MockingJay

At the end of the day, it's a bragging post - and this is due to the photos, plus will it not help anyone who is on the fence about leaving Thailand or not as financial and educational preconditions will vary vastly. Several questions of curious posters were left unanswered, so I give this post a 2 out of 10.

When talking about living in Florida on ThaiVisa it always comes to beach ... beach... beach... etc.

There are great places to live in Florida that are nowhere near the beach and the beach is never more than a few hours drive away.

Plus, you've never seen one of these pointing towards the beach:

...plus is Thailand missing this: http://www.11alive.com/story/news/health/2015/06/12/florida-flesh-eating-bacteria/71131584/

Spot on, Mr. Fixit! Spot on!

Reading this might enlighten some people: http://www.naturalnews.com/027631_AIDS_House_of_Numbers.html#

Good job. Thank you for posting. I really appreciate it.

Your wife looks amazing. Such a cute woman. And a child. The house looks great. A really nice life. I wonder if you think like I do that you were smart, and lucky. I know and hope your luck will continue. For sure your brains and discipline, got you to Thailand where you found a great girl and continued a great life.

One thing that that I read about is the girl who goes to the states, and then, learning western culture, changes for the worse. But as with most things, a lot of that probably has to do with the girl you choose too.

I hope things continue to go well.

A girl (of any race or upbringing) can be called amazing only if she continued to stay with you AFTER you went broke or at least made it through extremely difficult times together WITH you and DIDN'T leave... A friend of mine was one of the local property tycoons here, and his doll-faced, spotlessly perfect wife left him when??? Correctamundo - when his firm went belly up and things (like shopping for the 53rd pair of shoes) became "difficult"... Need I say more?

.

So now you stoop so low as to insinuate the OP's wife married only for money?

What a sad, small man it is who's so threatened by such a simple post that he feels compelled to make disparaging remarks about another man's wife.

Not only do you not need to say more, if you couldn't have said something nice, you never needed to say anything at all.

I'm sorry you feel that way, Mr. Cool, but you said that: "as to insinuate the OP's wife married only for money?" not me!

I am emotionally unavailable here, because it appears, the OP and family always had it real nice, cozy and warm so that this smooth transition back home (to the country where he always wanted to return to anyways) backed by substancial finances and conditions to find a new job in no time, does not strike me as a success story at all, but simple straight forward boasting. Sorry, I can't contain it any longer. This "oooh, it is so better here, back home and how I could leave this beautiful and perfect place for something like Thailand is an absolute miracle to me now, and I am so happy to have left, and if anyone else want to leave look at me, I made it out of that hellhole, so can you..." posts sicken me! Beachproperty is absolutely right in asking why the OP then came to LOS in the first place, and the question - for all to see - has not been answered, yet further boasting and repetition about the love story and how happy everyone is... If one would make a movie about a happy happy family that met and lived happily in Half-Happyland and moves back to Full-Happyland happily with happy dad telling the whole world how happy he is - no hardship, no struggles, no obstructions, all happyhappy - do you think anyone would go to see that movie? No, because it is boring!

OP you mentioned that you always had in the back of your mind moving back to the US. Why did you move to Thailand in the first place? AND why stay 10+ years?

Bam!!!!!

Good job. Thank you for posting. I really appreciate it.

Your wife looks amazing. Such a cute woman. And a child. The house looks great. A really nice life. I wonder if you think like I do that you were smart, and lucky. I know and hope your luck will continue. For sure your brains and discipline, got you to Thailand where you found a great girl and continued a great life.

One thing that that I read about is the girl who goes to the states, and then, learning western culture, changes for the worse. But as with most things, a lot of that probably has to do with the girl you choose too.

I hope things continue to go well.

A girl (of any race or upbringing) can be called amazing only if she continued to stay with you AFTER you went broke or at least made it through extremely difficult times together WITH you and DIDN'T leave... A friend of mine was one of the local property tycoons here, and his doll-faced, spotlessly perfect wife left him when??? Correctamundo - when his firm went belly up and things (like shopping for the 53rd pair of shoes) became "difficult"... Need I say more?

I'm always weary of threads like this because when someone feels a need to announce their departure from the LOS, you can usually count on the usual rhetoric, which is to say "I'm so happy to have left...I've made the right decision for myself/the family....my life is so much better...I can't believe I stayed so long"...blah blah blah, with of course, the usual suggestion (usually cryptic) that the rest of us are tools for staying.

