Why Do Australians Come Long-time to Places Like Thailand?

[GammaGlobulin]

My Friends,

 

Maybe you have wondered the same thing.

 

When I was young, and after reading about Australia, I had always wanted to visit this land I had so-much read about.

 

Australia is a land of endless beaches, innumerable lifeguards, and a well established sailing community. The population density is among the lowest on Earth, and it seems that Australia really has it all.

 

Why would anyone from Australia wish to uproot and move to some place in SE Asia, especially when there are so many foreigners just dying to get into this privileged southern heaven?

 

Is this just a case of the Australians becoming too bored with life, a life lived where everything is so good that they are now experiencing not enough hardship to make life interesting?

 

What is wrong with Australia, anyway, that such a significant sector of the population is willing to move to places where it is unlikely that they will ever speak the local language, fluently, such as Thailand and the United States.

 

On the surface, at least, Australia seems such an idyllic place in which to be born, to live to the fullest, and then to die with dignity.

 

Yet, we continually see those, a minority of Australian citizens, people who may be dissatisfied with one of the best places on Earth, come to places here which are not half as nice as Australia.

 

What is going on?

Why do people leave one of the best places this planet has to offer?

 

One thing noteworthy is that Australia’s population has been rising fast since 1960. I think that the population is now about 40 million, which is double what it was when I first became interested in emigrating  to Australia.

 

Back in the day, Australia was perceived to be a much more homogenous society and culture.

 

Maybe this is why, during recent decades, and due to the cultural effects of such a rapidly changing world society, some people from Australia now wish to move to Thailand.

 

Or, it might be due to increases in non-indigenous fauna, such as the explosion of mice in Australia. 

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/australias-plague-of-mice-is-devastating-and-could-get-a-lot-worse/

 

 

Years ago, you might scarcely have seen anybody who would be willing to leave Australia for some other country.  And yet, in recent decades, every year, the number of Australians coming to SEA is changing.

 

So then, why is this?

 

Another thing which still surprises me is that some people confuse Austria with Australia, and I was guilty of this when I was younger.

 

Australians are extremely lucky to be born in an amazing place, fairly far below the equator.

 

All in all, Australians are blessed, and I wonder if most of them know just how blessed they truly are, for so many valid reasons.

 

Regards,

[OneMoreFarang]

 

[Excel]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Is that Big Bertha from Brisbane ?

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

1 minute ago, Excel said:

Is that Big Bertha from Brisbane ?

No. In Australia, due to her svelte physique and diminutive stature, she's called "Tiny".

[OneMoreFarang]

15 minutes ago, Excel said:

Is that Big Bertha from Brisbane ?

For you I overcame my disgust and opened the link again. Here is the source:

https://fashionjournal.com.au/fashion/plus-size-fashion-bad-business/

 

[sipi]

I live in Australia 9 months of the year and Thailand 3. 

Best of both worlds.

[BE88]

It was a question that I had also asked myself. I was told on ASEAN that the cost of living is high and could be the answer for many Australians here in Thailand.

In any case, unfortunately, they do not have a retirement visa because if it were possible I would like to go there at least six months a year.

[scorecard]

Your message makes it sound like Australia is utopia (and it's not far off that) and it's compulsory to like/live in/remain in Australia.

 

All folks have different views/different desires (all sorts of desires) which drive their actions.

 

Right now quite a few Oz folks are leaving  to live in the old East european countries because of the very high cost of living in Oz. (Example: Check the current and ever increasing cost of electricity, I was back in Oz for a while, returned to LOS 6 months ago. During the time I was there many folks indicated they aren't using their air conditioners in summer (Oz has very hot summers) because they just can't pay the bills it generates.)

 

Others leave (me) because of very good job/career offers. Which long-term provided me a path to snr. executive management and all asia directorships.

 

Others leave for LOS (and the Philippines and some to Bali etc.) because they have a strong desire to live in an Asian culture/society. I was transferred to Bkk from a posting in Singapore and very willing to go, I had all my life as a kid asked my parents for books/picture books about Asia.

