Have you left Thailand ?

[speedtripler]

36 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Only with money, but that applies in all countries, doesn't it?

The cost of "entertainment"  in Singapore is not equivalent to the cost in Pattaya... 

[bermondburi]

I'm guessing that I'm not typical from most of the posts on here. A lot of people seem to be of an advanced age.

 

I left Thailand five years ago aged 35. Took a leap into the dark and got a job in Saudi. I didn't want to be wasting the biggest earning years of my life in Thailand, wake up at 50 with some hazy memories, and most importantly no cash in the bank!

 

The first three years in Saudi were spent getting on the ground experience, and finding our feet. Thai wife and two kids have been here the while time too. 

 

The past two years have been spent working for the Saudi military on a very good number. The kind of cash that the vast majority of expats can only dream of. Recently purchased a very nice villa in Hua Hin cash after just two years of saving, so absolutely no regrets about leaving Thailand on that front. 

 

Downsides have been that Saudi has been hard for my wife for obvious reasons. On the other hand we tapped into the Thai community here and made some great friends, some of which I would like to think are for life. 

 

My final thought would be that Thailand is for when you're young and single, or when you're old and retired. 

 

The years in the middle are better off being spent elsewhere. 

 

I left at 35 after 12 years, in hindsight I wished I'd left at 30.

[Odysseus123]

My experiences back in Australia mirror some things that posters have commented upon but are different from others.

 

I really haven't had any problems with any social security services-though that may be due to the fact that I am residing in a smallish town (pop 35,000) and have been able to talk to them face to face.

 

The medical side has been so vastly superior that there is no comparison-I would be dead if I remained in Thailand.

 

However,there is no doubt that I experienced a sort of "reverse culture shock" and was amazed by the high levels of verbal aggression and intoxication/inebriation that I observed at some social events.

 

On the other hand,every vehicle has stopped as soon as as I stepped out onto a zebra crossing and the drivers have waited patiently for me to cross which, considering my limited mobility,is surely a major blessing.

 

Oh..and I got to vote in a postal referendum which was good.

 

Thailand is a great place to be if you are in good health and you can fully appreciate the colour and drama of it all...

[Damrongsak]

2 hours ago, bermondburi said:

... My final thought would be that Thailand is for when you're young and single, or when you're old and retired. ...

 

I was in Thailand for 3 years, 2 in the Peace Corps and one resettling Laotian refugees.  Came back to the US in 1980 with my Thai wife.  I suppose I could have stayed on and probably found a lucrative job in the international agricultural sector, but didn't.  I am conservative and couldn't see surviving there and raising a family just by my wits.  I never was much of one for government-type jobs. 

 

Did OK in the USA with a career change into electronics and computers.  Own a house in Thailand and have part interest in another. My wife is there now, but I'm not sure if I'll go back for an extended period or just commute.  I could live well on 3 or 4K Baht a day but not sure I need some of the hassles.  Here, I'm a first-class citizen as long as I pay my taxes. 

[MaeJoMTB]

10 hours ago, speedtripler said:

Laos is a nice location thesedays

Not sure about the villages but I always enjoy Vientiane.... 

Laos, probably the most boring country I've ever been.

[speedtripler]

16 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Laos, probably the most boring country I've ever been.

 Some peoole measure quality of life in metrics other than ladyboys : geriatric farang ratio 

[smotherb]

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Only with money, but that applies in all countries, doesn't it?

 It is quite easy for some without the money. Too bad others cannot get any without paying for it.

[JaiLai]

Laos, probably the most boring country I've ever been.

Based on Savanaket only I totally agree.

I was there for about 30hours for visa and it felt like a lot longer!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Ron19]

No, haven't given up.
Do you know how many posts there are across the forum every day.
Also I have to fit my beauty sleep in somewhere.

Sent from my iris 755 using Tapatalk

[Odysseus123]

58 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

 

Based on Savanaket only I totally agree.

I was there for about 30hours for visa and it felt like a lot longer!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

I liked Pakse and I thought the scenery was much more pleasing than the Thai side of the border....misty hills and all that.

