For better or worse? Expats think Thailand is going down the pan, poll

[Essex Reject]

Just now, stanleycoin said:

Ok, if you say so. 

 

Don't tell me, you can, lol.

 

I'll also wager you don't drink or smoke, and your wife is a lawyer. Oh, and rent, don't buy.

[stanleycoin]

1 minute ago, Essex Reject said:

Don't tell me, you can, lol.

 

I'll also wager you don't drink or smoke, and your wife is a lawyer. Oh, and rent, don't buy.

i'm sorry if you lack in so many things.

I also know most normal people,  don't import curries from england to Thailand.  

 

[likewise]

10 minutes ago, WeekendRaider said:

everyone is different.  some of us much more so.  rural northern Thailand is a natural setting, self sufficient, self governing, fresh and healthy food... my Thai wife makes very elaborate northern Thai dishes which have a lot of herbs and other things that are quite local and varied.  usually at least 10 distinct flavors, the kind of food that after you eat it you feel good as you know you are getting something you need.  and with a large frig plus a freezer unit stocked with salmon, local fish, cheeses I need for pizza and pasta dishes.... satellite TV, high speed internet... and the still untouched SET way to making and keeping wealthy as well as healthy (at some point a cap gains tax will begin to creep in, just as with the land tax)... what am I missing other than baseball games and a racing green MX-5 with roads I can have fun driving on?  nothing, and very very "paw pehaung".  no complaints at all.   

Let me know how you feel after 20 years ;). is that the natural setting that is also set  ablaze during the hot season up north? Give it some time mate ;).

[Essex Reject]

Just now, stanleycoin said:

i'm sorry if you lack in so many things.

I also know most normal people,  don't import curries from england to Thailand.  

 

We can't all be perfect you like, old bean. I bet you are one of these creepy guys who says hello to other farangs in Tesco Lotus.

[stanleycoin]

Just now, Essex Reject said:

We can't all be perfect you like, old bean. I bet you are one of these creepy guys who says hello to other farangs in Tesco Lotus.

why are you going on the attack. your making yourself look so uncool. ?

 

[WeekendRaider]

18 minutes ago, likewise said:

Let me know how you feel after 20 years ;). is that the natural setting that is also set  ablaze during the hot season up north? Give it some time mate ;).

14 years.... so far.  it may also depend on which Amphoe you live in.  outside Chiangmai at least 30 clicks.  anywhere else I can't say..... get back to ya in??????  14 years for me, is enough.  go ahead... ask me something political or cultural, and see what my answer is.  14 years is enough.  I can hold my ground right now.  try me.   

 

and do some reading!   dude!   that PM and aerosol stuff is a negative forcing on the IPCC chart.  negative means .4 of a degree C cooly than..... during the already 3rd or 4th warmest year ever recorded.  otherwise we be doing more than setting records.  what Paul Volcker said 4/5 the way thru in a recent interview by Ray Dalio?????  did you see that one on Youtube?  and do the math on that.  and that "polar vortex" that ain't the polar vortex in Amerikee??????   that's because the real one is weak.... because the northern cap is soon gonnna be ice free in the summer.  for a simple reason.  forget heat and fire...... it's gonna be about food.  the 'it will only affect brown people' is just as bullshit as that it was (never) only about "ice melting in 2100 something".   

Edited February 27, 2019 by WeekendRaider

[Essex Reject]

3 minutes ago, WeekendRaider said:

14 years.... so far.  it may also depend on which Amphoe you live in.  outside Chiangmai at least 30 clicks.  anywhere else I can't say..... get back to ya in??????  14 years for me, is enough.  go ahead... ask me something political or cultural, and see what my answer is.  14 years is enough.  I can hold my ground right now.  try me.   

