health problems force many to go back home they have no choice any more

I have been yes. No visa-runs, clear air, the food choice in supermarkets, Autumn, snow..sane driving, being able to sleep deep, no masking outside (common sense right)....on-and-on.....makes me question going back over to LoS.

 

In fact it's probably my last run to Thailand for 1-2 years and see-ya.

On to easier to stay in fresher pastures.

The general visa options sentiment is a strong pivot away from long-stay white monkeys in shorts and T's....just hope the retirees don't get nailed to the floor with some impossible health cover requirement that makes them leave after settling. I am, luckily ahead of that phase of life to pivot to elsewhere.

My main fear is getting mangled or flattened on these roads as a motorbike rider funnily enough...like my legs/arms and front teeth so I do.

I've been back in the UK for nearly four months. There are elements of life that are better here, there are aspects that are better in Thailand.

 

Despite inflation, Thailand is in general a lot cheaper that England, though there's not a lot of difference in the price of a weekly shop and if you do want "farang" luxuries such as wine and cheese, the UK bill is cheaper. Of course, if you cook Thai food the ingredients are much more expensive.

 

But most other things are more expensive in the UK: petrol, eating out, anything that involves service, maintenance, utilities etc. On top of that there's council tax and, if you don't own a property, rent.

 

But it's not all about the cost of living: pubs, good beer, live sport, music, comedy and theatre are important to me and the public transport near me is excellent, plus I have family and my best friends around. My daughter gets free, good quality education.

 

Conversely, the weather, the beaches, the jungle, the relaxed atmosphere are all being missed right now.

 

Had I not made the grave error of selling my London house many years ago, the chances are I'd stay in England but as things stand, I'll probably end up living a much better lifestyle on my income in Thailand than I could here in England.

 

I'll know more this time next year.

 

 

14 minutes ago, david555 said:

Don't you feel not a little bit lonely there now ?, only on beer on the table and foam on it gone already ..... not a crowd there i would say ????

My Thai Buddy's is on my right whoes family restaurant it is and I wouldn't care less if I was <n my own why would I.?? 

55 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

8. NHS 6 million on waiting list and rising.

9. GPs (doctors) - no face to face appointments.

10. <deleted> weather, rain and wind.

11. Electricans, plumbers charging the earth because of Covid.

12. Cowboy builders.

13. Council tax increases

14. TV licence

15. Unstoppable immigration

16. No go areas in the cities

17. Self service in pubs and service stations

18. Wokeism

19. Anti-racism

20. Cancellation policy

21. No GP home visits

22. No GP appointments available 

23. Celebrity worhship

24. Muggings and rapes

25. Strikes

 

☹️☹️☹️

 

 

 

that's the UK, not part of Europe, more like a future third world country, you are better off staying in Thailand ????

10 minutes ago, GrandPapillon said:

11. Electricans, plumbers charging the earth because of Covid.

12. Cowboy builders.

Yes, got put through the wringer last one year with UK trades.

Learn DIY if I ever move back to UK permanently....

 

Out-and-out thieves every last one of them....make more than white collar pro's these days...filthy dugs.

I am loving it here but I have no real ties to home and haven't lived near the parents for 30 years.

 

I am just starting my online shopping for Christmas and the prices are shocking. I wonder how far Lazada delivers?

2 hours ago, JingerBen said:

 

Oops..

 Double post

2 hours ago, JingerBen said:

The US that I grew up in doesn't exist anymore.

I'm not one of them, but I'm sure some of the disgruntled expats would counter with "the Thailand I moved to doesn't exist anymore"...

1 hour ago, newnative said:

Everybody I know is still here.  Nobody has left or is even thinking about leaving, including me.

That is because you are hard core! The snowflakes have already left.  

At 80 years of age I am far happier in Thailand than I would be in the UK. Old people in the UK are so often pushed into care homes which they can ill-afford, and where they are not always well cared for. They are de-prioritised by the NHS, and are considered by many to be a nuisance. I decided years ago that I would live and die in Thailand where I am still happily married, and wonderfully well looked after by my  wife and her family. 

1 hour ago, GrandPapillon said:

that's the UK, not part of Europe, more like a future third world country, you are better off staying in Thailand ????

Its one thing a Brit slagging off his home country but something completely different if you are from across channel! Look to state of your own country. ????

4 hours ago, JingerBen said:

The US that I grew up in doesn't exist anymore.

   There is nothing to go back to.

This is really on point, especially so for those of us who have been here a long time. 

