And so the exodus of quality expats begins. This time it's personal

[Bday Prang]

11 minutes ago, uttradit said:

They mean few foreigners. Easy in the large cities. Not so easy in Phuket.

So people who moved to live in tourist ghettos are surprised that there are a few fellow foreigners around? 

[puck2]

It doesn't matter, if I'm a "quality expat" or  not. But I'm sure that I will stay here in the North of Thailand until I close my eyes forever.

 

Once having been in Phuket, Pattaya only for 2 nights, I recognised that I would never return. When we go to Bangkok, then only to see family members of my wife for a very short while. And only on our way to or from a Hua Hin holiday on the beach. An other reason to go to Chiang Mai is seeing doctor specialists, we don't have here in  our remote area.

 

Thanks to her mobile, my wife has nearly a daily contact with one of her sisters or her daughter.

 

We enjoy the natural green around us here on a mountain slope. I enjoy the wounderful view on the mountains not fare away of us, when I have my breakfast with German bread . We enjoy the uncredible quiet around us and that our valley is nearly free of (strong) wind. Our dogs can move around without any problems. One of them follows me every day, when I walk to the village (for a good health), already since more than 18 years. We have very good and friendly people as nighbors or in the village. It's so peaceful here. Crime - what is this? It's very relaxing to live here.

 

We don't need a car, my wife uses a motorbike for shopping down in  the village or seeing a doctor in the village hospital, 3 friends on the main road  or her son in his restaurant.

 

We go to Chiang Mai by the public minibus, when we need specialists in its RAM Hospital or on our way to Hua Hin. When we want special food, i.e. New Zealand Cheese and other things, here not available, we ask people in our village, who go regularly shopping to buy them in  Macro, Mae Rim/Chiang Mai for us. We pay them the gasoline, too. Therefore, they and we are "winners". A German bakery in CM sends me my favorite bread. My wife knows how to make delicious jam. She is an excellent cook, too. I don't need restaurants, bars or pubs.

 

So, why should I like to leave our wonderful home and village? We feel happy here.

[uttradit]

1 minute ago, puck2 said:

It doesn't matter, if I'm a "quality expat" or  not. But I'm sure that I will stay here in the North of Thailand until I close my eyes forever.

 

Once having been in Phuket, Pattaya only for 2 nights, I recognised that I would never return. When we go to Bangkok, then only to see family members of my wife for a very short while. And only on our way to or from a Hua Hin holiday on the beach. An other reason to go to Chiang Mai is seeing doctor specialists, we don't have here in  our remote area.

 

Thanks to her mobile, my wife has nearly a daily contact with one of her sisters or her daughter.

 

We enjoy the natural green around us here on a mountain slope. I enjoy the wounderful view on the mountains not fare away of us, when I have my breakfast with German bread . We enjoy the uncredible quiet around us and that our valley is nearly free of (strong) wind. Our dogs can move around without any problems. One of them follows me every day, when I walk to the village (for a good health), already since more than 18 years. We have very good and friendly people as nighbors or in the village. It's so peaceful here. Crime - what is this? It's very relaxing to live here.

 

We don't need a car, my wife uses a motorbike for shopping down in  the village or seeing a doctor in the village hospital, 3 friends on the main road  or her son in his restaurant.

 

We go to Chiang Mai by the public minibus, when we need specialists in its RAM Hospital or on our way to Hua Hin. When we want special food, i.e. New Zealand Cheese and other things, here not available, we ask people in our village, who go regularly shopping to buy them in  Macro, Mae Rim/Chiang Mai for us. We pay them the gasoline, too. Therefore, they and we are "winners". A German bakery in CM sends me my favorite bread. My wife knows how to make delicious jam. She is an excellent cook, too. I don't need restaurants, bars or pubs.

 

So, why should I like to leave our wonderful home and village? We feel happy here.

So you just sit around eating foreign imported food by the sound of it. So you moved to Chiang Mai for that.

[Lacessit]

8 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

Only the really good places are spoil-worthy, otherwise all the one-horse towns world would have been overrun already 😹

Chiang Rai city has a population of 200,000. That's hardly one-horse, although it does mean traffic is manageable.

 

Another dumb post from someone who probably has never been there.

[stevenl]

6 hours ago, uttradit said:

So you just sit around eating foreign imported food by the sound of it. So you moved to Chiang Mai for that.

He's happy with his life, that's all that matters.

[metisdead]

Posts with profane and overly derogatory comments toward Phuket contravening our Community Standards have been removed.

