I've been living on and off in Thailand for 12 years. This year is looking to be the last for me. With the over tourism, rising cost of living, crowded streets and traffic and immigration policies tougher to track than picking a winning lottery number where to now?

 

Expats fed up with Thailand where are you planning to live next?

5 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

I've been living on and off in Thailand for 12 years. This year is looking to be the last for me. With the over tourism, rising cost of living, crowded streets and traffic and immigration policies tougher to track than picking a winning lottery number where to now?

 

Expats fed up with Thailand where are you planning to live next?

 

Some people will find reasons in every place why they don't want to live there.

Imagine you will find paradise somewhere. No traffic, no tourists, just paradise. And they you realize it is so expensive that you can't afford it.

In real life we all have to live with compromises. You can't have it all all the time. 

Nobody lives in Thailand anymore, it's too crowded.

27 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

I've been living on and off in Thailand for 12 years. This year is looking to be the last for me. With the over tourism, rising cost of living, crowded streets and traffic and immigration policies tougher to track than picking a winning lottery number where to now?

 

Expats fed up with Thailand where are you planning to live next?

Where are you moving to?

13 minutes ago, Trippy said:

Nobody lives in Thailand anymore, it's too crowded.

Oh! I thought there were 70million people, give or take a few!?

3 minutes ago, 2baht said:

Oh! I thought there were 70million people, give or take a few!?

It was a joke. Guess you never heard of Yogi Berra?

 

https://yogiberramuseum.org/about-yogi/yogisms/

29 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

I've been living on and off in Thailand for 12 years. This year is looking to be the last for me. With the over tourism, rising cost of living, crowded streets and traffic and immigration policies tougher to track than picking a winning lottery number where to now?

 

Expats fed up with Thailand where are you planning to live next?

 

Tough immigration? They just made everything easier than ever. 

 

If you don't like overcrowding don't move to Philippines or Europe.

 

Where else will you find a massage for 5 USD, a 4 bedroom house with share pool for 500 USD, lunch for 1.60 USD, polite and civilised people who can get you internet faster than people in the UK?

 

Or where you can get your lunch delivered by a scooter guy for 25 cents?

 

Or where you can enjoy a food culture of authentic Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Burmese, Italian, French, German, Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai food?

 

This is paradise buddy

12 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Some people will find reasons in every place why they don't want to live there.

Imagine you will find paradise somewhere. No traffic, no tourists, just paradise. And they you realize it is so expensive that you can't afford it.

In real life we all have to live with compromises. You can't have it all all the time. 

 

you got it .  a few members left here looking for greener pastures ,  only to return. 

I think those who have been here for many years and still see it as a good option , if not the best ,   have adapted well .  Some in cities,  some in tourist places, and some in more rural and "thai style"  circumstances.  

Many options,  as i see it .   Compromises are made everywhere ,  and the outcomes are different for all .   I hit a lot of bumps over the years..... mostly a learning process.  I still find the "average"  thai people very nice and easy to get along with ...IF the foreigner isn't a jerk ,  or expect the Thais to change into a society like the West,  where they came from.

 

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

 

Tough immigration? They just made everything easier than ever. 

 

If you don't like overcrowding don't move to Philippines or Europe.

 

Where else will you find a massage for 5 USD, a 4 bedroom house with share pool for 500 USD, lunch for 1.60 USD, polite and civilised people who can get you internet faster than people in the UK?

 

Or where you can get your lunch delivered by a scooter guy for 25 cents?

 

Or where you can enjoy a food culture of authentic Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Burmese, Italian, French, German, Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai food?

 

This is paradise buddy

 

pssst :  please don't tell too many people  🙂 .

I just got my electricity bill - 54 USD. A nice change from the 350 I paid outside Siam.

 

Phone bill is 8.50 USD.

 

Water bill 3.60 USD.

 

 

Yes, life is terrible here, lol.

3 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

I just got my electricity bill - 54 USD. A nice change from the 350 I paid outside Siam.

 

Phone bill is 8.50 USD.

 

Water bill 3.60 USD.

 

 

Yes, life is terrible here, lol.

 

   How come you get your bills in dollars ?