 

I am quite content here and though it has been a long long time, when I did go back for visits, I missed my Thai family and friends. 

59 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

At 80 years of age I am far happier in Thailand than I would be in the UK. Old people in the UK are so often pushed into care homes which they can ill-afford, and where they are not always well cared for. They are de-prioritised by the NHS, and are considered by many to be a nuisance. I decided years ago that I would live and die in Thailand where I am still happily married, and wonderfully well looked after by my  wife and her family. 

me too.

1 hour ago, JayClay said:

I'm not one of them, but I'm sure some of the disgruntled expats would counter with "the Thailand I moved to doesn't exist anymore"...

This is also true... I was in places like Phuket in the 80s... I thought Samui was over-touristed in the year 2000 - I went to Koh Chang 2002 and 5 years later people told me it was not nearly the same... 

 

It makes travel often disappointing. 

5 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I couldn't think of anything worse. 

 

I'd be suicidal 

Stay here!! Safety first... we don't want no hangings... 

whenever i have gone to the UK to see family i have a great time ,in fact we used to live there ,but cant wait to get back home to Thailand ,

4 hours ago, JingerBen said:

The US that I grew up in doesn't exist anymore.

   There is nothing to go back to.

I have to agree with you on that. I've only been living in Thailand for 5 months but I'd prefer to never go back to the home country, and plan to die here. I am much happier and can actually afford to do more than just exist like I did back in USA.

Re pat is failure

1 hour ago, Chris.B said:

That is because you are hard core! The snowflakes have already left.  

Loosers leave Thailand

2 hours ago, cjinchiangrai said:

I am loving it here but I have no real ties to home and haven't lived near the parents for 30 years.

 

I am just starting my online shopping for Christmas and the prices are shocking. I wonder how far Lazada delivers?

Usually by car or bike

I know a good friend who repatriated but it was a culmination of things, his children's education, his wife playing away from home and demand for his chosen profession dried up.

 

He seems happy with his choices as he doted on his children.

 

My kids are British, my reasons for going back, and no kids here although we brought up and paid for two nieces in Thailand. My other half is content in Thailand for the good, bad and the ugly.

 

We have no mortgage worries, good houses, decent income so we live in our own little world unaffected by Thai government.

 

I like the region and the weather is good for my health. We are upcountry and don't have the pollution problems here so much.

 

I have noticed that friends in my age group in the UK have health issues, look older, are set in their routines and ways. I don't have so much in common with therm having lived this way 26 years plus now!

 

There are still some beautiful parts of the UK just they don't tend to be where I come from.

I think a lot of it depends on what you want out of your life and the dice you roll on the way.  I had a business that meant me spending about nine months of the year in South East Asia so I moved base camp (formerly I was in London) to Hong Kong.  I lived in two rooms in Mid Levels initially and then moved to Stanley on the other side of the island.  More property for the price but still £3,000 a month.  On my travels I frequently went to Chiang Mai  and liked the more laid back lifestyle. It was only an hours flight from mainland China and when I found I could rent a five bedroom, three bathroom house, on a private estate for £300 a month it was an obvious no brainer. 

 

I did (stupidly) live for the first year in Bangkok as I was worried about access to my other ports of call in Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh.  But one year in the capital was more than enough and I ended up in Chiang Mai.  Much better for my sanity and the pollution levels were much lower.  I loved it from day one and managed to avoid the "Thai girlfriend" experience for about a year or so.  I made a lot of ex-pat friends in the first year, most of them European or American couples who had moved to Thailand for early retirement or as snowbirds, living there for the winter months.

 

Then I fell for a Thai girl and things got more complicated.  She ended up moving in with me, much to the annoyance of her father, but with the encouragement of her mother and sisters.  They had spent a lot of time watching programs like Dallas and were certain that I had a ranch, horses and an Olympic sized swimming pool back in farang land.  I think they had visions of us all living  there sipping cocktails and shopping in Rodeo Drive.  Once the truth was known there was a certain amount of cooling off from the female side of the family.

 

One day a police car pulled up outside the house and out got two officers who marched up to the front door.  I opened it and in they swept in without a word.  Luckily I was wearing my brown trousers.  Also luckily, my girlfriend appeared at that point and smiled widely towards the two men.  I was then introduced to her cousin and uncle and instantly my blood pressure dropped to a sustainable level.  Yes I had fallen for girl from a police family.  Over the next few years is proved to be  a valuable asset for obvious reasons.

