One hell of an old question/topic. New to the Internet?

I came here to escape all the farangs in my country.  Chinese, Indian, Africans, Eastern Europeans, I  was getting the feeling I was the  last one there able to speak English.' Here I   stick to myself, and a few   friends of like mind, I avoid   socialising with Thais, I dont like to sit on the floor to eat, eat off the floor and squat over a hole in the ground to defecate, last time I looked in the mirror I wasnt a canine.  Apart from that, Im deliriously happy, especially with the kind , considerate, careful motorists here, so Im staying.

because i can't get back to my Bali beach and America sucks now.  America used to be great country

I always said when I first came to Thailand many, many years ago if the advantages out weigh the disadvantages I would stay. That has slowly been eroded over the years, I will stay for now

Can live as Cheap Charlie..555

I have a beautiful beach front villa I have a choice sell it and leave or rent it out long term and leave I would prefer the first option what I’m not prepared to do is give it away for silly money . At 70 I have still got my bucket list to complete and that means visiting other countries and experiencing that countries way of life I havnt left Thailand in 16 years it’s time for new challenges 

I would rather turn this upside down. Very few people find their own paradise because life, generally, isn't conducive to that end. Those who came to Thailand seeking such, I think are in a small minority because most accept that while they do not have to deal with (our own) native problems, they are replaced with other problems. For example, perhaps in our native country the crime rate may be higher but road accidents/deaths in Thailand will almost certainly be higher.

..a daily question for majority of expats at this stage I imagine...

 

Glad the cards fell where they did so I was long gone from Thailand when covid hit....????

Let's not kid ourselves, this forum thrives on selecting click bait for the usual suspects to run down the country they live in. So many of the headlines are divisive, repetitive and misleading (if translated from Thia media). Many don't even read the article, just throw out the usual predictable lines to each other for likes etc as guess they have little else to do.

I don't bother any more on the forums as wasn't getting enough insight or clever banter. Scan the topics to see if I'm missing out on any real news and move on. Saw this topic, and thought I'd vent a little.

Suffice to say, I love being in Thailand where I enjoy the freedom, lack of woke BS, my lovely, fit and health conscious wife, warm if sometimes a little hot, delightful inexpensive food and easy travelling, well soon. Find anglo speaking countries, and Oz cities in particular increasingly judgemental, righteous and somewhat neurotic these days, though we'll travel back soon to see my old friends and family.

Stay because of wife and child want to live here and they have family and grounding here but we will leave in a few years for a set period each year when world gets back to normal 

Not so difficult, because the country I com from, I hate much more.

I've now been here for over a decade but plan to leave, at least for a while once I purchase a holiday home back in my home country. Thailand's been good to me, and I've enjoyed my time here. Like everywhere there are positives and negatives. When I first came I had little money, it was very thrilling and cost of living was great at a time when I was just establishing my own business.

 

Now I am older, married, and have more money, the cost of living advantage isn't that beneficial too me. The pollution, smog, traffic of Bangkok has turned me off. It would be nice to experience living in Samui or Phuket for a different take.

 

I think the main negatives of my home country (NZ) are all just about money and cost of living, but if those aren't an issue, maybe it could be great?

 

After I spend some real time back home again then I can fairly compare living in both places.

7 hours ago, HappyGoLuckyLife said:

I'm working on it. But it's sooo much information here! 

Many more words than information actually. Good luck filtering it.

Those that continually complain unconstructively, are usually the losers who are trying to bring others down to their level of despair. 

2 hours ago, itsari said:

I am old , body not failing , brain thinks quick 

Errrrr, I think science may disagree with that.

 

Yours

 

A very old man

18 minutes ago, MarleyMarl said:

I think the main negatives of my home country (NZ) are all just about money and cost of living, but if those aren't an issue, maybe it could be great?

You forgot lack of slim young available women, who can't divorce rape you.

Which is the main negative in any western country.

 

The west is a great place for guys that don't want women.

For whatever reason.

Flying out Oct 20 with my son.

I will never return.

He's a thai-Canadian dual citizen, when's he's older he may come back.

Up to him

8 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Errrrr, I think science may disagree with that.

 

Yours

 

A very old man

Are you on something ?