 

In Thailand I met a wonderful Thai lady, Dr. of Medicine, plus two med. board certificates and a Ph.D. in Sociology, all gained in Melbourne. She spoke very advanced English with a strong Australian accent. She was a devoted and funny partner, good listener and a good mother (we had one son).

 

She conducted free clinics 2 or 3 times every month in the NE. Always many people came to her clinics because they got to know that she wanted them to talk and share full details of their ailments and she listened, and to see her young son (my son) from about 9 yrs old listening and carefully preparing their medicines and getting them back into a pick up truck or onto the back of the family mo cy etc., plus to see the farang (me) taking care of getting people seated in the shade with a glass of water and speaking to them politely in Thai / returning their wai.  

 

And my few farang friends (mostly in in Bkk) always asking her to translate a situation etc., knowing that she would give them focused and insightful explanations etc.

 

What more do you want? 

 

(I hasten to add: yes Australia is a great country, there's many plusses indeed.) 

Edited August 13, 2022 by scorecard

[Excel]

5 minutes ago, scorecard said:

She was a devoted partner, good listener and a good mother (we had one son)

You spoke in the past tense, I hope they are well

[scorecard]

Just now, Excel said:

You spoke in the past tense, I hope they are well

Thanks for asking; My Thai wife has sadly since passed away (lung cancer, she never smoked one cigarette, got it from her very heavy chain smoking father. My wife, her 2 sisters and their mother all died from second hand smoke. Years later the father also died of lung cancer).

 

My son now well qualified (Singapore and Thailand) and in very good employment helping society, he's happily married to a great Thai lady (same eventual qualifications / work),  and they have 3 happy kids (my grandkids) all doing well at school and in sports.

[Excel]

Just now, scorecard said:

Thanks for asking; My Thai wife has sadly since passed away (lung cancer, she never smoked one cigarette, got it from her very heavy chain smoking father. My wife, her 2 sisters and their mother all died from second hand smoke. Years later the father also died of lung cancer).

 

My son now well qualified (Singapore and Thailand) and in very good employment helping society, he's happily married to a great Thai lady (same eventual qualifications / work),  and they have 3 happy kids (my grandkids) all doing well at school and in sports.

I am very sorry to hear that and the reason I asked is because I know what it is like to lose a loved one too early in life to illness and many thanks for your reply. Good to hear also that your family is doing well. 

[2009]

-Cheaper lifestyle

-Sex

-Family

-Work

-Maybe politics, culture, migrant issues, PC rubbish

 

I am sure Australia isn't the place it was decades ago.

[Excel]

1 minute ago, 2009 said:

I am sure Australia isn't the place it was decades ago.

I suspect, but don't really know, that the Aborigines may very well share that viewpoint.

[Lemsta69]

Staya's a grouse place to live and Aussie kulcha is great too. glad I grew up there instead of my rainy birth country.

 

so why did I leave? for me it was simply a matter of Thailand being more exotic and more bang for your buck ????

[Boomer6969]

7 minutes ago, 2009 said:

I am sure Australia isn't the place it was decades ago.

I immigrated in 1981, and indeed, it was Utopia. Anyone willing to get off his butt was immediately sucked into the workforce. Real estate was dirt cheap, education was free, etc.

[2009]

19 minutes ago, Excel said:

I suspect, but don't really know, that the Aborigines may very well share that viewpoint.

I am sure the aboriginals must be really happy with the way Australia has been developed since the arrival of migrants. Some may not admit it though.

 

They have:

 

-Education

-Healthcare

-Proper shelter

-Social security

-Pension

-Technology

-Comforts

-Transportation

-Law

-Electricity

-Plumbing

-Proper clothing

 

The list goes on.

 

Even just "the wheel" and "metal tools". They were living in the Stone Age (literally) and it wasn't that long ago when Captain Cook arrived.

 

I mean, if they don't like Western society and its inventions, advancements, and benefits, Australia is big enough for them to go back to living a Stone Age tribal life, if they choose.

