Scarpolo

Your post started off pretty well.

I agree, far too many low income earning women are fleeced by their mothers and extended families under the "I took care of you when you were little" excuse thus many end up selling their bodies to keep their parents in whisky and card games and elevate face in the village that "she's a good daughter".

But then you got into the relationship stuff and ended with:

"At 54, with a g/f 32, there is no way I will get involved with a girl over 40 again, unless I am 65 perhaps, but now? No way."

Why not? What do you have in common with a 32 year-old Thai woman? Music taste? Literature? Golf? Greek mythology?

Be honest, you enjoyed perving all over a young body for 6 months and she let you because she's seeking a secure future for her kids, family and herself, and as a prostitute will not be able to find a Thai or foreign man around her own age.

Fact is, if you made a prostitute the number one woman in your life in the USA, you'd have no problem securing her "love" either.

We share a value system, and, I am a 54 year old artist, from the financial industry, not a retired garbage truck driver 60 pounds over weight, skimping it out on a meager pension.

At 32, she surprisingly, has an old school style, dresses very conservatively, and has a 1940's style outlook on the world, with a desire for modern life, a first generation mixture of the girl from a family with no education and the first to go to school, and then enter the business world, which failed due to theft from her brothers wife,

it was then that she entered the sex trade, and couldnt believe the amount of money she could make in the soapy massage business, which quickly elevated her to a level unseen by her family and their peers.

I dont agree with it, but cannot argue it,

She also has a dissassociative capacity to be a different person at work, then she is here, and because I met her "there" I know the difference in how she "performs" at work, and who she really is,

a person cannot hide who they really are for very long,

I was enticed by her "work" personality, but it wasn't until I moved in with her, that I learned who she really is.

Does all of that apply to the prostitutes in the US? They have a life story too.

Without the drug and alcohol addictions, perhaps.

This one is straight as an arrow, and when she saw I smoked weed, wanted no part of me if I didn't stop, so I did,

it isnt like I could find the fabled thai sticks of old,

all I found here was cambodian wild grown with no sparkle on it, just dead brown leaves

I feel sad for the OP. Trapped in the US of A system. Just figured there is a better place out there.

And That's all what the OP wants, that's what we all want, happiness, right?

Good luck to ya anyway and wish you the best.

Actually, not trapped.

Not sure if life is actually better here, at the level I want to live at, and do live at in the States.

For me, it is a quality of life decision, and my quality of life, is, was and will be better in the States.

I can leave anytime I change my mind, and will have a girlfriend here if I want to return, I live near the beach in south florida, and, do not have the exposure to the high inflation and other non essentials that people waste their time, lives and money on,

It isnt like I am 34, I am 54, and havent worked for anyone other than myself since 1999 when the tech stocks boom hit home runs for me

I am and have been reduced with the contrived collapse back in 08, but survived it and am positioned in junior gold stocks that have a fire on their fuses right now, all without anyone calling it a bull market yet,

Gold has moved from 1170 to 1370 and no one has even noticed it yet.,

above $1,430

and its back in major bull market territory

Good Post!.....sounds like you had a Great time in Thailand.

Not sure what you're really looking for BUT the immigration thing seems to have bothered you most. Why not go for a "retirement visa" where the hassle is minimal. Renewal once a year (less than an hour at immigration) and 90 day reporting (less than 15 minutes)....at least that has been my experience for the last 10 years. If that is TOO MUCH of a hassle for you to deal with to stay here .....then I agree with benabilina....."have a good flight back".

As for the women and having to take care of their family......this is Thailand and it is actually one of the things I like! In America the "old folks " are disposable and put in "homes" once they are no longer useful....SAD!

I have been lucky in my 10 years here as extended family have not asked much, so when I give to them its because I want to! Many are barely in survival mode and the little I give helps out greatly! I am happy to do it.

I am referring to the family and extended family "expecting" that the youngers take care of them,

even if they have to sell their bodies to do it,

and if you agree with that, then, that's your choice,

C'mon, Scarpolo, get real. Nearly all of these girls selling their bodies do so to take care of their own kids. And if they're sending money home to mommie from Pattaya, it's because mommie is looking after their kids for them. If not for the single mother situation, most of these bargirls would be working in factories or 7/11 and yes, they would still help their parents out if they could. I agree with the Beach dude in this regard. This is the reason why there are so few nursing homes in Thailand, because the Thais wouldn't typically send their aged parents away to be cared for by someone else. They would look after them until the end. I've seen this in many, many families.