All my bills are in Baht 

43 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

rising cost of living,

 

    You will find that the rising cost of living has affected every Country and every Country is now more expensive than it was pre Covid 

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    You will find that the rising cost of living has affected every Country and every Country is now more expensive than it was pre Covid 

He’s not moving anywhere. It’s a wind-up post. DH’s post this nonsense often. 

50 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

With the over tourism, rising cost of living, crowded streets and traffic

Just move somewhere quieter and cheaper in Thailand

7 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   How come you get your bills in dollars ?

All my bills are in Baht 

Me too, but Dollar is King.

 

Some readers may not know how much 60 Baht is, but everyone knows what 1,6 Dollar is.

I used to have more issues than I do now. I worked on my attitude, which was getting in the way of appreciating Thailand for what it is, and was clouding my experience here. Used to stress over stupid stuff, as you can see from some of my past posts. Used to allow the politics to make me angry. Now it is not something I take seriously, just something I comment on, without anger or an emotional investment. Now, I just tend to laugh it off. Spent some real time back in the US recently, and it allowed some clarity and perspective, that I am very grateful for. Now, I just chuckle at most of the nonsense. Water off a duck's back, so to speak.

 

America is falling apart, as prices skyrocket. The quality of life back there is falling off a cliff. We thought we wanted to leave Thailand, until we spent two months in the US, and Mexico. No thanks. I will just try to bury my head in the sand here, in regard to the issues, as much as possible and enjoy each day here. 

 

Life here is still very good for many of us. But, no matter where you go you still have to deal with your own consciousness, so as long as you've created a pleasant space inside your head it makes your surroundings infinitely more pleasant. 

 

7 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Me too, but Dollar is King.

 

Some readers may not know how much 60 Baht is, but everyone knows what 1,6 Dollar is.

 

   We are in Thailand we all use Baht here , we know what 60 Baht is , not everyone will know the $/Baht exchange rate 

Just now, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   We are in Thailand we all use Baht here , we know what 60 Baht is , not everyone will know the $/Baht exchange rate 

We are but this site is on the internet. Some readers may not be as familiar with Baht as we are.

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Just move somewhere quieter and cheaper in Thailand

 

   He could move into Bob Smiths house ?

26 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

We are but this site is on the internet. Some readers may not be as familiar with Baht as we are.

So why should they be familiar with the USD exchange rate of their currency?

Love living here in Thailand, why would i want to leave ?

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

 

Tough immigration? They just made everything easier than ever. 

 

If you don't like overcrowding don't move to Philippines or Europe.

 

 

All "they've" done is given 60 days visa exempt to citizens of some countries. That won't last.

 

I'm on a Non O visa and it's gotten tougher and tougher over the years to keep it renewed.

 

Where in Philippines are you talking about overcrowded? Manila?

7 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

All "they've" done is given 60 days visa exempt to citizens of some countries. That won't last.

 

I'm on a Non O visa and it's gotten tougher and tougher over the years to keep it renewed.

 

Where in Philippines are you talking about overcrowded? Manila?

 

They've also given the DTV Visa, which a lot of people will be using. That's the best remote worker visa out there.

 

I hear what you're saying, that these things do not affect you personally.

 

Yes, Manila airport is a nightmare for overcrowding. But it's not just Manila, whenever you take a flight to Philippines, whether it's Cebu or Manila, there'll be Filipinos queuing in numbers that beggar belief. Even BGC is crowded, I was there last year.

18 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

They've also given the DTV Visa, which a lot of people will be using. That's the best remote worker visa out there.

 

I hear what you're saying, that these things do not affect you personally.

 

Yes, Manila airport is a nightmare for overcrowding. But it's not just Manila, whenever you take a flight to Philippines, whether it's Cebu or Manila, there'll be Filipinos queuing in numbers that beggar belief. Even BGC is crowded, I was there last year.

What is BGC, that is not an airport code in Phils. Suvarnabumi is not a ghost town. It gets really crowded too. More often than not in fact.

 

You're talking about airports. What about the actual cities or other areas?  Is Cebu as a city over crowded? How about smaller cities away from the major tourist hubs?

 

 Have you flown into Clark recently? I was thinking about CEB to check it out. Your saying Cebu city is also overcrowded? How about Angeles? Subic Bay? .

 

 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

America is falling apart, as prices skyrocket. The quality of life back there is falling off a cliff.

