SURVEY: Do you regret moving to Thailand?

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

I knew nothing about the barscene when I first came to Thailand.

Me neither, but I soon learned.

[BritManToo]

4 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

I think they should have a "Do you plant to Die in Thailand?" poll.

I don't plan to die at all, it'll probably happen, but it's definitely not on my 'things to do' list.

[Jonah Tenner]

1 hour ago, sawadee1947 said:

Though Dublin is too cold when you get older. 

Try Oslo.

I am happy with my choice so far, but if I should become dissatisfied, I can always move on.

[djayz]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

I knew nothing about the barscene when I first came to Thailand.

+1 Me neither

[Aussieroaming]

Would rather split time between here and somewhere more livable. As it turns out I love winter, so I miss the changes in weather.

[OneMoreFarang]

 

[puukao]

I would phrase the question, "Do you regret staying in Thailand longer than you want?"

 

Of course, never regret coming to LOS.  Never regret one year.  2 years, ah, ok... 3 years, about enough time.  Not yet 4 years, but i would like to check out other countries (japan for sure).....ask me in one year.....if i'm still hear, then i might regret staying and being too lazy to check out other countries.  

 

I'm pretty sure Thailand is about the easiest country to initially visit.  people super friendly (rural settings) and after a year you start to sort-of understand how it works and when not to care.  couple years to learn simple conversation and how to read, understand people in a relationship, and then have a more open mind to things around you.  i just think the quality of farangs here are about the worst, so then i have to look in the mirror and wonder.....lol.  met a 60-year old yesterday, and first thing he told me was to go to Pattaya for sex.  i cry inside.  lol

 

 

[Hummin]

24 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

So you have a daughter here? 

[GinBoy2]

It's a difficult question to answer. Many go to Thailand for sex, let's not kid ourselves, and honestly seeing guys post pictures of women young enough to be their daughter or even granddaughter is nauseating 

I moved to Thailand with my Thai wife from Singapore  where we worked together when I wanted to retire.

 

At the time Thailand seemed a cheap retirement location. Oddly my wife was not onboard with this, and predicted that I would tire of it within 10 years....she got it wrong by 11 months.

 

Do I regret it? I don't think so. It certainly in the last few years was not the financial paradise I'd expected, I could have probably lived back home for not much more, and had a better quality of life.

 

So mixed bag, but I'm happy with it being our annual vacation, but done with full time

[joecoolfrog]

10 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

We are happy here ,i live in a house next to quite well off Thais , they are all very nice and chat mainly to my wife ,but also wave and say hello to me and have done for the last 12 years or so ,i have never had any problems here ,and seem to be accepted ,my wifes family are lovely , and i have never come across any of the "sick buffalo" stories from them ,that is except her youngest brother , but i am not alone as he trys it with all the family . as for the bullshit that all Farangs marry bar girls ,well only one person i know did ,and to be honest when he told me i was amazed ,i would never have thought it ,most i know met their wives long after they got bored with the bar scene .but then i suppose those who think everyone marries a bar girl ,are those who were only able to find a woman who worked in one .

Why is it that only those who 'didn't marry a bar girl ' get so defensive. In a country with so much income inequality prostitution is so widespread as to be a way of life , judging people by their lack of choices seems odd.

Ive met some very nice bargirls and some pretty appalling ' straight girls , if I married it would be to a nice girl regardless of her past.

Amazing how people are in denial of the fact that bar girls were and to a lesser degree still are a major reason why farangs visited and settled in Thailand. Also before banging on about unwelcome sex pests be aware that their passing would barely dent the business ( though many Isaan villages would be far poorer ) as 90+% of prostitution in the country is driven by Thai punters.

[richard_smith237]

33 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

It's a difficult question to answer. Many go to Thailand for sex, let's not kid ourselves, and honestly seeing guys post pictures of women young enough to be their daughter or even granddaughter is nauseating 

I moved to Thailand with my Thai wife from Singapore  where we worked together when I wanted to retire.