 

And so as these things tend to happen, we got married, she had a baby and you can fast forward eight years.  My business was doing OK but not great and our son was now six years old.  We had looked at international schools in Chiang Mai and there was only one that was sort of OK.  But even  Prem (CM residents will know it) was far from ideal with most of the pupils spoilt brats and arrogant dickheads.  Not for me, especially not for extortionate fees they charged.  I have always been against private education as I went to my local state grammar school.

 

So after much discussion and many arguments we made a move to the UK, primarily for his education and because my business was suffering and needed a firmer grip than I could give it in Asia.  But also because we had both become disenchanted by Thailand in general.   It is funny how parenthood changes your perspective of things around you.  My wife had grown more westernised in her outlook, which I am afraid was mostly my fault and resulted in us feeling that Thailand was not a place we wanted for our son.

 

Settling back in the UK was difficult for my wife and she spent a lot of her time on planes going backwards and forwards trying to adjust.  I now know that that was grossly unfair to her and made the whole transition a nightmare  to deal with.  It took at least a couple of years for her to settle into English life.  Even then she had days of regret.

 

Fast forward again another 11 years and our son is now at college doing his A levels.  My wife has a good job and her indefinite leave to remain visa is in place.  After A levels, the boy will probably go to university and we will be free to go anywhere we want to.  We still have a house in Thailand and my wife still has family there so I suspect we will go there from time to time, but neither of us want to live there again full time. The weather in Britain is dire and the government continue to destroy almost all that was great in Great Britain, so we are thinking about Spain as a place to retire to. 

 

I really enjoyed my time in Thailand but that was a different time and it, and we, have changed, so time to roll the dice again.

4 hours ago, stigar said:

I live 6 months a year in thailand..thats enough for me.Thats let me keep my benefits in my country.

I meet some foreigners who moved permantly to thailand,and many of them regrets the day they need help from their embassy in Bangkok.If u dont pay tax to ur country of origin dont expect they will help u.

agree - European summer in Europe, and winter in Asia... perfect compromise - best of both worlds.

40 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

There are still some beautiful parts of the UK just they don't tend to be where I come from.

Same here. ☹️

3 hours ago, Chris.B said:

Its one thing a Brit slagging off his home country but something completely different if you are from across channel! Look to state of your own country. ????

spoken like a proud British chav ????

6 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

it's actually better in some ways, doesn't mean I don't miss stuff in Thailand. Here is the things that improved:

 

1. Better food quality, and cheap

2. Better service in restaurant, and still cheap

3. Public services not served by complete retards

4. No need for immigration non-sense

5. No more stress with THB fluctuations ????

6. School for kids cheap or free, with better teachers

7. Free flow of cheap wines and import beers, better quality, and cheap

 

overall definitely a plus, I think "expats" who have stayed too long are being "gas lighted" into thinking they have the best deal, forgetting that Thailand has dramatically changed in a decade and that the country they moved in is not the same.

 

I thought Europe was worse a decade ago, and it was, but things have improved a lot here. Can't say the same thing about Thailand.

 

There is no improvement in Thailand, and that's the core of it ????

 

Agree I went back home a few years ago and I am happier than I was ever in Thailand. Get a decent pension, rent assistant, electric assistant, cheap travel, free medical and hospital,no need for health insurance, I can buy 5 liters of red wine for about 300 baht, food is not much dearer than in Thailand don't go to restaurants very often and if I do I go to Chinese or Indian restaurants which cost me only 300-400 baht I still go to Thailand for holidays because I have friends there but would never move back permanently. Don't have any hassles over here with visas or reporting and my Thai wife would never go back to Thailand she says, she has been here over 20 years now makes good money and is not home sick at all and yes we love it here we do not live in the US or Europe.

It seems that I left Thailand just in time. In the meantime my medical bills have gone thru the roof. My Thai health insurance would have covered only a fraction of it. Still in Thailand, I would be stealing chickens from my Thai neighbors to avoid starvation.

 

Otherwise, I miss Thailand.

The foreigners I know here I can count on one hand. The only farang I know that talks about going home is a Belgian (married a Thai, kids). He's always talking about how cr@p Thailand is, and how awesome it would be in the south of France, where there are "people he has something in common with". The trouble is, he's been saying he's leaving for at least the 20 years I've known him (he's been here at least 30). I keep telling him he's here for life. He keeps saying he's leaving. Sometimes I wish he'd just phvk off so I don't have to listen to him telling me he's leaving.

