So What Brought You To Thailand?

[mikethevigoman]

I came to Thailand in 2004 & fell in love with the laidback life style. After 11 years in Hawaii I got used to beaches & heat,so Thailand was a great place to be.

Feeling like I hit the top of my game as a sucessfull mechanic- autobodyman & Wedding photoghrapher

I was ready to level my playing field & not be the Bossman. It was a very good choice!

That & a horrible destructive relationship to a girl that would have hunted me down like a dog in the streets if I moved back to California helped prompt a new lifestyle. Always been the adventuring type.

Did I mention the girls are pretty hot out here as well! Didn't take long to get hooked up to a great gal in Pattaya & no we didn't meet in a beer bar.

Thailand rocks .....even with the Minor inconvieniences & have met some very kind hearted as well as spirited individuals in this forum

Beardog

I came to thailand and fell in love also, every five minutes !

[Neeranam]

Good post Sateve. All the best.

[AlbertTatlockDeceased]

What brought me to Thailand?

If I remeber correctly, a Boeing 747..economy class.

Why I like to remain here?

1: Freedom of Speech.

2:My Undying love of the Thai Elite.

3: My Undying Love of the coup maker Boonyaratkalin.

4: My love of Thai justice.

5: My love ofe the inncorruptability of the Thai Elite.

6; My Love of the 185 Baht "minimum" wage

7: My Love of the Thai health care system.

8: My Love of PATRIOTIC songs on TITV at 6 in the morning.

9: My Love at the harmony between the Muslims and Thai's (won't use the wod Bhuddist - maybe Ghost fearing annimist)

10:My Love of a "SUFFICIENCY ECONOMY" until the loans are called in!

The list goes on......

But to be honest...despite all the flaws...it is still better than living in the UK...I really mean it, for all it's faults, you would need to drag me kicking and screaming to get me to go back to the UK!

GOD BLESS APATHY/INDIFFERENCE/IGNORANCE

Lets face it, there are a lot worse places than Thailand!

[villagefarang]

Good post Sateev. All the best.

I strongly agree!!! A well delivered story.

[AlbertTatlockDeceased]

In about 1975, I read an article in the now defunct 'Oui Magazine', a Playboy publication, entitled "Horny Huns Invade Bangkok", about German sex tourism in Thailand. At 25, my hormones were abundant, and I dreamed about it, but was too busy popping in and out of school and career to actually make the trip.

Then, in 1981 or so, while working evenings in a hospital, I found myself unwinding in Hollywood CA, after my shift ended. It was well after 1 AM, and the only restaurant open, in the area that is now Thaitown, was a place called Siam. I ate my first Thai food there, late at night, surrounded by 'hip' people, and not a few celebrities. I tried several other restaurants in the area, and then one day I met Oi, who would become my first Thai girlfriend. She was working as a waitress, illegally (of course), and had a student visa that was due to expire the following January. She was in full possession of her Thai girl charms, and I was totally defenseless.

We became quite serious, and when she finally had to leave, I went home with her, to meet her parents in a house on Sathupradit Rd., in Yannawa, Bangkok. This was around New Year's 1982.

I stayed at a small hotel near her parents house, and we saw each other every day. She took me to a few temples, and we ate a lot of street food, but I never was out of her sight, and while I knew of Patpong and Saphan Kwai, I never had a chance to go. And it was OK, because I was really in love with her.

After three weeks, I returned to the US, and she stayed in Thailand. Eventually, she got another visa, and came back to LA, and we continued our relationship, but, eventually, we split up.

I didn't return to Thailand for the next 15 years.

Then, in 1996, I came back for a vacation. I remember thinking I would make up for lost time in the bars, but being really disappointed in the whole scene, and giving up on it. I had a serious damsel-rescue complex, and, of course, got taken in by a young dancer from Nana's Voodoo Bar, who I eventually corresponded with, and sent money upon my return.

Meanwhile, I traveled to Chiang Mai to see an old friend, and started to get a glimpse of life in the real Thailand. I began to fall in love with the place, and it was the beginning of a faint notion that I would someday live here.

After I returned to the US, the rescue complex caused me no end of grief, and I began to really work out just what was going on. I wiggled out of my 'arrangement' with the Voodoo girl, but I will admit that, to this day, I have to be careful not to fall into the same trap. It is a trap of my own psyche, and, I now gather, of many Westerners who come to live here.

In the US, I went to the local wat to continue my Thai study, and to try to understand what it was about Thailand that I want to continue to experience.