When I came to Bangkok some 30+ years ago I was full filling a promise I had made to my wife when we married. That when I retired in 1991, I would bring her back home to be near her family. Though I was still young only 49 and I still what'd to work. Had a hard time finding a job here due to all the Thai work restrictions. Took 2 1/2 years but got the job I wanted and new I could move up the ladder there. Before working I had little money and school cost for my 8 year old daughter took most of what I had left after pay the monthly bills. I had planed well begging in 1986 to make the move. Wife bought land next to her family and had house build just before we move here. Once working a I had more then enough money. Back then things were simple like going to IMO in and out within 30 minutes, doing it all by myself. As the time moved on things got more difficult to do, IMO with 10 years now took 1 hour and each year I went always something new. Daughter grew-up went to the states for college which ended up being 12 years finishing with 1 BS, 2 MS and 1 Phd. Married and no way moving back hear. That made it a little more harder. Then I had to retire 13 years ago now a lot more time on my hands with nothing to do. Money after the first 3 years was never a issue, what to do was. Now to old to move back  to the states and I problely would not like it there anyways. Wife's family is getting smaller each year, I'll be here until I die or if my wife goes first then just maybe I'll return to be with my daughter, but not to live with her just near by.

People have a right to moan wherever they are, personally I'd rather moan here than anywhere else. I think those who imply that they don't complain are hypocrites, especially the "If you don't like it here why don't you leave" crowd.

I do my fair share of complaining but I live here because I feel safer and more free than in my home country. There are also no big issue sellers or chuggers on every high street. I'll also admit I'm more of a 'catch' here. It's nice to have the 7/11 staff getting excited when I walk in. I can put a smile on others' faces quite easily. I know that probably won't last forever but it's nice to be liked. 

I’ve lived in a few countries, and they are all what you make of them. I think Spike Milligan sums it up pretty well.

 

9 hours ago, BritManToo said:

their bodies

And brains......,????

8 hours ago, CharlieH said:

The decisions made as a 50 yr old dont always sit with a 65 yr old, but the bed has been mde so they lie in it.

Some have gone "all in " and basically would be going back to nothing and no one, the country they knew is long gone.

Better the devil you know for many. Like or not it is there home now.

....but bet the hell they would like to change it.  "give up all hope"  sort of suggests,its money that dictates,choices limited with none, its none       its me and my mutts keep me here,plus cheap cleaning sh.ag or two too,daily life  bit of a mix,   keep doint the lotto tho in uk

Because they're economic refugees who were miserable in their home countries and are miserable here.  They find it convenient to blame Thailand, and the Thai people, for their own bad decisions in life.  Although constantly talking up every other country as a better place to live, the vast majority have no wish to actually move elsewhere, as then they would be forced to confront what they already know deep down, that they, rather than the place they live, are the problem, and they would be just as miserable wherever they happen to be.  And so they remain here, hitting out at every success story about Thailand, and passing bitter scorn on everyone who is happy and successful here, whether they be Thai or Westerner.

5 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

If your workspace was below decks you don't notice the movement so much and can't see out of the window.????????

I was on the Bridge.

9 hours ago, BritManToo said:

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

Doesn't matter where they are.

Also a lot of them are not rich and never have been, so they are doubly miserable. 

I know a few old guys who don't need to worry about money and you'll never hear them complaining about anything.  

Unrelated but did you know that ex-Singer Belinda Carlisle and her husband have been living in Bangkok for a number of years?  

One of my friends met them at a dinner party here.  

 

 

8 hours ago, HeijoshinCool said:

My property tax on my home reached $8500 last year.

Disgusting isnt it there,  should be an opt  out system

2 minutes ago, Freddy42OZ said:

I know a few old guys who don't need to worry about money and you'll never hear them complaining about anything.  

I know a super rich Thai guy and his wife, and they're the unhappiest people in the world.

They never stop complaining about each other.

 

8 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

well they  kind  of did stating 150k  of  them were  for  foreigners

And this was recently if I'm not mistaken. If every country would have shipped vaccines for their citizens, Thailand could have (hopefully) better focused on securing vaccines for the Thais. If other countries sent testing kits, etc, for their respective populations living in Thailand, then Thai resources could have (again hopefully) have been better allocated. As you can see, there's a lot of hopefully going on with me. LOL.