So What Brought You To Thailand?

[villagefarang]

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.

Beardog

Hey Beardog, I lived in Honolulu for a 3-year stretch in the mid-90s and loved every minute of it. Where did you live? I remember it being US$800 per month to rent a studio (on Kuhio & Uluniu) there - so hate to think how much it would cost now...assuming of course I ever decided to go back.

I grew up there and go back often. Friends I know are paying double that and complain all the time about the cost of living.

[Krub]

I came to Phuket as a tourist for a few days every few months on my way back to Japan from meetings in Singapore.

Yes I did enjoy the beaches and the easy nightlife

I fell in love with the country and the people.

I have sponsored a few foster kids in the North and Isaan and still do in Chiang Rai.

My partner is Thai and I plan to spend more than 60% of our time in Thailand as soon as from early 2008

[onzestan]

Came first time on a "Get away from it all, or you'll burn up "advice from my doctor.

Booked a trip with Singapore airlines which encompassed Bangkok, Cha-am, Singapore, all this in 10 days and the the Maldives for a week, together with my that time Belgian Girlfriend. Big mistake.

Bangkok stank, Cha-am was boring, Singapore was not welcoming (I'm a smoker) and at the Maldives the first thing they did was confiscate my Playboy that I had bought at the Airport. Then I had to take up diving to have something to do or I would have gone mad (nothing to read no playboy).

After a couple of weeks I found that I was reminiscing about what I had witnessed in Bangkok, and decided to give it another go this time without the girlfriend.

WOW!!!!

The rest is a long story of selling my company, cars, appartment etc., buying a house in Patters, living life at its fullest till I met the wife at the poolbar of the estate I was living in and haven't looked back since, except for my regular trips to Belgium for medical purposes, and meet up with some old friends remembering the good old days, and most importantly a reality check. Glad to be back everytime.

Cheers

onzestan

Edited June 1, 2007 by onzestan

[marginline]

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.

Beardog

Hey Beardog, I lived in Honolulu for a 3-year stretch in the mid-90s and loved every minute of it. Where did you live? I remember it being US$800 per month to rent a studio (on Kuhio & Uluniu) there - so hate to think how much it would cost now...assuming of course I ever decided to go back.

I grew up there and go back often. Friends I know are paying double that and complain all the time about the cost of living.

Wow! Incredibly expensive!!

While I say that I "loved every minute of it", I remember having to work two jobs; Assistant Manager at an outlet store in Waikele and do bookkeeping at nights for a local hotel chain in order to make ends meet. Thank God (or do I thank Al Gore) for the Internet then that has allowed me to come to LOS and make my living online!

You know I couldn't imagine paying US$1,600 per month for a studio now that I'm paying US$275 for a 4-bedroomed house here.

Mahalo to you then villagefarang and Aloha!

[GuestHouse]

The first time I went to Thailand was because I was asked by my employers to take an assignment to work in our Thailand office.

I'd never thought of visiting Thailand before that, but the deal was good so I took it.

[chinthee]

Used to stop by Thailand for years traveling in a global business. Later, sold my company and was living in a major city in Asia. Realized hanging around an expensive Asian city semi-retired young no longer interested me. Moved to Thailand, met a lovely Thai woman that provided additional incentive to stay. Realized I could run anything I wanted from Thailand, no need to be in Hong Kong, Singapore, or Tokyo and put up with those expenses/stresses/formalities. Travel conveniently as needed from here.

Was never interested in the bar girl scene but don't hold it against those who are. I think this thread has shown that that are indeed a lot of productive and respectable farangs living here, contrary to stereotypes.

[villagefarang]

Was never interested in the bar girl scene but don't hold it against those who are. I think this thread has shown that that are indeed a lot of productive and respectable farangs living here, contrary to stereotypes.

Hope others notice too!!! After all that was the idea.

[GuestHouse]

I think this thread has shown that that are indeed a lot of productive and respectable farangs living here, contrary to stereotypes.

Or at least they are claiming to be.

[JR Texas]

I think this thread has shown that that are indeed a lot of productive and respectable farangs living here, contrary to stereotypes.

Or at least they are claiming to be.

JR Texas: I guess I came here by accident. I first came here in 1986. I was in India doing field research for my doctorate. I was headed for Hawaii then to Texas (my home country....ha ha). I noticed that Thailand was between India and the USA and thought to myself, "self, why not stop and see it."

I remember how interesting Thailand was back then..........even though I had experienced India, Thailand was a new experience. I felt like a kid again, seeing things that I had never seen before. And, of course, the girls.........back then I was a "bad boy."

After that I left, but kept coming back over the years..........now I have a Thai wife and all that comes with it.......and work as a professor at a university in Thailand.

I miss American food (especially turkey and dressing/smoked BBQ/Mexican food), the cool weather, holidays, watching the Dallas Cowboys lose again..............you know. But Thailand, and Asia (I have lived in many countries in Asia) has been good to me.

Unfortunately, I have seen Thailand go downhill since at least 1999, and I am troubled by it.

[qwertz]

My first visit was pure accident.