After an average of a month a year in Thailand for the next nine years, I finally decided to make the move in Nov. 2005, and have never been happier. Looking back, my reasons have changed, as I have changed, but in the end, it's the lifestyle, the lack of daily confrontation and stress, and the grace, however superficial, of the Thai people I see most days.

As for the sex, I have to agree with the earlier poster, who prefers the 'scene' in Latin countries. The P4P scene and the bars are not nearly as much fun as the 25 year old kid once thought they would be, and there is a certain, but understandable, lack of intensity in Thai sexuality, at least as I have experienced it. But I look at sex as scratching an itch, and it is still a plus for me that it is as available, in as many forms, as it is here. The key is balance...

I have now met the one, she needs no rescuing, and she helps me keep my 'balance', as it were, if I know what's good for me.

Sateev

[edit:sp]

2nd'ed. enjoy your post...honesty at it's roots!

[mikethevigoman]

Some people have a vision of ex-pats as lowlifes and scum but I think it takes an adventurers spirit to leave the security of ones own cultural environment and venture into unknown territory. I have met many more interesting people here than I ever would have back home. No matter how diverse our backgrounds we all share the common status of foreigners in a foreign land. If this thread gets off the ground I will gladly share my own experience of how I got here.

Yes. all of those !

[jetjock]

In a sense I guess I could say that work initially brought me to Thailand but it was love and adventure have kept me coming back year after year. I was flying a 747 from NRT to BKK in 1996 and I can still remember the first time I saw the lights of the city as I started my approach into BKK as it was the beginning of my love affair with Thailand.

I can still remember it as if it were yesterday. There were 3 of us pilots and about 10 flight attendants so as soon as we checked into the Hilton Hotel, we changed clothes and all headed over to Cabbages and Condoms restaurant for dinner. After dinner we split from the female flight attendants since the guys wanted to go out for drinks and show me the town. I was the only newbie to Thailand in our group so they took me to Patpong to one of the bars that had one of those ping pong p*ssy type of shows. We had a fun filled evening which I will never forget! The next morning I met with the rest of my crew for a wonderful Thai massage and then I stupidly hired a Tuk Tuk driver for the rest of the day to show me the sights. Allthough he took me all over the city and I saw all the sights, I also saw my life flash before my eyes as I took the most dangerous drive of my life! Although I had a wonderful day in the Tuk Tuk, I vowed never to get into one again unless I someday decide that life has no value ! (lol)

I became fascinated with the culture, the people and the adventure of LOS and have been spending quite a few months of every year there ever since that layover. I eventually married a Thai girl who now lives with me here in the US and now both of us make several trips a year back to LOS which enables us to enjoy the best of both worlds.

[Maigo6]

I was flying a 747 from NRT to BKK in 1996 and I can still remember the first time I saw the lights of the city as I started my approach into BKK as it was the beginning of my love affair with Thailand.

Good on ya JetJock................

BKK is a lot more enticing than NRT that's for sure.

JetJock, you were working for NWA or United by any chance?

Edited September 14, 2007 by Maigo6

[jetjock]

I was flying a 747 from NRT to BKK in 1996 and I can still remember the first time I saw the lights of the city as I started my approach into BKK as it was the beginning of my love affair with Thailand.

Good on ya JetJock................

BKK is a lot more enticing than NRT that's for sure.

JetJock, you were working for NWA or United by any chance?

Maigo6,

I flew for UA for 35 years before retiring a few years ago. When I started with UA in 1967, it was a wonderful airline with management and employees that were very proud of their company and the way they served and treated their customers. During those early years most of the stewardesses (which they were referred to at that time) were young and pretty. As you probably know, everything has changed now and the cattle car mentality now prevails in management, many of the employees are unhappy and feel disinfrachised which is reflected on how the customers are treated, and I will be a good boy and make no comment on the current flight attendents. It is sad that so many US airlines have gone this way but at least it appears that a few of the Asian airlines seem to still be more service oriented and try to treat their cutomers well and with respect. As we all know,everything changes with time but obviously for the airlines and their customers, it usually has not been for the better.

[villagefarang]

Great story JetJock and thanks for sharing. It is good for people to hear stories like yours.

[GottMogen]

Went to visit a buddy I worked with in the Middle East. Came for a week, then came two months later for 3 weeks, than came 5 months later for spring break from Grad school, and now come to visit twice a year, now done with graduate School and selling everything I own over the next year (###### slow real estate market, timing was not in tune with my plans apparently) to move their full time and figure out the next chapter in my life, of course after the sex, alcohol, sex, and other stupid things we all do in Thailand lose their allure and reality sets in. So only a visitor for now but this has to have been the best thread to read on this board for a while....

