Why Are So Many Britons Emigrating?

[thaigene2]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...1/15/view15.xml

Been ploughing through the hundreds of contributions on the above link to this subject and there seems to be much despondency with the state of things, particularly since Labour took power.

Interested to know the opinions of fellow Brits in Thailand on what aspects of life in the UK you were so glad to leave behind and what you appreciate so much more here in Thailand. Do you find the overall quality of life here in Thailand that much better as I do?

The main aspect of life that drove me out was the increasingly worsening anti-social behaviour and all this referred to political correctness.

Good on Thailand to want to retain its identity, culture and way of life unlike Blair/Brown who are slowly destroying what I once used to recognize as my country.

I don't want to sift thru all the posts..so I'll agree with the highlighted part above. Don't know how you connect that to 'political correctness' - though I'm not a fan of PC either when it becomes extreme..

I get a kick out of your choice of "news"paper though - and I guess that was the first tip-off that you're a royalist right-winger. And as you can gather I am not. Are you one of these guys who balmes everything on immigrants? If so then I guess farangs are fair game in Thailand for all its woes?

That said, I'd prefer not to argue politics with you but agree fully with this issue of anti-social behaviour. I've been back to the UK since emigrating to Thailand, and have followed the news (like you) - and I also find the place shocking. But to be honest I'VE ALWAYS felt it was going that way -- WELL BEFORE Labour came to power. It's the articificial class-divide that I've always blamed.

The lower classes must remain cap-in-hand to the upper-classses and never question the way things are (not too different from our chosen bolt-hole when you think about it). Ever wonder why the movie Clockwork Orange was banned? The rubbish answer to this for years was because of its ultra-violent nature. But so what? - it was violent, yeah? The real issue was WHO the violence was directed TOWARDS! The answer is the upper middle classes - and that scared the sh+t out of them! How dare anyone portray them as vulnerable to this kind of thing?!

In summary, Britain had it coming..You can only keep an artificial division in society for so long (private schools, access to universities, access to jobs by way of accent and where you went to school) and then it all starts to cave in. Glad I'm not there.

Edited November 20, 2007 by thaigene2

[JimsKnight]

AFAIK A Clockwork Orange wasn't banned, it withdrawn at the request of Stanley Kubrick because he was hearing rumours that gangs were starting to copycat 'the drooges' activities.

I do agree with most of your post though.

[Mosha]

Back on topic. We are leaving cos they are threatening beer could soon be 4 quid a pint.

[plachon]

Back on topic. We are leaving cos they are threatening beer could soon be 4 quid a pint.

I'll join ya when it hits the 4 quid mark, but don't think it's going to be any time soon (i.e. next 3 years). Can still get a decent real ale down Wetherspoons pubs for under 2 quid, so it's got a bit of a way to go yet. Mind you it is still darn expensive for a decent night out in UK.

[JSixpack]

Watching how proud the thais are and seeing the flags flying everywhere makes me wish that the uk was a place worth feeling the same way about. It's a shame it's not.

It's hardly a shame but on the contrary something for which you should be profoundly grateful: Britain is a free country where people can see conditions for what they are. They can love their country without feeling obligated to demonstrate their love every ten minutes. And if they don't, they need not pretend they do but can express themselves freely on any topic.

Now consider the lifestyle of the average Thai, who would jump on the first plane to Britain tomorrow if he possibly could--the same Britain that is being denigrated here. You may know that Thais can't freely express themselves; in fact, certain key topics and readings are forbidden by law or regulation.

Thais are so proud of their miserable impoverished country simply because they are so completely brainwashed in nationalism by their government from cradle to grave. The longer you live here, the more you realize how little they are able to think for themselves.

[englishoak]

I will agree the UK is on the slide but then again please tell me a country that isn't ? Don't tell me Aus is great as it's almost as expensive there and they are going to need a serious boost of immigration over the next 20 years as will NZ. US ? well thats declining, enough said there. Europe is at a standstill and has cross border immigration nightmares. E Europe ? well why do you think they are flooding to Europe? S America is not exactly the safest place. Asia is as corrupt as H**l as is the middle east,and SE Asia is going the same way as the west albeit with the ruling class still owning 99%Thailand included.

