Leaving Thailand after 13 Years..

[GinBoy2]

One of the other weird aspects of moving out of Thailand.

Now my wife, pretty restrained in voicing opinions while we were in Thailand, has pretty much unleashed the floodgates of what she really thinks about all those issues that are totally off limits in Thailand.

She's actually connected with other Thai's she went to college with in Chicago who dispersed across the globe, and it appears regardless of what the propaganda suggests, there really is seething anger at what goes on in Thailand.

Doesn't bode well

[The manic]

13 minutes ago, Mac98 said:

Returning home is not a failure. You had a great adventure. Memories no one can take away. After a few years you may look elsewhere in the world. It's in the blood.

It depends in what frame of mind one returns home and to what and to whom.For most people it's the end of a dream. Its returning home to die

[Odysseus123]

28 minutes ago, TPI said:

Oh! For the pies, I drool for the curried steak and the steak and mushrooms!!!! You're a bastard for bringing up "pies"!!!!!!

Ha..ha..ha...

 

As my mate said when I got back.."Get that into ya..you b....!"

Chunky steak and pepper pie....?

[BEVUP]

2 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

Oh, I see,  it`s not you, it`s all the others.

 

What do you mean, the usual types?

So he's trying to say no one came before him in the 70's, otherwise he may be one of those usual types.

[Maradona 10]

15 hours ago, markusss said:

Baker's Delight certainly sounds good mate! I am looking forward to all the creature comforts of life in Australia. But I know the novelty will wear off fast. But I'm in my early 40s now. Not the young man I was when I first left and arrived here without a care in the world other than doing what I wanted. The best time for me here was between 2005 & 2008 I think. I had a great bunch of mates & had loads of great times especially with gfs here. While the political dramas were certainly well into play back then, it was still fun and Thais in general were good value and always up for a good laugh. But I seldom have those moments here these days. Life here seems to be consumed by how much the military grip has tightened & and not to mention the hypocrisy of this place which has reached a point where I can no longer follow the news here anymore. But I'm leaving on my own terms & I intend to get a T-shirt printed that reads "I lived in Thailand for 13 years & survived" ? 

If you really believe you are going back to Oz as some returning mystical hero who 'conquered and survived' SE Asia then you are in for a big wake up call, as no-one will give a hoot at what you have been doing. Now put the violin away and depart quietly, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[Shiver]

2 hours ago, masuk said:

I moved to Thailand 6 years ago, and in the first 48hrs, discovered I'd been scammed.  Names can't be mentioned, but the volunteer teaching job had cost me $600, and the program had been cancelled.  So much for selling all my household goods plus an almost new car.

Working at anything was not permitted, not even on-line teaching, so I changed my visa to include a retirement extension, which I've renewed ever since.  Just the ghastly annual queues and pre-dawn waits.

But to be honest, it was the deteriorating finances which eventually broke my staying power.  The baht had been 30 per Aussie $, but gradually dwindled, and along with bank charges both ends, and the Thai bank giving a very poor exchange rate, the telegraphic transfer of my pension was costing me $70 each time.

Being a farang, of course, I didn't expect free services of any kind, but an unexpected major dental treatment, a few visits to the doctor and a largish pathology bill, and I was cleaned out.

So, tail between my legs, and I'm back in Oz now;  yes rental costs are more than Thailand, but the air is breathable, the beaches and sea are clean, and there are a lot of freebies for us old guys, from bus travel to doctors, rent subsidy, pathology, dentistry, hospital and my medicines bill per month is now $100 less.  

So I'm not complaining.  Apart from almost 3 months of pollution each year in the north, the people are nice, made friends with the locals and farangs, winters are very acceptable.

If I want to complain, I'd like to invite the powers-that-be in Chiang Mai to travel by foot a few days a week, and see how deplorable the footpaths are, the lack of safe crossings and the proliferation of poles and signs, and the accumulation of rubbish in the side streets.

 

Ha ha.  Being an Udonite and going to Chiang Mai I thought it was unusual enough to see 'actual' foot paths that I was drawn to take pictures of them (and I'm not exactly the camera happy guy).

 

 

[Maradona 10]

12 hours ago, The manic said:

I have no plans to stay here permanently or die here. When I have lost the will to live, have lost the capacity to have fun, have been defeated, I will return to the UK to rot.

Yep, my thoughts too. I will not live in this country as an old man. Then again, who knows what the future may hold.

