More off topic quarrelling posts removed. Warnings and posting holidays may follow.

I was where you are right now about four years ago during covid. The lack of ability to leave the country made me stir crazy, and I started developing a syndrome where all my complaints about Thailand became somewhat exaggerated, and blown out of proportion. 

 

What was the cure you might ask? Going back to broken down America for 2 months, that's all it took to give me perspective, and to give me a burning desire to return to Thailand. Once I came back it seemed like everything had changed, when in reality nothing had changed, except the nonsense inside my head had quieted down quite a bit and I had the most valuable two things anyone can ever have. Perspective and a far better attitude. Paradise is what we make it, and if we're not careful misery can follow us anywhere, no matter how wonderful the place is. 

 

For some of us Thailand is absolutely amazing on a daily basis. I love my life here, I love the Thai people and I feel incredibly grateful to be living here. 

6 hours ago, Walt Kowalski said:

The heat, the masks, the smells, the traffic, the tuk tuks, the delivery drivers, the 'hey my friends', the 'where you come froms', the trannies that say 'darling', the ones that never stop at zebra crossings & the ones that run red lights, the ever increasing prices, the constant flip flopping on bangkin and visas..

 

Anyone else feel like they are slowing going mad here?

Go to any Island and escape your own nightmare, or go back home. 3. Relocate to any other Asian countries and you will find out, Thailand is the last Paradise 

Just now, Hummin said:

Go to any Island and escape your own nightmare, or go back home. 3. Relocate to any other Asian countries and you will find out, Thailand is the last Paradise 

Are you saying that Thailand is better than Taiwan?

 

Just now, Walt Kowalski said:

Are you saying that Thailand is better than Taiwan?

 

Very few here see Taiwan as an option, just a reality fact considering where you post

5 hours ago, Walt Kowalski said:

It's average at best.

So I'm genuinely curious, why are you here?

 

I think Thailand is well above average .... my job has taken me to over 30 countries and I've lived for extended periods in 5 countries - and I'd rank Thailand as second best, after Vietnam.

 

But if it's not for you, why stay?

23 minutes ago, Walt Kowalski said:

Are you saying that Thailand is better than Taiwan?

Hell yes! What an inane comment. Perhaps you are losing or have lost the plot. 

7 hours ago, Walt Kowalski said:

The heat, the masks, the smells, the traffic, the tuk tuks, the delivery drivers, the 'hey my friends', the 'where you come froms', the trannies that say 'darling', the ones that never stop at zebra crossings & the ones that run red lights, the ever increasing prices, the constant flip flopping on bangkin and visas..

 

Anyone else feel like they are slowing going mad here?

Most everyone feels this way. You just have to accept it if you want to live here.

7 hours ago, Walt Kowalski said:

The heat, the masks, the smells, the traffic, the tuk tuks, the delivery drivers, the 'hey my friends', the 'where you come froms', the trannies that say 'darling', the ones that never stop at zebra crossings & the ones that run red lights, the ever increasing prices, the constant flip flopping on bangkin and visas..

 

Anyone else feel like they are slowing going mad here?

We already had to be a little crazy to leave our homes, jobs, and lives in Europe to move to Thailand. But there’s no need to torture yourself by going back, staying for a while, and realising you’re still dissatisfied. You can always explore other places—like Vietnam, Cambodia, or Indonesia—and then compare.

In my case, I find it tough if I’m stuck in Thailand for more than two months—three at the very most. I need a break from it all, so I head to Indonesia, Vietnam, or elsewhere. After a while, I get annoyed with those countries too, and that’s when I come back.

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

So I'm genuinely curious, why are you here?

 

I think Thailand is well above average .... my job has taken me to over 30 countries and I've lived for extended periods in 5 countries - and I'd rank Thailand as second best, after Vietnam.

 

But if it's not for you, why stay?

Have you ever worked in Thailand? What’s it like—must be tough with the politics and lower pay compared to the West? I’m asking because I’ve never worked here myself.

5 hours ago, Walt Kowalski said:

Tuk Tuks?

Don’t get me started on songthaews, smoke billowing, rude drivers, and absolutely crazy driving.

Hi Bob, how's Poole?

Smells a a bit down the Town Quay at low tide on a hot day too, as I recall!

7 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

I'm not in a tourist area, as I prefer the country outside the cities, so those things aren't a problem.

Interesting post. Good luck in your move.

 

While you don't really like urban living, I wonder if living in 'bannock' and not Bangkok might have swayed your views. I know what you mean about these small places and how they have such disregard for so many things. In my view, much of it relates to being poorly educated and poverty - the rubbish everywhere, the alcoholism, the domestic violence (though that can happen anywhere). It's like they don't care. 

 

Personally, I would go crazy - faster - in this country if I had to live in a village upcountry. But that's just me. I would never be able to adapt.

 

Anyway, good luck back in the U.S.

7 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

Yes.  It's OK but really it's the women that make most people stay here.  Other than that, it's certainly no more than average.

When I first moved here (long ago), I met a German guy who was running some kind of private English tutoring service. Aside from a funny remark that he beleived there were more Mercedes Benz's in Bangkok than Germany, he said 'the only reason farang come here is for the p@ssy!' Sitting next to him was his drop-dead gorgeous assistant.  

7 hours ago, Mark1969 said:

have you tried visiting some other locations? it's easy to get stuck here out of laziness especially as you get older. it's going to be easier to do that now. the longer you wait the more difficult it seems to be...