But to his credit, the OP was (somewhat) balanced. I'm happy for the OP that he's found his paradise. But I'm sure he understands, not all of us want the same things.

Ahhh, a brainy post after all - putting what I wanted to say in a much better perspective with much less words... Well done Berkshire, you made my day! I love my family life in Thailand and agree absolutely to what you wrote!

"fools for staying" is what you meant, right?

An outspoken, frank, clever, hard working and adaptable person can make it anywhere in the world! Most think that change of location will magically remove problems they carry around in their heads. Thailand has its good sides and negatives as much as Florida has pros and cons. After two and a half decades in LOS, I am still happy here and feel that my wife and kids live a better and more fulfilled life here than they ever could in my home country. Education in my opinion is totally overrated and looking at the majority of International School HiSo brats, I am disgusted at my findings; arrogant and superficial mini adults, speaking perfect English, yes, but would they make it in the wild or be able to adapt to a simple (and most likely better) life as farmer in case the $_it hits the fan? No! They wouldn't even be able to change a light bulb in their home... And I doubt very much that they will be happier later (with their graduation papers nicely framed against their living room wall) sitting in a cubicle in Los Angeles 9 to 5 holding the latest "memo" in their hands, telling them the boss would very much like them to work after hours to keep the almost belly up company afloat... I build a future for my family here, in their home land, the country I have chosen to call my home as well. Neither would I leave when things get difficult nor would I dare to boast in any forum with my portfolio (which outperforms that of the OP by far) in photos and writing to get my point accross. This is something I'd share with family and close friends, but certainly not with strangers in an open forum. And this is why the OP's post strikes me as a "my house, my yacht, my car" statement, nothing more, nothing less... But thanks for sharing anyway...

One thing I will always remember about Thailand. There is always a foreigner spouting about Portfolios and riches with a good catch phrase why no one has to see the evidence. Nothing wrong with being truthful as showing life how it really is for my family. I certainly have an average house by US standards, exactly what is shown. Photos are evidence of being, of my being in the USA. Not used to compare Portfolios of the super rich like yourself who would never post their evidence. I am sure if you have been there 25 years your kids must be all grown and doctors and lawyers (education IS over-rated according to yourself). Information is shared because too many people tell stories when most want to see exactly what you are talking about. This post was written for those that are thinking of coming back or have to come back. Not for those that have been in Thailand 25 years with super rich portfolios. You should skip these kinds of real posts as they are not for you.

Thanks for clearing that up! Did you ever think about the fact that many who live in LOS and "think about going back" might not be as fortunate as you are, not being blessed with enough cash and papers to make it over there? Don't see my post as personal attack as I wish you and your family all the luck and happiness in the world. You have a beautiful place and an even more beautiful wife, no doubt about that, but you can't take that as a measure for other people who "think about going back"... I am quite sure that there are many here who would like to go back, but can't due to lack of funds, job opportunities and the likes. To them, your post is a downer, not of help - sorry. As for proof (I am sitting at my desk just chuckling about that) I don't need to proof anything anymore to anyone. But you're very much welcome to visit us and I'll show you around... perhaps after that you would understand my words better.

Hey, Mesquite - that was not by any chance an attempt to get me to post a list and photos of my assets, huh? Let's leave it by I just know, ok? I had to put that remark in because I know that others then would say that i wrote what I did out of envy. That's not the case. I am happy for anyone who made it, but my point was that the OP's post might give many readers a wrong idea - such as grass is always greener in neighbor's garden, Thailand getting difficult - well, just move! I made it, so can you!... But there are plenty of odds - many expats in Thailand might now have a doctorate in technical engineering, etc. that would land them a job overseas just like that. Given the preconditions of the OP, it is no miracle and not difficult to go back and make a living there again, but such preconditions most here won't have. I have deepest regards for anyone who works his way out of a slum to richs, etc. but if anyone with lots of cash in the bank, best papers and knowledge to get high paid jobs thrown at him, makes it back to his home country and builds a new life there, I'd say it is just normal - nothing special. Anyone could do that, so what's the point? If I would ever go back to Europ after selling everything here, I'd have a great life there too and would be a self made man again as I hate to work for anyone else who tells me what and not to do. But I wouldn't post that as a success story in a forum, because it wouldn't be one. It is just normal life, going on with best preconditions. Amazing would be to see someone going back penniless and then hitting the jackpot. That would motivate others to try it too. And it would be something worthwile writing about. But not - "Well look, I have lots of cash, doctorate in metaphysics, raised a family here, but then moved with them to there, ain't that something? Isn't that inspiring?"

