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

[lovelomsak]

It is not over for anyone. 

  Old guys will still come.  Some will have little to live on and will live in fan rooms and eat thai food. Some will buy luxury homes and condo's  and dine on imported foods. Some will sit on a bar stool all day others will live in a village and raise fish,pigs,or grow things. Nothing will change we will just not be an oddity like before. 

  Young people will come because they heard of it or read about it and it looks like a great place to visit,and party.snorkel or dive or what ever is to offer that seems appealing.

The kind of tourist has changed more than the country.. It used to be for guys who liked to be off the beaten path. Now it is the place to be seen and place yourself on you tube.or fill your facebook. It is now for the masses where before it was for the few who seeked getting away from the crowds. Now it is following the crowd.

[55Jay]

Well, for any farang purist on an iPad with high speed internet bemoaning the loss of Thailand's virginity to the encroachment of the white man, behold! 

 

There are still some near and far places you can live "free" in a loin cloth, eat bugs and rub sticks together with the natives to make the fire god.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontacted_peoples

[Justfine]

9 minutes ago, stropper said:

you are spot on, me too, nothing as you age seems to get better!

Wine

Whisky

Dogs

[soistalker]

43 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

no, it takes 44 whole minutes for his viagra to start working

If it is your experience that it takes 44 minutes for viagra to work, you have serious vascular issues in your tiny Aussie penis.

[1FinickyOne]

When did this era begin?  And what does it consist of? I am just not sure what you are anticipating coming to an end? 

[Justfine]

6 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

Well, for any farang purist on an iPad with high speed internet bemoaning the loss of Thailand's virginity to the encroachment of the white man, behold! 

 

There are still some near and far places you can live "free" in a loin cloth, eat bugs and rub sticks together with the natives to make the fire god.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontacted_peoples

Planes and choppers must freak them out.

[soistalker]

6 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

...rub sticks together with the natives.

Congratulations on the gayest comment on the thread.

[Justfine]

2 minutes ago, soistalker said:

If it is your experience that it takes 44 minutes for viagra to work, you have serious vascular issues in your tiny Aussie penis.

People without problems don't need pills 

[55Jay]

14 minutes ago, stropper said:

you are spot on, me too, nothing as you age seems to get better!

Except your sense of mortality.

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by 55Jay

[Justfine]

5 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

When did this era begin?  And what does it consist of? I am just not sure what you are anticipating coming to an end? 

1977 to 2007

 

[Justfine]

4 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

Including the sense of your own mortality. 

 

Don't worry reincarnation awaits.

[55Jay]

Just now, Justfine said:

Don't worry reincarnation awaits.

I'm coming back as a Pattaya bar girl. 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by 55Jay

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, sanemax said:

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

Despite was Puny Prayuth and Triple D (draft dodging Don) are telling us, inflation is rampant worldwide. Prices are going up so fast, sometimes I feel blinded by it. Hard to keep up. I see it here, and I see it every time I visit the US. Do not believe the hype about low inflation. It is false narrative, or they are measuring commodities that have absolutely nothing to do with our day to day lives. So, the rising cost of living is not just happening here in the LOS. 

 

However, for alot of us, it is still a very good life here. No place else I would rather live. Unless of course, if I was quite wealthy. Then I would divide my time between here, and a few other spots.

[Justfine]

I'm coming back as the goat.

[55Jay]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

Prices are going up so fast, sometimes I feel blinded by it. Hard to keep up.

Naw, you're just getting old. 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, MaeJoMTB said:

At my age anyone under 45 is a 'youngster'.

 

At my age anyone under 70 is a youngster.

[Justfine]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

Despite was Puny Prayuth and Triple D (draft dodging Don) are telling us, inflation is rampant worldwide. Prices are going up so fast, sometimes I feel blinded by it. Hard to keep up. I see it here, and I see it every time I visit the US. Do not believe the hype about low inflation. It is false narrative, or they are measuring commodities that have absolutely nothing to do with our day to day lives. So, the rising cost of living is not just happening here in the LOS. 

 

However, for alot of us, it is still a very good life here. No place else I would rather live. Unless of course, if I was quite wealthy. Then I would divide my time between here, and a few other spots.

Inflation is a weighted average of a basket of goods. Some things are cheaper like electronics and cars. You can buy a good middle of the range laptop for $800. 20 years ago a middle of the range desktop was $2000.

[Russell17au]

15 minutes ago, soistalker said:

If it is your experience that it takes 44 minutes for viagra to work, you have serious vascular issues in your tiny Aussie penis.

even at my age I don't need viagra and I don't need a string to find it. It is large enough and it works well without any help from drugs

[pgrahmm]

The west will always be represented here.....

 

Looking at the tourist numbers the interest seems to come from other places.....

Others + China represent about 60%.....Whoever "others" are it's not like a western landslide....

