Living in Thailand

[fredwiggy]

On 1/28/2025 at 10:02 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Why?

Some of us like big cities.

Some of us like food in restaurants from all over the world. That's what you find in tourist areas and big cities.

 

That doesn't mean you have to live in these areas, but I don't think they should be avoided.

I meant to live, not visit

[PomPolo]

I am deviating from my usual political conversations 🙂
If your wife is Thai and you guys are a peaceful couple, Thais are very welcoming to foreigners and even more so to Thais.
Sounds like you guys are also looking to stay in one of the more peaceful non-resort and out of the way places, I find those are the best, I like it when you don't bump into a fellow foreigner every 2 minutes.

I have recently built a house in a rural area but maintain a place in the city.  The only thing I would say is the more rural you go the less you will find people speak English, and if you don't know little bits of Thai could find yourself becoming heavily reliant upon your wife for translation etc.

As far as safety goes as long as you are not frequenting the heavily populated tourist traps where drunk muppet foreigners are drinking and trying to pick up girls and fighting with each other for no reason you should be fine.

Good luck with the move if you make the leap, you probably wouldn't regret it especially with you and your wife already being married so long and he having dual citizenship, there are many options in the world for you both of you if Thailand didn't immediately work out for you also.

[OneMoreFarang]

18 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

I meant to live, not visit

I live in the middle of Bangkok since almost 30 years. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Obviously, I don't expect that everybody thinks like that. But I know enough people who like big city life. 

[OneMoreFarang]

Just in general, it seems many women don't want that their husband (alone or together with her) lives in Thailand because here are so many pretty young available girls. Women, especially when they get older, don't want competition.

And I am sure they don't tell their husband: I don't want that we live there because probably you will look for a pretty girl half my age.

So, what do they do? Find other reasons. It's too hot, too much crime, whatever.

[georgegeorgia]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I live in the middle of Bangkok since almost 30 years. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Obviously, I don't expect that everybody thinks like that. But I know enough people who like big city life. 

I love the city life

I once went into the countryside of Australia,I felt the trees in the dark were talking and whining in the wind 

There were wild kangaroos looking for prey 

And crime wise it was dangerous ,most rural areas are dangerous in Australia and I felt on edge 

I must live in a city 

[PomPolo]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just in general, it seems many women don't want that their husband (alone or together with her) lives in Thailand because here are so many pretty young available girls. Women, especially when they get older, don't want competition.

And I am sure they don't tell their husband: I don't want that we live there because probably you will look for a pretty girl half my age.

So, what do they do? Find other reasons. It's too hot, too much crime, whatever.

Also very true @OneMoreFarang I was trying to be less cynical but if I'm honest that happened to me before not in Thailand but the Philippines when I wanted to move away from one of the smaller towns to near Angeles City, I got a whole host of reasons why we shouldn't move there that totally contradicted my YouTube research 🙂

[Hummin]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just in general, it seems many women don't want that their husband (alone or together with her) lives in Thailand because here are so many pretty young available girls. Women, especially when they get older, don't want competition.

And I am sure they don't tell their husband: I don't want that we live there because probably you will look for a pretty girl half my age.

So, what do they do? Find other reasons. It's too hot, too much crime, whatever.

It goes both ways, and all individually dependent. 

 

One or both can be in it for the wrong reasons, and it will sooner or later be exposed one way or the other

[georgegeorgia]

Just now, PomPolo said:

Also very true @OneMoreFarang I was trying to be less cynical but if I'm honest that happened to me before not in Thailand but the Philippines when I wanted to move away from one of the smaller towns to near Angeles City, I got a whole host of reasons why we shouldn't move there that totally contradicted my YouTube research 🙂

Near Angeles city ?

I went there last year ,worse than a Australian country town with meth addicts asking me for money and crazies in Walking street 

Dirty ,noisy , your wife was right 

[PomPolo]

2 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Near Angeles city ?

I went there last year ,worse than a Australian country town with meth addicts asking me for money and crazies in Walking street 

Dirty ,noisy , your wife was right 

x-wife and in that case it was probably one of the only things she was ever right about 🤣

[fredwiggy]

32 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I live in the middle of Bangkok since almost 30 years. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Obviously, I don't expect that everybody thinks like that. But I know enough people who like big city life. 

