Why Do You Stay?

[Rampant Rabbit]

1 hour ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

really hating their lives in living in Thailand.

No  , let  me  clarify, If  you could remove every  other human on the planet it  would be fine, its  just people  I  hate, Thai or otherwise, Thais do seem to excel though at making my viewpoint more attractive

[CharlieH]

1 minute ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

I spent 5  hours  bashing my head  against a  wall............. I  still  have no answer

Except that you now know the wall hasnt changed at all and you're still the same person.  ????

[Dmaxdan]

Before the pandemic, I never really complained about anything here, with the exception of the general standard of driving which is an utter disgrace.

 

That all changed when the vaccine rollout began simply because it really looked like us non Thais would be firmly at the back of the queue.

This is something that pretty much no other country in the world was doing with their vaccine rollout, singling people out because of their nationality.

In my book this is completely unforgivable.

 

Interestingly, now I'm fully vaccinated my opinion hasn't changed at all because

the reason I'am now vaccinated has nothing what so ever to do with the Thai government. 

It is due to the US donated Pfizer (thanks by the way), and all the foreign volunteers who helped organize it. 

 

 

 

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

In defence of the older posters (of which I am one). They experienced a different Thailand, a more 3rd world, on the edge, ruralistic, culturally dependent, cheaper, base, developing Thailand than exists today. They simply miss those days and times. The times when Thailand was a thrilling foreign and cultural experience to the young foreigner, not the standard internationalised concrete culturally devoid capitalistic template it offers today like most other places.

To be honest it might not be that alone, I remember when I came here 15 years ago it was exciting to discover all the new things. Now I have seen things know how to navigate things in Thailand. All the discovery parts are gone and I have become older.

 

The new part was fun back then, now its become routine. 

[HappyGoLuckyLife]

3 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

They simply miss those days and times.

I respect that and thank you for sharing. 

[aarontendo]

So people don't stay for cheap food and rent, access to beaches and women, and plenty of opportunities to pretend to teach? ????

[HappyGoLuckyLife]

1 minute ago, Dmaxdan said:

Interestingly, now I'm fully vaccinated my opinion hasn't changed at all because

the reason I'am now vaccinated has nothing what so ever to do with the Thai government. 

It is due to the US donated Pfizer (thanks by the way), and all the foreign volunteers who helped organize it. 

I can understand how that would make you feel. I thought about the situation like this. You have to have healthcare in Thailand, because they government doesn't want to be burdened with taking care of millions of farang when the resources can go to Thai Nationals. I don't have a problem with that. I believe that was the initial thinking (take care of Thais first).

 

My issue is with our own government's laxed handling of the matter, when they know there are millions of Americans living abroad. If the US can hunt you down to collect your taxes in another country, they can sure drop off a vial of vaccine with your name on it at the American Embassy in Thailand.

 

Continue to stay safe!

[HappyGoLuckyLife]

2 minutes ago, aarontendo said:

So people don't stay for cheap food and rent, access to beaches and women, and plenty of opportunities to pretend to teach? ????

Oh I believe that do stay for that. I don't think their the ones feeling that sense of apathy toward living in Thailand. (At least I don't think.)

[steven100]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Old people are generally unhappy because they're old and their bodies are failing.

Doesn't matter where they are.

what age are Old people .....   

 

  

Edited October 11, 2021 by steven100

[Rampant Rabbit]

14 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Except that you now know the wall hasnt changed at all and you're still the same person.  ????

And  I  have a headache + the wall needs  repainting

[Rampant Rabbit]

10 minutes ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

they can sure drop off a vial of vaccine with your name on it at the American Embassy in Thailand.

well they  kind  of did stating 150k  of  them were  for  foreigners, I  too thank a  yank

[Johnny Mac]

OP - Because many are stuck here due to family commitments or have nowhere else to go, and/or don't have the means to go elsewhere and start over - but of course you already knew that.

[HeijoshinCool]

53 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Except in this country you have no voice, no vote. Stressing over something which you have absolutely no control nor influence  over is just  pointless.

.

I have no voice in my own country.....

 

Voting is a waste of time, one corrupt liar simply takes the place of another.

 

My property tax on my home reached $8500 last year. I had no voice in that, so I sold the house.

 

They give you the illusion of power, but they hold all of it. I have learned how to turn the tables....

