Why do you live in Thailand?

[Kanada]

7 minutes ago, The Cipher said:

 

Winners gonna win, haters gonna hate.

 

Don't worry about the negativity. Congrats on building a life that makes you happy. Keep it up!

Thanks ???? 

I met a dozen or so falang in ChiangMai when I first went there....they were always anxious to get me to dislike Thailand too....I could never figure it out!

As it turned out so many of them weren’t welcome back in their own countries and they were stuck here...makes them upset and unhappy I guess????

[Brierley]

1 minute ago, Kanada said:

Thanks ???? 

I met a dozen or so falang in ChiangMai when I first went there....they were always anxious to get me to dislike Thailand too....I could never figure it out!

As it turned out so many of them weren’t welcome back in their own countries and they were stuck here...makes them upset and unhappy I guess????

Misery loves company syndrome, looser to a man. Burnt their bridges and lost their shirts here through foolish behavior, the country's full of them. 

[Kanada]

1 minute ago, Brierley said:

Misery loves company syndrome, looser to a man. Burnt their bridges and lost their shirts here through foolish behavior, the country's full of them. 

There does seem to be a lot of them and they aren’t hard to figure out....living in a country they dislike surrounded by people they dislike and distrust.

Man that’s a tough way to live!

 

[Gecko123]

1 hour ago, Kanada said:

???? so you’re unhappy then by the sounds of it ??

No,  I'm quite content and If I chose to explain why, I could do it in a much more substantive and thoughtful manner than you have. I am happy for you, but I rolled my eyes at the lack of substance and the clichéd reasons you cited in your OP. You come across as seeing yourself as breezily superior to anyone who might have a more balanced take on Thailand. I might point out that Buddhism teaches to see things neither from a pessimistic nor an optimistic standpoint, but to see things as they really are.

 

Edited May 16, 2021 by Gecko123

[Bangkok Barry]

I moved here about 25 years ago, first living in Bangkok and then Kalasin province. Why? After meeting my wife who was working in a Bangkok department store she joined me in travelling around the world as I conducted my work as a tennis journalist. But, after about 18 months, that got a bit expensive for the two of us and she was left alone a lot in strange places while I often worked until midnight.

 

So, to be fair to her, I decided we would live in Thailand. I'd already been travelling for years anyway and only spent brief periods in my native London, so it wasn't that big a deal to me. Now, we live only one kilometre from the village she grew up in and where most of her family still are, so she's happy.

 

The country is very different now to when I arrived. On the plus side, we have great internet and therefore IPTV, whereas back then there were a couple of tv stations and to make even a local call you had to go to a shop in the village. Anywhere beyond that, we had to go to a centre 10 kms up the road to book a call. On the minus side, it has become more tedious to be allowed to remain in Thailand and 'visit' my wife of 30 years. The people are fine most of the time, although the lower IQ and total lack of common sense constantly makes me shake my head. The government is not fine, nor many of the people who believe that wearing a uniform gives them the right to bully Thais and foreigners alike. And I miss the seasons, although I'd probably be tired of winter by December.

[richard_smith237]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

My healthcare in Thailand costs me 250bht every 3 months.

50bht to use the government hospital, 200bht for 3 months of medication.

Expensive housing?

I couldn't rent a bedsit for the money I pay on my 3 bedroom house mortgage (11k/month) in the UK.

 

 

 

We live very different lives. 

 

I can’t rent anything in Bangkok for 11k per month.

 

I wouldn’t live in the countryside in Thailand.

I wouldn’t live in the City in the UK.

 

Compromises exist in both places and cannot directly translate - but for what my Wife and I have paid for a house in Bangkok we could get something bigger and better with more space in the UK. 

 

 

OF course, a similar property in central London would cost 20x  but that would never be an option anyway. 

 

 

There are a lot of good reasons to live in the UK (for my family and I), meanwhile, there are also a lot of good reasons to live in Thailand. 

 

 

Having public healthcare in Thailand is not something I’m willing to do unless forced to. One day that may happen when my insurance premiums start to exceed 300,000 baht a year etc.

 

Interesting though: How do you get Healthcare for 1000 Baht per year (and 50 baht per visit) and what is the quality of that care ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Compromises exist in both places and cannot directly translate - but for what my Wife and I have paid for a house in Bangkok we could get something bigger and better with more space in the UK. 

 

Interesting though: How do you get Healthcare for 1000 Baht per year (and 50 baht per visit) and what is the quality of that care ?

Not in London, my pals very small bedsit beside Hyde Park cost 600,000GBP.

 

Health care, as good as I received in the UK.

