9 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

This!

I lived for 15 years in Thailand, but also never went to Pattaya durign that whole time.

I am now back in Germany, only doing my yearly visit with/to the family, and had a few days in Pattaya as a true tourist.

Conclusion from that visit: if Pattaya (or Bangkok) would have been my first impression of Thailand, I would never have chosen it to spend a whole chapter of my life there.

Sure Pattaya can be / undoubtedly is fun, but "too much" of it. I love Thailand because it is a relaxed, laid-back and almost simple place (in Isaan), instead of an orgy of neon lights; at least I would not be able to have this much hectic rush every single day.

Been living in Pattaya for 20+ years, Its the reason I stay... well work too of course.

18 hours ago, save the frogs said:

You made a lot of Indian friends in Pattaya Walking street clubs?

How come you never talk about your life in Pattaya?

11 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

How come you never talk about your life in Pattaya?

How come you never talk about your not having a life, living in Australia, and spending 18 hours a day glued to this site because you have nothing else?

1 hour ago, jts-khorat said:

This!

I lived for 15 years in Thailand, but also never went to Pattaya durign that whole time.

I am now back in Germany, only doing my yearly visit with/to the family, and had a few days in Pattaya as a true tourist.

Conclusion from that visit: if Pattaya (or Bangkok) would have been my first impression of Thailand, I would never have chosen it to spend a whole chapter of my life there.

Sure Pattaya can be / undoubtedly is fun, but "too much" of it. I love Thailand because it is a relaxed, laid-back and almost simple place (in Isaan), instead of an orgy of neon lights; at least I would not be able to have this much hectic rush every single day.

Hard to live in Bangkok I would think unless you love a fast paced life. The country towns are way more relaxed.

While I'm a relative newbie (6 years) and a kid, relative to some of the posters here, I have lived in numerous culturally diverse countries. Thailand is a pretty easy place to live, all things considered. Provided one uses the common sense useful anywhere, I suspect years or decades can be navigated in complete peace and comfort.

Thailand is somewhat unique in that it seems to draw many of the dregs from both Western and Eastern lands. Steer clear of this riff raff and one should not have any problem. Thai people are either indifferent or appreciative of outsiders who cause no trouble and add economic or some other value. I do not think one has to purposely lay low, but being polite and quiet mitigates any real chance of drawing unwanted attention, even if one is obviously not poor. I try always to dress well and stay fit, so as not to be an eyesore. While I haven't yet found my "cashier", I do enjoy dating Thai women, though I wonder how I might bridge the cultural gap, if anything were to become long term. I am not looking for a cook or maid, so there must be some common ground and thought, if a long term healthy relationship is to be achieved. For the time being, dating fills the bill.

I could not live in the Thai middle of nowhere, as boredom would be overpowering. I've visited plenty of rural areas with friends, and quickly learned a life there would not be satisfying. More power to those who can do it and enjoy it. I much prefer Bangkok, despite its noise and crowds. The opportunities for business are much better in Bangkok, and I always need a challenge, which running a business offers. With a business, a routine of the gym, food shopping or dining out, visits with friends, hobbies like classical guitar, flying or golf, one can build a varied and entertaining life. I take trips to properties I own outside of Thailand when in need of some peace and quiet (I'm on one now). Pattaya might be entertaining for a visit---I used to go there to play a favorite golf course, which sadly was "Americanized" and its character ruined---but the unavoidable pathos of the place would be a bit too depressing. I suppose Pattaya is an acquired taste for those who call it home.

We all search for ways to entertain ourselves and enrich our lives, and for the time being Thailand is a really good place to do just that.

8 hours ago, atpeace said:

No benefits of learning basic Thai and being capable of having semi- conversations with Thais? I'm just too lazy to be bothered but really wish my Thai language skills were much better.

If it was that important you would learn.

Yesterday i switched on the live translation mode on my phone in hospital, good to be able to understand the announcements

2 hours ago, jts-khorat said:

This!

I lived for 15 years in Thailand, but also never went to Pattaya durign that whole time.

I am now back in Germany, only doing my yearly visit with/to the family, and had a few days in Pattaya as a true tourist.