She has no kids,

I have met her mother and the brothers kid lives with the actual mother, so, it isnt a switch, it isnt her kid.

this cannot be hidden when you are living in the same home as I am

6 months here = 6 months experienc.......but in no way could you possibly gotten to know the entire "thailand world"....you received a snapshot of life in thailand and although there are wonderful honest girls in thailand.....I have serious doubt that you found one (given the profession). These girls are first and foremost highly skilled in the art of deception. Don't be so ignorant.....it was all about your money or she would not have been with you....step back once and see the much bigger picture which takes more than six months to see. Try a long term study of a 10 year timeframe....I am sure you will draw different conclusions. Good luck back in Amerfukya....nothing has changed. I man of your age should already know you don't teach an old dog new tricks. Enjoy your perspective on thai life....next time try a real visit....you'll see things differently

She didn't ask for, or receive a dime from me, for the first two months of seeing each other.

I went to Chaing Mai alone in December, and after not seeing me for a week, she asked if she could join me, and drove up from bkk to stay with me. We stayed nearly a month, and had a great time getting to know eachother away from her "other world"

There was never any pretense, and when it was time to return to bkk, she told me she had to get back, before I was ready to leave, because she was going to be late on her mortgage if she didnt get back to work,

it was then I asked to move in with her, and paid her not to work,

a long con?

can you prove it?

does it matter?

you think she would so quickly give up her independence?

you may be right,

you may not be,

I think at 54, born and raised in NYC, and my years as a cabbie, before financial industry came to me, and my experience with hookers of every variety, from the street to the waldorf, and every con artist in the world, many whom I grew up with, and met while working in the garment center of manhattan as a teenager, when 42nd street was still 42nd street and not disneyland,

I can tell a con from a con

this is a good girl, in a bad industry, making the best of it, and investing wisely,

her real friends are all legit business owners and her age,

she is uncommon, and from what I have experienced,

more honest than many of the women I have known

yes, she lies to many, and maybe even to herself,

Sheryl Crow has a song for you:

the words for you are: "lie to me, I promise, I'll believe"

really, not everyone is gullible, especially those who are open and honest, they usually get same in return

It's good to see some positive reflections & opinions.....for a change.

What amazes me though on here & everywhere else is when people say that & 'due to experience & time spent in such & such as situation' they now understand more.

Of course this is true to a certain extent as we do learn, & with this learning we also change, then we revaluate the situation based on this.

Have a good trip back, be happy & stay healthy.

Thanks,

and pretty much why the title clearly stated, it is a 6 month review.

no pretense, that is all it is, and, I do like it here,

but business interests require attention,

that's a reality I can not dismiss,

also, for $75 and 55,000 miles I can get back here any time, 1st class on Cathay Pacific,

that makes things a lot easier for me, than regular travelers

Good Post!.....sounds like you had a Great time in Thailand.

Not sure what you're really looking for BUT the immigration thing seems to have bothered you most. Why not go for a "retirement visa" where the hassle is minimal. Renewal once a year (less than an hour at immigration) and 90 day reporting (less than 15 minutes)....at least that has been my experience for the last 10 years. If that is TOO MUCH of a hassle for you to deal with to stay here .....then I agree with benabilina....."have a good flight back".

As for the women and having to take care of their family......this is Thailand and it is actually one of the things I like! In America the "old folks " are disposable and put in "homes" once they are no longer useful....SAD!

I have been lucky in my 10 years here as extended family have not asked much, so when I give to them its because I want to! Many are barely in survival mode and the little I give helps out greatly! I am happy to do it.

re: old people put in homes:

the old people today are the parents of baby boomers, as such, they are no longer; put in homes.

assisted living today is flourishing across the States and, they resemble apt villages;

of course there are still nursing homes, and these are for those who cannot care for themselves or have medical conditions that modern medicine has staved off death; but not infirmity,

this older generation is the best off, so, we are not talking about the same thing here,

I am referring to the family and extended family "expecting" that the youngers take care of them,

even if they have to sell their bodies to do it,

and if you agree with that, then, that's your choice,

I do not.

