All the issues with Thailand

[NoshowJones]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:08 PM, Halfaboy said:

I did not read about the ever changing immigration requirements.

I have, and I bet most of the AN posters who have been posting regularly since even before the Cvirus also have.

[NoshowJones]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:25 PM, Denim said:

 

If you stay here and experience the rising cost of living then it seems it is not as cheap as it used to be.

 

A long holiday to your home country should put this into better perspective.

 

In the UK , to put a tent up in a camp site a common charge now is 12 pounds per person. 24 pounds for 2 people or about 1000 baht a night .................  for a tent in a field.  Here , even in Bangkok , 1000 a night will get you a nice hotel.

 

My sister pays 250 pounds a month for her community charge. That is , rubbish collection , street lights etc.. Here we pay just 20 baht.

 

Petrol there is twice as much.

 

Etc etc etc.  A trip back to your own country can sometimes boggle the mind because it is so expensive. So much so that when you get back here you really appreciate that it is still a lot cheaper than back there.

Spot on, but you forgot to mention one of the most important things, the need for a TV licence except for certain OAPs age 75 and over.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I have, and I bet most of the AN posters who have been posting regularly since even before the Cvirus also have.

I didn't just read about them, I experienced them first hand. In the end I gave up and used an agent.

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

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 also do not hang around Thai men, or women for that fact, but I know how they think/talk, I listen, I smile unbeknown to them that I understand a bit of Thai.

 

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

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.

There in lay the problem, I have little to do with my wife's family because same same, sister-in-laws ex partner throwing money at them as if he could afford it, and of course she/they took him for everything he had, later crying foul play, I did try to warn him, but he ran to his then partner spilling his beans with the family having a go at my wife, with her telling them, he has eyes, he sees what is going on and he can talk, up to him she said.

 

We have heard a lot of the village gossip about this farang and when my wife hears it, she tells those people, the more gossip about my husband the better, it just goes to show how stupid people in this village are my wife says.

[NoshowJones]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:47 PM, Denim said:

When they closed the original Thermaes I cried for days.

 

Yes, it was already over run with Japanese but nonetheless...... they will be bulldozing Hualampong station unless we protest.

No! It's going to be a museum.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, possum1931 said:

No! It's going to be a museum.

That's excellent news. I hope it includes the railway museum, which was/ is in a very unsuitable building.

I always thought it would make an excellent museum, but I hope they have better budget/ people than the science museum, which IMO was a very bad joke when I visited it.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I also do not hang around Thai men, or women for that fact, but I know how they think/talk, I listen, I smile unbeknown to them that I understand a bit of Thai.

 

There in lay the problem, I have little to do with my wife's family because same same, sister-in-laws ex partner throwing money at them as if he could afford it, and of course she/they took him for everything he had, later crying foul play, I did try to warn him, but he ran to his then partner spilling his beans with the family having a go at my wife, with her telling them, he has eyes, he sees what is going on and he can talk, up to him she said.

 

We have heard a lot of the village gossip about this farang and when my wife hears it, she tells those people, the more gossip about my husband the better, it just goes to show how stupid people in this village are my wife says.

The village women always gossiped about me, but that's what people do. I put no store by it.

[NoshowJones]

18 hours ago, ChristianBlessing said:

How were "sold a lie"? What lie? It seems that Bangkok 16 years ago, when you arrived, was just as you would have hoped.

 

It would seem the biggest change in 16 years is simply that you're 16 years older. We change, things change - happens to all of us.

I was sold a lie. When I retired out here, all I had to do was have a nice day out with a run to the border every 90 days for a stamp in my passport.

I would never have come here if I knew that eventually, I would have to report to immigration every 90 days.

That's just one example. There are many other things, but I don't feel like printing them all out.

[thaibeachlovers]

16 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I was sold a lie. When I retired out here, all I had to do was have a nice day out with a run to the border every 90 days for a stamp in my passport.

I would never have come here if I knew that eventually, I would have to report to immigration every 90 days.

That's just one example. There are many other things, but I don't feel like printing them all out.

Sorry, but that was the truth BACK THEN. It wasn't a lie. No official ever said it was ALWAYS going to be like that.

Everything changes. Sadly, it seems like it's always for the worse and never for the better.

[NoshowJones]

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sorry, but that was the truth BACK THEN. It wasn't a lie. No official ever said it was ALWAYS going to be like that.

Everything changes. Sadly, it seems like it's always for the worse and never for the better.

There is something in what you say, but I would never have come here if I knew I would be expected to report to anyone.

That is treating you as a criminal, and no one will ever change my mind on that.

The first expats I got to know, most of them were all doing 90day border hops and enjoyed it, and I decided to do the same.

