Poll shows 98 per cent believe Thailand better than other countries

[MRToMRT]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Why would I be joking?

 

I thought about moving to Melbourne, where my sister has a house which is very similar to mine. Mine cost 3 million baht 7 years ago. Hers is valued at 67 million baht. I stayed in an Air bnb which was a 2 bedroomed apartment and was selling at 18 million baht. Yes, it is a nicer area for sure but I couldn't even buy a similar house 3 hours away for the same price as Thailand.

I thought of moving back to Aberdeen but a similar house would cost 16 million baht. I can rent  nice house here for 20,000 baht a month but 4x that in Aberdeen.

 

Even if I already owned a house there, the living costs are much more than here.

 

Saying that all countries in Europe are cheaper is insane. Ever tried to live in central London? It a LOT more than central Bangkok. 

 

In Bangkok, I could take my family of 4 out for dinner every night in good restaurants for say 2,000 baht a pop. In Europe or Australia, it's more like 4,000 baht. I worked in Helsinki and couldn't believe the prices there. By the way, Mama noodles were 8 times the price of here. 

We went to a Thai restaurant in Aberdeen 4 years ago and it cost us 4,000 baht.

I went for a Thai massage and it cost me 5x what it does here.

Petrol is MUCH cheaper.

Actually, everything is MUCH cheaper. 

 

My mother told me the other day that she paid 8,000 baht for a couple of gardeners to mow the lawn and clean up the hedge etc. I got the same last week for 1,000 baht!

 

My friend in Clatt pays 700,000 per year for his sons's private school fees. I pay 80,000 a year.

 

Tell me one thing that is cheaper in Europe, US, etc

 

This doesn't apply if you are on cherries.

 

Everyone is different and has different needs of course

 

I am stuck in the UK at the moment (just outside Newcastle). Its been an eye opener for me. General living is much cheaper for me than my place in Bangkok. Property costs (to buy) are much lower than Bangkok and the quality is far far better here. For 16 mill I can I have a DREAM property here that is built to stand for 100s of years. Eating out is about 50% more expensive if in a restaurant but Thailand really has the better value and quality with food and all levels. Tescos UK is a fraction of the price of Top/Villa etc. Taxis are bloody expensive. Weather is terriibblleee. 

 

But everything works, the streets and pavements, the local services (covid affected the bins but thats sorted now) the internet, everything works much better and more reliably than Bangkok ... in fact I would say Newcastle is actually infinitly better developed in terms of design and quality and services than the mess that is Bangkok and is easily more than equivalent .... except on Friday nights normally :+)

 

I am going to come back to Bangkok so have no axe to grind, but the costs in BKK and Thailand are not cheap anymore. This forced stay in the motherland has been an eyeopener for me.

 

 

 

 

[Jimbo2014]

50 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

Show me a place that doesn't have problems and I'll show you fairies at the bottom of your garden. The pollution? Do you remember all those two stroke motorbikes, belching out all that oily white smoke? They're all gone. It's bad like most big cities, but it's better than it was.

Bangkok had the most polluted cities in the world for a few months last year, Chiang Mai and Bangkok, thats beating out Delhi and whatever abominations China has in Guangzhou.   This is not comparable to other cities, thats horrific!   My point would be, if 98% of Thais think Thailand is perfect in every way, then nothing will change.  Australian's complain about their governments and cities all the time and they continue to improve.  Thailand has regressed on many indicators of health and safety.  There are things Ill happily mai ben rai about but some things are hard to ignore and need to be addressed (like the roads).

[321 BOOM]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Why would I be joking?

 

I thought about moving to Melbourne, where my sister has a house which is very similar to mine. Mine cost 3 million baht 7 years ago. Hers is valued at 67 million baht. I stayed in an Air bnb which was a 2 bedroomed apartment and was selling at 18 million baht. Yes, it is a nicer area for sure but I couldn't even buy a similar house 3 hours away for the same price as Thailand.

