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

[polpott]

2 minutes ago, WineOh said:

I've never been 'attacked' by a ladyboy in Pattaya.

never been there long enough for it to happen. What a dump.

 

A ladyboy attempted to mug me in Phuket a long time ago.

I felt his hand go in my pocket, I grabbed hold of it and smacked it square in the jaw.

 

It ran off, crying like a baby. 

Of course you did Malcom. A legend in your own lunchtime.

[DougSunee]

Interesting comment about the Pad Kaprao, would that be with or without a fried egg?

[Tropposurfer]

Right on Rooster. I laugh at the long posts negating your comments, experiences, attitudes and observations. I agree with you almost entirely.white privileged attitudes don't fly here at all. What appears to be the barrier for some to be able to live here without grabbing a whinge opportunity at almost any turn is perhaps, perhaps their habitual unconscious need to project a white privileged/superiority attitude onto another culture and how they reel at finding that they and their inherent white privilege doesn't fly here and is openingly met with a self-confidence, push-back by Thai's that truly confronts and irks them.

[kynikoi]

Very weak, ephemeral reasons.

Seeing the way this covid thing is being managed I'm once again looking at options (with wife).

Obvious we rank little better than farm animals.

Can't imagine if something like Ebola hit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[clivebaxter]

'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'

 

What has Thais leaving the country got to do with learning Thai? they already have! Obviously sarcasm, it is NOT easy, I should know been at it since 1994 and still can't string a sentence together. ????

 

[BostonRob2]

56 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

My understanding is that the woman he was charged with assaulting/trying to kill back in Colorado is the same woman who ended up getting murdered in Nan. My understanding is that her return to Thailand and refusal to testify against him is the reason charges against him were dropped.

 

It's pretty obvious in hindsight that neither of them seem to have had a good handle on the character and temperament of the other. Language barriers can often mask significant incompatibilities, which in the excitement of whirlwind holiday romances, overseas travel opportunities, houses being built and cars being bought, or, from the man's point of view, the excitement of marrying an attractive younger woman, there's often a tendency to overlook these differences until it's too late. I would argue that's the core issue, not how carefully immigration screens incoming tourists.

Ah, the plot thickens. How did you come by this information may I ask. Was it on Thaivisa?

[BostonRob2]

13 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

'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'

 

What has Thais leaving the country got to do with learning Thai? they already have! Obviously sarcasm, it is NOT easy, I should know been at it since 1994 and still can't string a sentence together. ????

 

On the contrary Thai is one of the easiest languages in the world to master, especially with all the help one gets from Thais and opportunities to speak that are so appreciated. Anyone who hasn't learned it hasn't really tried. They miss so much. Please try again, seriously this time. 

[BostonRob2]

3 hours ago, WineOh said:

Agree.

I've read a few of Roosters editorials and he doesn't half waffle on!

 

Never forgetting to remind us that he plays Scrabble every day.

Who gives? lol.

Millions of people around the world now play Scrabble online. The Scrabble grandmaster is the new rock star. Women go weak at the knees at the thought of someone who can anagram.

[WineOh]

4 minutes ago, BostonRob2 said:

The Scrabble grandmaster is the new rock star. Women go weak at the knees at the thought of someone who can anagram.

good one mate! ???? 

[terryofcrete]

4 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Thailand is still a nice place to stay

for a holiday.. I’m a tourist.... 5 separate months a year... 6/7 years ...and love it ...Separate months ? ... because 30 days in something goes bang in my psyche ! .... GTFOOH.... as in get the...out of here !  

[Bradmeister]

You did not say Foreigners again, did you?

 

How about : Everyone should learn to speak Thai.   

 

I'd really be impressed if you said everyone should become Thai literate. 

 

There is no place called Foreignland. 

 

There is no place called : Farangland. 

 

Let's help our fellow residents and neighbor's know and appreciate the wonderful diversity and nationalities of the planet.

 

Let's share our culture with the People of Thailand and surrounding South East Asia countries. 

 

Again : There is no place called the land of farang or land of foreigners. 

[overherebc]

8 minutes ago, Bradmeister said:

You did not say Foreigners again, did you?

 

How about : Everyone should learn to speak Thai.   

 

I'd really be impressed if you said everyone should become Thai literate. 

 

There is no place called Foreignland. 

 

There is no place called : Farangland. 

