SURVEY: What are your biggest issues in Thailand?

[PJ71]

3 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

I see.... it's all about you.  'Nuff said!

Correct.......

 

It's a jungle out there....stay safe!

[metisdead]

A post trolling about Trump supporters and the replies have been removed.

 

A post with an off topic video about oatmeal has been removed.

[4MyEgo]

3 hours ago, multatuli said:

Health insurance at very steep prices

Amen to that, the policy which I have had for 4 years expires end of this month, first started out at about 60,000 baht at age 57, and went up every year thereafter, now it just jumped again due to me going into the 61-65 age bracket and of course having a pre-existing condition covered, they want 142,500 baht to renew it, and of course I said enough is enough.

 

The above said, I did try another insurer, April, no go unfortunately, of well, it is what it is and I have now gone back to self insuring, e.g. I just put 250,000 baht aside and have reminders to do same every year thereafter, it's more than I need to put aside to compensate the 142,500 baht that I would have paid to renew the policy, but best get ahead of the curve, that said I will have put a mil baht aside in 4 years and 2 mil baht in 8 years which covers a fair bit from what I have seen, that said, I do have money aside for any big expenditure if an emergency just happens to happen, but that is why we take out insurance, to protect our wealth from depleting, but no longer, and of course I was going to also cancel the families insurance 75,000 baht a year, but said, let's keep an eye on it and see what happens when policy is due for renewal in January, as the wife also goes into another age bracket, and if that goes up steeply then it will be 350,000 baht aside a year, better in my pocket than theirs if we have no bad luck.

 

Apart from that, I don't really have any issues with Thailand, it could be anywhere in the world, it's just what you make of it and if you allow it to effect you. 

[Peterphuket]

4 hours ago, Toscano said:

For me and I believe many Ex Pat retirees living in Thailand , it is the need to apply for visa extension every year and report every 90 days . I'm British , before coming to live in Thailand I lived in Italy . After the first 3 months one has to apply for residency , if granted one is given 5 years before reporting again to extend . All being well one will be granted permission to stay in perpetuity . It is a pity the same doesn't apply in Thailand .   

I have the same experience but the problem is they are not that fond of foreigners.

That's the culprit.

[whereyougo]

Sure I have issues. After spending a very respectful 100 baht in a Thai resteraunt Im forced to wipe my mouth with toilet paper.

I also have issues with threads about issues but thats it really

[Toby1947]

Biggest issue in Thailand one word. Thais.

[jerrymahoney]

Well that's the great thing about this website in that, there are so many whiners and complainers and guys who feel the Thai regs make them feel like criminals, that everything that I might choose to complain about -- if I ever would choose to complain -- has already been complained about to the max.

[Peterphuket]

All the Thai living in the universe, that's my problem.

It makes no sense where you are, on the road, in shops, it doesn't matter.

One example,

Yesterday I was shopping in vilamarket and visit Watsons, the employee was filling the shelves and have many stuff around her, it was difficult to passing her and with my foot i pushed aside a shopping basket, but then they are highly annoyed, including my gf, but they forget they are paid by the customer, and for that reason a little thinking along can't hurt.....forget it.

Again, one example, yes I know, different culture.

[Hummin]

3 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Well that's the great thing about this website in that, there are so many whiners and complainers and guys who feel the Thai regs make them feel like criminals, that everything that I might choose to complain about -- if I ever would choose to complain -- has already been complained about to the max.

I guess many moved here, and thought everything would be easier by the years and also changes for the better? 

 

What have become worse, what is status Q, and what have improved?

[oslooskar]

3 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

Second issue is the immigration department and its awful bureaucracy.....

I found the U.S. Immigration officials in San Francisco to be among the most obnoxious government officials I was ever forced to deal with. In fact, I had to enlist the help of my local Congress woman (Sala Burton) at the time to help me deal them. ( I'm American but my wife was Thai and I needed to deal with her paperwork.)

[steven100]

don't put tomato sauce on my burger ....   I prefer bbq sauce if you have it.

[Flink]

Very misleading headline. They don't want to know what expats don't like, they want to know what they appreciate and how much. Perhaps better if you rephrased the questions to match the headline, e.g.:

Visa and immigration -

1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

p'd off beyond measure                      happy

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, oslooskar said:

I found the U.S. Immigration officials in San Francisco to be among the most obnoxious government officials I was ever forced to deal with. In fact, I had to enlist the help of my local Congress woman (Sala Burton) at the time to help me deal them. ( I'm American but my wife was Thai and I needed to deal with her paperwork.)