[Dustoff]

The year was 1966 and I arrived in Bangkok on R&R from flying MASH hospital in America's ill-fated war in Vietnam. It was to be for only two weeks but I fudged and stayed three because Thailand absolutely blew me away - so much so that I knew then that I would live here someday.

I knew little to nothing about Thailand so I didn't even discover the sex trade (I had a girlfriend in Vietnam anyway) but met a very nice woman who was pimping for her brother who had an old car and was available for long trips for a pack of American cigarettes a day plus gasoline. She tagged along as we covered much of Thailand including the Chiang Mai area (where I now permanently reside) and all the way down to Phuket and Krabi. Things were certainly different then but I have watched the changes over the past 40+ years while coming through here on trips to India/Nepal and back and around the world as well. On these trips I was always with either a farang girlfriend or my wife and daughter so the bar scene was something I heard about but did not explore, especially since I have never been the barfly type nor ever had to seek out or pay for sex.

Like Jetjock I started flying commercially in 1967 and had an offer with TWA but happily decided to stay with helicopters which didn't pay as much but were one great adventure for thirty-five years. Finally, in 2001, I was set up comfortably enough to retire, anxious to escape from a nightmare of a Brit girlfriend and left after fifteen years on Maui to settle into the country I have considered home for 41 years now. I met my Chaiyaphum wife through a mutual Thai friend and these past 6+ years with her are the happiest I have ever had in my life.

Thailand No Ka Oi...

As an afterthought.. there are always those on threads like these, and everywhere else in life, who catagorize others with labels that are pre-printed by their own experiences and limited viewpoints. Opinions with no basis in fact are simply noise. We don't have to listen...

[Pepe']

I came and stayed for the abundance of cheap and willing prostitutes.

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

THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS!!!

[villagefarang]

Went to visit a buddy I worked with in the Middle East. Came for a week, then came two months later for 3 weeks, than came 5 months later for spring break from Grad school, and now come to visit twice a year, now done with graduate School and selling everything I own over the next year (###### slow real estate market, timing was not in tune with my plans apparently) to move their full time and figure out the next chapter in my life, of course after the sex, alcohol, sex, and other stupid things we all do in Thailand lose their allure and reality sets in. So only a visitor for now but this has to have been the best thread to read on this board for a while....

As the OP I'm glad to read that some people are enjoying this thread. It has done better than I expected but maybe not as well as I hoped. I guess on balance there have been a lot of substantive, enlightening and positive posts.

[Captain Chaos]

Some people have a vision of ex-pats as lowlifes and scum but I think it takes an adventurers spirit to leave the security of ones own cultural environment and venture into unknown territory. I have met many more interesting people here than I ever would have back home. No matter how diverse our backgrounds we all share the common status of foreigners in a foreign land. If this thread gets off the ground I will gladly share my own experience of how I got here.

I was working in India for a subsidiary of a British MNC and was offered a promotion and relocation to Bangkok.

[Sanpatong]

Actually it's none of anyone's business why I came here.

So there!

[dcfc2007]

i got picked at my school to get the chance to volunteer at the fr.ray foundation in july 2007 loved it so much went back out the following july and i am going back out this july as well, although im only 19 im looking at ways to try and reloacte myself to thailand.

[villagefarang]

I thought this thread of mine had been abandoned to the dust bin long ago. Thanks for breathing life back into it, and good luck on your adventures. Hope things turn out as well for you as they have for me.

[Meridian007]

I came for the culture shock. (really, I did!)

I'd just come out of a failed 10 year marriage (ended from her dalliances, not mine), and from owning a business with my ex for almost 15 years. Typical story, we married too young, (right out of Uni), and both worked too hard on the business to work hard on the relationship. Sold the house, cars, and extra stuff, sold my part of the business to the ex, and started to wonder in my mid-thirties what I wanted to do with my life.

My original plan in university was to travel to Asia after graduating, and maybe teach English in Japan (that was back in the early `90s when it was still a relatively new idea) before settling on a career or furthering my education. That wasn't how it worked out, but after the separation I found myself having personal freedom for the first time since university, so I thought what the hel_l, I'll check out Asia.

I checked out different countries, and lurked on the English teacher boards to see what people thought of each country, and started to focus on Thailand because of the culture, religion, food, rock climbing, (and yes, the women seemed beautiful, both physically and personality wise), and cheap cost of living. I realised that I had enough in savings and investments that I could theoretically live off my interest in Thailand for the rest of my life, so that sold me on Thailand.