There are city people and country people. He and his wife have worries, so I suggested living in the country because it's much safer.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

There are city people and country people. He and his wife have worries, so I suggested living in the country because it's much safer.

Is it much safer?

Just alone the amount of aggressive dogs would be a reason for me not to live up country. 

[fredwiggy]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

Is it much safer?

Just alone the amount of aggressive dogs would be a reason for me not to live up country. 

No gangs, human trafficking, safer driving, less pollution (not all areas), farangs aren't targets like in big cities and tourist areas, quieter, less accidents.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

No gangs, human trafficking, safer driving, less pollution (not all areas), farangs aren't targets like in big cities and tourist areas, quieter, less accidents.

Sorry, I disagree almost 100% with your post.

To be fair, I am 99% in Bangkok and seldom up country.

 

No gangs - I never had problems with any gangs in Bangkok. I am sure here are gangs somewhere, and I am also sure there are gangs up country, i.e. loan shark gangs

 

human trafficking - there seem to be enough brothels up country, and families who sell their daughters

 

safer driving - I saw many drunk drivers up country. It seems to me because there is almost no law enforcement in the villages nobody cares.

 

farangs aren't targets like in big cities and tourist areas - I remember when I was with the Thai family in a park and it got dark and the Thai youngsters got drunk, and more drunk. My Thai family told me we better get back before those youngster get stupid ideas. How often does that happen? I don't know. But it doesn't seem that that was an unusual event.

 

quieter - wait for the next temple party, and the next one, and the next

 

less accidents - really? All those drunk motorcycle drivers seem to be often involved in accidents. I guess about once a year I hear about a deadly accident in the family or close friends (where my gf goes to the funeral).

 

Obviously without good statistics this is difficult to impossible to compare. Our personal observations are subjective. 

 

[fredwiggy]

15 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Sorry, I disagree almost 100% with your post.

To be fair, I am 99% in Bangkok and seldom up country.

 

No gangs - I never had problems with any gangs in Bangkok. I am sure here are gangs somewhere, and I am also sure there are gangs up country, i.e. loan shark gangs

 

human trafficking - there seem to be enough brothels up country, and families who sell their daughters

 

safer driving - I saw many drunk drivers up country. It seems to me because there is almost no law enforcement in the villages nobody cares.

 

farangs aren't targets like in big cities and tourist areas - I remember when I was with the Thai family in a park and it got dark and the Thai youngsters got drunk, and more drunk. My Thai family told me we better get back before those youngster get stupid ideas. How often does that happen? I don't know. But it doesn't seem that that was an unusual event.

 

quieter - wait for the next temple party, and the next one, and the next

 

less accidents - really? All those drunk motorcycle drivers seem to be often involved in accidents. I guess about once a year I hear about a deadly accident in the family or close friends (where my gf goes to the funeral).

 

Obviously without good statistics this is difficult to impossible to compare. Our personal observations are subjective. 

 

You can disagree with anything anyone says. I just tell it as it is as opinions mean little. Gangs are mostly in big cities, as that's where they money and victims are. Human trafficking is huge in Thailand, with major cities the hub for women and boys being forced or addicted into the trade. Some families encourage their daughters to prostitute themselves yes, but it's nowhere near the ones who are in it by other means. There is almost no law enforcement all over Thailand, hence the daily accidents and road deaths but Bangkok usually leads the stats in those, as does other large cities. If you watch and read the daily news, not only on local TV but on Yahoo and other news platforms, you'll see that farangs are almost always targeted in tourist areas and Bangkok. People living in villages aren't into attacking foreigners as we blend in and most everyone around us knows us. We usually get along with our neighbors as blending in is a necessity. It's definitely quieter in rural and country areas, besides the morning news and music, which isn't a bother unless you're right next door. large cities are always noisy, at all hours. City areas always have more accidents that country, just by the amount of people driving. You can research any of this online, as I do. One link...........https://www.statista.com/statistics/1013330/thailand-number-of-local-road-accidents-by-region/

[marin]

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

There are city people and country people. He and his wife have worries, so I suggested living in the country because it's much safer.