Very good point. And very sad too....

 

I'm looking for many places and recently Philippines is high on the list.

They have 7600 island to explore! No crowds.

90% of ladies on dating forums speaks good English.

Sure, the country is as big mess as Thailand but also as livable. I think.

 

If I was a gangster Spain would be the best!

Look here, great deals but....;

 

https://www.idealista.com/en/venta-viviendas/tarragona-tarragona/?ordenado-por=precios-asc
https://www.idealista.com/en/inmueble/102625059/

 Important: the house is currently illegally occupied, visits cannot be made!
In addition, you must have your own funds or have an additional guarantee to obtain financing.
69m2 apartment, distributed in kitchen, dining room, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. Housing on the 5th floor without elevator.
Basic features
    69 m² built, 62 m² floor area
    2 bedrooms
    1 bathroom
    Second hand/good condition
    Built in 1968
    No heating

 

I'm moving out for 186 or more days a year. Not sure I'll bother with a visa here yet, maybe use the new 60 day visa. I'm thinking to sell our large house and buy a smaller apartment, and sell all the land we own. 

5 minutes ago, retarius said:

I'm moving out for 186 or more days a year. Not sure I'll bother with a visa here yet, maybe use the new 60 day visa. I'm thinking to sell our large house and buy a smaller apartment, and sell all the land we own. 

I might do the same. I have a house outside of LOS that gives some income but I don't need it lately. Might do same except travel to some other places. Eastern Europe, South America, Phils, Cambodia, Vietnam.

14 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

What is BGC, that is not an airport code in Phils. Suvarnabumi is not a ghost town. It gets really crowded too. More often than not in fact.

 

You're talking about airports. What about the actual cities or other areas?  Is Cebu as a city over crowded? How about smaller cities away from the major tourist hubs?

 

 Have you flown into Clark recently? I was thinking about CEB to check it out. Your saying Cebu city is also overcrowded? How about Angeles? Subic Bay? .

 

 

I told you about the actual cities, BGC is the happening part of Manila now, where people with money go.

 

Manila is a nightmare compared to Suvarnabumi, trust me on this.

 

Cebu is very heavily populated. You can escape to islands like Bantayan which are empty, but there is nothing there.

 

Not been to Angeles, but I hear the Koreans took over and it's a dump.

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   He could move into Bob Smiths house ?

Which one 🤣

40 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

Very good point. And very sad too....

 

I'm looking for many places and recently Philippines is high on the list.

They have 7600 island to explore! No crowds.

90% of ladies on dating forums speaks good English.

Sure, the country is as big mess as Thailand but also as livable. I think.

 

If I was a gangster Spain would be the best!

Look here, great deals but....;

 

https://www.idealista.com/en/venta-viviendas/tarragona-tarragona/?ordenado-por=precios-asc
https://www.idealista.com/en/inmueble/102625059/

 Important: the house is currently illegally occupied, visits cannot be made!
In addition, you must have your own funds or have an additional guarantee to obtain financing.
69m2 apartment, distributed in kitchen, dining room, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. Housing on the 5th floor without elevator.
Basic features
    69 m² built, 62 m² floor area
    2 bedrooms
    1 bathroom
    Second hand/good condition
    Built in 1968
    No heating

 

I like the Philippines, I definitely like the people, I think if I lived there I'd have quite a few local male friends, and the women can be quite lovely. It is far more Western and is a very different world from Thailand. I like the infrastructure much better in Thailand, I consider the Philippines to be a bit more of a ghetto, and the food is really dreadful, unless you're willing to step up and spend some real money on higher end restaurants. There's also less of a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables and though there are thousands of incredible Islands many of them are very difficult to get to, so unless you have a private yacht or helicopter you're going to be making an awful lot of effort trying to visit them, and once there you will find that most remote ones do not have tourism infrastructure. 

 

My other concern is security, I have friends who live there and they tell me that they wouldn't live in a place that wasn't surrounded by high walls and barbed wire, and they're typically careful with where they go at night. That's not anything that I have to be concerned with here.

 

Also I am told that the situation in regard to rental properties is much more favorable in Thailand, much more to work with. But give it a try and see how you like it, but I do recommend going there for a month or two first, before you make a move.