What would make you leave thailand? If drinks became illegal? or girls?

[DingDongLing]

List the top reasons why you are in thailand and if they are removed from the equation, u would leave.

 

For me its:

 

Cheap massages

 

If that was removed, I would get out.  I can do without beer but not massages

[DingDongLing]

list as many as u want

 

girls booze "cheap" family

[richard_smith237]

Tax....  My (ex) company brought me to S.E.Asia over 20 years ago basing me in Thailand, sometimes working in Thailand but mostly working throughout S.E. Asia on rotation (4weeks on 4 weeks off). 

 

I now have a family and many friends here and this is where I call home. I also visit the UK twice per year and could happily move back there but choose to stay in Thailand for the following reasons:

 

- Not having to pay Tax here makes staying in Thailand a no-brainer. 

- If I had to Pay Tax in Thailand, I would be keen on moving back to the UK.

- If my Tax bracket were reduced in the UK, I'd consider a move back.

 

Reasons to keep me here are thus: 

- Tax breaks (no tax)

- Wife has a stronger support network here than she would in the UK (Parents and friends close by in Bangkok). 

- And, as it was mentioned in the Op: perhaps beer, I enjoy a beer, so if I couldn't drink a beer in Thailand I would move elsewhere. 

 

I know the beer comment gives fuel to the 'you must be an alcoholic brigade' but beer is just part of many things which make life enjoyable, if they didn't have decent food, decent restaurants, decent accommodation, decent travel network I wouldn't be in Thailand. 

If they didn't have decent medical facilities or decent (International) schools I wouldn't be there.

 

In short - Thailand is a 'package'...  but there are somethings which would encourage a move away.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by richard_smith237

[OneMoreFarang]

Prostitution is illegal...

[Puchaiyank]

Quality living at a reasonable price, ease of movement in this country as well as being able to leave and return free of stringent immigration demands...being able to visit a friend overnight in another Thai city without having to report to immigration police like a criminal...a decent healthcare policy at a reasonable price...a stable reasonable immigration policy that does not make punitive demands on expats...ability to purchase small amounts of land that can be sold by the expat...less corruption at all levels of society...and OMG! Some actual "incentives" for retirees to want to settle and invest here.

 

The strength of the retirement visa rests with Thai bootie...if you took away the women...who mostly are Thai men's rejects...this country would have little to offer retirees...and the sorry azz absentee father would be forced to honor their responsibility.    ????

 

Did it ever occur to you that Thailand spends countless hours thinking up inane hoops for expats...yet their own culture has so many glaring inequities that they totally ignore. 

[tifino]

if one were to quit LOS, to return to Australia...

 

the feeling of a TM30 only occurs for one night, in every 5 years:

 - Census Night  (and boy does it cause people to make a fuss!)  

[DingDongLing]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Tax....  My (ex) company brought me to S.E.Asia over 20 years ago basing me in Thailand, sometimes working in Thailand but mostly working throughout S.E. Asia on rotation (4weeks on 4 weeks off). 

 

I now have a family and many friends here and this is where I call home. I also visit the UK twice per year and could happily move back there but choose to stay in Thailand for the following reasons:

 

- Not having to pay Tax here makes staying in Thailand a no-brainer. 

- If I had to Pay Tax in Thailand, I would be keen on moving back to the UK.

- If my Tax bracket were reduced in the UK, I'd consider a move back.

 

Reasons to keep me here are thus: 

- Tax breaks (no tax)

- Wife has a stronger support network here than she would in the UK (Parents and friends close by in Bangkok). 

- And, as it was mentioned in the Op: perhaps beer, I enjoy a beer, so if I couldn't drink a beer in Thailand I would move elsewhere. 

 

I know the beer comment gives fuel to the 'you must be an alcoholic brigade' but beer is just part of many things which make life enjoyable, if they didn't have decent food, decent restaurants, decent accommodation, decent travel network I wouldn't be in Thailand. 

If they didn't have decent medical facilities or decent (International) schools I wouldn't be there.

 

In short - Thailand is a 'package'...  but there are somethings which would encourage a move away.