[The manic]

7 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

If you really believe you are going back to Oz as some returning mystical hero who 'conquered and survived' SE Asia then you are in for a big wake up call, as no-one will give a hoot at what you have been doing. Now put the violin away and depart quietly, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

555. Survived? You are joking. Thrived and lead a life of adventure, hedonism and pleasure wwould be my boast.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Shiver said:

My general feeling (being an Isaan farang) is since the military took over, the country has lost that easy going relaxed style of 'bumbling through'.  Sure that was frustrating at times as a westerner also, but I don't like hot spots of control.  Farang friends in the south (particularly BKK) think it's the best thing since sliced bread, so it's not just a North/South Thai thing in regard to heritage, it challenges outsiders thinking also.

 

For selfish reasons, I just want easy legal compliance (Visa), no BS straight talking 'face' be damned, and smiles on peoples faces because they want to, not because they've been told to.

 

 

 

 

Thailand over policed? Maybe your right, so why don't they enforce the laws?

[Maradona 10]

10 minutes ago, The manic said:

555. Survived? You are joking. Thrived and lead a life of adventure, hedonism and pleasure wwould be my boast.

Erh...I was quoting you???

 

As I said, no one will give 2 hoots.

[SNUMAND]

Just hate the winters here 2/3 of the year.

[BEVUP]

7 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Thailand over policed? Maybe your right, so why don't they enforce the laws?

Over policed !!

 

You have to be joking

 

You might want to got to Auss

As I mentioned in another thread, there was a bunch of Professional push bike riders bunched up together on a single lane rd (each way )

Got pulled over & Police accused them for being in the wrong (they were not ), so whilst trying to explain this to the police, they had back up cops coming form every where.

 

Say no more

[NoshowJones]

8 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

Over policed !!

 

You have to be joking

 

You might want to got to Auss

As I mentioned in another thread, there was a bunch of Professional push bike riders bunched up together on a single lane rd (each way )

Got pulled over & Police accused them for being in the wrong (they were not ), so whilst trying to explain this to the police, they had back up cops coming form every where.

 

Say no more

Probably time for their tea money.

[CanuckThai]

18 hours ago, mstevens said:

  More and more, I feel Thailand is best enjoyed as a tourist, and not as a resident.

I had a conversation about this, with my neighbor (also farang) and his wife (Thai) this week when we ran into each other, at the grocery store.  

 

We weren't bashing Thailand, but definitely agreed that the panache is lost over time (for him and I).   We are at different stages (him being retired, myself still working), but both here long enough to see/experience enough of the + and -.   ...and the - can begin to outweigh the + once the jungle fever wears off.   

 

He joked a bit and said, if anything ever happened to his wife (he winked at her), he'd pack a carry-on bag (abandon everything) and be on the first plane to.....  Even his wife, says the only thing she misses when they're not in Thailand is the food.   

[Stoker58]

 I’ve been living here for more than ten years and, although not quite ready to leave yet, I seriously doubt that I will still be here in five years time. My wife, who is Thai and spent many years living in the west, also feels that things have steadily gone downhill. There used to be a relaxed, easy going, feel about the place, but now there just seems to be ever increasing corruption, bureaucracy and general hostility and selfishness. 

  They can’t seem to elect and maintain a democratic government, and this trickles down to attitudes throughout the public sector, the biggest bully gets his way. Amazingly, standards of spoken English seem to have declined, and customer service has gone down the pan.

  I’ll give it a few more years, but if it keeps going in the direction it is now I’ll be off, and my wife won’t be entirely sorry to return to the west either.

[sirineou]

5 hours ago, starky said:

Whats so hard about living in Thailand. Don't get these threads. I've lived here for 20 years if I decide to go back to Oz I book a flight and get on it. Culture shock? Give me a break. You've got no wife, no kids, any property? What exactly is it you think you are leaving behind? Why did it take you years to make the decision? And you want to vlog about Thailand from Australia that's about as smart as stick trying to do his column from Auckland. Or old mate who is excited about a pie from bakers delight. Fycks sake.

Things change in 20 years . and you have changed also . If things and you have not changed together  one might find things and you too far apart and difficult to come together again. 

All your friends are not there anymore, Hard to make new ones at a certain age , and then there are the economics.

When I hear of people selling everything to finance an escape to Thailand I cringe.If one has being away from home and kept up with financial change one is in for a shock.

I work in the high rise building construction industry,  most of the projects I get involved in are in NYC . Let me describe a typical day going to work.

  We work 7am to 3:30 pm .  I need to be on site at least  6:30 am that means waking up 4:00 am to be in my office by 5:30 pick up plans a quick meeting with other supervisors, and head for Manhattan.

Try getting up every day at 4 am for Years.

Gas for the day about $10. GW bridge toll $16. Triboro bridge toll $17 ($8.50 each way) early bird special parking $28 Lunch about $10.

That's $61 just for commuting. times 5 =$305 a week. Three cars (me wife and daughter) insurance $450 a month, Property tax about $1,000 a month. etc

If one has not kept up with times professionally and financially a six figure income is barely adequate!!!

