Live In Thailand Forever

[Tinkelbell]

I have no desire or interest to return from whence I came. I spent enough years shoveling snow, slip/sliding to work at 7AM in the dark, working for jackass bosses, and looking at hog faced ignoramuses with attitude. Once I overheard a person asking a Russian lady, who worked in a shop, how she liked living in this particular American state. Her reply was: "it isn't life, it's a sentance". The comment surprised me coming from a Russian, during the Soviet era (1986). My feelings were similar.

After reading your post.

Couldn't help but wondering about those 12+... illegal aliens who risking their lives crossing the boarder into the Amerca States. Some said these illegal aliens took away the blue colar workers ( low paid manual works) 'job that the Americans don't wont. May be it rings true.

If you hate shoveling snow, move to the South.....Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi etc, take your pick.

I met a lot of people from Eastern Europe:...Romania, Croatia, Belarus, Croatia, Czeck, Slovenia etc, working everywhere in service department in Las Vegas. From taxi drivers - waiters - card dealers, making good money (from tips). They show their love for US for accepting them into this country and appreciate the lives they're living now.

[Jingthing]

I have no desire or interest to return from whence I came. I spent enough years shoveling snow, slip/sliding to work at 7AM in the dark, working for jackass bosses, and looking at hog faced ignoramuses with attitude. Once I overheard a person asking a Russian lady, who worked in a shop, how she liked living in this particular American state. Her reply was: "it isn't life, it's a sentance". The comment surprised me coming from a Russian, during the Soviet era (1986). My feelings were similar.

After reading your post.

Couldn't help but wondering about those 12+... illegal aliens who risking their lives crossing the boarder into the Amerca States. Some said these illegal aliens took away the blue colar workers ( low paid manual works) 'job that the Americans don't wont. May be it rings true.

If you hate shoveling snow, move to the South.....Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi etc, take your pick.

I met a lot of people from Eastern Europe:...Romania, Croatia, Belarus, Croatia, Czeck, Slovenia etc, working everywhere in service department in Las Vegas. From taxi drivers - waiters - card dealers, making good money (from tips). They show their love for US for accepting them into this country and appreciate the lives they're living now.

Most of the illegal aliens in the US are there for economic reasons. Their home countries don't offer them enough opportunity even to survive, so they are desperate. They don't come for the hot dogs. In any case, what is your point? Are you saying that everyone should be pleased with where they were born? Its only natural that many people will want to cross borders for any number of reasons.

Also, its not surprising that many immigrants are more patriotic than some natives. They chose their new country. Natives were just born there by random chance. I am talking about landed immigrants, not illegal aliens. If illegal aliens are patriotic for the place they have settled, they have reality issues.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Jingthing

[Tony Clifton]

I got bored so i left. I had enough of Thailand for the time being. I will be back once I have had time to reflect and analyse my time there.

I knew it was time to go when I didn't want to ride or drive anywhere because i was scared of losing my temper with the other drivers.

So it was time to go.

Same here but I DO lose my temper, messes me up bad for a day or two. I handed over my driving license to my wife. I used to enjoy driving but not here, every trip, short or long, becomes a death defying adventure minutes after leaving the house.

Some may think I`m nuts but I much prefer driving a motorcycle here over a car. Less protection maybe but less interaction with the nutters.

The upcoming birth of our first child also has us wondering about our future here. Sacrifices will be made for better education , safe roads, the ability to work wherever I choose without the constant hassles of visas and work permits.

My home country has way more opportunities to offer to my wife or child than Thailand has in store for me, no doubt about that. A matter of time.

[retirednavyman]

Im 70 and plan to spend the rest of my life here with my Thai wife.....Life is good here and I never plan to "retire" as long as I can still walk and chew gum and teach English. I don't have to work but unlike many others, teaching is my passion and an integral part of my life style. The only possible obstacle is the age discrimination here which is so shortsighted. I am a professional educator with years of experience, all the paper(legitimate) and an earned doctorate in education. One institution wouldn't hire me because I was over 45!!!!

Was that before or after you attained your doctorate?