I do believe that living with an American has taught her how to say no, and I am seeing it begin its effect as the annual pilgrimidge to the north, has already been expressed as too expensive for her to entertain, as she expectes it to cost her 100,000 baht for family, and she isnt getting it from me, which only means one thing;

she either sells her body some more for her family, or she cuts her trip short.

I already heard her tell her mother, it is going to be much shorter than part trips,

and her friend just came home from the north to bkk, and told her it cost her 40,000 Baht, and she felt raped.

It has begun,

She has been altered by living with me, and I knew and expected it,

Her mother was encouraging her to get pregnant from me, and the only reason she gave, was so, someone would take care of her when she was older,

no thought to their not being a father for the child,

all she thought of was indentured servitutude for the offsrping,

the reponse was, there was no guarantee that a child would do that in the next generation and she is right

Baby boomers are approaching 70. Their parents would be approaching 100.

• Number of nursing homes: 16,100
• Number of beds: 1.7 million
• Occupancy rate: 86 percent

The "Young Old" 65-74.”The first wave of aging Baby Boomers who will reach full retirement age in 2011. For the next 20 years, 74 million Boomers will retire.“

good stats;

it appears my thinking on that topic has "aged" somewhat

those retiring boomers are mostly broke now, courtesy of the contrived financial crisis,

so they will work, if they can, until they die.

I was thinking of my own parents who at 85, have their own paid for home, have their cars and their health care and my mother still works part time as a nurse, which is more like full time because of her senority, so, they have great healthcare

Well, hate to say it but she wasn't your gf. She is a train girl/bus girl or whatever u wanna call it.

Stays with one guy who pays her way. Once he leaves, she finds another. It's sad that u think you 2 were in love.

It's their profession. And they professionals at makin you think they love u. Or that u are the sexiest guy in the world. Or that you have the biggest ____ they ever seen. Or that you were the best lay they ever had. Etc. etc.

Have a good time back in the states!

Not sure which part of my OP brings you this conclusion:

1): When did I say we were "in love?"

2) what makes you think she is a train-bus girl? She owns 4 homes, 3 fully paid for, receives rental income on two of them, her mother and brother live in the other, and owns a parcel of land she paid 30,000 baht for that is worth 1,000,000 baht now?

3) she owns a car she paid cash for, brand new at Honda

4) her last boyfriend was 3 years ago, and wasn;t looking for one when we met

5) she may be a professional, and I call her that when she is navigating bkk traffic all the time, but as far as showing love or feeling, or playing any sort of game, ,

trust me,

this girl didn't need me in her life, and certainly didn't need me in her home the last few months,

but it didn't hurt, and her home looks a lot better with me in it, as does the outside, as I have a green thumb,

you may be quick with the wit,

but in this case, it doesn't fit

What do you have in common with a 32 year-old Thai woman? Music taste? Literature? Golf? Greek mythology?

That pretty much goes for a Thai woman of any age. Might as well go for a young, pretty one.

True statement. That's why I question the logic of many young farangs in Thailand, thinking that they somehow have more in common with a Thai woman of the same age. They don't. Language (big one), cultural beliefs, values, etc., are vastly different, regardless of the age. Now if the farang dude can speak Thai fluently, a whole new ballgame.

I agree that speaking Thai fluently is a big advantage, But I've been here several decades and only know few a Westerners who do. Otherwise, how many Thai women of any age have any real insights into foreign music, literature or Greek mythology? Very, very few.

Every mall and every place we go, they play American music, all over Thailand

Nice post but Don't fool yourself. She's probably thinking that you were a waste of 6 months of her time.

The woman you described was looking for a husband.

She benefitted greatly being with me, and describes me as a very good man, taking very good care of her,

I don't dispute your analysis that she was looking for something more permanent from me,

but I also dispute it was a waste of her time,

on the contrary

it was time very well invested, by both of us,

and the future is uncertain

What do you have in common with a 32 year-old Thai woman? Music taste? Literature? Golf? Greek mythology?

