Hawaii Vrs. Thailand

[JimmyTheMook]

Looking for some comparisons to life in both places.

I realize this is pretty broad - but mainly as a place to raise school age kids , housing , cost of living , peoples attitude, weather.

[givenall]

No comparisons. If you can afford Hawaii, then I chose there. Otherwise Thailand is the second chose.

As far as education, if Hawaii is the same as California then again Thailand comes short. Same thing for raising kids.

Seems like you are not ready for retiring, therefore I recommend to stay in state and make as much many as you can while taking care of family. Then retire in Thailand when the obligations are reduced

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

As far as education, if Hawaii is the same as California then again Thailand comes short. Same thing for raising kids.

I grew up in California, and spent most of my adult life (15 years) in Hawaii, before moving to Thailand. I'll try to answer your questions, but I don't think education and raising children are the same in Hawaii, as they are in California.

Similarities between Thailand and Hawaii -

1. The weather: It is warm in Hawaii like it is in Thailand, but about 7 or 8 degrees cooler. It is usually in the lower 80's most of the year, and in the upper 70's in the winter. The humidity is about the same as Thailand, but steady tradewinds in Hawaii make it feel less oppressive and a bit cooler. It rains more in Hawaii than Thailand, depending on where you live. The windward mountain slopes get a lot of rain on all islands. It will usually rain in most of Hawaii every afternoon and usually overnight. Still, if you live on a leeward (western) coast, it is quite arid. The Kona coast is a lava desert, and only gets about 7 inches of rain a year, but as you get up into the mountains, coffee, cacao beans and avocados grow well. There are lush rainforests, and, of course, the famous beaches, just like Thailand.

2. The people: Hawaii's population is about 40% ethnic Japanese, and about 25% Asian/Pacific Islander, consisting of Filipinos, Chinese, Koreans, Samoans, and Hawaiians. Mixed race people are common (like Obama, but usually an Asian mix). The people are generally laid-back and easygoing. They smile a lot, and are known for their friendliness ("aloha spirit"). Much more so than California. Politically, Hawaii is 80% registered Democrat, although there's currently a Republican governor (the state's first). Because of the weather, beaches, and mixed races, Hawaii has beautiful women. It also has the fittest and healthiest population, due to all the outdoor activities and Asian diet.

3. Education: Hawaii, like Thailand and unlike California, has very poor public schools. If you have caucasian children, they will be subjected to bad influences like "pidgen English" or tormented with things like "kill haole day". Because the public schools are so bad, Hawaii has some of the best private schools in the U.S., like Punahou (where Obama graduated). Private schools are very expensive in Hawaii like Thailand, and you're looking at $15,000-$20,000 per year for tuition. Other good private schools include Iolani, St. Louis, Sacred Hearts and Kamehameha (reserved for part-Hawaiian students).

Hawaii does not have a problem with gang violence like the larger cities in California, where there are problems with African-American, Hispanic and Vietnamese youths.

The University of Hawaii is an excellent university, and has good graduate programs in law and medicine. There is a connection between Thailand and UH. In 1964, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit made a gift to the East-West Center at the university, and the King visited Hawaii to dedicate the Thai Pavilion in 1967. East-West Center website

(OK - full disclosure, I'm a double graduate of UH, having receive my undergraduate and law degrees there. )

Differences between Hawaii and Thailand -

1. The cost of housing: this is the big hit in Hawaii, and why some feel it is a better place to retire than to live. The recession only brought down condo prices in Hawaii, and not house prices. A small house in Hawaii will start at $300,000, but you're looking at least a half million for most homes. You can get a small condo for $150,000, and larger condos go for $300,000. Rents are about $2,000 per month for a small house, or large condo. If you have children, I recommend looking at bedroom communities like Kailua (where Obama is vacationing) and Hawaii Kai, both on Oahu. The public schools are better in these towns, and your children wouldn't be racially harassed. Although, if you have part-Asian children, I suppose they would escape this harassment. If you are more interested in rural living, look at Maui or the Big Island, although I personally don't think that these are necessarily good places to raise children. I think they make great retirement choices.

