SoCal1990

I’ve been wondering: if one could pick anywhere else in the world to live, places like Dubai, Zürich, Monte Carlo, the south of France, Hawaii, you name it, anywhere you might dream about, would you actually leave Thailand? My guess is that most people wouldn’t. It’s not just about the lower cost of living that people stay here. Thailand has plenty of flaws, plus visa issues, banking and taxation challenges, but it also has something most Western countries lost long ago: real freedom. Here, you can live your life without anyone constantly telling you what to do, who to be, or how to act. There’s no pressure to fit in, you can get almost anything you need, and as long as you don’t cause trouble, nobody really cares what you do. Yes, it’s far from perfect. The heat and pollution can be a big challenge at times, but for many, Thailand still offers the easiest lifestyle out there. One where you can do your own thing, stay off the radar, and avoid the suffocating rules now creeping deeper into other parts of the world. So if money, visas, and logistics weren’t issues, would you leave Thailand for somewhere else? Or is this your last stop and still the last chance for the kind of freedom you can’t buy in the West anymore?

Also, flaunting wealth can provoke jealousy, which in some cases can lead to violence, robberies, or people approaching you for handouts of money.

Alcon Systane Ultra in the 10ml bottle.

If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast - This was a good film. Synopsis: Carl Reiner presents the stories of people in the over ninety age category who display exceptional success in combating common aspects of aging. Growing old is what you make of it. The stars of this show sing dance joke and philosophize about how to stay young at heart.

Some of the financially successful foreigners living in Thailand display their wealth by buying luxury condos or building large houses, driving expensive cars, wearing flashy designer clothing, and openly spending big in restaurants and nightlife spots. These displays of affluence can particularly stand out in rural or less economically developed areas of the country, where local incomes are quite a lot lower and there isn't much of a local middle class. I wonder how local Thai communities perceive foreigners who make their money visibly seen by others in Thailand. Are they admired for their success, spending and helping of the local economy, or do they spark jealousy, distaste and resentment among locals?

What’s your definition of having a good day versus a bad day? Not leaving the house? Too much time on AN? Got too pissed out of your head? Didn’t get pissed enough? Taking a solid dump? Not taking a dump for 3 days? Or maybe it’s waking up early, feeling clear-headed, getting things done before noon, and actually enjoying your coffee instead of just chugging it. Maybe it’s one of those days when every small thing goes right like green lights on the road, your phone battery magically lasting all day, and a hot girl gives you a genuine smile. Or oversleeping, feeling groggy, spilling your coffee, or getting sucked into pointless arguments online. It might drag on with plans falling through or the weather deciding to mirror your mood with grey skies and monsoon rain. Maybe some days blur the line. You might get a laugh with friends but feel empty once you’re alone again. You might accomplish nothing but still feel oddly at peace. In the end, good and bad days are rarely all good or all bad it seems. Perhaps they’re just a collection of moments.

Apparently, quite a few older foreign men have retired to rural Thai villages where they marry local women who are often much younger than them. The retirees are said to often speak limited Thai, and typically settle in areas with few other foreigners. To outsiders, these relationships might appear imbalanced due to differences in age, finances, or life experience. I’m curious how local Thai communities perceive these relationships. Are these foreign retirees accepted and viewed as a normal part of Thai village life now, or do they spark gossip or social tension? Do locals see them as providing security and opportunities for the women, perhaps admiring the foreigners for their contributions, or do they view these relationships as exploiting economic disparities?

Ah, makes sense. That explains it. Same happened when Germany went over to the Euro.

Sounds OK. I think things there used to be more on the level of eastern Europe pricing rather than northern Europe pricing though. So things have changed and I guess it's not the same value for money as it used to be.

Sounds fantastic. Southern Germany, Northern Austria, Slovenia, all great. I heard Croatia has gotten a lot more expensive though. Not such a good value anymore.

Yep, Europe is great for that. Do that all the time when I'm there. Parts of Japan are great for that too. The biggest problem with Japan though is that the climate there is only really good for a few months a year. It's not like that temperate Mediterranean weather in southern Europe that lasts for at least half a year.

To be able to have the pleasure of reading your even more stupid replies?

True. A lot of people talk about the low cost of living in Thailand being a draw, which is a positive, I agree, and I appreciate that, but I wouldn't mind living in a place that costs a bit more, but also offers a bit more of a complete lifestyle at the same time.

Decent at best, if you compare it to some really cold places. But the heat is extreme, and I find myself forced to leave during certain times of the year because I find the climate unlivable.

To me, Thailand is a trap of convenience. There’s nothing particularly bad about it to get you to leave, but nothing truly lovable either. What keeps me here is how easy everything is and how no one really bothers me. The people are pretty easy to be around too. Getting things done is simple most of the time, I don’t have to do much for myself, and there’s plenty of food with lots of choices and just about everything I need can be delivered right to my door from a few clicks of an app. I can walk almost anywhere I need to go. So I’d say I stay because life here is effortless, not because it’s amazing. It’s fine overall, nothing major to complain about, but it doesn’t check all the boxes either.

Can't say I ever really miss Thailand when I'm away. The only thing that I miss after a while is being in my own place, especially if I'm staying in a hotel that doesn't have cooking facilities.

Agreed, the distance to South America and Europe from Thailand just makes Thailand so much more difficult as a base though if you want to do a lot of global travel. Living in Thailand, if you want to be able to Travel say no more than about six hours on a flight, then you are pretty much limited to traveling to other places within Asia. That's a downside in my opinion. Also, the cost of flights to Europe have gotten more costly and, unless you're going to travel there and stay for a couple of months, then the flight cost starts be becoming a bit much. If you travel within Asia then the flights are a lot cheaper, so it's more economical to go for shorter trips more frequently. I wish that was the same case with Europe.

Perhaps. But I've been to a lot of different places in Spain. Many of them would be boring for a long stay as you said. But it's a big country and quite a few of the places I do really like. I think it all comes down to routine though. We all need to develop some sort of routine or lifestyle. Once you have that, I think it doesn't really matter where you are. You can still do your thing, thrive and stay active. For me, the lack of outdoors is a very limiting factor in Thailand. In other countries where it's more comfortable weather, and pleasant to walk around, being outside often takes up about four hours of my day. I never tire of it.

I try and drop one more than every now and then. At least once a day is my goal. Gotta get those toxins out of the body.

I love Spain. I always spend lots of time outdoors and just walking around, enjoying the environment when I'm there. I don't find it boring at all. And spending a lot of time outdoors is something that I don't do in Thailand because of the extreme heat and pollution. I would actually spend more of the year in Spain, if it weren't such a long flight from Asia.

Or give some?

I don't mind the occasional temple. But I give the malls a pass.

Shopping malls, street food, temples, markets, beaches, gyms, massages, or just stay home and rub one out until your wife gets back?

Why do so many people spend hours hanging around this forum? Is it just boredom or having nothing better to do, or is it something deeper like the need to be heard, the desire for recognition, the urge to feel right, to be admired, liked, accepted, or simply to experience some form of human connection? I’ve noticed that when I’m busy, traveling, or caught up in life, I can go weeks without even glancing at the site. For me, it’s purely a way to kill downtime on occasion. That got me thinking: is everyone else here for the same reason, or are some drawn in because they just don’t have much going on? If you suddenly had something better or more engaging to keep you busy for most of your time, would you still even bother logging in? I’m talking specifically about the sections of the site meant for chatting and social banter, not the parts for answering questions or sharing real info. So why do people really keep coming back for hours at a time everyday to discuss mostly nothingness?

On track for "the most disliked troll of the year" award?