kwilco

1 hour ago, TedG said:

 

 

Roads, Rules & Arrogance

 

The roads are chaotic in Thailand. There is no denying this aspect of Thailand. Thailand has the highest rate of traffic deaths in Southeast Asia at 25.4/100,000. The EU has a rate of 4.6/100,000, while the USA has a rate of 12.2/100,000. Have you ever tried to cross the street in Thailand? 

 

Language & Cultural Illiteracy

 

I can't read Thai, and don't have any issues having my GF do it for me.  

 

Democracy? They Don’t Get It

 

Why do you feel that a military government is democary, yet people voting for Trump or Brexit is not? 

don't think you can read - so all 3 of those points fall to you

BUT

there is a point I overlooked

Many expats show little interest in Thai language, culture, or politics — yet speak with total authority on all three. Often with limited education themselves, they still carry a sense of superiority over Thais who are, in many cases, far more educated and informed than they are.

Criticism isn’t an attack — it’s a mirror.

It's the "Expat Paradox" and it seems to have worked as such and hit a few nerves. I guess it's  not surprising —despite the fact it's meant to show a paradox, when people feel personally attacked by a general observation, it often means it struck a little too close to home.

This wasn’t about individuals, but behaviours that deserve scrutiny. If pointing out hypocrisy, entitlement, or lack of integration feels threatening, maybe it’s not the post that’s the problem.

Criticism isn’t hatred. It’s just a mirror a paradox .... what you see in it is up to you.

1 hour ago, connda said:

 
Conclusion: The Ultimate Irony

kilwaco like so many other dissatisfied trolls finds the local expat forum, and after a half a bottle of whisky, commences to throw shade at long-term established expats because he (she or it) considers themselves to be "special" when in fact they have limited self-worth and can only find meaning in life by attempting to tear down the lives of others.

Go home dude.  I think you need to leave as you're way past your expiration date here.  The rest of us are doing just fine without your presence. Honestly - you don't have a clue.

oh dear, a classic expat defence mechanism: ignore the argument, invent a (wildly inaccurate and spruious - based on yourself?) backstory, and diagnose someone else's mental state — all before breakfast.

If a post pointing out hypocrisy gets you this rattled, maybe it wasn’t shade. Maybe it was a mirror. THis is the whole point of a "paradox"!
And if the best you can do is label every criticism as “trolling,” it says a lot about the limits of your worldview — and possibly your whisky tolerance.

I’m not here to tear anyone down. I’m here to call out double standards that deserve scrutiny.
If that makes you uncomfortable… maybe ask yourself why.

2 hours ago, blaze master said:

 

How do you know if that poster cannot speak thai ? Or etc etc.

 

Seems you have your own prejudice that needs working on. 

do you not understand the premise?? - "An Appraisal of Westerners in Thailand" - if you take it personally, it's down to you.

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I fled the cold and the sideways rain.

Once climate change has finished making the UK a tropical paradise, I'll go back.

 

As for diversity, with a non-white wife and mixed race kids, not sure how I could get much more diverse, maybe you could help me with a few suggestions?

Ah - The  "I can't be racist I married one " paradox......

“I can’t be racist — I married one. Mock Thai culture, stereotype locals, refuse to learn the language etc. etc. but think marrying a Thai woman gives them a free pass.

It’s not understanding. - It’s entitlement.

Proximity to someone doesn’t cancel prejudice —it often just hides it behind a smile. to be accompanied by the "cashier" cliche?

1 minute ago, novacova said:

Your long winded complaint that nobody cares about is now filed along the many other expat complaints here on TV/AN.

THanks for the quote and repost, then.

2 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

 

Good post.

 

You've described a definite type of expat you can find here.  To clarify, by expat I mean specifically someone who lives here as opposed to tourists, which is what you seem to also mean.  But there are certainly a lot of tourists who fit that description. Some are here for a week or two, some a month or two. 

 

All of that said, you can find the opposite type of expat too.

 

It depends largely, I think, on where you go looking.

I'm referring to expats, but tourists may fit some of those descriptions too.

I guess so far are the reactions (or icons)  of those who see themselves are most obvious.

13 minutes ago, Nemises said:

More AI 💩 

 

yawn 💤 

Appreciate you taking the time to comment despite being so incredibly bored. Must’ve hit close to home. ... nevertheless despite how uninterested you are ...... yet, here you are. That’s commitment.

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Welcoming Pattaya.... smoking not allowed on the beaches, vaping is forbidden and limited alcohol buy and sales hours, robbing by ladyboys and scamming... A real welcoming tourist destination

I think that's a huge plus for Pattaya

27 minutes ago, Baba Naba said:

They use sand in ashtrays right??? 🤔

what is the significance of that?

19 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Keep dreaming, in the meantime, your children will suffer.

How?

It seems to me that expats in Thailand are pretty bad at looking at themselves....

Western expats often arrive in Thailand with a suitcase full of grievances about their home countries. “It’s gone downhill,” they say. “Too woke, too expensive, full of immigrants.”
So they leave — only to recreate the very ignorance, entitlement, and intolerance they supposedly escaped.
They sit in bars criticising Thailand while romanticising the country they couldn’t wait to abandon. Some even voted for Brexit, then act bewildered when their visas expire and nobody rolls out a red carpet.
But their contradictions go deeper than politics.

Healthcare Ignorance & Gullibility
Expats routinely rave about “cheap and excellent” Thai healthcare — without the slightest understanding of what actually happened in their treatment. If they feel better, it must have worked. Never mind the overprescription, unnecessary procedures, or the profit-driven nature of many private clinics. Most are utterly unqualified to assess the care they receive, but declare themselves experts regardless.