Main differences, here I can walk in on any day (I do get a dated appointment letter, but can go another day if I feel like it), and park outside free of charge, although I need to queue 8am-2pm.

In the UK I'd need an appointment made months in advance, and pay a fortune in parking fees.

50bht to use the hospital services, itemised fees for any pills (1bht/pill) or consumables used (250bht xray/blood test). My usual bill is 50bht hospital services plus 200bht for 200 pills (3 months supply).

Edited May 16, 2021 by BritManToo

[Kanada]

33 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

No,  I'm quite content and If I chose to explain why, I could do it in a much more substantive and thoughtful manner than you have. I am happy for you, but I rolled my eyes at the lack of substance and the clichéd reasons you cited in your OP. You come across as seeing yourself as breezily superior to anyone who might have a more balanced take on Thailand. I might point out that Buddhism teaches to see things neither from a pessimistic nor an optimistic standpoint, but to see things as they really are.

 

I would be in Thailand whether I had met her or not...I like it here!

 

 

Ok guess I won’t be hearing from you any more then 

Bye ????

[Gecko123]

3 minutes ago, Kanada said:

Ok guess I won’t be hearing from you any more then 

Bye ????

 

 

At long last, you have surmised correctly. ????

 

[madmen]

Most of the guys that trash Thailand give some excuse that absolutely blocks them leaving so having validated their status they continue to bash. 

I don't believe that nonsense. Anybody can relocate their spouse, family, dog, parrot, ladyboy back to their home country. where there is a will there is a way. 

 

I feel sorry for the children who's dad refuses to relocate them to first world life and opportunity usually BECAUSE he likes the cruisy life in LOS to much to leave. 

 

[Kanada]

35 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I moved here about 25 years ago, first living in Bangkok and then Kalasin province. Why? After meeting my wife who was working in a Bangkok department store she joined me in travelling around the world as I conducted my work as a tennis journalist. But, after about 18 months, that got a bit expensive for the two of us and she was left alone a lot in strange places while I often worked until midnight.

 

So, to be fair to her, I decided we would live in Thailand. I'd already been travelling for years anyway and only spent brief periods in my native London, so it wasn't that big a deal to me. Now, we live only one kilometre from the village she grew up in and where most of her family still are, so she's happy.

 

The country is very different now to when I arrived. On the plus side, we have great internet and therefore IPTV, whereas back then there were a couple of tv stations and to make even a local call you had to go to a shop in the village. Anywhere beyond that, we had to go to a centre 10 kms up the road to book a call. On the minus side, it has become more tedious to be allowed to remain in Thailand and 'visit' my wife of 30 years. The people are fine most of the time, although the lower IQ and total lack of common sense constantly makes me shake my head. The government is not fine, nor many of the people who believe that wearing a uniform gives them the right to bully Thais and foreigners alike. And I miss the seasons, although I'd probably be tired of winter by December.

Well that was a pleasure to read!!

Well said ????

[Kanada]

6 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

 

 

At long last, you have surmised correctly. ????

 

Oh there you are again...the last word is it!

????????

[Johnny Mac]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

If I could get my wife and child to the UK , I wouldn't live in Thailand.

 

I see Thailand as a temporary home for part time retirement before moving back to uk for old age - besides I'm only 57 and I have a good tenant doing up my house and adding value to it each month, so not in a rush

 

 

Your post strikes a chord with me. I feel a similar way, I'm 51 and dread the thought of seeing my days out here, if feels like a slow death. But unlike yourself I don't have a house to go back in the UK. What sort of age would you ideally like to be when you go back?

[Brierley]

1 hour ago, Kanada said:

There does seem to be a lot of them and they aren’t hard to figure out....living in a country they dislike surrounded by people they dislike and distrust.

Man that’s a tough way to live!

 

I used to know an ex pub owner from Mansfield who met a sweet young dancer in Pattaya. He jumped in with both feet, married, built the farang mansion in the Issan village, splashed the cash and pretty soon started to play the field. It didn't take long before he lost it all. The lifestyle took its toll and soon his health gave out, now he's a long stay resident in a cheap Thai hotel and complains bitterly about how he was treated by the everyone. He can't go back to the UK because one of his last acts was to "forget" to pay his VAT bill.....som nam na.

[Johnny Mac]

26 minutes ago, madmen said:

Most of the guys that trash Thailand give some excuse that absolutely blocks them leaving so having validated their status they continue to bash. 

I don't believe that nonsense. Anybody can relocate their spouse, family, dog, parrot, ladyboy back to their home country. where there is a will there is a way. 