[jetjock]

Im 70 and plan to spend the rest of my life here with my Thai wife.....Life is good here and I never plan to "retire" as long as I can still walk and chew gum and teach English. I don't have to work but unlike many others, teaching is my passion and an integral part of my life style. The only possible obstacle is the age discrimination here which is so shortsighted. I am a professional educator with years of experience, all the paper(legitimate) and an earned doctorate in education. One institution wouldn't hire me because I was over 45!!!!

I like your attitude 'Scalawag". I read in this forum about all the young people in their 20's, 30's and 40's that are already talking about retirement as if it were this wonderfully self fulfilling glamorous stage of life for everyone. I personally find this hard to understand other than that they must really hate the type of work they are doing.

I was put out to pasture by the airlines due to the FAA mandatory age 60 retirement rule for pilots and being forced to retire was a very sad day in my life. It no longer has anything to do with money but I have always also owned a business and just like you, I plan to continue in the work environment until the day I die. I still have loads of time to have fun with my sports and hobbies in addition to working and doing something constuctive in life.

I love Thailand and can truly understand why many posters have retired there. Unlike many of the posters, I could not ever see myself retiring there full time because I would miss all my friends and the great variety of activities that are available here in my home country. I admire those of you who have found your nirvana in LOS however personally I have found that spending about 4 months of each of these so called retirement years works out great for me.

[popshirt]

I retired early. I moved over here thinking it was for life and wanting it to be for life. But now I realize, especially considering the visa system here, it is wiser to look at life year by year. Never say never. Things can change. I am a USAer so I could imagine if I developed an expensive health problem I would be better offer going back to be on Medicare when I reach that age. As it is now, I will not go back to the US without a fight. I prefer to be a retired expat and never want to work again. I would have to work if I went back to the US. If Thailand doesn't work out, I plan on moving to the Philippines.

I feel the same way on all points except about the Philippines. Actually Palm Springs in the Southern California desert where I still have a house looks better to me all the time. I never thought I would go back, but now am glad I was able to keep the house and the option to return. At the moment I am caught up in the retirement visa renewal game and also with getting some items through Thai customs. I maintain a fairly good attitude about Thailand but I am getting TIRED of the daily struggle with Thai bureaucracy and miss such things as sidewalks made for walking, etc. When George Bush and Co. are out of office, a return to the US will be attractive to me with Palm Springs as a base and lots of travel to other interesting parts of the world, but only to places where it is warm!

[Scalawag]

Im 70 and plan to spend the rest of my life here with my Thai wife.....Life is good here and I never plan to "retire" as long as I can still walk and chew gum and teach English. I don't have to work but unlike many others, teaching is my passion and an integral part of my life style. The only possible obstacle is the age discrimination here which is so shortsighted. I am a professional educator with years of experience, all the paper(legitimate) and an earned doctorate in education. One institution wouldn't hire me because I was over 45!!!!

Was that before or after you attained your doctorate?

That was after I had the doctorate, experience and all the paper!!!!!!!

[teacup]

USA is my home now ....and God no! I can never live in thailand permamently again, may be when I was younger. For me Thailand has nothing to offer except cheap living expense and great tasty foods. Other than those it’s no place for me as a women with lots of opinion. There is also no way I will go back and live in the glassbox context in the name of tradition again where you only have to follow the rules set by the society, age old tradition or your family. Your voice will not be heard, personal/individual achievement is not as important as the family face. Not to mention the lack of privacy from the the family.

In the states I can practice a free speech and common sense anywhere I see fit, and my destiny & identity will be created by me – not given to me by my family, etc Sometimes I asked myself, "What would my life have been like if I had never come to the States?" I would probably have lived within 5 mile radius, where I was born, being married to a thai man with the same social class and religious background, socializing within my own social economic circle, etc, Just like my mother and her mother before her. Life would have been so boring for me and would have missed the opportunity to live my life to the fullness or pursue the happiness the way I wanted it.

I want to live in the states forever if I could.....I absolutely love it here with so many varieties of activity to choose from, day or night,...but darn the property tax is killing me!

