Is It Time To Go Home

[BigSnake]

It's your call, goodbye, good luck

[MJP]

It's still only an aeroplane ride away. Aeroplanes go from BKK to London and thankfully from London to BKK.

This seems nonsense, sorry old boy, but if you've a base in the UK and a base here, you can pick and choose.

May I also add it's where you live and how you live in LoS that the maker or the breaker. All those on the eastern seaboard Chon Buri area, yes, you are paying through the nose.

Come to Issan. I love it here.

Edited May 16, 2009 by MJP

[ukme]

I live in the UK. Somedays I think it's not so bad here, others I get overcome by severe desperation to get the <deleted> out of here ie.most days.

IMO This Country is like an Open Prison. Give it serious consideration if you're going to return. I want out.

[F1fanatic]

It's still only an aeroplane ride away. Aeroplanes go from BKK to London and thankfully from London to BKK.

This seems nonsense, sorry old boy, but if you've a base in the UK and a base here, you can pick and choose.

May I also add it's where you live and how you live in LoS that the maker or the breaker. All those on the eastern seaboard Chon Buri area, yes, you are paying through the nose.

Come to Issan. I love it here.

Yes, do! Instead of meeting the Issan 'ladies' wherever you are now, get them at source, before they become the Thailand stereotype!

Good luck old boy!

[think_too_mut]

Probably one of the biggest deterrents for me in moving back to the UK is the heavy handed approach there to intrusive behavior by the authorities.

Have they come up with the request to report every 90 days?

Do they know what "visa run" stands for?

[MJP]

It's still only an aeroplane ride away. Aeroplanes go from BKK to London and thankfully from London to BKK.

This seems nonsense, sorry old boy, but if you've a base in the UK and a base here, you can pick and choose.

May I also add it's where you live and how you live in LoS that the maker or the breaker. All those on the eastern seaboard Chon Buri area, yes, you are paying through the nose.

Come to Issan. I love it here.

Yes, do! Instead of meeting the Issan 'ladies' wherever you are now, get them at source, before they become the Thailand stereotype!

Good luck old boy!

I live about 45 mins outside Roi-Et. It's lovely here. It really is. Been here seven years now. I've 2 Rai over looking Bang Saray Bay. Forget it. I'd sooner be here.

I met a teacher who lives round the corner. She's really nice.

Anyway, garden wall painting update. Berger Select Acrylic for exterior. 10/10, top marks!!! I got the sunshine yellow one.

[MeetJohnDoe]

I dont know about the UK since I am from the US but from my experience

price of water in thailand vs US ( thailand still cheaper )

price of running electricity vs US ( thailand still cheaper )

I'm paying B7 per kWh in thailand and B30 per unit of water (1,000 liters?)

So, in USD terms I'm paying 20 cents per kWh and 90 cents for 263 gallons of water. Electricity is defiantly cheaper in the US and I'd wager water is also. (Plus, if I drink the tap water here I get the trots; not so in the USA...)

You're getting stung by the electricity and hosed with the water Those are marked-up rates for people who rent condos and apartments. If you own your place (or happen to find a rental with direct billing) you will pay about half that rate for electricity and water is practically free (but agree it's not for drinking). Normally, my water runs around B 100 per month but its been free for the past year now due to the government's economic relief measures to help the poor

California's in a severe draught and water usage is limited and rates increased.

[F1fanatic]

It's still only an aeroplane ride away. Aeroplanes go from BKK to London and thankfully from London to BKK.

This seems nonsense, sorry old boy, but if you've a base in the UK and a base here, you can pick and choose.

May I also add it's where you live and how you live in LoS that the maker or the breaker. All those on the eastern seaboard Chon Buri area, yes, you are paying through the nose.

Come to Issan. I love it here.

Yes, do! Instead of meeting the Issan 'ladies' wherever you are now, get them at source, before they become the Thailand stereotype!

Good luck old boy!

I live about 45 mins outside Roi-Et. It's lovely here. It really is. Been here seven years now. I've 2 Rai over looking Bang Saray Bay. Forget it. I'd sooner be here.

I met a teacher who lives round the corner. She's really nice.

Anyway, garden wall painting update. Berger Select Acrylic for exterior. 10/10, top marks!!! I got the sunshine yellow one.

