Thailand Or Farangland?...

[villagefarang]

I think it is an extremely good idea to take your new Thai wife back to the west for 5-10 years. With this background you will be better able to function together here in the long run.

I strongly agree with you. Too often all the adjustment and understanding is in one direction. If both parties have equal understanding of each others culture and background it makes for a more level playing field. I think it gives you a much better chance of long term success.

[villagefarang]

correct

Your quite correct. I do indeed have one of those things and find it quite useful.

jackmuu

I like the 6 months here and 6 months there idea. That is pretty much what we did the last 6 years. A big reason for that was to spend time with my aging parents while we still have a chance. At least my wife had a chance to get to know them before thinks started to get difficult. My mother has Alzheimer's and we just got my parents moved to a retirement home where they can get the help they need. We talk daily and sent pictures but she doesn't remember all that much. Once they are gone I'm not sure why I would want to go back.

My parent's and a handfull of friends are the only reason I have to go back. But like everything else, I miss UK when I am over here and miss Thailand when I am in the UK. Sadly there is no paradise. I travel all over the world constantly and have yet to find somewhere that 'has it all'.

If anyone finds it, clue us in.

I know it is corny and old-fashioned, but I find it very true, that it is not really about a place or destination but more about the journey itself. Sounds to me like you are on a great journey and have good people accompanying you.

[Lite Beer]

I never miss the UK.

Isaan for me. Lovely people and countryside at a cheap price.

Never been so happy.

[ronw]

correct

Your quite correct. I do indeed have one of those things and find it quite useful.

jackmuu

I like the 6 months here and 6 months there idea. That is pretty much what we did the last 6 years. A big reason for that was to spend time with my aging parents while we still have a chance. At least my wife had a chance to get to know them before thinks started to get difficult. My mother has Alzheimer's and we just got my parents moved to a retirement home where they can get the help they need. We talk daily and sent pictures but she doesn't remember all that much. Once they are gone I'm not sure why I would want to go back.

My parent's and a handfull of friends are the only reason I have to go back. But like everything else, I miss UK when I am over here and miss Thailand when I am in the UK. Sadly there is no paradise. I travel all over the world constantly and have yet to find somewhere that 'has it all'.

If anyone finds it, clue us in.

I HAVE found it, and I live here...............but I am not telling where it is...........you'll only come and spoil it!

[correct]

Is it Laos? I love that place..

[jackmuu]

correct

Your quite correct. I do indeed have one of those things and find it quite useful.

jackmuu

I like the 6 months here and 6 months there idea. That is pretty much what we did the last 6 years. A big reason for that was to spend time with my aging parents while we still have a chance. At least my wife had a chance to get to know them before thinks started to get difficult. My mother has Alzheimer's and we just got my parents moved to a retirement home where they can get the help they need. We talk daily and sent pictures but she doesn't remember all that much. Once they are gone I'm not sure why I would want to go back.

My parent's and a handfull of friends are the only reason I have to go back. But like everything else, I miss UK when I am over here and miss Thailand when I am in the UK. Sadly there is no paradise. I travel all over the world constantly and have yet to find somewhere that 'has it all'.

If anyone finds it, clue us in.

I HAVE found it, and I live here...............but I am not telling where it is...........you'll only come and spoil it!

not fair

[Maigo6]

I HAVE found it, and I live here...............but I am not telling where it is...........you'll only come and spoil it!

Pai by any chance ?

[villagefarang]

I HAVE found it, and I live here...............but I am not telling where it is...........you'll only come and spoil it!

Pai by any chance ?

That was too easy unless he gave a false location to throw us off.

[Pepe']

Back in the day I was on a popular Thai TV debate program with the Farangs saying it was better to live in Thailand and the Thais saying it was better to live overseas. The purpose then was to be fun and entertaining but in truth it is a serious question.

Personally I think a lot depends on who you marry. If on the one hand you marry into a prosperous well educated Thai family you might be better off here as you would have access to influence and connections. Also if you come here with a full ex-pat package or are retired on a fixed income you might find your standard of living a bit higher.

If you marry a BG it might be best to take her somewhere else to help break the sex, booze and gambling addictions. Even if you get a decent job here, the staff and the people you will need to associate with, at the compulsory social events, will not treat her kindly. I know you think its not fair but what they see through their cultural filters is the equivalent of the skankiest, down and out, skid-row streetwalker. (No social graces, bad language, bad accent, bad hair, bad clothes, bad makeup, bad hygiene, bad attitude.)

My wife and I have met many couples overseas who have done quite well after the initial adjustment. Husbands usually could never make as much money in Thailand as they can in their home country. Girls with lowly(in Thai terms) cooking, sewing, beautician or massage skills, can with a little hard work, get a license in their field and end up making a good deal of money. Sometimes the guys dream of retiring in Thailand but by the time they are ready their wives are not. Having broken the bonds of social class in Thailand and making their own money it is hard to come back home.

If you are single and trying to rack up the numbers of conquests that is another thread entirely. If you have a Thai wife, or plan to have one you, need to ask yourself where should we live and what are the positives and negatives of each place.

So, where and why?

---------------------------------

I think, "The grass is always greener..."

[The Dan Sai Kid]

We are in Scotland. We weighed up the options and we felt that the best place to be was the UK. I don't work for a multi-national corporation and the opportunity to live in Thailand with western money is not open to us. Because of that the education and health-care that we could afford is much better in the UK. Then there is university, if we bring our children up in Thailand then there is no way we could afford to send them to uni in UK and the Thai system is a joke.

I feel that we can offer our children a lot more in the UK. That's why we don't live in Thailand any more...

[Thaddeus]

I never miss the UK.

Isaan for me. Lovely people and countryside at a cheap price.

Never been so happy.

Ditto.

My wife loved the UK, but she was only there for three months, nowhere near long enough to develop the same jaundiced opinion that I had about the place.

If I have one regret in my life it would only be that On didn't spend enough time in the UK, we should have lived there for a few years just so I could turn around and say "see"