Living in Thailand

[ronster]

Any crime I have read about or seen is usually for a reason . If you do your own thing and don't interfere with others business then you should have zero problems.

Obviously people breaking into property can be a problem with people being poor in certain areas or wanting cash to get wasted instead of working like most people. But if you live in the right area and take precautions you should never be broken into either.

If you offered me a choice of any city/town in Thailand Vs any major UK city to live then Thailand would win every time . UK looks like a warzone most days 😀

[Presnock]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

You must be ancient. 😉 

 

ancient? older than that even!  But almost daily I learn something else about people and this country.  Guess it is true that one is never to old to see something new.

[GypsyT]

On 1/26/2025 at 11:11 AM, Hammerheads said:

My wife is a dual passport holder British/Thai. I am keen to come and live in Thailand after spending the last 20 years in the UK

Do yourself and your family a favor; Consider Spain!

I'm going to check out many places and 90% sure will start spending winters there.

Welcome!

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

7 hours ago, ronster said:

Any crime I have read about or seen is usually for a reason . If you do your own thing and don't interfere with others business then you should have zero problems.

Obviously people breaking into property can be a problem with people being poor in certain areas or wanting cash to get wasted instead of working like most people. But if you live in the right area and take precautions you should never be broken into either.

If you offered me a choice of any city/town in Thailand Vs any major UK city to live then Thailand would win every time . UK looks like a warzone most days 😀

Not so long ago I made a 360 mile trip in UK. I didn't see anything even remotely looking like a war zone.

[Cardano]

On 1/26/2025 at 5:04 PM, MalcolmB said:

I feel a lot safer here than back in the UK. People here, unless they are nutters, are very calm and mind their own business.

 

I recommend you live in the south as the air is quite good. Most foreigners in Bangkok and anywhere north of it seem very stressed out. Pollution is terrible.

People everywhere, unless they're nutters, are very calm and mind their own business. 

[ronster]

25 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Not so long ago I made a 360 mile trip in UK. I didn't see anything even remotely looking like a war zone.

Were you driving round the isle of wight ? 🤔

[youreavinalaff]

3 hours ago, ronster said:

Were you driving round the isle of wight ? 🤔

No, I wasn't.

 

 

[GypsyT]

3 hours ago, ronster said:

Were you driving round the isle of wight ?

They ride around here;

https://www.iomttraces.com/

[Young Hick]

I'm a single man so the choice is easy for me  -- retire in Thailand.  I still am 10 years away from the early age of 62 though to retire.  

Started reading this site on news and forums just to get more knowledgeable.  I love the beaches and sunsets but hate tsunami so that narrows down my choices.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, Young Hick said:

I'm a single man so the choice is easy for me  -- retire in Thailand.  I still am 10 years away from the early age of 62 though to retire.  

Started reading this site on news and forums just to get more knowledgeable.  I love the beaches and sunsets but hate tsunami so that narrows down my choices.

       The forums can be very useful with information for expats living in Thailand and those, like yourself, who are planning a move here.  It always amazes me that there will usually be a forum member who can answer a specific question posed by another member, especially on things like visas and immigration, but also on other topics, as well, everything from health care to solar power.

       The forums can also have plenty of not-so useful, untrue information so you do need to be aware of that when some topics come up, my favorite being Pattaya, where I have lived with my spouse for 14 years.   Since I actually live here, I know that a lot of what is posted is just completely untrue.  Some of it may have been true years ago--such as Pattaya Beach being having lots of trash on it--but not true today.   Love when a poster starts out with something like, "When I visited Pattaya for a day 12 years ago . . ."   Blah, blah, blah.  Sometimes their visits weren't even this century.   Lots of chaff with the wheat.   

      My best advice when you are looking for a place to live in Thailand, give every place on your list a good, hard look, yourself, and pay close attention to what housing is available and at what price ranges, what types of neighborhoods are available, what shopping is available for all your needs, what services are readily available, and does the place meet specific wants and needs you may have.   If you like to bowl twice a week, is there a bowling alley nearby?

       I would also take the 'news' featured on the news feed with a grain of salt.  Often, they are rather petty crimes that are highlighted; apparently, popular for some expats here, and others not even living here, to read and comment on.  Pattaya and Phuket seem to be featured a lot--as both have millions of tourists--being the 14th and 15th most visited cities in the world, according to Mastercard.  With millions of tourists, some crimes will happen--anywhere in the world, not just here.  Don't let the abundance of these stories leave you with a false impression--which has been known to happen.  

      For awhile, we had a string of top-of-the-page stories of hapless, mostly Indian tourists, having gold necklaces snatched while they were visiting Pattaya.  Were the necklaces actually gold?  Were the snatches actually planned as an insurance scam?   Were there even actual snatches?  Who knows?  Who cares?   Non-news stories for big cities.  It's the same with drunk tourists behaving badly, often at 2 or 3am.  Usually a lead 'news' story, as well.   Do read the forums and the news feeds, but, hopefully, with the above caveats in mind.  Good luck with your move to Thailand, when it happens.

       

[SAFETY FIRST]

3 hours ago, Young Hick said:

  I still am 10 years away from the early age of 62 though to retire

Thailand is changing fast, the Woke's are arriving and changing Thailand, they want Thailand to be the same awful place they have left behind. 

 

Thailand has been my home for over 20 years, I reckon another 10 years it won't be worthwhile relocating here. 

 

The Thai's are no longer welcoming us as they have in the past, the nasty foreigners that are arriving is changing the Thai attitude. 

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

18 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Thailand is changing fast, the Woke's are arriving and changing Thailand, they want Thailand to be the same awful place they have left behind. 

 

Thailand has been my home for over 20 years, I reckon another 10 years it won't be worthwhile relocating here. 

 

The Thai's are no longer welcoming us as they have in the past, the nasty foreigners that are arriving is changing the Thai attitude. 

Not really seeing any 'wokeness' myself, except 'same sex' marriage, and not sure that really counts, as should have been a thing, long ago.

 

The 'nasty' foreigners are tourist, and not here long enough to matter.  All easily avoided, unless you live in a tourist area, and that would be by choice.

 

Oh well ...