Conclusion from that visit: if Pattaya (or Bangkok) would have been my first impression of Thailand, I would never have chosen it to spend a whole chapter of my life there.

Sure Pattaya can be / undoubtedly is fun, but "too much" of it. I love Thailand because it is a relaxed, laid-back and almost simple place (in Isaan), instead of an orgy of neon lights; at least I would not be able to have this much hectic rush every single day.

Believe it or not you can live in Pattaya area and not be sucked into the neon lights

1 hour ago, Wingate said:

. I am not looking for a cook or maid, so there must be some common ground and thought, if a long term healthy relationship is to be achieved.

If you get someone very well educated, good job, great English you've found your dream women, problem is would she want you, she could probably date any thai man her age and have good money

9 hours ago, atpeace said:

No benefits of learning basic Thai and being capable of having semi- conversations with Thais? I'm just too lazy to be bothered but really wish my Thai language skills were much better.

They've got nothing interesting to say, and the men can be quite dangerous.

Beyond simple commerce, I have nothing to do with them.

2 hours ago, Rockyroad said:

How come you never talk about your life in Pattaya?

So was it "God's plan" that brought to a Thailand forum even though you don't live in Thailand?

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

They've got nothing interesting to say, and the men can be quite dangerous.

Beyond simple commerce, I have nothing to do with them.

I don't have many Thai friends at the moment but in the recent past had quite a few and they were good people. Couldn't have deep conversations with most but a few spoke great English. THey have been there when I've needed them twice over the last ~30 years and made terrible situations much more easily manageable.

Most I met at health clubs, running, and cycling events. I think it is in your head that they are bad and your biases are the main problem and not them. I've been here longer than you and find it hard to believe you haven't been able to at least have shallow relationships with many Thais.

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

If it was that important you would learn.

Yesterday i switched on the live translation mode on my phone in hospital, good to be able to understand the announcements

Very true but if it was easy I would definately do it :)

12 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

Was it the Devil who makes you dodge questions?

Was it the Devil who makes you insufferable?

Learn how to integrate into the Thai community. Speaking as a guy on year 19 in the LOS.

Not think too mutt works for me

16 minutes ago, connda said:

Learn how to integrate into the Thai community. Speaking as a guy on year 19 in the LOS.

Learn to socialise with farang

I would add one thing to the OP’s very good list - Thai friends.

I have one very good Thai friend. We’ve been close for years. His insights and advice have been invaluable.

I have several Thai colleagues and contacts from the business world. Some powerful. Never needed to but it’s nice to know you have that in your back pocket.

Troll posts removed @Rockyroad

On 5/28/2026 at 4:33 AM, 123Stodg said:

A lot of people do not really talk about this, but it is worth noting that foreigners who have successfully lived in Thailand for twenty, thirty, even forty years without completely imploding financially, emotionally, medically, legally, or spiritually usually only manage it because of a fairly simple survival formula. Call it staying below the radar, or just not being a muppet.

Thailand can be an amazing place to live, but it also has a remarkable ability to punish stupidity with extraordinary efficiency.

The long term survivors usually seem to understand a few very important rules early on.

One, be very careful with other foreigners you do not know extremely well, especially in business. Some of the biggest horror stories in Thailand do not involve locals at all. They involve two blokes from Birmingham going in on an “amazing business plan” or “investment opportunity” together after three beers and a som tum.

Two, do not create unnecessary problems with locals. The possible ways this can spiral into a complete disaster are so numerous and unpredictable in a place of very fragile egos that it is almost an art form in itself.

Three, never go out of your way to challenge authority. It does not matter whether it is immigration, police, officials, or the bloke guarding a car park with a whistle and a superiority complex. Thailand is not really a place where stubborn public confrontation involving foreigners tends to end in cinematic victory.

Four, do not do obviously illegal or reckless nonsense just because you once saw another chap get away with it in Pattaya in 2011.

And five, perhaps most importantly, avoid engaging in the sort of deeply Darwinian “chancing it” behavior you constantly read about in Thailand related news stories.

You know the sort of thing. In other words, anything that would seem like a stupid idea to carry out in your own country probably manages to become doubly stupid in Thailand.

