THE WEEK THAT WAS Move abroad? You’re ‘avin a laff! Rooster’s top ten reasons to stay in Thailand

[rooster59]

 

In a thoroughly entertaining week of news on Thaivisa, one of the main stories featured a new Facebook site that was originally called “Let’s Move Abroad”.

 

As getting on for a million Thais signed up in no time,  the bods at the Digital Economy and Society ministry started to panic. 

 

All those Thais moving to the US, South Korea and god forbid the UK! There won’t be anyone left in Siam to prosecute!

 

There were mutterings that having a healthy interest in the outside world was not a bad thing followed by a patriotic backlash.

 

In that spirit - and not because I have had a Biggs or Barrow-style visit from immigration (I keep a low residential profile), Rooster has decided to report his top ten reasons to STAY in Thailand. 

 

Some of my readers may think these are more like the top ten reasons to LEAVE. I make no apology. I was criticized last week by someone who was challenged to explain why he thought Rooster was “dripping with insincerity”. 

 

He couldn’t. A quick search revealed  a ten year “veteran” of Thailand, what older hands call a newbie. And what Rooster refers to as IKEA (Thailand) - I Know Everything About….

 

So for that insincere drip in particular and all the nice people on Thaivisa in general, here is my totally sincere list in no particular order of why staying in Thailand makes so much good sense! Enjoy!

 

1 The Thai people and their sense of humor.

 

Yes, you do need to have a sense of humor to live in Thailand but the people have it in abundance. The Thais have their faults, I’m British so goodness knows I know about my own nation’s shortcomings, but Thai positivity and stoicism more than make up for the negatives. Interactions in the street, in shops, among the small number of Thais who I call close friends and the thousands who I know,  are still a daily pleasure after nearly four decades of residence. They are smart, witty, gracious, kind, considerate and fun to be around. Sanook! Just avoid, as anywhere, lending money….

 

2 Work and play.

 

Thailand is a great place to work and an even better place to go out and enjoy the entertainment. Rooster came here penniless but with hope and ambition. I followed my dreams as you should. Now I’m wealthy in experiences and lucre. I’ve been a teacher of English, a teacher of Thai to Thais, a salesman, a condo flipper, a translator and a journalist. Now with some lockdown experience behind me it could be time to train as a chef. Yes, the sky's the limit when it comes to work with ample opportunities to spend one's hard-earned on enjoyable pursuits (post-pandemic!).

 

3 The Thai roads and motorcycle riding.

 

Yes, I can hear you bang on, what about the carnage. Well, I've done half a million kilometers on the Thai roads with no serious accidents, on bikes or in cars. The roads go everywhere, are by and large free of potholes (except near my wife’s house in Loei…) and there are not many traffic lights (avoid proceeding on green when you’re stopped by one). There are brilliant places to drive off at tangents like caves, temples and hot springs and roadside “resorts” cost as little as 300 - 400 baht a night. On a “steed” make sure you ride very defensively. You should be exhausted at the end of a journey due to concentration. In a car keep your wits about you for motorcycles and plod. Anticipate and you’ll stay alive and kicking!

 

4 Eating out or at home.

 

Thailand remains one of the truly great dining experiences on all levels. Street food is clean and hygienic. I’ve been sick once from dodgy shellfish. There are top quality restaurants at affordable prices everywhere offering food from all over the world. Even McDonalds is a cut above everywhere else! When cooking at home, box clever by shopping at a variety of supermarkets and markets. This way you’ll get the best ingredients and the best prices. Train your wife or husband how to cook your favorites or DIY.