[traveldog]

I belive I am here for good. Hard to predict the future, but if I have to leave Thailand it won't be for my home country that is for sure! I chose early retirement/escape from the US....almost 5 years ago at the ripe age of 48....I belived I had enough finances and projected future retirement funds(Soc. Sec. and small pension) to be fine. My retirement here lasted about 6 months. Got tired/bored/frustrated with my TGF at the time, sent her packing and started teaching English(I had Uni teaching experience in the states). And I am still teaching but getting close to I think really retiring and relaxing full time. I am in awe of the Scalawag, hats off to you sir! I think I too will want to continue teaching but only for free, small time, maybe at a temple(if I can get a work permit-ha ha!) I recently fell in love with a lovely Thai lady...probably changed my life. I wasn't planning on leaving before I met her, but definitely now there is a greater reason for staying.

I don't belive it would be any better and quite possibly worse to be elderly back in your home countries. This depends of course on the support network there vs. here, and mostly I mean family/friends. My experience with elders in USA and medical care/nursing home/retirement homes left me desperate not to be in that boat. Without a big caring family/friends network your old age in USA is kind of a nightmare-again my experience yours may differ! Conversely, I feel the elderly here are treated with a general and usually sincere amount of respect and care....by most Thais-again this is what I experience now, yours may differ. I also feel quite comfortable with the hospitals/medical care here-I'm talking quality of care and value for your money. Even the government hospitals(the larger ones) are quite good value with dedicated and experienced staff. The gov. hospitals in the USA are pretty grim and the staff, well not that great.

I don't really find the aracane visa system that traumatic....actually my experience with the Thai officials has been far more pleasant and consistent than what I experienced in USA....maybe I am just lucky!

It seems that most expats I know either love it here, come with the right attitude, financial requirements and settle long term....and there are others who just can't handle the daily frustrations, voodoo visa rules, cultural be-bops,strange driving games etc. and I think miss their "homes"....and so they go home. I really only miss a few close friends and family and that's it-and I encourage them to visit as much as possible-cause I am not interested in visiting there-ha ha! When I get nostalgic about somethings I play my DVD in my head about my so called life in America...the grinding work week to make enough to get by and save for the rainy day and have a few weeks(so i could travel to LOS!), the unfriendly looks/attitudes of most people, the crap food, expensive everythiing and geeee whiz bamo I am so lucky to be here aren't I.

So good luck to the OP, do your research, spend a lot of time here before you move, etc etc etc, .....some folks will say never burn your bridges back home...I didn't....I dropped a nuclear bomb...makes my thinking about such things much easier

[Scalawag]

I belive I am here for good. Hard to predict the future, but if I have to leave Thailand it won't be for my home country that is for sure! I chose early retirement/escape from the US....almost 5 years ago at the ripe age of 48....I belived I had enough finances and projected future retirement funds(Soc. Sec. and small pension) to be fine. My retirement here lasted about 6 months. Got tired/bored/frustrated with my TGF at the time, sent her packing and started teaching English(I had Uni teaching experience in the states). And I am still teaching but getting close to I think really retiring and relaxing full time. I am in awe of the Scalawag, hats off to you sir! I think I too will want to continue teaching but only for free, small time, maybe at a temple(if I can get a work permit-ha ha!) I recently fell in love with a lovely Thai lady...probably changed my life. I wasn't planning on leaving before I met her, but definitely now there is a greater reason for staying.

I don't belive it would be any better and quite possibly worse to be elderly back in your home countries. This depends of course on the support network there vs. here, and mostly I mean family/friends. My experience with elders in USA and medical care/nursing home/retirement homes left me desperate not to be in that boat. Without a big caring family/friends network your old age in USA is kind of a nightmare-again my experience yours may differ! Conversely, I feel the elderly here are treated with a general and usually sincere amount of respect and care....by most Thais-again this is what I experience now, yours may differ. I also feel quite comfortable with the hospitals/medical care here-I'm talking quality of care and value for your money. Even the government hospitals(the larger ones) are quite good value with dedicated and experienced staff. The gov. hospitals in the USA are pretty grim and the staff, well not that great.

I don't really find the aracane visa system that traumatic....actually my experience with the Thai officials has been far more pleasant and consistent than what I experienced in USA....maybe I am just lucky!