 

Let's help our fellow residents and neighbor's know and appreciate the wonderful diversity and nationalities of the planet.

 

Let's share our culture with the People of Thailand and surrounding South East Asia countries. 

 

Again : There is no place called the land of farang or land of foreigners. 

Those two places do exist. They are small areas just outside a hub. In those two places everyone is rich, has a big house and car.

[Namtak]

5 hours ago, rumak said:

 

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

Precisely what hostility did you "feel" in the us and where were you? Details please 

[siamsev]

5 hours ago, WineOh said:

does the truth bother you, Rob?

Your truth. Not everyone's.

[David T Pike]

The grass is always greener on the other side. FYI, It's Astro Turf!!! ????

[covidiot]

I challenge you to a Scrabble duel!

[siamsev]

2 hours ago, WineOh said:

I've never been 'attacked' by a ladyboy in Pattaya.

never been there long enough for it to happen. What a dump.

 

A ladyboy attempted to mug me in Phuket a long time ago.

I felt his hand go in my pocket, I grabbed hold of it and smacked it square in the jaw.

 

It ran off, crying like a baby. 

'It'?

 

[Stevemercer]

Thailand is a great country for old men, probably for all the reasons given by Rooster, and more.

 

But I can't blame young Thais for wanting to get out, see the world and experience other cultures. I suspect opportunities could be limited if your family does not have the right connections.

 

I agree with Rooster about the roads. I was pleasantly surprised about the extent and general quality of the roads when coming from Australia. But (particularly on a motorbike) you do have to be alert at all times and cannot allow your attention to drift for even a few seconds. 

[Golden Triangle]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Here eleven years now, no problems with Thais to speak of.

Most of my problems have been with Caucasians.

According to God you and I still newbies ????  At the age he first came here I was busy serving Queen & Country, in other words doing something useful with my life, not pontificating about how bloody good I am.

[spidermike007]

Good post. I do disagree with a few of the points. Especially anything related to the government here, which I consider toxic from the federal level right on down. Immigration included, of course. 

 

I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably be spending only a couple of months a year here. It does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option for me. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. For me, it is about quality of life, and my level of fulfillment on a daily basis, which I seem to have here in abundance.

 

A big factor here, is the relatively light hearted attitude of the people. And as he stated, the great sense of humor. I love that. You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. It is ridiculously hard to get the average American to laugh. And I can be quite funny. 
 
This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us live very good lives here. Some of us have been fortunate enough to find an outstanding woman, who is delightful to be around, on a daily basis, always has our back, and is fun, smart, and lovely. For me, that likelihood of finding that back in the US, would be very low. So, that is a big factor for me. The second factor is just the quality of life. Sure, I miss alot of the culture back home. The theatre, independent film (which I can download here with no issues at all, and a super fast 1 GBPS fiber optic connection, at under 700 baht per month!), stand up comedy, live jazz, etc. But I have a lovely home that I rent, for about 10% of what I would pay in California, I live very well on an income which is not huge, have access to great health care, at a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US, and do not have to put up with alot of the aggravation that I had to when I lived back there.
 
Thailand is still reasonable. It used to be cheap. Has not been cheap for a long time. But, it is still reasonable. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $2000-4000 a month. That is 120,000 baht!

 

Examples: I had my motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275.

 

I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $500 and up.

 

I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $500 and up.

 

An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75.

 

When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. Usually 1800-2000 baht. Now, during Covid. Great hotels for 1,000 baht. In the US? $130 for a crappy motel. $200 and up for a nice room.

 

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 150-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip. And I get more thanks here for a 20 baht tip, than I do in the US, for a $20 tip! 

 

I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300-2000. An anecdote on this subject. A good friend of mine got in a bad motorcycle accident some time ago. He almost lost his leg. He got his first of 11 operations at Bangkok Hospital Samui. It costs him over a million baht. They wanted to do a second procedure. They quoted him 1,400,000 baht. He decided to transfer to Bangkok. He was quoted 460,000 baht for the same procedure, at a top private hospital there. The surgeon told him that he worked at a public hospital too, and could do the same operation there, for alot less money. He told him he would get him a quote. In the interim, my friend called a good friend of his, in San Diego, who is an orthopedic surgeon. Since my friend is a retired chiropractor, he knew all the terminology, and explained what he needed, and asked for the best price. His friend called him back the next day, and quoted him $960,000, with cash discounts! The local surgeon here got back to him, and told him he could do it for 46,000 baht. He transferred, and they did all the rest of his procedures. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery.