 

5 The Thai health care system

 

Again, you need to be smart here especially if you don’t have insurance. Use freebie pharmacists wisely, don’t buy drugs at private hospitals (connive with doctors), shop around for the best care. Never dismiss the government sector or even local clinics as options. If you can, speak Thai with doctors. If not, pose no leading questions. I’ve had many ailments - some serious - in Thailand but with the odd exception both in and out-patient care has been great. My doctor - a Man City supporter - is one of my closest confidants.  Just don’t get me started on the nurses in case Mrs R learns to read English here…

 

6 Marriage and having children

 

I pity the boring miseries who say only rent in Thailand when it comes to relationships. Dreadful! Thais are loyal and loving wives and husbands if a little prone to throw what us Brits call wobblies every six weeks. Get a doghouse to hide in if you come a cropper. Thailand is a great place to bring up children. My first set still love it though they prefer to live abroad after an international school education. My second set - yes, I did it all over again with a second wife - are in Thai schools and learning so much from their gran in Loei. Have plenty of kids (certainly more than wives) and you won’t go far wrong in kid-friendly Thailand. 

 

7  The peace and quiet

 

It’s true that the villages can have the odd loudspeaker and Bangkok can be a tad hectic but again, if you are smart, it’s possible to find peace and quiet in Thailand. I’m only a few kms from the center of the capital but I can hear a pin drop (at night!). If something breaks the peace complain about it nicely. Contrary to some opinions that everything in the nation is loud, there are many Thais who will back you up when it comes to noise pollution.

 

8 Thai language

 

Don’t let Thai language be a hindrance to living in the country and never listen to those who say it is too hard or too late to learn. With a little effort Thai is easy to master and foreigners should learn more than taxi Thai. Learn to speak fluently (concentrate on the sounds of the language) and definitely learn to read and even write (predictive text is great to practice that). Mix in all social strata and among all sexes to find role models for your language and willing teachers. Foreigners who speak Thai well enjoy enormous advantages and gain even more respect. Try it and you’ll see I’m right!

 

9 Thai officialdom

 

Go onto a site like Thaivisa and you’ll see one moaner about this aspect of life after another. Ignore them. When dealing with Thai officials smile, be properly dressed and polite. Don’t try and rush things, take a book. If you can, speak Thai and praise them and their country. Even interactions with plod can be positive if you follow the basics and talk about the EPL. Thai offices - the DLT, districts, immigration - are all much improved on what they were years ago. There are less lunch breaks, better systems and more efficient staff. Be positive and friendly - a mantra for living in Thailand.

 

10 Scrabble and hobbies

 

Regular readers of this column will know that I am a professional Scrabble grand master who has represented Thailand on many occasions and has made countless friends after being introduced to the game here. Scrabble may not be your thing but I would suggest whatever it is - a British friend of mine represented the kingdom at Taekwondo - find out how you can get involved. Pursuing a lifelong hobby - whether it is model trains, cycling, gardening - you’ll find like minded Thais and foreigners to develop your passion and make your life more fulfilled. Just be careful of “doll collecting”. 

 

Yes, be positive, don’t limit yourself, avoid the moaners (some might be Thai) who say it can’t be done and above all enjoy your life in Thailand. Don’t compare it to where you’ve come from, make the most of it. And above all….

 

Never leave!

 

Now here are some of the top stories that caught Rooster’s beady eye this week:

 

The big story of the week was news that foreigners will be included in the Thai government’s vaccination program.  

 

The Bangkok police are trialling a new khaki uniform that they hope will be better suited to the climate and meet with public approval. Hopefully the more portly plod will be able to lever themselves into it. 

 

We were told after a survey that 50% of Thais think eating Pad Krapao can ward off Covid. Nonsense! Everyone knows that only durian and garlic - possibly together - can scare everything away!

 

Koh Larn was shut for two weeks from last Wednesday. There were fears that Koh Chang might follow suit. Most people are staying put at home so all this is a moot point.

 

In Khon Kaen a local official made non-mask wearers do squat thrusts instead of paying fines. This was particularly good for the elderly, he said. It's a shame that PM Prayut was not given the option rather than pay a paltry 6K. I’d like to have seen him even more red faced than usual.

