Anyone else tired of the nonsense, and contemplating leaving Thailand?

[BE88]

3 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I kinda agree.

 

Folks moan about a sorts of stuff, home country or wherever they currently land.

 

In Thailand it is often,and I include myself, that when boredom with the place sets in things just irritate you.

 

That's the point at which you know it's time for a change.

 

I've in cities within countries which I've become bored with and wanted a change. Didn't hate them, but just wanted something different.

 

To many on here any hint of criticism of Thailand is deemed to be a reflection on their choice  to stay in Thailand.

 

I often muse why some would get so defensive, but to quote George Smiley; 'the zealot is always harboring secret doubts'

10 years and my deadline to change country to avoid boredom.

[atpeace]

16 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You're right, I don't see that.

I see a thin veneer of civilisation thrown over a primitive tribal people.

And most of the extras from a decadent and failing western society.

Always know where you stand.  I'm a newbie poster but enjoy your real comments.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

I'd consider Thailand permanently if: 1) Retired with a good pension, 2) Solid, well paying job here, 3) Some kind of lucrative online business, as some have mentioned, 4) Nothing home to go back to. None of those apply to me.

 

I'm in my mid 40's, and still wish to advance my career in teaching. That can't be done here in Thailand. I'm maxed out at the govt school level out here in Issan. Great relaxed country living, though at a low salary I can't keep making forever. I have high qualifications, but they're not exactly what the picky intl schools want. Nor do I care for that insufferable, hi-so attitude I got working in BKK private schools.

 

K-12 ESL is on the upswing in the USA with increasing immigration. I'd recommend this to any American teachers here looking to return. Make sure you've got a degree or some other certification in education, and get your state teaching license. Study for the Praxis exam. And for the love of God, don't go back to any of the screwed up coastal states. Haha. Though the States aren't completely screwed. Thankfully my family saw the writing on the wall, and escaped our failing coastal state for the midwest years ago. That's where me and my Thai wife shall be returning to.

 

My Thai wife can't help but notice the American news in which $15/hr jobs are going unfilled. 500 baht, more than most make in a day. One of my friends back home just started working for a supermarket, and they've already given him full time. That was the holy grail when I was in retail years ago, which they didn't hand out lightly. Now they're dying for workers and max hours.

 

I'm lucky to have a Thai wife who really wants to work, with a hotel and restaurant background, and I can see her going far. She sees the time we continue to spend here as wasted money she could be making, sending some back to the fam. We've giving this about another two years, by which time things should've hopefully recovered back home, for the most part.

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, meechai said:

Did not read all the pages but in 2016 that is why we left.

We saw it  2 years into the coup.

Could see it was not like the rest & saw the direction Thailand was headed

For us it was the right decision & looking back we often say out loud how lucky we did.

 

We still visit a home we have there 2-3 months a year (not this last year)

But yeah if you think your tired now with this group...Wait till you see the next step

Hint: It is not better & will not even be a coup because there will be no govt to overthrow

when the current gang say bye bye & no elections nor campaigns can be held for a few more Covid years

 

Chok Dee !

And it has gone way, way downhill in the past two years. They used Covid, to engage in massive sabotage of the tourism industry, and small business. 

[BritManToo]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

And it has gone way, way downhill in the past two years. They used Covid, to engage in massive sabotage of the tourism industry, and small business. 

I don't earn from either so it doesn't bother me.

Although I would like to order alcohol over the internet.

[grain]

Sometimes I wish I was out of here and living back in Australia. But all my memories of Australia are pre-covid. When I look at ABC TV news and see police - and now the army - on the streets, stopping cars and arresting people, and frequent lockdowns I'm not so sure. 

[nkg]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

And it has gone way, way downhill in the past two years. They used Covid, to engage in massive sabotage of the tourism industry, and small business. 

 

Why would they deliberately sabotage tourism, which benefits Thai big business greatly? The Bank of Thailand are very unhappy about losing all that foreign currency.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-23/thai-central-bank-holds-rates-cuts-growth-forecast-on-outbreak

 

 

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

5 minutes ago, nkg said:

 

Why would they deliberately sabotage tourism, which benefits Thai big business greatly? The Bank of Thailand are very unhappy about losing all that foreign currency.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-23/thai-central-bank-holds-rates-cuts-growth-forecast-on-outbreak

 

 

 

 

 

I do not know. Nobody seems to know. A sinister scheme to buy up property on the cheap? A deliberate way to disenfranchise the lower income earners? Why did they shut down the economy during the first wave? A fanatical sense of (fake) holier than thou puritanism? A desire to cleanse the nation of all nightlife?

