Is Thailand a better place to live then in western countries

[newnative]

Yes.

[khunPer]

On 11/10/2022 at 8:26 AM, Don Chance said:

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Quality of Life - U.S. News Best Countries Report 2021

1. Canada
2. Denmark
3. Sweden
4. Norway
5. Switzerland
6. Australia
7. Netherlands
8. Finland
9. Germany
10. New Zealand

I'm from Denmark and I find Thailand (much) better – Denmark has lots of problems and bad service for their citizens paid by the World's highest taxes...

[Stevemercer]

I've lived in Thailand for 8 years now. I always said I would live here for 10 years and then make up my mind whether to stay or move back to Australia.

 

I like Thailand and we can live here in reasonable style. Day to day costs are probably the same in Australia/Thailand, but housing is a quarter the cost.

 

I'm in Australia at the moment for 3 weeks helping my Mum move Dad into an aged care home. I suspect Mum will need our help more and more.

 

While in Austalia I miss our house and hobby farm in Thailand. But I wonder if one day I completely loose interest in women, have chronic health problems limiting my mobility, or am increasingly faced with my own mortality, maybe I would be more comfortable in Australia.

 

I want to make that choice at the end of my 10 years living in Thailand (Thailand or Australia) while I still can, and before circumstances mean I have no choice or say in the matter.

[GinBoy2]

6 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

I've lived in Thailand for 8 years now. I always said I would live here for 10 years and then make up my mind whether to stay or move back to Australia.

 

I like Thailand and we can live here in reasonable style. Day to day costs are probably the same in Australia/Thailand, but housing is a quarter the cost.

 

I'm in Australia at the moment for 3 weeks helping my Mum move Dad into an aged care home. I suspect Mum will need our help more and more.

 

While in Austalia I miss our house and hobby farm in Thailand. But I wonder if one day I completely loose interest in women, have chronic health problems limiting my mobility, or am increasingly faced with my own mortality, maybe I would be more comfortable in Australia.

 

I want to make that choice at the end of my 10 years living in Thailand (Thailand or Australia) while I still can, and before circumstances mean I have no choice or say in the matter.

I think it comes a point where you begin to face your own mortality, and thats when things get sticky.

 

In your 40's and 50's you're still living in the 'I'm immortal' phase.

 

But enter your 60's and things get to be a little more real.

 

We discuss endlessly on this forum about health insurance, and as you plough through your 60's and 70's it gets to the point of even if you can get insured it's astronomically expensive.

 

I've often shuddered at the thought of becoming disabled in Thailand, not very accommodating shall we say.

 

I think I am not alone in that Thailand is a great mid life adventure, but when you get to the final couple of chapters, there really is no place like home.

 

Of course then you get to diehards who blew everything, went all in and just can't repatriate even if they wanted too. They are they ones I feel most sorry for, and they become become the shrillest and most fervent defenders of Thailand regardless of how ridiculous the issue

[VinnieK]

Putting all western countries in one basket isn't fair.

Also...your financial circumstances,in the West, have a big influence.

Example..I would choose Switzerland over Thailand, if I could afford it ...

..or certain parts of the US.

It all boils down to money in the end.

Thailand is way over-rated imo.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

Overall, life is easy in Thailand. But what really gets me down is when a job is done it is rarely done correctly the first time. People are poorly trained or just don't care how they do a job. There is no personal pride in their work, which is at odds with not losing face because of doing a poor job. I worked with a tv producer from Korea on a job and she summed up Thailand perfectly in six words - the standards here are so low. She didn't want to come back.

And, interestingly, nor do Thais once they see the outside world. I and my wife know around 8-10 ladies who have gone to live overseas, in Germany, Sweden, Hungary, England with men they have met online, and not one of them wants to return except for a few weeks to see family. Not one.

 

That tells you a lot. Many commenting on here wouldn't want to live in Farangland, and Thais in Farangland don't want to live in Thailand.

[Laphroaig27]

Yes.

[pgrahmm]

Every time we RV in the US the people look less & less happy....Many are not shy about sharing their misery....They voice their concerns about different aspects of life....To me they feel like they are trapped in an existence & a cycle they cannot break & feel that it's just getting worse....

Part of it broken dreams based in reality, sometimes life choices or circumstances.....

They voice the "someday" they are going to change their lot....

A lot of disenchantment....

I feel bad for them....

It's such a naturally beautiful country to visit....

I have one daughter that has a very successful company she's built with her husband....They will take maybe 4 days off every 2 years....In their 50's and still caught in the competitiveness of life....At least they see it and are acquiring rental properties to supplant their income, but how many can afford to do that?

