9 hours ago, Hummin said:

Well, I will try to explain.

I guess most came here to Thai Visa forum for visa, bank, cheap flights, destinations, restaurants and travel tips, and maybe the majority also came for relationship and marriage advises as well. Then land and property, building, and DIY in general.

And now we are stuck for discussing politics in a loop and from a being a opportunistic positiv forum, most members have turned sour by age and time? Maybe not true for most, but it can feels so sometimes.

ChatGPT says or replies to my post and I do not agree being stuck here means you are unhappy, but I realize I could had done a lot more, even I do quite a bit every day, and still being to much here dropping by every hour or so, or between doing small things in the heat and rest in the showdowns. I should maybe pay more atttention to the small things around me instead of. Anyway it is a process, and the more I think I should spend less time online, it will manifest itself one day! Or ?

That feeling makes a lot of sense—and you’re probably not imagining it.

Many forums (especially expat or country-specific ones) start out practical and optimistic: visas, banking, flights, food, places to go, how to build a house, how to make life work. People arrive with plans and energy. The tone is problem-solving.

Over time, a few things tend to happen:

1. The original “why” gets solved

Once someone figures out their visa routine, bank setup, favorite airlines, restaurants, and DIY basics, they don’t need the forum in the same way anymore. The practical threads slow down.

2. Politics fills the vacuum

Politics is endlessly renewable, emotional, and never “resolved.” It gives people something to react to when there’s nothing urgent to fix. Unfortunately, it also loops—same arguments, same frustrations, same camps.

3. Survivor bias & aging

The people who stay active longest are often:

• Those who had disappointments

• Those who feel stuck

• Those with time and unresolved grievances

Meanwhile, the happy, settled, or busy ones quietly drift away. That can make the overall tone feel much more sour than the reality of the wider community.

4. Shift from “opportunistic” to “protective” mindset

Early expats ask: “What can I build here?”

Later-stage expats ask: “What am I losing?”

That shift alone changes how discussions sound—even if nothing objectively got worse.

5. Negativity is louder than contentment

People rarely post:

“Still happily married, visa works fine, food’s great, life’s okay.”

They do post when something annoys them. Over time, that skews perception.

Is it really that bad?

Probably not for most people living their lives—but it can feel that way inside a forum that’s become:

• Politically circular

• Emotionally fatigued

• Dominated by long-term voices rather than new arrivals

Forums don’t always age gracefully.

A quieter truth

Thailand (and life there) didn’t suddenly become joyless.

But forums often reflect unresolved emotions more than lived reality.

If you still see occasional:

• Genuine travel tips

• Newcomers asking earnest questions

• People building, fixing, adapting

Then the “old spirit” isn’t gone—it’s just buried under a lot of noise.

If you want, we can also talk about:

• How to mentally “use” such forums without absorbing the bitterness

• Or why relationship/marriage discussions tend to turn especially cynical over time

You’re definitely not alone in noticing this shift.

One very valid point you missed is this. Many of the posts you read in this section of the forum, as well as in other areas where discussion and opinion exchange are encouraged, such as politics, are not simply requests for information about Thailand. A large number of posts from regular contributors are frankly bizarre. Some are genuinely weird, many are extremely cringe, and a lot are filled with nonsensical anger and frustration. These are clear indicators of underlying mental health issues.

While it is easy to argue that many consistent posters are lonely, bored, seeking human contact, or lacking meaningful friendships, the reality goes deeper. Many of them appear to be dealing with significant cognitive or emotional instability, for lack of a better term. This may be partly due to age or long periods of isolation, but the fact is that this is likely the real underlying issue in many cases.

1 hour ago, Keeps said:

You need to up your game Turnip. Your post doesn't even make sense. Have another read of it.

Nha, I just think that it you that have problem understanding it. On the other hand, nothing new! Keep walking.

Some name calling troll posts have been removed:

• Be polite and respectful to other users.

• Avoid flaming, trolling, or stalking other members.

15 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

ThaiVisa was a nice, friendly place. Then this cloud took over and too many members entered like the one right above my post who want to "own" somebody for a cheap thrill. Now? Just a place to kill time between FB and Instagram.

I remember i had an account before this current one in 2016 which I used only for visa question but I deleted it for some reason. I really appreciated the feedback and the experience was always positive and appreciated. RIP Ubon Joe in particular. https://aseannow.com/topic/1294073-rip-ubon-joe-asean-now-visa-expert/

8 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

I see it's "reputational score" has dropped from 2.7K this morning to 2.6K now!

Let us see how it turns that info into a positive claim to fame, even for it!

Nah, he will not come near posts like these. Way too much reality for him. There have already been many posts in recent days calling him out on his claimed popularity on the forum, or rather the lack of it, and he has stayed away from every single one. No surprise there. He rather stick to his usual lowest-common-denominator style of trolling instead. He actually has the lowest reputation score on the entire site among anyone with over 10,000 posts, along with the lowest reputation ratio I have seen on the site overall. That is almost an achievement in its own right. Meanwhile, most normal members seem to average a reputation ratio of about 2.5 to 1, yet he sits at 0.25 to 1. The numbers really speak for themselves. The truth can only be painful for him.

22 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

ThaiVisa was a nice, friendly place. Then this cloud took over and too many members entered like the one right above my post who want to "own" somebody for a cheap thrill. Now? Just a place to kill time between FB and Instagram.

I wouldn't describe it as a nice friendly place.However it had some great strengths before that well known businessman from Pattaya ran it into the ground.

7 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

I remember i had an account before this current one in 2016 which I used only for visa question but I deleted it for some reason. I really appreciated the feedback and the experience was always positive and appreciated. RIP Ubon Joe in particular. https://aseannow.com/topic/1294073-rip-ubon-joe-asean-now-visa-expert/

With one or two exceptions the grownups have left the room.

17 hours ago, Harry Tuchas said:

One very valid point you missed is this. Many of the posts you read in this section of the forum, as well as in other areas where discussion and opinion exchange are encouraged, such as politics, are not simply requests for information about Thailand. A large number of posts from regular contributors are frankly bizarre. Some are genuinely weird, many are extremely cringe, and a lot are filled with nonsensical anger and frustration. These are clear indicators of underlying mental health issues.

While it is easy to argue that many consistent posters are lonely, bored, seeking human contact, or lacking meaningful friendships, the reality goes deeper. Many of them appear to be dealing with significant cognitive or emotional instability, for lack of a better term. This may be partly due to age or long periods of isolation, but the fact is that this is likely the real underlying issue in many cases.

It's only constructive if you give advice on how you and I can help these victims of mental distress.
Maybe reassuring posts would help -
"Worse things happen at sea"
"Just be glad you don't have a bad back"

"Stay happy!"