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Posted
21 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Looked at the Marbella and Malaga areas. They seem quite expensive, as they are tourist zones. Marbella is out of control expensive. Very high end playground  like Monaco.

Oh you will get plenty of lower cost areas, even on the Costa Calida, on the sea front. The problem will be that cities in the area will be filled with a significant contingent of Romanians, Senegalese etc, so crime is relatively high. Not as bad as Marseille or Barcelona, but bad nonetheless.

 

And even if those areas are cheaper, the cost of eating out is, as you can imagine, massively higher in those areas than what you are used to in Thailand now. At least double the cost, more if you go to better places. Massages will be more expensive, and there is no US food to any meaningful degree, like you get in Thailand.

 

If money is a consideration, clearly Thailand is a far better bet. And btw, there is massive corruption in Spain.

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Posted
8 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

Try Portugal  but don't forget altough many people from further up North are escaping the winter there it is not warm on the Iberian peninsula. I was in the south of Spain last November near the Gibraltar Rock and the weather was  miserable. On the other hand it can be over 40 C in summer. The Porugese are easy going people and the food is nice, spicy chicken ( Piri Piri ) and lots of fish and shellfish. The seawater coming from the Atlantic is freezing even in high summer.

Canary Islands might be a better option or Caribbean, been several times to Curacao and the climate is quite nice, 28 - 32 C, nice windy and very little rain.

The per climate doesn't excist.

I found the perfect climate in Dali, Yunnan ,China, fantastic weather 10 months of the year, I lived there for 5 years, could happily retire there 

Posted
42 minutes ago, gejohesch said:

I feel exactly the same. Been there twice with my wife (Thai), the unpleasant looks, nearly hostile!

Only been once in Vietnam, in 2000. Stayed for a month. Never been back. Stunning countryside, beautiful highlands and hill tribe villages. Much more beautiful then Thailand overall. Love the food also. But i dont like the people much. Found them combative. Could sense the Indo Chinese cultural divide. 

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Posted (edited)
50 minutes ago, gejohesch said:

I feel exactly the same. Been there twice with my wife (Thai), the unpleasant looks, nearly hostile!

We've been to Vietnam several times over years, and I was talking Mrs G about it, and neither of us can remember any unpleasantness being directed at us.

 

Now we're quite close in age, so we don't have the young woman/old man dynamic going on which probably helps. My wife having grown up in Chicago also sounds 100% American which most certainly helps in the South.

 

On a tangential note to this thread, which might really require a new thread, I'm always somewhat curious about the success rate of Thai women going overseas.

 

Anecdotally at least it seems pretty good, almost regardless of where they go. 

 

In our little South Dakotan bubble the Thai community seems pretty stable, with the exception of the one obvious ex-hooker, although I'm not sure about the 'ex', she might just have relocated the biz!

Edited by GinBoy2
Posted
14 minutes ago, strikingsunset said:

I found the perfect climate in Dali, Yunnan ,China, fantastic weather 10 months of the year, I lived there for 5 years, could happily retire there 

Could you get Females there ?

Posted
33 minutes ago, Tanomazu said:

Oh you will get plenty of lower cost areas, even on the Costa Calida, on the sea front. The problem will be that cities in the area will be filled with a significant contingent of Romanians, Senegalese etc, so crime is relatively high. Not as bad as Marseille or Barcelona, but bad nonetheless.

 

And even if those areas are cheaper, the cost of eating out is, as you can imagine, massively higher in those areas than what you are used to in Thailand now. At least double the cost, more if you go to better places. Massages will be more expensive, and there is no US food to any meaningful degree, like you get in Thailand.

 

If money is a consideration, clearly Thailand is a far better bet. And btw, there is massive corruption in Spain.

Good information. Thanks. And from the information I have researched so far, Spain looks to be at least double the cost of Thailand. Possibly higher for housing. And the visas are even more difficult than here, and require a significant amount of cash in the bank and the formalities are daunting.

 

And since I run an online business based in the US, I am legally required to pay taxes on that income, unless I lie about it, which I would. It would have to be a retirement visa, unlike the marriage visa I have here. Lastly, I have no idea how complicated it would be for my Thai wife, in regard to the visa.

 

So, Spain is looking complicated, at this point. Not out of the question, at all. But complicated. Not to mention the enormous task of the move itself. As some of you suggested, it may be far easier to work on my own mind, and figure out a way to keep my head in the sand, so to speak. 

 

Perhaps, once things open up, we can spend 4 to 5 months overseas, and traveling. We shall see. 

