https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/14/100-pure-rip-off-new-zealand-voted-second-worst-place-to-move-to

Thailand was voted the 8th best country to move to:

 

Quote

8. Thailand: Great Finances, Social Life & Medical Care

Thailand excels in the Personal Finance Index (4th) — 70% are happy with their personal finances (vs. 60% globally) — and narrowly misses out on a top 10 spot in the Ease of Settling In Index (11th). Expats love their social life (69% satisfied vs. 56% globally), and more than half (52%) say that making local friends is easy, compared to 42% globally.

While Thailand also performs well in the Expat Essentials Index (18th), it lags behind in the Quality of Life Index (35th). Expats are happy with the culinary variety and dining options (90% vs. 77% globally) and the quality of medical care (85% vs. 72% globally), but 45% rate the air quality negatively (vs. 19% globally). Lastly, it lands among the bottom 10 in the Working Abroad Index (45th), which is mainly due to a lack of creativity (41% vs. 26% globally) and independent work (45% vs. 28% globally) in the local business culture. Overall, 77% of expats are happy with their life in Thailand.

 

https://www.internations.org/press/press-release/where-expats-should-not-move-in-2022-40279#:~:text=The Expat Insider 2022 survey,destinations for expats in 2022.

I have to agree with newspaper article, but I'm not going into the real reasons why it's not the place I want to live in, though PC, too much bureaucracy and over regulation are high on the list.

I've lived in several countries and while Antarctica is top of the list ( I know it's not a country per se ) it's not possible to retire there, but Thailand is second. Not a day goes by I don't wish I was still living there.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Antarctica

Women n beers there?

I live in Thailand and had been seriously considering a move back to the UK mostly for my son's education and for a better family life (grandparents, lots of uncles, aunts, cousins). But now am unsure as I understand that the average energy bill in the UK will rise to aprox 500 GBP per month!!! Add to that the impending interest rate rises and rising food prices I honestly don't think I can afford to move back. Crazy times!

Move anywhere in the world with no money as an immigrant is not a good idea IMHO.

 

My relatives in NZ don't have a problem living there because again it's only the poor that suffer. 

Just spent 2 months in New Zealand (where we have a permanent home) and found it so boring and depressing. People seem cowed, not much patronage at the restaurants we went to and it hasn't really moved on since the big lockdowns for Covid. Some people said they are scared to go out in case they caught Covid. i could understand that with elderly and vulnerable but these were people in their 40's & 50's. It is rife and inevitable most people will catch it by the look of things.

 

Most people very critical of the mismanagement by the government and Ardern as the messiah seems to have lost her glow.

 

Glad to be back in Thailand and we are certainly happier here although it is not perfect either.

 

45 minutes ago, greenmonkey said:

I live in Thailand and had been seriously considering a move back to the UK mostly for my son's education and for a better family life (grandparents, lots of uncles, aunts, cousins). But now am unsure as I understand that the average energy bill in the UK will rise to aprox 500 GBP per month!!! Add to that the impending interest rate rises and rising food prices I honestly don't think I can afford to move back. Crazy times!

You are just making figures up and posting them as fact. It's really just nonsense. Perhaps half that is true....which of course is still too high.

33 minutes ago, Patong2 said:

Ardern as the messiah seems to have lost her glow.

Total dud. Most Nzers seem to live in Oz or about half.

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Move anywhere in the world with no money as an immigrant is not a good idea IMHO.

 

My relatives in NZ don't have a problem living there because again it's only the poor that suffer. 

Being poor anywhere no good

 

$2.50 for fuel is high though

 

 

28 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Total dud. Most Nzers seem to live in Oz or about half.

Your statement is a bit over the top, but yes it is true that many NZ'ers are going to OZ for better wages, plus the probable law change that covers kiwis for health/social services while in Aussie.

But on the flip side NZ is starting to get many Aussie tourists now that travel is easier.

16 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Being poor anywhere no good

 

$2.50 for fuel is high though

I don't compare to UK £ anymore 38 baht a litre for diesel last time I filled.

 

Forget what petrol 91 was I just get 500 baht every 4 weeks for the bikes. 

9 minutes ago, thainet said:

Your statement is a bit over the top, but yes it is true that many NZ'ers are going to OZ for better wages, plus the probable law change that covers kiwis for health/social services while in Aussie.

But on the flip side NZ is starting to get many Aussie tourists now that travel is easier.

You have to be a resident to get medicare. Too many freeloaders as it is.

1 minute ago, Kwasaki said:

I don't compare to UK £ anymore 38 baht a litre for diesel last time I filled.

 

Forget what petrol 91 was I just get 500 baht every 4 weeks for the bikes. 

Diesel is a rip off in oz. But most things are. 

7 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Diesel is a rip off in oz. But most things are. 

£2 in UK last I heard don't how that compares with NZ Dollar.

Ardern is ruining the place with her Woke politics and "single source of truth" nonsense.

 

Couldn't pay me to live there. Australia is going the same way unfortunately. I'm more than happy here in Thailand.

44 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Ardern is ruining the place with her Woke politics and "single source of truth" nonsense.

 

Couldn't pay me to live there. Australia is going the same way unfortunately. I'm more than happy here in Thailand.

True, 3 days here such a refresh from the west

 

Street food, friendly people, beers in 7/11, women under 60kgs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

You are just making figures up and posting them as fact. It's really just nonsense. Perhaps half that is true....which of course is still too high.

The only "figure" provided was the 500 GBP per month for energy bills, and that figure is coming straight from the UK government. Inflation topped 10%, also according to the government. This is going to be a difficult winter for the UK and much of Europe.