I decided that I would retire early and try to experience culture shock for the first time in my life, and learn from it. I've been to many Central American and Caribbean countries, but only as a tourist so there was never really any culture shock. I was raised by a fairly religious family in a small town in Canada, and although I've lived in some of the bigger cities there, I had never experienced true Asian culture outside of the "Chinatowns" of Toronto and Ottawa. Ever since university I've wanted to experience a culture as diametrically opposite to my own as possible, to try and see what parts of who I am is really me, and what is just my cultural programming. Thailand seemed the perfect choice!

Well, I got here and I tried the retired thing for a bit (I only lasted 9 months), but I became too bored so I fell back on the idea of teaching. I've been doing that for around 2 years now, and while I've discovered that I love teaching, I've also realised that I hate teaching English. I've just started taking a Master's degree here, so hopefully I'll be teaching something interesting in a uni here in a couple of years.

I've decided that here is where I want to stay. I was patient and careful, and was lucky to find a wonderful woman here. We've been happy together for almost 2 years now, so this is where I see my future. I experienced the culture shock I came here for, but learned a lot more in the process!

[villagefarang]

Excellent story. Good attitude. Well thought out and executed approach. I too taught English in my early twenties and ended up hating it. Found many other things to do over the years, so no loss. It is always good to hear from someone who made it work.

I came for the culture shock. (really, I did!)

I'd just come out of a failed 10 year marriage (ended from her dalliances, not mine), and from owning a business with my ex for almost 15 years. Typical story, we married too young, (right out of Uni), and both worked too hard on the business to work hard on the relationship. Sold the house, cars, and extra stuff, sold my part of the business to the ex, and started to wonder in my mid-thirties what I wanted to do with my life.

My original plan in university was to travel to Asia after graduating, and maybe teach English in Japan (that was back in the early `90s when it was still a relatively new idea) before settling on a career or furthering my education. That wasn't how it worked out, but after the separation I found myself having personal freedom for the first time since university, so I thought what the hel_l, I'll check out Asia.

I checked out different countries, and lurked on the English teacher boards to see what people thought of each country, and started to focus on Thailand because of the culture, religion, food, rock climbing, (and yes, the women seemed beautiful, both physically and personality wise), and cheap cost of living. I realised that I had enough in savings and investments that I could theoretically live off my interest in Thailand for the rest of my life, so that sold me on Thailand.

I decided that I would retire early and try to experience culture shock for the first time in my life, and learn from it. I've been to many Central American and Caribbean countries, but only as a tourist so there was never really any culture shock. I was raised by a fairly religious family in a small town in Canada, and although I've lived in some of the bigger cities there, I had never experienced true Asian culture outside of the "Chinatowns" of Toronto and Ottawa. Ever since university I've wanted to experience a culture as diametrically opposite to my own as possible, to try and see what parts of who I am is really me, and what is just my cultural programming. Thailand seemed the perfect choice!

Well, I got here and I tried the retired thing for a bit (I only lasted 9 months), but I became too bored so I fell back on the idea of teaching. I've been doing that for around 2 years now, and while I've discovered that I love teaching, I've also realised that I hate teaching English. I've just started taking a Master's degree here, so hopefully I'll be teaching something interesting in a uni here in a couple of years.

I've decided that here is where I want to stay. I was patient and careful, and was lucky to find a wonderful woman here. We've been happy together for almost 2 years now, so this is where I see my future. I experienced the culture shock I came here for, but learned a lot more in the process!

[kennkate]

What Brought me to Thailand AIRMILES I served 9 years in the Royal Air force, In the Late 50s to mid 60s

Never got to the Far East, Always wanted to see Hong Kong.

Served in Kenya and the Gulf that was as far East as I got. I still had a dream that one day I would see The Far East

Following my divorce in 2003 I was in a state of deprestion. Lost Loads of weight.

Following a bad Cristmas 2006 on my own nearly took to the bottle Having stopped 10 years before I Knew that was not the answer.

I just wanted to get away from the life I was living at the time I needed to get away.Anywere

Having been collecting Air Miles through my Credit Card for Years I thought Why not spend them

I rang Air Miles and asked " How far can I go with my miles"? Can I get To Hong kong ?

No sir but we can get you a return to Bangkok When would you like to travel.

Got on the internet to check out Bangkok and got side tracked into Checking out the Ladys.

Came to Bangkok March 1st Met my Lady and her Sumuo wrestler Sister ( that's what she looked like )

at the Airport.

We have been married now for Just over 1 year.

She came back with me to the UK to Get Married and stayed 4 Months in the Winter. of 2007-2008

We are in Thialand at the moment awaiting her Settlement Visa

Hope we get it this week. I am retired so it makes sense to go back

That is My Story And So far So good 2 years on and it's still going strong Very Happy with her.

