SURVEY: What are your biggest issues in Thailand?

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

It doesn't matter if you're used to it or not. Eventually some fool driving like a maniac is going to get you into an accident and there's going to be nothing you can do about it. Speed limits aren't just for your safety, they're for all of our safety.

You do understand there's a very high % of people that never get into a RTA in this country, right?

You do understand that you could be involved in an accident tomorrow, right.... and there is a far higher probability of you being in an RTA in this country than your home country....  and the root-cause of that incident can be tracked back to corruption through many facets....  from lack of training and licensing, to poor road surfaces, poor signage, poor road layout... etc etc... 

 

Or its some truck whose owners have not carried out maintenance.... they don’t need to, they can pay people to look the other way and the poor feckless driver gets blamed... 

 

 

The corruption you describe (slipping a couple of pinks) suits us all until it doesn’t... 

 

 

 

[PJ71]

4 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

I never thought I'd have to debate a person on Thailand road safety. It's only 20,000 a year out of 70 million so I guess those are pretty good odds, I wouldn't worry about it too much. ????‍♂️

Let's suppose your numbers of 20,000 & 70,000,000 are correct.

 

That's 0.02% so yes, very good odds that i won't become dead in a RTA.

 

There's absolutely no point in the discussion of driving conditions here, like many other things, there will never be change. 

[PJ71]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

You do understand that you could be involved in an accident tomorrow, right.... and there is a far higher probability of you being in an RTA in this country than your home country....  and the root-cause of that incident can be tracked back to corruption through many facets....  from lack of training and licensing, to poor road surfaces, poor signage, poor road layout... etc etc... 

 

Or its some truck whose owners have not carried out maintenance.... they don’t need to, they can pay people to look the other way and the poor feckless driver gets blamed... 

 

 

The corruption you describe (slipping a couple of pinks) suits us all until it doesn’t... 

 

 

 

I understand all of the above very well, there was really no need for you to explain any of it but thanks anyway...

[NorthernRyland]

4 minutes ago, TropicalGuy said:

Minimized. My Thai Lady does most of that. I use agents for Insurance & Immigration. Just leaves shopping cafes & haircuts ….oh and DLT every 5 years ! 

???? I mean more like the Thai person who blocks you in parking because he didn't want to walk 30 seconds or the Thai person who you fires up the loud speaker next to your house and doesn't consider the people around him. Those are the kind of Thai people and I have a hard time dealing with.

 

For what its' worth, I love getting hair cuts in Thailand.

[ThailandRyan]

46 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

a sponsor? Is that even a thing? My understanding is that the person must qualify on their own?? 

Not when your married and it's a CR1 visa.....

[NorthernRyland]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Or its some truck whose owners have not carried out maintenance.... they don’t need to, they can pay people to look the other way and the poor feckless driver gets blamed... 

 

Exactly. If I get in an accident it's going to be because some idiot is driving double the speed limit and out of control. No one, most of all the police ever bother to enforce the laws and real flesh and blood people die every day because it. IMO no person of any moral fiber should accept this state of affairs.

[NorthernRyland]

5 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

Let's suppose your numbers of 20,000 & 70,000,000 are correct.

 

That's 0.02% so yes, very good odds that i won't become dead in a RTA.

Man you're so on the edge here. Murder and rape are even less than that. It's not a good metric to be using.

[sambum]

15 minutes ago, TropicalGuy said:

Not Farang Business.

Their Country. Their Culture. No Rules. 

I was merely commenting that although corruption is a Worldwide issue, it is more in the open here and is actually accepted as a way of life, but the Government would have us (farangs) and the Thai people believe that they are actually doing something about it????. (Q - "What are you doing about corruption in your country?" A - "Oh, it's doing very well, thank  you!")

 

I agree with the fact that it is their country and as a farang, I have no influence at all in the way that it is run. However, I do, however, have my opinion on the way that it is run, and do not agree with some aspects of it - the case that I have mentioned of the Deputy PM is just one - there are others, as I am sure you are aware of!

[garyk]

Nothing wrong with Thailand for short term tourists. It fuels the economy.

Long term, as in expats living there is another question all togeather.