Posted
1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

Good information. Thanks. And from the information I have researched so far, Spain looks to be at least double the cost of Thailand. Possibly higher for housing. And the visas are even more difficult than here, and require a significant amount of cash in the bank and the formalities are daunting.

 

And since I run an online business based in the US, I am legally required to pay taxes on that income, unless I lie about it, which I would. It would have to be a retirement visa, unlike the marriage visa I have here. Lastly, I have no idea how complicated it would be for my Thai wife, in regard to the visa.

 

So, Spain is looking complicated, at this point. Not out of the question, at all. But complicated. Not to mention the enormous task of the move itself. As some of you suggested, it may be far easier to work on my own mind, and figure out a way to keep my head in the sand, so to speak. 

 

Perhaps, once things open up, we can spend 4 to 5 months overseas, and traveling. We shall see. 

I think that's an excellent idea. When you really get fed up of Thailand, just take a trip abroad for 3 months.

 

Spain has good weather, though far too hot in Andalucia and many other parts, well over 40 degrees in summer, without aircon usually. And winters are damp and cold. The build quality of houses, for the most part, is significantly below that in Thailand as there are many older properties. And you are looking at more than double the cost for equivalent quality accomodation, though overall Spain is not that much more expensive, maybe 30% more.

 

Whilst Spain has good food, you'd have to forego the Asian choices, and stick with mostly Spanish, as they only have the odd Chinese, Thai or Japanese, not a huge choice of non-Spanish places. 

 

For American and Thai visas would be a huge hassle. Not impossible, but quite difficult.

 

Probably best to travel when things open up. Looks like you're a bit fed up with Thailand. There is also plenty of corruption in Spain though, so you'd probably get tired of politics there in due course.

 

 

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Posted
3 hours ago, BigStar said:

Years ago we had a chronic complainer touting the paradise of Portugal and his much-anticipated plans to move there. Subsequently he did disappear from the forum, so one way or the other he found his cure for the hellish brain-eating "Whither Thailand" space monkeys.

 

But complainers gon' complain. Here must be Thailand refugees who fled to Portugal in 2015 when Thailand was much better than today.

Whatever happened to the noise abatement act?

 

I KNOW it's summer,I KNOW everyone is outside having fun! Actually the tourists aren't the problem..It's the wretched services..Maybe it's me?but has anyone else noticed how b****y noisy all the garden equipment is these days.?We no longer use our gardeners because quite frankly-they don't garden!.What they do is TRIM and BLOW. They use industrial size hellishly noisy machines to reduce shrubs,hedges and even some trees into bald submission.Ditto for the very few lawns we have around us. They don't coordinate this activity either, they do it on every single day of the week bar sunday,and at every concievable time from 7.30 am onwards.I know I sound like a GOW,but at least I know it will magically stop at the end of the season.The poor tourists have PAID for this awful intrusion. This area is known as the Areio do Sonho..Place of dreams...hardly!!!

 

Anyone else as fed up as I am over this ever increasing mechanical intrusion?

     --GeniB, NOISE!!!

Why are chops as thin as paper here? And where is the Fish n Chips? I have not yet found a fish that I can fry. After all the water has drained, it falls to pieces as they become so thin. All the congelado fish are 50% water that you pay for.

     --kkram Male, Sooooo disappointed

Last week I got a massive craving for a fray bentos steak and kidney pie so ater searching all week I found one in apolina omg i couldnt get home quick enough once cooked along with boiled potato's and gardens peas some bisto gravy i am drooling so bad but when i started eating it was not what i remember it was bad!!!

     -Ronnie the Painter, Sooooo disappointed

Now we do have lots of helpful threads on the forum about the goodness of moving back to the UK. List of the best places: Best Places to Live 2021.

 

Yet one should perhaps look at the vast continual stream of complaints about life in the UK from its concerned citizens: British Problems. Unfortunately, other countries also suffer terribly in the Brit view of the world: First World Problems, so it seems there's just no safe place left anywhere. Oh--here's a glowing report on moving back to Walmart Country: Why are you still in Thailand? Thai wife loves it there. Just needs a lil' attitude adjustment on the part of the OP. That may prove difficult.

 

Actually I think OP has no serious intention of moving from Thailand. Mostly wants to rant about goon leaders . . . lowlife leaders, moral degradation, and constant threats that don't affect him and merely result from a condition known as Headline Stress Disorder. Needs to fret about getting the nation on a forward path.????To elevate the seriousness of the rant we have a usual threat to leave and show 'em. Yet we're always getting threats here about a coming righteous exit from Thailand from posters who, sadly, will never leave.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????? Happy I don't live in LOL.