2. The cost of living: You are going to pay a premium to live in Hawaii, but housing is the main reason it's expensive to live there. Gas is expensive, usually over $4 per gallon, but you don't drive far in Hawaii. Milk is very expensive, about $6 per gallon. Perishables that have to come from the U.S. mainland are about 30% more expensive. The price of paradise Other consumer items that are shipped from the mainland are expensive. However, imports from Asia (like cars , electronics, clothes and shoes) are no more expensive than the U.S. mainland, as the shipping costs are a little lower.

3. America: Hawaii is very American. Despite a resilient sovereignty movement, Hawaii is very much integrated into the U.S. It has more military bases than any other state. The three freeways on Oahu were built with federal highway money, and begin and end at military bases. You can find any product from the U.S. mainland in Hawaii. In fact, there are more Asian markets in L.A., than Hawaii. In Hawaii, you will shop at Safeway, Costco and Home Depot, have your car serviced at JiffyLube, and be able to eat at Chilies, Denny's, and TGIF. In some ways, Hawaii is still stuck in World War II era America: spam, vienna sausage and Van Camp's baked beans are very popular. Hawaii consumes the most spam per capita in the world. In spite of that, you will find great restaurants in Hawaii, especially from the chefs of Hawaii Regional Cuisine (HRC) like Alan Wong, Sam Choy, Peter Merriman and Jean Marie Josselin. HRC started in Hawaii Kai at Roy Yamaguchi's first restaurant (he now has over 20 restaurants in NYC, Vegas, L.A., San Francisco and Tokyo). Roy's

I was able to live in Hawaii, because my salary was the same in California and Nevada, as it was in Hawaii. Many people in Hawaii work two jobs in the hospitality industry. Tourism is a big chunk of the economy, and the military is another big chunk. If you can pull down a decent salary in Hawaii, and can get the housing squared away, I think it's a great place to raise children. Opposite of me, I have two cousins who grew up in Hawaii, and moved to California in their late teen years (their father was a professor at UH). They lived in Hawaii Kai, and both were excellent students, graduating from top universities back east. They loved growing up in Hawaii, especially the beaches and boating.

[surfscuba]

dont forget zippys for their hot dogs and chili on rice and peppas for their meat jun and macaroni salad and mcdonalds for their scrambled eggs and fried spam over rice and dave and busters for their sundaes and video games and hooters for their steak sandwiches and busty t-shirts.

i'm hungry!

bye!

[jetjock]

I am fairly well versed in both places as I have a home in Hawaii and spend a lot of time in Thailand so here are my personal opinions on your question.

Raising kids: Hawaii has a relatively poor school system compared to most other states in the US. Do not know much about the overall school system in Thailand but do know that in both Hawaii and Thailand, many people with money prefer to send their kids to private schools. Highly self motivated kids in both places can get a decent education but from what I have observed it does not appear that the local cultures in both places put a very high value on education. Local kids in Hawaii learn to speak a type of pidgen English which is generally considered to sound low class outside of Hawaii.

Housing: Hawaii is one of the more expensive places for housing in the US wheresas Thailand is very cheap compared to almost anywhere in the US.

Cost of living: Once again, Hawaii has one of the more expensive cost of living in the US and Thailand is relatively cheap compared to most countries in the world.

People attitude: Your are a 'farang' in Thailand and will be a 'haole' in Hawaii so you do get a slight change . The 'Aloha' spirit is mostly now about locals wanting the tourists money however generally speaking you will be much more accepted into the local population in Hawaii than in Thailand.

Weather: Hawaii is considered by many people to have one of the best living climates in the world so is the hands down winner over Thailand in that category. Temperature range for most the year at sea level ranges between 70 to 88 F. (I keep my windows in Hawaii open year around and never need to use my air conditioner and room temperature is always nearly perfect)

Personal Observations: Hawaii has no snakes (other than the Island Blind Snake (which most people mistake for a worm) so you can go hiking anywhere without any worry about critters that can kill you). Diving is great in Hawaii but not as good as the Andaman Sea off Thailand. Thailand has many beautiful girls and they tend to be slim so if you are single and like that type woman then Thailand is your place. The local population of Hawaii consists mainly of people with Pacific Islander blood such as Samoan and Tongan which are very large people ( If you like women that are in the 250 lb. plus class then Hawaii is your place). Overall Hawaii has much-much-much less pollution of water and air than Thailand.