 

A cluster of infections at Bangkok's Klong Toei slum caused concern and started a mass vaccination drive. Meanwhile, many in the expat community took to forums to comment after the MoPH said they’d have to wait to get jabbed until Thais had had their turn. Moderna will be available “soon” for 3,000 baht, said a health official.

 

In government news, heroin smuggler Thammanat Prompao was allowed to keep his job because his 1994 conviction was in Australia. The Constitutional Court decided that it's a foreign country and this is Thailand…..

 

The cabinet had a two hour meeting that failed to resolve what to do about THAI airways. The meeting was addressed via video conferencing by Saksayam the transport minister fresh from his bout of Covid caught at a gentlemen’s club and justice minister Somsak who had to quarantine for 14 days after a Songkran party in his honor in Sukhothai resulted in dozens of infections and the death of a woman in Bangkok.

 

Yes, it’s still as crazy as ever in the “upper echelons” as they behave like rats in the sewers. 

 

In Nan, a beautiful province in the north, a pregnant Thai wife went missing and her foreign husband, clearly a Caucasian, was being sought. Blood was found at the house. 

 

The foreign husband, who has a history of violence and charges back in the United States, was later arrested in Chiang Mai.

 

In Pattaya, Sophon Cable TV on Facebook took pictures of and shamed foreigners who were not wearing masks. I’d let them off but fine them for wearing shorts and having their tattooed bellies hanging out. Talk about letting the side down. 

 

And speaking of letting the side down, a foreigner in Hang Dong, Chiang Mai made national news following his petulant antics after he refused to wear a mask and became abusive to police and locals.

 

Also in Pattaya, a Teana went up in flames with the 24 year old owner saying he didn’t have time to retrieve a million baht in cash on the back seat. A likely story!

 

In nearby Bang Saen mayor Lek called for dog owners to show more responsibility and published pictures of a pit bull roaming the resort. Daily News said it looked like the local mafia on the streets!

 

A grisly murder in Bang Lamung was jealousy said the police. It was different from the usual genre in that the wife, 24, clearly did it with multiple stab wounds to her 23 year old hubby who was found naked in the bathroom. 

 

Finally, infidelity was also at the source of my favorite story of the week. 

 

A hapless food delivery guy went to the Loei police to say that he had made several transfers to a “sideline” girl he met on Twitter who he had wanted to get in the sack.

 

After 14,000 baht had gone one way, she blocked him. The cops explained patiently that this was prostitution and he’d have to take this one on the chin. 

 

He rode off on his motorcycle into the Isaan sunset to make his next delivery.

 

Hopefully just a little wiser about some of the pitfalls Thailand can throw up.

 

And hopefully not wanting to leave.

 

Rooster 

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-24

 

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[WineOh]

A million young Thais joined the facebook group for a reason.

They now finally see the light and want to better themselves.

 

Nothing wrong with that.

Thailand is completely stagnant and stuck in a rut.

No room for growth here, especially for the well informed youth of the country.

Edited May 9, 2021 by WineOh

[rumak]

18 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

in general, here is my totally sincere list in no particular order of why staying in Thailand makes so much good sense! Enjoy!

 

ATTENTION READERS :    Rumak.... in general .... agrees with most everything on that list.

I am a little disappointed not to be able to find any real drivel in that list.   

 

About the only sentence I had a little difficulty with was  "Yes, the sky's the limit when it comes to work with ample opportunities to spend one's hard-earned on enjoyable pursuits"

A bit confusing.   Maybe .... " with today's new advancements the sky's the limit when enjoying one's hard-on "  would have worked .

 

ok,  i'll leave it there.    BTW   i have not left Thailand in the last 17 years .   I am still a stranger in a strange land,   but still never a regret from where i left

[kingofthemountain]

I am sorry but i have to disagree with you on most of the points

 

1\ the Thai people and their sense of humor

what you describe is not related to the sense of humor

i agree with you, usualy most of thai people are nice and pleasant

but they are very ''first degree'' when it comes to humor, and it's a slippery slope

 

2\ work and play

''Thailand is a great place to work and an even better place to go out and enjoy the entertainment''

 

Thailand is certainly not a great place to work for a foreigner, you can not ignore the countless obstacles put in place by the administration, from difficultiy to obtain a work permit to the list of the professions reserved to the Thais.