 

 

Many go to Thailand for sex... You moved to Thailand with your Wife... 

 

Your Singaporean Wife would only have sex with you in Thailand? so you now come here for an annual vacation?  

 

 

ok... ok... just kidding... I get what you are saying...   Everyone else (ok, many) go to Thailand for sex, but not you.... 

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

Why is it that only those who 'didn't marry a bar girl ' get so defensive. In a country with so much income inequality prostitution is so widespread as to be a way of life , judging people by their lack of choices seems odd.

Ive met some very nice bargirls and some pretty appalling ' straight girls , if I married it would be to a nice girl regardless of her past.

Amazing how people are in denial of the fact that bar girls were and to a lesser degree still are a major reason why farangs visited and settled in Thailand. Also before banging on about unwelcome sex pests be aware that their passing would barely dent the business ( though many Isaan villages would be far poorer ) as 90+% of prostitution in the country is driven by Thai punters.

Only a small percentage of women in Thailand are prostitutes. 

[madmen]

37 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

Why is it that only those who 'didn't marry a bar girl ' get so defensive. In a country with so much income inequality prostitution is so widespread as to be a way of life , judging people by their lack of choices seems odd.

Ive met some very nice bargirls and some pretty appalling ' straight girls , if I married it would be to a nice girl regardless of her past.

Amazing how people are in denial of the fact that bar girls were and to a lesser degree still are a major reason why farangs visited and settled in Thailand. Also before banging on about unwelcome sex pests be aware that their passing would barely dent the business ( though many Isaan villages would be far poorer ) as 90+% of prostitution in the country is driven by Thai punters.

Bar girls are nice to you because they are telling you what you want to hear, its there job. straight girls are not interested in old men so in comparison can come across as appalling . No different to the west where straight girls will give a crusty old guy trying to be cute an appalling look as well

[marcusarelus]

6 minutes ago, madmen said:

Bar girls are nice to you because they are telling you what you want to hear, its there job. straight girls are not interested in old men so in comparison can come across as appalling . No different to the west where straight girls will give a crusty old guy trying to be cute an appalling look as well

After you have lived in Thailand for a while you will realize that a larger age difference than the West is considered normal.  Also because of the large number of women who supplement their income catering to older men of all ethnic backgrounds it is not seen as as much of a taboo as the West.  Also having a second or minor wife is considered normal in Thailand for the man and the second wife and little if any stigma is attached.  

 

All in all Thailand is a much more male friendly place to live for all but the new wave crop of PC men. 

[JaiLai]

11 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

thailand cant deal with me being able to do everything. When i moved to thailand decades ago i was a simple person. 9-5 job like everyone else i guess. Quit it all and sold houses and cars to live here because i thought it was smart concidering i have a health condition that will shorten my life. I have a thai wife and children and thought it best they remain near the thai family. Well since then due to being sick of incompetency ive become a qualified machinst, electrician, builder, etc.. Because i ride and race motorcycles, trick bicycles and even ride a skateboard in my old age im too much for neighbours to deal with so we will never be accepted. Lost houses, cars, moved 12 times and now carry a gun semi legally. Had to deal with mafia, dodgey land developers, criminals, corrupt officals and hey even pollution on a daily basis double that of bkk so yep, thailand sux but we couldnt afford to move away for the benefit of the future of the kids so i live here and do what i want to fill in my time even though thais are jealous or just racist because its different to sitting around drinking and putting other ppl down or trying to figure a scam to get money from us .

I've been here 19 years and never had run ins with Mafia / dodgy land developers / criminals etc, one could say that you've brought this upon yourself by the circles you move in....

 

You have to carry a weapon now - wow!

 

I would leave in a heartbeat if i felt the need to arm myself, very sad!

[Longcut]

6 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

No... I will decide my future (as I always do, as anybody who can does), I'm just curious

 

 

Remember this.  "Misery loves company"

[totally thaied up]

35 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Also having a second or minor wife is considered normal in Thailand for the man and the second wife and little if any stigma is attached.  

