I actually had a conversation with my Thai wife today about leaving. First time I have seriously contemplated that, in well over a decade. I was very surprised she felt the same way I do. She shared alot of my disappointments and frustrations. 

 

It would be a big move, as we have assets here to consider, and we are both close to her lovely family. And we both love most Thai people, Thai food, and traveling around Thailand and the region. And up until the last year or two, I would say we really love our life here. Some of it might be Covid fatigue. But, alot of it is army fatigue. And what feels like a diminishing quality of life. I am just very, very tired of the goon leaders here, the continued xenophobia from them, and their constant nonsense and lack of leadership. 

 

Neither of us see any hope for the future. This is not about Covid. Though the handling of it has sure been disillusioning. It is about the possibility of a future. What will happen to change things and put this nation on a forward path with any kind of promise? Even if they get rid of the most horrible leader they have had in ages, how will they get rid of the highly corrupt and totally compromised 250 proxy senators? And will any of them ever be held to account? The level of toxic corruption and the "above the law" nonsense gets very tiring. 

 

And if they cannot figure out a way out of this backwards moving and ever deepening destruction and sabotage, do we want to spend the rest of our lives dealing with such lowlife leaders, moral degradation, and constant threats? 

 

And of course, the question is if we leave, where to? Certainly not back to the US. Thinking maybe we will check out Spain for a long vacation. Then we will see. 

 

Any thoughts? 

 No, I have lived here since 1990, I've got nowhere else to go.

2 minutes ago, Broken Record said:

 No, I have lived here since 1990, I've got nowhere else to go.

I thought that too until recently. Don't know how much longer I care to tolerate their nonsense. 

I understand what you say. But for me I could only return to Oz, which doesn't entice me, and there would be problems with b/f and his family here. We tried living in Oz together but it was too hard for him ...

 

So here we stay, fairly insulated in the provinces, leading our chosen lives (but without any travel). My b/f is resisting organizing us to get the jabs, but pressure from me is mounting ...

Always greener pastures elsewhere.

????

34 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

1.  This is not about Covid.

2.  Any thoughts? 

1.  Yes it is.

2,  No not really.

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

And of course, the question is if we leave, where to? Certainly not back to the US. Thinking maybe we will check out Spain for a long vacation. Then we will see. 

As far as "certainly not back to the US"........ that for me is also a given.  There are 2 major groups here that are to be considered.  1. The long term expats / those with family roots who have grown old here

and are fairly comfortable in their retirement.  I mean,  late 60's , 70's ....... do you really have the energy to start all over ?    It takes years just to get acclimated to a new place, and being older i for

one lack the energy to sell all and move.   My one "out"  is I have a loving daughter in Canada.... where I could get health insurance and have a place  ( granddad cabin   lol ) .   But the lifestyle?  hmmmmm

 

2.  The younger(30's to 50's) group, newbies through those who have been here a while.   Well, often they work online or teaching or have inheritance or something...... probably still enjoy the easy "companionship"  of younger and slimmer women.     For them, maybe the main difference is the lack of entertainment.   Shutdowns and restrictions did occur almost everywhere,  and seem to be on again off again in many places.   Is the plan life with a mask forever ?   With door to door injections every 3 months ?   Who knows .   Maybe Bill ?   But if sensual pleasures are a major reason for being somewhere...... is Spain gonna do it for them ?    I think not

 

Old Rumak just keeps fighting the strain of  WORRYING .   Heck,  getting old creates that anywhere.

When i feel the panic ,  as i do most days (what to do,  why is everything so crazy ?)  ....... I crack my neck, take a breath,  and go out for a walk.   I try to remember i am much more fortunate than most in the world ( aren't we all , that are on this forum?)  .   So Spider,  its true.... this weight you feel is real.   Most of the world has always been run by oppressors ( elected officials in disguise).

Laws and Laws and taxes and taxes and brainwashing the "working class".   What i still like about Thailand is I can go to the playground,  out for a walk,  feel at ease and still enjoy the simplicity and humor of the average Thai person.    They are the ones I feel for the most......  You are right:  They deserve a lot better .

 

I still like it here no plans to go.

I am surprised you did not post a thread like this sooner considering your historical posts expressing your disdain and hatred for the place.