Then there are the demographics, The place is not the same, the people are not the same, cost of living through the roof.

Again if you have not kept up with times back home , after 20 years be prepared for culture shock.

 

Edited July 21, 2018 by sirineou
typo

[Shiver]

10 minutes ago, CanuckThai said:

I had a conversation about this, with my neighbor (also farang) and his wife (Thai) this week when we ran into each other, at the grocery store.  

 

We weren't bashing Thailand, but definitely agreed that the panache is lost over time (for him and I).   We are at different stages (him being retired, myself still working), but both here long enough to see/experience enough of the + and -.   ...and the - can begin to outweigh the + once the jungle fever wears off.   

 

He joked a bit and said, if anything ever happened to his wife (he winked at her), he'd pack a carry-on bag (abandon everything) and be on the first plane to.....  Even his wife, says the only thing she misses when they're not in Thailand is the food.   

My feeling is that what you said likely speaks for the majority of both us and spouse.

 

The only surety I have is that it's a lot better on balance, given my own parameters, than living in UK.

[Shiver]

2 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Things change in 20 years . and you have changed also . If things and you have not changed together  one might find things and you too far apart and difficult to come together again. 

All your friends are not there anymore, Hard to make new ones at a certain age , and then there are the economics.

When I hear of people selling everything to finance an escape to Thailand I cringe.If one has being away from home and kept up with financial change one is in for a shock.

I work in the high rise building construction industry,  most of the projects I get involved in are in NYC . Let me describe a typical day going to work.

  We work 7am to 3:30 pm .  I need to be on site at least  6:30 am that means waking up 4:00 am to be in my office by 5:30 pick up plans a quick meeting with other supervisors, and head for Manhattan.

Try getting up every day at 4 am for Years.

Gas for the day about $10. GW bridge toll $16. Triboro bridge toll $17 ($8.50 each way) early bird special parking $28 Lunch about $10.

That's $61 just for commuting. times 5 =$305 a week. Three cars (me wife and daughter insurance $450 a month, Property tax about $1,000 a month. etc

If one has not kept up with times professionally and financially a six figure income is barely adequate!!!

Then there are the demographics, The place is not the same, the people are not the same, cost of living through the roof.

Again if you have not kept up with times back home , after 20 years be prepared for culture shock.

 

Ouch! That's painful to read.  I figured that over 12 month period solo I averaged about THB 34K per month solo (a little over USD$1K per month all in).  Double that with Wife & dog (and another one incoming).

 

I moved here in a "buy the dip" part of my life so the only way was up.  Not easy, but proven possible.  Now the biggest headache is trying to find friends with time on their hands as they still have to make ends meet, they have families, make time and financial sacrifices under the name of that.  Are there any other perpetual motion farang here? (i.e. don't have too many commitments and enjoy playing with whatever kind of c**p interests them in the perfectly present moment).  I want to meet new friends, make a man cave (tools, CNC, 3D house printers, Kit cars and anything else to 'cheers' a can of grog with).

[JLCrab]

20 hours ago, markusss said:

After years of procrastination and all the excuses I've decided that it's time to go back home to Australia.

 

Edited July 21, 2018 by JLCrab

[markusss]

6 minutes ago, Stoker58 said:

 I’ve been living here for more than ten years and, although not quite ready to leave yet, I seriously doubt that I will still be here in five years time. My wife, who is Thai and spent many years living in the west, also feels that things have steadily gone downhill. There used to be a relaxed, easy going, feel about the place, but now there just seems to be ever increasing corruption, bureaucracy and general hostility and selfishness. 

  They can’t seem to elect and maintain a democratic government, and this trickles down to attitudes throughout the public sector, the biggest bully gets his way. Amazingly, standards of spoken English seem to have declined, and customer service has gone down the pan.

  I’ll give it a few more years, but if it keeps going in the direction it is now I’ll be off, and my wife won’t be entirely sorry to return to the west either.

Good for you. While I'm really happy to leave, I'm still happy that I've lived here for so long. It's been a great time in my life & I feel fortunate that I made the decision to move here when I did. But all things must pass & I'm ready to leave. It's a positive thing for me, not a sad time at all. I can always come back for holidays as others here prefer to do, or even move back here again. For now enjoying Thailand from a distance is fine with me. Never say never ?

[Happyman58]

17 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I've been living here for 9 years. A couple of the people I know have died here. My problem with going back to Australia is everything is so expensive, particularly housing and water/power. Against that, my medical costs are almost free there, and the doctors don't think they are gods.

I can live well here in Thailand. In Australia, my diet would probably be toast and bowl noodles.

