I was born in Europe but migrated to Australia many years ago and with a stint to Thailand for a few years but still love Australia as my country. But why are so many Farang's on here complaining about their home country? Most popular post is, it is cheaper, the weather is nice and you can get a young girl and then the bar scene. Oh yes I go back to Thailand twice a year but it is getting complicated to live in Thailand. For example health insurance if you over 70  I get it for free in Australia. Thailand looks the same every where you go, Same houses same Temples. we have better beaches here if you lucky to live near them. But anyway Merry Christmas to al of you and happy new year. 

They don't really mean to complain it's just that they can't think of a better way to justify living in Thailand.

You ask why?

Do you read any media?

Many escaped the diciplined strict living and taxes long time before tetirement, just to find survival in Thailand takes more effort and then they hate their mother country even more.

 

And then you have all the misfits, who finely managed to escape their home country on welfare, disability pension, who also hate their country, even they contributed zero to their existence. 

In the next world you go to, maybe everyplace else will be more similar - Mars and the moon don't seem to have much diversity. 

Because mostly losers leave their home country and relocate to Thailand.

 

No surprise, they are blaming their home country. Do they understand that they have become losers in their home country because of themselves, not because their home country is so bad?

17 hours ago, Cardano said:

They don't really mean to complain it's just that they can't think of a better way to justify living in Thailand.

 

Yes, because they are losers, but they are not willing to admit this. They don't want to lose their face. Lower class people relocate from their home country to live in Thailand. Other people relocate to countries like Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada etc.

It's the misinformation coming from the internet...I'm not sure if it's just the organic growth of negativity caused by algorithms and AI searching for more clicks or a more sinister plot to destroy society ...to whose benefit I don't know.

But COVID and the internet have changed how people behave towards each other .

Most complaining are UK citizens, most sympathizing with Tories.😵‍💫

That's a fairly easy question to answer, in my particular case I am from the US and I go back to visit two to three times a year, and I'm always shocked at how expensive things are, how dour most people are, how humorous they are and in the case of a lot of my friends and family they seem to be leading decent lives but they don't seem to be that fulfilled and it seems to be mostly a focus on eating, sleeping and making money.

 

If you're single and you're over 50 that compounds the problem infinitely. And if you don't own a property that's paid for forget about it if you have to rent or pay a mortgage it's just insane. 

 

Adding healthcare cost and other things like that and it's no wonder the CEOs of those companies are getting gunned down. 

On 12/24/2024 at 11:38 PM, still kicking said:

But why are so many Farang's on here complaining about their home country? 

I think it’s important to remember the number of farangs on AN posting negatively about their home countries is but a tiny fraction of the total number of expats living in Thailand (both working and retired).  The mast majority of expats aren’t posting negatively, and most aren’t even reading AN, let alone posting.  I think most just see it for what it is; neither better nor worse, just different.  Home country has pros and cons, Thailand has pros and cons.  Most are just getting on with their lives.  My best advice is to ignore the negative posters, both about home countries and Thailand.  I don’t think they’re representative of the whole community.

On 12/24/2024 at 11:38 PM, still kicking said:

For example health insurance if you over 70  I get it for free in Australia.

So you immigrated to Australia and get free health care etc.

 

It is a big problem for us in the UK also, the migrants getting free healthcare and housing while us natives queue up for hours, sometimes weeks to see a healthcare specialist and are homeless.

Money  and good health are big factors in achieving happiness.

The most unhappy are in declining health and  of limited financial means. 

Generic ... country Yes ...

... politics, politicians, policies ... No

3 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

 

Yes, because they are losers, but they are not willing to admit this. They don't want to lose their face. Lower class people relocate from their home country to live in Thailand. Other people relocate to countries like Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada etc.

So Hawaii is a country eh? Bet you think Africa is a country also.

We have to remember no one asked us to come here. No one promised me a better life as in "go east old man".

I hear western people tell me they don't like their home countries because of the immigration policies. Their mindset is immigrants are being treated better than citizens. 

I cannot vouch for the veracity of this point of view but I have heard this story about 10 times from different people - USA, Germany, England, Austria, Netherlands etc.

3 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Because mostly losers leave their home country and relocate to Thailand.

 

I'm not so sure that most people who leave their home countries are losers. But I agree that those who disparage the country they come from are mostly losers.

3 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Because mostly losers leave their home country and relocate to Thailand.

 

No surprise, they are blaming their home country. Do they understand that they have become losers in their home country because of themselves, not because their home country is so bad?

I'm far from a loser, and can live anywhere, I simply chose TH, long ago, as simply easier, if I want to retire earlier, which was my preference.

 

Could have easily stayed in the USA, living as comfy as I wanted, just didn't see the point, or have the desire to.

America?  It can be a great place, but it can also be terrible, depending.  

 

Earlier today, for kicks, I did some USA real estate research.  The real estate market has yet to crash. Current prices are insanity. And even if someone gave you a house, it would still be a money pit.  Rising property taxes in many areas.  Rising insurance rates.  And then there's the maintenance and all the other costs associated with living in America, which usually requires a car, auto insurance, and high prices for just about everything else these days, including food.  Not a good scenario for the typical retiree.

 

In Thailand, my total overhead is so cheap it almost qualifies as pocket change.  My other money stays in America, for the most part, and I invest it.  And I can leave here any time I want. No major obstacles. 

 

I'm good right here, but I don't "hate" America.  Maybe the new president can put it back on the right course.  