That's so refreshing to hear. You "met a teacher who lives round the corner". So is she your partner, or is your partner a Thai and the woman to whom you are referring just 'someone who lives round the corner'?

[chiang mai]

Every time I look at the numbers I see that life for me in the UK versus Thailand will cost about the same so I have to move on to other points. The weather is a major plus here versus being a major negative in the UK for seven or eight months out of the year. Crime levels in the UK now appear to have spiked upwards and policing seems to be increasingly ineffective - despite the lack of policing here in Thailand I regard it as a safe environment. Probably one of the biggest deterrents for me in moving back to the UK is the heavy handed approach there to intrusive behavior by the authorities. I don't feel like telling the government all the details about my life, how much trash I throw away, where I'm going on holiday, which web sites I visit etc, they don't need to know. That aspect, combined with the authorities desire to fine the public for every small infraction of the law, really gets on my nerves - I'm sure I'd end up with several ASBO's in fairly short order!

Have you totally lost the plot?? Evidently you have.

Living in the UK I have never had the authorities asking "how much trash I throw away, where I'm going on holiday, which web sites I visit etc"

Your final comment - "That aspect, combined with the authorities desire to fine the public for every small infraction of the law, really gets on my nerves - I'm sure I'd end up with several ASBO's in fairly short order!" - leads me to believe you're not desired here - let alone in the UK!!

The reference is to invasion of privacy and loss of freedom which, if you're from the UK you will know about only too well. The governments desire to set up databases to capture all manner of personal data, over saturation of CCTV camera's, governments use of speeding and driving fines as a cash cow, etc etc. I personally resent those intrusions and are factros I consider when I debate whether to remain in Phuket or return to the UK.

[spaceshipcrew]

It's slowly but surely getting that way that over-all it’s much cheaper for me to live in the UK.

I pay heavily to live here but at what point do I say enough is enough?

In Thailand i rent a house for 15.000 Baht per month.

In the UK I own my own house.

In Thailand my lady costs me somewhere in the region of 20.000 Baht every month.

That’s 35.000 Baht or 700 pounds worth of outgoings I don’t have in the UK.

The annual visa shit is another story.

Contrary to belief, the cost of living in the tropics doesn’t come cheap.

I've had twelve wonderful years here but!!

Is it time to bail out and go home?

In the UK perhaps you have a room for rent ?

Actually, after 8 years in Chiangmai and almost start suffering from a mental illness if I stay here anylonger I'm gonna try Philippines. My new girlfriend there is a Gods gift (indeed as they say about Pinays) and it seems much more easy to setup some business, and just the amount of energy it gives to make a new start is worth a try !

[nikster]

may i ask how the unit of volume prohibits a comparison?

As soon as I saw it I knew it was coming

[Soulwy]

OP: If money is not the case, maybe you need a new impulse in your life. You now know the taste of Thailand, maybe you just ate too much of it and now your belly is too full. Maybe taking a -time out- of Thailand is an idea? Other Asian countries are worth having a look.

[james24]

get a new bird. That seems like an awful lot of money

[longstebe]

may i ask how the unit of volume prohibits a comparison?

As soon as I saw it I knew it was coming

T.S Always full of wisdom

[robokop]

It's slowly but surely getting that way that over-all it’s much cheaper for me to live in the UK.

I pay heavily to live here but at what point do I say enough is enough?

In Thailand i rent a house for 15.000 Baht per month.

In the UK I own my own house.

In Thailand my lady costs me somewhere in the region of 20.000 Baht every month.

That’s 35.000 Baht or 700 pounds worth of outgoings I don’t have in the UK.

The annual visa shit is another story.

When you get back jolly old England, how much will it cost you a month for a live in English lady who will clean and go to bed with you? Get an English lady to do that for 20000 baht a month, or less than 500 pounds?

Cost of eating out, drinking in a pub, puffing on a ciggie, bus or taxi and so on and so on. If you decide to live in a tourist area in Thailand, it cost more than the rest of Thailand. If you like being in contact with the outide world in respect to day to day living, such as food, pubs, TV, friends etc. than Pattaya or another reesort area is best for one from the UK. But I never though an Englishman would pay that much a month for a Thai lady to live in.

Contrary to belief, the cost of living in the tropics doesn’t come cheap.

I've had twelve wonderful years here but!!

Is it time to bail out and go home?

