Why are so many expats leaving Thailand?

[ChipButty]

30 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Booze, namely locally brewed and bottled beer is comparatively expensive here compared with other countries in the region. It's a state-sanctioned monopoly. Wine is ridiculously high priced, they re-jigged the duties on imported alcohol products that has forced a few importers to either throw in the towel or drastically reduce their range. Lao khao and its variants are dirt cheap.

 

Not a cigarette smoker but I bought a packet of L&M menthol at a 7-eleven for a friend the other day and that was 99 baht. What 'pack of smokes' costs 60 Baht?

Playoff menthol green packet

[Curt1591]

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

In Australia they are 1,000 baht a pack.

And, people still smoke!

[ChipButty]

Tiger drought between 50 and 60 Baht a glass been the same for a few years around here

[Peterw42]

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

All the Thai restaurants around me have been selling food at much the same price for the last 10 years.

If they put the prices up, the Thai wouldn't be able to afford to eat in them.

Do you mean foreign owned restaurants, or restaurants catering to foreigners by any chance?

Alcohol and tobacco have on up due to tax rises, I don't think that counts as inflation.

Imported items should have gone down in price, by 30%.

It must be a local thing. the 3-4 Thai eateries around my condo (jomtien) have all gone from 50-60 baht to 60-80 baht a dish. 

[Peterw42]

4 minutes ago, Curt1591 said:

And, people still smoke!

I am sure if it was bad for you, governments would put some sort of warning on the pack.

[kellersphuket]

We have had enough! Being treated like second class citizens by the locals has finally worn thin.

 

We are not wanted here. It's plainly obvious for all to see.

They don't like us anymore, possibly never have.

 

But never mind, I will take my money elsewhere and spend it where the people are grateful.

[ChipButty]

4 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

It must be a local thing. the 3-4 Thai eateries around my condo (jomtien) have all gone from 50-60 baht to 60-80 baht a dish. 

I've just bought a bag of Pak Pak to bring home which I shall have for lunch 40 Baht fresh cooked today I also have some shredded chicken in the freezer just launch some of that in it

[Handsome Gardener]

45 minutes ago, transam said:

Booze and smokes still cost peanuts here, have a look in farangland at the cost of a pack of smokes, UK is around 10 quid whereas here 60bht...

Never smoked but booze costs at least as much and often more than the UK here (in a bar)

 

Unless you're drinking on the steps of 7-11 - how is it 'peanuts' ?

 

btw if you know anyone doing a visa run to Myanmar I'm told the 200 pack of cigs is the price of 20 here.

[Felt 35]

Why are so many expats leaving Thailand? Call a spade for a spade, i.e. at least when speaking about Western expats who mostly, not all of course, come from democratic countries....nationalism and anti...can be frustrating over time for people, their believes due to the fact they and their ancestors have strived and built families all their life to not go backwards in history, human rights and standards.

 

 

Edited August 8, 2019 by Felt 35

[ChipButty]

I need a break from Thailand and my wife is up for it so no problem with her somewhere different Im looking at Northern Cyprus rent an apartment for 3 or 4 months by the beach

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, Handsome Gardener said:

Never smoked but booze costs at least as much and often more than the UK here (in a bar)

 

Unless you're drinking on the steps of 7-11 - how is it 'peanuts' ?

 

btw if you know anyone doing a visa run to Myanmar I'm told the 200 pack of cigs is the price of 20 here.

Dont smoke them they will kill you coffin tacks

[Beggar]

I think to move to a country just because it is cheaper is the wrong motivation. I miss the old Thailand. Before I stayed often on Koh Samui and Phuket. Endless great beaches and nature. Today like so many other places a big tourist industry. This makes me thinking more and more often to move somewhere else. In respect of cost of living. I spend here more money than in my European home country. Here is no Aldi that keeps products cheap. If you want to continue here with western food, nice cars etc. then it can get very expensive in Thailand. 

[Handsome Gardener]

Its not the price rises which hurt, its the crashing currencies that just exacerbate it !

[brokenbone]

1 hour ago, transam said:

Booze and smokes still cost peanuts here, have a look in farangland at the cost of a pack of smokes, UK is around 10 quid whereas here 60bht...

nah, 100 minimum for sigs that arent too disgusting

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

nah, 100 minimum for sigs that arent too disgusting

I pay 60 Baht for Playoff 

[NanLaew]

34 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Playoff menthol green packet

Is there any tobacco product in them?