No it is not. I dont believe you have spent any amount of time in Bangkok outside of the touristy areas. Stop it with danger in the city. You simply dont know. The way you have lived up in the northeast has given you little knowledge of Thai life. 

 

For example the problem with drugs in specific Yaba is more confined to the villages of Isaan not so much the city of BKK. I know of no gangs here and have never felt fear walking in any part of Bangkok for over 35 years now.

 

In reality I prefer the countryside to the city, but circumstances have us here. We do have our 1 rai free and clear 900 meters up in Pakchong for ultimate retirement. 

[fredwiggy]

12 minutes ago, marin said:

No it is not. I dont believe you have spent any amount of time in Bangkok outside of the touristy areas. Stop it with danger in the city. You simply dont know. The way you have lived up in the northeast has given you little knowledge of Thai life. 

 

For example the problem with drugs in specific Yaba is more confined to the villages of Isaan not so much the city of BKK. I know of no gangs here and have never felt fear walking in any part of Bangkok for over 35 years now.

 

In reality I prefer the countryside to the city, but circumstances have us here. We do have our 1 rai free and clear 900 meters up in Pakchong for ultimate retirement. 

Don't assume you know what I do or don't know. All one has to do is research and watch daily news on a variety of channels to see what goes on here. This along with what's published on AN. Along with also word of mouth of friends who live here, lived here and visited here...............https://www.countryreports.org/country/Thailand/crimes.htm Most crime involving gangs and drugs in is the larger cities, just as it is in the west. I lived in the US for 62 years and never saw any crime either, especially involving guns, which is one topic many seem to go to. I worked in NYC for years, lived near it for 30, and the other 32 next to San Antonio, high crime areas. Most people never encounter crime although it happens daily.Google does have it's uses. One link found in 3 seconds..........https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Thailand

[marin]

Fred is your nickname "Paragraphs". I give up been reading your take for a few years now. You keep saying you are going back to Texas, so?

[fredwiggy]

2 minutes ago, marin said:

Fred is your nickname "Paragraphs". I give up been reading your take for a few years now. You keep saying you are going back to Texas, so?

I'm guessing you're used to a few here who make one sentence a paragraph. I usually separate mine and the others aren't so long a person couldn't follow them. I have no trouble reading some others longer paragraphs ,so. Also, there are many here that don't actually live in Thailand and still post, daily, so my going back to Texas doesn't have any bearing.

[OneMoreFarang]

9 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Don't assume you know what I do or don't know. All one has to do is research and watch daily news on a variety of channels to see what goes on here. This along with what's published on AN. Along with also word of mouth of friends who live here, lived here and visited here...............https://www.countryreports.org/country/Thailand/crimes.htm Most crime involving gangs and drugs in is the larger cities, just as it is in the west. I lived in the US for 62 years and never saw any crime either, especially involving guns, which is one topic many seem to go to. I worked in NYC for years, lived near it for 30, and the other 32 next to San Antonio, high crime areas. Most people never encounter crime although it happens daily.Google does have it's uses. One link found in 3 seconds..........https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Thailand

 

How many of the accidents up country are reported to the police and how many are shown in the media?

When things happen in rural areas, who reports it? Who publishes what happens?

If in Bangkok on a busy junction someone dies, then probably thousand of people see it and there is a good chance that someone will publish it. But up country, on a little road, who is there to report it?

 

And even if we have statistics, how detailed are they? I.e. I live in lower Sukhumvit. I am sure this area of Bangkok is very different from many other areas in Bangkok. And one village up country is different than another village or a small town or whatever.

 

So if anybody want to live in place A, then that place should be well defined. I.e. do you live in an expensive condominium in Thong Lor? Or in some little Soi in On Nut? Or near a slum near the harbor?

 

It's like asking how much money people earn. Some earn little, some a lot, and you won't earn the average of those numbers.

 

 

[fredwiggy]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

 

How many of the accidents up country are reported to the police and how many are shown in the media?

When things happen in rural areas, who reports it? Who publishes what happens?

If in Bangkok on a busy junction someone dies, then probably thousand of people see it and there is a good chance that someone will publish it. But up country, on a little road, who is there to report it?

