Is it an end of an era for the Western Expat?

By Dan Cheeseman

 

 

The two boxers complete twelve grueling rounds of boxing and it goes to the scorecards. Both eagerly awaiting for the decision, both hopeful that they had done enough to win.

 

“Ladies and Gentleman, we have a draw” announces the ring announcer. Really, was it that close? The same applies to this very question ‘Is it an end of an era for the Westerner Expat?’, those surveyed on my Facebook page were unable to reach a conclusive decision. 318 replies later and it was a dead heat – 50% yes and 50% no.

 

So, who is right?

Well it is all personal opinion, so I am not one to say right from wrong. But I posted the poll for a reason, as I think it is very much an end of an era for the Western Expat and I cannot think of a single reason to see otherwise – but things can change in a flash I realise that.

 

Let’s look at the trends in the market. The Chinese are arriving in their droves – and that still only represents 5% of the population who currently have passports. Expect far more numbers to arrive in the next decade. This will cause and is causing a market shift and that impacts on expats. Unless retired, working expats are here because of the market and that market is moving. So it is reasonable to suggest the Chinese will impact on Western Expat numbers.

 

Full story: https://danaboutthailand.com/2018/05/08/is-it-an-end-of-an-era-for-the-westerner-expat/

 

DAN ABOUT THAILAND

Weekly Vlogs and Blogs from in and around Thailand

... if they have Ptang, they will come...

Depends what you are measuring and how. If your whole measure of expat numbers comes from empty barstools in soi sexpat then you may have a very narrow view.

 

Thailand, just like bitcoin is not the ultimate destination. As Western currency becomes weaker the Chinese might soon realize that there are much better bargains elsewhere.... especially in real estate where you can actually have protection and rights to the property you purchased.

 

I think majority of Chinese in Thailand are actually fine and they do spend money... even the zero dollar tour ones.... at least on the last day where you see them packed at Big C buying "Thai" gifts for friends and family.

 

However, hotels may experience rapid deterioration due to this massive amount of guests and infrastructure that is already poorly maintained in Thailand will suffer. If I was a Westerner, I'd be investing and moving back to  my own country (which I am) and not Thailand.  

Another of the not so very well thought over assumptions from, we all know who.

Just more ridiculous hyperbole, from someone with too much time on his hands, surrendering to fear, and possessing no real perspective on life. 

Western Ex-pats will still come to Thailand, just not in the numbers from previous decades .

   Its rather like the hippies that flocked to Goa in the 60's , although some still live there and other old hippies still visit , they dont flock there like they did in previous generations .

  The Ex-pat flight to Thailands heyday was in the 90's , the hedonistic 90's where anything goes , there was no rule of law and anarchy reigned supreme and it was cheap .

   Fast forward to this day , where rules and laws are implemented , restrictions are in place and its now not as cheap anymore .

   There also doesnt seem to be the same inclination of Western retirees to live an hedonistic lifestyle in Thailand , with the onset of the internet , prostitution is easy to find in any Country , no need to travel half way around the World, just for sex .

    There will still be a trickle of Western retirees coming to live in Thailand , but nowhere near the numbers from two decades ago

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

There will still be a trickle of Western retirees coming to live in Thailand , but nowhere near the numbers from two decades ago

That started when the exchange rate dropped drastically for westerners. For me it was from 70 to the pound to something in the low 40s.

IMO the Issan retiree boom was a combination of good exchange rates ( for us ), and high house prices, when a divorced man still had a large pot of money to spend to acquire a wife in LOS.

Regardless that LOS is a cheap place to live, it's expensive to fund the non O requirements and being married is usually expensive.

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Regardless that LOS is a cheap place to live,

If you eat sticky rice and somtam every day, yes, not any more if you like some decent food.

 

Many food products that cater to foreigners, and are sourced and produced in Thailand, are far more expensive than in the west.

 

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Depends what you are measuring and how. If your whole measure of expat numbers comes from empty barstools in soi sexpat then you may have a very narrow view.

 Anyone who lives here for an extended period of time will know many foreigners that have lived here for years, and rarely saw the a barstool in Pattaya, which have moved back and not only for health or financial reasons.