No official ever said that annual exts would always be the same, we could all be told that instead of doing your next annual extension, we must leave Thailand.

How would all the expats feel then? So yes I am bitter about it. We know things can change, but we don't have to like it.

[thaibeachlovers]

15 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

We know things can change, but we don't have to like it.

Indeed, I don't like much if anything that has happened in my home country in the past decade or so, but not a <deleted> thing I can do about it so must lump it.

[Thingamabob]

Everywhere changes as time goes by. I'm still very happy in Thailand after living here permanently for 40 years. My impression is the poster is probably not best suited for the way things are done in the LOS.

[BusyB]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:25 AM, Denim said:

 

If you stay here and experience the rising cost of living then it seems it is not as cheap as it used to be.

 

A long holiday to your home country should put this into better perspective.

 

In the UK , to put a tent up in a camp site a common charge now is 12 pounds per person. 24 pounds for 2 people or about 1000 baht a night .................  for a tent in a field.  Here , even in Bangkok , 1000 a night will get you a nice hotel.

 

My sister pays 250 pounds a month for her community charge. That is , rubbish collection , street lights etc.. Here we pay just 20 baht.

 

Petrol there is twice as much.

 

Etc etc etc.  A trip back to your own country can sometimes boggle the mind because it is so expensive. So much so that when you get back here you really appreciate that it is still a lot cheaper than back there.

I just paid nearly 500 baht for a SomTam here ... (and it didn't even have shrimps)

[Mansell]

Change is nonstop in this world, and prices rise and rise.

When I left England in 1972 I paid 5 pounds a week for an apartment in Cheltenham…..a good Indian meal was around ten shillings……beer was cheap and I drank Watney’s Brown Ale. I worked for a guy and drove him around in an Aston Martin and a Range Rover and was paid 45 pounds a week…..I think that was twice as much as the national average, and had an expense account. When I went back to England many years later and asked for a Watneys the guy in the pub looked at me blankly. Life back then was fun and cheap. But like everything it all changes and not necessarily for the better. I can list many countries I’ve been to that are very different now, and not so much fun…..mainly because of all the people now in the world…..1960 there were around 3 billion people, now over 7 billion. Makes a big difference on many levels, and there isn’t anything we can do about it all.

[newnative]

    I'm still enjoying Thailand after 10 years.  My Thai partner and I are renovating a house on the Darkside of Pattaya.  We've been employing a lot of local workers and the house is shaping up.  Today we are working on the landscaping and we decided that the pool area needed some potted plants. 

    So, off to the local nursery around 1:30pm.  After some looking we picked out four large concrete pots about 60 cm high and added matching saucers to catch the water.  The nice lady at the nursery showed us a lot of plant choices, helped us select the right plants for sun, and while we were there they planted them in the pots so we could see what they looked like.  We also bought 5 smaller plants that we will plant in the ground elsewhere. 

   We paid and came back home about 3pm.  Around 4pm today our plants were delivered by the nursery and the large, heavy pots were put in the places we selected by the driver and his assistant--it took 2 people to carry them.  Total cost for everything, including a tip:  $2800 baht.  Try that back in the US.   It's days like today that remind us we are spoiled here.  

[Denim]

1 hour ago, BusyB said:

I just paid nearly 500 baht for a SomTam here ... (and it didn't even have shrimps)

Wouldn't cost that much in the Oriental Hotel here !

[zzaa09]

3 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Everywhere changes as time goes by. I'm still very happy in Thailand after living here permanently for 40 years. My impression is the poster is probably not best suited for the way things are done in the LOS.

Or anywhere out of his familiar zone. 

One requires to get around the "why can't they be like us" syndrome. 

[freedomnow]

I think you have nailed a lot of thr growing minuses. since mid-2000s.

Being younger P4P has never been cost factor though ????

[zzaa09]

White Man's Burden. 

 

 

 

A good civilising mission will put these people in good order. 

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, Mansell said:

Change is nonstop in this world, and prices rise and rise.

When I left England in 1972 I paid 5 pounds a week for an apartment in Cheltenham…..a good Indian meal was around ten shillings……beer was cheap and I drank Watney’s Brown Ale. I worked for a guy and drove him around in an Aston Martin and a Range Rover and was paid 45 pounds a week…..I think that was twice as much as the national average, and had an expense account. When I went back to England many years later and asked for a Watneys the guy in the pub looked at me blankly. Life back then was fun and cheap. But like everything it all changes and not necessarily for the better. I can list many countries I’ve been to that are very different now, and not so much fun…..mainly because of all the people now in the world…..1960 there were around 3 billion people, now over 7 billion. Makes a big difference on many levels, and there isn’t anything we can do about it all.

