Where Do Most Of You Live?

[jbowman1993]

Reading some of the threads that have been appearing lately has left me dishearted and slightly depressed. Are things really as bad as people make them out to be?

Is the junta really hiding in our closet, ready to take away our rights at a moments notice?

Are there really groups of Hi-so filling out "Farangs not welcome" party invitations?

Are the Thai-Chinese secretly having meetings where they discuss ways to keep "thai Thai" people from getting their fair share of the economic pie?

I live in Thailand, in a little village called Salaya. Its on the outskirts of Bangkok. I have neighbors that have some habits I don't particularly like, but we all get along ok. I work at a university where I am surrounded by Thai and international men and women, who are dedicated, friendly, outgoing, and fun. They have never treated me poorly. In fact I get "wai'ed" so much my arms feel tired at the end of the day. I have students who are kind, disciplined, hard working and a lot of fun to teach. They get in trouble from time to time, as students that age will, but we work through their problems, and learn from them.

I am married to a lovely lady, who is my best friend and a wonderful mother to our son. People on this post would describe her as "thai chinese" and yet, she is the most generous person I know with her time, energies and money. The same can be said for her family. My in-laws are decent, honorable people. They spent their whole life selling orange juice at a tiny cart in chinatown, and were able to raise 6 kids, putting 4 of them through college. These are decent, good people. These are the people that I live with and around, in Thailand. I've encountered none of the "horror stories" that many TV posts are filled with.

I have never encountered the greed, deception, or blind animosity that seems to commonplace to the rest of you. My memories and days are filled with kind friendship and camraderie.

Does this post mean anything to most of you? Perhaps not. But I felt compelled to share it anyway. I am not an optimist, as I am not a pessimist either. The bad news that seems to fill so many of you with so much anger and rage really doesn't affect me in that way, because I have so many good things in my life, that seem much more important. It seems so strange, then, to think that I am living in the same place as so many unhappy people, that fill these TV pages.

[Lite Beer]

I live in a village near Khon Kaen and I also love living here. The people here are very friendly and go out of their way to talk to me , even though I cannot understand them.

I take my dog for daily walks and most people we come across stop to stroke him.

My wife is lovely as are her 2 daughters. I go to the school open days and every one there is so polite.

I find every one up here to be honest and hardworking.

While all this is true, wouldn`t it be a boring forum if all the posts were like this.

I think we invent a lot of demons just to spice things up a bit. Some more than others.

[lazeeboy]

Reading some of the threads that have been appearing lately has left me dishearted and slightly depressed. Are things really as bad as people make them out to be?

Is the junta really hiding in our closet, ready to take away our rights at a moments notice?

Are there really groups of Hi-so filling out "Farangs not welcome" party invitations?

Are the Thai-Chinese secretly having meetings where they discuss ways to keep "thai Thai" people from getting their fair share of the economic pie?

I live in Thailand, in a little village called Salaya. Its on the outskirts of Bangkok. I have neighbors that have some habits I don't particularly like, but we all get along ok. I work at a university where I am surrounded by Thai and international men and women, who are dedicated, friendly, outgoing, and fun. They have never treated me poorly. In fact I get "wai'ed" so much my arms feel tired at the end of the day. I have students who are kind, disciplined, hard working and a lot of fun to teach. They get in trouble from time to time, as students that age will, but we work through their problems, and learn from them.

I am married to a lovely lady, who is my best friend and a wonderful mother to our son. People on this post would describe her as "thai chinese" and yet, she is the most generous person I know with her time, energies and money. The same can be said for her family. My in-laws are decent, honorable people. They spent their whole life selling orange juice at a tiny cart in chinatown, and were able to raise 6 kids, putting 4 of them through college. These are decent, good people. These are the people that I live with and around, in Thailand. I've encountered none of the "horror stories" that many TV posts are filled with.

I have never encountered the greed, deception, or blind animosity that seems to commonplace to the rest of you. My memories and days are filled with kind friendship and camraderie.