Shake hands mate you think the same as me You just can't afford to live in Aus

[Happyman58]

8 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Hope u are not disappointed like i was . I lasted 6 months came back to Thailand The most over regulated overtaxed over governed country in the world. The government have got their snouts into  everybodies

[Odysseus123]

6 minutes ago, markusss said:

Good for you. While I'm really happy to leave, I'm still happy that I've lived here for so long. It's been a great time in my life & I feel fortunate that I made the decision to move here when I did. But all things must pass & I'm ready to leave. It's a positive thing for me, not a sad time at all. I can always come back for holidays as others here prefer to do, or even move back here again. For now enjoying Thailand from a distance is fine with me. Never say never ?

Yes,you are quite correct-never say never!

 

By the way ,my experiences upon return have been somewhat different to others.Some Aussies are interested in my adventures and others are not.Such is life.

I do not feel overpoliced and,to be frank,the Australian (and NSW) bureaucracies have been very good to me.

 

I live in a nice unit not 5 minutes walk from a lovely river and have good access to the medical stuff and have heaps of support.

 

I spend my time having a bit of a chuckle with Aussie's sardonic and straight to the point humour-it's kinda refreshing.

 

I stay well connected with my Thai extended family and that is how it should be.

[BobBKK]

I would live in Philippines in preference to here if only they had the infra-structure etc. Thailand is just not happy anymore but it's bearable, to be honest, and I travel to Phil 3 to 4 times a year so it suits me to live here I just wish the dinosaurs would be gone so the young Thais can take Thailand out of the 1300s.

[markusss]

6 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

20 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Hope u are not disappointed like i was . I lasted 6 months came back to Thailand The most over regulated overtaxed over governed country in the world. The government have got their snouts into  everybodies

Thanks! I will never know if I don't try. I have two friends who came back here after leaving, but the rest have all resettled back to their place of origin. I do miss the times when they were all here. I think that's a part of it too. I'm more inclined to move to Vietnam though if I did choose to come back out this way. I dare say that would be my next move if moving back home doesn't work out.  ?

[goegoe]

14 hours ago, luk AJ said:

I live and work for the last 20y in Thailand. Probably I will stay, returning to my home country is not an option. During the past 20y many moslims immigrated to my country in such way they dramatically changed it. It doesn’t feel like my country anymore it became theirs. But there are still many beautiful places in the world, I hope, one day, to find peace and rest in one of them.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

Totally agree ! No more muslim sharia law europe for me...

 

 

[markusss]

6 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

I just wish the dinosaurs would be gone so the young Thais can take Thailand out of the 1300s.

I really hope that can happen in our life time. It would be amazing to see actually. The dinosaurs here you refer to are the Skeksis overlords. The meaning of the word 'Thai' actually means freedom/not a slave. The irony ? 

[newatthis]

17 hours ago, markusss said:

Baker's Delight certainly sounds good mate! I am looking forward to all the creature comforts of life in Australia. But I know the novelty will wear off fast. But I'm in my early 40s now. Not the young man I was when I first left and arrived here without a care in the world other than doing what I wanted. The best time for me here was between 2005 & 2008 I think. I had a great bunch of mates & had loads of great times especially with gfs here. While the political dramas were certainly well into play back then, it was still fun and Thais in general were good value and always up for a good laugh. But I seldom have those moments here these days. Life here seems to be consumed by how much the military grip has tightened & and not to mention the hypocrisy of this place which has reached a point where I can no longer follow the news here anymore. But I'm leaving on my own terms & I intend to get a T-shirt printed that reads "I lived in Thailand for 13 years & survived" ? 

All the best, cobber. Have a Chiko Roll for me and may your future be "as bright as bright can be."

This has been a very enjoyable and enlightening thread. I thank those who have left or pondering the move for their honesty.

[GinBoy2]

So another somewhat interesting point...winter!

So when we went home we had already decided that the snowbird thing was going to be our thing, but for the first year Mrs G was determined to experience snow again, at least for a month or two.

Now Mrs Gin had many years before I met her experienced frigid winters in Chicago during her college years, but I was stunned to be honest, how she embraced the winter.

While I was hunkered down inside the house with the heat on full blast, she was all for taking a walk in a snowstorm.

I think the climate thing is something a lot of farangs worry about when taking Thai's back home, but if my wife, and some anecdotal stories form others, seems to suggest, far from hating it, they love it

[3421abc]

I have been here for roughly 6 yrs. Moved to HoChi Minh one yr. I hated and moved back.

I tried also living in Spain after, took me 2 months to see I made a mistake leaving Thailand.

I am back here again and now have no plans to leave. 

Of course we all have different lifestyles but taking the cost benefit into account Thailand is still best.

If money was not an issue would I be here? Maybe not, at least not full time for sure.