I thought of moving back to Aberdeen but a similar house would cost 16 million baht. I can rent  nice house here for 20,000 baht a month but 4x that in Aberdeen.

 

Even if I already owned a house there, the living costs are much more than here.

 

Saying that all countries in Europe are cheaper is insane. Ever tried to live in central London? It a LOT more than central Bangkok. 

 

In Bangkok, I could take my family of 4 out for dinner every night in good restaurants for say 2,000 baht a pop. In Europe or Australia, it's more like 4,000 baht. I worked in Helsinki and couldn't believe the prices there. By the way, Mama noodles were 8 times the price of here. 

We went to a Thai restaurant in Aberdeen 4 years ago and it cost us 4,000 baht.

I went for a Thai massage and it cost me 5x what it does here.

Petrol is MUCH cheaper.

Actually, everything is MUCH cheaper. 

 

My mother told me the other day that she paid 8,000 baht for a couple of gardeners to mow the lawn and clean up the hedge etc. I got the same last week for 1,000 baht!

 

My friend in Clatt pays 700,000 per year for his sons's private school fees. I pay 80,000 a year.

 

Tell me one thing that is cheaper in Europe, US, etc

 

This doesn't apply if you are on cherries.

 

Cheaper - and better - are - for example

 

1. Healthcare... its for free

2. Schooling... its for free, why paying a private school, simply not needed.

3. Vehicles...I mean real cars, not this Japanese <deleted>

4. All western food - simply because it not has to be imported

5. brand clothes - first you can be sure its real stuff and its around 20percent cheaper, la cost for example

 

A nice house for 20k is not available in LOS, definitely not to my standard, I pay 60K and still consider it <deleted>.

Housing prices in LOS are irrelevant as you can not own a house in LOS legally as foreigner, your Thai wife may

but this is for me like throwing the money in a bin.

 

What private school you get for for 80K THB a year, British international for example is 1.5K US per month on Phuket, same as reputable schools in BKK, despite the fact that the British curriculum is completely BS, but that's the only option you have here if you not want to send your kid to an American or local school.

[CorpusChristie]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

You mean like stealing a mango?

 

 

More concerned about the Gardener stealing my wife

[dbrenn]

40 minutes ago, Jimbo2014 said:

Australian's complain about their governments and cities all the time and they continue to improve

You're pulling my leg, right? The city of Melbourne resembles East Berlin during the Cold War at the moment. 

[dbrenn]

1 hour ago, MRToMRT said:

everything works much better and more reliably than Bangkok ... in fact I would say Newcastle is actually infinitly better developed

So why on earth do all you people hang around Thailand? Is it schadenfreude? Do you enjoy looking down on a country that you all despise, to make yourselves feel better about your mundane lives? Why not just stay in the wonderful west?

[TKDfella]

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

A good few years ago my mother fell and broke her humerus, within a short period of time she was in hospital, after being seen to by trained para-medics, and had the first op' to wire the bone together.

After time in hospital a second op' to remove the internal support was carried out with a few more days to ensure all was clean and clear she was 'ambulanced' home, For a good time afterwards she had daily visits from the district nurse to check on things and a daily visit to cook a meal for her and do a bit of tidying etc until she was back to square one.

The total cost was zero-zero point nothing blank.

But some will tell you the NHS in UK is terrible.

Actually, just a couple of years ago, a 85 year old friend of mine started have leg coordination problems. He had already sold his bungalow and was living in a block for OAP's where each flat a was kitted out with intercom etc. and health related social workers visited regularly. However, after the leg problems started and a short term in hospital, he became a little upset...too much attention. Someone came to cook his breakfast, then someone else came to clean his room, then a nurse came to check on him and after the mid day cook arrived the process started over again.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, 321 BOOM said:

A nice house for 20k is not available in LOS, definitely not to my standard, I pay 60K and still consider it <deleted>.

You're obviously being ripped off.

