All the issues with Thailand

[1FinickyOne]

15 minutes ago, chrissables said:

I was comparing the price here. Before the baht was 75 to the pound, it went down by 40 odd percent, so that make it more expensive by 40 percent.

I guess most people don't figure in the possibility of currency fluctuation when they come here... I sympathize w/the Brits who have lost so much purchasing power... but that's life. The collapse of the empire and all.. 

 

When I was a teen my parents used to go to Europe because things were so cheap, compared to USA... 

[Kwasaki]

7 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

And with the change from 1000 baht, you could fly to London and have dinner for 2 at a fine restaurant... 

Last place I'd go is London never did like the place. 

[Kwasaki]

7 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

I passed through there in 1974... a dusty main road w/a few bungalows and a nice beach w/palm trees... etc... thankfully nothing has changed.

My apologies I didn't know you had lost your sight. 

[Bangkok Barry]

19 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Not a problem if you have more money.

 

The question is, do you get value for money?

[chrissables]

15 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I don't think that's a fair assessment it wasn't 75 for long. 

 

Exchange rates is not the way to look at price rises in Thailand in my book. 

It was 75 when i brought my money over.

 

Sure i don't really worry about exchange rates, they are out of my control, i need money i bring money. All one can do.

 

I was answering to the questions raised by this thread ????

[Denim]

13 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

I'm finding all this quite amusing - the promotion of the romantic times and the good old days applying to the early 2000s. ????

Naive newbies from their respective generations.????

 

Take it from an old timer - the real good old days were the 1970s......perhaps into the early 80s.

Wax upon that.

 

 

 

What still surprise me thinking to back then is that without mobile phones , texting or emails etc , you would arrange to meet up with friends on a certain date at a certain place and time and 95 percent of the time people turned up on time at the right place. Nobody had even a television ( why bother only Chinese kung <deleted> movies ) but with only a few books for support , never got bored.

[Peterphuket]

25 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Similar experience. I came to Thailand around 25 or 26 years ago, based for the first 15 years in Bangkok before moving close to my wife's village in Kalasin Province. Bought an empty house belonging to a friend of her family who had moved to Chonburi. Cost 600,000 when the baht was in the toilet and later I spent double that bringing it up to standard when we decided to move up here. Might be worth 3.5m now.

 

When I first came to the village it had dirt roads. Even some of the main road from Kalasin was a single-lane each way dirt road. That is now a dual carriageway. I could make a phone call within Thailand from a shop in the village, and to make an overseas call I had to go 10kms to a larger village and book the call. There were around three or four Thai tv channels. One, once a week, used to show a western film with the English soundtrack available on the radio, but when it was time for the evening news on the radio you lost the soundtrack until the news was finished. A TIT thing.

The big supermarket was a 7-11, and when we planned to move to the area I expected that we'd need to buy a chest freezer and make 260km round-trips every month or so to Khon Kaen to stock up.

 

Now, we have a large Lotus supermarket 10kms away, and a Big C and Makro 50km away. I have excellent internet from 3BB which allows me to watch UK and other tv via IPTV. Electricity supply is prone to breakdowns every month or so, and although it is annoying the lads are out at all hours and in all weathers to fix it within a few hours and usually within the hour. As an aside, when 3BB installed the internet they had a problem setting up the connection and worked until nearly midnight on a Sunday to get it working, helped by a supply of Leo beer and potato chips. Try getting that service in the 'real world'.

 

I'm now trying to get my wife to urge the local politicians, one of whom a family member works for, to get the electricity office to do something about the power cuts, that have been going on ever since I came here and which the locals just accept as normal and do nothing about.

Some things are not as good as before. The attitude towards foreigners by the government - not the people - has deteriorated. But that attitude might not be limited to foreigners. You would be hard pressed to find many Thais who approve of the government either.

Sure prices have increased, as they have everywhere in the world. They do, sometimes, seem to increase not by the usual 1-2% at a time as experienced most of the time elsewhere though, but by 10-20%, and that is making Thailand less appealing to many. And if you want western food and western quality then you are going to pay western prices, largely in Tops and so-called gourmet markets in hi-so malls. And, sometimes, first world prices come with third world service standards.

I come from the UK. Would I return? Probably not, largely because of the cost of accommodation there. But I do miss going into a pub, any pub, and invariably finding three or four beers I've never seen before that are worth a try. Definitely not the case in Thailand. And I miss decent fish and chips. I miss the seasons too, but know I'd have had enough of winter before Christmas came around. If I was able to move anywhere, which isn't going to happen, it would be to Spain, where food and drink prices are low and of excellent quality. Did you know you can pick up 3-4 small beers in a supermarket there for 30 baht.

Yes, I agree and have the same experience, especially with this comment: "And, sometimes, first world prices come with third world service standards."

And then I think of my last experience with Apple, here in LOS the highest prices and the worst service...again,in my experience.

