Is Living In Thailand Really That Bad These Days?

[ameliaL]

Hi all,

i haven't been to thailand fora long time now and now that i am thinking of retiring there,i been reading a lot of blogs by people who live there. many diffrent opinions of course are expressed but so many are as well very negative. The exurpt from the blog below talks about insessant noice while living in phuket. i wonder how much of this is true. Would anyone care to comment and let me know how bad things really are? Can a person moving to Thailand today find a quiet descent clean place to live close to shopping and the beaches without enduring noice pollution or the insanity described by the fellow blogger below? and if so, which spots to live would you recommend?

please read the exurpt:

"Today's subject is noise.

The tourist brochures may give the impression that the loudest sounds you will ever hear in Thailand are the rustle of palm trees in the breeze, the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore, and the occasional thud of a coconut falling to the ground but that wouldn't exactly be accurate. Personally speaking, noise is one of the worst aspects of living in Thailand.

Natural sounds are fantastic. The storm beating down now - along with the thunder claps - sound like music to my ears, as do the songs of the wild birds tethered to trees with pieces of string just outside my window.

It's the man-made sounds that are a problem.

Construction work seems to be never-ending and just as one 18 month construction project finishes, another starts. The only good thing about constant banging sounds for 10 hours each and every day is that the brain starts to filter them out so, after a while, they disappear - well, almost.

A popular way of advertising in Thailand is for pickup trucks with huge loudspeakers on the back to creep around the roads blasting out music and adverts. This is done to advertise goods and services, as well as being a method used by politicians at election time.

Near to where I am is an army base and low-flying helicopters buzz overhead. They don't fly over that often but when they do, they make a hel_l of a noise.

More frequent are the road racers. Many young Thai males amuse themselves by racing vehicles on the streets - either motorbikes or cars. Their vehicles normally have modified exhaust systems which make a terrible din.

Even a motorbike with a tiny 125cc engine can sound like a jet fighter in Thailand. If they drive cars, they normally install huge sound systems along with modified exhausts. Evening is the worst time for road racers.

This is nothing new. When John Laird wrote his book 'Money Politics, Globalisation, and Crisis' in 2000, he devoted an entire chapter to the problem, titled 'Go Fast, Make a Big Noise'.

Another group of young lads who live about 100 yards away do dirt racing with proper trail bikes. It's a legitimate enough hobby but when they tune their bikes up, they rev them constantly. All I hear for hours is, "vroom vroom vroom," and it goes on and on and on.

met a guy from Phuket the other day. We spoke in Thai. He really doesn't like Phuket at all. He was born there, grew up there. He hates what it has become. I told him at first - oh - you are lucky to live there. He said, "lucky why?". That started our conversation about the horrible place it has become for him.

Too many Thais. Too many farang. Too much traffic. No culture. No Traditions.

Thais are very selfish. Consumed with making money to live. Focused on themselves, not others. Not ever their own kids. Parents whore out their daughters. Their sons. Their ladyboys. Everyone's on drugs.

If there's an accident - nobody cares, they look the other way sometimes.

Constant fights all over town. Drug wars, thievery... rape. Murder.

He was really sad about the state of Phuket. (around patong and phuket town) "

So is this the norm in Thailand? has it become this bad?

any opinions would be greatly appreicated.

thank you

Amelia

[suegha]

Mods, please delete this double post.

[harleyclarkey]

Hi all,

i haven't been to thailand fora long time now and now that i am thinking of retiring there,i been reading a lot of blogs by people who live there. many diffrent opinions of course are expressed but so many are as well very negative. The exurpt from the blog below talks about insessant noice while living in phuket. i wonder how much of this is true. Would anyone care to comment and let me know how bad things really are? Can a person moving to Thailand today find a quiet descent clean place to live close to shopping and the beaches without enduring noice pollution or the insanity described by the fellow blogger below? and if so, which spots to live would you recommend?

please read the exurpt:

"Today's subject is noise.

The tourist brochures may give the impression that the loudest sounds you will ever hear in Thailand are the rustle of palm trees in the breeze, the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore, and the occasional thud of a coconut falling to the ground but that wouldn't exactly be accurate. Personally speaking, noise is one of the worst aspects of living in Thailand.

Natural sounds are fantastic. The storm beating down now - along with the thunder claps - sound like music to my ears, as do the songs of the wild birds tethered to trees with pieces of string just outside my window.

It's the man-made sounds that are a problem.

Construction work seems to be never-ending and just as one 18 month construction project finishes, another starts. The only good thing about constant banging sounds for 10 hours each and every day is that the brain starts to filter them out so, after a while, they disappear - well, almost.

A popular way of advertising in Thailand is for pickup trucks with huge loudspeakers on the back to creep around the roads blasting out music and adverts. This is done to advertise goods and services, as well as being a method used by politicians at election time.

Near to where I am is an army base and low-flying helicopters buzz overhead. They don't fly over that often but when they do, they make a hel_l of a noise.

More frequent are the road racers. Many young Thai males amuse themselves by racing vehicles on the streets - either motorbikes or cars. Their vehicles normally have modified exhaust systems which make a terrible din.

Even a motorbike with a tiny 125cc engine can sound like a jet fighter in Thailand. If they drive cars, they normally install huge sound systems along with modified exhausts. Evening is the worst time for road racers.

This is nothing new. When John Laird wrote his book 'Money Politics, Globalisation, and Crisis' in 2000, he devoted an entire chapter to the problem, titled 'Go Fast, Make a Big Noise'.

Another group of young lads who live about 100 yards away do dirt racing with proper trail bikes. It's a legitimate enough hobby but when they tune their bikes up, they rev them constantly. All I hear for hours is, "vroom vroom vroom," and it goes on and on and on.

met a guy from Phuket the other day. We spoke in Thai. He really doesn't like Phuket at all. He was born there, grew up there. He hates what it has become. I told him at first - oh - you are lucky to live there. He said, "lucky why?". That started our conversation about the horrible place it has become for him.

Too many Thais. Too many farang. Too much traffic. No culture. No Traditions.

Thais are very selfish. Consumed with making money to live. Focused on themselves, not others. Not ever their own kids. Parents whore out their daughters. Their sons. Their ladyboys. Everyone's on drugs.

If there's an accident - nobody cares, they look the other way sometimes.

Constant fights all over town. Drug wars, thievery... rape. Murder.

He was really sad about the state of Phuket. (around patong and phuket town) "

So is this the norm in Thailand? has it become this bad?

any opinions would be greatly appreicated.

thank you

Amelia

Yes...it has become really busy/noisey/populated and will continue to do so for some time yet. Figures up and up yearly. My pal who is there for 10 years is heading up to Chaing rai for some peace and quiet. But there are quiet spots...I avoid Patong and Phuket. Plenty of places to chill on Phuket...they are there.