That pretty much goes for a Thai woman of any age. Might as well go for a young, pretty one.

Again, another ridiculous generalisation. I have a lot in common with my wife, why else would I marry her? Being of similar age we like similar music, not all, but a fair bit, she enjoys reading, as do I, she also hits a pretty mean ball at the golf range.

When you say "Thai woman of any age". Are you talking about the upcountry women who didn't finish school?

This is why foreigners look so stupid to Thais. Because they come over, befriend, hang out with and marry the most undesirable, uneducated women. It's harsh to say it, but these are the women no decent Thai men want to be with and no decent Thai woman with half a brain wants to be around.

No matter how pretty the face, if a man has any sort of brain rolling around in his head, surely he would want to be able to relate, converse and enjoy mutual interests with his GF/wife. I guess its no wonder there are so many guys sitting around on bar stools moaning about Thai women and being bitter. What did you expect choosing a partner on such a shallow basis. This is a huge recipe for unhappiness.

Things "in common" mean many and different things....

To some, being in a honest relationship which is supportive to the others interests are as equally important, as coming into the relationship with common interests,

my last wife was a singer and guitarist and I am a guitarist, and although you would think that was a great mix, it turns out, we couldnt stand to play with each other, and therefore, we didnt

I also am an artist as is she, and, she disdained my desire to be an artist, thinking I was somehow "using her" to learn. or copying her,

not considering that I was an artist before I met her, and a guitarist before I met her, and my mother is an artist,

things in common are over rated,

opposites attract and require eachother to fulful the human element of yin yang, male femle, harmonic balance, and love, which can be called many different things,

We are both adults, and she has experience with men that affords her the luxury of knowing bullshit when she sees and hears it.

I find her, refreshing

I'm on the OP's side mostly. Say 90%. I think he shows remarkable insight for being here a relatively short time. Of course, the dinosaurs ("I've been here eleventy-hundred years and I know EVERYgoddamnTHING!") may quibble, but based on my experience out here in provinces, he's pretty much spot on.

A couple of observations were fair...BUT...

You are a million miles away from understanding anything about Thai women if you base your conclusions on one prostitute you dated from a soapy massage parlour.

Let's disregard the millions of other women who get up and go to work in numerous other industries and hail from all different walks of life, shall we?

Take a step back for a moment and consider how ridiculous that is.

On its face, you are right, that seems limited.

I should add, I came here to visit a friend, who is married to a tahi for 15 years, and she speaks perfect english,

and there was a lineup of her friends, "coming over" every time I was there, and I was shown my standing in thai soceity, from the start,

I also had the "pleasure" of being in Chaing Mai with my friend at first, and then I stayed another two weeks alone, as I hooked up with the music scene there,

I also returned to Chaing Mai with her, and had a "different" experience.

I dont have the same interests as others, and my lifestyle, is different,

And I also believe that our relationships are "mirrors" of who WE are,. as well as theother person. so,

if the shoe fits.......I am fine to walk in mine....I know who I am,

normal? girls, wouldnt want much to do with me, very long.

I should point out that at the end of both my marriages, both wives stated to me, that all they were to me in the end, were my whores.

what else is there left to say

Some posters should not be so hard on the OP............most of us were still enchanted after only the first 6 months.

What I would like to hear from OP is: how did your, now ex, girlfriend take it when you broke it to her that

she was alright to be your number one and only one, for 6 months, but that you are moving on now?

I am still here, not leaving until Tuesday.

She has known from the beginning that I have pending matters in the US which absolutely require my presence to resolve and that several million Baht are at stake, to lose, if I don't get myself there quickly,

What we didnt know was the date.

She intends to wait for me.

I have asked her to accompany me, but she wants time to consider her future, and doesnt think she can easily get a visa.

She has also already told me, she wants a baby, and with two at 26 and 23, that prospect for me is "difficult" tp absorb, and I have already made the grave mistake of making a lover, a mother. She doesnt understand the full impact, and sees her friends struggling with young children and husbands that are less than stellar,

I am not "moving on" and, if my post wasn't clear, I am not sure if and when I would return, as, I have to see what the States feel like to me now, and, I have business interests there, that may not make it easy for a quick return.