 

They can find their own spot in the outback. Invent the wheel themselves, electricity, iron tools. Everything they have been given and don't appreciate.

 

But they wouldn't. None of them would choose to go back to that life 

Edited August 13, 2022 by 2009

[gearbox]

Oz is a nanny state with high cost of living. Nearly half of the population lives in the Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan areas,  enslaved with high mortgages and rents, and spending hours daily in ever increasing traffic jams.

Good place to make money, not so good at all to spend it.

 

 

[Excel]

1 minute ago, 2009 said:

I am sure the aboriginals must be really happy with the way Australia has been developed since the arrival of migrants.

 

Some may not admit it though.

 

They have:

 

-Education

-Healthcare

-Proper shelter

-Social security

-Pension

-Technology

-Comforts

-Transportation

-Law

-Electricity

-Plumbing

-Proper clothing

 

The list goes on.

 

Even just "the wheel" and "metal tools"

 

They were living in the Stone Age (literally) and it wasn't that long ago when Captain Cook arrived.

 

I mean if they don't like Western society, Australia is big enough for them to go back to living in a Stone Age tribal life, if they choose.

 

They can find their own spot in the outback. Invent the wheel themselves, electricity, iron tools. Everything they have been given and don't appreciate.

Oh dear, what I said in a light hearted manner appears to have brought out the extreme prejudice you have towards the indigenous peoples. Sorry about that.

[G Rex]

Australia used to be referred to as ‘The Lucky Country’.

It is a safe, clean diverse country. Plenty to see and do - and the people are generally friendly - especially in the rural areas.

The cost of living is much higher than LOS. This is driven mainly by wages - Aussies don’t mind working, but will not work for a pittance like many Thai.  They value their time a lot higher.

What annoyed me enough to leave Australia is that over the last few decades the country has become a ridiculous Nanny State. We are over policed and over governed. It seems you need a permit or a certificate to do almost anything. This occurred because the Government creates jobs by creating more & more tiers (tears?!) of officialdom.

Australia used to feel like a fun country. Now it has become so politically correct and woke that people are scared of doing or saying the wrong thing.

To me , Thai society feels more fun - like Australia was 50 years ago! 

[2009]

4 minutes ago, Excel said:

Oh dear, what I said in a light hearted manner appears to have brought out the extreme prejudice you have towards the indigenous peoples. Sorry about that.

Who is prejudice?

 

The aboriginals nowadays who don't like Australia as it is now?

 

The migrant Aussies who personally did nothing to the aboriginals and don't want to accept blame?

 

The aboriginals want cash compensation for their history. That's pretty much it, right?

 

I am just stating facts about how Australia has changed for the better, including for the aboriginals alive today.

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by 2009

[G Rex]

3 minutes ago, Excel said:

Oh dear, what I said in a light hearted manner appears to have brought out the extreme prejudice you have towards the indigenous peoples. Sorry about that.

Do you , or have you lived in Australia?

 

The Indigenous people have a loud voice , and are doing very nicely , living off of the White mans’ feelings of guilt for past occurrences.

[Sparktrader]

Oz has 26m not 40m poor research

 

Plus its boring

[simple1]

I find it rather weird for Australians to complain of a 'nanny state', then decide to move to an authoritarian State with repressive laws regarding freedom of speech, minimal rights etc. I moved to Thailand to retire, but got cancer which I couldn't afford for long term treatment in Thailand and had to return to Oz. My wife and I still have a house in Thailand, when end of live gets close will return to Thailand to be near to her family.

 

To respond to a member, one can obtain a retrement visa for Australia, but it is costly. Australia is increasingly expensive, especially rental accommodation and daily living costs making Thailand economically attractive if one could afford to self insure. The elderly can be socially isolated in Oz, which can be a motivator, but I would view it as jumping from the frying pan into a fire. 

 

I live in the Noosa area, which is lovely, take a look...

 

https://www.visitnoosa.com.au/

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by simple1

[Ralf001]

49 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

I immigrated in 1981, and indeed, it was Utopia. Anyone willing to get off his butt was immediately sucked into the workforce. Real estate was dirt cheap, education was free, etc.

