England, Bloody England?

[distortedlink]

i too have recently returned after 6 weeks in blighty , and do you know what , i have been troubled by thoughts of wanting to return !!

in spite of the bombings , in spite of the laughable political correctnesses to be observed everywhere you go now , in spite of the awful advancement of the powers of the nannying government , in spite of the whining of the populace at how the government are responsible for everything and should even be doing more to stop the rain ,in spite of the failure of the health service and education system and in spite of the outrageous prices there and in spite of six weeks of daily rain , i loved it there.

we spent time in leeds , london , brighton and the isle of wight.

i loved the lack of visual and noise pollution that constantly assaults the senses here in thailand .

and i loved the british people , the genuine friendliness and sense of humour to be found everywhere on a daily basis.

the countryside , and in many cases the urban landscape is so restful and pleasing to the eyes that its a pleasure just to stand and look. the joy of having good journalism , good news coverage on tv , total free speech and debate and a society that really is much sincerer and friendlier than here in thailand.

i go back every year and i'm usually very happy to return to thailand , but this time was different.

im happy enough back here in thailand , but blighty is in my thoughts much more than normal.

my wife has exactly the same feelings too and she appreciates and values the fact that a foriegner can be made to feel so much at home in a foriegn country and have the same rights as a native.

So why dont you go back home?

Bye bye

[burman]

^ I think if Taxexile dares to think about England, let alone discuss it publicly he should immediately take a taxi to the airport and leave. Ideally when I see these posts I'd like to be able to use a report button that directly informs The British Embassy that one of their citizens needs urgent repatriation.

There's dole bludgers needing his tax money over there <deleted>, the selfish sod.

Edited March 13, 2008 by burman

[sgunn65]

After 6 months in Bangkok I have returned to London for a fortnights holiday with a little business thrown in.

They say the grass is always greener on the other side and I guess thats true.

So far the positives:

I have seen more original music in a week than I saw in 6 months in Bkk

I am enjoying the weather!!!!

Sunday lunch in the pub

Football at a reasonable hour

Speaking English/banter with my friends

Being able to cross the road without fear of death

Newspapers/TV

Send to Hull for a non imm B on Thursday Pm returned done on Sat am

The negatives:

The prices

I have two coldsores. I never get them in Thailand

Being able to plan because of the weather

Overall I am enjoying my stay and not missing too much about Bkk but I am on holiday which colours things.

I think it is entirely reasonable to love and hate in equal measure your home country and your host country. There is much about Thailand which is bad as there is much that is good. It saddens me when I see such vitriol expended by posters on this forum.

On the one hand you have the "If you don't love Thailand then leave" brigade and on the other you have the "UK is dying because of immigrants". How quickly we forget that we are a nation of immigrants and our wealth(previous) and importance in the world (everyone speaks English) is based on immigrants. And remember that if you left UK because of immigrants to live in Thailand then you are now an immigrant so don't winge when you feel hard done by!!

The debate will run on but someone once said that if you were born with a British passport you had won the lottery of life. Discuss

Edited March 13, 2008 by sgunn65

[dsys]

if you were born with a British passport you had won the lottery of life. Discuss

To some extent I agree but I would rather have either/all of Irish/Canadian/Swiss passports than British.

[TheDon]

I was thinking about going to England at the end of this year for a holiday, after reading this I might just go to Thailand again.

[sbk]

Lets keep this on topic and not get sidetracked into discussing British politics, This is ThaiVisa after all.

[plachon]

Its ok coming back for a few weeks and seeing the nice side, but when your living here and are taxed to <deleted> to pay for dole scroungers/immigrants/single mothers and god knows what else they waste tax on. Like taxing gas-guzzling cars, by any chance?

Living under a Orwellian regime that is taking away free speach and free thought very quickly. Quite right too, when people gabble non-sensically.

Not being allowed to be proud of English history/culture without being branded more evil then Hitler. Jeremy Paxman and a thousand other's manage it - what's your problem? (psst, no need to answer )

Speed cameras everywhere, paying for the right to watch TV, when the BBC, is blatanty Liberal and far left, i am right ring. Never could've guessed it, from your little rant about Mother England!

Being unable to afford a house unless you make over 50K GBP per annum. average price is now 200K GBP for a 3 bed semi, and rising. I always thought you were creaming it in and didn't need to worry?

And not being able to find a bird under a size 24. Lots, last time I looked down Sainsbury's.

Apart from that its tickity boo.

[Penkoprod]

You know? Once you take out all the bullshit thats common to each and every country in the world exercised by the"powers that be" you have to agree that Thailand has it SPOT ON in keeping its identity as pure as it can.