These are changing times and whatever the UK may be becoming I assure you that the rest of the world is not much better.

Having said that I'm working on an exit strategy myself ASAP. LOS will be my choice but I expect in the twilight of my years it will be the UK that will still provide the best support, given the fact that most of us will never be allowed to live in Thailand in peace with our family permanently.

At least the UK will always give us that.

Edited November 21, 2007 by englishoak

[baabaabobo]

English women and English cooking the foundations of a great seafarer nation.

[Mosha]

Back on topic. We are leaving cos they are threatening beer could soon be 4 quid a pint.

I'll join ya when it hits the 4 quid mark, but don't think it's going to be any time soon (i.e. next 3 years). Can still get a decent real ale down Wetherspoons pubs for under 2 quid, so it's got a bit of a way to go yet. Mind you it is still darn expensive for a decent night out in UK.

Google beer four quid

[maccaroni man]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...1/15/view15.xml

Been ploughing through the hundreds of contributions on the above link to this subject and there seems to be much despondency with the state of things, particularly since Labour took power.

Interested to know the opinions of fellow Brits in Thailand on what aspects of life in the UK you were so glad to leave behind and what you appreciate so much more here in Thailand. Do you find the overall quality of life here in Thailand that much better as I do?

The main aspect of life that drove me out was the increasingly worsening anti-social behaviour and all this referred to political correctness.

Good on Thailand to want to retain its identity, culture and way of life unlike Blair/Brown who are slowly destroying what I once used to recognize as my country.

One word can sum it up TAX council TAX car TAX fuel TAX Tobaco TAX Beer Wine and Spirit TAX and lets not forget wonderfull Value Added TAX at 17.5% thats on almost everything including Water Gas and electricity at 5%

If America gets Hillery for the next president Americans will be looking at the same thing.

[RHCP]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...1/15/view15.xml

Been ploughing through the hundreds of contributions on the above link to this subject and there seems to be much despondency with the state of things, particularly since Labour took power.

Interested to know the opinions of fellow Brits in Thailand on what aspects of life in the UK you were so glad to leave behind and what you appreciate so much more here in Thailand. Do you find the overall quality of life here in Thailand that much better as I do?

The main aspect of life that drove me out was the increasingly worsening anti-social behaviour and all this referred to political correctness.

Good on Thailand to want to retain its identity, culture and way of life unlike Blair/Brown who are slowly destroying what I once used to recognize as my country.

I don't want to sift thru all the posts..so I'll agree with the highlighted part above. Don't know how you connect that to 'political correctness' - though I'm not a fan of PC either when it becomes extreme..

I get a kick out of your choice of "news"paper though - and I guess that was the first tip-off that you're a royalist right-winger. And as you can gather I am not. Are you one of these guys who balmes everything on immigrants? If so then I guess farangs are fair game in Thailand for all its woes?

That said, I'd prefer not to argue politics with you but agree fully with this issue of anti-social behaviour. I've been back to the UK since emigrating to Thailand, and have followed the news (like you) - and I also find the place shocking. But to be honest I'VE ALWAYS felt it was going that way -- WELL BEFORE Labour came to power. It's the articificial class-divide that I've always blamed.

The lower classes must remain cap-in-hand to the upper-classses and never question the way things are (not too different from our chosen bolt-hole when you think about it). Ever wonder why the movie Clockwork Orange was banned? The rubbish answer to this for years was because of its ultra-violent nature. But so what? - it was violent, yeah? The real issue was WHO the violence was directed TOWARDS! The answer is the upper middle classes - and that scared the sh+t out of them! How dare anyone portray them as vulnerable to this kind of thing?!

In summary, Britain had it coming..You can only keep an artificial division in society for so long (private schools, access to universities, access to jobs by way of accent and where you went to school) and then it all starts to cave in. Glad I'm not there.

We agree both on the anti-social behaviour and PC. By the way I was referring to the postings in the Telegraph, not linking PC with anti-social behaviour.