At first, I thought I would take care of business and then come right back,

now I am not as sure, and have been honest with her about that,

because this is transparent and open and honest, we intend to continue to appreciate the time together, and to quote Kris Kristoffferson,

we are focussed on "the good times"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytdE30eTUVk

go back to her 'job'..hehehehehehehehe she left the job for u??..what 'job is that???

He was honest from the beginning she was a sex worker, but "high end soapie" not a bar girl.

Add to that:

Her home is finely furnished, her car is 2 years old, bought new and paid for in cash.

It is hard to argue that she has made the best of a bad situation.

Her book shelf consists of books written by Alan Greenspan (a cousin of my grandmother) and others who authors are in Thai also geared towards finance and economics, which is my field as well,

She was also an entrepreneur whose clothing store failed to theft from the brothers first wife.

So, she gave it an effort, and it didnt work out. I suspect she will eventually be in the clothing business again, but will require a sponsor, to get her to overcome her fesr of failure, and to be willing to take the risks for the first 3-5 months, that every business needs to get going.

If I return, that will be the plan, as, I have no intentions of being the boyfriend, of lover of an active sex worker, "active" being the key.

My second wife was from high soceity brazilian jewish community, with plenty of wealth and live in servants, and she turned into a sex slave for every one of her boyfriends, and husbands, (including me), but she didnt seem to mind, and didnt have to do much work, as, many of the very pretty and well built north and south american girls are prone too,

at least this girl gets paid up front for her service,

my last wife wound up with very little at the end of her first two marriages where, according to her, she was abused.....

I think that if any man tried something with her at work, that she objected too, and it persisted, they would dump him in the trash bin behind the building.....this girl is nobody's slave and doesnt take shit from anyone, starting with me,

it has been a highly respectful relationship, and we have both grown from it, which defines it for me

she also now speaks more english than any of her friends, and, good enough to assist anyone with simple translation, and I have told her, that one full year with me, and she would speak it much better than she ever believed.

It helps that we watch movies with thai subtitles in english speaking,

and when she hears words and phrases that I use regularly, spoken in the movie and sees it in use in the movie, it becomes enforced.

The word "exactly" is used by me more than I realized, and she didnt understand it, until she started hearing it a lot in movies,

It is these simple methods that have increased her language skills dramatically, which let's face it, helps the thai's dramatically

Your post started off pretty well.

I agree, far too many low income earning women are fleeced by their mothers and extended families under the "I took care of you when you were little" excuse – thus many end up selling their bodies to keep their parents in whisky and card games and elevate face in the village that "she's a good daughter".

But then you got into the relationship stuff and ended with:

"At 54, with a g/f 32, there is no way I will get involved with a girl over 40 again, unless I am 65 perhaps, but now? No way."

Why not? What do you have in common with a 32 year-old Thai woman? Music taste? Literature? Golf? Greek mythology?

Be honest, you enjoyed perving all over a young body for 6 months and she let you because she's seeking a secure future for her kids, family and herself, and as a prostitute will not be able to find a Thai or foreign man around her own age.

Fact is, if you made a prostitute the number one woman in your life in the USA, you'd have no problem securing her "love" either.

We share a value system, and, I am a 54 year old artist, from the financial industry, not a retired garbage truck driver 60 pounds over weight, skimping it out on a meager pension.

At 32, she surprisingly, has an old school style, dresses very conservatively, and has a 1940's style outlook on the world, with a desire for modern life, a first generation mixture of the girl from a family with no education and the first to go to school, and then enter the business world, which failed due to theft from her brothers wife,

it was then that she entered the sex trade, and couldnt believe the amount of money she could make in the soapy massage business, which quickly elevated her to a level unseen by her family and their peers.

I dont agree with it, but cannot argue it,

She also has a dissassociative capacity to be a different person at work, then she is here, and because I met her "there" I know the difference in how she "performs" at work, and who she really is,

a person cannot hide who they really are for very long,

I was enticed by her "work" personality, but it wasn't until I moved in with her, that I learned who she really is.

I had to adjust to that.

She is ok with her job, and has it completely compartmentalized from her private life, and walks proudly.

