Anyone else decided that Thailand is no longer the place they fell in love with and will never return?

[swissie]

11 minutes ago, 473geo said:

I guess you need to hone your internet skills to provide some thrills

For me, "nightlife" can not take place on the internet. It's strictly "hands-on" or nothing.

[david555]

10 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Everywhere changes,

Thailand is a bit different from when I arrived in 2009, but not significantly different, and many of the differences are for the good.

 

What's changed for the good?

1. Immigration is empty, I can get my 1 year extensions with ease and no queuing.

2. Internet is way better, I now have fibre at little cost and amazing speed.

3. Foreign food is now easily available at much less cost.

(I have a cupboard full of Typhoo tea, HP Sauce, Atora Suet, Paxo stuffing, Spaghetti, cheese)

4. Home loan interest rates have dropped, my repayments are down from 11k to 9k/month.

 

What hasn't changed?

1. Accommodation rental costs, the same or less than when I arrived.

2. Utility costs, never went up at all.

3. The weather, still as warm and sunny as ever.

 

What has changed for the worse?

1. The government, but that really doesn't affect foreigners.

2. Bars closed, not so bad the ladies are all on ThaiFriendly.

3. No alcohol with your meals, I just cook and drink at home.

 

It's still a great (and inexpensive) place to live.

The biggest change is me getting too old ...... that really sucks!

Not a place to visit as a tourist though due to COVID restrictions.

 

Generally agreed with most...., if not all ,...the main reason for me to go back home country in 3th quarter of 2022 also 

your line : "The biggest change is me getting too old ...... that really sucks! " my main reason too ????,

But i shall remember the first enjoyable 8 years of my 13 years ????

[spidermike007]

Anyone leaving will be joining what appears to be tens of thousands of ex-pats who have gotten sick of the constant nonsense here, and already left. Immigration is like a moving target. It appears increasingly more obvious that the authorities do not want us here, and the level of toxicity on the part of immigration, and the government is annoying. Also, this administration is ridiculously incompetent and incapable of improving anything. They are the very definition of regressive. Thailand in my opinion is moving backwards at an alarming pace. 

 

If I could afford it, I would live part of the year in Turkey on the southern coast, part of the year in Spain, spend a month or so in the US, do some additional traveling (post apocalypse) and spend no more than two months a year here. Trying to figure out a way to make some version of that happen. 

 

Regardless of one's attitude, there is no doubt Thailand has changed, and there is not much about the change that is positive. But, that is just my perspective. Many will disagree, or choose to overlook the toxic atmosphere, growing poverty and homelessness, and the ever expanding unhappiness of the Thai people, which has only been exacerbated (not created) by Covid. 

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, moe666 said:

If someone no longer likes Thailand why can they not just leave. O no they have to write long threads about why I have lost the love and how Thailand has let me down, it is always Thailands fault. 

Just leave pack your stuff and go no looking back bye.

Very lame. Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall within Thailand, some lame guy, who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any focus or effort to a reasonable reply, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or maybe you should leave, or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". Hard to even respond to such inane statements. Why? Because I have some issues with the place? Sorry to inform you, but the nature of a discerning mind, is to have issues. Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful state of mind, it is not something most of us are blessed with, in case you have not noticed. The fact that I complain, does not mean I do not love Thailand, nor most of it's people. I do. 

 

Regardless of whether or not you love it here, many of us have some complaints, and there are some things I would love to see improved. We should leave because of that?

 

Please. Next time you make a post, try to devote at least two moments of thought to it.

 

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Sorry to inform you, but the nature of a discerning mind, is to have issues.

Yeah, but most of your 'issues' are a bit woke, and don't actually affect you at all.

And now you've left the county you're still posting here ......... why?

Nobody asked you to wring your hands on behalf of the Thai population.

Certainly not the Thai population, most of whom are probably happy another foreigner has left.

[DrPhibes]

11 hours ago, tonray said:

I guess in all your decades here you never managed to build any relationships to cause you to want to stay. That's quite sad. Building a life somewhere, anywhere, is not just about having fun. You'll find the same problem chasing "sanuk" wherever you end up.

No matter where you go, there you are.

[swissie]

13 minutes ago, david555 said:

Generally agreed with most...., if not all ,...the main reason for me to go back home country in 3th quarter of 2022 also 

your line : "The biggest change is me getting too old ...... that really sucks! " my main reason too ????,

But i shall remember the first enjoyable 8 years of my 13 years ????

Yes indeed. Getting old and fragile just sucks. Nobody told me. Everybody was always babbling about "the golden years". What's golden about the "golden years"? I still try to figure it out.