 

and do some reading!   dude!   that PM and aerosol stuff is a negative forcing on the IPCC chart.  negative means 4/10 of a degree C cooly than..... during 3rd warmest year ever recorded.  otherwise we be doing more than setting records.  what Paul Volcker said 4/5 the ay thru in a recent interview by Ray Dalio?????  did you see that one on Youtube?  and do the math on that.  

Are you feeling ok?

[WeekendRaider]

27 minutes ago, likewise said:

Let me know how you feel after 20 years ;). is that the natural setting that is also set  ablaze during the hot season up north? Give it some time mate ;).

this comment.  20 years?  10 is all it took for me to pretty much figure out everything there is to figure out.

or if the comment was meant to question how rural Thailand might be different 20 years from now..... when I am 80 something?  well, the north will have different weather.  yeah.   uuuummm.... but not just Thailand, and we don't have to wait very long at all!!!!!

  

Edited February 27, 2019 by WeekendRaider

[dcnx]

1 hour ago, likewise said:

For me, it's been 22 years and like you, it is indeed about self-respect that would get me to leave. Their mentality towards foreigners has gotten a lot worse, price quality just isn't a good deal anymore as used to be. We live in our own home, that we have put for sale BTW with as most little hope of getting it sold but we could move and just cut the loss. In case we'd make that decision Portugal or North Spain is where we would go. We basically live on about 50 to 60K THB per month, only costs are the internet and electricity but I do enjoy good food, cheeses and wine hence the 60K/month, sometimes a bit less.

I see some thinking Cambodia, Vietnam, the Cambodians are the Moroccans of the east lol, a lot more aggressive and less easy going then we were used to with Thais. Vietnam, sure go ahead and let me know. Got a few friends there, they don't seem to be ecstatic about the place. Thailand and Asia, in general, has lost a lot of its charm it still had back in the 80ies en 90'ies. Mass tourism has brought money to the general economy but has killed the kindness, the smile, the easygoingness. Not saying that our home Euro countries have improved, far from but I have seen good deals on spacious plots on the Atlantic side, North of Spain and Portugal, great climate by the way. We are giving it thought but more and more leaning towards leaving. I have all the financial requirements they want but as some more than fed up of year in year out applying, waiting, rules change, every year over and over again lol, 90 day <deleted> like I am a 20-year-old on probation. Really, <deleted> 'em, the place went downhill fast the last 5 years IMO. Thailand has lost its charm for me. Consider myself lucky came here when I was 24/25, worked here made a living, never really had any financial problems, had really good times and not regret anything about it. Yet at 48 I just start to have more than enough of their corruption, yearly visa extensions kinda like begging them to stay. We'll see, I'm happy that we have the choice. As side joke, reading here guys being afraid of getting deported, I sit and quietly laugh if they would ever want to deport me, I'd be like; Jai yen yen pee, Phom pai eng K'dai na, mai yaak yoo laew khrab 55555. Where's that airplane.55

Also considering Portugal or Spain.

 

Cuenca, Ecuador is also on the short list.

 

It’s time to move on. 

[Odysseus123]

3 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Also considering Portugal or Spain.

 

Cuenca, Ecuador is also on the short list.

 

It’s time to move on. 

Basic rule of thumb-never settle anywhere where the military has its "fruit salad" and assorted bling sewn on their underwear as well as their tunics..

[stud858]

I'm thinking Spain too.

I'll probably organise a long holiday first. Never been. 

If the mindset was to allow for more outside influence in Thailand in the area of importing and workforce and yes even governance then Thailand would be more prosperous across the board imo,  But not many countries want to sellup their proud history. So it's understandable and if you're rich in Thailand, probably one of the best to be rich in.

 

So Spain, layout your hospitality. Here we come.

 

[Odysseus123]

2 minutes ago, stud858 said:

I'm thinking Spain too.

I'll probably organise a long holiday first. Never been. 

If the mindset was to allow for more outside influence in Thailand in the area of importing and workforce and yes even governance then Thailand would be more prosperous across the board imo,  But not many countries want to sellup their proud history. So it's understandable and if you're rich in Thailand, probably one of the best to be rich in.