 

The interesting question is, who do thai girls like most? 

 

Western from Northe Europe 

Western from South Europe

Western from USA

Russia and former USSR

 

The countries that is likely to grow in volume is

India

Pakistan

China

 

I know for sure, thai really disslike India, Pakistanis and Chineese, and do not want to have anything with them to do. Or is my information wrong? 

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The interesting question is, who do thai girls like most? 

 

Couldnt we have a discussion WITHOUT Thai girls being the main topic ?

Every thread seems to turn into a discussion about Thai girls and people boasting about their Thai Wife

19 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

 

Regardless that LOS is a cheap place to live, it's expensive to fund the non O requirements and being married is usually expensive.

Although Thailand is still relatively cheap , things have gotton alot more expensive in the last few years .

   With inflation and currency exchange rates, some things have doubled in price in the last five years or so

I'm considering a more "expat friendly" country, for when I get closer to retirement.  We'll see what happens in this next election, and what it spells for us "non Thai undesirables".  Our buying power, cash and investments are always welcomed.........

1 hour ago, janclaes47 said:

If you eat sticky rice and somtam every day, yes, not any more if you like some decent food.

 

Many food products that cater to foreigners, and are sourced and produced in Thailand, are far more expensive than in the west.

 

 Anyone who lives here for an extended period of time will know many foreigners that have lived here for years, and rarely saw the a barstool in Pattaya, which have moved back and not only for health or financial reasons.

 

 

Having been an expat based in Thailand since the back end of the 1990s I can truly say that sticky rice is great with ripe mangoes and that I have never ever eaten som tam.

 

As for decent western food the answer is simple. I make my own the way I like it and that isn't necessarily the way that "western" foods produced in Thailand are made or taste.

 

I think that the last time I sat on a bar stool in Pattaya or anywhere else for that matter must be about 8 years ago.

 

Having said that the cost of living in Thailand IS cheaper than for example, the UK.

 

I live in my wife's house which is paid for as is the 15 rai it stands on. We pay NO council tax, piped water costs me 2 baht per 1,000 litres, trash collection costs me 30 baht a month, electricity is not too expensive, diesel fuel is 27 baht a litre, car tax plus mandatory insurance was about 3,500 baht a year.

 

There is nothing much in the UK for me to go back to apart from my son, DIL and 2 grand children, an ex wife and friends some of whom I haven't seen in 50 years.

 

I would have to take my wife and son to a cold, damp miserable country where simply renting a small place somewhere would cost me 25,xxx baht a month or more, the running costs would be high, I would have to buy another car etc etc.

5 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Depends what you are measuring and how. If your whole measure of expat numbers comes from empty barstools in soi sexpat then you may have a very narrow view.

 

 

It's also rather silly to assume / to want things to stay the same. Life changes, it's natural.

 

 

3 hours ago, sanemax said:

Couldnt we have a discussion WITHOUT Thai girls being the main topic ?

Every thread seems to turn into a discussion about Thai girls and people boasting about their Thai Wife

Seems girls is a hot topic for most of the TV members. How many expats in TV bring their wifey from home or another country than Thailand? I think thats one of the major factors we are here in Thailand, because we fell in love in a girl, and not the country, or we saw the potential of having a good life here with a girl from Thailand. 

 

When that is said, Im also looking for another location where we (me and my thai gf) can settle in future, if situation will change in Thailand. If me and my gf split, Im sure I will end up in Brazil. 

 

 

I retired here 18 months ago, so for me it is the start of an era. No exorbitant gas, internet, leccy, phone, water and council tax bills, beer and cigs reasonably priced, hot weather and hot women. I couldn't get any accomodation in the UK for what I pay here.

The Chinese tourists and the western expats are moving in two different universes here in Thailand. The only time the two will come into contact is when they block the footpath on beach road, causing you to push through them or when they bump into on the street, screaming hideously as they swarm in savage locust droves wherever they go.

37 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Im sure I will end up in Brazil. 

That may also have passed its heyday.  I lived there in late 2005 and a Brazilian friend said it's not like it was then.