The veterans who last here long term are usually not the loudest, wildest, or most “legendary” characters. They keep their heads down and generally do not have overly active social media accounts.

Quite often they are just the ones who quietly learned the basic laws of survival in a developing country early enough in their careers to avoid becoming one of the stories that ends up as a GoFundMe, a Bangkok Post headline, or worse, not a story at all.

Always remember, Thailand likes to be the "HUB" of anything and for recent years that is the SCAM. I have been living in Thailand total time over 40 years and no problems but I also lived and worked in many countries throughout the world so of the best in Europe and Asia but also in Africa and Central America and never had any real problems. From what I do see articles regularly is people just being naive of local laws and traditions, being very rude to locals and other foreigners too especially officials either govt or police, just doing really what i consider dumb actions under the influence of drugs or alcohol. I mean, like all the seemingly young tourists taking suitcases full of illegal drugs to their countries! takes a really dumb person (IMHO) to even consider doing this. Also thinking one can pay their way out of any trouble when they do get caught, especially riding motorcycles without proper insurance or license and experience. Too many stories daily about some dumb mistakes IMHO and I have little sympathy for most of them since I consider this still to be a paradise.

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Learn to socialise with farang

Oh Hell NO ...

Come on, people are all the same, although, TH does attract the bottom of the barrel from a far. Thankfully I haven't had much interaction with them, and they show their colors instantly.

Really depends on your social circle, if in a relationship and meet like minded people, along with financially stable folks, and much different than the single bar crowd.

Most of my interactions with both, Thais & foreigners, aren't with the bar crowd. With Thais, it's all been positive, mostly. Most family members, or well educated and financially secure, simply living their lives.

Really don't have much in common with single foreigner, as they, most, don't seem to respect women. No different when in the USA actually. When I'm single, I prefer to be by myself. Don't need 'friends' or a 'wingman', and prefer being on the prowl alone.

Besides, seems most single guys here can't seem to put the effort in to find friends w/bennies, and just go the P4P route, which I have no interest in. Most male friends in TH, or USA, are quite boring, as life revolves around their 'conquest' and sports, 2 topics I have no interest in.

12 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Oh Hell NO ...

Come on, people are all the same, although, TH does attract the bottom of the barrel from a far. Thankfully I haven't had much interaction with them, and they show their colors instantly.

Really depends on your social circle, if in a relationship and meet like minded people, along with financially stable folks, and much different than the single bar crowd.

Most of my interactions with both, Thais & foreigners, aren't with the bar crowd. With Thais, it's all been positive, mostly. Most family members, or well educated and financially secure, simply living their lives.

Really don't have much in common with single foreigner, as they, most, don't seem to respect women. No different when in the USA actually. When I'm single, I prefer to be by myself. Don't need 'friends' or a 'wingman', and prefer being on the prowl alone.

Besides, seems most single guys here can't seem to put the effort in to find friends w/bennies, and just go the P4P route, which I have no interest in. Most male friends in TH, or USA, are quite boring, as life revolves around their 'conquest' and sports, 2 topics I have no interest in.

I have found a few sound people I can be okay with, but it does not always click with the ladies, so it is a complicated landscape.

The best arenas are where you have something in common. If you are not interested in bar life, drinking every time you socialize, or eating Thai food every time you meet people, then you limit your own chances to connect.

And if the conversation is only politics, what is happening back home, Covid, or the most basic conspiracy theories, then I fall short there too.

Some say you need to be socially smart, and that is not always the easiest thing in Thailand out natural reasons.

Anyway, it is nice to meet people on neutral ground while travelling, and also hook up with friends when it fits naturally.

3 hours ago, BilllyGOAT said:

Wow, look at the state of this. Absolute frantic panic at the thought of losing Frogs, one of the only two people on earth still willing to endure your constant abuse without filing for emotional compensation benefits.

And imagine if Wiggs finally cuts you off as well? Catastrophic. We are talking full Tom Hanks talking to coconut trees. You will be standing there on your little deserted island giving TED Talks to the beach crabs while the last rescue boat disappears over the horizon.

I don't put anyone on ignore as I like to see a few make fools of themselves. I actually tried to help him a few times, but it ended up being once again turned on me, so I just comment and let it slide when things go sideways. Much like I ignore the other miscreant here. Isn't worth arguing anymore.