 

 

thanks for the thoughtful post

 

Wish I could find these package deals.

[DingDongLing]

8 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Quality living at a reasonable price, ease of movement in this country as well as being able to leave and return free of stringent immigration demands...being able to visit a friend overnight in another Thai city without having to report to immigration police like a criminal...a decent healthcare policy at a reasonable price...a stable reasonable immigration policy that does not make punitive demands on expats...ability to purchase small amounts of land that can be sold by the expat...less corruption at all levels of society...and OMG! Some actual "incentives" for retirees to want to settle and invest here.

 

The strength of the retirement visa rests with Thai bootie...if you took away the women...who mostly are Thai men's rejects...this country would have little to offer retirees...and the sorry azz absentee father would be forced to honor their responsibility.    ????

 

Did it ever occur to you that Thailand spends countless hours thinking up inane hoops for expats...yet their own culture has so many glaring inequities that they totally ignore. 

more, great thread now

 

Agree. without the woman, economy would go down by a third.  

[legend49]

Pointless surveys that appear here every day.

[dotpoom]

"Cheap massages"?

I don't drink alcohol. I have a lady of my own.

  I always enjoyed a massage....until....I accidently discovered that I was being "short changed" regarding the time (1 hour/2hour) that I paid for.

   After that I began to check the time I was actually being massaged for every time I went. Some 1 hour massages only lasted around 50 mins and some 2 hour massages anywhere from 1 hour 45 mins (1 hour 40 mins a few times).

   The last time I went for a 2  hour massage I even said to the lady before we started that I want 2 hours....not 1 hour 45 or 50 mins. She assured me that her shop never did that and always gave the full time....I was shorted 10 mins. on that occasion

  I still cannot bring myself to actually timeing myself from the off with my phone on the pillow like I seen one man do. I cannot either bring myself to not giving a tip because she "short timed" me...instead...I just make it clear to them that I will not be returning to their shop and the reason why.

PS. When I came first to Thailand a clock was clearly visible on the opposite wall at the end of the bed. This has almost been completely done away with.

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by dotpoom

[Happystance]

Ok, so you don't yet understand that prostitution is illegal. It already is illegal. Got that? Next...

 

Booze? I don't see how it benefits the country. One favorite thing about Malaysia is the lack of drunk tourists. So go ahead and ban liquid stupidity, all good with me.

 

 I'm weary of all the never-ending immigration hoops to jump through and will visit less as a result.

The tougher immigration gets, the less I step foot in the country.

 

But the country needs more of certain laws that are actually enforced.

Like the burning nightmare in the north.

No (enforced) laws against those who pollute the air guarantee I won't be back there any time soon...

 

 

[BritManToo]

13 hours ago, DingDongLing said:

If that was removed, I would get out.  I can do without beer but not massages

Not that cheap once you've paid for the 'extras'.

[Happystance]

17 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

I always enjoyed a massage....until....I accidently discovered that I was being "short changed" regarding the time (1 hour/2hour) that I paid for.

   After that I began to check the time I was actually being massaged for every time I went. Some 1 hour massages only lasted around 50 mins and some 2 hour massages anywhere from 1 hour 45 mins (1 hour 40 mins a few times).

   The last time I went for a 2  hour massage I even said to the lady before we started that I want 2 hours....not 1 hour 45 or 50 mins. She assured me that her shop never did that and always gave the full time....I was shorted 10 mins. on that occasion

  I still cannot bring myself to actually timeing myself from the off with my phone on the pillow like I seen one man do. I cannot either bring myself to not giving a tip because she "short timed" me...instead...I just make it clear to them that I will not be returning to their shop and the reason why.

 

I'm glad I don't think this way. I couldn't care less 10 mins one way or the other. I care about the quality of the massage.

 

Think about it: you are letting 10 minutes ruin your experience, of a 200/300 baht massage? 

Let that soak in:

A whole 35/50 baht!

 

Not a fight I've any interest in joining.

 

I go get a massage, leave feeling great, never bother to even glance at the time.

Well worth the money without all the negative thinking...

 

Why don't you just modify the tip if you feel shorted?