[TropicalGuy]

22 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

???? I mean more like the Thai person who blocks you in parking because he didn't want to walk 30 seconds or the Thai person who you fires up the loud speaker next to your house and doesn't consider the people around him. Those are the kind of Thai people and I have a hard time dealing with.

 

For what its' worth, I love getting hair cuts in Thailand.

I can’t live in Thai streets like that ! 

[TropicalGuy]

14 minutes ago, sambum said:

I was merely commenting that although corruption is a Worldwide issue, it is more in the open here and is actually accepted as a way of life, but the Government would have us (farangs) and the Thai people believe that they are actually doing something about it????. (Q - "What are you doing about corruption in your country?" A - "Oh, it's doing very well, thank  you!")

 

I agree with the fact that it is their country and as a farang, I have no influence at all in the way that it is run. However, I do, however, have my opinion on the way that it is run, and do not agree with some aspects of it - the case that I have mentioned of the Deputy PM is just one - there are others, as I am sure you are aware of!

Aware but no power or will to change it so I never comment on politics or corruption here. I DO often comment however on Root Cause of Culture; Uncivilized  Unchanging Unmodern.

[oslooskar]

2 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Biggest issue out of my control .... stray dogs and weak minded people who feed them.

oslooskar <====<< Weak-minded

[BayArea]

10 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I used to have more issues than I do now. I worked on my attitude, which was getting in the way of appreciating Thailand for what it is, and was clouding my experience here. Used to stress over stupid stuff, as you can see from some of my past posts. Used to allow the politics to make me angry. Now it is not something I take seriously, just something I comment on, without anger or an emotional investment. Now, I just tend to laugh it off. Spent some real time back in the US recently, and it allowed some clarity and perspective, that I am very grateful for. Now, I just chuckle at most of the nonsense. Water off a duck's back, so to speak. 

Unless it's about the wine tax!! ????

[jak2002003]

Noisy neighbours....with base music, parties, building / construction work, working of cars, barking dogs etc. 

 

 

[TucsonDavid]

Things that concern me here in Thailand:

1) The requirements for the yearly renewal for my Extension of Stay-Retirement that can change in the blink of an eye. 

2) The 90 Reporting requirement that asks me to verify the same address that I've had for 6+ years.

3) The rising cost of living while my pension income increases at a much lower rate.

[KhaoYai]

8 hours ago, ThailandGuy said:

I totaly agree to that but.... You should come to the Netherlands and tell this to all people who want to live here from abroad and trying to change everything and complain about everything that is part of our culture and complain everything our ancestors did in the past against other people and countries. They want to change the country. They want aplogies. They want compensation. They demand housing, social security etc etc etc.  And still even if they get it they keep on complaining. It is never enough.

I don't need to come to the Netherlands to see that - I'm from the UK ????.

[Adumbration]

Sourcing materials for my various projects.

[sawadee1947]

13 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Yes going for a new extension on the visa every year is one. Their driving could be a lot better, tell me how far can you drive without saying a swearword? I am getting better as I can go almost 50 ft now.. But the biggest thing is boredom. Kind of miss the sports and the things I did  back home 

You can do all kinds of sports here. If you want.

[Hummin]

7 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

You can do all kinds of sports here. If you want.

Skiing? 

[geisha]

Pollution, poverty, lack of human rights, lack of hygiene where food and water is concerned. 

[jerrymahoney]

9 hours ago, dinsdale said:

 

I could write a couple of thousand words very easily on this topic.

Well up to you but they don't charge by-the-word on here.

Edited May 19, 2022 by jerrymahoney

[Hummin]

19 minutes ago, geisha said:

Pollution, poverty, lack of human rights, lack of hygiene where food and water is concerned. 

But still the best army dictatorship in the world. That's not so bad?

[MyFriend You]

Soi Dogs

it is 'guess-timated' there are over a million ferral dog's in Thailand...........Thai's refuse to cull the herd, so the only way to get on top of them is to either capture and spay the females or exterminate neuter the males.  A lot of Thai's won't take them as house pet's as they are sokapoke, but they will feed them in the streets.  There has to be a cut off zone, I know it's inhumane to exterminate them but someone has to make a decision one way or another.   We think nothing of killing a hundred cows or a million chickens to eat, but stop at making dog food out of dog's??  