 

There are so many unanswered questions, and little can be taken at face value, at this time. There comes a point at which incompetence cannot be accepted as the answer for everything that is happening here. 

[Dustdevil]

On 7/31/2021 at 6:58 AM, 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. 

Yes, I've spent a total of 40 years outside the US in Europe (as a kid), East Asia, the Middle East and West Africa. I always liked visiting Thailand, esp. Chiang Mai, and I had at different times two professional women as gfs (mid-level government officer and a registered nurse for a plastic surgeon, and no, I didn't need surgery). But the U.S. is large enough to find a good quality of life away from the 40% that are complete idiots. Life is good here because I know where to live. Only problem is spiking apartment rents, so I'm headed elsewhere that I know is a great place and much cheaper. Ciao!

[shackleton]

Yes there are a times when I think of  the government's decisions on Corivirus ect 

But at the end of the day it's a bit late for me to even start considering moving away from Thailand with family here 

I made my mind up when I first came here to make the best of it no matter. What and will stand by my decision its not always greener on the other side 

[canthai55]

To combat Covid they should have isolated all those at high risk - with underlying conditions, etc.

Leave the rest of the population alone.

"But people will die" - people die anyway. A part of life.

Many many more die from many many other causes than the piddly 4 million who dies from Covid since it started. What about them ?

9 million people a year die from hunger, a child dies from it every 10 seconds.

https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/people-and-poverty/hunger-and-obesity/how-many-people-die-from-hunger-each-year/story

Help them ? - NO, they are poor and they are not white for the most part. Plus there is no money to be made, so no one gives a monkeys ...

But no - it is rich white people who make the rules, own the news networks.

And believe it - this whole Covid BS is nothing but a scam to make the rich that much richer.

 

 

 

[Seeall]

On 7/31/2021 at 7:03 PM, Broken Record said:

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

Left spain years ago... my sister lives there... leaving the city now... not happy.....    my friends moving here from AU... AU polis out of control...

the point is it seems to be getting worse everywhere....   as for here?  look at the student protest......    gov wastes cash on stryker APC...

for what?   think about it... so answer is??????????????

[nkg]

13 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I do not know. Nobody seems to know. A sinister scheme to buy up property on the cheap? A deliberate way to disenfranchise the lower income earners? Why did they shut down the economy during the first wave? A fanatical sense of (fake) holier than thou puritanism? A desire to cleanse the nation of all nightlife?

 

There are so many unanswered questions, and little can be taken at face value, at this time. There comes a point at which incompetence cannot be accepted as the answer for everything that is happening here. 

 

International tourism as a whole has been destroyed, and Thailand are hardly alone in closing their borders. They are more badly affected than most, though, since tourism was such a big part of their economy.

 

Governments all around the world have been making terrible covid-related decisions, Thailand isn't unique in this.

 

We all know that governments and institutions function in a "different" way in poorer SE Asian countries than in the West. But this has been true for many, many years in Thailand. Recent events have brought this into sharper perspective, but nothing has fundamentally changed.

 

 

 

[nickmondo]

does it really make any difference to your daily life who is in Government here?

How is the present government making life hard or unpleasant for you?

Yes, the Covid roll out is rubbish.........but so was most other countries until they got the hang of it.

Yes there is corruption here.  You ever been to Spain? Brasil? most european countries?  All have corruption and <deleted> governments.

Spain is not easy.  I lived there over 10 years.  The Visa rules there are very strict.

If you want residency in Spain, your freedom of travel is restricted to 2 months a year, or you would lose residency there.  

Same sort of financial commitment in Spain also......and if you think here is laid back and a bit slow........trust me.......you have seen nothing yet!

Seriously.........stay here.......just dont even look at the politics.

 

[rumak]

59 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I do not know. Nobody seems to know. A sinister scheme to buy up property on the cheap? A deliberate way to disenfranchise the lower income earners? Why did they shut down the economy during the first wave? A fanatical sense of (fake) holier than thou puritanism? A desire to cleanse the nation of all nightlife?