Hows real estate there these days.... I heard a million dollars will only purchase a shoebox !!

[Ralf001]

4 minutes ago, simple1 said:

I find it rather weird for Australians to com[lain of a 'naany state', then decide to move to an authoritarian State with repressive laws reagrding freedom of speech etc. I moved to T

 

 

 

 

Cheap rent.

Cheap booze.

Cheap girls.

Cheap petrol/diesel.

Cheap traffic fines.

Cheap etc.

Cheap etc.

Cheap etc.

[simple1]

9 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Cheap rent.

Cheap booze.

Cheap girls.

Cheap petrol/diesel.

Cheap traffic fines.

Cheap etc.

Cheap etc.

Cheap etc.

Doesn't make up for private medical costs for cancer treatment in Thailand, I suggest 'cheap girls' quickly looses it's appeal if you're of retirement age.

Edited August 13, 2022 by simple1

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, simple1 said:

Doesn't make up for private medical costs for cancer treatment in Thailand, I suggest 'cheap girls' quickly looses it's appeal if you're of retirement age.

Should come with private health insurance then.

 

 

[Lacessit]

The population of Australia is getting close to 27 million, not 40 million.

 

About 80% of Australians live not more than 3 km from a coast. Get into the back blocks, the next house may be 10 km away. Or 100. Non-Australians have no idea how vast and empty Australia is.

 

My retirement to Thailand was based on a number of factors:

 

1/ Experience. Having worked as a consultant in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, I had been exposed to different environments than that prevailing in Australia.

 

2/ Boredom. While Australia is a very safe place to be, it is also constrained by many rules and regulations, which became stifling to me. Having a house in suburbia requiring constant upkeep was not on my list of exciting things I could do.

 

3/ Cost of living. I maintain two abodes, two cars, and two scooters here. On my income, in Australia I would only have one place to live. My car.

 

4/ Women. I could continue living with a woman in my age bracket who was becoming ever more demanding and irritating, and regarded my support as some kind of right.

 

Or I could come to Thailand, where the only requirement for connection with  women much younger than me was the size of my wallet.

 

5/ Medical and dental facilities. Thailand's medical infrastructure is probably one of the best in South-East Asia.

 

6/ Freedom. Within the bounds of the law here, I can do exactly as I want. There are no bigots or prudes to disapprove of my conduct. Not that I would care.

 

I did about 6 months of research before retiring here, one of my better decisions in life.

 

I suspect proximity is another reason, it's a 8-9 hour flight from Bangkok to the main Australian cities. Spain, Mexico, South Africa and South America are a bridge too far for most Aussies.

[norbra]

1 hour ago, 2009 said:

I am sure the aboriginals must be really happy with the way Australia has been developed since the arrival of migrants. Some may not admit it though.

 

They have:

 

-Education

-Healthcare

-Proper shelter

-Social security

-Pension

-Technology

-Comforts

-Transportation

-Law

-Electricity

-Plumbing

-Proper clothing

 

The list goes on.

 

Even just "the wheel" and "metal tools". They were living in the Stone Age (literally) and it wasn't that long ago when Captain Cook arrived.

 

I mean, if they don't like Western society and its inventions, advancements, and benefits, Australia is big enough for them to go back to living a Stone Age tribal life, if they choose.

 

They can find their own spot in the outback. Invent the wheel themselves, electricity, iron tools. Everything they have been given and don't appreciate.

 

But they wouldn't. None of them would choose to go back to that life 

Wow what a red neck. You forgot to mention other delights that the migrants provided, STD, alcoholism cigarettes and of course massacre

As for finding a spot in the outback their previous " hunting grounds" have been overrun by land developers, miners, Forrester's and the list goes on

Edited August 13, 2022 by norbra

[Sparktrader]

2 minutes ago, norbra said:

Wow what a red neck. You forgot to mention other delights that the migrants provided, STD, alcoholism cigarettes and of course massacre

 

250 years ago and they were Brits.