You asked so my suggestion is to sell everything and leave as soon as you can.  Why stay in a place with all those negative feelings building up doesn't seem worth it maybe try to find greener pastures.

3 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I still like it here no plans to go.

I am surprised you did not post a thread like this sooner considering your historical posts expressing your disdain and hatred for the place.

You asked so my suggestion is to sell everything and leave as soon as you can.  Why stay in a place with all those negative feelings building up doesn't seem worth it maybe try to find greener pastures.

These types will be miserable and negative, by their very nature, regardless of their locale and life situation.

Consider the source.

I'm leaving with wife in less than 12 months as that's how long her pr will take, but we both know it's just going to be different BS back home. 

 

I don't really now why you care. The only people suffering here are poor thais. As for political nonsense didn't you think that things would eventually hit the fan? You say you have assets here? You'll get next to nothing now. 

46 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

This is not about Covid.

If you haven't thought about it for over 10 years-------- seems that it is.

 

I am definitely getting Stir crazy................

Yeah, ok for me, wish there was no covid but that is near everywhere in the world... thanks for asking. 

Covid might be related. This situation is tearing people apart. Here people have no right to talk. People who are followers can live everywhere. 

What was the golden era for Thai leaders. Is none. There must be somewhere in the US that is appealing and if not then you are likely to  want somewhere like ..Thailand. 

I have no plans to leave Thailand. I've always despised the Thai government, so this isn't a new feeling to me, but other than that, I'm generally happy in Thailand. The pandemic hasn't really changed this; I haven't been made feel unwelcome by any Thais I've been dealing with during this ordeal - we're all in this together anyway.

 

Unless and until that changes, I'll stay, but I do sympathize with the "army fatigue" the OP mentions. All the best to you and your wife, wherever you decide to go!

57 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Certainly not back to the US.

That's the thing....the political situation in most places is not ideal to say the least. The USA (my home country) is teetering on the brink of a failed Democracy with the outcome uncertain over the next few election cycles. Most places with high degree of stability are insanely expensive and difficult to integrate into as an expat. Thailand is hardly perfect but for a retired guy like me with a relationship and a shared home, it's a decent base of operations. Nobody is knocking on my door at night and taking me away to prison and nobody really gives a hoot about my day to day activities except Immigration and of course the GF. Staying

I am thinking along similar lines. Just sick of the visa uncertainty, the constant rip-off attempts, and the takeover by a country further north. I am an EU citizen so lots of countries to choose from without any visa requirements. 

2 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

What was the golden era for Thai leaders. Is none. There must be somewhere in the US that is appealing and if not then you are likely to  want somewhere like ..Thailand. 

There are many nice places in the US.     IF i was a poor, female, person of color then I definitely might

consider living there.    Heck,  free everything !

Unfortunately i do not qualify 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

What will happen to change things and put this nation on a forward path with any kind of promise? Even if they get rid of the most horrible leader they have had in ages, how will they get rid of the highly corrupt and totally compromised senators? And will any of them ever be held to account? The level of toxic corruption and the "above the law" nonsense gets very tiring. 

.

 

Dude, if you had written only this, you could have been referring to just about any country, especially the USA. 

 

There is no place to go. Go there, and things will change tomorrow; go here, and the goal post will be moved next week.

 

Might as well hunker down, stock up, because things are only going to get worse. Our lives, as we have known and enjoyed them, are over. That's not pessimism, it's realism. Sad but true.

This normally pops up in my sign off signature, but today I'll promote it because it seems to me, that it applies in your case @spidermike007. Give it some thought.

 

‘It’s not things that upset us, it’s our judgement of things’
                                                                          Epictetus

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I am just very, very tired of the goon leaders here,

I solved that problem by just not inviting them over for dinner anymore.   So there !

 

 

I dont get this type of thinking. Ok, the army angle, you cant do nothing about it, and what actual impact do they have on your daily day to day life, ZERO, as far as I can see, on mine anyway.

The pandemic has restricted travel and has, so far, some minor inconveniences with checks/masks etc, but again nothing really of any note. As for the future, no one has a crystal ball, you assess and adapt as things arise, but as for seeing it as some  apocalyptic doomsday scenario that warrants uprooting etc absolutely not, to me thats a total over reaction.