 

I feel sorry for the children who's dad refuses to relocate them to first world life and opportunity usually BECAUSE he likes the cruisy life in LOS to much to leave. 

 

 

You may have a point and wouldn't entirely disagree with you, but it can really can be a huge ask if financially limited needing to sort out housing, schools, visas, work, etc etc. it also brings no guarantees at all that the family will be happy, settled and that the kids will do well in the Uk anyway, far from it. I'm really not sure kids would be better off there than here these days with how the UK is now. Finally, there is always the opportunity for them to make their own way there when they are old enough.

[Brierley]

5 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

Your post strikes a chord with me. I feel a similar way, I'm 51 and dread the thought of seeing my days out here, if feels like a slow death. But unlike yourself I don't have a house to go back in the UK. What sort of age would you ideally like to be when you go back?

I came here at 50, now I'm 71. A few years ago I bought a small flat in the Lakes which I planned to use 50/50, along with my time in Thailand. It worked well for a couple of years but covidinteruptus. At some point I shall resume my 50/50, I hope, but after spending time in the UK once again I'm less than thrilled at the prospect of ending up there permanently. It's a nice place to visit and old memories are strong but the reality is that it's not that great, especially after living here for so long. I love the real ale, the traditional food and the scenery but the weather is rubbish and the attitudes are just alien to me. Given a choice I will spend my final days here but with a few holiday in the UK before then, it's a nice place to visit but gawd, you wouldn't want to live there!.

[xylophone]

29 minutes ago, Kanada said:

Well that was a pleasure to read!!

Well said ????

I have liked your posts Kanada, and a few others on this thread, so I thought I'd add mine.......

 

As a young man I was a party animal and a tear-away, and an adventurer, working in the Sahara desert, Nigeria, the North Sea and Norway and always enjoying the work.

 

I left that and started selling with Rank Xerox in 1977 and became very successful, climbing up the management ladder, but what I didn't realise was that I was pushing myself very hard to try and achieve "success", mainly because coming from a poor and "poorly educated" family and being the outcast/adopted one, I was given no real care and attention, so mostly functioned on my own, which I have done just about all of my life.

 

Anyway, after winning accolades in the UK, I emigrated to New Zealand and then climbed up the ladder to become Vice Pres (director) of sales and establishment marketing for American Express, achieving good things there too.

 

I left when the US company bought back the NZ franchise and I eventually started work for a major NZ bank, where I ended up as Chief manager Investments, starting an investment division and building it up to just under $2 billion worth of investments.

 

The reason I'm going into this detail is because during the last half of my life I pushed myself very hard indeed, working all hours that I possibly could and never having a mind that was free of work and work problems. This because I felt I had to prove myself.

 

Consequently in 2004 I had a burnout, and at the same time was diagnosed with a precancerous condition in my throat, caused by stress and reflux my doctor said. He also said that he'd known me for all of my time in New Zealand and I worked far too hard and under too much pressure, and if I continued like this, the condition I had would probably get worse and I could well be dead within the year – – so he said I needed to rethink my future.

 

I had just been to Patong with a friend by way of a holiday which was much needed, and I was blown away by it because it took me back to my youth when I was a party animal, and it was inexpensive, and people had lots of smiles.

 

I came back again to have another look, and decided that this was the place for me, because I could stop work at that particular point, sell my house in NZ and afford to live the rest of my life here without having to work again, and of course I would not be in the rat race any more.

 

I was okay with spicy food and having worked in the Sahara desert, was okay with the heat, although I'm not overly fond of it I have to say. Not only that, I met a lovely Thai lady who was working as an accountant in a local hotel and we moved in together, and she bought her daughter down from up north. We split after about 6 years but on good terms.

 

I made friends and enjoyed myself and there was a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing that I could live the rest of my life without having to earn another penny through working.

 

I've been back to the UK many times, and it doesn't appeal to me at all. As regards NZ, well I could go back at some time, but it has now become expensive, so one could argue that I'm trapped here, but I don't see it that way.

 

As I said, my ex-girlfriend and I are on good terms and I have unofficially adopted her Thai daughter, whom I'm putting through university now.

 

So in a nutshell, I like being here because I have a Thai daughter to look after, I have made friends here, I can live here until the day I die without worrying unduly about money, I am under no stress whatsoever and when normality returns, I can have a few raucous nights out on the town.

 

PS. I may moan about the place from time to time, and there are things that really do get up my nose, but the same could be said about other places, so it looks like Thailand will be my final resting place.