 

But it's their country, their culture, their rules..........I rode my bike with pepper spray, that seems to get them off my back wheels.

[NoshowJones]

15 hours ago, multatuli said:

No

Normal countries have the brains to cover up a lot of corruption, but a country like Thailand run by soldiers with an average low IQ like most Thai's do not, and it sticks out like a sore thumb. Hotels, hospitals, insurance companies etc are all at it and people with any brains can see through it.

[NoshowJones]

14 hours ago, Robert Tyrrell said:

Hello ,

1. The inconsistency in Immigration Process as an Expat , When the Thai Immigration Laws state differently then what your local Immigration Office tells you.
Example : The Financial Income Affidavit Letter is no longer required and replaced with Bank Statements, Bank Conformation Letter of your Account, Yet I’m still asked to provide a Income Affidavit Letter in Thai Language and English Language as an American Expat !! Why !!?? 
 

2. Banking Holidays delaying Pension Electronic Deposits, Some times 2-3 days on average.

Yet if a individual does a Electronic Bank Transfer in Thailand It’s instant !! Or If an individual sends a Western Union to you in Thailand It’s instant !! This is just plain poor Customer Service for Expats , and Electronic Deposits Period !!

Most anywhere in the Banking World Electronic Deposits are instant or at minimum under 24 hours at most , Thus the term Electronic Deposit !! 
 

3. Driving while Intoxicated, Not wearing seat belts , Speeding , Not wearing helmets with motorcycles and many other driving safety violations and in general The Thai Police rearely enforce these violations !!

Yet rest assured violating foreigners are a walking Atm for Tea Money !!  
 

These are the Top three concerns I have.

It isn't just the police, hospitals, banks, insurance companies etc. etc, use foreigners as a walking ATM.

[jerrymahoney]

19 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Normal countries have the brains to cover up a lot of corruption, but a country like Thailand run by soldiers with an average low IQ like most Thai's do not, and it sticks out like a sore thumb. Hotels, hospitals, insurance companies etc are all at it and people with any brains can see through it.

The curse of having so much brains.

[jerrymahoney]

8 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

It isn't just the police, hospitals, banks, insurance companies etc. etc, use foreigners as a walking ATM.

Bum hip. I can swim OK I just can't walk so good.

[4MyEgo]

9 hours ago, Hummin said:

Im still connected to my home country social security, and travel at least under normal conditions 2 times a year back home, so I can keep travel insurance running with 180 days out before I can return and travel back for another 180 days. That cost me at age 50-55 24 000,- baht a year. Additional I have a private health insurance paying 20 000,- baht securing me maximum 7-20 days examination and treatment priority.

 

Of course I pay tax home as well, because I'm still working.

 

I return to my home country usually every 2 years, and still have access to Medicare.

 

The reason I moved here was to retire, that I did and do not pay tax on my investments, suffice to say, it wouldn't be feasible for me to fly to my home country annually to take out travel insurance, although I did look into it and they do get you with those words, must be a "resident" of the country, which I am clearly not.

 

It's all a scam IMO.

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, vivananahuahin said:

i am married since 2012, renewing extesion each year ok but why so much documenten 5 cm A4 2x pictures, blue book etc marriage copy etc.... is it not enough with some passport copies and a marriage certificate yearly from the amphur and the bank book with required balance, time to go forward with some immigrations laws, they are outdated.

There were a lot of 'fake' marriages at one time and they got really picky about those. It should get easier after say 5 years with the same woman, and a matter of simply proving you still live together. 

[Banana7]

The biggest issues in Thailand are not even mentioned in the survey, which are a lack of democracy, lack of freedom of speech, government spying on people on the internet (a lack of privacy) and government employee corruption, especially corruption of the Police, like Joe Ferrari, and other Police and military and immigration officials.

 

Another issue is unequal justice for all; a mushroom picker in the national forest gets 10 year prison sentence but a policeman who kills a doctor, or a construction tycoon who kills black panthers in a national park get smaller sentences. Then there is the death of that actress in Bangkok who died in the river, falling off a boat.

 

Rip-off pricing pricing for foreigners. Even dual pricing is a major issue in Thailand where foreigners pay 5 times the price of a Thai, or pay higher prices in restaurants for exactly the same meal.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Banana7