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a decent looking gal, with alot of attitude, rules and bylaws. 

 

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is all very relative.

 

I am happy here. I am staying until they kick me out. LOL. 

[toofarnorth]

5 hours ago, RobMuir said:

That is millions a fat ugly women.

 

You would need beer goggles on to get through them.

 

 

 

While on the subject of Ollie.  About 40 years ago I lived in the same town as Ollie.

I took my then wife out for a meal at a restaurant and Mr Reed was in there with a few of his mates.  I think there was about 2 tables left  , Mr Reed and his mates had all the other tables put together , as we walked in he said ' Shush , we have company '.  The noise continued with his mob then he sent a bottle of wine to our table as an appology . 

Another story for another day was a charity football match , his side had ' Reed's raiders ' football shirts on.  They all came out carrying pints.

[clivebaxter]

1 hour ago, BostonRob2 said:

On the contrary Thai is one of the easiest languages in the world to master, especially with all the help one gets from Thais and opportunities to speak that are so appreciated. Anyone who hasn't learned it hasn't really tried. They miss so much. Please try again, seriously this time. 

Tones are anything but easy, cant' even differentiate them- help from Thais is usually mai kow jai! I don't think I've missed much at all except a lot of earache!

[spidermike007]

30 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

Tones are anything but easy, cant' even differentiate them- help from Thais is usually mai kow jai! I don't think I've missed much at all except a lot of earache!

I agree. If he thinks Thai is easy, he does not realize he is a natural linguist. Or has not tried a language like Spanish, where you can often relate the words to something in the real world, or remember them, because you can actually read them. 

 

In addition, with Spanish the people you are speaking with, are not only making a real effort to understand what you are saying, they are also open minded and creative enough to extrapolate, and conjure up what you are asking by doing the kind of intellectual dancing only a few thousand Thais seem capable of. 

 

Not to mention the tones, and the alphabet from Mars. 

[rumak]

1 hour ago, Namtak said:

Precisely what hostility did you "feel" in the us and where were you? Details please 

 

oh boy ........   one of these guys .       while i am here,  what does Namtak mean ?   any relation to  kee tak ?

 

BTW,  you can add spidermike's list of common characteristics found in the US :

    " You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. It is ridiculously hard to get the average American to laugh. And I can be quite funny. "

Edited May 9, 2021 by rumak

[rumak]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery.

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a decent looking gal, with alot of attitude, rules and bylaws. 

 

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Y

 

Spider,  i have asked you once before to stop extolling the good things about living here !!

 

Its guys like you that give Thailand a good name,  and then MORE of those "other people" start showing up........ bringing their lovely western attitudes with them.    Last warning ????

 

note:  humor ( based on truth )    lol

Edited May 9, 2021 by rumak

[rumak]

7 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

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

 

you're gettin old !   555    move me back 15 years and life was goooooood.  

 

sorry, don't know your age.   but damn, mine sure snuck up on me .  and it ain't  sanook 

Edited May 9, 2021 by rumak

[ricardofel]

Thought I would live in Thailand until I dies. I left with NO regrets! Lived there for 7 years, had a big house, 26 rai of land in the mountains 20 minutes from Saraphi. Ex-wife stayed, I took our 5 year old son (he has THRIVED) to the US. MUCH better life! Organic foods are real! No pollution! Life is a little more expensive with taxes and insurance....but worth it!!!!

[BostonRob2]

2 hours ago, covidiot said:

I challenge you to a Scrabble duel!

Is vidiot a Scrabble word?

[Elkski]

If a person has a nice house, financial stable in a nice 4 season climate there is only 1 reason to live in Thailand and my woman is the jealous type so no reason.   I never slept 1 night in Thailand without more noise than my current location in USA.  Really the most noisy location is quieter than Thailand.  The street food is tasty but not clean or sanitary.  Not getting sick is just a testimony if the human gut.   I cant stand the sound of roosters crowing, dogs barking, and monk noise on loud speakers.   

[covidiot]

16 minutes ago, Elkski said:

a nice 4 season climate

maybe california, but not too many places where winter isn't drudgery. thailand has the edge climate-wise. nice try though.