 

The biggest numbers are already on the board, the rest are individually insignificant....

 

We've/we're not/never have been as important as we imagine ourselves to be.....

[nakhonandy]

7 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

The west will always be represented here.....

 

Looking at the tourist numbers the interest seems to come from other places.....

Others + China represent about 60%.....Whoever "others" are it's not like a western landslide....

 

The biggest numbers are already on the board, the rest are individually insignificant....

 

We've/we're not/never have been as important as we imagine ourselves to be.....

It would be interesting to know the figures for people actually living in Thailand. I imagine they would be very different. 

Most of my expat friends are from the UK and Europe and although we recognize that things have changed, the majority are still happy here. 

[Thaidream]

Chinese tourism will continue to expand unless China has a serious economic slowdown which is a possibility if the World gets smart and stops buying Chinese products and brings some production back home.

 

Western tourism will slow if the Baht remains strong and inflation hits the West.

 

At present- the majority of Expats- people actually remaining in Thailand consist of Asians-  new Western Expats are not flooding in and the current Western expats are aging- myself included. In addition- there is now more choices for retiring Westerners.

 

Thailand is still a good fit for many- reasonably low cost and  if one stays away from the Tourist cities- friendly people. However, one issue that could also affect newly retiring  Westerners would be the financials going up over 800K per year or 65K per month.

[lucjoker]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

Just wait for August, and if you think Thailand was hot  

yes, this is 1 month in the deep south......in thailand it is 12 months.

In juli and august we leave Spain for France and Belgium ,to see family ,we go back in sept when the tourists are back at work .....just great,and a lot of culture ,......

Never been so happy .

[owl sees all]

7 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

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

What about soup?!

 

Not expensive and can be ever so nutritional. Get out about and gather up some ingredients from a food market; I'm sure there would be one close. Keep a pot on the hob for a few days; just chucking some veg in as you go.

 

Save money for other stuff!

Edited May 12, 2018 by owl sees all

[kannot]

7 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

yeah but mines  different.......really different

[55Jay]

35 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

The west will always be represented here.....

<SNIPPED OUT BIG CHART>

Looking at the tourist numbers the interest seems to come from other places.....

Others + China represent about 60%.....Whoever "others" are it's not like a western landslide....

 

The biggest numbers are already on the board, the rest are individually insignificant....

 

We've/we're not/never have been as important as we imagine ourselves to be.....

 

Interesting, thanks.  This one 1995-2011, shows that forming trend.  % increase column at the end also interesting.   I attributed the uptick in Aussies to the bombings and trouble in Indonesia in the 2000s.

https://wbiworldconpro.com/uploads/bangkok-conference-2013/economics/1364449820_221-Alan.pdf

 

[owl sees all]

37 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

Most of my expat friends are from the UK and Europe and although we recognize that things have changed, the majority are still happy here. 

Of course, given enough time, most rural living westerners would die from poisoning and all town dwellers would eventually fall from balconies.

[pgrahmm]

30 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

It would be interesting to know the figures for people actually living in Thailand. I imagine they would be very different. 

Most of my expat friends are from the UK and Europe and although we recognize that things have changed, the majority are still happy here. 

A lot of that is area dependant.....

In one area a few years ago I was surrounded by little Russia (and none of them seemed to work + young).. ..There was a visa crack down and they all vanished within a few weeks.....

In another Moo Baan Germans seemed to be numerous and omni present....

Now, in another Moo Baan it seems to be a U.S. & Thai enclave.....

A lot is probably dictated by old habits....Some cultures seem pub oriented while others are home bodies.....Some love the pulse of a city, others don't....

People seem to gather within their comfort zones....

I know I do....Have lived just far away from cities to not have to put up with the annoying aspects - but close enough to take quick advantage of the offered services....

Have lived that way my entire adult life....

[smudger1951]

As UK ex-pats know, everything changed the day after we voted to leave the EU and the "£" fell 20% overnight. I decided to return home and come out for the winter and when I could. But, even that feels like an expensive. venture. I don't see things will change now.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 hours ago, Get Real said:

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

 

So, if I were to believe the OP's thesis, perhaps then Chinese is headed toward becoming the default language for the future ThaiVisa site and its associated media empire. I hope the current owners and managers are working on their Chinese language skills. 

 

Time is running out!!!

 

 

[MaeJoMTB]

2 minutes ago, smudger1951 said:

As UK ex-pats know, everything changed the day after we voted to leave the EU and the "£" fell 20% overnight. I decided to return home and come out for the winter and when I could. But, even that feels like an expensive. venture. I don't see things will change now.

You should try the Philippines, 70 peso to the pound before brexit, 70 peso to the pound now.

Vietnam similar story, probably cheaper now than Thailand ever was.

 

It's only Thailand where the exchange rate dropped and stayed.

Edited May 12, 2018 by MaeJoMTB