We have never been discriminated against in her area, and it is only in the tourist areas where falange's stare at her, unwarrantedly long

I have gotten a few dissaproving looks from some short ugly thai women, but by and large, I felt accepted, and always safe

on reading your post, my first thought was for the young Thai lady that put in on the line for you .... perhaps you have contributed to the anti-American movement ... came in nice and polite, taken what you wanted/needed and (atypically American) gone home ... don't let the door hit ya ...

Not true,

I have business reasons to go back, and I "have" to go back to clean up a spill I left from the last marriage,

The girl, has benefitted greatly,

before I got her she didnt have a hot water heater for her shower, or a vacumb, which I purchased quickly when I moved in, as well, a large refridgerator to house my large supply of vegetables that I regularly juice,

I also finished her kitchen for her,

try not to look at this as being one way,

I took very good care of her, and she wants me back,

We have both known from the beginning I would have to go back once certain matters came to conclusion and required my presence, and I have real business needs that must be done in person,

The question is, do I return?

She wants me too, and I might,

I just do not know, and the door is left open for me

Trust me, all her friends know she has been happier than they have seen her in several years, so this was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and she was by far, no servant

I will just simply say, "see you later", because judging by your post, you enjoyed yourself and you will miss it after a few months back in the states.Time will tell. Safe travels.

I am sure you are right.

I will miss many things, including my living arrangement,

But I have a renewed appreciation for south florida now,

Time will tell if I can readjust,

one thing for sure, I have a Piaggio 500 at home, which I can ride without fear, to most places,

in Thailand, I do not dare drive, anything, and I was a professional driver for years

"due to the nature of her work when we met (she stopped for me)", the same old sad story. You could just keep this sentence and stop there.

They seem to have a different view of their "work"

It has afforded her some semblance of wealth, and she doesn't associate with her co workers, in fact, her entire friends list, and all of her friends, are completely unaware of her job, thinking she has money from real estate income in the north, where they know she owns homes and land,

that she exaggerates the ability of that to sustain her, escapes me, but, we do live in a beautiful home in a gated community and we shop at Fashion Island and the Promenade there. If I didnt know ,I would think I was in Miami

I think classifying all the girls who work as "bar girls" is over simplifying, and creates an air of inaccuracy about the type of person.

I have stated before, when I was younger, I was a taxi driver in NYC and Miami, and the amount of beautiful, married women, who were moonlighting as call girls, shocked me

I will just simply say, "see you later", because judging by your post, you enjoyed yourself and you will miss it after a few months back in the states.Time will tell. Safe travels.

You would be 100% right,

I did enjoy myself, and I learned quite a bit about the people, from the people.

I did meet the girls mother, who is without education, as is the rest of the older generation, none of them went to school and cannot read or write, whereas this girl owns her home (28 years to go on mortgage), but she isnt a renter, owns 3 homes in the nort, one where her mother and brother free load, and two she gets small rental income, but the property value skyrockted, so, she isnt the typical girl from the north, and we live, in a very nice gated community near safari world surrounded by gold courses and upper middle class people, (I started in Huai Kwang where my long time friend who invited me here lives) so I know the difference in the way people are living here, (some, even here, live in huts made of building material scraps outside the farms and ongoing building projects)

I spent time in Chaing Mai, visited Pattaya (had too) although I didnt see all of it,

I met and played with several different musicians and may play tonight at Sport One with the Isn't Band, which is very highly skilled,

And, because Americans with education and resources are not seen in this part of town, I felt very welcome,

Now, that said, if I didnt have a Thai native girlfriend able to speak for me, this would have been entirely a different experience, and the first few weeks that I was here, it was very isolating

when you've had over 30yrs experience of Thailand then you can come to some conclusions.

6months doesnt give you time to wet your whistle.

I seriously doubt anyone will want the conclusions of an 84 year old, 30 years from now,

for those new to thailand, 3 weeks to 18 weeks, my offering can be of value,

to those who are old timers, you have heard it all before, but consider others, with less time to decide what 6 months is of value, and FWIW,

I didnt come on a shoe string, and I leave with more financially than when I arrived thanks to the beginning phase of the second leg, of the major bull market in gold

Spring is a good time to be in the USA and South America is not far to travel having said this I do believe se Asia is a great place to be a man.