If you’re shopping at Central Festival,  picking up groceries at Tops and eating at western restaurants it’s more expensive than back home. The only savings is in accommodation.

 

Living here also allows me to free assets back home for a third of my income. 

 

If I decide to sell those assets it will be all in for me, simply because I’d never be able to buy a house again, and would burn through savings fast paying rent in Vancouver. 

47 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Seems girls is a hot topic for most of the TV members. How many expats in TV bring their wifey from home or another country than Thailand? I think thats one of the major factors we are here in Thailand, because we fell in love in a girl, and not the country, or we saw the potential of having a good life here with a girl from Thailand. 

 

Most men the World over have a female partner , its common and its not something special

12 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

That may also have passed its heyday.  I lived there in late 2005 and a Brazilian friend said it's not like it was then.

I used to live in Tonsai beach Ao Nang years ago, and that place is also not what it used to be. No place will stay the same, except Koh Phayam (almost)

2 minutes ago, RobFord said:

If you’re shopping at Central Festival,  picking up groceries at Tops and eating at western restaurants it’s more expensive than back home. The only savings is in accommodation.

I was back in London 2016, almost everything was more expensive.

Bus or tube, more expensive than Taxi here.

Pint in a pub 200bht, here 80bht.

Meal in a pub 250bht, here 50bht.

Internet 2300bht/month, here 631bht/month.

 

Only daft people shop for groceries in the foreigner stores, at the market, 4 bell peppers 20bht, 1kg potatoes 20bht, 1kg tomatoes 10bht. 

Western restaurants run by western people, of course they're expensive because they're ripping you off. White folk want higher profits.

Never buy anything in Thailand from a business run by a foreigner unless you like being overcharged.

Cooking western food at home in Thailand, way cheaper than cooking any food at home in the UK.

 

It's only the end of an era for Thailand, in the sense of a rapid and ongoing disappearance of rural communities.

Young Thais want to move to the cities. Same thing happened in rural America and other western countries 50+ years ago.

 

I don't expect an end to western expats in Thailand.

 

 

54 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Seems girls is a hot topic for most of the TV members. How many expats in TV bring their wifey from home or another country than Thailand? I think thats one of the major factors we are here in Thailand, because we fell in love in a girl, and not the country, or we saw the potential of having a good life here with a girl from Thailand. 

 

When that is said, Im also looking for another location where we (me and my thai gf) can settle in future, if situation will change in Thailand. If me and my gf split, Im sure I will end up in Brazil. 

 

 

Both my current wife and my ex-wife are Asian farangs, smarter than I am, and have master's degrees. If you can find that in Thailand, that is a pink unicorn; it simply will not happen. I came here to be free. It has nothing to do with Thai women, who are so overrated as partners, it is incredible.  

2 minutes ago, soistalker said:

Both my current wife and my ex-wife are Asian farangs, smarter than I am, and have master's degrees. If you can find that in Thailand, that is a pink unicorn; it simply will not happen. I came here to be free. It has nothing to do with Thai women, who are so overrated as partners, it is incredible.  

And your point is? Personal experience and superior skills to find pink unicorns? 

6 minutes ago, soistalker said:

Both my current wife and my ex-wife are Asian farangs, smarter than I am, and have master's degrees. If you can find that in Thailand, that is a pink unicorn; it simply will not happen. I came here to be free. It has nothing to do with Thai women, who are so overrated as partners, it is incredible.  

They're either white, or they're Asian. Can't be both, it's about skin colour.

I came here to score young pussy, there's nowhere in the world you can be free, but you can have a choice of oppression .

 

Soibiker, is that you?

11 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

I came here to score young pussy,

Talking about sex with youngsters again ?

 

11 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

They're either white, or they're Asian. Can't be both, it's about skin colour.

I came here to score young pussy, there's nowhere in the world you can be free, but you can have a choice of oppression .

 

Soibiker, is that you?

Can't be - SB would never admit to anyone being smarter than him.....That was his entire "posting" not so subtle, body of work....

6 hours ago, Rhys said:

... if they have Ptang, they will come...

You mean Sa-tang ?