[Joe Mcseismic]

24 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

We have had enough! Being treated like second class citizens by the locals has finally worn thin.

 

We are not wanted here. It's plainly obvious for all to see.

They don't like us anymore, possibly never have.

 

But never mind, I will take my money elsewhere and spend it where the people are grateful.

I haven't experienced that at all. In fact, the complete opposite. In Phuket as the Russians and Chinese have invaded, the locals seem to now appreciate Western tourists and residents more.

One question; do you speak Thai?

[JayBird]

For those who live a western life style, including food, clothing, etc.

Cost of living has gone up.

For those who rely on foreign currency, the exchange rate has not gone in their favour.

Together, real cost of living in USD has gone up 20% over the last few years. More for UK and Euro people.

Pollution has also increased significantly in parts that were not as severly affected in previous years.

And of course visa crackdowns on those who abused the visa system (despite doing nothing more than wishing to live and spend here without taking a job)

factor all those together, and this results in a drop.

Also, Thailand has not achieved anything to offset these deterrents to try and balance or attract new expats.

[Ron jeremy]

9 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Dont smoke them they will kill you coffin tacks

Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I checked, they all kill you.

never seen a butt that was good for u.

and I don't think the Thai 40 baht dishes are healthy either, personally I hope I'm not forced to eat cheap Thai food in my retirement years, I worked hard all my life to avoid this situation, tough for those that aren't fortunate, and I too have seen the local dishes rise to 80 ish baht and then some.

i can see the tension in the air for a few years. It's just not the same. Top it off with the visa BS, drop in currency,etc etc etc and it's all just spiralled downhill.

fortunately I only come for the winters, home is paradise compared to Thailand now.

[amykat]

You guys are forgetting to note that the serving SIZEs were going down over the years to keep the price the same, or keep price increase lower.  Trick you ...oh now you need three noodle soup.  

 

How much is mango and and sticky rice to go?  Used to be 35 baht.  Now I see people trying to sell just bags of sticky rice for that much or more, can’t even get one mango for that price, etc.  Fruit is outrageous ...I can’t figure out what happened.

[RotBenz8888]

Another reason expats are leaving is because the girls are getting so fat here. I haven't been to agogo for 10y, but i heard many places have reinforced the dancing tables since they where about to crack.

[Matzzon]

Where do you see many leaving? Are you sitting at the airport and asking people why they are flying out and if they are coming back?

Have you compared your statement with the amount that settles down in Thailand per year?

The only thing more expensive is smokes and alcohol. Other things are mostly same. Not including normal price hikes that has happened in the rest of the world too.

[ChipButty]

4 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Is there any tobacco product in them?

Yeah, there are alright I used to smoke LM 

[Joe Mcseismic]

Just now, RotBenz8888 said:

Another reason expats are leaving is because the girls are getting so fat here. I haven't been to agogo for 10y, but i heard many places have reinforced the dancing tables since they where about to crack.

Also the death of the GFE, which used to be very common but, is now all but extinct.

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, Matzzon said:

Where do you see many leaving? Are you sitting at the airport and asking people why they are flying out and if they are coming back?

Have you compared your statement with the amount that settles down in Thailand per year?

The only thing more expensive is smokes and alcohol. Other things are mostly same. Not including normal price hikes that has happened in the rest of the world too.

Rents have not gone up over the last 5 or 6 years around here anyway

[Yinn]

Because the police catch them

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Another reason expats are leaving is because the girls are getting so fat here. .

When they start eating Farang food you can see the kids early morning at 7/11 eating junk they are becoming obese 

[MJKT2014]

1 hour ago, flyingtlger said:

Just the other day I went to top off my Rabbit card at a BTS station and they asked for my passport.

As much as I love Thailand I think I will be moving on to greener pastures.

You could always drop the Rabbit card and stay?

[Matzzon]

11 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Rents have not gone up over the last 5 or 6 years around here anyway

And where in the world has that not been a natural effect due to raise in saluries, more expensive maintenance and so on. Raised property taxes, more expensive renovations and repairs. Yeah, can go on forever. Off course that happens in Thailand too. 

I have been having same office rent for the last 8 years, though.

[NanLaew]

55 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Tiger drought between 50 and 60 Baht a glass been the same for a few years around here

That's called LKS or "large keg syndrome".

 

Synonymous with a small world, aka not getting out much.