[torrzent]

6 hours ago, bermondburi said:

I didn't want to be wasting the biggest earning years of my life in Thailand, wake up at 50 with some hazy memories, and most importantly no cash in the bank!

It's like Woodstock...if you can remember it, you weren't there!

[smotherb]

On 1/9/2018 at 7:35 PM, amvet said:

I look at medical care as a preventative.  I get frequent check ups and feel much better with less problems than I see in people who don't go the doctor on a regular basis.  I don't know about booze because I rarely drink but small town sex costs between 300 and 1000 baht daily and I don't think the PI is less than that.  

Small town sex, 300-1000 baht? Even in the sex towns, the local bars along Fields Avenue (Angeles/Clark/Balibago), the standard bar fine, which includes sex with the girl, is P1500, about B950. Liaisons with ladies of negotiable virtue during their time away from the bar can be made for P500, about B315.  And, if you have a sweet way about you, you can catch a girl on her way home from the bars for some barbecue and a beer. In small towns, I have seen short times at P200, about B126. 

 

Too bad you don't drink, one of the best kept secrets in the PI is the 15 year old Tanduay rum--really smooth sipping rum--for P275 700ML, B174. Locally made beers, wines, rums, gins, brandies and whiskies can be had for some of the lowest prices anywhere and that low price is carried over to imported alcohol--Jack Daniels 1L, P1540 (B947) and Johnnie Walker Black 1L P1690 (B1070)

 

Although good medical care and medicines can be had in the PI, I believe they are more expensive than in Thailand.

[JLCrab]

It's a cold day and my trick knee is playing tricks on me but it is fun to come on to ThaiVisa and read the banter between two 70+ year old married Vietnam War veterans living in Thailand about how cheaply they can get laid in the Philippines.

[smotherb]

On 1/8/2018 at 9:18 AM, DavidB4 said:

Good feedback/information thank you! It's been a while since I've been to Vietnam and at the time I was beginning to think they were getting to aggressive also so I'm glad to hear maybe that's changing. I found their language extremely difficult and only learned a few words but it seemed that more of them were learning English than the Thais....how is that now? I totally agree on the food and the women but was concerned the housing might be more than here....not so? Again thanks.

Sorry, DavidB4, I did not answer you earlier. A lot of people find Vietnamese difficult to speak--for me it is easier than Thai. Words are written in characters similar to the Latin alphabet and are only one syllable with no tenses, plurals or possessives; the problem seems to be the six tones. A single one-syllable word can mean several different things, depending upon the tone used. When I was first in Vietnam, the people were much like the Thais are now; those in contact with foreigners spoke some English and those who weren't, didn't. I too was amazed at the English-speaking abilities of the Vietnamese, especially the young--the ones who likely had more Russian than American influence.  I met several young Vietnamese with a very good command of English. One young post-card vendor in front of the Majestic hotel spoke superior English--she had little accent, used complete sentences, including tenses, plurals and possessives.  She pointed out one postcard with a rather lengthy Longfellow quote, and recited the quote perfectly. She, like the others said they learned English in school. The only young Thais I've encountered whose English is as good are half-farang and grew-up speaking English. Anecdotal I know, but impressive.

[smotherb]

1 hour ago, JLCrab said:

It's a cold day and my trick knee is playing tricks on me but it is fun to come on to ThaiVisa and read the banter between two 70+ year old married Vietnam War veterans living in Thailand about how cheaply they can get laid in the Philippines.

Yeah, ain't it great to have knowledge of other places and still remember at 70+.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

 

I was in Thailand for 3 years, 2 in the Peace Corps and one resettling Laotian refugees.  Came back to the US in 1980 with my Thai wife.  I suppose I could have stayed on and probably found a lucrative job in the international agricultural sector, but didn't.  I am conservative and couldn't see surviving there and raising a family just by my wits.  I never was much of one for government-type jobs. 

 

Did OK in the USA with a career change into electronics and computers.  Own a house in Thailand and have part interest in another. My wife is there now, but I'm not sure if I'll go back for an extended period or just commute.  I could live well on 3 or 4K Baht a day but not sure I need some of the hassles.  Here, I'm a first-class citizen as long as I pay my taxes. 