However on the highlighted part above, you have got it totally wrong. I am most certainly not a "royalist right-winger". I read all the so called “quality” newspapers in the UK including the Guardian which is deemed to be pro Labour, and not just read those who traditionally support the Conservatives. I certainly don't support Labour as you have worked out and for the record I have never voted for the Conservatives.

Also you will note that I have not made any reference to immigrants in my postings so not sure why you think I would blame them for all that is wrong in British society. People who know me well would never accuse me of being a racist if that is what you were implying. Having said that there must be stricter controls on immigration since it will put a further strain on Government finances and the infrastructure.

It is very dangerous to form conclusions or make accusations without knowing someone first!

I agree with you that things started to deteriorate well before this present and previous Labour government but I do believe that for a combination of things this rate of deterioration has increased since Labour came to power.

[qwertz]

slightly off topic but have any of you guys actually been to Manchester recently or ever ?

Manchester's a big place , full of contrasts and some of the nicest, Genuine People I've ever met.

I,ve been often

I was born and raised there - it sucks!

[GuestHouse]

I think it would be a mistake to assume that the reason why British men moved to Thailand is representative of the reason why the Majority of Briton's who move overeas do so.

I also doubt very much that majority of Britons who move to live in Thailand are any way representative of Britons who move overseas elsewhere on a whole host of fronts.

Expatriate Brits I've met in France and in particularly Italy would seem on the surface to be from a different planet, let alone a different county than most the expatriate Britons I've met in Thailand.

We all of us out to consider this when we read the posts of expatrirate Britons here.

Balanced views are as rare around here as people balanced enough to give them.

[pointofview]

A couple of points.

To the poster who said that the UK passport does not exist as it is now an EU passport. Not quite true.

If you are born British you have won the lottery of life. Its not just the passport which will allow free passage to many more places than a Bulgarian one, but the language. When you struggle to buy something here there is often the chance that someone will speak some English, try getting by in LOS with Bulgarian.

And I think that our language is a major reason so many of us emigrate, just that we can be understood (a little) in so many places

I am the son of an immigrant who came to this country in the second world war, the only survivor of an extended family who all died because they weren't the right type, so I have every reason to be grateful to the UK for its tolerance and open arms. We have a saying, "He who saves one life saves the world entire". However I do question the system that makes a Thai wife jump through hoops to come here but gives the Abu Hamza's of this world free housing and benefits.

I have just moved here to Bangkok and am in my 4th week. I am finding it difficult, frustrating and I am not a little home sick but I know this will pass as I improve my language skills etc.

Why did I emigrate??? I really don't know!! I love UK and living in London. Yes its expensive and you run to standstill, but my friends, live music, theatre, footy at the pub etc compensate. What will LOS give me? Again I don't know but the fact is I am here and I am going into this adventure will an open mind.

As Dylan Thomas said, "We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milkwood" and I guess that is true of UK and LOS. The few of us who leave the UK are always replaced by others and the few who arrive in LOS full of hope and expectation will meet their counterparts leaving full of bitterness and regret!

Just read the posts here to see the truth of that statement.

You sound confused - such a wonderfull life in london, yet move to an uncertain life which you seem to see little positive in. Seems you live to much by quotations of othere men - look forward not back!

England is not england as i knew it due to mass immigration - cheap labour - massive cultural differenses - tangible resentment. Ofcourse the brits have accepted immigrents with open arms: help with social housing (to the detriment of true brits), positive discrimination etc. Many brits are depressed, pessimistic, feeling controlled and under valued - pissed off. Immigrants - however, are optimistic, hopefull, valued!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited November 24, 2007 by pointofview

[mrbojangles]

slightly off topic but have any of you guys actually been to Manchester recently or ever ?

Manchester's a big place , full of contrasts and some of the nicest, Genuine People I've ever met.

I,ve been often

I was born and raised there - it sucks!

Some people must be very hard to please then, cos it's a fantastic vibrant place nowadays.

[kankaroo]

Eye of the beholder.

If I had the money I would be out of here quicker than a flash. Only come back for the odd 2 week holiday to visit family. Ahhhh...

Snap back to reality Kankaroo !