 

So I don't stress over any of it. I live virtually off grid, with minimal audio/visual input, and enjoy life. 

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

What makes you stay in spite of feeling such misery. I am only trying to understand where it all went to hell for some of you. Care to share?

Who said anything about great misery or that it ahs gone to hell. Most of us here are living great lives with absolutely no economic or or other problems. Except the mental health is crippled by to much BS in the news and questions like yours. ????????

However, if you haven´t figured it out yet I will be more than happy to share. The things below will have such weight, it will not exist any negativity that can touch it´s strong foundation.

• Beautiful Girls that are always on call! Gives us all the spice and variety in life as any man can possibly dream of.
• A fantastic wife that loves you to death and never care about what you are doing, as long as she gets her monthly allowance. No man can not ask for a better solution!
• Under normal circumstances, that will be back, we can meet at our favorite bar and lie about everything. Nobody will remember it the day after anyway.

Above you see the essence of life! On top of that you secure your life by never buying anything that you can´t put your name on. See, can´t go wrong!

For being this smart and living such great lives, we have earned the right to complain and spout out everything we wish in this forum. None of that means that our lives are miserable or that something has went to hell. That we all have to wait for, as we have learned that there is a time for everything.

[Gottfrid]

23 minutes ago, steven100 said:

what age are Old people .....   

 

  

At the time Mr Precious no longer will stand up and perform.

Edited October 11, 2021 by Gottfrid

[RafPinto]

My daily somtum and sticky rice.

[Walker88]

I'm not sure there is one, or a simple, answer.

 

If the OP sees lots of moaning on this site, well, that is a self-selected demographic. Folks who want to moan will post. Folks content don't. The thread gets skewed by the self-selection. One issue may draw out certain people; some people get drawn out by every issue.

 

A second reason is that Thailand may be the first country, other than their birth country, where one has taken up residence. Differences from home can lead to frustration, as one is use to a certain way of doing things, a certain availability of goods and services, etc. It seems to me folks who have lived in many different lands adapt better to Thailand, as one learns how to be 'an expat' and adjust to the idiosyncrasies each culture and land has.

 

Then there's the 'nostalgia ain't what it used to be'...a funny quip, but one that reflects the fact that 'the past = young', and for most people young is better. My father is wont to tell me over and over, "Aging isn't for sissies".

 

Another issue, IMO, is that many retired folks came with unrealistic expectations, both about how far their money would go, and how they would be 'welcomed' by young Thai women (the fantasy element). Well, exporting one's self into Thailand doesn't turn a bald, chubby, 65-year old on a meager pension into Brad Pitt with Jeff Bezos' money. One had best be darn entertaining if one's goal is to dally with the local lovelies. I suppose one can also pretend, "She really likes me!"

 

On my way to work each day I pass a few restaurants with al fresco dining options. I see the exact same people in the same seats each day. They arrive mid morning and stay until closing. I don't think the gym occupied any part of their day, probably for the last 20-30 years. I would have to assume their bodies do not adjust well to spending most of the day immobile and with a waist that is ever expanding. Aches and pains---inevitable if one doesn't take care---can turn a person bitter. Perhaps this immobility and daily drinking is 'living the dream', but I doubt it is the "November of life" they had in mind. At that age it's likely too late to get rich and not particularly easy to get in shape. They seem to be marking time until entering 'the box'. Perhaps my analysis is 100% wrong, but the realization that the dream was a fantasy might lead to bitterness and seeking outlets to moan.

 

Folks who take care of themselves, planned well, and perhaps had more realistic expectations are more likely to be generally content. All of us get a hair across our backsides on occasion, but as another poster pointed out, those intent on being happy will be happy. Roll with the punches, accept irritations as challenges, and seek out positive experiences and joys is likely to lead to contentment, no matter where one is.

Edited October 11, 2021 by Walker88

[Chad3000]

Wife.

 

If I wasn't married I'd have moved on by now.

 

Summer on Adriatic coast and winter four months here on Andaman sounds right. June and July in Raja Ampat. Autumn in Kyoto.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Old people are generally unhappy because they're old and their bodies are failing.

Doesn't matter where they are.

Be fair my mind still works.  ????

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Old people are generally unhappy because they're old and their bodies are failing.

Doesn't matter where they are.

Be fair my mind still works.  ????  