A little of topic but even then dealing with Immigration to the US from within Thailand is a pain as well.  I made a big mistake when my now ex-wife was doing her interview at the US embassy with the then 3 year old step daughter I was adopting.  I had scheduled an appointment at the citizens services office to add pages to my passport, and that way I could sit outside with the daughter and wait. Oh boy, up came a lady who worked inside, asked my name and why I was seated outside, I explained it to her and she walked away, grabbed two marines and had me ejected from the embassy.  My concern was my 3 year old half Thai/American daughter sitting alone with mom.  The Visa process was hampered by my actions and I was lucky they both got their visas.

[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

keen to understand your biggest issues!

Having lived in Thailand for 20 years, I now live in Cambodia but have completed the survey because several of the "issues" are not relevant and I want to record that fact!

[Lacessit]

29 minutes ago, whereyougo said:

Sure I have issues. After spending a very respectful 100 baht in a Thai resteraunt Im forced to wipe my mouth with toilet paper.

I also have issues with threads about issues but thats it really

Toilet paper probably comes off a production line very similar to that which makes tissues and napkins, except those go into a box instead of on a roll. It's just as clean. I actually admire the simplicity.

What kills me is toilet paper in various pastel colors, I doubt anyone's bum knows the difference.

[Hummin]

34 minutes ago, Toby1947 said:

Biggest issue in Thailand one word. Thais.

My biggest problem in Thailand, is other foreigners who is rude and with shameless behavior ruin this great place  for the rest of us who just want to enjoy as it is as long as possible ????

[moogradod]

Potential headaches (sometimes) - not to be confused with bashing as seems to be so popular. I believe its the truth and nothing but the truth. Not in order of importance:

 

1. Insecurity of staying the older you get (quick change of regulations, may threaten lifes and disturb quiet family life at its base)

2. Impossibility of getting residence status if you have not worked here before. In general too strict immigration regulations (too much administration) and only limited stay of one year without a new application. Perfect explanation by @Lacessit in this thread.

3. Scare of employees to take responsibilities (sometimes) therefore making many things lengthy and complicated. A signature - my-o-my - this means I have to stand for what I stated - alone ???? !!

4. Sometimes: Noticeably relatively low competence of employees in their field of work overall - a question of education but there are exeptions which then stand out as positive surprizes ! But nobody wants to explain a supposedly professional what needs to be done and double control everything all the time

5. More than inflatory increasing prices and no price control. Lucky you if you know where to get the same for half the price.

6. Far too high import taxes (why should I travel more than 9K flight kilometers to pay 3 times as much for the exact item as in my homeland) or for selected items (wine for example)

7. Still no western toilets everywhere (countryside) - but has become better tremendously. No idea how many elderly farangs like me do manage. A trip out in the sticks needs careful planning based on the availability of toilets. Ridiculous.

8. The writing (too small to read most of the time, torturous rules which could have been simplified a lot to get the same result even for a tonal language. Why have classes of consonants if you have signs which stand for the pronounciation ?

9. My sadness if you notice how many local employees are treated

10. Some of the local music - especially the modern tunes. Always the same harmonies and terribly boring. Some traditional tunes are actually quite interesting.

11. Ketchup on what they sell me under the description "Pizza" (would belong to its own category "Horror") actually.

 

Acceptable:

1. 90 day reports are really no pain in the ass although I do not see the reason for it, either.

2. Driving (yes, driving - really - now start hating me or still hate me or put me on ignore if you want)

3. Beaches and water quality (of the ocean)

 

Paradise:

1. My family and my exeptional wife which I know for more than 18 years and am now married for 16 years without any problems

2. Friendliness of the people I know. This includes foreigners and Thai.

3. Exeptional helpfulness of the people I know

4. Politeness

5. Diversity of food - especially a lot of japanese products and restaurants

6. Warm weather all year long

7. Cheap land (for my wife) - well, depends where but my wife bought 0.5 Rai with chanote, electricity, water on a government street for THB 120K. From where I come consider yourself lucky to get 1m2 for that. Still looking for a much larger plot.