And it was a good place to go out and enjoy the entertainement until covid 19 hit the country.

Maybe you dont know the fact that at the moment all of these venues are closed, and more and more of them definitively 

 

3\ the Thai roads and motorcycle riding

 

Well maybe you hust have been lucky (Do you use some amulets?)

but talking about the carnage you can not ignore thai roads are among the worst in the world considering the number of accidents and deaths.

Anticipate? How can you anticipate an idiot under influence at high speed coming out of the blue with his pick up, or the usual brake failure of the truck driver falling asleep at the wheel?

 

4\ eating out or at home

well the street food is not as ''hygienic'' as you think

full of bad oil and glutamate, aproximative cleaning

no respect of the cold chain and so on, it's still cheap.

If you buy quality food, supermarkets and restaurants are

not cheap at all, few are even more costly than in your country of origin, particularly with the ridiculous taxes on the importations

Honestly the Thai dining experience is not so great, you must be

from UK or USA to writing this. And you lost me with Macdonald

 

5\The Thai health care system

Usualy as a foreigner, you are not included in this health care system

(Few exceptions of guys working and paying taxes being involved in the national welfare scheme)

so there is only 2 options:

you have a good private insurance able to pay for you

and it comes with a high cost

you have yourself the money to pay the hospital

and it comes with a high cost

So yes the Thai hospital and clinics are decent, if you have the money to pay them

 

Well i stop here as i don't want to do a very long post but i could 

demonstrate on your other 5 points how far you are wrong for most of the foreigners

 

however i understand your global experience was and is still enjoyable

but you can not do from your specific case a generality

 

Thailand is still a nice place to stay

but not as good as it was in the past

and it's worse year after year

Edited May 9, 2021 by kingofthemountain

[rumak]

11 minutes ago, WineOh said:

A million young Thais joined the facebook group for a reason.

They now finally see the light and want to better themselves.

 

Nothing wrong with that.

Thailand is completely stagnant and stuck in a rut.

No room for growth here, especially for the well informed youth of the country.

 

"I have two ambitions in life: One is to drink every Pub dry, the other is to sleep with every woman on Earth." Oliver Reed.  

 

interesting that you choose that quote .   is that the "better yourself"  that you follow ? 

[WineOh]

2 minutes ago, rumak said:

 

"I have two ambitions in life: One is to drink every Pub dry, the other is to sleep with every woman on Earth." Oliver Reed.  

 

interesting that you choose that quote .   is that the "better yourself"  that you follow ? 

It's just a quote from an actor whom I admire for his acting talent.

 

Don't read too much into it, rumak.

[rumak]

Just now, kingofthemountain said:

i agree with you, usualy most of thai people are nice and pleasant

but they are very ''first degree'' when it comes to humor, and it's a slippery slope

 

i understand your points as well .   But let's face it ..... the world is really screwed up !

 

Walking down the street in Thailand I have NEVER felt the hostility ( not talking tourist red zones)  that i feel in the US.    Maybe some western countries are better.  My thai born daughter likes Canada.   

 

Everywhere,  like is a learning curve.  I can not change the world,  but what i have learnt in Thailand HAS enabled me to relate to much of the OPs  points

[WineOh]

6 minutes ago, rumak said:

Walking down the street in Thailand I have NEVER felt the hostility ( not talking tourist red zones)

Sadly, those tourist red zones you refer to are what the majority of foreigners coming here get to see.

Phuket, Samui, Koh Tao, Pattaya.

All full of aggressive locals who are fueled by greed.

They swear at, intimidate and occasionally physically assault these tourists who are just here for a holiday.

 

And of course there is little to no recourse for the tourists because the thai authorities couldn't give two hoots what happens to a foreigner.