Roads, Rules & Arrogance
They sneer at Thai drivers, mock the roads, and complain about “chaos.” Meanwhile, they ride motorcycles without licences, flout traffic laws they’ve never bothered to learn, and assume they’re superior simply because they’ve held a UK or EU driver’s licence since 1989. Many can’t even parallel park a motorbike, let alone navigate Thai roads responsibly.

The Comfort Zone of Prostitution & Beer
For too many, life in Thailand revolves around prostitution, cheap beer, and whining about prices — usually from the plastic chairs of a roadside bar. They're proud consumers of an exploitative industry they wouldn’t dare talk about back home, yet somehow feel morally untouchable. “I can’t be a misogynist — I married one,” they say, confusing companionship with ownership.

Language & Cultural Illiteracy
Years (even decades) in the country — yet most can’t read a Thai menu, write their own address, or hold a basic conversation without pointing. They rely on their wives, waitresses, or dodgy Facebook groups for filtered info, yet hold forth as if they understand Thai politics, culture, and society.
They stereotype relentlessly: “Thais are like this, Thais are like that.” But if someone made sweeping comments about their home country based on chats with a single barmaid or taxi driver, they’d throw a tantrum.

Democracy? They Don’t Get It
Ask them about Thai democracy, and you’ll hear either conspiracy theories or colonial condescension. Few grasp the basics — like the military’s role under the Thai constitution — yet they’ll complain about Thai elections while cheerfully forgetting they supported Brexit or Trump.

Identity Denial & Economic Delusion
They recoil at being called immigrants — because that’s what “those other people” are. No, they're different. They’re investors, retirees, or digital nomads — never immigrants.
They overestimate their value to the Thai economy and vastly underestimate what it costs Thailand to keep them here — from overstretched hospitals to under-policed roads.

Diet, Dress & Disgrace
They don’t actually like Thai food — too spicy, too weird — and spend a fortune on imported cheese and sausages. They dress like they’ve been expelled from a campsite: singlets, cargo shorts, sunburned skin, and flip-flops in restaurants.
They sweat like broken fridges but shower no more than they would in Manchester. Basic hygiene? Optional. Self-awareness? Nonexistent.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Irony
Expats in Thailand fled change, diversity, and accountability in their own countries — and then became the very stereotype they feared. They are loud, uninformed, entitled, and often deeply disrespectful to the country they now call home.
They left their countries calling them broken.
They sit in Thailand complaining about the locals.
And they remain oblivious to the fact that they are the problem.
 

6 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

It definately does not. 

 

After 6 months, he'll have to go show he is still earning with evidence, and has the savings in his account. 

Yes it does If you qualify for the DTV, you can include an unlimited number of immediate family members on your visa by having them apply for the DTV under the dependent category. This includes your spouse and any unmarried children under 20.

2 hours ago, Jiggo said:

Has he not sold up in UK

He is in the process of doing so.

3 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

No, it was a genuine question. I don't have TikTok and don't know how or where to find his posts on it. 

 

All you had to say was, "He mentioned this on his TikTok."

But you wouldn't let it lie! If you can't accept a post to be genuine why not sort it out for yourself.. you are just sealioning 

5 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

I can't believe that this guy is selling his house and car, then taking a two year holiday with his family in Thailand.  He must have some kind of plan that he isn't sharing, possibly as some kind of social media thing.  No way is he going to burn through all his money and then head home with nothing.

if they kept the house and rented it out, they would have at least some income.

5 hours ago, quake said:

 

They are going to home school the kids. 

It is sometimes good to read the Op. 

I read it, but don't think that will happen.

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

You would need to show income from a job you are still working in to have to qualify for the DTV. It's not just savings. 

 

His kids won't qualify for a DTV. Neither would his wife. 

I think DTV makes provision for families -  Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) does allow for family members to accompany the primary visa holder. Specifically, the spouse and unmarried children under 20 years of age are eligible to apply for the DTV as dependents. 

4 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

I haven't seen this mentioned, either in the OP or in the Mirror article. Do you have a source for this?

Yes I do - but it occurs to me that you are just sealioning - gt onto his tik-tok.

He's going for DTV - so he's going to have to keep his balance up to £15k for as long s e's here. He will get income from working for foreign companies paying from abroad.

I presume he realises that most jobs in Thailand are unavailable to home and he'll need a B visa and work permit if he does find a job actually in Thailand.

5 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Both him and his wife can get jobs as TEFL teachers.

what makes you say that?

2 hours ago, Quentin Zen said:

Riots in Spain.............soon in the UK.......... this guy is heading for greener pastures.  

 

After a few months cooped up with his family in one room, he will start to explore the dark side of Bangkok.  Then Pattaya.   Then money problems.  Kids won't be happy.  Wife will be miserable.    They will tell Thais how to do things.  This is fail.  Kids will want to go back home.  Dad falls in love with a bar girl.    Scammed.  More money gone.  Oh, it's only $300.   Except it's every day......soon it's "only" $3000.  Then $30000.  Then the house money is gone.  lol

 

Ah, good times.  

..and a coup in Thailand?

Seriously concerned about tis guy - his perception of UK, the world etc. I think the article says more about him than reality.

"“We’re taking nothing but clothes. What else do we need?” 

THis comment immediately raises concerns - the one thing that Brits get wrong when they come to Thailand is CLOTHES - even ENglish "summer clothes are inappropriate for Thailand yet he thinks that's all they need

"Savings"? - Well I assume he realises he is unlikely to be working.

He makes no mention of visas or any means of support.

Does he realise he will be paying taxes?

What about healthcare?

What visa will he and his family use? DTV I suppose, but then they will repeatedly have to leave the country - He doesn't look old enough for a retirement visa. 

His kids education? - Perhaps he needs to think about his own education too?

I would like to hear a follow up to this tale in a year or two when reality has sunk in.