8. I like Asia since I travelled to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Japan starting with 19. Many countries on the continent within better reach than from Europe. So I could visit Vietnam now for the first time of my life (example) easily

9. Still cheap if you want to restrict yourself mostly to local eating habits.

10. Prices for minor medical assistance and treatment

11. Cheap housing for what you get if you do not live downtown Bangkok

Edited May 19, 2022 by moogradod

[Gazzelle]

5 hours ago, Toscano said:

For me and I believe many Ex Pat retirees living in Thailand , it is the need to apply for visa extension every year and report every 90 days . I'm British , before coming to live in Thailand I lived in Italy . After the first 3 months one has to apply for residency , if granted one is given 5 years before reporting again to extend . All being well one will be granted permission to stay in perpetuity . It is a pity the same doesn't apply in Thailand .   

Totally agree with your thoughts and comments!

[CygnusX1]

Face masks.

I can live with the soi dogs and motorbikes, but I’m not returning to a country where you have to wear a piece of cloth over your face, and the only faceless zombies I ever want to see are the ones in computer games. That’s despite the fact that I own a condo in Thailand and have 16 years left on an elite visa. I suspect that  they’re never going away, so I’ll just have to cut my losses. My apologies to those on this forum who seem to love the masks.

[CartagenaWarlock]

4 hours ago, Deli said:

The complete mai pen rai attitude of most of the people.

This is one of the life lesson I learned in Thailand. It reduces stress in life caused by silly mundane things. Of course you need to tread it carefully and should be able to avoid situations where "mai pan life" can cost you vs take it easy where it really does not matter. 

[Gazzelle]

48 minutes ago, Toby1947 said:

Biggest issue in Thailand one word. Thais.

Go home then, how do you expect to be welcomed here with an attitude like that?

[Lacessit]

6 minutes ago, moogradod said:

7. Still no western toilets everywhere (countryside) - but has become better tremendously. No idea how many elderly farangs like me do manage. A trip out in the sticks needs careful planning based on the availability of toilets. Ridiculous.

 

I've never planned any trip here on the basis of toilet availability, all one has to do is look for a gasoline/LPG station.

Out in the sticks is what, offroading?

[trainman34014]

4 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.

They have to show you they are earning their 1,900 Baht !

[steven100]

7 minutes ago, Gazzelle said:

Go home then, how do you expect to be welcomed here with an attitude like that?

wow  !    the guy puts an honest answer across and you ridicule him for doing so.  

[dinsdale]

Pity it wasn't "biggest issues with/in Thailand" then my list would be extensive. Maybe it can be read both ways. Please none of this if you don't like it why are you here rubbish/carp. It's a very uneducated and puerile comment. How do you know a person's situation to say this?

As for biggest issues I'll give one example. Corruption. Who on this forum likes corruption? Maybe some do and that would only be because they are profiting from it. Has it affected me personally? Yes it has but I'm not talking about the odd Bt300-500 ticket from the BIB. Corrupt from the top to the bottom. This is my biggest issue with Thailand. That's why Thailand is still a 3rd world or arguably developing country.

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

p.s. possible spelling mistake above.

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by dinsdale

[moogradod]

13 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I've never planned any trip here on the basis of toilet availability, all one has to do is look for a gasoline/LPG station.

Out in the sticks is what, offroading?

Your planning is synomynous with mine (I do not know a map of "toilets of Thailand" ????) although you still need a bit of luck then. Not every gasoline station has a western toilet (decreasing, but my own experience).

 

"Out on the sticks" counts for me already for a region without "regular" (OK, thats subjective) infrastructure. Example: In Si Khio they have no taxis and the one Songtaew they have on the line you need will not go until it is full. Could take 2 hours. I meant rather a bit underdeveloped and not in the midst of the jungle. You may even encounter the "toilet problem" on the darkside of Pattaya.

[Isaan sailor]

Sudden fluctuations in the Baht—today a prime example—Baht up again.

[LikeItHot]

5 hours ago, PJ71 said:

Pls tell us how corruption effects your daily life here.

 

You don't think corruption happens in every single country on the planet?

Believe that any time you have a negative contact with a Thai you will be a victim of corruption. That is an ever present daily fact.  Treating foreigners as second class and good sources of shakedowns happens every day.  And no it is not this way in every country on the planet.  You are a victim of it I am sure although you fail to recognize it as such. 

[dinsdale]

2 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

I see.... it's all about you.  'Nuff said!

It does say "what are your biggest issues with Thailand" does it not? Fairly sure this means it's about you hence the personal pronoun I is apt whether you agree with the poster or not. 'Nuff said!

[RandiRona]

1 hour ago, Toby1947 said:

Biggest issue in Thailand one word. Thais.

Thai men is what you meant I guess