Expat in Thailand versus stay at home Westerner – Who will really have the last laugh?

[amvet]

OJ Simpson.  Phil Spector.  And now Harvey Weinstein.  They all lost their timing late in their careers.  They all should have come to Pattaya a few weeks before they lost it.  I made it out.  Breathed a sigh of relief when I checked into the Nana Plaza 20 years ago and patted my pockets as my friend cash made it too.  I don't think one can do it anymore.  Things too tight now but 20 years ago it was doable substituting safety deposit box for bank account.  Stick a little every day in the "head for the land of smiles box."  When she divorced me she thought she got it all.  I flew low.  I was seldom seen.  Born survivor.  Not like it was the first time I'd cranked her up and landed at UTapao.  Stay down under the tree line and you might be alright.  You've got have that ace in the hole.  No one knew about Nat and Lek and Porn.  Don't put it all on the line for just one roll.   I'll have the last laugh sitting here with my covey or courtesans.  I gotta tell you though, I miss em god bless em my ex and her lovely family.  I miss the Christmastimes and thanksgivings and birthdays and anniversaries and all the other reasons to drain my bank account.  Sure I do 555. 

[JLCrab]

13 hours ago, The manic said:

Hippy nonsense..Tell that to the enslaved Yasidi women and children. Some locations and circumstances are objectively better or worse than other places. It's not all in the head.

Yes -- that's like people saying to take it one day at at time. Is there some way to take two?

[amvet]

6 hours ago, JLCrab said:

Yes -- that's like people saying to take it one day at at time. Is there some way to take two?

One day at a time refers to trying to stop drinking for the rest of your life.  AA recommends instead of trying to quit drinking forever just try and stop for today.  Tomorrow stop for tomorrow and so on.  

 

Or the football coach who says don't worry about a touchdown only worry about this down.  Take it one down at a time.

 

Or the Thai Romeo who wants to sleep with all of the eligible women in Thailand.  Don't worry about 30,000,000 only worry about the one who is in your bed today. 

Edited October 16, 2017 by amvet

[bazza73]

2 hours ago, amvet said:

One day at a time refers to trying to stop drinking for the rest of your life.  AA recommends instead of trying to quit drinking forever just try and stop for today.  Tomorrow stop for tomorrow and so on.  

 

Or the football coach who says don't worry about a touchdown only worry about this down.  Take it one down at a time.

 

Or the Thai Romeo who wants to sleep with all of the eligible women in Thailand.  Don't worry about 30,000,000 only worry about the one who is in your bed today. 

JL Crab, I get the feeling some people find it hard to connect with your sense of humor.

[JLCrab]

Yes because when it actually becomes tomorrow it is today. But maybe he's confused because he tried to look that one up on his smartphone and it wasn't there.

Edited October 17, 2017 by JLCrab

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 8:43 AM, Ulysses G. said:

The best times of my life - by far - were spent in Thailand. There is no way I can ever regret that.

LOS comes third on my list, but is still in the stratosphere. Only because the 2 better experiences were so amazing.

No doubt I'd take LOS over any other place I can stay.

 

As to the future though. That's all up in the air re LOS at the moment. I have no doubt that it is becoming more difficult to stay here than it needs be or used to be, and it could easily become harder still.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎10‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 8:49 AM, amvet said:

OJ Simpson.  Phil Spector.  And now Harvey Weinstein.  They all lost their timing late in their careers.  They all should have come to Pattaya a few weeks before they lost it.  I made it out.  Breathed a sigh of relief when I checked into the Nana Plaza 20 years ago and patted my pockets as my friend cash made it too.  I don't think one can do it anymore.  Things too tight now but 20 years ago it was doable substituting safety deposit box for bank account.  Stick a little every day in the "head for the land of smiles box."  When she divorced me she thought she got it all.  I flew low.  I was seldom seen.  Born survivor.  Not like it was the first time I'd cranked her up and landed at UTapao.  Stay down under the tree line and you might be alright.  You've got have that ace in the hole.  No one knew about Nat and Lek and Porn.  Don't put it all on the line for just one roll.   I'll have the last laugh sitting here with my covey or courtesans.  I gotta tell you though, I miss em god bless em my ex and her lovely family.  I miss the Christmastimes and thanksgivings and birthdays and anniversaries and all the other reasons to drain my bank account.  Sure I do 555. 