Does this post mean anything to most of you? Perhaps not. But I felt compelled to share it anyway. I am not an optimist, as I am not a pessimist either. The bad news that seems to fill so many of you with so much anger and rage really doesn't affect me in that way, because I have so many good things in my life, that seem much more important. It seems so strange, then, to think that I am living in the same place as so many unhappy people, that fill these TV pages.

i live in samui and have done for nearly 15 years ,i could'nt be happier ,i dont see that the junta has affected me at all,still got my resident visa ,and live the same as i always have in thailand ,free from crap

[sbk]

jbowman I only have one thing to say to you

Thank you!

[chanchao]

Is the junta really hiding in our closet, ready to take away our rights at a moments notice?

Probably not, simply because you don't have any rights that could be taken away.

[Lite Beer]

Is the junta really hiding in our closet, ready to take away our rights at a moments notice?

Probably not, simply because you don't have any rights that could be taken away.

I have the right to walk round the village, or go into town or go to the market. Go to sleep when I want , wake up when I want. I even have the right to leave Thailand if I do not like living here.

[ade100]

Sometimes Phuket drives me crazy. I find it challenging having grown up, as most of us have, in a "first world" country. However much of the time Phuket just makes me feel glad to be alive (I keep quiet about though. Don't want the other TV members to start vomiting :-))

[sbk]

Well the naysayers and whingers have shown up already. Too bad.

So, in rebuttal I would like to add that I have lived on Koh Phangan for 19 years now and have encountered kindness, generosity and respect from my neighbors and other locals on the island. I have found that if I treat people with respect and decency I get it in return. Instead of believing myself to be some kind of superior being I realize I am a human being with flaws just like Thai people have. My flaws are different but I am far from perfect. I don't always think someone is out to rip me off, I don't go into every situation assuming the worst. And, astoundingly enough, I rarely get the worst and usually find myself treated with friendliness and decency.

If all you encounter is negativity and abuse then perhaps you should be taking a good hard look at your own attitudes and behaviors first.

[legag]

19 years?? WOW I'm speechless.

[Lite Beer]

You must have been very young when you first went there S.

Agree with everything you said.

[sbk]

19 years?? WOW I'm speechless.

I was just a young thing when I met my husband, straight out of school

I have said this so many times before. Life here is what you make it, as anywhere. Sure Thailand has its negatives, and yes, the visa system can be very unfair. But does a constant negative attitude actually do anything to change your problems other than make you a negative miserable person to live with?

Of course there are things I dislike about life here (especially when I first came--at that time the electricity was on only at night, there no telephones, dirt roads and I had to hand wash the laundry) but there are also many positives.

The man I love is here. I live in a wonderful climate on a beautiful beach. I have been accepted into a very large family and get treated as a family member by them all (and no, no one borrows money off of me). I have the freedom to sit on ThaiVisa if I want. or don't. I can have dogs who get to live a wonderful life on the beach. I have learned patience and learned that there isn't always a solution to every problem. I've learned to slow down and enjoy life around me. If you haven't learned the sense of sanuk in this country then you are missing out on one of the beauties of Thailand.

And this is what gives me my sense of peace every single night, the view out my front door

[Jockstar]

Where Do Most Of You Live?, I live in Thailand

I lived in Thailand for 5 years and loved it. However i live in Sydney now and love that also. Thailand has some great things going for it and also some not so great things. As does Sydney. If i dont like a place i wont live there. Simple!

[ade100]

Well the naysayers and whingers have shown up already. Too bad.

So, in rebuttal I would like to add that I have lived on Koh Phangan for 19 years now and have encountered kindness, generosity and respect from my neighbors and other locals on the island. I have found that if I treat people with respect and decency I get it in return. Instead of believing myself to be some kind of superior being I realize I am a human being with flaws just like Thai people have. My flaws are different but I am far from perfect. I don't always think someone is out to rip me off, I don't go into every situation assuming the worst. And, astoundingly enough, I rarely get the worst and usually find myself treated with friendliness and decency.