The message that pervades is.........."This is THAIland, live by THAI rules, if you dont like it, then, there's the door!!!!"

While this may not sit well with some of us that either live in Thailand, or have a desire to, this is the way it has been, is, and will be !! Get used to it.

Also, its as if the hoi paloi here in the UK is made to feel apologetic for its upper classes previous colonial past

I cant think of any other country who bends over backwards to accomodate people from other parts of the world as much as the UK does.........just BECAUSE they "come from other parts of the world"

Penkoprod

[misterman21]

Lets keep this on topic and not get sidetracked into discussing British politics, This is ThaiVisa after all.

You mean ok to discuss england but not politics - just say so!

[sbk]

England in relation to living in Thailand. we are a Thailand oriented board, thanks

[toptuan]

I'm part of the contingent of ThaiVisa'ers who represent the rebels against King George the Whatever in 1776.

Despite that, my half-dozen trips to our mother-country have always been the most pleasant of all my hundreds of international trips. The sense of history/heritage and the friendliness of the vast majority of Brits toward us Yanks regularly tops the list of positives. For just that reason, I'm contemplating going around the world "the long way" to the USA west coast, just so I can spend a few days unwinding with tea and crumpets somewhere in Old Blighty.

[howtoescape]

Its ok coming back for a few weeks and seeing the nice side, but when your living here and are taxed to <deleted> to pay for dole scroungers/immigrants/single mothers and god knows what else they waste tax on. Like taxing gas-guzzling cars, by any chance?

Living under a Orwellian regime that is taking away free speach and free thought very quickly. Quite right too, when people gabble non-sensically.

Not being allowed to be proud of English history/culture without being branded more evil then Hitler. Jeremy Paxman and a thousand other's manage it - what's your problem? (psst, no need to answer )

Speed cameras everywhere, paying for the right to watch TV, when the BBC, is blatanty Liberal and far left, i am right ring. Never could've guessed it, from your little rant about Mother England!

Being unable to afford a house unless you make over 50K GBP per annum. average price is now 200K GBP for a 3 bed semi, and rising. I always thought you were creaming it in and didn't need to worry?

And not being able to find a bird under a size 24. Lots, last time I looked down Sainsbury's.

Apart from that its tickity boo.

8 months to respond, quick thinker are we.

[plachon]

Rinrada

OK...I have just put your post in my enigma machine...because it is writen in code right?

Fink it's called Scotney (un)rhyminslang, innit, me ol' Jocker!

[micksterbs]

I could post a comment about all the things that I miss and don't miss about England. But that would take all night and, quite apart from the fact that I have to go to bed sometime, I think you'd all get pretty jarred-off. So, leaving aside friends and family, the pub and certain types of food, lets boil it down to just two examples.

1. My mum rang and told me this afternoon that some schools have banned pancake races this year on, wait for it, Health & Safety grounds. We can't run the risk of children tripping and maybe getting a grass-stain on their knees or, heaven forbid, injuring themselves. So lets just prohibit any enjoyment just to be safe. Phew, how did we manage all those years without good old H & S?

2. This evening, I saw a BBC programme about badgers on Channel 9 which would, almost certainly, have been filmed in the Southwest of England. The footage of the countryside, the fields, woods and hedges, depicted in all the seasons, had me welling-up a few times. Yep, laugh at this sentimental old knobber if you like but I miss the English countryside so much. Yes, Isan is beautiful too, of course but sometimes I yearn for the familiar. Long-term expats: do these feelings fade with time?

[Neeranam]

Yes, Isan is beautiful too

? Maybe Poo Gradeung in Loei or Poo Kieow in Chaiyapoom - the rest is not beautifuy at all - have you ever been to Roi Et, Mahasarakham, Udon Thani, Sakhon Nakhon??

[hullmonkey1]

the State tells you what you can look at on the internet ,

And if you happen to be unfortunate enough to go anywhere near a child for gods sake get away quick before you are accused of molestation or assault .(the country has become almost unhinged in its so called "protection" of children and you are guilty whether you are or not)

I know that your post addressed other minor issues such as smoking and calling people fat but if you lived next door to me I wouldnt let my kids play in the garden

[rimbung]

I hate going in to gasoline stations and having to wait to re fuel. In the UK I just do it myself. I do the same here now if they hang around talking. They soon come running

No Heineken in a 7-11 between 1400 and 1800. However Laos whisky available everywhere.

Motorbikes everywhere with no lights after dark and dead motorbike riders being burnt in temples every week.

No smoking in public places but rice fields and roadsides burnt everywhere.