 

So Spain, layout your hospitality. Here we come.

 

I like Spain and Portugal.

 

For many years I entertained the idea of retiring to the the northern areas-north of Oporto..on to La Coruna,Bilbao..Santander..basically the old Basque,Galician and Asturian provinces

 

Beautiful country

 

Eventually I decided to retire home-for that is where the heart is.

[Dario]

On 1/25/2019 at 10:49 AM, Bullie said:

Portugal, close to Coimbra. Nice freestanding house, 1500 m2 land with fruit trees, vines, some timber and private spring for a little less than 38,000 Euro's. Landtaxes less than 100 Euro's per year, cost of living 20 % lower than Thailand. Pleasant climate, 1 hours drive to the ocean. Excellent seafood and vegetables I am not scared of eating. (I am very careful in Thailand due to the pesticides and poison).

 

Thailand can't beat that.

Can you give us a link? That is almost impossible at the price you state. 

[nong38]

I used to holiday spring and autumn in Asturias, some Cantabria as has been said the scenery is great thats why the call it "green Spain" gets a lot of rain so they say, I was lucky, but, I did notice the prices going up the last few trips that would have been 2009/10, prices getting closer to UK prices so I would go and have a good look around before making the move, as with most things in life there are pluses and minus's and you have weigh them all up.

[Enki]

On 1/25/2019 at 4:36 AM, Bullie said:

[...]

 

Me and my family are leaving Thailand behind us and are off to southern Europe next month, with affordable healthcare, less corruption, better food, pleasant temperatures, lower cost of living than Thailand and all the freedom one could wish for as a European citizen.

Have a nice summer in southern Europe ????

 

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, Dario said:

Can you give us a link? That is almost impossible at the price you state. 

at the beginning of the post you will find links with details and he's not making it up..... I do envy him because he will be enjoying some fresh grilled sardines with a nice freezing cold bottle of white/green wine

[Liverpudlian]

Does any one here truly believe that Thais give a dam about you ??

[likewise]

6 minutes ago, Liverpudlian said:

Does any one here truly believe that Thais give a dam about you ??

No, they do not give a dam about you either lol, what does have to do with one's decision to stay or not? 

Edited February 27, 2019 by likewise

[Enki]

You can buy cheap houses all over Europe, Portugal, Spain, France (Brittany or Provance) or Greece ... no idea why some posters doubt that. Obviously not in the center of Barcelona, Paris or Porto.

[dcnx]

5 hours ago, stud858 said:

I'm thinking Spain too.

I'll probably organise a long holiday first. Never been. 

If the mindset was to allow for more outside influence in Thailand in the area of importing and workforce and yes even governance then Thailand would be more prosperous across the board imo,  But not many countries want to sellup their proud history. So it's understandable and if you're rich in Thailand, probably one of the best to be rich in.

 

So Spain, layout your hospitality. Here we come.

 

Spain is wonderful. It can be a bit of a bureaucratic nightmare so I suggest finding a good attorney to help navigate that. But once you’re in, you’re in. Worth the hassle.

 

They also have a fast track option if you have the finances to meet the requirement. Unlike here, where no amount of money will work towards permanent residency. 

 

Thailand is honestly such a bad choice these days if you have the ability to leave. Fantastic for single males wanting to have a good time, but other than that, she’s well past her prime. 

 

Thailand as a country is an extension of its infamous ladies of the night. You simply take your turn then you move on.

[dcnx]

47 minutes ago, Enki said:

You can buy cheap houses all over Europe, Portugal, Spain, France (Brittany or Provance) or Greece ... no idea why some posters doubt that. Obviously not in the center of Barcelona, Paris or Porto.

A few of my mates left here a few years ago and have settled comfortably in Spain. No regrets. Lots of affordable homes available. Of course, not in the city center like you said, but outside a bit there are deals galore. 