You need to pay attention. Harvey lost it 30 or so years ago, but money talks in tinseltown and they're hypocrites there, which is why he got away with it so long.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 5:56 PM, samsingsong said:

.The original poster states "It’s interesting how an Expat in Thailand has to take periodical abuse from minority outsiders ...."  In over 20 years, luckily I've never experienced that 'abuse'.

 

Who has the "Last Laugh" depends on circumstances of course. The readers of these forums have heard all the stories of Expat's getting ripped off and left with nothing. I've met one or 2 who are sick of Thailand and wish they could return home after disastrous relationships, but can't afford to.

 

For others with health issues which deteriorate with age, they may have to return home if they can't get insurance anymore. I have a friend who is blissfully happy here after 12 years and never wants to return to the UK. I hope he continues to be happy here for many more years. But the fact is that we all get old and sick eventually, and as he approaches his 70's I fear there may be tears ahead for him & his family here if he has to return to the UK for treatment.  

 

I don't know if I'll have 'The Last Laugh' but I certainly had as much fun as I could for the first years in Thailand. My quality of life improved immensely and eventually found the right girl for me. However, I never 'Burnt my bridges' unlike friends who can't afford to return home. We spent many very happy years in Thailand but now, due to my health  deteriorating, we live very happily in a beautiful part of England for the summer and return to Thailand for the winter. That works well for us. Ha ha!

Perhaps somewhat off topic, but I think if an old expat can accept that he will die when his time is up, rather than use his Thai family's inheritance to eke out a life only becoming more and more decrepit, that man will die satisfied that he did the right thing.

Everyone I know is aware that I'm not for any medical treatment to sustain my life. I had a mostly great life and I have no desire to be a problem to those that I care about when it is time to depart.

[amvet]

9 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You need to pay attention. Harvey lost it 30 or so years ago, but money talks in tinseltown and they're hypocrites there, which is why he got away with it so long.

My point was Harvey should have gotten out of town before the s hit the fan.  Spector before the second trial and OJ after the glove didn't fit.  Seems if they have that much money they can hire someone to read the writing on the wall.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 7:07 PM, Pdaz said:

Or you could have worked/saved harder and not been bothered by it.

Can't see the Scottish Pound ( or whatever currency an independent Scotland chose ) being worth much anyhow 

 

It would be the Euro, as they want to stay in it. Silly leaders they are.

[taipan1949]

Love to put my two cents into this post by saying I regret nothing after being in Thailand for 30 years. I had a Thai wife and two beautiful children. She is now remarried to a Norwegian who is a great guy and we get drunk whenever we get together for family get togethers. My beautiful daughter just had a lovely baby boy and my son has his own long tail tourist boat and does quite well. I never thought I would leave Thailand but I married a Filippina who is the love of my life and put up living in a foreign country for five years but last March she said she had done her time and was not a "thailander" and asked to go home where we had a huge family and family to match. That was one year ago and although I miss my Thai fruit and food in general I am enjoying my life here and my wife is happy to be with her family. I do have to admit that Pattaya was getting too dirty for me and too crowded especially that now they are building the monstrosity at the Dolphin roundabout which is my way to the so called beach. I will end this by saying that I saw Patong Beach and I was the only one in the water and saw Pattaya when they had earphones in the beach bars to watch movies. No western food but I loved Thai food anyways. I am rambling, I am sorry. I loved my years in Thailand and "old Thailand" will be with me forever.

[watcharacters]

On 10/15/2017 at 9:38 AM, Thaiwrath said:

Left it a bit late. Should have come to Thailand for the first time in the real good old days.

 

 

Although I won't be around to witness it, I'm absolutely positive in 20 years or less people will be saying the same thing about today.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

Although I won't be around to witness it, I'm absolutely positive in 20 years or less people will be saying the same thing about today.

I don't know if that is true. It's just not sanook anymore, and it's that that made people love LOS. I think surrounding countries will take over if they can avoid the mistakes LOS is currently making.

The beaches were the cheese for me, but now they're just concrete and way too expensive.

[rott]

On 10/15/2017 at 10:12 AM, ferguston said:

Living in Thailand for a British National has been spoilt by the Tory government pushing through their Brexit agenda.

I only wish Scotland had gained its deserved independence.

The majority were wise enough not to want it.

[SheungWan]

There is no last laugh. What many do is confuse their own circumstances with others. It doesn't work that way. Each person assesses their own situation and plans for the future and some are on the plane going out and some are on the plane going home. Some are not sure and some split up their time. All options have their merits and demerits.

[watcharacters]

On 10/18/2017 at 12:47 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

I don't know if that is true. It's just not sanook anymore, and it's that that made people love LOS. I think surrounding countries will take over if they can avoid the mistakes LOS is currently making.

