Having lived in Thailand I know things are not all unicorns and rainbows. Things like dealing with immigration and their sometimes arbitrary rules (Remember the TM30 debacle?), government rules that change month to month, air quality during burning season, Farang pricing not only in national parks but also by merchants and hospitals, Taxi/Tuk Tuk overpricing, and bad drivers are  just some things expats in Thailand put up with.

 

However, with the world a mess, inflation running rampant, the cost of living becoming untenable in the west,and  crime going through the roof in the west as well, do you think a lot of new expats will move to Thailand after the pandemic becomes endemic? In reality, it won't be an escape to paradise (we know better)  but more so, an escape from something worse back in the west.

 

Thoughts?

Thailand was and still is a great place for expats to live and work and there is every chance it will continue to be so.

Many of the alternatives are still not as attractive.

Hope not. The virtual versions are enough to cope with. ????

 

The COVID pandemic has put a lot of new hurdles on international travel. Previously, expats could move back and forth quite freely between their home country and Thailand, using budget airlines. So no, I don't think so.

I think some people will make the move, there is no reason to believe they won't.  A lot?  Probably not, I see more people going the other direction back to Sweden and elsewhere in Europe.

There's a lot of good places and I'm sure a lot of people have been watching YT to see that places like Mexico, Spain, Viet Nam, even Cambodia, are looking better every day. Or as good.

 

My Thai wife and I were looking at moving to Thailand this year, but after the last couple of years, we are delaying our plans for quite awhile and we are not sure if Thailand is in the cards now. We've really gotten comfortable with living where we are now in the States.

 

My wife was just talking about how much she likes a lot of things here: consumer protection, invariably safe food, no bugs to speak of, no mosquitoes, no snakes, no blistering heat...and its very quiet.

 

We have everything we need within minutes and we have snow in the mountains, sometimes at home, the ocean, moderate weather...

 

I feel people are rethinking their plans now. And some of that has to do with how some countries have dealt with the pandemic. People are rethinking everything.

Even before Coivd, falangs were opting for other countries with easier visa rules.  The days of old when doing a visa run to Cambodia every month are long gone as well as lying to get the embassy income letter.

10 minutes ago, Maha Sarakham said:

I think some people will make the move, there is no reason to believe they won't.  A lot?  Probably not, I see more people going the other direction back to Sweden and elsewhere in Europe.

We are leaving Thailand for Greece April 3rd, We will still keep the house here for a little while to see how things work out. We might be trading one set of problems with another, Time will tell. 

As far as things in Thailand going back to what they were pre-pandemic? at the very best it will take a long time.

As others said , air travel will be diminished and perhaps more expensive, border runs will become more difficult. etc. 

If and when costs of living, night life will go back to normal and the Covid situation will improve i don't why not, Thailand is still an attractive destinations...

How many moved to Thailand when they learned that Dengue Fever was endemic?

All 'endemic' really means is that the government has given up trying to eradicate it in favor of medicating it.  People will still move to Thailand, just as they have in the past, but I think the numbers of new expats will actually be lower than in the past because of the newer, harsher visa requirements.

Intelligent people who research will do what they do, and not regret their decisions. 

 

Others will come to forums or read  headlines, and follow those who made the same mistakes with regret.

 

With this statement, obviously everyone's view of home country & here is quite different:

"In reality, it won't be an escape to paradise (we know better)  but more so, an escape from something worse back in the west."

9 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Intelligent people who research will do what they do, and not regret their decisions. 

 

Others will come to forums or read  headlines, and follow those who made the same mistakes with regret.

 

With this statement, obviously everyone's view of home country & here is quite different:

"In reality, it won't be an escape to paradise (we know better)  but more so, an escape from something worse back in the west."

Even more curious within a selected circle would be to ponder as to why it's such a conscious concern if Farang are here long term or not....as in: the end all would be if Farang were here in long term droves or not. 

Who gives a ****.

 

Guess it's all of a cognitive priority type of thing. 

17 hours ago, SiamAndy said:

In reality, it won't be an escape to paradise (we know better)  but more so, an escape from something worse back in the west.

 

Thoughts?

I don't think so.

If anything this pandemic has shown folks that although their home country may not be as inexpensive, When it came to a small emergency they handled it a heck of a lot better than Thailand.