[KhunBENQ]

12 hours ago, stoner said:

 

chaweng beach road is samui i thought ? 

Oh yea!🫣

Sorry to have mixed it up. Age takes its toll. During COVID I visited both.

Phuket was so relaxed at the time. Riding scooter all over. No masses at the viewpoints. Near empty beaches.

Samui even more. Alone on a mile long beach.

[Galong]

12 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

I'm curious; what constitutes a 'quality expat'?

Friendly, honest, considerate, interested in local culture, financially stable and willing to support local business... stuff like that. None are barflies or here for the sex trade... stuff like that. 😊

[zzzzz]

16 hours ago, Galong said:

Six of my very good friends have had enough of Phuket and all six are leaving because of traffic. Another friend and his family of four just bought a house a relocated here from the UK. After just a few months, they are already looking for ways to leave. 

How many of you have lost friends due to the 'progress' going on in Phuket?

only ones i have lost have moved Permanently   ONWARDS 
the others , well we dont need drive all over the island every day  🙂 and each has his own little piece of paradise. 

fyi; been here ) except 97/98  and 21/22
since 1985, raised a daughter and have had more than 1 business.  Been all over Thailand and its still the best>
Love the North and northwest,  BUT there no sea and that is  NEEDED in my life
to each their own.

[puck2]

9 hours ago, uttradit said:

So you just sit around eating foreign imported food by the sound of it. So you moved to Chiang Mai for that.

 

--- and you are not able to read and understand a few sentences

[Skeety65]

18 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

The exodus from Pattaya similar. 5 friend's have gone home in a coffin since December.

I’ve lived in pattaya for 12 years and you’re right it has become a cesspit which I can no longer live in so I’m selling up and moving to Samui.

the city is at saturation point with constant traffic, road works, disgusting air pollution and what seems like hundreds of large tour buses pumping out their black smoke and clotting the city’s roads. 
Driving around even on a motorcycle is a pure misery and very dangerous as the roads are lawless.

 

ive been coming to Thailand since the late 80s especially pattaya and it’s sad to see what it has become. I accept everywhere changes but you’d hope for the better but unfortunately not pattaya so I for one will be happy to see the back of it. 
 

And for people who don’t know this the air pollution in pattaya most days is worse than Bangkok especially at this time of year 

[billd766]

17 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

Well, which is it? Is she single? Or is she married to you? Ha.

Jf you cannot understand something that simple, I feel sorry for you.

[BritManToo]

11 hours ago, uttradit said:

So you just sit around eating foreign imported food by the sound of it. So you moved to Chiang Mai for that.

Thai food ain't that great, been here 14 years and hardly ever eat Thai food.

Yesterday, German buffet brunch, day before I made pizza, today will be gammon steak and chips ...........

Chiang Mai is a great place for buying foreign food, and what you an't get locally you can order from Lazada.

 

I'm with Queen Victoria 'make the whole world Britain'!

[findlay13]

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It would take a hell of a lot to pry me l oose from Chiang Rai, although I suppose Chiang Rai is not high on the riff-raff bucket list of places they can spoil for others.

It probably is now after your posts 

[BritManToo]

16 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

I'm curious; what constitutes a 'quality expat'?

One that doesn't try to talk to me when I'm out and about!

[soalbundy]

19 hours ago, Galong said:

Six of my very good friends have had enough of Phuket and all six are leaving because of traffic. Another friend and his family of four just bought a house a relocated here from the UK. After just a few months, they are already looking for ways to leave. 

How many of you have lost friends due to the 'progress' going on in Phuket?

People like me don't have friends, that makes for an uncomplicated life.

[billd766]

16 hours ago, uttradit said:

Bangkok and Chiang Rai aren't Thailand? Who says such nonsense. Bangkok is the most culturally rich city in Thailand.

So what?

 

Compared to the whole of Thailand, Bangkok is small and not particularly significant.

[findlay13]

17 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Thailand in general is feeling a bit funky. I could just be tired of it after 10 years off and on, but it has a funk that it did not have before. Could be that I'm in Pattaya but I'm not 100 % sure if that's it or not. I can't think of specific reasons, it's just a feeling.

I agree after 20 yrs visiting it's not the place it once was.Then I guess nowhere is.

[NedR69]

19 hours ago, Galong said:

Six of my very good friends have had enough of Phuket and all six are leaving because of traffic. Another friend and his family of four just bought a house a relocated here from the UK. After just a few months, they are already looking for ways to leave. 