Watney's, LOL. That reminds me of the Monty Python sketch with the guy in a travel agents lambasting the salesman. He makes a comment about Watney's.

 

https://montycasinos.com/montypython/scripts/travagent-long.php.html

Mr. Smoketoomuch: And you can't even get a glass of Watney's Red Barrel because you're still in England with the bloody bar closes every time you're thirsty.

[Presnock]

17 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sorry, but that was the truth BACK THEN. It wasn't a lie. No official ever said it was ALWAYS going to be like that.

Everything changes. Sadly, it seems like it's always for the worse and never for the better.

one doesn't have to report every 90 days to immigration, online or by post is too simple?  I realize that online only works sometimes but by post is less than 100 baht and drop off at any post office.  Once a year extension of stay - used to be, some lined up at midnight in order to get a queue ticket number for that particular day.  Now one can just walk in and get it taken care of, usually less than an hour.  Yeah, some embassies stopped giving out pension guarantee letters but that was not immigration's fault but due to I guess many people fudging the monetary requirements.  For me, it actually meant a savings of that notary-letter payment to the embassy.  I recall the 90-day over the border days many years ago, wasn't all that bad going to Arunyaprathet and the casino for a free lunch and then the trip back to BKK but was a day wasted and dangerous.  I think it is much easier today than previously.

 

[zzaa09]

4 minutes ago, Presnock said:

one doesn't have to report every 90 days to immigration, online or by post is too simple?  I realize that online only works sometimes but by post is less than 100 baht and drop off at any post office.  Once a year extension of stay - used to be, some lined up at midnight in order to get a queue ticket number for that particular day.  Now one can just walk in and get it taken care of, usually less than an hour.  Yeah, some embassies stopped giving out pension guarantee letters but that was not immigration's fault but due to I guess many people fudging the monetary requirements.  For me, it actually meant a savings of that notary-letter payment to the embassy.  I recall the 90-day over the border days many years ago, wasn't all that bad going to Arunyaprathet and the casino for a free lunch and then the trip back to BKK but was a day wasted and dangerous.  I think it is much easier today than previously.

 

In some manners, it might be slightly easier and convenient from just a few years ago. 

I could do ya one better to wax on the days [25-30 years ago] when we had little of this unnecessary and convoluted bureaucracy and ever-changing complex policies as regarding to resident/long-term visas or any other visa status, for that matter. 

[MRToMRT]

1 and 13 really ring true for me as well.

[CartagenaWarlock]

I'm not sure what exactly what  thrill the OP is talking about? He claims money is not the issue still he gives example of some fish and cheap for 60 baht. Why can't he get the same thrill in his home country, presumably in England. What is preventing him from getting the same thrill in his home country. I have travelled to many places and got the thrill I wanted including staff that are banned in most places. 

However, I found one difference is that prostitutes in most countries don't marry foreigners, let alone have babies with foreigners 30 years older than themselves. I'm 59 when I came to Thailand and immediately found a 19-year old sex worker from Poseidon to have my baby when I offered her a million baht. This attitude I have not found in any other places in the World

Edited September 26, 2021 by CartagenaWarlock

[Fat is a type of crazy]

8 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

However, I found one difference is that prostitutes in most countries don't marry foreigners, let alone have babies with foreigners 30 years older than themselves. I'm 59 when I came to Thailand and immediately found a 19-year old sex worker from Poseidon to have my baby when I offered her a million baht. This attitude I have not found in any other places in the World

Why did you do that? Sounds like an interesting story. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:47 PM, Denim said:

they will be bulldozing Hualampong station unless we protest.

You need to keep up, no chance of that happening, as has been announced and confirmed several times.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:38 PM, AndyFoxy said:

Title of the thread should be changed to something like, "All the issues I personally have with Thailand because I don't have enough money".

...or, "A Thinly (and Badly) Disguised, 15 Point Thai-Bash".

[Skallywag]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:03 PM, Boarn said:

To all those who say 'go home then', well there is far worse!

Exactly, everywhere in the world has changed in the last 16 years.  Prices rise because of inflation etc...

Good list you made though

[Skallywag]

1 hour ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I'm 59 when I came to Thailand and immediately found a 19-year old sex worker from Poseidon to have my baby when I offered her a million baht.

Wow, talk about strange reasons to come to Thailand

This is the most bizarre reason I have read about.

Hope you can still monger while she raises "your" child

Hope you had a DNA test done 555. 

Peace

[Denim]

55 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You need to keep up, no chance of that happening, as has been announced and confirmed several times.

Yes, I know. It has been ear marked for a museum. My meaning was that in such a prime location , without continued public interest in preserving it for posterity it might nonetheless get redeveloped.

Imagine another shopping mall going up there that only retained the front facade as an entrance. Awful.