The amount of Thai women I have met that have dumped their husbands over a second wife is astounding. They are all not submissive like that and just about any normal Thai girl that I know will not put up with it. Many of my married friends (both Thai and farang) do have sex with prostitutes but the difference is they never see the same girl twice. I have seen housewives turn a blind eye to this, but you bring in a Mai Noi to the equation, it is not welcome in most cases from the wife and they will not put up with it. You see in Thai papers wives shooting husbands/Mai Noi's on a regular basis.

[Skeptic7]

Fell in love with the place in 1992 and that love affair is ongoing. However, while I still love her...I'm no longer in love with her! 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Me neither, but I soon learned.

Me too.????

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

Only a small percentage of women in Thailand are prostitutes. 

All the others marry a rich guy ????

[billd766]

32 minutes ago, Longcut said:

Remember this.  "Misery loves company"

There must be a lot of miserable buggers on TVF then.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Hummin said:

So you have a daughter here? 

No! But I like to take care of the daughters of other people. I guess it's because I have such a great heart. ???? 

[djayz]

2 hours ago, Hummin said:

So you have a daughter here? 

Is she seeing any one right now? ????

[sanemax]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

No! But I like to take care of the daughters of other people. I guess it's because I have such a great heart. ???? 

Yeah , yeah , yeah , nudge -nudge wink wink . Females PPhhooarrrrr , breasts phhrroaaaw , sex . 

[mickyr55]

19 hours ago, pr9spk said:

Give me the military junta of Thailand over the inept, lying, scheming and scumbag politicians of the UK any day of the week.

HERE HERE 

[Yellowtail]

2 hours ago, Hummin said:

So you have a daughter here? 

Every chance I get....

[Hummin]

13 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

No! But I like to take care of the daughters of other people. I guess it's because I have such a great heart. ???? 

Khun Jai dee OMF

[chicowoodduck]

Hindsight is always 20/20, eh? ????

 

Regrets, I've had a few.....but I will get over it in due time....????

[oruaM]

11 hours ago, GalaxyMan said:

Without a doubt. One of the best decisions I ever made. Great country, great people (for the most part), great food, great weather.

are you living in Thailand ? I would say the first 3 things you mention are debatable depending on individual's background but the weather ... the most part of this country is a hellish steam room 11 months a year

[mania]

12 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Hi @Scott can we please have a parallel survey for those of us who have not yet made the move... 

 

For guys who are/were thinking of moving to Thailand...

1. Still Happy, steaming ahead
2. On the side lines, maybe/maybe not
3. decided against

 

Be honest I'm in trap 2, have more than enough money to meet the requirements just starting to think I'm not so welcome anymore so why shouldn't I look elsewhere.

 

 

 

I think moving to a foreign country is a nice life experience to have & am glad we had the years we did in Thailand.
 

I would only advise you to be sure to leave an escape hatch.

Meaning if you have a home in your present country do not sell it. Rent it out so it is there likely appreciating in value while your gone.

 

Leave at least half of your liquid assets in your home country

 

Lastly with regard to Thailand realize that for almost all expats, 

living in Thailand means you will never have rights of citizenship.

 

You will be applying for permission to stay every year no matter what the rule changes are

You will be checking in every 90 days no matter what even though you have been granted a 1 year stay extension

You will be checking in anytime you left your registered address for more than 24 hours

You will be asking permission to leave & to return from any trips out of Thailand to keep your 1 yr extension valid

 

If I was offered the same path my wife was offered in the USA

Meaning initially a 2 year visa & ability to work, then a 10 year visa in which during the 1st year of her 10 year visa she

could apply for US citizenship (which she did & obtained US citizenship)

 

Then I may have considered a lifetime in Thailand. The uncertainty of permanence was not something I wanted to face in later years.

Having seen many 70+ year old foreigners at immigration dealing with the requirements I could not imagine that for myself

in the future.

 

But again as I said initially living in a foreign country for some years was a great life experience & I am glad

I got to experience it.

 

Have a plan & don't burn your bridges if you decide to give it a go. ????