Sadly I feel my time in the LOS is coming to an end

[Concerned observer]

Having been here now for more than 15 years I fear that my time of investing my life's savings and pensions, earned in my home country, in Thailand, is coming to an end. Certain issues have made me rethink my future and I shall now start looking for suitable alternatives. I am sick and tired on the Thai peoples xenophobia - Thais first, their constant begging for overseas support/investment/aid, their belief that everything they do, say and demand is right, and that every other country and or national from that country is wrong. "Thailand does and always will, belong to the Thais" - as they religiously sing at 8am and 6pm every day although, perhaps not as much as they did five years ago. They are a very proud nation and always boast of never having been colonised - their history books conveniently omit to state that when the Japanese invaded on 8 December 1941 the 'war' that lasted all of 5 hours enabled the Japanese forces to march across Thailand to Burma. The previous 'war' that was over almost before it started was the Franco-Thai war in December 1940 and January 1941 was brief and inconclusive. The the Thai regime of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram celebrated the outcome of the war as a great victory, and the monument was commissioned, designed, and erected within a few months (Google it) which soon after became known as "the victory of embarrassment" by the Italian sculptor Corrado Feroci, who worked under the Thai name Silpa Bhirasi. I worked out this morning that I have purchased 5 new cars and one secondhand since I have been here. 5 new motorcycles and one secondhand. Purchased 3 condominiums, purchased land through my Thai wife and built two houses. Launched a company from scratch and employed countless Thai staff and sub contractors and paid 10 years of tax and SS - probably more than 75% of Thais will pay in their lifetime. Yet still I am treated like an idiot, ATM and with disrespect. There has been more than 30 military coup d'état attempts throughout the history of Thailand. The current "elected" government - I use the term lightly seem not to have the slightest clue how to run a country but are very good at buying useless military equipment and lining their own pockets. The "Joe Ferrari" case is and was a farce and he was even given a TV opportunity to explain his actions as "for the good of the Thai people". Watch him get away with having his wrists slapped after waiing profusely becoming a monk fore 30 days and absolving himself of any wrongdoing. What amazed me was Patchara Anuntasilpa, the Customs department’s director-general, who said the department examined its records and found that Police Colonel Thitisan had been the official in charge of confiscating 368 illegally imported vehicles, including luxury cars and supercars, during the period. Of the total, 363 cars were auctioned, raking in about 1 billion baht, and the remaining five have not been sold. According to customs regulations at the time, 30% of the proceeds from all smuggled products were incentives for police teams or those bringing cases to the attention of authorities and 25% were rewards to other officials, including police. The same could be said for DPM Prawit who has become incredibly rich despite just being an Army General being caught wearing 25 undeclared luxury watches. The majority of Thai people that I have met are gentle, good hearted, honest people but with role models in Thailand's elite purely interested in self-interest it is hardly surprising that most Thais now are always looking for an opportunity. The standards of Thai education are appalling - that is why any Thai that can afford it now either pays for the children to study abroad, in an international school or in a paid for Thai school. Prayut Chan-o-cha Thailand's prime minister and junta leader, said in 2017 that school reform was urgently needed. Following the military takeover of May 2014, Prayut, in a televised broadcast in July, ordered schools to display a list of 12 "Thai" values he composed.They are as follows:

Honesty, sacrifice, endurance, and noble ideology for the greater good

Gratitude for parents, guardians, and teachers

Diligence in acquiring knowledge, via school studies and other methods

Preserving Thai customs and tradition

Morality and goodwill toward others

Discipline, respect for law, and obedience to the older citizens

Physical and mental strength. Refusal to surrender to religious sins.

Uphold the interest of the nation over oneself.

 

Such a pity that he does not practice what he preaches.

 

[ezzra]

Sorry to these that one has come to these conclusions after 15 years of stay, usually it takes one a lot less time to realize that the place he stays is not for him, not sure how old the OP is, but better luck in your next place you will cal home...

[Pravda]

Actually they do teach about japanese invasion doing WW2 and there is even a famous Thai movie about it.

 

Just curious when you moved here 15 years ago where did you think you were coming?

[ed strong]

Hopefully you will get the recognition you deserve in the next country you decide to call home, good luck.

[mikebike]

Been here for exactly 15 years as well.

 

Never bought a new car (4 good used cars). Never bought a new bike (1 used step thru scooter and 3 used big bikes). Had a business when I was under 50 but didn't invest anything into it.

 

I don't really give a hoot about Thai politics because it hasn't affected me in any large way.

 

My wife is a Farang, we live on the beach far away from tourist ghettos. Our life is awesome!!

 

As another poster mentioned, it seems like you had no idea what you were getting into when you relocated.

 

Hopefully you will find somewhere to your liking, but the grass is rarely greener on the other side.

[thaibeachlovers]

Re your buying of many things including, apparently, land, which is illegal for you to own, setting up a company etc, as my Thai sister in law would say, "no one asked you to".

 

You seem overly concerned at corruption in LOS, but it was so long before you arrived and will be so long after you have departed. The faces may change but the practice stays the same IMO.