[lukeskywalker]

My reason for being here: An endless supply of Beautiful, Young Thai Ladies.

And if you are nice and honest to them and treat them with respect, they will not cost you hardly any money at all to have fun with. (oh, and don't let them know/think you have much money.)

I am 38 and handsome, but I still could not get the same age/beauty women back in the States. Even if I could, if people saw me with a 20 y.o. girl, society would frown on it.

And the beauty is that I know as I get older these lovely ladies will still be here.

These reasons alone are enough for me to put up with any problems (and there are not that many really) with living in Thailand.

I Skype with my mother and father everyday so I don't feel too far away from them. Also, I know that within the next 20 years my parents will pass and I will receive a good amount of inheritance and will be able to stop working. I fly home once a year to visit them too.

But, basically, the availability of women here is 100% my reason for being here.

[starkey_rich]

Just been back to do badly needed work on my properties in the UK.Sitting in Shittybum airport it felt like I was on my way back to start a 2 month prison sentence but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.The weather not really that bad and as the properties are in Newquay (S.W coast) plenty of nice beaches and nightlife Glad it was only for 2 months though the first week there, 1 parking fine and 1 speeding fine.I have never seen so many speed (sorry safety) cameras then you have your average speed cameras.

[patklang]

Every time I look at the numbers I see that life for me in the UK versus Thailand will cost about the same so I have to move on to other points. The weather is a major plus here versus being a major negative in the UK for seven or eight months out of the year. Crime levels in the UK now appear to have spiked upwards and policing seems to be increasingly ineffective - despite the lack of policing here in Thailand I regard it as a safe environment. Probably one of the biggest deterrents for me in moving back to the UK is the heavy handed approach there to intrusive behavior by the authorities. I don't feel like telling the government all the details about my life, how much trash I throw away, where I'm going on holiday, which web sites I visit etc, they don't need to know. That aspect, combined with the authorities desire to fine the public for every small infraction of the law, really gets on my nerves - I'm sure I'd end up with several ASBO's in fairly short order!

Have you totally lost the plot?? Evidently you have.

Living in the UK I have never had the authorities asking "how much trash I throw away, where I'm going on holiday, which web sites I visit etc"

Your final comment - "That aspect, combined with the authorities desire to fine the public for every small infraction of the law, really gets on my nerves - I'm sure I'd end up with several ASBO's in fairly short order!" - leads me to believe you're not desired here - let alone in the UK!!

The reference is to invasion of privacy and loss of freedom which, if you're from the UK you will know about only too well. The governments desire to set up databases to capture all manner of personal data, over saturation of CCTV camera's, governments use of speeding and driving fines as a cash cow, etc etc. I personally resent those intrusions and are factros I consider when I debate whether to remain in Phuket or return to the UK.

EXCUSE ME,

CCTV cameras and speed cameras could save your life and are life saving for your family too.How can you say these things are bad,so what do you want a lawless society that kills people on the road and murders on the streets.These 2 thingshave been a massive deterrent for nutters.Suppose you want to drive on the wrong side of the road pissewd do you.

[patklang]

My reason for being here: An endless supply of Beautiful, Young Thai Ladies.

And if you are nice and honest to them and treat them with respect, they will not cost you hardly any money at all to have fun with. (oh, and don't let them know/think you have much money.)

I am 38 and handsome, but I still could not get the same age/beauty women back in the States. Even if I could, if people saw me with a 20 y.o. girl, society would frown on it.

And the beauty is that I know as I get older these lovely ladies will still be here.

These reasons alone are enough for me to put up with any problems (and there are not that many really) with living in Thailand.

I Skype with my mother and father everyday so I don't feel too far away from them. Also, I know that within the next 20 years my parents will pass and I will receive a good amount of inheritance and will be able to stop working. I fly home once a year to visit them too.

But, basically, the availability of women here is 100% my reason for being here.

thats a good reason to keep in touch with your parents,hansum man.

[chiang mai]

Every time I look at the numbers I see that life for me in the UK versus Thailand will cost about the same so I have to move on to other points. The weather is a major plus here versus being a major negative in the UK for seven or eight months out of the year. Crime levels in the UK now appear to have spiked upwards and policing seems to be increasingly ineffective - despite the lack of policing here in Thailand I regard it as a safe environment. Probably one of the biggest deterrents for me in moving back to the UK is the heavy handed approach there to intrusive behavior by the authorities. I don't feel like telling the government all the details about my life, how much trash I throw away, where I'm going on holiday, which web sites I visit etc, they don't need to know. That aspect, combined with the authorities desire to fine the public for every small infraction of the law, really gets on my nerves - I'm sure I'd end up with several ASBO's in fairly short order!