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Posted

Well Mike, maybe you just needed an interest, some pals to kick this topic around with. I sincerely hope you are feeling better for it ????

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Posted (edited)
On 8/2/2021 at 9:26 PM, Jeffr2 said:

If social media and it's associated plague of misinformation was around when we were trying to eradicate polio, it'd still be around today.

Says the guy with 6693 posts in a year ........555 Classic

Edited by meechai
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Posted
6 hours ago, meechai said:

Says the guy with 6693 posts in a year ........555 Classic

At least I'm spot on. Won't see many posts from me this year. Had nothing better to do while stuck in Thailand!  5555

Posted
12 hours ago, jazzdog32095 said:

Problem now is convincing these ladies that this would be a great thing to happen for all of us. House is worth a million bucks and perfect for laid back retirement but I need both ladies to really make it happen. Thinking it might be a hard sell.

IMO you could easily end up with neither lady, and a lot less money.

You are thinking like a man. Consider it from a female point of view.

Posted
4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO you could easily end up with neither lady, and a lot less money.

You are thinking like a man. Consider it from a female point of view.

Got the green light from my Thai lady and my bi-polar Brazilian GF the vote is 52-48, haha.  When you've dated girls for 25 years that are 25 years younger, the money issues have been ironed out. Besides just imagine how much two wives in the USA would have cost me over twenty-five years. A quality GF is always more affordable than a wife or God forbid a bar girl.

Posted
11 hours ago, jazzdog32095 said:

Got the green light from my Thai lady and my bi-polar Brazilian GF the vote is 52-48, haha.  When you've dated girls for 25 years that are 25 years younger, the money issues have been ironed out. Besides just imagine how much two wives in the USA would have cost me over twenty-five years. A quality GF is always more affordable than a wife or God forbid a bar girl.

You are 66?

25 years ...you started at 41.

They're 25 years younger! 

That makes them 16!!!!!

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Posted
3 hours ago, Grecian said:

You are 66?

25 years ...you started at 41.

They're 25 years younger! 

That makes them 16!!!!!

combined 25 years, met one at 46 she was 21, other I was 60 she was 40. You assumed I dated one at a time 

Posted
On 8/4/2021 at 7:50 AM, Mac Mickmanus said:

Could you get Females there ?

Great question, I was recently divorced ,at the time, met  some Chinese girls online, flew to China and the first girl I met ( did not  need to meet any more) in Beijing was both  born in and loved   Dali, so we moved there.

I humbly suggest  educated, English speaking Chinese women, who are generally elegant, wonderful

disposition, are a fantastic match for a westerners hopes.

I tried to settle in Thailand several times but felt restful, I have lived in China since 2004 and until recently travelled to Thailand twice a year, still follow Thailand with interest which explains why I am on this forum.

If the world ever opens up I recommend a months visit to Shanghai, there are more beautiful ,single, educated, solvent, English speaking women available here than you could shake a stick at.

 

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Posted
1 minute ago, strikingsunset said:

Great question, I was recently divorced ,at the time, met  some Chinese girls online, flew to China and the first girl I met ( did not  need to meet any more) in Beijing was both  born in and loved   Dali, so we moved there.

I humbly suggest  educated, English speaking Chinese women, who are generally elegant, wonderful

disposition, are a fantastic match for a westerners hopes.

I tried to settle in Thailand several times but felt restful, I have lived in China since 2004 and until recently travelled to Thailand twice a year, still follow Thailand with interest which explains why I am on this forum.

If the world ever opens up I recommend a months visit to Shanghai, there are more beautiful ,single, educated, solvent, English speaking women available here than you could shake a stick at.

 

It was being a bit stereotypical of this forum . 

I personally do not want or need any Female 

Posted
2 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

It was being a bit stereotypical of this forum . 

I personally do not want or need any Female 

god, why did I waste 15 minutes of my life typing that, I will go and crawl back under a rock, that is my last post for this year, bye. 

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Posted
2 minutes ago, strikingsunset said:

god, why did I waste 15 minutes of my life typing that, I will go and crawl back under a rock, that is my last post for this year, bye. 

Other posters would have also read it .

That is the nature of forums . its a group discussion rather than one to one discussions 

Posted
On 8/3/2021 at 5:54 PM, BritManToo said:

Didn't like the room, didn't like the resort, didn't want to go to the beach, didn't want to go on a boat trip, was too tired for sex, always wanted the sea food platter (at 10x the price of any other item on the menu) then left it ........... all the usual nonsense when the lady thinks they own you.

you should have found that all out before you married her !   hahahaha     I had a few "dates" that

resembled that ........ and little by little I started to compile a list of RED FLAGS .