Car tents with no prices on the screens.

This is Thailand

[hullmonkey1]

Yes the Daily Mail does not have the power to pass laws, but what it does is whip up public hysteria (which is already at fever pitch) over its pet subjects .... anything to do with children and sex[/font] , and the other one ,anything to do with immigration

[DirkGently]

Being in England and surrounded by the the English is like winning the lotto.

I love my country and my people. However, the dregs of humanity that wash up is a huge problem and a main cause of many of the problems (before you attack me I am dealing with facts) we have.

When I took my wife to middle England she was thrilled to interact with regular people and live in a way that is an impossible dream to most Thais.

[SARAHJ101]

I'm not going to get into the 'my country is better than your country' childish rants but I will give my two bob.

Im Scottish and a very proud Scot too. I love my home country and although I have enjoyed my year in Thailand I would never think of living here permanently. I miss so many things about home, too many to mention and although I will have great memories of my short time here I wont be missing it much and more than likely wont be back. I'm looking forward to going home next month but love that I have added another culture stamp to my passport!

[DirkGently]

I should have said British. The Scotts and Welsh are british even if they don't like it.

My family is made up of the main 4. I am glad to include the Scotts etc.

[plachon]

2. This evening, I saw a BBC programme about badgers on Channel 9 which would, almost certainly, have been filmed in the Southwest of England. The footage of the countryside, the fields, woods and hedges, depicted in all the seasons, had me welling-up a few times. Yep, laugh at this sentimental old knobber if you like but I miss the English countryside so much. Yes, Isan is beautiful too, of course but sometimes I yearn for the familiar. Long-term expats: do these feelings fade with time?

Just as well you didn't watch the old Johnny Kingdom programme on BBC2 Weds night or you'd be sobbing at the sight of JK running round his Exmoor holding, with it's deer, wildlife pond, birds aplenty and now, hares stocked from Wilts downs. I live in Zummerzet now and love the countryside down here, especially the hills and lovely little villages nestled in the coombes with their wee pubs and delectable warm ales on tap. Nothing to beat an olde English pub, whether on a cold winter's day in front the roaring fire or a warm summer's day in the beer garden with a pint of brown nectar in hand.

Plachon (ex-Mancha Kiri Isaanophile, but Englishman at heart)

PS The best thing about Chonnabot was seeing the sunrise over the lake on edge of town and a few small boats setting out to check their nets.

[PhilHarries]

Personally I think every expat should return to the home country every couple of years or so. It serves as a reality check, a reminder of what you have run away from and also exposes what you have run away to. Far too many people bury their heads in the sands of paradise repeating the phrase "this is so much better than <insert nation>" but have lost all track of what it is that paradise is supposed to be better than.

[micksterbs]

Being in England and surrounded by the the English is like winning the lotto.

Not for me, I'm Scottish!

All joking aside, I have a great affinity for England and the English but I'm glad I was brought up in Scotland in the true faith.

At the risk of sounding like a creep, if I were told that I could no longer be English and had to choose another nationality, then I'd pick Scottish without a moment's hesitation. My aunt married a Scot after the last war and they live up in Kilmarnock. Have spent many happy ( ) times up there with them and my cousins. Oh, and have some good friends in Glenelg (palindrome) and Stirling where I love to visit. Do you hope for a break from England or aren't you bothered either way?

[micksterbs]

Just as well you didn't watch the old Johnny Kingdom programme on BBC2 Weds night or you'd be sobbing at the sight of JK running round his Exmoor holding, with it's deer, wildlife pond, birds aplenty and now, hares stocked from Wilts downs. I live in Zummerzet now and love the countryside down here, especially the hills and lovely little villages nestled in the coombes with their wee pubs and delectable warm ales on tap. Nothing to beat an olde English pub, whether on a cold winter's day in front the roaring fire or a warm summer's day in the beer garden with a pint of brown nectar in hand.

Plachon (ex-Mancha Kiri Isaanophile, but Englishman at heart)

PS The best thing about Chonnabot was seeing the sunrise over the lake on edge of town and a few small boats setting out to check their nets.

Hi, Plachon! I don't know that prog; perhaps it started after I left. But I love Exmoor; probably my favourite part of the world. Yeah, I was born in Somerset (between Bristol and Bath) but moved down to Devon in '91. Love Devon.

Chonnabot's fine. Came here simply because this is where the missus teaches. Had a parcel from my dear old mum this morning which included some spotted dicks, custard, corned beef and Marmite. Bless 'er. I agree with you. I love living in Thailand but I'm English and always will be.

Now, if there was some way of getting English beer sent over...