What city are you from -  can you rent a house to your standards there for 60k a month?

[The Barmbeker]

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

You're pulling my leg, right? The city of Melbourne resembles East Berlin during the Cold War at the moment. 

Yes...sure it does!

[The Barmbeker]

3 hours ago, dbrenn said:

People were saying that over 30 years ago, but Thailand goes from strength to strength. I also remember the Asian Financial Crisis, when the economy contracted 25% and the currency halved its value - Thailand bounced back. It always does.

Thailand goes from strength to strenght!

Sure!

Political stability, a currency that is strong on its own merrit, squeaky clean air, water and beaches, the traffic all figured out...you name it!

It is all near perfect!

An utopia, if you will!

 

By the way: I am travelling/ living in Thailand for 25 years!

Still I avoid a glal\ss of the crystal clear and 100% clean tap water in Bangkok!

Stupid me, huh?

 

[MRToMRT]

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

So why on earth do all you people hang around Thailand? Is it schadenfreude? Do you enjoy looking down on a country that you all despise, to make yourselves feel better about your mundane lives? Why not just stay in the wonderful west?

What an asinine reply ... painting a picture no one has said or referred to. 

[dbrenn]

1 hour ago, MRToMRT said:

What an asinine reply ... painting a picture no one has said or referred to. 

You didn't answer my question. Why do you hang around Thailand and pour derision all over it, when you can remain in Newcastle with all its advantages? Are you a masochist, or do you enjoy looking down on a place that you openly despise, because it makes you feel good about yourself? Which is it?

[MRToMRT]

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

You didn't answer my question. Why do you hang around Thailand and pour derision all over it, when you can remain in Newcastle with all its advantages? Are you a masochist, or do you enjoy looking down on a place that you openly despise, because it makes you feel good about yourself? Which is it?

Wow! I will revert from answering because obviously you know everything already so really don't need an answer. 

[321 BOOM]

4 hours ago, Neeranam said:

You're obviously being ripped off.

What city are you from -  can you rent a house to your standards there for 60k a month?

60K THB in LOS is nothing, there are places available up to 200K and more, I am talking about Phuket, which is more or less acceptable for me to live.

 

20K...cry me a river, we obviously have a very different understanding of living standards, I am talking about having a 4x8meter pool, 250m2 living indoor area, HOT water machine and EUROPEAN style kitchen, Toilets which actually working permanently.

EUROPEAN standard finishing works, means nothing what looks nice but will fall apart after 3-6 month. NO thai style housing is accepted.

 

I am original from Alicante, but would not rent a house there as its nicer to get a decent apartment in the city, probably with sea view, and yes you can get a very nice apartment there to rent for 60K, actually in a very nice neighborhood cleaner than any place I saw in LOS. In LOS you can have the nicest property but when you leave it you are simply surrounded by <deleted> and dirt.

 

And as we are a mixed national family we will actually move to Central Asia, there it is even cheaper, much cheaper, for 60K, what is around 2K US I get a 400m2 Penthouse.

 

By the way, even Dubai - OK mostly need to pay 12 month in advance, who cares - has cheaper housing than LOS these days, same as Marbella, KL you pay 2000 USD for a nice place in KLCC, overlooking the towers, can go down and run some rounds in KLCC park. Do this in LOS, you need to run on the roads, walkways are not existing- I mean walkways, no traps, everything stinks, especially in BKK.

Edited August 25, 2020 by 321 BOOM

[Neeranam]

15 hours ago, 321 BOOM said:

60K THB in LOS is nothing, there are places available up to 200K and more, I am talking about Phuket, which is more or less acceptable for me to live.

 

20K...cry me a river, we obviously have a very different understanding of living standards, I am talking about having a 4x8meter pool, 250m2 living indoor area, HOT water machine and EUROPEAN style kitchen, Toilets which actually working permanently.

EUROPEAN standard finishing works, means nothing what looks nice but will fall apart after 3-6 month. NO thai style housing is accepted.