 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, dunroaming said:

I think a lot of it depends on what you want out of your life and the dice you roll on the way.  I had a business that meant me spending about nine months of the year in South East Asia so I moved base camp (formerly I was in London) to Hong Kong.  I lived in two rooms in Mid Levels initially and then moved to Stanley on the other side of the island.  More property for the price but still £3,000 a month.  On my travels I frequently went to Chiang Mai  and liked the more laid back lifestyle. It was only an hours flight from mainland China and when I found I could rent a five bedroom, three bathroom house, on a private estate for £300 a month it was an obvious no brainer. 

 

I did (stupidly) live for the first year in Bangkok as I was worried about access to my other ports of call in Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh.  But one year in the capital was more than enough and I ended up in Chiang Mai.  Much better for my sanity and the pollution levels were much lower.  I loved it from day one and managed to avoid the "Thai girlfriend" experience for about a year or so.  I made a lot of ex-pat friends in the first year, most of them European or American couples who had moved to Thailand for early retirement or as snowbirds, living there for the winter months.

 

Then I fell for a Thai girl and things got more complicated.  She ended up moving in with me, much to the annoyance of her father, but with the encouragement of her mother and sisters.  They had spent a lot of time watching programs like Dallas and were certain that I had a ranch, horses and an Olympic sized swimming pool back in farang land.  I think they had visions of us all living  there sipping cocktails and shopping in Rodeo Drive.  Once the truth was known there was a certain amount of cooling off from the female side of the family.

 

One day a police car pulled up outside the house and out got two officers who marched up to the front door.  I opened it and in they swept in without a word.  Luckily I was wearing my brown trousers.  Also luckily, my girlfriend appeared at that point and smiled widely towards the two men.  I was then introduced to her cousin and uncle and instantly my blood pressure dropped to a sustainable level.  Yes I had fallen for girl from a police family.  Over the next few years is proved to be  a valuable asset for obvious reasons.

 

And so as these things tend to happen, we got married, she had a baby and you can fast forward eight years.  My business was doing OK but not great and our son was now six years old.  We had looked at international schools in Chiang Mai and there was only one that was sort of OK.  But even  Prem (CM residents will know it) was far from ideal with most of the pupils spoilt brats and arrogant dickheads.  Not for me, especially not for extortionate fees they charged.  I have always been against private education as I went to my local state grammar school.

 

So after much discussion and many arguments we made a move to the UK, primarily for his education and because my business was suffering and needed a firmer grip than I could give it in Asia.  But also because we had both become disenchanted by Thailand in general.   It is funny how parenthood changes your perspective of things around you.  My wife had grown more westernised in her outlook, which I am afraid was mostly my fault and resulted in us feeling that Thailand was not a place we wanted for our son.

 

Settling back in the UK was difficult for my wife and she spent a lot of her time on planes going backwards and forwards trying to adjust.  I now know that that was grossly unfair to her and made the whole transition a nightmare  to deal with.  It took at least a couple of years for her to settle into English life.  Even then she had days of regret.

 

Fast forward again another 11 years and our son is now at college doing his A levels.  My wife has a good job and her indefinite leave to remain visa is in place.  After A levels, the boy will probably go to university and we will be free to go anywhere we want to.  We still have a house in Thailand and my wife still has family there so I suspect we will go there from time to time, but neither of us want to live there again full time. The weather in Britain is dire and the government continue to destroy almost all that was great in Great Britain, so we are thinking about Spain as a place to retire to. 

 

I really enjoyed my time in Thailand but that was a different time and it, and we, have changed, so time to roll the dice again.

This is a great post, thanks for that. I guess you have ties in the UK. My wife and I spent 3.5 years in the UK and my stepdaughter developed superb English during that time (she was at the right age). However, we had no support from anyone in the UK, emotional or pecuniary, my own family took zero interest in us. We were basically alone. I worked all hours, all my wife could do was sit at home and watch TV. It was tough on my wife, and work was aging me.

 

After a couple of years, my sister in law threw us a lifeline and basically ordered us back to Thailand to fold us back into the family company. We jumped at the chance to reverse the mistake we'd made, but chose to stay long enough to complete the citizenship process, as I wanted my stepdaughter to have options. My son was also born in the run up to us returning to Thailand. The second that was all finished we burned everything and went straight to Heathrow, flew to Thailand and never looked back.

 

Best advice I ever heard is to go where you're appreciated. For me, that's here in Thailand. My wife's family have been very good to me, I'm completely loyal to them as a result.