I could live well on 3 or 4K Baht a day

 

Assuming you are not including mortgage in that, the only way I could spend that amount of money in one day here would be if going for a full service soapy, or renting a BG every night.

Whatever, good on you for that .

Edited January 13, 2018 by thaibeachlovers

[DavidB4]

2 hours ago, smotherb said:

Sorry, DavidB4, I did not answer you earlier. A lot of people find Vietnamese difficult to speak--for me it is easier than Thai. Words are written in characters similar to the Latin alphabet and are only one syllable with no tenses, plurals or possessives; the problem seems to be the six tones. A single one-syllable word can mean several different things, depending upon the tone used. When I was first in Vietnam, the people were much like the Thais are now; those in contact with foreigners spoke some English and those who weren't, didn't. I too was amazed at the English-speaking abilities of the Vietnamese, especially the young--the ones who likely had more Russian than American influence.  I met several young Vietnamese with a very good command of English. One young post-card vendor in front of the Majestic hotel spoke superior English--she had little accent, used complete sentences, including tenses, plurals and possessives.  She pointed out one postcard with a rather lengthy Longfellow quote, and recited the quote perfectly. She, like the others said they learned English in school. The only young Thais I've encountered whose English is as good are half-farang and grew-up speaking English. Anecdotal I know, but impressive.

Thank you kindly for your informative reply!

[JLCrab]

2 hours ago, smotherb said:

Yeah, ain't it great to have knowledge of other places and still remember at 70+.

Places other than what?

[amvet]

16 hours ago, Thai Ron said:

You don't half talk shi' ite!

You just pull these nuggets of daftness out of thin air and your brain rubber stamps them as genuine fact, right?

These people don't give a rat's ass about communists in the 60s. They don't move because prostitutes are less ubiquitous and medical care is piss poor.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The reason Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have so few expats living there and the infrastructure is so poor is the Communist takeover in the 1960's that didn't happen in Thailand.  I think few people including you know anything about the history of South East Asia 40 years ago so I agree with you that no one cares about the sacrifices some made to keep Thailand out of the poor Communist block. 

[amvet]

3 hours ago, smotherb said:

Sorry, DavidB4, I did not answer you earlier. A lot of people find Vietnamese difficult to speak--for me it is easier than Thai. Words are written in characters similar to the Latin alphabet and are only one syllable with no tenses, plurals or possessives; the problem seems to be the six tones. A single one-syllable word can mean several different things, depending upon the tone used. When I was first in Vietnam, the people were much like the Thais are now; those in contact with foreigners spoke some English and those who weren't, didn't. I too was amazed at the English-speaking abilities of the Vietnamese, especially the young--the ones who likely had more Russian than American influence.  I met several young Vietnamese with a very good command of English. One young post-card vendor in front of the Majestic hotel spoke superior English--she had little accent, used complete sentences, including tenses, plurals and possessives.  She pointed out one postcard with a rather lengthy Longfellow quote, and recited the quote perfectly. She, like the others said they learned English in school. The only young Thais I've encountered whose English is as good are half-farang and grew-up speaking English. Anecdotal I know, but impressive.

I agree with you as I didn't find it difficult learning Vietnamese and all of the Vietnamese I knew spoke English because they worked for me.  All of the Thais I know in a business way have a couple of degrees and speak OK English.  I also taught English in Thailand from kindergarten to college and don't think much of the system or English teachers.  Best English teachers I've met in Thailand were from the Philippines.  

[Thai Ron]

6 minutes ago, amvet said:

The reason Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have so few expats living there and the infrastructure is so poor is the Communist takeover in the 1960's that didn't happen in Thailand.  I think few people including you know anything about the history of South East Asia 40 years ago so I agree with you that no one cares about the sacrifices some made to keep Thailand out of the poor Communist block. 

Oh mate, I don't care.

I'm not impressed that you've been here 30 years 

I don't care about the price of prostitutes in the frickin' Philippines 

Las time I was in Vietnam I saw plenty of expats but they were mostly young and making a contribution; not one foot in the grave and bitching about visa guidelines

and the exhorbitant cost of a pint and a prostitute

[amvet]

3 minutes ago, Thai Ron said:

Oh mate, I don't care.

