Escape Routes from Paradise

[swissie]

Clearly, the number of Farangs, dissatisfied with Thailand as a long-term domicile is increasing. Looking for alternatives. Other S/E countries are under consideration, but mainly South-American Countries cauth the fancy of possible "Re-Locators". In connection with this, I allow myself to incect a comment that I have posted in an another TVF sub-forum. Here it goes:

 

Let's see:
- Ecuador is in in turmoil (civil unrest).
- Chile is in turmoil (civil unrest).
- Bolivia is in turmoil (civil unrest).
- Argentina has gone bankrupt (once more).
- Uruguay (on the verge of civil unrest). Stay tuned. (The former "Switzerland" of South-America!) - Paraguay. Still a 4th world country.
- Columbia. Unresolved past issues concering "the Guerillas". The problem likely to re-emerge with a vengeance.
- Mexico: 2 Governements in place. The one in Mexico-City and the other one that controls the rest of the country.
- Venezuela: Ground-Floor opportunities if you arrive with suitcases packed with US$. (Real-Estate bargains plentyful).
- Dutch and French Guinea: = European territory.
- Central America ( Honduras, Guatemala, Panama etc, ect). = Dancing on a political/sociological Vulcano in the past, at present and in the future. A fine example of "failed-states".
- The carribean islands. With the exception of Haiti, firmly in the hands of well-capitalised Farangs. No place for anyone relying on some meager monthly "pension-money" from back home.
Considering all this, I myself  would find little reason to re-locate to any of the above mentioned countries.

Especially not, as Thai legislation concerning Long-Term Residency is still quite "liberal and benevolent" in comparison  to most SA Countries.
PS: The Palm Trees of Thailand look the same as the Palm Trees in Costa-Rica. But more affordable in Thailand. I insist.

--------------------
Not wanting to appear as a "party-pooper", but this is a good time to realise that the days when desease-free Immigrants arriving at Eliss-Island were unburocratically welcomed in the US (same Canada, Australia and just about any other country of the world) are definitely a thing of the past.

These days, one must fulfill certain "requirements", no matter where one wants to Emmigrate to.
"Requirements" can be translated into "How deep are your pockets, how fat is your wallet"?
Let's face it!
Cheers.    
 

[Jingthing]

Thailand is much less "liberal" with expats then previously and many people are feeling squeezed out or have already been pushed out by visa policy changes.

 

People are also looking to Spain, Portugal, and Eastern Europe. 

 

Expats leaving Thailand are mostly going to back to their home countries or other nations in Asia such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

 

If you're talking about Latin America, palm trees are an option but so are many other kinds of trees. As far as relative costs (like for like, like capital big cities to same, provincial cities to same, beach resorts to same) some places in Latin America are indeed more expensive than Thailand and some are less expensive.

 

I wouldn't focus on short term headlines in deciding whether a place is realistically safe for expats.

 

Of that list, I think these places remain reasonably OK choices:

Mexico -- where most American expats live, in the MILLIONS

Costa Rica

Panama 

Ecuador

Chile

Colombia

Uruguay

 

I would reject Argentina because of insanely high inflation. 

 

Edited November 4, 2019 by Jingthing

[Puchaiyank]

Hiding out in Thailand, for many fugitives from justice in their own countries, has become problematìc because of the use of facial recognition scanners...

 

There is no longer a safe place to hideout...your time is up!  ☠

[madmen]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

or have already been pushed out by visa policy changes.

Thats the problem as expats here keep harping on about visa changes when in fact the big damage was done by their embassies.

 

so lets keep it real, being pushed out because they dont have and never did have 800k or 65k

[Puchaiyank]

17 minutes ago, madmen said:

Thats the problem as expats here keep harping on about visa changes when in fact the big damage was done by their embassies.

 

so lets keep it real, being pushed out because they dont have and never did have 800k or 65k

The damage was done by the way Thai immigration handled the monetary requirements for those left out to dry by their embassies...inconsistent policy administration and frequent unnecessary hassles left many expats discouraged and looking elsewhere...it is not always about not having the baht...as you ALWAYS gleefully allude to...????

[WhatupThailand]

The fact being, that most Expats here, like being in the SE Asia region,

Which Country in the Region offers the Best all round solution ?

 

[baansgr]

UK takes anyone regardless of finances... Just turn up there in a dingy on the South cost and you are sorted

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Mexico -- where most American expats live

You mean most of the people that out of any criminal history or other dubious reasons have to run away from the States?

[Snow Leopard]

You missed out the Falkland Islands. No palm trees. In fact no trees at all. 

[faraday]

51 minutes ago, baansgr said:

UK takes anyone regardless of finances... Just turn up there in a dingy on the South cost and you are sorted

Removed an insensitive comment.

Edited November 4, 2019 by faraday

[strikingsunset]

Well,If you can access it I suggest you watch the current BBC series ..The Americas... fronted by the travel hero Simon Reeves and your synopsis ( I suggest) is that you would never consider moving to south america,aside of end of life intentions.

[Momofarang]

Why does everyone forget Malaysia which offers a much better deal than Thailand and costs less? Even wine about the same price (google Wine Now).

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, Momofarang said:

Why does everyone forget Malaysia

Too many Muslims.

[bkk6060]

9 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Too many Muslims.

Yes.

I did not realize it when I went.

And, it is by far the worst place I have ever been treated in all of Asia.