I can ride my bike. 

[bolt]

I decided to live in Thailand because, better climate lots more sunshine freeing up each day to do something I play golf, the food seems fresher, wearing less layers of clothes, living costs were less, less people trying to borrow from you, the women appear to be more feminine than in the west

 

I would deliberately ask moaners give me 3 things you like about here, and normally they say “I can tell you what I don’t like”

Many people feel insecure so complaining makes them feel slightly better.

 

The glass is always half full, we need to enjoy our journey of life, we will get to the destination today or tomorrow so let’s enjoy today 1^st

 

You seem a positive person so take the people who moan here with a pinch of salt, they would moan anywhere in the world so it isn’t Thailand that makes them moan

[Nickelbeer]

Why do I stay?  No place to go. Philippines is not open yet. Central and South America are too far away and, of course, money is always an issue. As usual, Thailand wants more than they deserve, but that attitude may adjust if too many expats leave. The hilarious emphasis on attracting millionaires is a real ribtickler.  The wealthy go to countries where the red carpet is rolled out, not to countries where Immigration treats them as suspects. ????

[bolt]

1 hour ago, DavisH said:

They would be the same grumpy lecel in their own country. Some people are never happy anywhere. Then they die. That must be a sad way to live. 

I truly believe some people are only happy when they have something to complain about.

 

Its their daily fix or rant, after they rant they can go and do something they like, but don’t tell anyone they like doing that.

[richard_smith237]

There exists a spectrum of experiences and opinions. 

 

We have a spectrum of views on every topic from one extreme to the other. 

Most people fit on the 98% between the extremes - the vast majority of people are well balanced with views driving either side of the ‘centre line’ from balance.

 

However, in discussion as soon as someones view disagrees with another, even if they are slightly different the other party automatically throws that opinion in the 1% of the extreme views. 

 

It is often the case that if someone has a negative opinion of an aspect in Thailand they are accused of being a Thai Basher and placed in the same bracket is the crazies who are just not happy here. 

 

Then, when airing on the side of favourably explaining away something negative a poster is accuse of being a Thai apologist and thrown into the camp of ‘rose tinted glasses’ where there can be no wrong in Thailand. 

 

 

The reality is, just like Thai people the vast majority of ‘us’ foreigners living here have a wide range of opinions which often very closely correspond with those Thai’s around us. 

 

There are extremely negative aspects of living in Thailand - it doesn’t make us a Thai basher to recognise the poor infrastructure, the absence of a reliable justice system, poor education, poor road safety etc.

 

Equally so, it doesn’t make us a ‘Thai Apologist’ to counter someones criticism that Thai’s are all racist against foreigners etc or to state how wonderful Thailand is from a foodie aspect. 

 

Unfortunately there is a lot of criticise in Thailand and those of us who recognise this can voice these opinions comfortably to both foreigners and Thai with a degree of balance which remains respectful while identifying these issues - we love Thailand its a great country, we’d love to see Thailand ‘doing better’... 

 

 

[MRToMRT]

I am willing to bet my motorbike that all of you who have said "moaners will always moan" "live life" "will complain where ever they are", that if I go through your posts I will find multiple incidents of moans/complaints.

 

Its a forum for gods sake, its for opinions.

[Jingthing]

20 minutes ago, Nickelbeer said:

...

As usual, Thailand wants more than they deserve, but that attitude may adjust if too many expats leave.

...

It won't.

[GeorgeCross]

my reasons:

 

1) would rather be hot in a £200K villa than cold in £1M UK one (like for like)

2) kids will grow up with way more opportunities (class wise) than being bullied back home by chavs

3) prefer to pay no global tax but "go private" than pay big tax and "go public" (schools, healthcare, etc)

 

i actually love it here, great family, top weather, easy system, easy life.

thailand has been very good to us both emotionally and financially. and the longer we live here the more contacts we make and the easier it gets. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by GeorgeCross

[userabcd]

Some humans will never be happy wherever they might stay and will always complain about something. Been hearing this for 30 years now.

 

Same with employment, they always complain how important to an organisation they are and then its bye bye and the shock sets in that they were dispensable after all.

[473geo]

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It won't.

And accepting that is a real good starting point to base any future expectations ????

[chaila]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Old people are generally unhappy because they're old and their bodies are failing.

Doesn't matter where they are.