By Barry Kenyon

[Gaybutton]

permit some permanent immigration from people who are likely to assimilate from neighbouring Buddhist countries.

If they are legally in Thailand, remain as employed workers for a specified period of time, cause no trouble and commit no crimes, is it your opinion Thailand ought to eventually grant them citizenship - and I mean full citizenship?

[Jun]

If they are legally in Thailand, remain as employed workers for a specified period of time, cause no trouble and commit no crimes, is it your opinion Thailand ought to eventually grant them citizenship - and I mean full citizenship?

In principle, if a country really needs people AND they are the kind of people likely to fully assimilate, I'm in favour of granting full citizenship.

If we take the UK, people have been coming here from Europe and fully assimilating for decades. After one generation, you wouldn't know the difference.
People from the Middle East, on the other hand, are often more problematic. Although it's not PC to talk about that.

I'd say Thailand granting full citizenship to an appropriate number of immigrants, with conditions from Buddhist countries is fairly safe.

[Gaybutton]

People from the Middle East, on the other hand, are often more problematic. Although it's not PC to talk about that.

This board is not here to be politically correct and you are entitled to voice your opinion. Since I own the board I get to be the one who decides whether posts are appropriate and acceptable. If I determine a post is appropriate and acceptable, the post stands, controversial or not. If not, I get to be the one who decides to delete portions of it or delete it entirely.

I always recommend people wish to submit a questionable post, but are not sure, then submit it to me first via PM and I will let you know.

People usually get upset, very upset, if their precious, profound post gets deleted, but when that happens I have no problem about taking the heat.

[Gaybutton]

Donald Trump could determine the future of Pattaya

By Barry Kenyon

April 5, 2025

The first reaction in Bangkok to Trump’s new international tariffs was to assume they were an April Fool’s joke delivered a day late. The United States is Thailand’s biggest export market and, if a deal can’t be reached, billions of cash income in any currency you care to mention is at potential risk. The 36 percent tariff on imports to the US was much bigger than the Federation of Thai Industries predicted, but China, India, Vietnam and Cambodia amongst other Asian countries were also singled out.

One consequence, if the world chooses to retreat into 19th century trade wars, will be to send shocks to Asia’s international travel ecosystem which leaves tourist cities such as Pattaya exposed. If world trade shrinks, business travel declines as reflected in Thailand’s MICE conventions and exhibitions initiative which has to date been very successful in Pattaya. Then global mobility is suppressed as airlines reduce routes, the market for long-term visas becomes smaller and hotels see vacancies mushroom.

The worldwide holiday market also shrinks as it depends on discretionary income, that is what people have to spend after paying their bills. Tariff wars are usually accompanied by both unemployment and inflation, both of which discourage vacations abroad. Travel and Tour World is already predicting a negative impact on Asian beach resorts in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia as international numbers shrink. Cruises are another likely victim as cabins become harder to fill.

Pattaya may not be an industrial hub, but it is adjacent to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), the advanced manufacturing and export base with infrastructure designed to attract international investors from many countries. In the past, the United States and the EEC have been linked through US investment in areas such as renewable energy and other strategic industries. US vice-president JD Vance has already ruled out that kind of international cooperation in future.

The Pattaya area has the second most valuable property assets in Thailand outside of Bangkok. The ongoing building program of luxury condominiums and gated estates assumes an ever-expanding number of rich expat and Thai communities. But there is also huge investment being poured into neon-lit entertainment districts across the city. In the past, Pattaya has weathered many challenges, most recently military coups and the Covid crisis. But Pattaya’s greatest challenge for the future could be unfolding right now before our very eyes.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... aya-496453

[Dodger]

Trying to see the economic futures of any city or country right now is like trying to see how many fossils are lodged twenty thousand leagues under the sea without wearing any goggles...impossible!

One thing that seems reasonable to predict is that the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Project will suffer in the short-term due to declines in manufacturing. Noting that Thailand's second most valuable export after agriculture is automotive exports (vehicles, parts, and accessories) - many of which are manufactured in the southern industrial areas south of Pattaya, and of course metropolitan Bangkok.