[4MyEgo]

29 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

What I see on that subject is this: farang can tend to get angry and "go off" in very impolite ways and make large public displays of their often unjustified anger in ways that a Thai never would.

Yes I think those that get angry or go off, lose face very quickly, point is that I have never had an issue with respecting Thai's or anyone else in that manner, I always smile and try to make the Thai feel comfortable, oh this farang is ok, he doesn't bit, but out of the 100 or so you will always get comments when you walk away, from the limited Thai that I know, I can understand when a Thai is putting me down for no reason, that is why I say they are Xenophobic, naturally that wouldn't apply to all Thai's, perhaps I am using the wrong word ?

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I've been seeing that sort of comment a lot on the forum recently, but perhaps such posters live in a different Thailand than I did. In all my years visiting and living in LOS I never ever experienced xenophobia. I experienced a lot of other problems, such as ever increasing bureaucracy at immigration, and the usual incompetence by those "in charge" ( not something unique to Thailand ), but can't say I ever thought I was being disadvantaged by "xenophobia".

If we use the definition as provided by google ;

dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.

I have seen a lot of that in other countries, but Thailand, in my experience, was lacking that particular problem.

Largely true, I think. Those who treat us poorly also treat locals the same way. Once they have a uniform they have a green light to bully anyone, not just foreigners.

[FritsSikkink]

23 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

The question is, do you get value for money?

I do

[1FinickyOne]

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Yes I think those that get angry or go off, lose face very quickly, point is that I have never had an issue with respecting Thai's or anyone else in that manner, I always smile and try to make the Thai feel comfortable, oh this farang is ok, he doesn't bit, but out of the 100 or so you will always get comments when you walk away, from the limited Thai that I know, I can understand when a Thai is putting me down for no reason, that is why I say they are Xenophobic, naturally that wouldn't apply to all Thai's, perhaps I am using the wrong word ?

yeah, my comments were meant generally, not personally. You seem to do fine here... I do fine here too. My farang friends here seem to mostly get along fine w/their wives and families etc.. me too. - - I spent near 20 years in a small village/near a small city and loved the experience... the farang I know are culturally aware and all do fine too... 

[1FinickyOne]

22 minutes ago, Denim said:

What still surprise me thinking to back then is that without mobile phones , texting or emails etc , you would arrange to meet up with friends on a certain date at a certain place and time and 95 percent of the time people turned up on time at the right place. Nobody had even a television ( why bother only Chinese kung <deleted> movies ) but with only a few books for support , never got bored.

Ah yes, I remember it well... when the Westerners here were here out of curiousity of another culture. Travellers, reading,writing, conversing, playing chess... first here in '74 and if you saw another farang you both stopped, greeted and exchanged information.. 

[1FinickyOne]

5 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

I do

I now pronounce you man and wife.. 

[CharlieH]

Havnt read the previous 4 pages of content. (Yet)

 

But to answer this...

"I have no idea what attracts people to Thailand now, if you've moved recently, why? I would genuinely like to know!"

 

The answer for most is simple, women ! and more than likely one in particular. ????

 

[Denim]

6 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

another culture.

Which reminds me of a term you don't hear as much now as then . ' Culture shock '

 

I think because back then different places were indeed ' different '

 

Men and women strolling down Sukhumvit in sarongs. People smiling a lot and meaning it. As curious about us as we were them.

[CharlieH]

I really dont get this obsession some have with currency and comparing prices with other countries.

 

If you live here, settled here, you are never going to be happy until you cut that <deleted> loose.

You live here now, you aint going nowhere, you already cut your ties, and it is what it is here, you cant change or influence currency or prices.

 

Give it up ! accept that this is your life now, and just roll with it.Just as you did for umpteen years in the land from whence you came.

[rwill]

I bet everything back in your home country has gone up in cost since you left 16 years ago too.

[thaibeachlovers]

5 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

If you look behind the smile, you will find it, it's there, that or I am just paranoid, or perhaps I am using the wrong word, maybe jealousy could be a replacement, or an addition, either way i find both exist as much as paranoia does.

Sorry, but I think you are hanging with the wrong crowd. I never experienced xenophobia OR jealousy, but then I'm not rich enough to be jealous of.

Alternatively it could be because I never wanted to be friends with Thai men.

I'm not saying I didn't have problems- my Thai family hated disliked me, probably because I didn't give them money or buy them cars, but that wasn't because of my race. They loved my wife's cousin's husband because he did give them loadsacash, and he was a farang.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Ah yes, I remember it well... when the Westerners here were here out of curiousity of another culture. Travellers, reading,writing, conversing, playing chess... first here in '74 and if you saw another farang you both stopped, greeted and exchanged information.. 

Plenty of American GIs in '74 in Bkk. I even went to a GI sex bar and it was busting with them.