 

I am original from Alicante, but would not rent a house there as its nicer to get a decent apartment in the city, probably with sea view, and yes you can get a very nice apartment there to rent for 60K, actually in a very nice neighborhood cleaner than any place I saw in LOS. In LOS you can have the nicest property but when you leave it you are simply surrounded by <deleted> and dirt.

 

And as we are a mixed national family we will actually move to Central Asia, there it is even cheaper, much cheaper, for 60K, what is around 2K US I get a 400m2 Penthouse.

 

By the way, even Dubai - OK mostly need to pay 12 month in advance, who cares - has cheaper housing than LOS these days, same as Marbella, KL you pay 2000 USD for a nice place in KLCC, overlooking the towers, can go down and run some rounds in KLCC park. Do this in LOS, you need to run on the roads, walkways are not existing- I mean walkways, no traps, everything stinks, especially in BKK.

You seem intent about bragging how much money you earn. 

I'm not talking about level of living standards but the difference between here and there. 

 

A 20k house in khon Kaen is 120k in Aberdeen. That's 6x more expensive. 

 

 

Here you get a house with swimming pool that is below your standards for 60k.

You would only get an apt in you home town for that price. Go on tell us how much for a similar house 250sqm in Alicante. 

 

I suggest you leave here as you're not happy and getting scammed paying 60k a month for a sub standard house. 

Why don't you pay 200k a month. Oh can't afford it

 

You can live like a king here but not in Alicante or Dubai. Don't fool yourself that it's expensive here. 

[Robin]

I suspect that most respondents to this survey were saying what they thought they were expected to say, and did not want to be accused of criticising the government or Royal family.

[Jimbo2014]

23 hours ago, dbrenn said:

You're pulling my leg, right? The city of Melbourne resembles East Berlin during the Cold War at the moment. 

To be honest I dont know - I have lived in Thailand for so long now.  I prefer to complain about Thailand ????

[dbrenn]

1 minute ago, Jimbo2014 said:

To be honest I dont know - I have lived in Thailand for so long now.  I prefer to complain about Thailand ????

But it was you who started the comparison with Australia. Why?

[Nout]

On 8/23/2020 at 1:05 PM, AussieBob18 said:

"and 60.3 per cent cited people who know that foreigners were trying to create conflict among Thai people."

 

So true. All you have to do to prove this is to read TV forums full of vindictive nasty Expats.

Not all - but many.  Cant understand why the seriously negative ones just dont leave.

Then again - having to admit ruin and failure after being taken by a ex-bar girl wouldn't be easy I guess.

 

All the Expats I know, or want to know, understand the Thai culture enough to embrace it and go with the flow.

Complaining about all the wrong things never solves anything - it just makes people negative and complain more.

Leave the Thais alone I say - it is up to them - and all these Expat 'experts' give the rest of us a bad name.

 

Yes. Its remarkable how little foreigners know about Thai history and culture, or have knowledge of the history of the Middle East or Pan Asian politics yet have the temerity to criticise the Thais, usually bar girls, of being insular. Constantly complaining is a character deficit linked to weakness of character and clinical depression.

[Jimbo2014]

23 hours ago, dbrenn said:

But it was you who started the comparison with Australia. Why?

I was being facetious in my last comment - a jest to end politely.  Of course I have been to Melbourne and of course comparisons with East Berlin are absurd.  I thought your comment was in jest unless you refer to the covid lockdown - which the vast majority of Victorians support.

[dbrenn]

On 8/27/2020 at 6:20 PM, Jimbo2014 said:

unless you refer to the covid lockdown - which the vast majority of Victorians support.

Who says? You read that in the news, and believed it straightaway, right? Opinion polls always seem to be wrong these days, haven't you noticed?

 

Most Victorians I know think that the house arrest that they're under is disproportionate and is killing their way of life. 

