If you had just arrived in Thailand, do you think you might consider settling here considering the changes in attitude, prices, types of visitors etc. from when you came 10/15/20 years hence?

Edited November 24, 200916 yr by rabcbroon

A difficult question, because I have been here a long time (about 15 yrs.) But my answer is "yes", not because things have changed, but because they haven't. Prices have been remarkably stable. I speak enough Thai that the attitude of Thai people toward me has only improved, as you would expect. As for other foreign visitors or residents, I don't care what they think of me.

I dont think Thai attitudes have changed that much in the 12 years I have been here... the economy has certainly improved (I was here in 1997) although still pretty dire its nothing like as bad as it was. Prices are about the same, couldn't care less about the visitor types, so yes I'd still make the move now.

Egregious spelling error in topic corrected.

Egregious spelling error in topic corrected.

Thank you - i was aware but couldn't correct hmm, still o missing from opposed

Edited November 24, 200916 yr by rabcbroon

I settled here in 91, things have changed quite a lot IMO. Most things are positive others negative. I would certainly still settle here

Attitude: Not much change, Thai people have less time now a days but they take it pretty well I think

Price: Reasonable change, Bangkok is not a cheap place to live and has never been really

Type of visitors: Now this has changed a bit but can’t say that it bothers me, I just avoid them. I think that more people made an effort to respect Thai culture and tradition back in the early to mid 90s’, now it’s much more: I pay so I have a right to behave the way I want. I look down on people like that somewhat.

Good question.

Personally the modernisation of new resorts/hotels is a good thing for travellers.

Mass public transport...excellent...... is there still no graffiti on the BTS after how many years?? gotta love Thailand....

Roads still a tangle and mess and will never be sorted as the planning of BKK was just was not built around the motor car.... the large safe housing complexes outside BKK are great...i'd love to live in one....

Prices... rent cheap/utilities cheap..... going out... same price as UK.

Guess, I would still live here but I think I would probably prefer Japan/Taiwan/Singapore now...but that is middle age creaping up and me starting to think about things like hospitals/personal safety etc... boring and bland but a reality as you get older....

I don't think outside BKK has changed much, i went to Kanchaburi on my first visit and when i go back it still looks the same.

BKK has changed there are alot more farangs here now and younger too... its a little bit harder to find the initial novelty of being a semi hero farang when doing anything....

No longer the only walking, talking, singing, dancing entertainment farang machine...

Everything has steadily improved except for whingers and whiners on the internet.

hel_l NO

I think it's more a matter of perspective than change. I don't find Thailand to be all that different except for some increase in Farangs in villages. The seedy places are not any more or less seedy, and the nicer places overall about the same. If anything a little less pollution and even perhaps more orderly. However the place people start and the place they end up barring sexpats are different, as are the people you associate with. We start at hotels with other visitors looking or dating and even look foward to chatting with someone from back home or that speaks our language, sometimes willing to overlook drunken behavior. And as we become more of a resident we have less tolerance for silliness because now we live here we are not just visiting and drunken or poor behavior reflects a little on us and our enjoyment so it becomes more visable and concerning. I have dealt with tourists for decades and tourists in Thailand are not especially different than tourists anyplace else and neither are the people who deal with them. Nice sober people are the same and the drunks are the same and the amount of each about the same. Perhaps a slight change in where they come from with currency values shifting. My point is 10 years later we view things differently because we are in a different situation not because in 10 years everything around us is so markedly different. It also depends on your outlook on life, those who want to find all the problems around them will, and those who want to find the positive side of things will find that.

i visited for first time 2 years ago and moved here from Sweden 6 months after my first visit. Dont regret it at all.

prices weather and country people as good as when I arrived in the last century

Dont see many foreigners here lots passing through and half a dozen I talk to

Locaals geat its much safer than Europe Oz or USA in my expreience of Spain NSW and Florida.

The food security and access to albeit basic prmary health care and dentistry better than mos.

For anyone considering moving try it for a while working is a different experience and rural life is very different to coast or BKK.Of course it all depends on your taste goals and needs.

Life has got better email telecoms and net means global access.Travel never cheaper .Fuel here and Air Asia for local.

I am very glad I came and odd v cheap to help me keep a calender in retirement. Total costs c$60 or 15cents a day

I do still travel and while Thailnd stays the same the Gulf UK Spain Germany France and Oz all seem to get pricier nastier and dirtier.Exceptions France and Oman stay as I recalland USA and New Zealand which seem better.

Only other places Id consider to retire Uruguay Portugal or Finland and my lanna wife would find too different.

May I add its cool here in far N and I did find lfe in Central too clamy even with A/c

What changes are we talking about?

In my twenty years living here I think most changes has been to the better. I sense this is just another it used to be better thread. It didn´t in my oppinion.

Several off topic/argumentative posts removed. Keep it civil guys.

Sure, it still has many advantages over living in certain western countries (namely, the US).

Edited November 24, 200916 yr by ballzafire

I remember saying to my wife once, in the early days, that I wish i'd met her 15 years ago. She gave me a quizzical look and said; 'but I would've only been 10 years old'.

Gave me a very sobering perspective when asked to pine for the past. That being said I would agree that the biggest change has been from the level of arrogance and entitlement from a newer generation of folks who want to bring their cultural values with them, instead of respecting those of their host nation.

As long as the somtam recipe doesn't change, it's still a good place to be.

I remember saying to my wife once, in the early days, that I wish i'd met her 15 years ago. She gave me a quizzical look and said; 'but I would've only been 10 years old'.

Gave me a very sobering perspective when asked to pine for the past. That being said I would agree that the biggest change has been from the level of arrogance and entitlement from a newer generation of folks who want to bring their cultural values with them, instead of respecting those of their host nation.

As long as the somtam recipe doesn't change, it's still a good place to be.

Yes, when I told my wife that I first travelled in Thailand in 1971 we had a laugh because she would have been only a year old then!

Going back that far, yes of course Thailand has changed since then, but so has everywhere. I was young then, and Thailand seemed to me like paradise. I fell in love with the place, and I've never really fallen out of love with it. Yes there are minor irritations now, but that's also universal. I don't think it's become any less desirable as a place to live. The only thing that would concern me if I was a newbie looking to move to Thailand is the volatility of the current political situation.

I consider that not too much has changed. The things that annoy me still do but are still outweighed by the things that delight me. The greatest change is ME. I'm a far more nicer and considerate person than before. My wife and my assimilation into a new family can take the credit for that.

Everything has steadily improved except for whingers and whiners on the internet.

i second that!