 

There are so many unanswered questions, and little can be taken at face value, at this time. There comes a point at which incompetence cannot be accepted as the answer for everything that is happening here. 

thanks to nkg for the question !   I have been wondering what ALL  these countries are doing , ruining the economic lives of so many.     and Yes,  in Thailand for the last 2 years with hardly any cases it seemed particularly ridiculous .

the thought of "cleansing the nation of nightlife"  does seem very likely.    as well as the bankruptcy of many prime properties

[Sparktrader]

4 hours ago, grain said:

Sometimes I wish I was out of here and living back in Australia. But all my memories of Australia are pre-covid. When I look at ABC TV news and see police - and now the army - on the streets, stopping cars and arresting people, and frequent lockdowns I'm not so sure. 

Stay Thailand

[wpcoe]

As a US citizen, I lived full-time in Thailand from 2001 until early last year.  I was feeling less content, with the annual retirement extension process & its financial requirements being factors, and left (for Merida, Mexico) in February 2020.  My intent was to spend a few months in Thailand each year as a tourist, but then Covid hit so I haven't been back.  I can't say that I've really missed Thailand in the past 1.5 years, but still plan to visit if/when travel to Thailand becomes practical again.

 

I have a Mexican Permanent Resident card (akin to a US Green Card) which grants me all the rights of a Mexican citizen, except the right to vote.  Obtaining the card is a "one and done" process:  no annual renewal, no money-in-the-bank requirement, no re-entry permits, no 90-day reports.

 

I'm happy in Mexico, but for sure, YMMV.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

54 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

To combat Covid they should have isolated all those at high risk - with underlying conditions, etc.

Leave the rest of the population alone.

"But people will die" - people die anyway. A part of life.

Many many more die from many many other causes than the piddly 4 million who dies from Covid since it started. What about them ?

9 million people a year die from hunger, a child dies from it every 10 seconds.

https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/people-and-poverty/hunger-and-obesity/how-many-people-die-from-hunger-each-year/story

Help them ? - NO, they are poor and they are not white for the most part. Plus there is no money to be made, so no one gives a monkeys ...

But no - it is rich white people who make the rules, own the news networks.

And believe it - this whole Covid BS is nothing but a scam to make the rich that much richer.

 

 

 

It is shocking that there are 9 million dying of starvation. The same site notes there is a huge reduction in total deaths and the undernourished since 1990 despite a huge increase in population. That same site says climate change will make it worse. 

 

Nothing justifies those deaths. But to believe that there is a huge conspiracy between left wing politicians, many right wing politicians,  and certain of the wealthy is a long bow indeed. Your conspiracy requires that the rich in certain industries worked with politicians to make other rich in other industries, in tourism and retail and certain food industries, lose out.

I have been surprised how the markets have risen, and many have gotten richer and taken advantage of the new world situation, but that doesn't mean they made it happen. 

I am not sure who got richer in Thailand from this, beyond a few from a likely bit of corruption here and there,  but many are worse off including the wealthy. Because of the disease and human failure. If I'm a sheep  maybe you can join the dots that I  can't see.

[canthai55]

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

It is shocking that there are 9 million dying of starvation. The same site notes there is a huge reduction in total deaths and the undernourished since 1990 despite a huge increase in population. That same site says climate change will make it worse. 

 

Nothing justifies those deaths. But to believe that there is a huge conspiracy between left wing politicians, many right wing politicians,  and certain of the wealthy is a long bow indeed. Your conspiracy requires that the rich in certain industries worked with politicians to make other rich in other industries, in tourism and retail and certain food industries, lose out.

I have been surprised how the markets have risen, and many have gotten richer and taken advantage of the new world situation, but that doesn't mean they made it happen. 

I am not sure who got richer in Thailand from this, beyond a few from a likely bit of corruption here and there,  but many are worse off including the wealthy. Because of the disease and human failure. If I'm a sheep  maybe you can join the dots that I  can't see.

Watch this - will open your eyes to how the Gov't and Big Pharma go hand in hand, merrily causing death and destruction ...