 

[rott]

11 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Thailand has changed, obviously, since my first trip in 1991, and in the 17 years since I moved over here to live.

However, so has the city and country I was raised and brought up in.

When I weigh up the pros and cons, the climate and cost of living makes Thailand a far better option for me, and I have no intention of ever returning to the UK. Now in my 60's, I have no intention to look for pastures new either.

Same here TW, I remember being told that after a few years your reasons for staying here are totally different from the reasons for coming here in the first place. 

True in my case. Although things did wind down slowly. 

 

But I do not know of anywhere that would suit me better than Thailand. I do keep an eye and an ear open for an alternative in the event of it going tyts up here and someone on this thread mentioned Northern Cyprus which could bear looking into. 

[david555]

5 minutes ago, swissie said:

Yes indeed. Getting old and fragile just sucks. Nobody told me. Everybody was always babbling about "the golden years". What's golden about the "golden years"? I still try to figure it out.

 

Leaving before becoming fragile in my case , as it would become very expensive to handle that is a main  reason , going enjoying my savings in my country than instead of leaving them for BKK hospital & co , or my Thai bank ...????

[swissie]

19 minutes ago, david555 said:

Leaving before becoming fragile in my case , as it would become very expensive to handle that is a main  reason , going enjoying my savings in my country than instead of leaving them for BKK hospital & co , or my Thai bank ...????

I left Thailand when my health turned from "ok" to "fragile". The medical bills I ran up in the meantime, would have erased most of my live savings had I stayed in Thailand. Next to nothing in my home-country.

[473geo]

41 minutes ago, swissie said:

For me, "nightlife" can not take place on the internet. It's strictly "hands-on" or nothing.

As I said learn how to use it........contact potential visitors

[zzaa09]

43 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Anyone leaving will be joining what appears to be tens of thousands of ex-pats who have gotten sick of the constant nonsense here, and already left. Immigration is like a moving target. It appears increasingly more obvious that the authorities do not want us here, and the level of toxicity on the part of immigration, and the government is annoying. Also, this administration is ridiculously incompetent and incapable of improving anything. They are the very definition of regressive. Thailand in my opinion is moving backwards at an alarming pace. 

 

If I could afford it, I would live part of the year in Turkey on the southern coast, part of the year in Spain, spend a month or so in the US, do some additional traveling (post apocalypse) and spend no more than two months a year here. Trying to figure out a way to make some version of that happen. 

 

Regardless of one's attitude, there is no doubt Thailand has changed, and there is not much about the change that is positive. But, that is just my perspective. Many will disagree, or choose to overlook the toxic atmosphere, growing poverty and homelessness, and the ever expanding unhappiness of the Thai people, which has only been exacerbated (not created) by Covid. 

Tens of thousands leaving. 

Can't be enough. 

No loss......actually, much more beneficial in the long run. 

[DrPhibes]

6 minutes ago, david555 said:

Leaving before becoming fragile in my case , as it would become very expensive to handle that is a main  reason , going enjoying my savings in my country than instead of leaving them for BKK hospital & co , or my Thai bank ...????

Our overall plan for my later fragile years prior to the big dirt nap was to live out towards Sakon Nakhon with a flirty young nurse living with me 24/7 (to change my nappy's and such) in a 2 bdrm house next to my wife's house (she's 20yrs younger) and that the nurse would one day run over to the wife's house with sweat down her bra-less hastily wrapped bosom and a tear in her eye to inform the wife that I have expired whereupon the wife would walk over, see the big smile on my face, kiss the nurse on the cheek and then kiss me for the last time knowing that I died happy.  However, immigration rules are really starting to kill the buzz of my last ride!

[Gecko123]

41 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Yeah, but most of your 'issues' are a bit woke, and don't actually affect you at all.

And now you've left the county you're still posting here ......... why?

Nobody asked you to wring your hands on behalf of the Thai population.

Certainly not the Thai population, most of whom are probably happy another foreigner has left.

Much of the Thai population is still shell-shocked by last month's flooding. Their sense of political impotence has never been higher than it is now. The collapse of the tourism sector as well as what appears to be a hollowing out of the expat community is being met with resignation and bewildered confusion as people come to terms with the realization that the tourism industry recovery is going to be a prolonged process.

 

There are feelings of resentment and a sense of abandonment, but everyone can see what a negative impact this has had on the economy. There are signs that people are turning inward, and, with so few foreign customers around, the Stepin Fetchit and Aunt Jemima facades of friendliness tourists have come to expect (and demand) from Thais can now be safely dropped without negatively impacting commerce, but no one's happy about this state of affairs. There is mainly a deep sense of apprehension about the future.