I hope one doesn't drop first before they reach their goal.....

[GinBoy2]

15 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Overall, life is easy in Thailand. But what really gets me down is when a job is done it is rarely done correctly the first time. People are poorly trained or just don't care how they do a job. There is no personal pride in their work, which is at odds with not losing face because of doing a poor job. I worked with a tv producer from Korea on a job and she summed up Thailand perfectly in six words - the standards here are so low. She didn't want to come back.

And, interestingly, nor do Thais once they see the outside world. I and my wife know around 8-10 ladies who have gone to live overseas, in Germany, Sweden, Hungary, England with men they have met online, and not one of them wants to return except for a few weeks to see family. Not one.

 

That tells you a lot. Many commenting on here wouldn't want to live in Farangland, and Thais in Farangland don't want to live in Thailand.

You might be on to something there.

 

Mrs G is a bit of a coconut having grown up as a teenager in the US, gone to college in the US before moving to Singapore for work where we met.

When I wanted to retire early and move to Thailand, she argued vigorously against it, wanting us to move back to the US rather than move to Thailand

 

But I got my way, and of course as if often the case the woman was right. I was bored out of my skull, son had hated his life in Thai HS, and moved to the US for college wife was totally <deleted> off with her career prospects.

 

So here we are back in the US, and Thailand is our vacation destination, and if my wife had had her way this would have been our life 15 years ago 

[Laphroaig27]

17 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thais in Farangland don't want to live in Thailand.

I've taken my wife on extensive travel and family trips to US. No idea but has maybe six-seven months total. I think she clearly understood a trip or two ago but this last trip the message really sank in.

 

 

My wife clearly understands, especially as she has a cousin in Sweden. Both their lives are hell. She's an LVN for elderly, ughh.

 

We have a better quality of life here in general and both, despite wages have better jobs. In fact, I probably am a 1% of salary earner. I have SSO insurance for life. Wife has a great job, ok money, loads flex time and four weeks paid plus Thai holidays.

 

I'm starting to look at condos seriously. States, not until the bubble bursts. Never.

 

I save perhaps 70% of salary after paying rent and household. We take annual trips to NPs and internationally. States?

 

Insurance?! Medicare in a few years. Wife??

 

We will remain. She understands. I expect my last planned trip back in about two years.

 

See parents every five years? That would mean perhaps never again.

 

There are loads of problems here, immigration needs to get it together, but, it's the least dirty shirt in the hamper.

[Tropposurfer]

I love it here ... but hey, I'm a loon who thinks the rest of the world is barking mad.

I enjoy visiting the old country, and places around the globe but am glad to leave and return to my island paradise, along with my loud Bula shirts, and my white Bermuda shorts.

[473geo]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

I think it comes a point where you begin to face your own mortality, and thats when things get sticky.

 

In your 40's and 50's you're still living in the 'I'm immortal' phase.

 

But enter your 60's and things get to be a little more real.

 

We discuss endlessly on this forum about health insurance, and as you plough through your 60's and 70's it gets to the point of even if you can get insured it's astronomically expensive.

 

I've often shuddered at the thought of becoming disabled in Thailand, not very accommodating shall we say.

 

I think I am not alone in that Thailand is a great mid life adventure, but when you get to the final couple of chapters, there really is no place like home.

 

Of course then you get to diehards who blew everything, went all in and just can't repatriate even if they wanted too. They are they ones I feel most sorry for, and they become become the shrillest and most fervent defenders of Thailand regardless of how ridiculous the issue

It's in my family's best interests to keep me healthy and strong that they don't end up spending too much time on me in later life ????

 

So far they are doing a good job ???? with a bit of assistance from myself in the fitness stakes of course????

[blazes]

On 11/10/2022 at 1:29 PM, jerrymahoney said:

And sometimes it isn't.

 

Nice little village.  On the moon, is it?

[3NUMBAS]

depends  on your health and you can pay insurance for it

[blazes]

On 11/10/2022 at 2:26 PM, Don Chance said:

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Quality of Life - U.S. News Best Countries Report 2021

1. Canada
2. Denmark
3. Sweden
4. Norway
5. Switzerland
6. Australia
7. Netherlands
8. Finland
9. Germany
10. New Zealand

As a Canadian, I can assure you that that is 100% bo££ocks.

I live in a city that attracts zillions of homeless (sorry, I should say "unhoused" to be  PC) from all over Canada.   (Fully supported by an insanely liberal welfare system.)

I come to Thailand and really have to search to find a homeless person in what is clearly a very low-wage economy. 