[Johnny Mac]

3 minutes ago, Brierley said:

I came here at 50, now I'm 71. A few years ago I bought a small flat in the Lakes which I planned to use 50/50, along with my time in Thailand. It worked well for a couple of years but covidinteruptus. At some point I shall resume my 50/50, I hope, but after spending time in the UK once again I'm less than thrilled at the prospect of ending up there permanently. It's a nice place to visit and old memories are strong but the reality is that it's not that great, especially after living here for so long. I love the real ale, the traditional food and the scenery but the weather is rubbish and the attitudes are just alien to me. Given a choice I will spend my final days here but with a few holiday in the UK before then, it's a nice place to visit but gawd, you wouldn't want to live there!.

I do hear what you're saying. maybe I will get run over by a tuk tuk which will spare me all the angst. Thing is with here is we are out of our natural culture and I feel that every day. I still feel like a foreigner here even after 20 years ????

[Kanada]

15 minutes ago, Brierley said:

I used to know an ex pub owner from Mansfield who met a sweet young dancer in Pattaya. He jumped in with both feet, married, built the farang mansion in the Issan village, splashed the cash and pretty soon started to play the field. It didn't take long before he lost it all. The lifestyle took its toll and soon his health gave out, now he's a long stay resident in a cheap Thai hotel and complains bitterly about how he was treated by the everyone. He can't go back to the UK because one of his last acts was to "forget" to pay his VAT bill.....som nam na.

I have a friend who’s lost it all “twice” but finally met the right one (of a non dancer denomination) and has a business here and a hotel going up....he persisted and finally won out but I have heard of at least four others that lost everything and blame Thailand for their luck!

[Brierley]

1 minute ago, Johnny Mac said:

I do hear what you're saying. maybe I will get run over by a tuk tuk which will spare me all the angst. Thing is with here is we are out of our natural culture and I feel that every day. I still feel like a foreigner here even after 20 years ????

After 20 years, if you went back, you'd be a foreigner once again, things change.

 

I've spent more of my life outside the UK than in it, I'm used to being a foreigner, it wouldn't feel right to be anything but! Fifteen years in the US I was an alien, here I'm a farang, in Hong Kong I was a gweilo....it's just a name.

 

[EVENKEEL]

3 hours ago, Kanada said:

What makes you think her feeling safe has anything to do with money??

Money isn’t even on the list when it comes to the “10 most important things in life”

 

Please, money most certainly on the list of important things, maybe you're just having a laff right.

[Johnny Mac]

8 minutes ago, Brierley said:

After 20 years, if you went back, you'd be a foreigner once again, things change.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, but that is unfounded nonsense and simply not true. I know a fella who has relocated back to the UK after 22 years here and he has pretty much just picked up where he left off. And I know 'things change', no need to patronize me like I'm a <deleted> retard.

[EVENKEEL]

3 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

I'd  bendover backwards to  make it  happen???????? Does  this  now  mean I have to identify as gay?

Not at all, make BM2 your ladyboy and you're straight as rain.

[Kanada]

17 minutes ago, xylophone said:

I have liked your posts Kanada, and a few others on this thread, so I thought I'd add mine.......

 

As a young man I was a party animal and a tear-away, and an adventurer, working in the Sahara desert, Nigeria, the North Sea and Norway and always enjoying the work.

 

I left that and started selling with Rank Xerox in 1977 and became very successful, climbing up the management ladder, but what I didn't realise was that I was pushing myself very hard to try and achieve "success", mainly because coming from a poor and "poorly educated" family and being the outcast/adopted one, I was given no real care and attention, so mostly functioned on my own, which I have done just about all of my life.

 

Anyway, after winning accolades in the UK, I emigrated to New Zealand and then climbed up the ladder to become Vice Pres (director) of sales and establishment marketing for American Express, achieving good things there too.

 

I left when the US company bought back the NZ franchise and I eventually started work for a major NZ bank, where I ended up as Chief manager Investments, starting an investment division and building it up to just under $2 billion worth of investments.

 

The reason I'm going into this detail is because during the last half of my life I pushed myself very hard indeed, working all hours that I possibly could and never having a mind that was free of work and work problems. This because I felt I had to prove myself.

 

Consequently in 2004 I had a burnout, and at the same time was diagnosed with a precancerous condition in my throat, caused by stress and reflux my doctor said. He also said that he'd known me for all of my time in New Zealand and I worked far too hard and under too much pressure, and if I continued like this, the condition I had would probably get worse and I could well be dead within the year – – so he said I needed to rethink my future.

 

I had just been to Patong with a friend by way of a holiday which was much needed, and I was blown away by it because it took me back to my youth when I was a party animal, and it was inexpensive, and people had lots of smiles.