 

    my best times, in my fifties, followed a simple formula.    Go out for a meal.... some drinks afterwords..... then home for Dessert .

 

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Posted
On 8/5/2021 at 12:24 AM, jazzdog32095 said:

I am in a situation where at 66 traveling all over and moving is not something I enjoy. Been here five years this September with a great Thai lady. I got 80K baht/ month income which is more than we need. Government here I tune out and immigration I have the GF deal with. Life is OK. On the other hand I have my GF in Brazil going on 20 years, great girl but dealing with her bi-polar issues is no fun so us living apart is mutually accepted.  Deal is she lives in and runs an AirBNB I own on the beach in Bahia. She makes a good living and takes great care of the house which is expensive as anyone who owns beach front will attest. Next couple years I intend to return to Brazil with my Thai lady who treats me like a King to assist my Brazil lady who doesn't but does run the business well but needs the help. Problem now is convincing these ladies that this would be a great thing to happen for all of us. House is worth a million bucks and perfect for laid back retirement but I need both ladies to really make it happen. Thinking it might be a hard sell.

 

sounds great to me.   I know how to say "turn over"  in both languages

Posted
1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Especially for the youth, who have very little self control, self esteem or discipline. 

Given the education system is basically just women, for the obvious reasons that sensible men won't go there any more, there is a nobody loses culture and discipline has apparently vanished, is it any wonder that youths are the way they are?

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Posted
On 8/3/2021 at 5:59 AM, spidermike007 said:

Thanks. Will definitely take a trip, and check it out soon. Have a good friend in Valencia. Love that area. And the proximity to France, as you say. And love Spanish wines. That would be one highlight of living there. And the food too. And I already speak decent Spanish, but it is of the Mexican variety. I have traveled all over Latin America, including Cuba many times, and can converse easily with the locals. But, I know the language is harder in Spain. But, I could adapt and learn. It would be infinitely more fun than learning Thai. Frankly, there is nothing about the Thai language I like. Nothing. Spanish sounds like music or poetry to me in comparison. And using the same alphabet is immensely easier, in addition to not having to deal with the ridiculous tones.

 

And the last part is the most important one. I find that throughout Latin America, when I am trying hard to be understood, people reciprocate that effort, and try hard to understand me. And I think they may be more creative, or more linguistically skilled than most Thais (able to dance in circles intellectually, to interpret and figure out an answer to an unfamiliar problem). You seem to get huge credit for trying to speak Spanish, even if it is very imperfect. I do not get any of that here. Nunca. Nada. Zero. You do not pronounce it perfectly here, we have no idea what you are saying! And there is no effort made to attempt to figure it out. Lame. Very lame. That gets very old. 

That's an interesting page here. First, for sure if you spend some time in Spain, you will have so many possible great side trips to other parts of Europe. I have several American friends established in Europe, they absolutely love it, meeting loads of nice and interesting people (of course, lots of axxhxxxs too but easy enough to avoid), the food, the wines, the weather, the cultural heritage etc etc. One thing I find makes a huge difference with Thailand is that one has a real pleasure walking around and exploring nearly any city anywhere in Europe, which is not the case in Thailand where most if not all cities are imo just horrible concrete and dusty dumps, saturated with pollution, not to mention the heat.

 

I had the same pleasure walking around cities in Columbia, Ecuador and especially Mexico (since we are also talking about Latin America). Lots of things to see, often lovely weather.

 

You will have no big problem tuning into the Spanish spoken in Spain if you are well up with Latin American Spanish already. The main difference is the pronunciation but it's not as bad as it appears. And for sure, imo it's infinitely more rewarding to engage with a Spanish speaker than with a Thai speaker. I am well conversant in Thai, I read it pretty well and have a good sense of the tones btw - that's to fend off the classic reply "yes but your frustration comes from the language barrier".

 

I understand a farang may not find Thai a beautiful language, but there is Thai and Thai. Personally, I love the "classic / official" language, the one spoken on TV or on adds in public places for example. But as it is spoken in the street, it gets degraded a lot (whereas French or Spanish I find are not as often and as much degraded by everyday speakers). One last think, many farangs are mostly exposed to what is spoken in Isan, that's not the same at all and that's not Thai. Personally, as much I like "real" Thai, I find Phasaa Isan very unattractive.

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