 

IMO any farang that thinks that they are special because

a/ they married a Thai

b/ they spent money in LOS

c/ they engaged in business

d/ they employed Thais

e / anything not covered by a to d

 

is fooling themselves.

[86Tiger]

 

 

Well, all I can offer is good luck to you.

 

Maybe research your next location little better before committing.  I sure do hope you get the acceptance and recognition from your new home that you desire.

[kokesaat]

Been here for 25 years......been back in the US on more than a dozen times, but always yearning to come back to Thailand.  If you're dismayed by Thai politics, how would you have felt in the US on Jan 6?  My wife and I were in the US, in Texas of all places, .....and we were terrified.  

There are lots of nice things about the US......but given a choice of where I want to spend my retirement years, I'll pick Thailand in a heartbeat.

[chuang]

An axe to grind...15 years

[userabcd]

So what is the problem exactly?

 

Hope you are considering your wife and employees during this consideration of a drastic move.

Edited October 2, 2021 by userabcd

[spidermike007]

You make alot of good points. Many of us are sick and tired of the constant nonsense. Many of us are considering leaving. Many have already left. 

 

If there is one certainty here, it is that the nation is moving backwards at an alarming pace. No vision. No real plans for the future. Little hope of positive change with regard to the  leadership, or lack thereof. A truly regressive regime leading the country into an abyss of hopelessness.

 

No wonder the Facebook page the youth started on how to leave Thailand and make a life elsewhere has a million members. Where is the hope? Where will the progressive change come from? How to get rid of the super toxic dinosaurs bringing Thailand to its knees and leading it toward lower income, African nation status? 

 

If anything Covid has simply magnified the sense of hopelessness and backward movement already happening here. 

[jwest10]

27 minutes ago, marin said:

Stubby summed it up. Paragraphs mate.  I will not even read that.  

I sort of read it and yes been here 13 years and invested but why so many bikes and houses amongst other things and yes most of us have not got pots of gold, either

[OneeyedJohn]

One has to commit to one's decisions, best not start whining 15 years later, won't get you anywhere.

No sympathy here.

[Saanim]

How does the bygone history impact your daily life in the country? And any other outrageous circumstances of the politicians you have mentioned?

 

And in case you move to another country - or perhaps back into your own homeland - will there be nothing like that making you feel sad? 

 

Unless you move onto a remote inhabited island...

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

Pity they dont include or practice “advanced learning of maths, english, sciences, technical disciplines & commercial / financial subjects”. Defeated often by Burma ( their only real enemy, ever), 

No Military Record ( since 1780) ,  Never Colonised ONLY due to BRITISH DECISION that Thailand be a Buffer State between British Empire ( Burma) and French Empire ( Cambodia & Laos), without which the French would have taken the country in a day, like theJaps did. A backward ancient people from the primitive southern chinese south who will never modernize or change.

[brewsterbudgen]

The OP is certainly not suited to Thailand - he thinks too much.  Just a little strange that it took 15 years for him to realise it!

[Saanim]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

If there is one certainty here, it is that the nation is moving backwards at an alarming pace. No vision. No real plans for the future. Little hope of positive change with regard to the  leadership, or lack thereof. A truly regressive regime leading the country into an abyss of hopelessness.

Perhaps you could look back and tell us when were the years with vision and with the wonderful leaders - almost all of them "democratically" elected - not "leading the country into abyss of hopelessness"? 

[spidermike007]

Just now, Saanim said:

Perhaps you could look back and tell us when were the years with vision and with the wonderful leaders - almost all of them "democratically" elected - not "leading the country into abyss of hopelessness"? 

I hated Bush Jr. at the time he was president. Then came Trump. And Jr. seemed like a statesman and a patriot by comparison. 

 

I feel the same way about Thaksin. Loathed him at the time. Now, compared to Prayuth he seemed like a stable genius, a highly competent leader and a man who actually cared about the masses. Corrupt? They all are. At least he got stuff done. There is a reason why millions still love him, and only 3500 still support Prayuth. 

[Moonlover]

15 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You make alot of good points. Many of us are sick and tired of the constant nonsense. Many of us are considering leaving. Many have already left. 

 

If there is one certainty here, it is that the nation is moving backwards at an alarming pace. No vision. No real plans for the future. Little hope of positive change with regard to the  leadership, or lack thereof. A truly regressive regime leading the country into an abyss of hopelessness.

 

No wonder the Facebook page the youth started on how to leave Thailand and make a life elsewhere has a million members. Where is the hope? Where will the progressive change come from? How to get rid of the super toxic dinosaurs bringing Thailand to its knees and leading it toward lower income, African nation status? 

 

If anything Covid has simply magnified the sense of hopelessness and backward movement already happening here. 

You've found a kindred spirit at last. ????

 

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

Understand the sentiment but over- committed financially, with unrealistic expectations, literally throwing away millions of baht buying so many new vehicles & properties. The Poor Politics and Education here not my concern. People develop Culture which is ancient & backward & unchanging & utterly incompatible with Modernity, Democracy, Reason, Non- Corruption and Quality. 

 

Came here for the Cheap Safe Tropical Lifestyle. No Marriage. No Shop Businesses.

No Thai Companies, No  Employees. No New Vehicles. Residence Purchase Only with used car / bike.