The beaches were the cheese for me, but now they're just concrete and way too expensive.

 

 

I'm curious  about this "surrounding countries will take over if they can avoid the mistakes LOS is currently making."   What are those mistakes?

 

And this "The beaches were the cheese for me, but now they're just concrete and way too expensive" is pure esoteric to me.    Please explain?

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 1:01 PM, watcharacters said:

 

 

I'm curious  about this "surrounding countries will take over if they can avoid the mistakes LOS is currently making."   What are those mistakes?

 

And this "The beaches were the cheese for me, but now they're just concrete and way too expensive" is pure esoteric to me.    Please explain?

 

 

 

If surrounding countries can provide the same as LOS did in the 90s, they will siphon off, IMO, most western tourists and expats currently coming to LOS. Many people say they like those countries but the infrastructure/ medical care isn't good enough. Make it better and more will go. However, don't carry on and impose all the anti fun measures being imposed in LOS.

 

The "cheese" means it is just the best as the best it could be. Again, that was in the 90s. Now they are all built up and horrible to a true beachlover. LOS took the thing that made people love the beaches and DESTROYED it.

Now it's just rich flashpackers slobbing by the pool and drinking things with little umbrellas. apparently no one goes to the beach for the actual beach anymore.

Look at the ads. They are all about rich women getting massages and horizon pools and big concrete hotels- really loathsome to any that appreciates a beach for the natural ambience.

If Burma ever sorts the political system, they'll wipe LOS beaches off the tourist map, as undeveloped.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 1:01 PM, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

 

And this "The beaches were the cheese for me, but now they're just concrete and way too expensive" is pure esoteric to me.    Please explain?

 

 

 

way too expensive

 

I used to stay in 300 baht a night huts with ensuite ( cold shower ) and no ac, tv, wifi. Just loved it. Lucky to find the equivalent now on any easy to reach, nice beach. They've all been taken over by horrid concrete hotels and resorts. Even Bottle has a nasty concrete hotel in the middle of the beach.

Used to be a mix of expensive resorts and cheap places even on Chaweng. Those days are gone. Now it's just expensive.

[MaeJoMTB]

On 10/18/2017 at 7:58 PM, SheungWan said:

There is no last laugh. What many do is confuse their own circumstances with others. It doesn't work that way. Each person assesses their own situation and plans for the future and some are on the plane going out and some are on the plane going home. Some are not sure and some split up their time. All options have their merits and demerits.

Most people live in  the country they were born, and never leave apart from a 2 week holiday now and then.

Nearly all my former male co-workers, are divorced and living in London bedsits now.

I was the only one that jumped ship.

Edited October 22, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[watcharacters]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If surrounding countries can provide the same as LOS did in the 90s, they will siphon off, IMO, most western tourists and expats currently coming to LOS. Many people say they like those countries but the infrastructure/ medical care isn't good enough. Make it better and more will go. However, don't carry on and impose all the anti fun measures being imposed in LOS.

 

The "cheese" means it is just the best as the best it could be. Again, that was in the 90s. Now they are all built up and horrible to a true beachlover. LOS took the thing that made people love the beaches and DESTROYED it.

Now it's just rich flashpackers slobbing by the pool and drinking things with little umbrellas. apparently no one goes to the beach for the actual beach anymore.

Look at the ads. They are all about rich women getting massages and horizon pools and big concrete hotels- really loathsome to any that appreciates a beach for the natural ambience.

If Burma ever sorts the political system, they'll wipe LOS beaches off the tourist map, as undeveloped.

 

 

Thank you for the reply.    Much appreciated.

[marko kok prong]

I hate Pattaya,i live up country,in Petchabun province,all the locals are freindly,very little crime. I am currently building a house on a quarter acre block that will have a pool 3 bed 2 bathrooms and a huge domed living room [6 metre floor to ceiling,covered outside patio by the pool in a very quite block of land,cost 4 mil baht about 160,000 A$, you would pay that for a large shed in Aus,smokes 100 baht as opposed to about A$ 30 now in Aus. Have a lovely girlfriend and her 2 kids are very well brought up,quiet and polite,she is 39 i am 53. Have a lot of expat freinds here,currently we are in Cha am on holiday. We can afford 3/4 holidays a year including 1 overseas.

  i was last in the Uk in 2008 it was awful,jackets on in the pub beer garden in august,will never go back,niether will i go back to Aus,for different reasons,and i have now curtailed my New guinea work,as other posters who have read about the last trip i made there know it was horrendous .So that's it for me ,you can get most things food wise where i live,cheese ect,and various expats make good bread and pies and such like.So i am looking forward to lounging around the pool with my girl her probably naked or in a g string[when the kids are at school],drinking a cold beer or cider and soaking up the contentment,that whatever time i have left will be pretty good.