 

Both in support Stimulus but also testing,vaccinations if wanted etc

Thailand did not support their own people much less any expats & again this was a small emergency in the bigger picture

 

So if anything I think many witnessed first hand that while Thailand is a nice place to visit a few months a year (eventually)

It may not be as good as many expats own home/western countries in actual support during a crisis

why would you want to move to Thailand these days? better place and cheaper countries these days,

21 hours ago, SiamAndy said:

do you think a lot of new expats will move to Thailand after the pandemic becomes endemic?

Depends on too many things yet to come to make an informed decision IMO.

What new rules will immigration come up with?

Will the supply of bar girls willing to marry old farangs be sufficient?

What will be the real cost of living when the exchange rate with inflation rampant western nations is taken into account?

Etc.

 

4 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

why would you want to move to Thailand these days? better place and cheaper countries these days,

For instance?

Can't just make a generalisation like that and not back it up with so much better alternatives.

20 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Intelligent people who research will do what they do, and not regret their decisions. 

 

Others will come to forums or read  headlines, and follow those who made the same mistakes with regret.

 

With this statement, obviously everyone's view of home country & here is quite different:

"In reality, it won't be an escape to paradise (we know better)  but more so, an escape from something worse back in the west."

I'd certainly like to escape back to Thailand, but that's because it's too expensive to live a decent life here now.

IMO any without large financial resources are going to find themselves in the doodoo before it's all over.

21 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

How many moved to Thailand when they learned that Dengue Fever was endemic?

All 'endemic' really means is that the government has given up trying to eradicate it in favor of medicating it.  People will still move to Thailand, just as they have in the past, but I think the numbers of new expats will actually be lower than in the past because of the newer, harsher visa requirements.

I agree on "less", but IMO it will be because 80s style inflation will return to destroy people's economic worth. I don't recall huge numbers of farangs emigrating to Thailand in the 80s.

22 hours ago, SiamAndy said:

do you think a lot of new expats will move to Thailand after the pandemic becomes endemic?

Nope, I think hardly any new western people will arrive here.

Cambodia/Philippines/Mauritius are just as good, easier to enter, and no need for $25000 you can't spend in a local bank.

 

If I wasn't already here, I wouldn't be coming.

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Nope, I think hardly any new western people will arrive here.

Cambodia/Philippines/Mauritius are just as good, easier to enter, and no need for $25000 you can't spend in a local bank.

 

If I wasn't already here, I wouldn't be coming.

I wasn't aware that Mauritius has lovely maidens available for a pittance. However the politics makes it a bit iffy for me anyway. I once would have made the Philippines my base had I asked the lovely Filipina lass I met in Cyprus for her address, but the fact that they need shotgun wielding security guards puts me off there.

I once wanted to visit Cambodia, till I read it was over run with Russians and later Chinese.

 

Soooooo, for me LOS remains the cheese.

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I once wanted to visit Cambodia, till I read it was over run with Russians and later Chinese.

Went there loads, didn't meet any Chinese or Russians, encountered plenty of Brits and a few Aussies though.

I've also heard plenty of bad stories about Cambodia/Philippines, but the reality was less problems than Thailand as both countries actually seem to like foreign visitors/expats. Filipino guys are actually quite friendly, and seem to strike up conversations with you, in English, without appearing to have ulterior motives. When you're lying in bed watching a movie with your Filipino 'gf', she'll actually have sensible comments to make about it. 

Yes!

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Nope, I think hardly any new western people will arrive here.

Cambodia/Philippines/Mauritius are just as good, easier to enter, and no need for $25000 you can't spend in a local bank.

 

If I wasn't already here, I wouldn't be coming.

Yep, rooted, older/lazy keeps me here.  Doubt if it would make the list of 'places to retire' if searching again.

On 3/16/2022 at 8:26 AM, Thailand said:

Thailand was and still is a great place for expats to live and work and there is every chance it will continue to be so.

Many of the alternatives are still not as attractive.

From what I have learned after living and not left Thailand since Jan. 2020, I would not recommend Thailand to anybody who asked me for advise!

 

Before I lived in Thailand, but worked in Europe, and got the timeouts I needed to enjoy Thailand more. 