Until all that changes, Thailand will always remain stuck where it is.

Edited May 9, 2021 by WineOh

[rumak]

Just now, WineOh said:

It's just a quote from an actor whom I admire for his acting talent.

 

Don't read too much into it, rumak.

i never did.............. till you posted about people bettering themselves   ????

 

there are certainly "opportunities "  for that in the US ............. but some might say that the "current inhabitants"  are in great majority lazy and entitled.   Not to mention,  ok , i mention,

arrogant and aggressive.

 

As for Thais....... well,   i know some people who sell sticks of moo ping at the market,  or have a little restaurant.   A small percentage of them have been very successful.   Funny,  but they always seem to be the ones that work the hardest .

[fishtank]

Quote

 

7  The peace and quiet

there are many Thais who will back you up when it comes to noise pollution.

 

Absolute rubbish.

Thais could not care less about noise.

In fact they seem to enjoy it.

[rumak]

Just now, WineOh said:

Sadly, those tourist red zones you refer to are what the majority of foreigners coming here get to see.

Phuket, Samui, Koh Tao, Pattaya.

All full of aggressive locals who are fueled by greed.

They swear at, intimidate and occasionally physically assault these tourists who are just here for a holiday.

 

And of course there is little to no recourse for the tourists because the thai authorities couldn't give two hoots what happens to a foreigner.

Until all that changes, Thailand will always be stuck where it is.

 

read your post again.    the way i read it..... it is the foreigners you refer to that are the problem. 

you sound like the person defending an aggressive male because the woman "looked sexy " 

 

time for lunch  ????

[RobMuir]

13 minutes ago, rumak said:

have two ambitions in life: One is to drink every Pub dry, the other is to sleep with every woman on Earth." Oliver Reed.  

That is millions a fat ugly women.

 

You would need beer goggles on to get through them.

 

 

 

[WineOh]

Just now, fishtank said:

Absolute rubbish.

Thais could not care less about noise.

In fact they seem to enjoy it.

got to agree with you there, fishtank.

The other night at 23:20 a young girl (20 or so) took it upon herself to ride her skate board up and down our soi, doing tricks and grinds on the curb.

I opened my window in my undies and told her not to skate in front of my house ever again.

 

Haven't seen her or the skateboard since. 

[kingofthemountain]

16 minutes ago, rumak said:

Walking down the street in Thailand I have NEVER felt the hostility

you are right

 

imo the most positive point in Thailand is the safety you have here

you can basicaly walk everywhere in every part of the country at every time of the day or the night without any risk at all

 

(As long as you walk on the sidewalk and if you can avoid the usual

hole in the ground because an unfinished work in progress\lack 

of maintenance and if you can also avoid the usual motorbike driver coming at high speed in the wrong way and on the walkside while looking at his phone)

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by kingofthemountain

[Norrad]

That group is annoying as hell as it's roped in my GF now and she is begging me to move her out of LOS. She wants to go somewhere that has proper winters while I am trying to have an endless summer.

[RobMuir]

4 minutes ago, WineOh said:

Sadly, those tourist red zones you refer to are what the majority of foreigners coming here get to see.

Phuket, Samui, Koh Tao, Pattaya.

All full of aggressive locals who are fueled by greed.

They swear at, intimidate and occasionally physically assault these tourists who are just here for a holiday.

 

And of course there is little to no recourse for the tourists because the thai authorities couldn't give two hoots what happens to a foreigner.

Until all that changes, Thailand will always remain stuck where it is.

You really should change your name to Whine Oh.

 

Do you ever stop complaining?

[WineOh]

Just now, RobMuir said:

You really should change your name to Whine Oh.

 

Do you ever stop complaining?

does the truth bother you, Rob?

[puchooay]

21 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

how far you are wrong for most of the foreigners

 

You forgot to add " in my opinion". 

[Pravda]

Written  by British. It doesn't count.