The Crime of the Century

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14055432/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

[473geo]

35 minutes ago, rumak said:

thanks to nkg for the question !   I have been wondering what ALL  these countries are doing , ruining the economic lives of so many.     and Yes,  in Thailand for the last 2 years with hardly any cases it seemed particularly ridiculous .

the thought of "cleansing the nation of nightlife"  does seem very likely.    as well as the bankruptcy of many prime properties

I think you guys are reading way too much into the reaction to covid, it was, and is all about governments controlling the outbreak and looking good. Most failed. The whiplash of the delta strain has sunk the rather smug reaction of Thailand's government, otherwise despite the economic suffering they would be claiming success.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

4 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Watch this - will open your eyes to how the Gov't and Big Pharma go hand in hand, merrily causing death and destruction ...

The Crime of the Century

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14055432/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

I know this story and it is bad. The dots do join in this case. 

[Sundown]

On 7/31/2021 at 8:12 PM, rumak said:

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 

You can still become homosexual or a ladyboy...that would make you more accepted too!

[spidermike007]

21 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

As a US citizen, I lived full-time in Thailand from 2001 until early last year.  I was feeling less content, with the annual retirement extension process & its financial requirements being factors, and left (for Merida, Mexico) in February 2020.  My intent was to spend a few months in Thailand each year as a tourist, but then Covid hit so I haven't been back.  I can't say that I've really missed Thailand in the past 1.5 years, but still plan to visit if/when travel to Thailand becomes practical again.

 

I have a Mexican Permanent Resident card (akin to a US Green Card) which grants me all the rights of a Mexican citizen, except the right to vote.  Obtaining the card is a "one and done" process:  no annual renewal, no money-in-the-bank requirement, no re-entry permits, no 90-day reports.

 

I'm happy in Mexico, but for sure, YMMV.

Are there any security concerns for you? What area are you in? I have always loved Mexico, and it's people. But, I hear about all the security issues there now. Any thoughts?

[Sparktrader]

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

It is shocking that there are 9 million dying of starvation. The same site notes there is a huge reduction in total deaths and the undernourished since 1990 despite a huge increase in population. That same site says climate change will make it worse. 

 

Nothing justifies those deaths. But to believe that there is a huge conspiracy between left wing politicians, many right wing politicians,  and certain of the wealthy is a long bow indeed. Your conspiracy requires that the rich in certain industries worked with politicians to make other rich in other industries, in tourism and retail and certain food industries, lose out.

I have been surprised how the markets have risen, and many have gotten richer and taken advantage of the new world situation, but that doesn't mean they made it happen. 

I am not sure who got richer in Thailand from this, beyond a few from a likely bit of corruption here and there,  but many are worse off including the wealthy. Because of the disease and human failure. If I'm a sheep  maybe you can join the dots that I  can't see.

Drug companies too much power

Population control

Ww2 stuff now

[DUNROAMIN]

I am from Australia and theres not much point going back there, same <deleted> different country. 

[spidermike007]

On 7/31/2021 at 7:41 PM, rumak said:

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 .

 

Always good points from you, and thanks for that. For the most part, I like the bizarre and alien aspect of life here. I did find the life in the US to be stifling, predictable, boring, and lacking the joy I normally feel here. There is no doubt, as you and many of the posters on this thread have wisely pointed out, I am experiencing a very heavy case of cabin fever. No doubt. Usually I get out of the country every few months, and that is always a treat. Then, I always enjoy coming back. Especially when returning from a month or so in the US. 

 

So, likely gonna grin and bear it for awhile, and find some joy where I can. And over time, we shall see what happens. 

[Jeffr2]

Left 2 months ago. Fully vaccinated and enjoying an extended stay in the Greek Islands. Loving it. Other than the hot weather this week!

 

Won't return until there is no quarantine.

[MayBeNow]

If the OP wouldnt care about people that dont care about him (Thai leaders) and Thai things (government, army) he could have a care free life. 

My advice to regain your happiness is to take a 1 year break from all sources of news, including forums. No more covid <deleted>, no more tales of corruption, no more army guys masquarading as honorable politicians for the common good. Let it be. It will take an effort to not read news nor watch it, but you do have a spine right?

 

Is it really worth feeling miserable over politicians and governance?

You really think too mutt.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

40 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Drug companies too much power

Population control

Ww2 stuff now

Thanks for joining the dots. 

[Pedrogaz]

I have similar thoughts to the OP on some days....and I think where can I go? I have no desire to return to the US, and less desire to move somewhere English speaking like Canada, Australia or UK.

 

I can get an Irish passport through heritage (father was Irish) and as I understand it can then get access to the EU....Italy would be my preferred spot, but the problem is I am so heavily invested here and will not be able to sell major assets.