Have you totally lost the plot?? Evidently you have.

Living in the UK I have never had the authorities asking "how much trash I throw away, where I'm going on holiday, which web sites I visit etc"

Your final comment - "That aspect, combined with the authorities desire to fine the public for every small infraction of the law, really gets on my nerves - I'm sure I'd end up with several ASBO's in fairly short order!" - leads me to believe you're not desired here - let alone in the UK!!

The reference is to invasion of privacy and loss of freedom which, if you're from the UK you will know about only too well. The governments desire to set up databases to capture all manner of personal data, over saturation of CCTV camera's, governments use of speeding and driving fines as a cash cow, etc etc. I personally resent those intrusions and are factros I consider when I debate whether to remain in Phuket or return to the UK.

EXCUSE ME,

CCTV cameras and speed cameras could save your life and are life saving for your family too.How can you say these things are bad,so what do you want a lawless society that kills people on the road and murders on the streets.These 2 thingshave been a massive deterrent for nutters.Suppose you want to drive on the wrong side of the road pissewd do you.

No you are not excused, not everyone shares your views when it comes the use of CCTV, a third of all CCTV camera's in existence are deployed in the UK. I'm all for adequate policing but against over policing and against no policing. At sixty years of age I'm a fairly law abiding individual and your assumptions about what I may or may not want are marginally offensive and totally un necessary in this debate.

[billd766]

It's still only an aeroplane ride away. Aeroplanes go from BKK to London and thankfully from London to BKK.

This seems nonsense, sorry old boy, but if you've a base in the UK and a base here, you can pick and choose.

May I also add it's where you live and how you live in LoS that the maker or the breaker. All those on the eastern seaboard Chon Buri area, yes, you are paying through the nose.

Come to Issan. I love it here.

It is better in Central.

Not so many whining farangs.

Did I really say that

[macduff]

I'd cut your expenses down and enjoy the Thai way of life.Your not doing yourselve any favoures coming back to the Uk.Theres more corruption going on here than anywhere in the world.Dont forget big brother watching too . I for one can't wait to get out of here. Good luck with your decision.

[appleman]

Here is something I wrote a while back just to keep my mind active.

Converting gasoline from liters to gallons to give you dollars per gallon, or pounds per gallon (note that the U.S. and British gallons differ slightly).

For British Gallons

(Baht per liter * 4.54)/exchange rate

For US Gallons

(Baht per liter * 3.785)/exchange rate

Example: say gasoline is 23 baht per liter and the exchange rate for dollars is 34.5 and for the pound is 52.5.

Gasoline will cost you:

British: (23 * 4.54)/52.5 = £1.99 per British gallon

US: (23 * 3.785)/34.5 = $2.52 per US gallon

[RAZZELL]

My reason for being here: An endless supply of Beautiful, Young Thai Ladies.

But, basically, the availability of women here is 100% my reason for being here.

Some honesty at last!

Congratulations

RAZZ

[Navalator]

Why would you want to return to that miserable United Kingdom social mentality and superficial morality? There is more to life than a bunch of Euros.

[Pash]

It's slowly but surely getting that way that over-all it’s much cheaper for me to live in the UK.

I pay heavily to live here but at what point do I say enough is enough?

In Thailand i rent a house for 15.000 Baht per month.

In the UK I own my own house.

In Thailand my lady costs me somewhere in the region of 20.000 Baht every month.

That’s 35.000 Baht or 700 pounds worth of outgoings I don’t have in the UK.

The annual visa shit is another story.

Contrary to belief, the cost of living in the tropics doesn’t come cheap.

I've had twelve wonderful years here but!!

Is it time to bail out and go home?

Good bye. Don't bother writing. I will say the same as everyone else. If you don't like it:- leave

[tomartoh]

The true value of either living in Thailand or the UK [or anywhere else for that matter] is where will you be happy. Happiness is not presented to us on a plate, we have to work at it and be prepared to give and take.