That way you can actually enjoy the massage process.

 

[worgeordie]

The people that would leave because girls and booze

were unavailable,must live a very shallow life,if thats 

ALL they think about.

regards worgeordie

[jesimps]

Divorce or compulsory medical insurance. I'd move to Cambodia, Vietnam or Philippines after doing some recces. I think I'd jump of a high building before I'd even comtemplate returning to UK.

[Pungdo]

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Prostitution is illegal...

Apparently ????

[Denim]

If there is one thing that might eventually lead to my leaving it is the rising temperatures.

 

I realized yesterday that over the last couple of months I have been living like a troglodyte. 

 

With the temperature constantly hovering around the 40 degree mark I have been spending too much time in our air con bedroom because even the living room is about 32.

 

Many plants in the garden are either dead or have badly scorched leaves.

The front lawn is looking very sad.

Even the soi dogs are nowhere to be seen having all found some dark corner to hide in.

 

Don't even get a decent cool season any more. 

 

By contrast we recently spent 3 weeks on the Isle of Wight. The weather was glorious throughout, around 25 every day. We walked miles on woodland footpaths and along Sandy beaches. Lost weight and blood pressure went down. Wine and good food every day.

 

Only drawback is the cost of housing and utilities. Dirt cheap here, cost a murder there.

[Peterw42]

The day it costs the same to live here as it does to live in Australia, (for the equivalent lifestyle) is the day I will move back.

 

The whole idea of Thailand is an equivalent or better lifestyle for less money. 

[wgdanson]

5 hours ago, DingDongLing said:

more, great thread now

 

Agree. without the woman, economy would go down by a third.  

GREAT? Load of rubbish.

[Tagged]

If the cost rises higher than south Europe, It could make me leave, and if the safety situation changes. 

[Hanuman2547]

1)  Visa rules get to be too difficult.

 

2)  Unable to secure affordable health care insurance especially if over 75

 

3)  Bank deposit requirements for visa

 

4)  Unhealthy air pollution

 

[rocketdave]

From the above list it would be 2) for me.

At present it looks like I will be required to pay 90% premium (increasing as I get older) for the mandatory cover every year. If I can afford that I don't need the cover and I don't need to be robbed.

[BestB]

An answer would depend on the amount of time one has lived in the country .

 

in my case , 18 years. Not much would make me leave as 18 years is a long time . I know more about here than about my home country.

 

i have animals , I have my boring life and comfort zone

[elnet1]

2 hours ago, Happystance said:

 

 I'm weary of all the never-ending immigration hoops to jump through and will visit less as a result.

The tougher immigration gets, the less I step foot in the country. 

 

 

 

 

This.....and Thai's are making too many changes and I don't think they really understand the consequences.

[Katipo]

If I started to stagnate as a person, or if the current state of the 'government' deteriorates to the point where I see no point of return.

[CM Dad]

Mandatory medical insurance that is impossible for me to get even though I have been trying to get for the past twenty years.  I would gladly pay if the Thai government would offer some for even between 50,000 to 100,000 per year. 

[CM Dad]

Unlike many of the posters on this thread, I am not here for either sex or booze.  I support my Thai family and simply want to be able to continue to do so.

[seancbk]

17 hours ago, DingDongLing said:

List the top reasons why you are in thailand and if they are removed from the equation, u would leave.

 

For me its:

 

Cheap massages

 

If that was removed, I would get out.  I can do without beer but not massages

 

I've lived in Bangkok more than 10 years and had one foot massage.   Have had massages in top notch spas in other parts of the world and really don't see the point.  

If I need to relax I can do it without paying someone to massage me.

Why can't you live without massages?

[seancbk]

The only reason I would leave is if the visa rules forced me out.   But they'd have to become really difficult as there is usually a way around depending what visa you are on already. 

[malibukid]

did not come here for the girls, plenty that can speak English and who are  educated back home and who also have opinion and are more sexually liberated than the Thai's.  do not drink anymore.  love the country, nature, food and cats. 

the Doors are not something you walk through

Edited May 21, 2019 by malibukid