My personal comments: I love both Hawaii and Thailand but for very different reasons. My personal opinion is that Hawaii is a much better place to live but only if you can easily afford it. If you do not have money to burn but still want to live a fairly decent quality life then Thailand would be my choice. Thailand and Hawaii are very different places but if you have the opportunity to spend time in each then you will be able to enjoy the best of two very wonderful worlds.

[wasabi]

I'm trying to find a way to live in Hawaii. Next to Thailand it seems like the best bet for an American who enjoys the Thai lifestyle but doesn't want to deal with the pollution and some of the maddening logic on a daily basis. If I understand it's only a 12 hour flight from Honolulu to BKK and about 600 bucks presently. The challenge like living in Thailand is finding a job but should be easier in HI than TH. I work in finance and am hoping something opens up at the University of Hawaii or one of the foundations there that is a good fit for me. My bet is again like Thailand they will take you more serious if you live there. So I may move before actually having a job.

[NALAK]

Hawaii every time no comparison

[mauiguy90]

California's glory days as a public education haven ended in 1978 when proposition 13 was enacted. Although Californian's may not be aware of it, in recent years surprisingly Hawaii compared favorably with California when comparative national tests(not saying they are good, just comparable). They have similar minority educational problems, with California having a high Spanish Mexican population and Hawaii having a large Polynesian (20%+) population including Samoans, Tongans, Marshallese and of course Hawaiians. There is also an exceedingly large percentage of immigrant Asian presence, which exceeds that of any state in the union. Consequently the number of ESL(English as a second language) students are proportionally high.

In general, good public education in Hawaii depends on your geographical location. If you live in the middle/upper class urban neighborhoods, then test scores are extremely competitive. If you live in the lower socio-economic areas, where most of the non English speakers live, then educational results are poor. The educational system is a one state system, so teachers can transfer from any school of their choosing, dependent on selection by the individual administrative staff. Individual schools do not have budget limits on teacher salaries so the schools in the most desirable areas can hire a staff with the best trained, qualified and experienced staff without thinking twice about how much it costs. Consequently, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.

If you want a good education for your kids in Hawaii, you do need to either live in a desirable area such as Manoa or East Honolulu. That means you need to either pay higher rent or buy property in those areas, unless you have people you can live with in those areas. Makiki is kind of a happy medium but there are less desirable populations in that area as well.

Despite some problems, Hawaii is still a great place to live and most people are very friendly. If you an accident or have a serious problem, someone will be there to help. That's the way things are done there--there is an aloha spirit there, especially for those who are looking to extend it as well as receive it. For those that have any easy smile and look to help others, Hawaii is the place for you. Those not so generous in spirit, will not find hospitality anyplace they live...

[Hawaiian]

Have to agree with mauiguy about our educational system in Hawaii. What has not been mentioned is that charter schools (private with public funding) are an alternative to public schools. Most kids enjoy attending them and excel in national tests.

The U of Hawaii, Hilo campus attracts students from all over the U.S. and western Pacific and has a excellent reputation for a small town college. It is also quite

affordable.

For those that don't care for an urban lifestyle some of the outer islands offer a more laid back atmosphere and less expensive cost of living than Honolulu, Oahu.

Of course everything in life is a trade off.

[sokal]

No comparisons. If you can afford Hawaii, then I chose there. Otherwise Thailand is the second chose.

As far as education, if Hawaii is the same as California then again Thailand comes short. Same thing for raising kids.

Seems like you are not ready for retiring, therefore I recommend to stay in state and make as much many as you can while taking care of family. Then retire in Thailand when the obligations are reduced

of course there is no comparison, because we all hate Thailand on this forum don't we ???

[sokal]

deleted double post

high housing costs, high energy prices.... Your right, there is no comparison

[noot]

simple answer.