How many of you have lost friends due to the 'progress' going on in Phuket?

Progress??  I thought it was the demographics.

[Will B Good]

Got to confess I am close to calling it a day.........noise, air pollution, badly behaved neighbours........going back to the UK this spring to visit and may well not return, other than for holidays. The only tolerable months of the year for me are October, November, December

[NedR69]

19 hours ago, xylophone said:

 

 

Another friend is considering going back to Canada because he is fed up/bored with Patong and has been financially shafted by one Thai girlfriend, thereby losing his business, and his latest Thai girlfriend has decided to dump him! Not a happy chappy, so I expect him to leave very shortly.

 

 

 

Sounds like a candidate for a condo high-floor balcony accident.

[billd766]

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Me too for 14 years, but I've not 'invested' my future in her, and she's essentially instantly replaceable by another one younger and prettier. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but I could love a different one (if required).

 

33% of the OP pals leaving where "Thai girl done me wrong", never base your life around trusting one woman.

It has worked for nearly 30 years for me, and hopefully it will keep working until I die. My wife owns most of what we have and my pensions keep us going. She will get about 50% of that when I die until her death, and she is more than welcome to them.

[scorecard]

19 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I am amazed how many people still go to Phuket, for holiday or to live there.

I was there the first time 30 years ago and at that time it was an obvious rip-off. Did it improve over the years? Obviously not.

I wonder if anybody who decided to live there do any research? 

Same, first (and only) visit about 30 years ago, horrible place for many reasons, never been back, never will go back.

[Brn2Trvl]

It was fun to visit, sort of. For 5 days and four nights including the weekend it was extremely congested. I saw three major scooter wrecks being hospitalized going along the West side hilly sight seeing route. I thought the prices were fair for what it is. But I knew I would only be there for 5 days so really enjoyed myself. I wouldn't live there.

[xylophone]

7 minutes ago, NedR69 said:

Sounds like a candidate for a condo high-floor balcony accident.

I note your comments, but I don't think that my friend is a candidate for that flying club, because despite all that has befallen him, he still has a positive attitude and knows that he can go back to Canada and get work there.

 

I think he has put it all down to experience and he has enjoyed some of the time in Patong, but poor decisions have eventually bought him to his senses.
 

[Ralf001]

18 hours ago, petermik said:

Not all in the same one I hope........

Do they make coffins that big ?

 

[RayC]

29 minutes ago, billd766 said:

So what?

 

Compared to the whole of Thailand, Bangkok is small and not particularly significant.

 

1 in 6 of the population live in Bangkok and the Bangkok metropolitan area accounts for 45% of the country's GDP.

 

I'd call that pretty large and significant.

[brianthainess]

20 hours ago, Galong said:

Six of my very good friends have had enough of Phuket and all six are leaving because of traffic. Another friend and his family of four just bought a house a relocated here from the UK. After just a few months, they are already looking for ways to leave. 

How many of you have lost friends due to the 'progress' going on in Phuket?

None 'Coz they wouldn't live there in the first place. There is an Island just smaller than Pooket and way way much better.

[JimTripper]

56 minutes ago, Skeety65 said:

I’ve lived in pattaya for 12 years and you’re right it has become a cesspit which I can no longer live in so I’m selling up and moving to Samui.

the city is at saturation point with constant traffic, road works, disgusting air pollution and what seems like hundreds of large tour buses pumping out their black smoke and clotting the city’s roads. 
Driving around even on a motorcycle is a pure misery and very dangerous as the roads are lawless.

 

ive been coming to Thailand since the late 80s especially pattaya and it’s sad to see what it has become. I accept everywhere changes but you’d hope for the better but unfortunately not pattaya so I for one will be happy to see the back of it. 
 

And for people who don’t know this the air pollution in pattaya most days is worse than Bangkok especially at this time of year 

I went into my usual noodle soup shop recently and the server said there was a 30 minute wait! Not that crowded inside that time, but backed up orders on apps for delivery. I'm used to getting served in 3 minutes!

 

Other times the place is getting busy with Chinese. They keep loudly ordering for more and more dishes while they are eating so other people waiting can't order, or just keep asking for things and won't shut up. Then they leave a disaster area with used napkins all over and food and seafood shells on the bare table with what looks like intention. Many places putting up signs now saying to not leave napkins on the table.

 

The Chinese are going to cause a problem the more that are let in. The Thai's are already getting irritated about it.

[Hanuman2547]

I avoid going to Phuket.  Not worth going through all the problems that plague that over-crowded and over-priced island.