I'm not impressed that you've been here 30 years 

I don't care about the price of prostitutes in the frickin' Philippines 

Las time I was in Vietnam I saw plenty of expats but they were mostly young and making a contribution; not one foot in the grave and bitching about visa guidelines

and the exhorbitant cost of a pint and a prostitute

80,000 foreigners living in Vietnam and about 1 million living in Thailand.  Draw your own conclusions mate.

[Thai Ron]

1 minute ago, amvet said:

80,000 foreigners living in Vietnam and about 1 million living in Thailand.  Draw your own conclusions mate.

Living and working in Vietnam = over 100,000

 

Retiring? - very few as there's no specific retirement visa option - thank God

[smotherb]

3 hours ago, JLCrab said:

Places other than what?

Yes, exactly.

[amvet]

2 hours ago, Thai Ron said:

Living and working in Vietnam = over 100,000

 

Retiring? - very few as there's no specific retirement visa option - thank God

One of the reasons that Thailand does so well in terms of infrastructure (and people retiring and tourism) is the large amount of foreign reserves flowing into the country.  Let me give you an example.  I have a young Korean friend who owns a small business in Thailand and sends a million baht from Thailand back to Korea every year.  I bring a million baht in from America and spend it in Thailand every year.  More retired guys like me and less young guys like my Korean friend is good for the country economically.   So the old fellows are one of the reasons more people come to live in Thailand rather than the shithole countries surrounding it. 

[smutcakes]

34 minutes ago, amvet said:

One of the reasons that Thailand does so well in terms of infrastructure (and people retiring and tourism) is the large amount of foreign reserves flowing into the country.  Let me give you an example.  I have a young Korean friend who owns a small business in Thailand and sends a million baht from Thailand back to Korea every year.  I bring a million baht in from America and spend it in Thailand every year.  More retired guys like me and less young guys like my Korean friend is good for the country economically.   So the old fellows are one of the reasons more people come to live in Thailand rather than the shithole countries surrounding it. 

I presume a young Korean, running a business, presumably paying taxes, employing locals, and possibly having suppliers or supplying over firms who themselves employee people etc etc. He also lives here and spends here like you on top of the business as well as having money to send back.

 

I think people like him are doing far more for the country than some farang just bringing in a few thousand baht a month and perhaps spending a bit on rent and every day expenses. I know which the Government would prefer.

[NanLaew]

3 hours ago, Thai Ron said:

Oh mate, I don't care.

I'm not impressed that you've been here 30 years 

I don't care about the price of prostitutes in the frickin' Philippines 

Las time I was in Vietnam I saw plenty of expats but they were mostly young and making a contribution; not one foot in the grave and bitching about visa guidelines

and the exhorbitant cost of a pint and a prostitute

I see you are STILL upset about amvet popping the dick hardeners and perforating the local hotties then?

[Gonsalviz]

You bet I left. After putting up with Scamland for over 10 years, it was time to get out.

[amvet]

52 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

I presume a young Korean, running a business, presumably paying taxes, employing locals, and possibly having suppliers or supplying over firms who themselves employee people etc etc. He also lives here and spends here like you on top of the business as well as having money to send back.

 

I think people like him are doing far more for the country than some farang just bringing in a few thousand baht a month and perhaps spending a bit on rent and every day expenses. I know which the Government would prefer.

Korean is doing a job could be done by Thais and spending money earned inside of Thailand and also taking money out of Thailand - all of those negative money flow for Thailand as opposed to the retiree who brings money into Thailand including his bank balance (I transferred all my money from the crooked banks in the US to Thailand).  The retire consumes a constant naturally  replenishing resource (bar girls) that would otherwise go to waste so is no drain on Thai natural resources such as tin or rubber to manufacture another product.  It is obvious by the economic comparison between Thailand and Vietnam who is doing the best and who has an easy program to facilitate people retiring here. 

 

A Thai can replace any foreign worker with the proper education and training the only position he can't replace is a retiree bring in a foreign pension all adding to Thai foreign currency reserves.

Edited January 13, 2018 by amvet

[Thai Ron]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

I see you are STILL upset about amvet popping the dick hardeners and perforating the local hotties then?