[Nout]

On 8/27/2020 at 3:20 PM, Jimbo2014 said:

I was being facetious in my last comment - a jest to end politely.  Of course I have been to Melbourne and of course comparisons with East Berlin are absurd.  I thought your comment was in jest unless you refer to the covid lockdown - which the vast majority of Victorians support.

They might support this kind of house arrest but not on the basis of facts,  reality, or real science.

[The Barmbeker]

On 8/27/2020 at 11:48 AM, Nout said:

Yes. Its remarkable how little foreigners know about Thai history and culture, or have knowledge of the history of the Middle East or Pan Asian politics yet have the temerity to criticise the Thais, usually bar girls, of being insular. Constantly complaining is a character deficit linked to weakness of character and clinical depression.

We really need a "vomit"- emoji!

[Jimbo2014]

On 8/29/2020 at 11:33 PM, Nout said:

They might support this kind of house arrest but not on the basis of facts,  reality, or real science.

Yea I have mixed thoughts on that as well.  Be that as it may, most people seem to accept it and support it whether through logical or illogical fear.

[Jimbo2014]

On 8/29/2020 at 6:43 AM, dbrenn said:

Who says? You read that in the news, and believed it straightaway, right? Opinion polls always seem to be wrong these days, haven't you noticed?

 

Most Victorians I know think that the house arrest that they're under is disproportionate and is killing their way of life. 

Im not saying the lock-down is right or wrong, but I cant go with your random chatting with mates compared to a properly designed random sample poll.   If you really think about it, the polsters have very little to gain one way or another by rigging the polls.  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8669075/Most-Victorians-support-Melbournes-Stage-4-lockdown-new-poll-reveals.html

[Nout]

On 8/31/2020 at 10:06 AM, Jimbo2014 said:

Im not saying the lock-down is right or wrong, but I cant go with your random chatting with mates compared to a properly designed random sample poll.   If you really think about it, the polsters have very little to gain one way or another by rigging the polls.  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8669075/Most-Victorians-support-Melbournes-Stage-4-lockdown-new-poll-reveals.html

I tend to agree but there has been so much confusion,  ignorance and government fomented fear and panic that though the poll might be an accurate reflection of people's views it does not mean those views are correct. It appears Covid 19 like other flu like viruses spreads in small enclosed areas and less so outdoors but this is rarely put on the table by the authorities who instead, all around the world followed the lead of the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party by putting people under house arrest. Its all very sad. I am glad I am in Thailand.

[Jimbo2014]

12 hours ago, Nout said:

I tend to agree but there has been so much confusion,  ignorance and government fomented fear and panic that though the poll might be an accurate reflection of people's views it does not mean those views are correct. It appears Covid 19 like other flu like viruses spreads in small enclosed areas and less so outdoors but this is rarely put on the table by the authorities who instead, all around the world followed the lead of the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party by putting people under house arrest. Its all very sad. I am glad I am in Thailand.

I have mixed views on it.  My father is in his 80s in Tasmania and I have other vulnerable family members.  For their sake Im thankful of the approach Australia and Thailand have taken.  However mortality rate, particularly for those below 60, is very small and economies have been decimated from this which will have a decade long impact on health and well-being.  Tough calls for all.  Right or wrong this is the decision most Australian's stand behind so I fully respect it in the same way I wear a mask in Malls in Thailand to respect and help protect the Thai people as per their decision.  

[Nout]

4 hours ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I have mixed views on it.  My father is in his 80s in Tasmania and I have other vulnerable family members.  For their sake Im thankful of the approach Australia and Thailand have taken.  However mortality rate, particularly for those below 60, is very small and economies have been decimated from this which will have a decade long impact on health and well-being.  Tough calls for all.  Right or wrong this is the decision most Australian's stand behind so I fully respect it in the same way I wear a mask in Malls in Thailand to respect and help protect the Thai people as per their decision.  

For me masks in malls, the curfew, and alcohol ban have all been easier to deal with than the house arrest approach.