Agree with all 3.....

Good Post!.....sounds like you had a Great time in Thailand.

Not sure what you're really looking for BUT the immigration thing seems to have bothered you most. Why not go for a "retirement visa" where the hassle is minimal. Renewal once a year (less than an hour at immigration) and 90 day reporting (less than 15 minutes)....at least that has been my experience for the last 10 years. If that is TOO MUCH of a hassle for you to deal with to stay here .....then I agree with benabilina....."have a good flight back".

As for the women and having to take care of their family......this is Thailand and it is actually one of the things I like! In America the "old folks " are disposable and put in "homes" once they are no longer useful....SAD!

I have been lucky in my 10 years here as extended family have not asked much, so when I give to them its because I want to! Many are barely in survival mode and the little I give helps out greatly! I am happy to do it.

Not interested in the retirement visa due to IRS reporting requirements and disclosures.

One of the reasons to leave the States is the oncoming Obamacare tax role which applies penalties for filers

Good Post!.....sounds like you had a Great time in Thailand.

Not sure what you're really looking for BUT the immigration thing seems to have bothered you most. Why not go for a "retirement visa" where the hassle is minimal. Renewal once a year (less than an hour at immigration) and 90 day reporting (less than 15 minutes)....at least that has been my experience for the last 10 years. If that is TOO MUCH of a hassle for you to deal with to stay here .....then I agree with benabilina....."have a good flight back".

As for the women and having to take care of their family......this is Thailand and it is actually one of the things I like! In America the "old folks " are disposable and put in "homes" once they are no longer useful....SAD!

I have been lucky in my 10 years here as extended family have not asked much, so when I give to them its because I want to! Many are barely in survival mode and the little I give helps out greatly! I am happy to do it.

re: old people put in homes:

the old people today are the parents of baby boomers, as such, they are no longer; put in homes.

assisted living today is flourishing across the States and, they resemble apt villages;

of course there are still nursing homes, and these are for those who cannot care for themselves or have medical conditions that modern medicine has staved off death; but not infirmity,

this older generation is the best off, so, we are not talking about the same thing here,

I am referring to the family and extended family "expecting" that the youngers take care of them,

even if they have to sell their bodies to do it,

and if you agree with that, then, that's your choice,

I do not.

I do believe that living with an American has taught her how to say no, and I am seeing it begin its effect as the annual pilgrimidge to the north, has already been expressed as too expensive for her to entertain, as she expectes it to cost her 100,000 baht for family, and she isnt getting it from me, which only means one thing;

she either sells her body some more for her family, or she cuts her trip short.

I already heard her tell her mother, it is going to be much shorter than part trips,

and her friend just came home from the north to bkk, and told her it cost her 40,000 Baht, and she felt raped.

It has begun,

She has been altered by living with me, and I knew and expected it,

Her mother was encouraging her to get pregnant from me, and the only reason she gave, was so, someone would take care of her when she was older,

no thought to their not being a father for the child,

all she thought of was indentured servitutude for the offsrping,

the reponse was, there was no guarantee that a child would do that in the next generation and she is right

Long may Thailand continue to deny greedy tossers the right to own a slice of the Kingdom. Given the chance, wouldn't they just drive up land values and squeeze out the locals?

yes ,they would ,all the beachfront property would be foreign owned

imagine how much buying power people from other nations have vs thai wages and you can see why the restrictions are in place

wrt to foreigners owning land

I agree that unrestricted foreign land purchase would not be in the Thais best interest but there could be some kind of fair compromise ie if married to a Thai, the purchase of up to one Rai would be allowed if used for family home.

up to one rai?

you must be joking,

that sounds to me like permitting someone to purchase their owen burial plot,

you couldnt even have a horse there, what benefit is that to a person coming here?

1 square meter is equal to 0.000625 rai, or 0.000247105381467 acre

No one can "get China right" because they have zero accountability and are milking and bilking until they capture with aggression what they cannot obtain by fraud,

There is nothing that can be believed in anything that comes out of China,

and here is one of their "wealthy tourists" in Chaing Mai, showing the rest of Asia, what they really feel about them