It seems that most expats I know either love it here, come with the right attitude, financial requirements and settle long term....and there are others who just can't handle the daily frustrations, voodoo visa rules, cultural be-bops,strange driving games etc. and I think miss their "homes"....and so they go home. I really only miss a few close friends and family and that's it-and I encourage them to visit as much as possible-cause I am not interested in visiting there-ha ha! When I get nostalgic about somethings I play my DVD in my head about my so called life in America...the grinding work week to make enough to get by and save for the rainy day and have a few weeks(so i could travel to LOS!), the unfriendly looks/attitudes of most people, the crap food, expensive everythiing and geeee whiz bamo I am so lucky to be here aren't I.

So good luck to the OP, do your research, spend a lot of time here before you move, etc etc etc, .....some folks will say never burn your bridges back home...I didn't....I dropped a nuclear bomb...makes my thinking about such things much easier

[Scalawag]

I belive I am here for good. Hard to predict the future, but if I have to leave Thailand it won't be for my home country that is for sure! I chose early retirement/escape from the US....almost 5 years ago at the ripe age of 48....I belived I had enough finances and projected future retirement funds(Soc. Sec. and small pension) to be fine. My retirement here lasted about 6 months. Got tired/bored/frustrated with my TGF at the time, sent her packing and started teaching English(I had Uni teaching experience in the states). And I am still teaching but getting close to I think really retiring and relaxing full time. I am in awe of the Scalawag, hats off to you sir! I think I too will want to continue teaching but only for free, small time, maybe at a temple(if I can get a work permit-ha ha!) I recently fell in love with a lovely Thai lady...probably changed my life. I wasn't planning on leaving before I met her, but definitely now there is a greater reason for staying.

I don't belive it would be any better and quite possibly worse to be elderly back in your home countries. This depends of course on the support network there vs. here, and mostly I mean family/friends. My experience with elders in USA and medical care/nursing home/retirement homes left me desperate not to be in that boat. Without a big caring family/friends network your old age in USA is kind of a nightmare-again my experience yours may differ! Conversely, I feel the elderly here are treated with a general and usually sincere amount of respect and care....by most Thais-again this is what I experience now, yours may differ. I also feel quite comfortable with the hospitals/medical care here-I'm talking quality of care and value for your money. Even the government hospitals(the larger ones) are quite good value with dedicated and experienced staff. The gov. hospitals in the USA are pretty grim and the staff, well not that great.

I don't really find the aracane visa system that traumatic....actually my experience with the Thai officials has been far more pleasant and consistent than what I experienced in USA....maybe I am just lucky!

It seems that most expats I know either love it here, come with the right attitude, financial requirements and settle long term....and there are others who just can't handle the daily frustrations, voodoo visa rules, cultural be-bops,strange driving games etc. and I think miss their "homes"....and so they go home. I really only miss a few close friends and family and that's it-and I encourage them to visit as much as possible-cause I am not interested in visiting there-ha ha! When I get nostalgic about somethings I play my DVD in my head about my so called life in America...the grinding work week to make enough to get by and save for the rainy day and have a few weeks(so i could travel to LOS!), the unfriendly looks/attitudes of most people, the crap food, expensive everythiing and geeee whiz bamo I am so lucky to be here aren't I.

So good luck to the OP, do your research, spend a lot of time here before you move, etc etc etc, .....some folks will say never burn your bridges back home...I didn't....I dropped a nuclear bomb...makes my thinking about such things much easier

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has positive feelings about LOS.....There are some, of course, who wouldn't be happy anywhere as it's not about what's external but what's internal!!!!!

[Scott]

I suspect that I will return to my country. Even if I didn't want to, there is a point--barring a sudden death--where I would most likely become the type of "burden on society" or unable to care for myself or my affairs properly and would get sent back.

I think you have to be "with it" enough to get to immigration every year to renew your visa!

I love it here, but it will never really be my home.

[Dakhar]

I'd like to retire and raise my boy... but alas Thailand insists that I work, & make more than 6 times your average Thai to earn the right to be here etc etc.

The key thing to do is to position yourself such that you can still afford to retire in your own country. If you come here and save 1K USD for retirement a year..... well then you are locked in being in Thailand forever.