A bankrupt customer, a travel agent, paid me off with a package tour which left me stranded in Chiang Mai on a tight budget.

So I made my own way and had a great time.

Never saw the farang bar life as it exists today.

Couldn't do it again today though, LOS has changed a lot in those 28 years.

[Steely Dan]

I'm of the oppinion that people come to Thailand for one of three reasons. 1) To lose themselves 2) To find themselves 3) To clean their butts. I've tried number 1 and having recently married have moved onto number 2. As for number 3, it's not currently in the pipeline.

[duke69]

perversion to work 10 hours a day and co-ordinate colleagues who are hopeless, untrustable and lazy.

..... but also the idea to soak a boring day in a massage on the way back home was better than driving on the I-95 with ice on the road

[Flysiam]

Came with my parents as a kid in 1966. Thailand is - and always has been 'home.'

[Edonista]

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

first sincere answer I read

[Edonista]

Came to study why Thai people have a chrome deficiency in their bodies. Apparently they can absorb chrome through their skin. Rubbing their body against chrome poles may alieviate the problem - but for many people it takes years.

My study is still in progress.

Peter

Also this one is good. My advice is to take your time with the study, such things need long and deep investigative work.

[blizzard]

wheres the people that came to study buddhism..............lol.

[pgs]

First visit to Thailand was in the mid-70's. 2nd was early 2000 for a conference. First thought was "great. hookers, temples & drugs." Last day of the visit I did a 1/2 day tour & fell for the place. 2 months later I was back for a holiday to BKK & CM. 3 months later I was back again - fell for Chiang Mai. Then a few more times. One visit, I met this little lass from Chiayaphum & haven't looked back. The 'bar girl' scene Patpong/etc didn't really hold an attraction for me. I prefer the 1000 year old Khmer & Lanna kingdom temples (yes, opposite ends of the country). I'm not a beach bunny, so don't bother with those places or islands.

[Fred Sanford]

I came here in 1999 with a friend I was visiting in Hong Kong. He showed me Nana Plaza and the beaches and bar scene in Phuket. He claimed it was cheap here but I never felt that way and still dont. Our hotel, the Meridien in BKK, was $125 a night and a night out in Nana was thousands of baht. Phuket was not a whole lot cheaper. It wasnt till 5 trips later when I found the joys of The Thermae and the Sukhumvit stoop. I stayed on but not happy with the cost of rentals. I'm shelling 60K for a decent liveable place in Bangkok. A similar place in rural America would e half that but they dont have readily available chicks there. As for marriage, LOL, why bother, plenty of sand a this beach

[keebone]

I only nipped out for a loaf of bread - next thing there I was.

[Edonista]

wheres the people that came to study buddhism..............lol.

I hope Immigration deported them to Tibet....

[cdnvic]

I think this thread has shown that that are indeed a lot of productive and respectable farangs living here, contrary to stereotypes.

Or at least they are claiming to be.

Here we go again, same old thing everytime this question comes up. You get those who came to buy sex that can't accept that there are others who didn't so they insinuate that anyone claiming not to must be hiding the truth. Their insecurity over their own reasoning means they need to convince themselves that they are just like everyone else so they lump all the others in with themselves.

Nobody's judging those who did come here for sex, but just drop the fantasy that everyone else did too.

[blizzard]

but the answers to this thread will always be skewed. even anonomously people will not say they came for the sex. its just not proper.

[Ulysses G.]

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

first sincere answer I read

He deserves a whole bunch of virgins for that answer!

[cdnvic]

but the answers to this thread will always be skewed. even anonomously people will not say they came for the sex. its just not proper.

That's why others try to make themselves feel better by saying everyone else did too. It may be improper but "everyone else is doing it" is always a popular excuse.

[colino]

mmmm What brought me to thailand

let me think,,,

oh yeah A PLANE ?

[blizzard]

i dont think anyone said everyone cums to los for the sex. some do some dont.

[mikethevigoman]

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

at least reading between the lines is not needed.

i came for the culture & the high quality plasic chairs.

I came for the lack of pre-planning and lack of organization, which has reduced my stress level by 90%.

I was told thailand was full of whores, bars and coruption, i thought ,thatll do me , im off !

[mikethevigoman]

i once met a westerner in a bar on the burma border who told me after 10 minutes after meeting that he was on an (not so secretive) operation for the sas.

Uncle Albert was it ?

[Dakhar]

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

at least reading between the lines is not needed.

i came for the culture & the high quality plasic chairs.

I came for the lack of pre-planning and lack of organization, which has reduced my stress level by 90%.

I was told thailand was full of whores, bars and coruption, i thought ,thatll do me , im off !

Thatll do me.....

much respect

[mikethevigoman]

Came to study why Thai people have a chrome deficiency in their bodies. Apparently they can absorb chrome through their skin. Rubbing their body against chrome poles may alieviate the problem - but for many people it takes years.

My study is still in progress.

Peter

Also this one is good. My advice is to take your time with the study, such things need long and deep investigative work.

I came because of the last 3 reasons in the heading, ive given up one of them !