[nausea]

14 minutes ago, WineOh said:

Thailand is completely stagnant and stuck in a rut.

Agree. No place for youngsters wanting to make their way in the world, Thai or Western, but for us old fogeys stuck in 1950s nostalgia, it ain't so bad. As a girl I met once said - no satang bad, nitnoi satang not so bad. As long as you've got that income stream you'll never be lonely here. My only fear is that Thailand will drag itself into the 21st century.

[fishtank]

4 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Written  by British. It doesn't count.

Not written by British.

Written by one Brit who is after clicks for the website.

[kingofthemountain]

10 minutes ago, puchooay said:

You forgot to add " in my opinion". 

2 exceptions (You and rooster) still don't make a majority

 

but yes it was obviously my opinion

and i explained why. 

Don't get me wrong, i still love Thailand and thai people

and i am still happy to live here

but i have taking off my rose teinted glasses long time ago

being realist about the right and the wrong is what help you

to keep in touch with the real world

if you are in the deny, you lock yourself in a bubble

Edited May 9, 2021 by kingofthemountain

[fishtank]

1 minute ago, nausea said:

Agree. No place for youngsters wanting to make their way in the world, Thai or Western, but for us old fogeys stuck in 1950s nostalgia, it ain't so bad. As a girl I met once said - no satang bad, nitnoi satang not so bad. As long as you've got that income stream you'll never be lonely here. My only fear is that Thailand will drag itself into the 21st century.

Not with the army running things it wont.

[puchooay]

9 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

2 exceptions (You and rooster) still don't make a majority

 

but yes it was obviously my opinion

and i explained why. 

Don't get me wrong, i still love Thailand and thai people

and i am still happy to live here

but i have taking off my rose teinted glasses long time ago

being realist about the right and the wrong is what help you

to keep in touch with the real world

if you are in the deny, you lock yourself in a bubble

Members of TV are not a majority. Your suggestion is inane.

[JayClay]

An article supposedly in response to a group of Thais wanting to leave the country, that lists 10 reasons that the country is a great place for foreigners to live.

 

Top job, Mr Journalist. I'm sure with that you've managed to change the minds of every single Thai that previously wanted to leave...

[RobMuir]

28 minutes ago, WineOh said:

does the truth bother you, Rob?

I have enjoyed at various times all those places you mentioned as have my family and friends every decade since the 1970s.

 

We have been treated fantastically by the friendly locals that are famous for smiling which is why they keep returning year after year and why I decided to stay.

 

Over the years the only ugly behaviour I have seen there is from stuck up, entitled Whining westerners who think they are better than the locals.

 

I wonder why you just don't do yourself a favour and leave if it is as terrible as you perceive it to be. 

 

 

 

[WineOh]

3 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

I have enjoyed at various times all those places you mentioned as have my family and friends every decade since the 1970s.

 

We have been treated fantastically by the friendly locals that are famous for smiling which is why they keep returning year after year and why I decided to stay.

 

Over the years the only ugly behaviour I have seen there is from stuck up, entitled Whining westerners who think they are better than the locals.

 

I wonder why you just don't do yourself a favour and leave if it is as terrible as you perceive it to be. 

 

 

 

No point arguing with you because you are obviously too far gone.

 

You see what you see and I see what I see.

 

We shall just leave it at that.

[BostonRob2]

14 minutes ago, JayClay said:

An article supposedly in response to a group of Thais wanting to leave the country, that lists 10 reasons that the country is a great place for foreigners to live.

 

Top job, Mr Journalist. I'm sure with that you've managed to change the minds of every single Thai that previously wanted to leave...

It's hardly going to be directed at Thais is it, on Thaivisa the audience is of course foreigners. 

[WineOh]

50 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

That is millions a fat ugly women.

What a vile, nasty comment.

 

You should be ashamed of yourself coming out with things like that.

[Gecko123]

While I agree with many of the points the OP makes, the first half of the article comes across as a tad bit too self-congratulatory and preachy for my tastes.