As for me, I really do not want to be here forever, but the longer I stay the harder it is to leave.... hard to watch my son be taken away from the things he loves etc.

But if having a college degree from the US still has merrit 12-14 years from now, we will move back, such that he can obtain in-state tuition, and put him through college in the US.

That is if the US has recovered from the Bush years by then, which I doubt it will have. The guy should be in jail.

[Suszzy]

to live in thailand forever!!!

humm...slim chance for me.

love to do that but my husband doesn't think it's a good idea.

holiday...yes!..yes!!..yes!!

to live..err..it's a no..no from him!

i don't mind either way.

i'm not a fussy person...really!!!!!

[PeaceBlondie]

Nothing lasts forever, even intentions of staying in one place forever. So I plan to live here indefinitely. Returning to the USA is extremely unlikely. I have no property there, just five kids with lives of their own. Even in Southmost, Texas (where my twins live) it gets unbearably cold, and snows one inch every century. Too frigid. And, too expensive, too many regulations, rules. Can't earn over $90 per day teaching ESL because my paperwork isn't educational enough. Can't earn over $90 per day even in Houston, doing accounting work. And if I earned over $1,080 per month, I'd start losing my SSA benefits.

Still, because of the retirement visa only being extended one year at a time, subject to change upon change, I must have a Plan B, which for me would be going back to a beachfront rental bungalow in southern Mexico.

[Dakhar]

PB, maybe you should inter America illegally, seems like they can afford to live there but citizens can not.

What a place...

[a2396]

I have no desire or interest to return from whence I came. I spent enough years shoveling snow, slip/sliding to work at 7AM in the dark, working for jackass bosses, and looking at hog faced ignoramuses with attitude. Once I overheard a person asking a Russian lady, who worked in a shop, how she liked living in this particular American state. Her reply was: "it isn't life, it's a sentance". The comment surprised me coming from a Russian, during the Soviet era (1986). My feelings were similar.

After reading your post.

Couldn't help but wondering about those 12+... illegal aliens who risking their lives crossing the boarder into the Amerca States. Some said these illegal aliens took away the blue colar workers ( low paid manual works) 'job that the Americans don't wont. May be it rings true.

If you hate shoveling snow, move to the South.....Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi etc, take your pick.

I met a lot of people from Eastern Europe:...Romania, Croatia, Belarus, Croatia, Czeck, Slovenia etc, working everywhere in service department in Las Vegas. From taxi drivers - waiters - card dealers, making good money (from tips). They show their love for US for accepting them into this country and appreciate the lives they're living now.

Most of the illegal aliens in the US are there for economic reasons. Their home countries don't offer them enough opportunity even to survive, so they are desperate. They don't come for the hot dogs. In any case, what is your point? Are you saying that everyone should be pleased with where they were born? Its only natural that many people will want to cross borders for any number of reasons.

Also, its not surprising that many immigrants are more patriotic than some natives. They chose their new country. Natives were just born there by random chance. I am talking about landed immigrants, not illegal aliens. If illegal aliens are patriotic for the place they have settled, they have reality issues.

Thanks for clarifying the point I was trying to make. For sure, most of the immigrants to USA are there for economic reasons. I spent 40+ years in the job market there and just saw things continue to detiorate. The same goes for crime, family life & cohesion, the political system, etc, etc. So, at this stage of my life, I find there are more rewarding experiences to be found in another country. In my case Thailand. Back home I would have little money and no social life. Unless this gent's been asleep and hasn't noticed, the USA has been going in reverse in many areas, for many people, for 30 years or more.

[retirednavyman]

USA is my home now ....and God no! I can never live in thailand permamently again, may be when I was younger. For me Thailand has nothing to offer except cheap living expense and great tasty foods. Other than those it’s no place for me as a women with lots of opinion. There is also no way I will go back and live in the glassbox context in the name of tradition again where you only have to follow the rules set by the society, age old tradition or your family. Your voice will not be heard, personal/individual achievement is not as important as the family face. Not to mention the lack of privacy from the the family.