 

[Dart12]

The world has changed so drastically in the past 1.5 years, you might not like any place.

Nothing you mentioned should not mean too much if you don't read the newspaper/news and just live life.

[kokesaat]

8 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

The OP is certainly not suited to Thailand - he thinks too much.  Just a little strange that it took 15 years for him to realise it!

Back 20+ years ago a monk, either Brit or US) published a book about his early days in the temple.  He talked about the ไม่รู้อะไรสบาย mai ru arai sabai feeling he had then......if you don't know, it can't hurt you.  I think a lot of expats suffer this problem....they come here and everything is peachy keen....until there's a coup or three, or some teenager is executed in his village for dealing drugs, or the umpteenth person he knows is killed on a motorcycle.  Then reality sets in and he doesn't like it here anymore.  Nothing's really changed......it's a matter of learning what you got into in the first place.  

One of this forum's most prolific posters has had a long running thread about ideal places to live if leaving Thailand.  Despite the thread running for several years now, I don't think you could find any consensus on better places to live.

The grass is always greener......

[moe666]

You missed the class in school were they taught: Worry only about what affects you and what you can change. Do not give one second of thought to what you cannot affect or change. Let us all know how you get on in your new location.

[OneeyedJohn]

The only other thing I would say is after seeing how recently you joined this forum and your lack of posts, tells me that you maybe thought you didn't need any help or guidance when you first arrived.

 

Well I did, and Thai Visa was a huge source of helpful information.

 

I made real life friends of course, but this forum has members that know most things.

[jerrymahoney]

9 minutes ago, moe666 said:

You missed the class in school were they taught: Worry only about what affects you and what you can change. Do not give one second of thought to what you cannot affect or change. Let us all know how you get on in your new location.

And with apologies to George Bernard Shaw (1922):

 

“You see things; you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Somebody else's problem."

 

[konaboy]

I will pass your ship in the night. On my way back in.

I have spent about 16 years in LOS, off and on. Been there, done that.

 

Started with 15 guys from USA in the 1990s. 3 left here now. I was mostly in BKK and Jomtien. Just came back and did 2 Q's. Spent 5 years in the US so my son could learn English. Now he is working on his Thai. I just moved to Buriram and really like it here. So does my Thai wife and son. She and I have an 18 yr. History,  so we both know what we are getting. I have no untoward expectations, It feels good to be "up Country"

[worgeordie]

35 years here , still very happy, the only thing that effects

me at the moment is Covid 19, but that is World wide ,so......

 

Politics, corruption, the way the country is run, not my

problem, comment on it, but I cannot change it so don't

worry about it, just get on with my life. look after my family

here and in the UK , that's all that matters.

 

regards Worgeordie

[nobodysfriend]

1 hour ago, Concerned observer said:

Certain issues have made me rethink my future and I shall now start looking for suitable alternatives. I am sick and tired on the Thai peoples xenophobia - Thais first, their constant begging for overseas support/investment/aid, their belief that everything they do, say and demand is right, and that every other country and or national from that country is wrong.

They are living in a bubble . A bubble that is made of ignorance and arrogance . A bubble that is going to burst soon ... beware of the needle ...

[JAS21]

Aging Asian Babe and myself left the UK for good some fifteen years ago now. Never been back to even visit.

 

We just do what older people do .. potter around the house… bit of shopping … as much golf as possible … same for travelling around Thailand…

 

We just chill out…Mrs J although she feels sad for her country … she ignores as much as possible what is going on … she can’t effect anything anyway can she. And I certainly can’t.

 

Want to spend your last years in somewhere like the UK … <deleted> that

[dunroaming]

There is a lot in your post I recognise.  I also lived in Thailand (full time) for a little longer than you.  I stayed initially because my business was based in South East Asia and Thailand was by far the easiest place to live in the area.  I loved it and eventually, like many ex-pats, met and fell in love with a Thai woman.  

 

I always said that Thailand changed and the people are not the same now as they once were.  But I don't think that is correct.  Thailand offers many different things to ex-pats but the expectations also differ enormously.  There are those who move to Thailand to retire, those who are running away from a bad divorce, or maybe those who are looking for an adventure. And let's be honest, one of the attractions of Thailand is, and always has been, easy access to the beautiful women or men.

 

One of my wife's uncles is originally from Belgium and when we lived in Thailand we often visited him and his wife.  He was a very savvy man who moved to Thailand in the early sixties after meeting my wife's aunt in the hotel he was staying in.  He had many stories of life back then but almost all of them mirrored those we hear and read about here today.  The scams, the Thai male jealousy, the Thai female jealousy, the family feuds, but also enormous generosity shown to him when he became ill.

 

I think one common fault that westerners make when moving to Thailand is to pack our western values and principles along with our socks and boxer shorts.  We expect Thais to think and act as we do and that is rarely going to happen.  For me the biggest challenge was when we had our son and my view to how he should be raised was very different to my wife's.  Bickering over that lasted for a very long time!

 

We moved to the UK ten years ago and that is where we live now.  There are still many things I miss about our time in Thailand but neither my wife or I would want to go back and live there full time.