An outspoken, frank, clever, hard working and adaptable person can make it anywhere in the world! Most think that change of location will magically remove problems they carry around in their heads. Thailand has its good sides and negatives as much as Florida has pros and cons. After two and a half decades in LOS, I am still happy here and feel that my wife and kids live a better and more fulfilled life here than they ever could in my home country. Education in my opinion is totally overrated and looking at the majority of International School HiSo brats, I am disgusted at my findings; arrogant and superficial mini adults, speaking perfect English, yes, but would they make it in the wild or be able to adapt to a simple (and most likely better) life as farmer in case the $_it hits the fan? No! They wouldn't even be able to change a light bulb in their home... And I doubt very much that they will be happier later (with their graduation papers nicely framed against their living room wall) sitting in a cubicle in Los Angeles 9 to 5 holding the latest "memo" in their hands, telling them the boss would very much like them to work after hours to keep the almost belly up company afloat... I build a future for my family here, in their home land, the country I have chosen to call my home as well. Neither would I leave when things get difficult nor would I dare to boast in any forum with my portfolio (which outperforms that of the OP by far) in photos and writing to get my point accross. This is something I'd share with family and close friends, but certainly not with strangers in an open forum. And this is why the OP's post strikes me as a "my house, my yacht, my car" statement, nothing more, nothing less... But thanks for sharing anyway...

Wanted to throw this in the mix: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/31/most-dangerous-cities-florida_n_4524866.html

Ooooops, wrong forum... did not know we had a "my house, my car, my boat, my wife" section...

I started with 3.500 THB/month and free accommodation 24 years ago - you do the math...

I wonder when the day will come that some dogooder activist will climb out of his closet and demand that all electrical plugs and sockets shall be made "asexual", neither male nor female so that nobody could be offended by them being either male or female in this ongoing gender gaganess...

Meanwhile in Thailand...

Reforms - in the way the average Thai person interprets it - will achieve nothing. The change must come from within, a complete change of attitude, the understanding and acceptance that you have to work hard for success, etc... There would be so much to say, but it all is fruitless anyway since most Thais think and are convinced of being the greatest, the smartest, the cleverest, the ultimate people on this planet, completely ignoring the fact that they were just lucky to get where they are today with their superficial smiles, make believe, complete ignorance of facts, cheating and by telling blunt lies whenever it suits them fine. However, it will be getting more and more difficult for them to have it their way as the whole world is interconnected now and slowly wakes up to recognize the arrogant and ignorant face behind the mask. Once ASEAN kicks in, Thailand will be flooded by better educated, hard working and determined people who can't be frightened away with blurry visa and work permit rules the way they could do it with us foreigners... Thailand, filled with people educated by teachers who had no clue what they were talking about let alone having proper command of written and spoken English, they will face utter mayhem and be out of jobs in no time. Ignorance is bliss... Congratulations, Thailand - well done!

Discussion unnecessary since the survey paints its own grim, yet reasonable picture.

Well done! Heads rolling? Bet no!

Is it naivity or stupidity to expect fair treatment from a junta "government"?

Hands up all those who think that Thailand is worse, more dangerous, unhappier place than it was under YL last year? If so try, to explain to yourself the reasons why. The other "D" word "Democracy was not working. It had been hijacked & corrupted. It will be re-invented next year, hopefully in a form that benefits all Thais not just the New Rich & self privileged, or the old rich & self privileged of either Central or North Thailand persuasion.

Happier at least... I remember some nice jokes that made all of Thailand crack up: "Thank you three times!" or "Roads make of Konorkread..." at least we had a good laugh. All we have now is an angry untouchable bully person who believes that a sexy dressed tourist is resposible for her own death, because she was born beautiful and should have perhaps acted and dressed "unsexy", someone, who vowed to take out the mafia, corruption, etc. just to find that everything has gotten worse to then finally f.... the common man on the street, opposing students, and foreign long termers and investors. Him reinventing democracy? My back-end!

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What next? A ban of people crossing arms in public?

This is the bodylanguage of someone not happy more so than 3 fingers.

I think he deserves a one-finger salute!

Well spoken, Spermwhale!!!!!

Mama always told me, "Listen carefully to what politicians and people in uniform say, and believe the exact opposite!"