In the states I can practice a free speech and common sense anywhere I see fit, and my destiny & identity will be created by me – not given to me by my family, etc Sometimes I asked myself, "What would my life have been like if I had never come to the States?" I would probably have lived within 5 mile radius, where I was born, being married to a thai man with the same social class and religious background, socializing within my own social economic circle, etc, Just like my mother and her mother before her. Life would have been so boring for me and would have missed the opportunity to live my life to the fullness or pursue the happiness the way I wanted it.

I want to live in the states forever if I could.....I absolutely love it here with so many varieties of activity to choose from, day or night,...but darn the property tax is killing me!

You go girl!

[retirednavyman]

Im 70 and plan to spend the rest of my life here with my Thai wife.....Life is good here and I never plan to "retire" as long as I can still walk and chew gum and teach English. I don't have to work but unlike many others, teaching is my passion and an integral part of my life style. The only possible obstacle is the age discrimination here which is so shortsighted. I am a professional educator with years of experience, all the paper(legitimate) and an earned doctorate in education. One institution wouldn't hire me because I was over 45!!!!

Was that before or after you attained your doctorate?

That was after I had the doctorate, experience and all the paper!!!!!!!

Wow, what a shame! Perhaps a case of the horse before the cart, if you understand my metaphor

Mike

[Tinkelbell]

I have no desire or interest to return from whence I came. I spent enough years shoveling snow, slip/sliding to work at 7AM in the dark, working for jackass bosses, and looking at hog faced ignoramuses with attitude. Once I overheard a person asking a Russian lady, who worked in a shop, how she liked living in this particular American state. Her reply was: "it isn't life, it's a sentance". The comment surprised me coming from a Russian, during the Soviet era (1986). My feelings were similar.

After reading your post.

Couldn't help but wondering about those 12+... illegal aliens who risking their lives crossing the boarder into the Amerca States. Some said these illegal aliens took away the blue colar workers ( low paid manual works) 'job that the Americans don't wont. May be it rings true.

If you hate shoveling snow, move to the South.....Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi etc, take your pick.

I met a lot of people from Eastern Europe:...Romania, Croatia, Belarus, Croatia, Czeck, Slovenia etc, working everywhere in service department in Las Vegas. From taxi drivers - waiters - card dealers, making good money (from tips). They show their love for US for accepting them into this country and appreciate the lives they're living now.

Most of the illegal aliens in the US are there for economic reasons. Their home countries don't offer them enough opportunity even to survive, so they are desperate. They don't come for the hot dogs. In any case, what is your point? Are you saying that everyone should be pleased with where they were born? Its only natural that many people will want to cross borders for any number of reasons.

Also, its not surprising that many immigrants are more patriotic than some natives. They chose their new country. Natives were just born there by random chance. I am talking about landed immigrants, not illegal aliens. If illegal aliens are patriotic for the place they have settled, they have reality issues.

My point is the poster 'a2396' complained about life in the US ; extreme cold weather, lousy boss, miserable surrounding etc. I believe everyone is resposible for one choices and actions. The poster should change a new job or relocate somewhere that suitable to his likings.

The poster overlooks that fact that he was born American. He is the envy of those 12 illegal aliens who dying to fill in his shoes. May be he think the country owes him a living ?

Too bad that he met a cynical Russian lady. It would be better for him if he had met those Eastern Europeans (the ones I met in Las Vegas) who had all the good things to say about this great country. After the fall of Soviet Unions, thousands of thousands came to US by the planeloads. I personally witnessed, talking to them while waiting to board the airplane in Rome. All these weekly flights sponsored by the churches in the US.

Absolutely agree with your saying..........." Some immigrants are more patriotic than some of American born.....". Yes, we are talking about legal immigrants NOT illegal aliens here. Well, it made my blood boiled reading about these illegal aliens from Mexico siphoned their earned money back to their country at the tune of over 1.3 billion. USD last year.

[desi]

This thread jogs my memory about a conversation I had with a German fellah when I lived in Phuket. He was about the same age as me. [27 or 28 at that time.]

Me: "Do you plan on living here forever?"

Him: "Nah. Going back to Germany when I get old."

Me: "Oh really? Why?"