It also seems reasonable that the Thai Baht will weaken (trend downward) due to an estimated drop of 1.2% in Thailand's 2025 GDP.

How any of this will effect Pattaya which relies almost totally on tourism is a head-scratch. I could be wrong (and probably am) but I fail to see how any of this will have that much effect on tourism as long as the service industry can keep their prices down, e.g., airfares, hotels, car rentals, etc.

[Gaybutton]

How any of this will effect Pattaya which relies almost totally on tourism is a head-scratch. I could be wrong (and probably am) but I fail to see how any of this will have that much effect on tourism as long as the service industry can keep their prices down, e.g., airfares, hotels, car rentals, etc.

I think you're right. I also think those who are losing a lot of money, let alone their jobs, are unlikely to be doing much holiday travel planning just now.

For us expats already living in Thailand on pensions and Social Security, the better exchange rates come as a small windfall - as long as nothing negative happens to our pensions and Social Security.

I hate to say it, but I think all those protests going on in the USA are going to accomplish absolutely nothing to change what Trump and his cronies and his administration are doing. I wonder how many Trump supporters now regret their vote - unless they are so cult brainwashed that even the current situation doesn't faze them in the slightest.

[Dodger]

....... I wonder how many Trump supporters now regret their vote - unless they are so cult brainwashed that even the current situation doesn't faze them in the slightest.

I wonder about the same thing - but just in the last week I've heard from my best friend in the U.S. that many of the MAGA crowd who frequents the bar he owns are changing course and ready to hang both Trump and Musk.

Last night during my weekly Facebook chat with my daughter I heard similar remarks about some of her MAGA friends at her work (mostly housewives) who want Trump tarred and feathered. So who knows, maybe the tide, as powerful as it is, can be changed.

[Gaybutton]

some of her MAGA friends at her work (mostly housewives) who want Trump tarred and feathered.

That's the thing. For whatever convoluted reasons many of the Trump supporters trusted and voted for him, today, 77 days into his presidency, Trump has betrayed them and lied to them. Did they truly expect anything different? How many of them are getting what they wanted out of Trump? How many of them are among the people Trump has fired?

How many of them expected Elon Musk to become so powerful, or even become part of Trump's administration at all? During his campaign I don't remember Trump saying Musk would become part of his administration. And yet now Musk holds a pseudo office created by Trump without any form of congressional approval and no hearings were ever convened to approve Musk or that office. Musk was never elected to anything by anyone and yet he holds one of the most powerful positions in the USA. How many Trump supporters are pleased Musk is there and are pleased about the job he's doing and the way he's doing it?

How many Canadians want to become the USA's 51st state? How many people in Greenland support the idea of Trump taking over? How many Americans are in favor of pursuing those policies despite the fact the people of those countries want no part of it?

I remember when Bill Clinton was president and his party was soundly beaten in a midterm election, he said "I got the message." Trump probably got the message too. The difference is Trump couldn't care less.

Remember that old saying about being careful what you wish for? Ok,Trump supporters, you got what you wished for - and now we're all stuck with it.

If the Democrats can come up with a strong, popular, persuasive candidate and the Democrats get off their weakling approach to politics, I think the Democrats will win the next presidential election and, hopefully, start undoing the damage Trump is doing and will continue to be doing unless he is finally impeached a third time, and this time the Republicans stop kissing his ass and support the impeachment and removal from office. The problem with that is Vance would then be president - and who knows what he would do? I think it would be bad, but nowhere near as bad as Trump.

[travelerjim1]

Fellas, while many of you thrive on anti Trumpers messages from your Thailand recliners, here's how many Americans feel about their President...they welcome their President.
I for one am thankful for his election.

[travelerjim1]

The Daytona 500 Race fans in Daytona welcomed President Trump's flyover of the racetrack and his leading the racecars in The Beast around the race track.