If all you encounter is negativity and abuse then perhaps you should be taking a good hard look at your own attitudes and behaviors first.

Steady on!

"Naysayers and whingers"? That's not really called for. I said I found it "challenging" sometimes.

"Negativity and abuse"? I didn't say anything of the sort.

I presumed you were referring to another post but can't see one that would cause such a violent reaction. You must be referring to mine. But as I say "Steady on"

Edited December 4, 2007 by ade100

[dutch]

100% agree with the OP (and sbk)

[sbk]

Sorry ade, I wasn't referring to yours , you posted before I managed to get mine in.

And the negativity and abuse I was referring to can be found in many of the threads running on this forum at the moment, as was referred to in the OP.

[ade100]

Sorry ade, I wasn't referring to yours , you posted before I managed to get mine in.

Oh ok. I just couldn't see who you were referring to. Anyway I agree. Nice to have a positive thread about Thailand.

[Mosha]

I've lived here for about 4 years now. I love it. I'm in the sticks, beautiful scenery, friendly people. Why people live here and knock the place is beyond me. AFAIK there is no law that is enforcing people to live/stay here if they don't like it.

The boss is just putting up the tree, I've been resisting her efforts for a month now, but caved in yesterday. She's already telling people to come Christmas night, lots of bad Karaoke. I keep saying , lets just have a small party, the 1st one was about 50, and it grows every year. Now if I could get pork pies in Ranong life would be great.

Edited December 4, 2007 by Mosha

[chiang mai]

I've lived here for about 4 years now. I love it. I'm in the sticks, beautiful scenery, friendly people. Why people live here and knock the place is beyond me. AFAIK there is no law that is enforcing people to live/stay here if they don't like it.

The boss is just putting up the tree, I've been resisting her efforts for a month now, but caved in yesterday. She's already telling people to come Christmas night, lots of bad Karaoke. I keep saying , lets just have a small party, the 1st one was about 50, and it grows every year. Now if I could get pork pies in Ranong life would be great.

We'll be happy to supply you with as many pork and egg pies as you wish - if you are serious, PM for details.

[onzestan]

Well the naysayers and whingers have shown up already. Too bad.

So, in rebuttal I would like to add that I have lived on Koh Phangan for 19 years now and have encountered kindness, generosity and respect from my neighbors and other locals on the island. I have found that if I treat people with respect and decency I get it[/color] in return. Instead of believing myself to be some kind of superior being I realize I am a human being with flaws just like Thai people have. My flaws are different but I am far from perfect. I don't always think someone is out to rip me off, I don't go into every situation assuming the worst. And, astoundingly enough, I rarely get the worst and usually find myself treated with friendliness and decency.

If all you encounter is negativity and abuse then perhaps you should be taking a good hard look at your own attitudes and behaviors first.

Exactly, once you have gained respect all the rest becomes easy.

Thanks for that

onzestan

[LoveDaBlues]

jbowman, great post.

Like yourself, I haven't experienced the 'bad' side of Thailand after 2.5 years here. I do make it a point to avoid the tourist areas and maybe that helps. I live in Udon Thani. Nothing for tourist here and I like that. We do get some passing through on the way to Laos or other areas. (I have nothing against tourists; just don't want a steady diet of em).

Anyway this Friday the wifey and I are having our first kid (baby girl by C-section). Someday in the next couple of years I'll get around to building a house on the land I bought.

Life is good in Thailand!

As far as having no rights............ I'm free to drive all over Thailand, never been stopped. Free to travel to other countries and come back. Free to practice any religion I want. Kind of reminds me of the USA; just cheaper lol.

[Old Croc]

Where Do Most Of You Live?, I live in Thailand

I lived in Thailand for 5 years and loved it. However i live in Sydney now and love that also. Thailand has some great things going for it and also some not so great things. As does Sydney. If i dont like a place i wont live there. Simple!

Have you grown a mullet yet Jock?

[jbowman1993]

THanks for all the kind words. A thread like this won't have the same draw as the "Do you think farangs are bad people and should be tared and feathered" threads, but its nice to hear some positives now and again.