 

 

I just celebrated my 20th anniversary of moving to Thailand last October. Initially, I needed to get out of the states cuz I just couldn't STAND the police state it was becoming. Two reasons to select Thailand were they hosted one of the best Scuba Instructor courses in the world, and the speed limit was basically how fast can your vehicle go?

 

I've always made at least one trip per year to visit family and friends, and I'm reminded each time why I don't live there. The air is dirty, too many pollutants are killing the insects, all the creeks I used to go hunt tadpoles in are fenced off/cemented over, etc. Perfect example of Cat Stevens' "Where Do The Children Play?"

4 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

 

Yes, because they are losers, but they are not willing to admit this. They don't want to lose their face. Lower class people relocate from their home country to live in Thailand. Other people relocate to countries like Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada etc.

So, what is your story? 

 

I relocate back to Norway, does that make me a looser? 

 

Anyway, I have never complained about my orign, and not so much about Thailand either, except the heat, pollution, potential taxation for nothing in return,,,,, 

I live in Cambodia becasue it is better.

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

That's a fairly easy question to answer, in my particular case I am from the US and I go back to visit two to three times a year, and I'm always shocked at how expensive things are, how dour most people are, how humorous they are and in the case of a lot of my friends and family they seem to be leading decent lives but they don't seem to be that fulfilled and it seems to be mostly a focus on eating, sleeping and making money.

 

If you're single and you're over 50 that compounds the problem infinitely. And if you don't own a property that's paid for forget about it if you have to rent or pay a mortgage it's just insane. 

 

Adding healthcare cost and other things like that and it's no wonder the CEOs of those companies are getting gunned down. 

Don't agree with you I could not afford health insurance in Thailand where I live I get it for free, I am paying rent but have not have an increase for about 8 Years doctors visit and hospital free as well. Don't have a car anymore my wife drives her new car and drops me of at the shops I still go to Thailand twice or 3 times a year and I am a pensioner and have no super anymore. I don't shop at Woolworth  I go to Aldi which is dirt-cheap I spend my time in Thailand but went back home a few years ago since I could not afford health insurance btw I am not American I live in OZ. 

I'm in the US at the moment dealing with one of my properties. The cost of home repair has reached a level of insanity. Just plain stupid.

 

Thailand has many faults and I'll never consider it truly as my home but I love it there compared to the west. I'll be doing a home improvement in Thailand where no permit is required and the cost will be probably 10% of what it would cost me in the US.

37 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'm in the US at the moment dealing with one of my properties. The cost of home repair has reached a level of insanity. Just plain stupid.

 

Thailand has many faults and I'll never consider it truly as my home but I love it there compared to the west. I'll be doing a home improvement in Thailand where no permit is required and the cost will be probably 10% of what it would cost me in the US.

I'm in Pattaya and I recently had my air conditioner serviced. Three guys showed up and worked for 2 1/2 hours.  They took the whole thing apart and cleaned everything.  Total cost: 2200 baht.  That's about $65 US dollars. In  the USA, it could have cost 10X as much. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, jas007 said:

I'm in Pattaya and I recently had my air conditioner serviced. Three guys showed up and worked for 2 1/2 hours.  They took the whole thing apart and cleaned everything.  Total cost: 2200 baht.  That's about $65 US dollars. In  the USA, it could have cost 10X as much. 

 

 

General inspection and Service on my triton. New oil, filter, brake pads front, cleaning brakes behind at 4 800,- but total

On 12/24/2024 at 11:38 PM, still kicking said:

I was born in Europe but migrated to Australia many years ago and with a stint to Thailand for a few years but still love Australia as my country. But why are so many Farang's on here complaining about their home country? Most popular post is, it is cheaper, the weather is nice and you can get a young girl and then the bar scene. Oh yes I go back to Thailand twice a year but it is getting complicated to live in Thailand. For example health insurance if you over 70  I get it for free in Australia. Thailand looks the same every where you go, Same houses same Temples. we have better beaches here if you lucky to live near them. But anyway Merry Christmas to al of you and happy new year. 

Medicare is free. However, in the public system, one can wait months or years for elective surgery.

 

My experience with Thai government hospitals has been been very good. A recent emergency department admission here (pneumonia ) was a lot faster than any ED in Australia.

 

Opinions differ, Australia is boring for me, Thailand is exciting even after 14 years.

 

There's no better way than being on a scooter in Thai traffic to ward off Alzheimer's.

11 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Because mostly losers leave their home country and relocate to Thailand.

 

No surprise, they are blaming their home country. Do they understand that they have become losers in their home country because of themselves, not because their home country is so bad?

What is a loser? Is there any quantitative measurement?

10 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

So you immigrated to Australia and get free health care etc.

 

It is a big problem for us in the UK also, the migrants getting free healthcare and housing while us natives queue up for hours, sometimes weeks to see a healthcare specialist and are homeless.

If you read his previous posts he is defrauding the government and stupid enough to post it in public forums.

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Thailand has many faults and I'll never consider it truly as my home 

TH for me is the only place I consider home.  Only place I want to be, only place I settled into.    Back in USA, never had a live in relationship more than 3 years, or lived in any one house more than 4 year.  Always moving, and never bought a house to truly live in, any longer than just an investment.

 

Spent half my adult life. 20-45 there, and half, 45-70 here  TH, with a partner of 19 years, raised daughter for 24 years, lived in the same houses for 5 & 7, years, and present will probably be my last house, and hopefully longest. 

 

When thinking of where to retire, USA really never made my list of choices.  Still if I think of returning, I haven't a clue where I'd live.  Here / TH, I can think of 5 southern provinces I'd move to, with no 2nd thoughts.