 

And even if we have statistics, how detailed are they? I.e. I live in lower Sukhumvit. I am sure this area of Bangkok is very different from many other areas in Bangkok. And one village up country is different than another village or a small town or whatever.

 

So if anybody want to live in place A, then that place should be well defined. I.e. do you live in an expensive condominium in Thong Lor? Or in some little Soi in On Nut? Or near a slum near the harbor?

 

It's like asking how much money people earn. Some earn little, some a lot, and you won't earn the average of those numbers.

 

 

Stats kept are easy to find. You won't see but a fraction of what goes on here on local TV daily. All hospitals and tesabans report deaths, including those in traffic. When they say 60 die here daily, they aren't taking into account those who die later at hospitals, so there are more that eventually get to the stats of the year. Those are easy to find by google. ........https://www.nso.go.th/public/e-book/Statistical-Yearbook/SYB-2023/514/

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

Stats kept are easy to find. You won't see but a fraction of what goes on here on local TV daily. All hospitals and tesabans report deaths, including those in traffic. When they say 60 die here daily, they aren't taking into account those who die later at hospitals, so there are more that eventually get to the stats of the year. Those are easy to find by google. ........https://www.nso.go.th/public/e-book/Statistical-Yearbook/SYB-2023/514/

Please tell me, statistically speaking, after living in Bangkok for 29 years, how many accidents was I statistically involved in? How often was I robbed? How often some tourist scam?

Somehow, I am pretty sure the statistic won't match with my reality. 

[fredwiggy]

14 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Please tell me, statistically speaking, after living in Bangkok for 29 years, how many accidents was I statistically involved in? How often was I robbed? How often some tourist scam?

Somehow, I am pretty sure the statistic won't match with my reality. 

Stats aren't something you argue with. It is what it is. Many people never see crime in major cities, missing them by a few minutes or a block away. My parents and brother were born in Brooklyn, and my parents rarely saw anything involving crime, especially murders or rapes. And Brooklyn has a lot of crime, as does NYC next door, along with the Bronx and Queens. Many here rarely leave their villages, so they never know what goes on around them.

 

People think Thailand is immune to mass shootings, while they happen almost every month here. News stations aren't like they are in the west. A lot of coverage here would never be shown on western stations because it's not newsworthy. Much of what you see here is people robbing gold stores, traffic accidents and deaths, snakes in homes and people ganging up 5 against 1, armed with sticks and kicking people while they're already down.

 

You don't hear much about gang activity and there's a reason. Tourism suffers the more news on crime gets out besides locally. They don't realize that crime is easy to research, because it still has to be noted in police offices and hospitals, which is public accessed. If you want to know what goes on here yearly, google it. Wikipedia has all you need to know.....https://www.wikipedia.org/

[newnative]

On 1/28/2025 at 7:03 AM, fredwiggy said:

The smartest thing you can do is keep your home in England, so you can return if things aren't to your liking here. Whole different way of life and not for everyone. Seeing you already have a Thai wife, you should know about some of the customs here but to really know them you have to live here awhile, so renting is an option you might consider. Stay out of the big cities and tourist areas, especially for living,and you won't encounter most of the problems. Driving is dangerous everywhere so don't trust anyone on the roads and drive defensively.

      Don't 'stay out of the big cities and tourist areas'--at least not from a crime standpoint.  Spouse and I have a house in Pattaya and a condo in Bangkok--a tourist area and big city.   No problems with crime in either.  With Pattaya, there's no need to live right in the tourist areas unless you want to--there are a number of different neighborhoods away from those areas, with a wide variety of housing available at all price points.  

[rickudon]

I live in a small village on the edge of Udon Thani. I feel safe, worst problem are some territorial dogs. As far as crime goes not much in the village/city unless ostentatious displays of wealth. Yes, Yabba and drunks are around, but rarely a problem. I do know of some killings but these are nearly all Thai on Thai or loss of face (e.g. one farang fired his bar manager over missing money).

 

Health and safety are not priorities here. Several people in the village have died in road accidents, a couple of drownings and electrocutions. Just treat all road use as needing extra vigilance - and avoid using motorbikes.

 

In the UK, over the years my home was burgled 4 times over a 40 year period - it is like a tax. I know of people who have been mugged or assaulted for no reason. Better off in Thailand