Can't say I was impressed with the bar, and I much preferred the 90s nite scene.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, Denim said:

What still surprise me thinking to back then is that without mobile phones , texting or emails etc , you would arrange to meet up with friends on a certain date at a certain place and time and 95 percent of the time people turned up on time at the right place. Nobody had even a television ( why bother only Chinese kung <deleted> movies ) but with only a few books for support , never got bored.

Kung <deleted> movies! That was one thing I loved in Singapore in the 70s. They were all over the place. I saw my first Bruce Lee film in some little hole in the wall cinema. Penang was also a good place to see them.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Last place I'd go is London never did like the place. 

Worked there for 10 years and never did find anything to like about it, except the historical stuff. Too congested and dirty for my liking.

[CH1961]

22 hours ago, Boarn said:

cheaper than xyz, yes I would like this change.

.. cheaper .. looks like the most important for you. 

Go home to UK, buy your beer at Lidl, eat tasteless fish and chips and rant about immigrants they use the NHS for free. 

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

That's a personal point of expense a 25 baht plate of noodles is still 25 baht not more expensive. 

True. Even three years ago I could buy enough fried rice chicken to last 3 meals for 50 baht. If people will eat at Dukes, what do they expect?

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, chrissables said:

I was comparing the price here. Before the baht was 75 to the pound, it went down by 40 odd percent, so that make it more expensive by 40 percent.

Given the customers for cheap food in LOS make very little money, the prices can't, IMO, rise too much.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

And with the change from 1000 baht, you could fly to London and have dinner for 2 at a fine restaurant... 

but if you tell young people that today, they won't believe you.

[Boarn]

20 minutes ago, CH1961 said:

.. cheaper .. looks like the most important for you. 

Go home to UK, buy your beer at Lidl, eat tasteless fish and chips and rant about immigrants they use the NHS for free. 

Yes it is, you put up with all the <deleted> that goes along with living in Thailand because it is cheap, when it's not longer cheap it makes you question the purpose of the place.

 

Fish and chips, peas and curry sauce.... one forgoes these delights because Thailand is cheap and you can be entertained on the cheap, well you could be...

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

38 minutes ago, Boarn said:

when it's not longer cheap it makes you question the purpose of the place.

I hope you understand that is not true for everyone?

[khunPer]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:03 AM, Boarn said:

I have no idea what attracts people to Thailand now, if you've moved recently, why? I would genuinely like to know!

I also moved to LOS 16 year ago, and in the always unbearable crystal bright light of hindsight, I would still move to LOS if I'm same age, and in similar financial situation as back then...????

 

However we are all different, and might have different view on things, and what happened during the last 16 years, in my view...

 

1. Bangkok was a great experience for 3-4 days, and then I wished to get out; Bangkok is still a great experience for 3-4 days.

2. There are more developments, and that counts for almost everywhere in the World, in both Bangkok, and where I live, development also means better infrastructure, so it's a benefit.

3. Thailand is still cheap, the consumer price index equals the same of my home country, a night out - apart from under Covid-lockdown - is still affordable in same relative level; I'm never bored.

4. I however haven't been having a night out in Bangkok for a number of years, but presume I would have to spend around same increase, as in the - by many considered very expensive and overpriced - tourist area, where I live.

5. "House for sale" comes without land, but there are ways around it, if you insist to own your house, and also the land under it.

6. Land prices haven't increased much where I live in LOS, but in the "right location" is relative expensive, and gone up in price; while, land prices are now absurd in my home country.

7. Fun cars are prices similar to fun cars in my home country, so both here, and when I live there, I had affordable new cars and secondhand fun cars...????

8. Sky Trains and Metro are great improvements for easy and affordable transport in Bangkok.

9. I've been treated fine by the government as guest in the kingdom, they even gave me free Covid-vaccinations.

10. There has been some change in mix of foreigners over the years, with relative less so-called Westerners like Europeans, Americans and folks from down under, as the number of incoming aliens have more than doubled, especially due to increase of other nationalities, and during the same period a tiny drop in number of Westerners.

11. I have always had good neighbors and others around the place where I live, and I still have, except one nearby house, but you cannot always expect everything to be 100 percent perfect.

12. Still affordable food, however pork meat prices have almost doubled, while beef meat is about same price, so relative cheaper, therefore I can relative afford more beef now than before.

13. The Thailand I moved to is still the same, if not better.

14. Immigration is no hassle, once you get used to the yearly paperwork and have you cash deposit in order.

15. I never looked for Western expats to mingle with, but I seems like I meet more of them now, than before.

 

I'm still extremely happy here and don't regret my choice of moving...????

 

PS: Never forget that everything was better before, and the usual girls were also younger...????

Edited September 22, 2021 by khunPer

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Worked there for 10 years and never did find anything to like about it, except the historical stuff. Too congested and dirty for my liking.

Yeah I know many people like City life, I'm just not and never will be one of em. 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

True. Even three years ago I could buy enough fried rice chicken to last 3 meals for 50 baht. If people will eat at Dukes, what do they expect?

Wanna be Hiso's or the ones who cannot do without Sunday lunch. ????