 

[david555]

13 minutes ago, DrPhibes said:

Our overall plan for my later fragile years prior to the big dirt nap was to live out towards Sakon Nakhon with a flirty young nurse living with me 24/7 (to change my nappy's and such) in a 2 bdrm house next to my wife's house (she's 20yrs younger) and that the nurse would one day run over to the wife's house with sweat down her bra-less hastily wrapped bosom and a tear in her eye to inform the wife that I have expired whereupon the wife would walk over, see the big smile on my face, kiss the nurse on the cheek and then kiss me for the last time knowing that I died happy.  However, immigration rules are really starting to kill the buzz of my last ride!

May your dream come thru ???? (but not too fast anyway ???? ) but you know what they say about dreams ......????

[Used2LuvThailand]

The same old pointless arguments about which is better, an apple or an orange.  It's always down to personal choice, at the end of the day.  I can't imagine how so many Western men are happy living in a small dump, scurrying around trying to meet an ever-changing list of demands from a corrupt and inefficient immigration service, and a constant barrage of new restrictions.  But, I understand that home is where the hat is and happy is happy.

 

That said, comparing Thailand to the UK is a race to the bottom though.  If that's your only two choices....I can see why Thailand looks so good.

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Used2LuvThailand said:

The same old pointless arguments about which is better, an apple or an orange.  It's always down to personal choice, at the end of the day.  I can't imagine how so many Western men are happy living in a small dump, scurrying around trying to meet an ever-changing list of demands from a corrupt and inefficient immigration service, and a constant barrage of new restrictions.  But, I understand that home is where the hat is and happy is happy.

 

That said, comparing Thailand to the UK is a race to the bottom though.  If that's your only two choices....I can see why Thailand looks so good.

I don't know anyone living in a small dump.

Imm has with one exception & resolved, been uncorrupt & efficient with me.

No new restrictions (imm), in over 20 yrs here.

 

Have a pleasant day

[CartagenaWarlock]

17 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Any familiar with my posts will know that I have had a decades long love affair with LOS.

However, with all the very negative info coming out on this forum, and not confined to that from the government, I find it hard to reconcile Thailand now with the LOS that I fell in love with.

Seems to me that the sanuk has departed, and I doubt it will return in my lifetime.

Time to cash in the baht I was saving for a return trip.

 

Goodbye, LOS, but everything ends, and it seems the fat lady has sung for Thailand as a place I want to visit.

Thailand still offers plenty of opportunities to find brides/orgy partners for a 60-years old which no other country on earth will provide. And in Pattaya baht buses you can still use sexual innuendo to young girls that you will never dare to do in a london bus. 

[Grecian]

20 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

Thailand still offers plenty of opportunities to find brides/orgy partners for a 60-years old which no other country on earth will provide. And in Pattaya baht buses you can still use sexual innuendo to young girls that you will never dare to do in a london bus. 

You've obviously never been to the Philippines.????

[Damrongsak]

I always thought I might retire in Loei after we left for the USA in 1980.  We own a nice house there and have relatives and friends in town.  But I don't think I can deal with some of the immigration aggravations and at age 68, there's the future health care situation.  I'd like to get back soon for 60 days or so.  I haven't been back in about 15 years.

[1FinickyOne]

7 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

No matter where you go, there you are.

sure, but on what plane of reality... 

[ChaiyaTH]

Well I can understand some replies on here as well the OP for certain things but what is stuck in my personal mind is mainly the long long term (as I did not even start with age 30s yet). I guess it would be fine to stay here as long there is a possibility to earn money. 

For how things still are right now we would have more security back home in Europe, better school, healthcare etc. but it is going down there just as hard too so I doubt anything of that would be left by the time I actually might need it. Still a way higher quality of life with relatively little money here. 

I'm just really done with working behind a monitor all the time, issue with that is that most local jobs are forbidden for farangs and I can't be a teacher. I think this last thing bothers me most, the working restrictions or having to depend entirely on Thais without ambition or any desire to improve / follow instructions consistently.

 

I might give Vietnam a chance in the near future with the family if things continue here for years more tho. They really wanna develop there and you can do much more as a business owner in your own business too.

 

That aside, I think most tourists already moved to Vietnam. It was busy as the peak days here in 2013/2014 whenever I went to Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi. Good old vibes, cheap drinks and food. More old buildings combined with green etc.