LOS IS NO PLACE TO EDUKATE LITTLE AMERICAN KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

good posts on here. I lived in Hawaii on Kauai, Maui and Big Island. There is a lot of variety in Hawaii. Big Island is cheapest. The cost of living can be fairly reasonable on the Big Island. Kauai is most natural and Maui is a nice blend of features. Oahu is too crowded and dodgy for my tastes but interesting to visit.

I personally think its more pristine land and sea in Hawaii. Thailand is often kind of gross due to its pollution. The produce on hawaii is world class with its rich volcanic soils. The exception is Oahu because they have to import a lot of food from the mainland.

If you have the money then Hawaii is nearly unequaled for its beauty and vibe. If your on a budget then Thailand wins.

One difference I would point out is that Hawaiians locals tend to be a bit more hot headed and confrontational than Thai's. Sometimes you have to be pretty tough and thick skinned in Hawaii. Thai's are very xenophobic but they keep their contempt well concealed on the surface are much more respectful and polite at least on the outside.

It's kind of a toss up depending on your hobbies, needs and budget. One thing I will point out is the available female girlfriend situation is a 1000 times better in Thailand.

[joot]

It's kind of a toss up depending on your hobbies, needs and budget. One thing I will point out is the available female girlfriend situation is a 1000 times better in Thailand.

this is the kind of thing you dont want little usa kids exposed to!

70 year old farangs with their 25 year old upcountry girl.

you dont want your little boy hanging with hot little thai girls whose sisters work as "bank tellers, nurses,etc who make ungodly amounts per thai standards".

and god knows what goes thru little usa girls minds when they are exposed to this stuff on a daily basis.

GOD I LOVE THAILAND! nothing like it in good ole usa!

Edited January 1, 2010 by joot

[Ulysses G.]

It's kind of a toss up depending on your hobbies, needs and budget. One thing I will point out is the available female girlfriend situation is a 1000 times better in Thailand.

Hear, hear!

[jetjock]

It's kind of a toss up depending on your hobbies, needs and budget. One thing I will point out is the available female girlfriend situation is a 1000 times better in Thailand.

Hear, hear!

Even saying 1000 times better would probably be an estimate on the low side! Hawaii can be good if you are married but easily succumb to temptation because there probably is very little in the way of available local women that you will ever find tempting to you.

[kikoman]

I lived in Hawaii when it was the Territory of Hawaii, The cost of living then was very high , all of Hawaiian products were shipped in from abroad, which accounted for the high cost of living, people were very friendly, but there was a lot of anger against the US Armed Forces, for their excesses during Martial Law during the WW II . The Islands are Beautiful , I live on the Island of Oahu and Maui. I loved the Islands but I would not live there for the high cost of living.

In my estimation moving to Thailand would be your best bet, concerning the cost of living and the increased purchasing power of 33 baht -to the US dollar.

Good Luck:

Cheers:

[jackr]

Hawaii every time no comparison

How can there not be a comparison! Perhaps you meant to say no contest?

Completely different kettle of fish, though. If you're looking for an alternative to Thailand, look to Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, etc.

Hawaii is of course inherently beautiful, but to live there... Personally found the place quite unfriendly (in town and out in the sticks) and loaded with the typical holidaying yankydoodle doo element. Nothing against the American contingent, but all gets a bit long in the tooth and one-dimensional. Asia is where it's at; stuff the US and stuff the EU

[Tinkelbell]

quoted......."(OK - full disclosure, I'm a double graduate of UH, having receive my undergraduate and law degrees there. )

.......................................................................

zaphodbeeblebroz, I share your sentiments.

I received my second degree in Travel Industrial Management (TIM) from the UH too ( my first degree from Political Science from Thammasart).

Hawaii always remain in my heart. We even held our wedding in a little church by the foot of The Diamond Head. Although I only spent a few years living there, hubby & me have been coming back to visit HI a dozen times in the past 3 decades.

I pick Hawaii over LOS any time.

Like I mentioned in other post, if you're looking for the place that has nice almost perfect weather all year round, beautiful natural surroundings, first world facilities, friendly local people with majority Asians.....then Hawaii is your answer.