Him: "Who in Gods name would want to be old and more than likely infirm here? Getting from A to B is challenge enough for the able bodied! Look, we are in Phuket, the richest province of Thailand and look how crap the infrastructure really is. If I became seriously ill I would want to be speaking German in a German hospital eating familiar German food and surrounded by things German. Yes, I can speak English fairly well but could I really be bothered if I was in chronic pain and distressed? Plus you never know if the Authorities will start messing round with visa regulations.

Him: "Nah. Going back to Germany when I get old." ... he was around 28 at the time of this statement. Is he saying that Thailand won't have improved their infrastructure in 50 or so years? I have a difficult time believing that.

How many old folk have friends here? I mean REAL friends like we have in Europe who really care about us. You must know X. Silly bastard still thinks he is popular. None of his "mates" really give a toss about him except in the bars. Wait and see how many visits he gets in Hospital. Look at his "girlfriend." How could he be so stupid as to believe she has any feelings for him? Look at him - 65 and thinks he is Brad Pitt.

Ok, you stay in Thailand until you're old and infirm. At 28, unless you've been really bad, there should be 40 or 50 years or so to go. And the friends left behind in Europe? How many of them will still be alive when you return to grace them with your ancient, sickly body?

Also, one thing about getting old, long time friends get thin on the ground and it's difficult to make new friends. Real friends that is. So you get home to ... filled graves, equally old friends and a bunch of strangers.

Yes, Thailand has a lot of good things going for it, but then so does Europe if you open your eyes."

I agree, Thailand and Europe both have good things going for them. But from the statement above, seems like some are wasting their Thailand experience. Friendships, real friendships can be found anywhere.

A man far ahead of his time, maybe.

Hmmmm. Dunno. The west has proper health care now. I'm not sure how German health care has been keeping up, but how much longer can the UK keep paying out for free medical? The cracks are already showing. And in 50 years? What then?

Life anywhere is a gamble. It's my opinion that predicting 50 or so years into the future is an even bigger gamble.

In answer to the question about retiring in Thailand - that's what I'm doing. I love living in Bangkok. I've enjoyed the western people I've met here. I have a flat in the UK where I go several times a year but never intend on going back to live full time. Too expensive. People too rude. Country going to downhill what with the sliding education system and the younger generation out of control. The cameras on each corner have not helped either.

And when I get old, I'll hire a handful of sweet young Thais to take care of my aching old bones. That's if it's still affordable by then.

[PeaceBlondie]

PB, maybe you should enter America illegally, seems like they can afford to live there but citizens can not.

What a place...

I've swum illegally into the USA, Canada, Mexico and Guatemala, so I'm a wetback! Illegal aliens can 'afford to live' in the USA by living six guys to a modest flat, cheap clothes, no car, no motorbike, crappy wages, really cheap food, and sending money back to family down south. I could live like that; in fact, I lived in an Asian near-slum and slept on the floor for a year. Even the legal immigrants are not buying new cars, or big TV sets. But I couldn't find jobs at $10 for an hour, for which I was overqualified. I could make more per hour teaching private lessons now in Thailand, than my 69 year old sister earns doing part time work in Orlando.

I only had eight to ten really close friends in my last ten years in the States, and half of them were Asian immigrants. I'm happy here.

[zaza]

I am living in farangland, and still working to save enough money to retire...

I have enough money now to retire in Thailand but not in farangland.

That is, if I think I will live in Thailand forever (until I die of old age) I could retire now.

But if I think I would someday want to return to my own country, I would not have enough to live on for very long.

So, I guess my question is this... Do most of you (long term) Thailand residents plan to stay here forever, or do you think you will return to your country someday ?

Please:Serious question though; What is forever anyway?

[Bjorn]

I have been in Thailand for about 10 years now, but there are other nice places where you can live a good life. I actually now investigating Phillipinnes as an alternative. I may be moving there. The reason is that you as a foereigner has more freedom. You can buy your own land without any problem at all and you can let someone in your family inherit the house and land when you die They actually appreciate foreigners coming there and buy land! The cost of living doesn't differ much from Thailand, and most people speak english fluently.

I do like Thailand alot, but they like to rip us off far too often, this is one of the reasons why I may moe. (Not that I know if I will be ripped off also in Phillippines, but it can't be worse than here)