[473geo]

4 minutes ago, blazes said:

As a Canadian, I can assure you that that is 100% bo££ocks.

I live in a city that attracts zillions of homeless (sorry, I should say "unhoused" to be  PC) from all over Canada.   (Fully supported by an insanely liberal welfare system.)

I come to Thailand and really have to search to find a homeless person in what is clearly a very low-wage economy. 

A bit different when a hammock will do as a home in Thailand ????

[Eleftheros]

47 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

I love it here ... but hey, I'm a loon who thinks the rest of the world is barking mad.

I enjoy visiting the old country, and places around the globe but am glad to leave and return to my island paradise, along with my loud Bula shirts, and my white Bermuda shorts.

Part of the attraction of Thailand is that the authorities are so incompetent.

 

After watching the heavy-handed suppression of people in the West over the past 3 years, it's comforting to live in a place where the government generally can't decide exactly what regulations it wants to impose, and even if it  does, has essentially no way of enforcing them due to the completely useless nature of the Thai police.

 

It's freedom through incompetence - not ideal, but after watching the horrors of the Covid train wreck enacted in so-called "developed" countries, the necessarily laissez-faire life in Thailand feels way better.

[3NUMBAS]

if u need brain and body scans its not ,they cost a pretty penny each time 

[jerrymahoney]

36 minutes ago, blazes said:

Nice little village.  On the moon, is it?

This is what it looked like before Hurricane Ian

 

[Sparktrader]

1 hour ago, VinnieK said:

Putting all western countries in one basket isn't fair.

Also...your financial circumstances,in the West, have a big influence.

Example..I would choose Switzerland over Thailand, if I could afford it ...

..or certain parts of the US.

It all boils down to money in the end.

Thailand is way over-rated imo.

 

 

 

 

 

So why do you go to Thailand then? 200 nations

[Sparktrader]

7 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

if u need brain and body scans its not ,they cost a pretty penny each time 

Half price for some then

[Sparktrader]

26 minutes ago, blazes said:

As a Canadian, I can assure you that that is 100% bo££ocks.

I live in a city that attracts zillions of homeless (sorry, I should say "unhoused" to be  PC) from all over Canada.   (Fully supported by an insanely liberal welfare system.)

I come to Thailand and really have to search to find a homeless person in what is clearly a very low-wage economy. 

Lots of Thai homeless. Phuket, Nong Khai etc

[jerrymahoney]

2 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I've often shuddered at the thought of becoming disabled in Thailand, not very accommodating shall we say.

I would have no trouble financially moving back to USA. But what I would be would be a lonely old man.

[sidjameson]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

You might be on to something there.

 

Mrs G is a bit of a coconut having grown up as a teenager in the US, gone to college in the US before moving to Singapore for work where we met.

When I wanted to retire early and move to Thailand, she argued vigorously against it, wanting us to move back to the US rather than move to Thailand

 

But I got my way, and of course as if often the case the woman was right. I was bored out of my skull, son had hated his life in Thai HS, and moved to the US for college wife was totally <deleted> off with her career prospects.

 

So here we are back in the US, and Thailand is our vacation destination, and if my wife had had her way this would have been our life 15 years ago 

Why would anyone married and can afford a good life in the USA move to Thailand? America is the most blessed continent on the planet that is still not over populated and not completely environmentally plundered.

[Non Immigrant]

Yes and no.

 

Pretty much 50/50.

[Non Immigrant]

It's probably best to live in Thailand half the year and in the West the other half.

 

Why not have best of both?

[Sparktrader]

54 minutes ago, sidjameson said:

Why would anyone married and can afford a good life in the USA move to Thailand? America is the most blessed continent on the planet that is still not over populated and not completely environmentally plundered.

So blessed you are on a Thai forum.

[Sparktrader]

5 minutes ago, Non Immigrant said:

It's probably best to live in Thailand half the year and in the West the other half.

 

Why not have best of both?

The best to have options. Why live anywhere? Just travel forever.

[The Fugitive]

14 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Ok, so this is where the American Anglophile is gonna chime in.

 

The hidden treasure in your country is Herefordshire.

 

I spent a couple of idyllic summers there.

 

It's off the beaten path, beautiful scenery, Hereford itself is wonderful and the surrounding market towns are sublime.

 

I've cherished my memories of my time there and have retained many friends from my travels

Nice to hear that. Although the U.K. is so much smaller than the U.S.A. it is surprising how little Brits know of their own Country.   

[Non Immigrant]

10 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

The best to have options. Why live anywhere? Just travel forever.

Sure, each to their own.

 

I've been a nomad. Kinda wears thin after a while.

 

Nice to "live" somewhere.