[bkk6060]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

many people are feeling squeezed out or have already been pushed out by visa policy changes.

Many is a lot..

Sorry, I obviously do not know everyone.

But, everyone I know and who they know have gone no place.

Lots of threats and bad mouthing, but here they still are.

[GreenCurryorDie]

26 minutes ago, Momofarang said:

Why does everyone forget Malaysia which offers a much better deal than Thailand and costs less? Even wine about the same price (google Wine Now).

Well, as a Muslim country it wouldn’t be on my list. KL sounds like a great short vacation, though.

[neeray]

IMO, comparing Thailand to South American destinations for retirement is like comparing oranges to durian.

[Jip99]

15 minutes ago, GreenCurryorDie said:

Well, as a Muslim country it wouldn’t be on my list. 

Islamophobia ?

 

Penang certainly has it’s attractions.

 

Multiculturalism is one of them.

[Orton Rd]

Phobia is an irrational fear, fear of Islam and a dislike of it's culture is entirely rational and justified.

[seasia]

That is quite some demolition job of LATAM countries, with an angle behind it of course.

My experience limited, having only visited one and lived, many years ago in another.

 

A friend recently returned from a 3 country LATAM tour, never got attacked, robbed or overcharged.

1 place he was not too keen on, the other 2 he liked and one of those he is considering for a longer stay.

 

Some countries in Europe quite popular with Brits and also northern Europeans.

Many more Brits living in Spain than Thailand.

 

Plenty other countries in the world, not just Thailand.

 

One can only choose where one thinks one will be happiest overall

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Jip99 said:

Islamophobia ?

I won't live anywhere I can't buy a bacon sandwich for breakfast.

[AussieBob18]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Thailand is much less "liberal" with expats then previously and many people are feeling squeezed out or have already been pushed out by visa policy changes.

 

People are also looking to Spain, Portugal, and Eastern Europe. 

 

Expats leaving Thailand are mostly going to back to their home countries or other nations in Asia such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

 

If you're talking about Latin America, palm trees are an option but so are many other kinds of trees. As far as relative costs (like for like, like capital big cities to same, provincial cities to same, beach resorts to same) some places in Latin America are indeed more expensive than Thailand and some are less expensive.

 

I wouldn't focus on short term headlines in deciding whether a place is realistically safe for expats.

 

Of that list, I think these places remain reasonably OK choices:

Mexico -- where most American expats live, in the MILLIONS

Costa Rica

Panama 

Ecuador

Chile

Colombia

Uruguay

 

I would reject Argentina because of insanely high inflation. 

 

Gotta agree with all that - except Cambodia - and state that 'new' Vietnam is mainly for the 'boys' and tourists.

Lets face it there are two main types of Expats in Thailand and that are involved in the current issues.

1.  Those that have come to live and stay;

2.  Those that have come here to have fun - bars and girls - and want to stay as long as possible.

And there is a third group JT mentioned - like me - who have gone back home (with or without a Thai partner) and who want to come back, but are not happy to do so given the current treatment of Expats and other issues in Thailand - like the ridiculously high Baht.  But we also know that for those that want to live and stay, Thailand is far ahead of the others (Phillipines would be second - Malaysia third).

 

IMO for those who want to live and stay from other parts of the world, then for Yanks/Cans looking for somewhere it is Sth American countries that are a popular Expat move - Ecuador would be my choice (I have relatives there).  For Poms/EUs then Spain or Portugal seem to be still popular and prices have dropped since the boom period in the early 2000s.  Main positive for both those locations, is that they are close to 'home'.  That it is only a shortish trip back here and to Thailand, is a great comfort. My 'home' country is not half way round the world and that makes whatever happens much easier to deal with - and one reason I first selected Thailand.

 

[ChristianBlessing]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Yes.

I did not realize it when I went.

And, it is by far the worst place I have ever been treated in all of Asia.

I just finished 11 years of living/working in Malaysia. I was treated exceptionally well for everyone of those years, by Malaysians of all ethnicities, including ethnic Malaysian, who happen to be Muslim. 

[NCC1701A]

good thing I read Thai Visa otherwise I would think nothing has changed at all.

 

well, I am realizing that my goal of having sex with every woman on Thai Friendly might be overly ambitious.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, neeray said:

IMO, comparing Thailand to South American destinations for retirement is like comparing oranges to durian.

You've got papayas in both places.

[Jingthing]

56 minutes ago, ChristianBlessing said:

I just finished 11 years of living/working in Malaysia. I was treated exceptionally well for everyone of those years, by Malaysians of all ethnicities, including ethnic Malaysian, who happen to be Muslim. 

I could live in Malaysia but their second home program has higher financial requirements than Thailand, so people that are feeling priced out of Thailand would not be prospects for living in Malaysia on that program. 

[Jip99]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I won't live anywhere I can't buy a bacon sandwich for breakfast.

Penang is OK for a bacon sarnie.........you may have to walk a couple of streets to find one though....

[Rookiescot]

What about Belize? Its stable. Everyone speaks English. Weather very similar to Thailand.

[john69]

Dutch Guinea is not European territory. It is a former Dutch colony, now independent Surinam.

[hansnl]

12 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Hiding out in Thailand, for many fugitives from justice in their own countries, has become problematìc because of the use of facial recognition scanners...

 

There is no longer a safe place to hideout...your time is up!  ☠

Are you implying the farang in Thailand are mostly fugitives from the law?

If so, you are a complete idiot!

Or........