 

Living here 24/7 is not for me, so I will start travelling again to reset myself after a few months here.

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

From what I have learned after living and not left Thailand since Jan. 2020, I would not recommend Thailand to anybody who asked me for advise!

 

Before I lived in Thailand, but worked in Europe, and got the timeouts I needed to enjoy Thailand more. 

 

Living here 24/7 is not for me, so I will start travelling again to reset myself after a few months here.

I do not know any better since my experience is based on shorter stays (3-4 months at time and more than one trip except in Brasil) in Florida, Spain, Portugal, Phillippines, Malaysia, and Brasil. Every destination have their flaws, so Thailand is still ranking high in comparison.

Very few. Tens of thousands are leaving. 

 

A friend of mine uses a foreign lawyer in Bangkok, who is one of the top attorneys around. He said his office cannot find enough hours in the day to meet with expats who are leaving, with their Thai spouse or family, and dealing with legal aspects of real estate, businesses, and wills for their remaining Thai families, properties, etc. 

 

He said he has never seen anything like it, in the 30 years he has been in practice here. 

 

Millions of young Thais are trying to find a way out too. Woe is Thailand. Where is the hope for the future? 

 

The dinosaur creeps are moving this nation backwards at a breakneck pace. Truly regressive reptilian leadership.

 

11 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Very few. Tens of thousands are leaving. 

 

A friend of mine uses a foreign lawyer in Bangkok, who is one of the top attorneys around. He said his office cannot find enough hours in the day to meet with expats who are leaving, with their Thai spouse or family, and dealing with legal aspects of real estate, businesses, and wills for their remaining Thai families, properties, etc. 

 

He said he has never seen anything like it, in the 30 years he has been in practice here. 

 

Millions of young Thais are trying to find a way out too. Woe is Thailand. Where is the hope for the future? 

 

The dinosaur creeps are moving this nation backwards at a breakneck pace. Truly regressive reptilian leadership.

 

Many, many Young Thai people are looking to get out of the Country. Especially the more Intelligent and talented ones are.

For them, there is not future within a Country where oppression of Skills and talent are endemic, and they yearn for a future with at least the possibility of some hope going forward.

Thailand is going to have a Brain Drain, and its visions of 4.0 will disappear along with the talented Youth.

Education, Education and even more Education is the way forward for these young people, and they realise this.

Years ago, there were all the troubles in Northern Ireland, and the UK Government realised that one of the main ways to stop all the Violence was to Educate the Youth out of the situation, whereby they became highly skilled, and were able to move away from the area, and not become corrupted by the horrendous situation at that time

 

 

 

On 3/16/2022 at 8:52 AM, sirineou said:

We are leaving Thailand for Greece April 3rd, We will still keep the house here for a little while to see how things work out. We might be trading one set of problems with another, Time will tell. 

As far as things in Thailand going back to what they were pre-pandemic? at the very best it will take a long time.

As others said , air travel will be diminished and perhaps more expensive, border runs will become more difficult. etc. 

Well since I will be traveling about that same time domestically, here's a little going away present from Barry Gibb of the BeeGees with a little poetic license:

 

We take the pressure and we throw away
Conventionality belongs to yesterday
There is a chance that we can make it so far
We start believin' now that we can be who we are
Greece is the word

[Chorus]
Greece is the word, is the word that you heard
It's got a groove, it's got a meaning
Greece is the time, is the place, is the motion
Greece is the way we are feeling

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Very few. Tens of thousands are leaving. 

 

A friend of mine uses a foreign lawyer in Bangkok, who is one of the top attorneys around. He said his office cannot find enough hours in the day to meet with expats who are leaving, with their Thai spouse or family, and dealing with legal aspects of real estate, businesses, and wills for their remaining Thai families, properties, etc. 

 

He said he has never seen anything like it, in the 30 years he has been in practice here. 

 

Millions of young Thais are trying to find a way out too. Woe is Thailand. Where is the hope for the future? 

 

The dinosaur creeps are moving this nation backwards at a breakneck pace. Truly regressive reptilian leadership.

 

Truly regressive reptilian leadership ?????

Crocodile tears Mr Spider 

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

For instance?

Can't just make a generalisation like that and not back it up with so much better alternatives.

too long to list ????