6 hours ago, Patong2 said:

Just spent 2 months in New Zealand (where we have a permanent home) and found it so boring and depressing. People seem cowed, not much patronage at the restaurants we went to and it hasn't really moved on since the big lockdowns for Covid. Some people said they are scared to go out in case they caught Covid. i could understand that with elderly and vulnerable but these were people in their 40's & 50's. It is rife and inevitable most people will catch it by the look of things.

 

Most people very critical of the mismanagement by the government and Ardern as the messiah seems to have lost her glow.

 

Glad to be back in Thailand and we are certainly happier here although it is not perfect either.

 

Where were you in NZ?  Two weeks ago I finished twelve months contracting here, go home to Chanthaburi on Monday via Sydney and Bangkok. Been based in Wellington, had five hiking trips to central Otago - mountains out of Queenstown/Arrowtown, two to Auckland, Christchurch and New Plymouth. 

Been a whirlwind and generally enjoyable year - 3 contracts with breaks between - after a long time in Thailand and Malaysia, though I'm pleased to be heading home as initially was to be here for six months.

Only one family member here now, Mission Bay in Auckland but been good re-connecting with old friends scattered across the country.  I'll come back sometime next year for a similar 6-12mths but south island next time, Christchurch-based most likely.

Guess that, as with anywhere, the right $ and the right friends can make any place good to live.

No great interest in local politics though I worked at parliament and local authority employers, kept my opinions to myself on that topic.

 

Get out more! From summit of Mt Beetham on the way back to Arrowtown

 

 

 

18 hours ago, gomangosteen said:

Where were you in NZ?  Two weeks ago I finished twelve months contracting here, go home to Chanthaburi on Monday via Sydney and Bangkok. Been based in Wellington, had five hiking trips to central Otago - mountains out of Queenstown/Arrowtown, two to Auckland, Christchurch and New Plymouth. 

Been a whirlwind and generally enjoyable year - 3 contracts with breaks between - after a long time in Thailand and Malaysia, though I'm pleased to be heading home as initially was to be here for six months.

Only one family member here now, Mission Bay in Auckland but been good re-connecting with old friends scattered across the country.  I'll come back sometime next year for a similar 6-12mths but south island next time, Christchurch-based most likely.

Guess that, as with anywhere, the right $ and the right friends can make any place good to live.

No great interest in local politics though I worked at parliament and local authority employers, kept my opinions to myself on that topic.

 

Get out more! From summit of Mt Beetham on the way back to Arrowtown

 

 

 

Spent the time in Auckland with trips to the farm and also Waikato. 

The weather was absolutely rubbish with sinking the red bands over the heels in sodden paddocks.

Cold and strong winds the whole time.

Yes, Queenstown and areas are beautiful on a good day and I have hunted and hiked over most of NZ but I find Utah, Arizona, Wyoming and Montana more scenic and certainly more consistent weather.

The friends and people we met up with seemed beaten and resigned with none of the drive that NZ is known for. Time is dragging on for them. After running businesses in NZ for 40+ years I was shocked by the attitude of people I had worked and dealt with over many years.

Different for one relative in Wellington who works for the government. She thinks the country is doing well.

On 8/25/2022 at 5:34 PM, gomangosteen said:

....

Get out more! From summit of Mt Beetham on the way back to Arrowtown

 

You posted a picture... what should I see there?

On 8/25/2022 at 5:35 AM, Sparktrader said:

Women n beers there?

Svalbard is good for both, and the majority of female workers there is from Thailand and the largest population of workers who is not Norwegian.

 

https://www.asiaportal.info/mayfrom-thailand-svalbard-migration-margins-an-magritt-jensen/

10 hours ago, arithai12 said:

You posted a picture... what should I see there?

Just a pleasant departure from the depressing posts here.

Should i feel bad for having enjoyed myself in NZ and having a positive outlook?

If others are unable to, well 'up to them'.
Maybe it's an age thing - hope I am never so old and miserable as to no longer enjoy life.

 

8 hours ago, Hummin said:

Svalbard is good for both, and the majority of female workers there is from Thailand and the largest population of workers who is not Norwegian.

 

https://www.asiaportal.info/mayfrom-thailand-svalbard-migration-margins-an-magritt-jensen/

Can you pop over to Svalbard from Antarctica for a beer and a <deleted> then back again on Friday nights,

Lovely country. Very expensive.

I enjoyed NZ a number of times I went there; however, it has got very expensive. Many scenic wonders. Rotorua,  Wanaka, Otago Peninsula, Milford Sound etc.

It's said New Zealanders are more British than the British, a fairly accurate assessment.

All seemed sweetness and light for NZ at one point now after the Puma's victory it seems all black. 

 

Rooster 

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I enjoyed NZ a number of times I went there; however, it has got very expensive. Many scenic wonders. Rotorua,  Wanaka, Otago Peninsula, Milford Sound etc.

It's said New Zealanders are more British than the British, a fairly accurate assessment.

Mostly Scottish and Maoris

On 8/25/2022 at 12:12 AM, Kwasaki said:

Move anywhere in the world with no money as an immigrant is not a good idea IMHO.

 

My relatives in NZ don't have a problem living there because again it's only the poor that suffer. 

As my Dad (oldest of 11 children who grew up in the Great Depression in the US) used to joke:  "Money isn't everything, but it sure helps." But a majority of them worked their way up to very successful careers.  My 6 Thai in-laws who I sponsored to come to the USA maybe 10 or so years back did OK.  But they got jobs, worked hard and enjoyed life. 

 

 

On 8/25/2022 at 11:35 AM, Bruno123 said:

You are just making figures up and posting them as fact. It's really just nonsense. Perhaps half that is true....which of course is still too high.

I'm not making them up. That is what the industry experts are predicting for next year.