 

I came back again to have another look, and decided that this was the place for me, because I could stop work at that particular point, sell my house in NZ and afford to live the rest of my life here without having to work again, and of course I would not be in the rat race any more.

 

I was okay with spicy food and having worked in the Sahara desert, was okay with the heat, although I'm not overly fond of it I have to say. Not only that, I met a lovely Thai lady who was working as an accountant in a local hotel and we moved in together, and she bought her daughter down from up north. We split after about 6 years but on good terms.

 

I made friends and enjoyed myself and there was a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing that I could live the rest of my life without having to earn another penny through working.

 

I've been back to the UK many times, and it doesn't appeal to me at all. As regards NZ, well I could go back at some time, but it has now become expensive, so one could argue that I'm trapped here, but I don't see it that way.

 

As I said, my ex-girlfriend and I are on good terms and I have unofficially adopted her Thai daughter, whom I'm putting through university now.

 

So in a nutshell, I like being here because I have a Thai daughter to look after, I have made friends here, I can live here until the day I die without worrying unduly about money, I am under no stress whatsoever and when normality returns, I can have a few raucous nights out on the town.

 

PS. I may moan about the place from time to time, and there are things that really do get up my nose, but the same could be said about other places, so it looks like Thailand will be my final resting place.

Well....I really enjoyed reading your story! Sounds like so many of us in so many ways and you’ve built yourself a nice life!

Not hard to tell you have good balance and clear vision!

Congratulations to you

 

i think it’s pretty normal to have a few things “get up your nose” as you said....adjust and make the most of what will be a great life....oh and relax!!!

cheers for now...look forward to hearing from you again.

[Brierley]

2 minutes ago, Johnny Mac said:

 

Sorry, but that is unfounded nonsense and simply not true. I know a fella who has relocated back to the UK after 22 years here and he has pretty much just picked up where he left off. And I know 'things change', no need to patronize me like I'm a <deleted> retard.

Whoa, slow down! My experience is that after being away for 20 years is that the place is nothing like I remember it, there is now very little there that to me is attractive on a lasting basis. Everyone's mileage may vary on this point but nobody should take it for granted that they can simply pick up where they left off 20 years ago, I can't imagine many people doing that.

[Zikomat]

I am not even sure that TS is a male. He sounds more like an agitated ballerina to me.

[Kanada]

8 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Please, money most certainly on the list of important things, maybe you're just having a laff right.

Nope....it’s important of course but it’s not on the top 10 for happiness!

Do a search and see what comes up for you....the internet will lead you where you have been before so watch that but let us know ????

[connda]

Why do you live in Thailand?

My wife of 14 years never wanted to live in the US and wants to remain in her own rural home which I've build for her until she dies.  <period>

If it wasn't for that, I would not be here any longer.  I detest the government's racism, xenophobia, and sexism.  I stay to support my wife and extended family.  No other reason.  If she dies before me, I leave. 
And I don't recommend Thailand as a place to attempt to live unless one is the type of person who is slightly masochistic and enjoys being a second-class citizen in a country where the elites quite literally detest you, and where you are very literally considered to be a national security risk to the welfare of the country and its people. 
This is not a wholesome place to live unless you accept your place as being the brunt-end of Thai sanctioned racism and thinly veiled racial hatred.
Some people have no problem with that.  They just segregate themselves in gated communities and pretend that all is well and implicitly endorse the racism aimed directly at them.

Edited May 16, 2021 by connda

[Kanada]

23 minutes ago, Brierley said:

After 20 years, if you went back, you'd be a foreigner once again, things change.

 

I've spent more of my life outside the UK than in it, I'm used to being a foreigner, it wouldn't feel right to be anything but! Fifteen years in the US I was an alien, here I'm a farang, in Hong Kong I was a gweilo....it's just a name.

 

Funny and it’s a small thing but I don’t care for term “farang”!

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, madmen said:

Most of the guys that trash Thailand give some excuse that absolutely blocks them leaving so having validated their status they continue to bash. 

I don't believe that nonsense. Anybody can relocate their spouse, family, dog, parrot, ladyboy back to their home country. where there is a will there is a way. 

 

I feel sorry for the children who's dad refuses to relocate them to first world life and opportunity usually BECAUSE he likes the cruisy life in LOS to much to leave. 

 

You know listening to the news here in Thailand about the school system in the US, I'm not sure that an education there would be better. It's no longer about math and science but more about teaching the different gender classes and how bad and privileged the white man is.  30 yrs ago I sent my US son to private school at a cost of $300/mo, so while the US has free education I wouldn't be using it today especially. I honestly think my daughters future will be happier here in Thailand.