 

People who say otherwise have either never looked or are talking out of their bottom. 

 

But if you're scraping by here, the EU isn’t the best place to go. Look into Vietnam or Cambodia if you want to stay in Asia. Mexico, Ecuador, or Peru if you don’t mind Latin American.

[bkk6060]

On 1/25/2019 at 10:19 AM, dyertribe said:

I'm seriously looking at Cambodia as an option for my retirement where, up until now, it has always been Thailand.

You should go.  But please come back and be honest when you hate it.

 

On 1/25/2019 at 10:44 AM, BritManToo said:

Went there last week, everything was incredibly cheap (compared to Thailand).

I'd be gone if I didn't have children in Thailand.

For some quality of life is more important then cheap...

 

On 1/25/2019 at 10:40 AM, villagefarang said:

I like living here and it is better than when I first arrived.

Much better I agree.

 

On 1/25/2019 at 10:28 AM, RotBenz8888 said:

It's not that easy to "just leave" when you built a life with family, bought a house, a car etc, and have a fixed income. It has nothing to do with unhappiness, but many will be forced to leave due to the baht appreciation.

A good financial plan includes inflationary protection and currency fluctuation.  Unfortunately, seems like your plan was flawed.

 

On 1/25/2019 at 10:25 AM, fruitman said:

We're also going to move out....enough is enough.

 

Many Thai products cost more in BKK than in the West....in the supermarkets...if you like high quality products (like most westerners do) thailand is 2-5 times as expensive as the West....so it's a no brainer for me...leave!

Your exaggeration of 2 to 5 times are false and is getting old.

And, your threats to leave have gone on for months.

If it is such a no brainer, why are you still here?

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by bkk6060

[SteveK]

With the strengthening baht, and difficult visa requirements for long stayers, there must sure be a lot of water buffalo in Isaan who are wondering where their next meal is coming from.

 

Maybe I should start making T-shirts saying "no farang, no money".

Edited February 27, 2019 by pr9spk

[fisherd3]

Benidorm European pricing.

[stud858]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Your exaggeration of 2 to 5 times are false and is getting old.

Even milk is twice as much.

1 dollar Au a litre. 23 baht.

But I think it's 49 baht in Thailand. Exchange rate hasn't helped.

Moving isn't an easy life decision. Some whinging time is needed. Hehe.

[joeyg]

On 1/25/2019 at 10:48 AM, NCC1701A said:

no mention of not being able to breathe?

Oh there ya go with that breathing thing again.  Really it's over rated... ;)

[ravip]

Expats think Thailand is going down the pan...

First and fore most, any poll about Thailand on TVF will be negative - according to a majority of TVF members Thailand is the most dangerous, corrupt, polluted, women with many sick buffaloes and brothers, etc etc.

And then... when one migrate to a foreign country thinking it is cheap, on a shoestring budget, the above scenario is inevitable. When the Baht goes up, the shoestring budget crashes down! Now, is this rocket science?

In real, one must ask oneself... can I live in my home country with my assets? If no, then you are sure in trouble where ever you go!

Sad...but true.

 

 

[ravip]

1 hour ago, pr9spk said:

With the strengthening baht, and difficult visa requirements for long stayers, there must sure be a lot of water buffalo in Isaan who are wondering where their next meal is coming from.

 

Maybe I should start making T-shirts saying "no farang, no money".

REALLY?

 

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, ravip said:

one must ask oneself... can I live in my home country with my assets?

Surely one must ask oneself ......... can I live in comfort in my home country with my assets?

Which is essentially why we are all here (and the warm weather).

 

Although I'm hoping climate change will fix all the UKs weather problems.

Edited February 27, 2019 by BritManToo

[ravip]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Surely one must ask oneself ......... can I live in comfort in my home country with my assets?

Which is essentially why we are all here (and the warm weather).

Absolutely! But...no money, no honey - a fact.