Thank you Thailand you made my Life complete.

[villagefarang]

Maybe Thailand should get more credit, for all the depressed souls who have found a new lease on life in the land of smiles.

[oldsparrow]

Best wish from the local krub!

[JohnGotti]

Lots of self delusion here.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

1984 the year I retired, the wife and I did a lot of traveling, spent several months in LOS. Liked it and have come back quite a few times.

In ended up on a retirement visa to Australia, after several years of traveling. Australia moved the goal post in 2005 and did away with the retirement visa and made those who had it start to jump through a lot of hoops. We said hel_l with it, sold most everything and moved to Thailand permanently three years ago.

Being retired in LOS is good, after 25 years in retirement I'm getting the hang of it and life is great.

[cuddleypete]

I came to thailand for a holiday to get away from the uk weather 6 years ago and because i heard of the weather and the food in thailand was great, and in fact I met my wife here (in 2003) and one day will move to thailand with wife and son for good to get out off this shit hole people call england, its no good here now.

[thaimiller]

In 2004 I had just had enough of the rat race that is England, it was turning in to a Sh_t hole and from all accounts it got worse. I have a business over there which is run by my partner (brother in law) he's happy getting 66% and I can live very well on the 33% profit. I am 35 and semi retired, I would never be able to do that in England.

[leebeeUK]

... just had to do (to change) something.. 2006, age 43 and lived in Skegness - small, traditional seaside town on the east coast of England to the uninitiated - most of my life..

.. no marital or children ties; job, flat, car ok but ho-hum-yawn realisation (mid-life crisis?) of ongoing rut, led to month long Phuket trip to do TEFL (already teaching in UK), then 'sorry, gotta go, mum, sis, all...!!'..

.. from April 07, first 3 months teaching as a volunteer in an orphanage and school, next 3 travelling, came to Chiang Mai early September that year and now working at a local school, got a great lady, fave places to eat, me Honda to run about (fully helmetted, sod this 'oh you don't have to wear one out here - smashhhhhh - doh, my head hurts!!'), a school full of kids shouting waving and smiling at me - between actual teaching - every day.. and me regular trips to wherever...

ps: am actually writing a book based on my journal of all this, fun it has been!!!...

pps: come on the Toffees!!!

Edited May 26, 2009 by leebeeUK

[kennkate]

... just had to do (to change) something.. 2006, age 43 and lived in Skegness - small, traditional seaside town on the east coast of England to the uninitiated - most of my life..

.. no marital or children ties; job, flat, car ok but ho-hum-yawn realisation (mid-life crisis?) of ongoing rut, led to month long Phuket trip to do TEFL (already teaching in UK), then 'sorry, gotta go, mum, sis, all...!!'..

.. from April 07, first 3 months teaching as a volunteer in an orphanage and school, next 3 travelling, came to Chiang Mai early September that year and now working at a local school, got a great lady, fave places to eat, me Honda to run about (fully helmetted, sod this 'oh you don't have to wear one out here - smashhhhhh - doh, my head hurts!!'), a school full of kids shouting waving and smiling at me - between actual teaching - every day.. and me regular trips to wherever...

ps: am actually writing a book based on my journal of all this, fun it has been!!!...

pps: come on the Toffees!!!

Skegness I realy don't understand why you left it's So Bracing UP THE IRON Never mind the Toffees !!

[villagefarang]

Interesting. Learn something new everyday. Your Toffee reference had me scratching my head and Googling the answer. Now I understand.

... just had to do (to change) something.. 2006, age 43 and lived in Skegness - small, traditional seaside town on the east coast of England to the uninitiated - most of my life..

.. no marital or children ties; job, flat, car ok but ho-hum-yawn realisation (mid-life crisis?) of ongoing rut, led to month long Phuket trip to do TEFL (already teaching in UK), then 'sorry, gotta go, mum, sis, all...!!'..

.. from April 07, first 3 months teaching as a volunteer in an orphanage and school, next 3 travelling, came to Chiang Mai early September that year and now working at a local school, got a great lady, fave places to eat, me Honda to run about (fully helmetted, sod this 'oh you don't have to wear one out here - smashhhhhh - doh, my head hurts!!'), a school full of kids shouting waving and smiling at me - between actual teaching - every day.. and me regular trips to wherever...

ps: am actually writing a book based on my journal of all this, fun it has been!!!...

pps: come on the Toffees!!!

Skegness I realy don't understand why you left it's So Bracing UP THE IRON Never mind the Toffees !!