[sbk]

Indeed, it has remained short.

Too bad, sometimes its nice to have a break from negativity and complaining

[chanchao]

Sorry ade, I wasn't referring to yours , you posted before I managed to get mine in.

And the negativity and abuse I was referring to can be found in many of the threads running on this forum at the moment

So what ARE you referring to then?

Because if I recall correctly, you said:

Well the naysayers and whingers have shown up already. Too bad.

So that can only be in this topic can't it? Do you think it's nice to disqualify people voicing an opinion on a forum as 'naysayers and whingers' ?

BTW, I like the Original Post too, but I can NOT let any comment pass that makes light of living in a military dictatorship of the kind very capable of creating another massacre like a mere 15 years ago. At that point it stops being a simple & positive post about the good life. In this post that happened in line 2.

And indeed the main advantage to Thailand is personal freedom, you can pull crap here that would land you in loads of trouble back home. But that freedom is not a 'right', it's what de-facto exists in countries that are semi-anarchies. That has it good sides and then some bad ones. But for the people who don't mind the bad sides and/or don't have a business or family, it's awsome.

Edit: It's kind of interesting because I was always in the profound non-whingers camp. I'm not sure that I am in it now, but I can say that certain events in Thailand, this forum and my personal life have made the negatives increase in importance over the positives of being able to do whatever you please with little consequence.

And I live in the friendliest region there is and love it here. (The Non Bangkok-Pattaya-TouristBeaches-region.)

Edited December 5, 2007 by chanchao

[kmart]

Indeed, it has remained short.

Too bad, sometimes its nice to have a break from negativity and complaining

Too true. Makes me wonder where the whingers live to be so bloody negative all the time.

A "feelgood" thread is a little overdue in this section, methinks. Kudos to the OP for restoring a bit of perspective here.

I have great life here. I'm originally from the UK, and founded a service engineering company here 12 years ago, mainly for the oil, power, and gas market; onshore and off. Business is good, and incrementally busier every year. I live near Banchang in Rayong, just 2 minutes from the coast. I never burned any bridges to move here and still maintain property and savings in the UK. And make sure I visit home at least twice / year, to see family, friends, and appreciate the good things about Thailand in comparison.

Learning to speak Thai fluently opened up a whole lot of opportunities for me. A joke and a smile when encountering any negativity from Thais usually gets them on your side pretty quickly too.

Some things will never change in Thailand. If the things some people hate about LoS changed overnight, the things you like about the place would vanish too.

[chanchao]

Some things will never change in Thailand. If the things some people hate about LoS changed overnight, the things you like about the place would vanish too.

VERY true. It's a balance though. Being able to drive drunk is great when you're single and out partying. When you're a dad and have kids out there, you suddenly want effective, capable and fair law enforcement. Then the good thing instantly becomes a bad thing.

[chicowoodduck]

Is the junta really hiding in our closet, ready to take away our rights at a moments notice?

Probably not, simply because you don't have any rights that could be taken away.

I have the right to walk round the village, or go into town or go to the market. Go to sleep when I want , wake up when I want. I even have the right to leave Thailand if I do not like living here.

That's the kind of "rights" I like! Right on!

[thaipete]

I live in Rayong south east Thailand, I have been here 18 years and in Bangkok 10 before that, I now have a retirement visa, I have been around the world many many times and I am now happy to live the rest of my life here, i saw the South Pacific and Caribbean ruined by tourists but genuine Thais have remained true to there country and King, long may he live

[Spyglass]

I'm living in one of those cities where it's always overcast, overrated, and overpriced!

[Jockstar]

Where Do Most Of You Live?, I live in Thailand

I lived in Thailand for 5 years and loved it. However i live in Sydney now and love that also. Thailand has some great things going for it and also some not so great things. As does Sydney. If i dont like a place i wont live there. Simple!

Have you grown a mullet yet Jock?

No. But i own a barbie and an Esky. But i dont drive a Ute.