Being stuck here has nothing to do with being lazy. I'm satisfied with my life here and don't have the desire to travel anywhere. Lazy? Well, I hit the gym nearly every day for 1 - 2 hours, so no, not lazy.

 

To the OP, no, after 20 years in Pattaya, the things that are bothering you don't bother me at all. They might have when I first arrived, but now it's the new normal. I recently moved out of the tourist area to a part of town where I hardly see any foreigners at all, so that's even better. I have no problem with expats, but tourists can be annoying at times.

17 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

Interesting post. Good luck in your move.

 

While you don't really like urban living, I wonder if living in 'bannock' and not Bangkok might have swayed your views. I know what you mean about these small places and how they have such disregard for so many things. In my view, much of it relates to being poorly educated and poverty - the rubbish everywhere, the alcoholism, the domestic violence (though that can happen anywhere). It's like they don't care. 

 

Personally, I would go crazy - faster - in this country if I had to live in a village upcountry. But that's just me. I would never be able to adapt.

 

Anyway, good luck back in the U.S.

Thank you on that. I lived 30 years in NE New Jersey, 15 miles from NYC, and only moved to Texas because I got tired of it being too cold too long in Winter, although I do miss the countryside in New Jersey, along with relatives. I worked in NYC awhile and used to go there all the time, to eat, watch baseball games, visit family and buy weed. In Texas I lived 32 years close to San Antonio, and will move back to another location not far away from there, as it has everything, and Austin will also be close.

 

The country in Texas isn't like the country here. There it's more advanced no matter where you are. No farming in that area. just mostly private property ranches and country subdivisions, along with single homes an small acreages, like my daughter's home. The only thing I don't like is actually all the development that's gone on there the last 3 decades, taking away ranches to build subdivisions. It used to be all country with scattered towns and now the towns have gotten larger. It's still beautiful country with more deer than any other state, along with great fishing, salt and fresh. Every type of food from every country all in one area. The beaches are all within 3 hours drive.

 

Here, its very boring as there's nothing to do, surrounded by rice farms. The beaches are 8 hours away, so Isaan isn't a good place to be if you have hobbies and like to do things besides gardening. 

You're just doing it wrong. You look and carry yourself as a foreigner not like someone that belongs 

 

Even when I'm in the cesspit of Sukhumvit I'm rarely pestered and it's very short lived.

56 minutes ago, falangUK said:

Don’t get me started on songthaews, smoke billowing, rude drivers, and absolutely crazy driving.

 

Most BKK tuktuk are ngv now.

 

Of course you knew that 😉

2 hours ago, Walt Kowalski said:

Are you saying that Thailand is better than Taiwan?

 

 

 

Taiwan is even more boring than Singapore. The p4p scene looks worth exploring. The food is dire. The nation lives on Pa-lo

If in Asia, then it's never bedlam.

Life seems crazier in the USA.

 

Still, they need to improve electric power delivery to my local area.

Obviously this has all been done before a 100x, like everything has on here, but yea look at my username (or whatever you lot call it) been here 25 years and it drives me nuts most of the time but there are still a lot of good things about it too, but I ain't sitting here listing them as again it's been said a thousand times before, but I like the fact that nobody bothers me here, can go about my business with no beefs.

 

I'm determined not to be here indefinitely, <deleted> being an old man here. Where do I think I might end up?? Haven't got a <deleted> clue.

12 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

You're just doing it wrong. You look and carry yourself as a foreigner not like someone that belongs 

 

Even when I'm in the cesspit of Sukhumvit I'm rarely pestered and it's very short lived.

 

Sukhumvit is comfortably one of the best parts of this boring country - good very shopping, some great restaurants, pubs and bars, and it feels alive and has energy. But I suspect you wear rags for clothes, eat cheap Thai crap every day and hate bars.

1 hour ago, falangUK said:

Have you ever worked in Thailand? What’s it like—must be tough with the politics and lower pay compared to the West? I’m asking because I’ve never worked here myself.

Yes, but I was relocated by my employer to Thailand, so very different to finding a job here.

5 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Yes, but I was relocated by my employer to Thailand, so very different to finding a job here.

 

My first job same... my employer brought me over.

My second (current) job I had moved home, friend called 6 months later to ask if I wanted to return... That I did 6yrs ago !

 

Both jobs full expat package.

9 hours ago, Walt Kowalski said:

The heat, the masks, the smells, the traffic, the tuk tuks, the delivery drivers, the 'hey my friends', the 'where you come froms', the trannies that say 'darling', the ones that never stop at zebra crossings & the ones that run red lights, the ever increasing prices, the constant flip flopping on bangkin and visas..

 

Anyone else feel like they are slowing going mad here?

Go mad everywhere

9 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

My first job same... my employer brought me over.

My second (current) job I had moved home, friend called 6 months later to ask if I wanted to return... That I did 6yrs ago !

 

Both jobs full expat package.

What do you do?

1 minute ago, Yagoda said:

Almost as bad as Trumpophobic screeching found here

 

 

Please don't try to hijack the thread and make it all about Trump.......stick to the topic under discussion.

 

 

1 minute ago, Harrisfan said:

What do you do?

 

Automotive industry.

Just now, Ralf001 said:

 

Automotive industry.

Sounds good. 

2 hours ago, Kinnock said:

So I'm genuinely curious, why are you here?

 

I think Thailand is well above average .... my job has taken me to over 30 countries and I've lived for extended periods in 5 countries - and I'd rank Thailand as second best, after Vietnam.

 

But if it's not for you, why stay?

Mrs Smith.