Normally I take sanity breaks during the course of the year which makes a big difference to the constant onslaught of stupidity that I see and hear in Thailand. That has been the toughest part of Covid for me personally. For over a year I haven’t set foot outside of Thailand and the frustration builds and builds.

 

I couldn’t leave completely at the moment because I have a 13 year old daughter and I want her to complete her secondary education at her school.  But she wants to go to university in the UK (she has a British passport) and so I already plan to spend at least 4 months a year in Europe. I’ve spent many holidays motor homing in Europe and will just take it to another level and spend a few months doing it. I do other travel and all up I expect I will spend 3/4 months in Thailand at that time.
 

funny thing though, so long as I get regular breaks from Thailand’s stupidity, I enjoy it here when I get back. But then the frustration slowly builds again 5555.

Waiting for the daughter to graduate HS next year then hang around 1 more year to make sure the older bro and sister are good to leave 1/2 a world away while they pursue the first few years of their tech careers at KMUTT then off to the US to finish their degrees.  Plan is  to move back to Fort Collins CO for the 3yr olds education (ya, all 3 same woman) but other parts of the world could work.  Lucky to choose a seasonal career as the final one for my life (after 2 other careers in medicine and engineering) so have flexibility as to where to live.

 

One thing is if the s--t hit the fan here, the wife would stay and fight and the kids and I would leave.  I can't say I blame her, would do the same if the same conditions were to appear in the US.  We each love our respective countries and are willing to fight to save them from their governments.

Still very happy in the US, if you have the means to live in a good area and can afford it.  Problem is, most people left to SE Asia looking for 'value' for their dollar.  Retirement back home is expensive and many simply do not have the option of uprooting out of Thailand.  However, the situation in Thailand is looking dire, I will admit my wife is signaling we may never return to Thailand at this rate without a significant shakeup of those in power (which is unlikely at this point).

Same situation here. Surprisingly, my GF was receptive to the idea of moving overseas, possibly to Europe where I'm from. She's totally over this "leadership".

 

I also told her that if Thailand starts restricting the internet, a la China, then I'm for sure leaving Thailand. That for me would be the bottom line.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

And of course, the question is if we leave, where to? Certainly not back to the US. Thinking maybe we will check out Spain for a long vacation. Then we will see. 

 

Any thoughts? 

 

Well, if of any help, my plans now are expending 6 months every year in Spain and 6 months in Thailand.

 

The urge to get the heck out of Dodge strikes me when decisions that I consider to be completely stupid are made. Whether it is the government or people driving poorly, or retailers ceasing to stock items I like to purchase. Having said that, I would only leave if my wife wanted to go as well. 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Any thoughts? 

well I wouldn't be that critical with my face on full view lol

North America is amazing it's just a shame about the folks who live there????

If I had family there I'd be tempted to go for a camper van and make the most of the weather by driving to Central America in the winter months......you could even be brave and try some of South America

Good luck whatever you decide!

Were I still married to a Thai lady, and were I still living in Thailand, then it would really be a 'tug-of-war' to decide whether to stay or go.  Thai family ties are strong, and many a relationship has failed after relocating a Thai partner to your home (or other) country.

 

Happily(!), I'm divorced without family ties, and I made the decision to leave Thailand about 2+ years ago.  The lack of 'permanence' was an important reason to go - Thailand's government does more U-turns than a learner-driver doing their final practice before their driving test!  If only the government was just incompetent, I could just about accept that!  But incompetent and indecisive?  Nope, that's too much for me.  By relocating to north Laos, I now live under a communist regime which seems anything but communist, with a government that at least doesn't dither or make U-turns.  I know where I stand with the Covid rules, visa rules etc etc.  

 

Sure, if I were a Hmong activist, I'd no doubt have a very hard time in Laos.  But I'm too old to get involved in other people's politics. I'm happy to do my technical research and educational work here.  Next month I'll get my 3rd annual business visa, having never even spoken to an immigration officer or police person in all that time.  (I interact with the government technical officers for my ham radio licence each year, and that's it!).

 

BTW, as far as Covid in Laos is concerned, almost every single case detected are in Lao workers returning from Thailand, typically 35% of these workers have picked up this virus in Thailand.  Community spread within Laos is in single digit figures.