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

I don't put anyone on ignore as I like to see a few make fools of themselves. I actually tried to help him a few times, but it ended up being once again turned on me, so I just comment and let it slide when things go sideways. Much like I ignore the other miscreant here. Isn't worth arguing anymore.

How can you help a stranger you never met?

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Oh Hell NO ...

Come on, people are all the same, although, TH does attract the bottom of the barrel from a far. Thankfully I haven't had much interaction with them, and they show their colors instantly.

Really depends on your social circle, if in a relationship and meet like minded people, along with financially stable folks, and much different than the single bar crowd.

Most of my interactions with both, Thais & foreigners, aren't with the bar crowd. With Thais, it's all been positive, mostly. Most family members, or well educated and financially secure, simply living their lives.

Really don't have much in common with single foreigner, as they, most, don't seem to respect women. No different when in the USA actually. When I'm single, I prefer to be by myself. Don't need 'friends' or a 'wingman', and prefer being on the prowl alone.

Besides, seems most single guys here can't seem to put the effort in to find friends w/bennies, and just go the P4P route, which I have no interest in. Most male friends in TH, or USA, are quite boring, as life revolves around their 'conquest' and sports, 2 topics I have no interest in.

I have a few foreign friends here that live close by, that are very decent family men with good wives. There's a few here I would like to know better, in person,, as they act decent here and mirror some of my life and interests.

You would think foreigners here would be more accompanying to others, seeing we're the minority and can somehow relate, but sometimes long held prejudice comes up and they can't get past that and take a person how they are as individuals. I miss my friends back home and they are yet another reason we will return.

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Come on, people are all the same, although, TH does attract the bottom of the barrel from a far

Imagine if I said that. It varies from area to area. I notice it very quick from town to town.

2 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

How can you help a stranger you never met?

Most anyone can teach others if they're educated in particular subjects. Inability or an unwillingness to learn holds people back. Strangers are friends you haven't met yet in person.

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

I have a few foreign friends here that live close by, that are very decent family men with good wives. There's a few here I would like to know better, in person,, as they act decent here and mirror some of my life and interests.

You would think foreigners here would be more accompanying to others, seeing we're the minority and can somehow relate, but sometimes long held prejudice comes up and they can't get past that and take a person how they are as individuals. I miss my friends back home and they are yet another reason we will return.

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

Most anyone can teach others if they're educated in particular subjects. Inability or an unwillingness to learn holds people back. Strangers are friends you haven't met yet in person.

Plenty of farangs have failed to learn basic manners. I see it all the time. Probably why some Thais hate them.

How Did You Actually Make It This Long in Thailand?

Easy answer: I just stayed, and it all sorted itself out. 😉

First arrived in Thailand in 1962 aged 21. Retired here in 1993. Lost a bundle of money in the crash of 1997/1998. Survived, and still happy to be here, because I was fortunate to marry a lovely, supportive Thai wife who is still by my side after 40 years together.

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Oh Hell NO ...

Come on, people are all the same, although, TH does attract the bottom of the barrel from a far. Thankfully I haven't had much interaction with them, and they show their colors instantly.

Really depends on your social circle, if in a relationship and meet like minded people, along with financially stable folks, and much different than the single bar crowd.

Most of my interactions with both, Thais & foreigners, aren't with the bar crowd. With Thais, it's all been positive, mostly. Most family members, or well educated and financially secure, simply living their lives.

Really don't have much in common with single foreigner, as they, most, don't seem to respect women. No different when in the USA actually. When I'm single, I prefer to be by myself. Don't need 'friends' or a 'wingman', and prefer being on the prowl alone.

Besides, seems most single guys here can't seem to put the effort in to find friends w/bennies, and just go the P4P route, which I have no interest in. Most male friends in TH, or USA, are quite boring, as life revolves around their 'conquest' and sports, 2 topics I have no interest in.

I'm not saying socialise with the bottom of the barrel but social interaction with better foreigners is far superior to Thais mainly because of the language barrier. Guys who are isolated justify it by saying they interact with thais, but for most will be inadequate