If things start to get you down in Thailand then your going to find things wrong with the place all the time and think back to your previous life. Remember however, that our memory plays tricks on us and we imagine things that were not always so.

If you need expensive toys and high standard of living and good service and western standards, then maybe home can provide that. If you can live Thai style and without high tax rated imported goods, then its cheap here.

But you have to remember why you came here in the first place. Will things have changed for the better since you left the UK? Will you be happy back in the UK?????.

I bet most posters on this topic are not leaving Thailand because for better or for worse, it is now home for them.

[Lix]

It's slowly but surely getting that way that over-all it’s much cheaper for me to live in the UK.

I pay heavily to live here but at what point do I say enough is enough?

In Thailand i rent a house for 15.000 Baht per month.

In the UK I own my own house.

In Thailand my lady costs me somewhere in the region of 20.000 Baht every month.

That’s 35.000 Baht or 700 pounds worth of outgoings I don’t have in the UK.

The annual visa shit is another story.

Contrary to belief, the cost of living in the tropics doesn’t come cheap.

I've had twelve wonderful years here but!!

Is it time to bail out and go home?

I am back in the UK for a month on business stuff and I can honestly say I cannot wait to board that plane again. I just returned from a Sunday football match in the rain and freezing cold, I saw lots of people I knew from years ago all still drinking in the same pub, working the same job and living their lives in a 3 mile bubble. Everyone is desperate to find a partner and get married as they are now in their early 30's, everyone seems conditioned by societal templates that dictate their lives. I just find the familiarity and blandness quite depressing, i do like going into central london for some more cultural surroundings but then the tubes are a bloody nightmare. People are losing their jobs, the government are still as corrupt as ever with their dodgy expense claims and generally it is quite gloomy here.

Tighten your purse strings and sit it out, or, come back here and see for yourself, it wouldn't be long before you were back in LOS. It really is not cheap here either, 2 drinks in starbucks set me back £5.50 ! Social activities in Thailand are much cheaper, I find just taking a walk in Bangkok which costs nothing very interesting and entertaining, I can buy some lovely fruit for 50p and then get a steak for dinner in the soi for £1!

[stingray]

It's slowly but surely getting that way that over-all it’s much cheaper for me to live in the UK.

I pay heavily to live here but at what point do I say enough is enough?

In Thailand i rent a house for 15.000 Baht per month.

In the UK I own my own house.

In Thailand my lady costs me somewhere in the region of 20.000 Baht every month.

That’s 35.000 Baht or 700 pounds worth of outgoings I don’t have in the UK.

The annual visa shit is another story.

Contrary to belief, the cost of living in the tropics doesn’t come cheap.

I've had twelve wonderful years here but!!

Is it time to bail out and go home?

How much cost you to rent a house in UK (If you don't own one)? I don't know, i'm from Switzerland and for 15'k you'll get 2 parking spaces in Switzerland. Not a house and no apartements!

How much would cost you a Lady in the UK? I guess you'll stay alone overthere, forever, unless you'll get someone arrount 60 years old.

Visas? Ok, no Visa fees in UK. But you'll pay taxes overthere. If i would stay and work in Switzerland (normal income as a normal salesman or automechanic) would cost me about 10'000 USD for Taxes only, not include social security and health insurance.

How much you;ll pay fore car? Yeas cars are cheap overthere, but the road tax, insurance and labour and service costs gonna kill you.

I guess it's no way to stay in Europe unless you have no money. In this case it would be easier to work in Europe, but remenber if you are getting older you'll maybe not find any jobs anymore.

[Foggy Bottom]

My thought exactly the minute I read the line. One gallon is 3.79 liters IIRC. Convert Baht per liter to baht per gallon, then convert baht to $. Last time I did it diesel & gasoline were more expensive here than in the US by about 20%, again, IIRC.

I just bought a Denon amp & a JBL surround sound system...about 2.5 x's the price in the US. You would think that these things would be cheaper here as they are all made in Asia. But no...

4.54609 litres = 1.00000 Imperial gallon

It's a number I'll never forget after almost a decade of manually performing volume conversions for underground tanks that had dipsticks marked in gallons, and an employer that required records in litres.

That said, I can understand our US compatriot's confusion because whilst an Imperial gallon is comprised of 8 pints, a US gallon only has seven.

Who says everything is bigger in America?