[MaeJoMTB]

36 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

So i am looking forward to lounging around the pool with my girl her probably naked or in a g string[when the kids are at school],drinking a cold beer or cider and soaking up the contentment,that whatever time i have left will be pretty good.

This post is useless without photos!

[bazza73]

On 10/22/2017 at 5:28 PM, MaeJoMTB said:

Most people live in  the country they were born, and never leave apart from a 2 week holiday now and then.

Nearly all my former male co-workers, are divorced and living in London bedsits now.

I was the only one that jumped ship.

I can remember when I first started work with a fellow trainee. He was born in Essendon, married in Essendon. Wanted to live in Essendon for his whole life. Thought I was a fool for wanting to see the world.

I'd love to meet up with him, if he is still alive, just to see whether he has the same opinion now.

[bannork]

1 hour ago, bazza73 said:

I can remember when I first started work with a fellow trainee. He was born in Essendon, married in Essendon. Wanted to live in Essendon for his whole life. Thought I was a fool for wanting to see the world.

I'd love to meet up with him, if he is still alive, just to see whether he has the same opinion now.

Look yer can’t beat folk from Humberside for lovin Hull and the wonderful river Humber. When a friend and myself left out dead end jobs in a fish factory In Hull to travel around Europe our foreman was shocked.

Yer got jobs for life the pair of yer,  warra think yer doin?

We want to see some of the world.We have a free ride to Switzerland and we’re gonna hitch from there  (this was back in 73 when hitching was common and safe).

The foreman couldn’t believe his ears.

Switzerland!? Yer don’t have to go to Switzerland , yer can see it all on telly, thez got programmes bout all them foreign spots, he said in a reassuring voice suggesting he had the answer to our foolish notions. 

 

[SheungWan]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

Look yer can’t beat folk from Humberside for lovin Hull and the wonderful river Humber. When a friend and myself left out dead end jobs in a fish factory In Hull to travel around Europe our foreman was shocked.

Yer got jobs for life the pair of yer,  warra think yer doin?

We want to see some of the world.We have a free ride to Switzerland and we’re gonna hitch from there  (this was back in 73 when hitching was common and safe).

The foreman couldn’t believe his ears.

Switzerland!? Yer don’t have to go to Switzerland , yer can see it all on telly, thez got programmes bout all them foreign spots, he said in a reassuring voice suggesting he had the answer to our foolish notions.

I miss Switzerland, but the Swiss in Thailand seem to get by.

[nasanews]

Do not transgress.

 

I rather eat rice everyday in Thailand on billions of paper money back home.

 

Edited October 31, 2017 by nasanews
Modeified

[nasanews]

Thailand changed my prospective about life.

[Gruff]

On 10/23/2017 at 12:35 PM, bazza73 said:

I can remember when I first started work with a fellow trainee. He was born in Essendon, married in Essendon. Wanted to live in Essendon for his whole life. Thought I was a fool for wanting to see the world.

I'd love to meet up with him, if he is still alive, just to see whether he has the same opinion now.

 There is an Essendon in Hertfordshire, UK as well!  I think us 'bolder' long distance travellers will have the last laugh. I have been in Southern European resorts in the past few months an oasis for Brits. Absolutely amazing how many half decent looking older guys are putting up with what they have, if you get my gist !

[Gruff]

On 10/22/2017 at 11:28 AM, MaeJoMTB said:

Most people live in  the country they were born, and never leave apart from a 2 week holiday now and then.

Nearly all my former male co-workers, are divorced and living in London bedsits now.

I was the only one that jumped ship.

That can still be a good fun lifestyle in London  if they are youngish and employed and take on board all the singles parties and seek out the 'not native' ladies. Once they retire they need to look to move to SE Asia or South America.

[thaibeachlovers]

As one that lost most of the necessary to a devious long con Thai woman, I'd rather have a life long ( good) marriage back home that a rather sad solitary existence in LOS, but obviously the latter is now my only option till I run out of the readies and have to go back home.

Be assured though, when I'm back, a sad solitary existence in LOS will be the preferred option to a sad solitary existence there as well as being cold most of the time.