the D7 visa, like a retirement visa but with no age restriction, one just has to show a certain amount of $$ in the bank. I had it for 5 years before moving to Thailand.

There's a reason why so many people dished out $30k for the elite visas before the price went insane. You are not the first or the last to realize to stay in Thailand long term you need to either pay premium for a visa or get married or get old. No the Philippines doesn't charge people for visas because it's not Thailand, in all the ways why people would rather be in Thailand if they "could".

@Cody ********

you really think most of those young nomads who can't afford a proper visa are helping the Thai economy... Thailand wants people who can at least afford a proper visa, not someone who thinks they can retire at 30 yet can't afford a 30k visa.🤦🤣

This is exactly why all the people who have been living in Thailand as "tourists" for many many years need to stop complaining about how the Thai government makes visas hard for everyone.

@Jeff *****

Not just downtown. I left 5 years ago after living in SF for 20 years. I lived in North Beach. While I was living there I saw tons of drugs and crimes in NB, boardway, and fisherman's wharf. Weekly car break-ins and homeless people camping out in Washington square park. Downtown is more concentrated but crimes, drugs and homeless population are everywhere in the city.

@Harry *********

I understand. Just because one has a more powerful passport doesn't give them the rights to live in another country indefinitely and complain about it when they have to leave. I'm not speaking about you or anyone in particular, it just seems to be a common theme from expats who don't want to leave Thailand and also can't get proper visas.

@Frank *********

Haha, when does not keeping up with social media make someone ignorant? Sorry my real life keeps me busy and happy. And yes, I'm from the largest sub-national economy in the world. Thanks for bringing it up. 😜

P.S: to still make fun of someone's background in today's environment is so unoriginal and sad.

@Tobben *******

Can any foreigner just come and go and stay for as long as they wish in YOUR country? Most countries in the west make it extremely difficult for Thais to visit, they have to jump through hoops to even get a tourist visa, while all the farangs want to live in Thailand without proper visas and constantly complain about how they can't just come and go and live here for as long as they want. The entitlement is nauseating.

@Frank *********

who still says snowflake nowadays? Guess you just showed your age without telling...5555

Maybe 4 yr Thai university and wait for other visa options in the future...have you thought about other SEA countries? You don't have to stay in your home country, there are always options. It's so ironic that some people act like Thailand belongs to them just because they have been here longer, even though they are all foreigners just like the rest of us and probably had the same questions when they tried to leave their countries. So many people lack self awareness.