[sirineou]

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Everywhere changes,

Thailand is a bit different from when I arrived in 2009, but not significantly different, and many of the differences are for the good.

 

What's changed for the good?

1. Immigration is empty, I can get my 1 year extensions with ease and no queuing.

2. Internet is way better, I now have fibre at little cost and amazing speed.

3. Foreign food is now easily available at much less cost.

(I have a cupboard full of Typhoo tea, HP Sauce, Atora Suet, Paxo stuffing, Spaghetti, cheese)

4. Home loan interest rates have dropped, my repayments are down from 11k to 9k/month.

 

What hasn't changed?

1. Accommodation rental costs, the same or less than when I arrived.

2. Utility costs, never went up at all.

3. The weather, still as warm and sunny as ever.

 

What has changed for the worse?

1. The government, but that really doesn't affect foreigners.

2. Bars closed, not so bad the ladies are all on ThaiFriendly.

3. No alcohol with your meals, I just cook and drink at home.

 

It's still a great (and inexpensive) place to live.

The biggest change is me getting too old ...... that really sucks!

Not a place to visit as a tourist though due to COVID restrictions.

 

Everywhere changes, but we also change.

I too had a long love affair with Thailand. , But right before the Pandemic we were in the US and got stuck there. We got back last May, and I am not happy.

Part of it can be that I am changing as I am getting older, and things that I found interestings I no longer do, and other things that I ignored now annoy me. 

A big Part is that Covid has put everyone here on edge, including me. and all these travel restrictions are not helping. 

I will give it a year or two. Let's see if my attitude or the place changes.. If not greener pastures might be in for us.  

[Scott]

A post with profanity has been removed.  

 

[Tony125]

20 hours ago, shdmn said:

Another day, another "I'm taking my ball and going home" post.  People claiming they are thinking about leaving Thailand (but never do) sure like to talk a lot about it.  Just do it. One less farang in Thailand.  You won't be missed.

He's not in Thailand for a few years now. Lives in NZ ,  as I remember can't afford to live here after getting ripped off by Thai wife.  

[shdmn]

41 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

He's not in Thailand for a few years now. Lives in NZ ,  as I remember can't afford to live here after getting ripped off by Thai wife.  

Gosh, never heard that one before either.  So naturally it must be Thailand to blame.

[Tony125]

17 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Disagree. What I want from Thailand is bars+girls and nice beaches.

I know the girls are on line, but looking was a lot of the fun for me.

Beaches by myself just don't seem to appeal.

Just more excuses, the bars are  (mostly ) closed but the beaches are open and plenty of Freelancers sitting, walking , jogging  along  Pattaya Beach Road. You wouldn't have to sit by yourself  or go online to find a girl. Find girl on beach take back to hotel for food/drinks. ect.   The bars should be open by December 1st or possibly sooner.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

go online to find a girl. Find girl on beach take back to hotel for food/drinks. ect.

If you are into that sort of thing, but I never was. I'd sit in a bar for an hour or so playing connect 4 with a possible, and eventually decide whether to proceed or not. No freelancer is going to sit with me for an hour or so while I make up my mind. It's get to it or be gone, and quite understandable too.

 

You seem to overlook the possibility that not everyone wants to operate in the same way as yourself. We are all different, and work in different ways.

Seems to me that a lot of today's social problems are caused by intolerance of other's preferences and if we all calmed down a bit and stopped knee jerk reactions we would all be better off.

 

I started this thread to see if any felt like myself, and the response has been a lot of posters ranting about anything but the OP.

Personally, it doesn't worry me because I'm well aware of the negative and abusive replies that any such thread attracts, and if that affected me I would not have started it.

So, to all the angry, frustrated posters out there with nothing better to do than post inanities like "don't let the door hit you on the way out", carry on- I need something to laugh about.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[cyril sneer]

life is about choosing the lesser of 2 evils, not what you like the most

 

don't like it here much anymore but everywhere else is worse in my current situation

 

depends on people's finances usually, i'm sure UK word be great to live in if you're a  millionaire 

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, sirineou said:

Everywhere changes, but we also change.

I too had a long love affair with Thailand. , But right before the Pandemic we were in the US and got stuck there. We got back last May, and I am not happy.

Part of it can be that I am changing as I am getting older, and things that I found interestings I no longer do, and other things that I ignored now annoy me. 

A big Part is that Covid has put everyone here on edge, including me. and all these travel restrictions are not helping. 

I will give it a year or two. Let's see if my attitude or the place changes.. If not greener pastures might be in for us.  

Thank you for posting something actually on topic. Pity so many didn't.