i'm curious to know how long people have been here and do your attitudes change. I've been here for 11 years and now find excuses for thai behaviour that i wouldnt consider in my home country. do you do the same?

Going on 9 years.....attitude has changed definite...now have to get out of Thailand a couple of times a year to get my sanity back...LOL

20 years..... after 10 years i start saying 5 times a day "Mai pen Rai" and 6 times a day "Sabai Sabai" when deal with small problem.

Maybey next year going to see a doctor.

One good thing about it is "as long as it isn't a safety issue" it keeps you calm and relax, instead of making issues about things that you can't change and happening dailey.

"Sabai sabai"

SH@T doing it again

Myself a measly 5 years this June. At the local Thai Army golf course there are two chaps I know, Dutch and a German who have been here since 1977 & 1979. I think they went native some years back too.

This is my fourth posting to Thailand which to date adds up to a total of twelve years in Thailand. My first posting was 20 years ago, so my view of Thailand is based on working here for an extended period followed by a couple of years away and then coming back for another extended period.

Each time I've come back to work here my view of Thailand has changed but then so have I.

One positive change to my mind is the growth of the Thai middle class and Thai professionals - Thais are rapidly shedding the 'ever so humble' attitude towards foreigners, both in the work place and in society in general.

Seeing the growing confidence Thai people have in themselves is a really good change.

Going on 9 years.....attitude has changed definite...now have to get out of Thailand a couple of times a year to get my sanity back...LOL

Same here I guess.

Most harmful for me are the traffic around Chiangmai I feel so <deleted>**ed up then, also Carrefour, Shoppingmalls must have real bad energies and I seem to absorb them too easy.

Big lack of peace, tranquility and harmony here, still can't rhyme it with people who call themselves Buddhist.

The only real Buddhists I know are in Holland and Germany.

1975 for me, so can't say that I remember all the phases I have been through. Sometimes it is hard to separate what is Thai related and what is age related. I stopped worrying about it long ago.

Going on ten years!

I have found Peace,Tranquility and Harmony in Thailand, That I never found in the West, people are happier, friendlier, and most of all I can trust people that keep their word. They are not only fair weather friends.

Yes! you are right I have gone Native and am happier surrounded by Thais, the less I interact with the Pattaya, Bangkok and Chang Mai crowd the happier I am.

Life is good here in this/my Rice growing village!

Cheers:

Edited January 30, 201016 yr by kikoman

Going on ten years!

I have found Peace,Tranquility and Harmony in Thailand, That I never found in the West, people are happier, friendlier, and most of all I can trust people that keep their word. They are not only fair weather friends.

Yes! you are right I have gone Native and am happier surrounded by Thais, the less I interact with the Pattaya, Bangkok and Chang Mai crowd the happier I am.

Life is good here in this/my Rice growing village!

Cheers:

Isnt it KIKKOMAN (dubble K)?

Your right listening to all negative comments and stories from other farangs doens't impoved your happiness feeling, the less you hear the better you feel.

What about Thai VIsa?

Does that make you depressive sometimes

10th Year here in the Land O' Thais and my attitudes towards Thailand have naturally changed since first arriving. I think i'm a lot more cautious of my fellow man, Thai or foreigner, than I would be otherwise. Usually i reply with a stock answer when a Thai person asks me how i like living in Thailand. I always say that life here becomes pretty much like living anywhere else. Some days are bad, Some days are good and once the exotic wears off life falls into a daily string of routines. When things happen that annoy me i smirk and roll me eyes, but when good things happen i smile. Life becomes 'normal' after some time, and you only encounter that exotic feeling again on short trips home.

Edited January 30, 201016 yr by dsprtliving

Life becomes 'normal' after some time, and you only encounter that exotic feeling again on short trips home.

Yes, you know you have been here awhile, when you return to your home country and it seems exotic.

Well I was working and living in Thailand for 12 years more on than off, doing short stints in other S.E. Asian countries. Since then I've done further stints in Malaysia, Viet Nam and S. Korea, currently in HCM, VN.

I don't think time in Thailand, or any other country, alone changes your attitude. Your attitude changes with age, the environment you are in may influence the changes to varying degrees but people change with advancing years.

I think it's called "growing up", something that some manage gracefully, some manage disgracefully and some seem to miss out on altogether.

yes i reckon we change immeasurably after a few years here.I only really notice the changes i've gone through when i return home to see family,and feel like a fish out of water.I am just not the same person anymore to the one that left australia nearly 5 years ago,and i think am better for the move.

I have been here a short time compared to most here only 3 1/2 years but been coming here since 1991. The attraction for me is most days are trouble free,and life is simple and easy. I retired here because I like a availability of cheap food,transportation,housing,utility costs etc etc etc. I thoroughly enjoy a simple low pressure low cost lifestyle that thailand offers. My only concern is will I ever have to go back to my home country, I hope not.

Now in my tenth year and several visits before I settled. I think that the biggest change has been in myself. I am no more tolerant of poor service but now keep my cool and just let people know in a moderated voice that I want more bang for my buck, thank them for their attention or the lack of it, and take my business elsewhere.

I find that my exasperated exclamation, "Thailand" and raising my eyes to the sky quickly followed by a grin is becoming acceptable behaviour. I find that the majority of Thais nod in agreement, they themselves grinning. No anger, no hysterics, just acceptance by both parties.

Living upcountry is something else and a more friendly and helpful bunch of people than those in my village I have yet to come across. Every time I go it becomes more stressful tearing myself away to return to city life.

16 and a half years. Don't let too much bother me any more. I love the fact that you can be who you are and no-one gives a dam_n!! Maybe even one day I will have to grow up. Like the fact that there is always something going on here and have many good friends from all over that you wouldn't normally meet, let alone talk to if you were still sitting in your local.

The only thing that annoys the cr@p out of me its stupid western males who ask "why are you here? do you like women?" or similar! I don't get upset (much) anymore but now have stock answer "NO, love Thai men, and I don't have to pay" usually shuts them up.

16 and a half years. Don't let too much bother me any more. I love the fact that you can be who you are and no-one gives a dam_n!! Maybe even one day I will have to grow up. Like the fact that there is always something going on here and have many good friends from all over that you wouldn't normally meet, let alone talk to if you were still sitting in your local.

The only thing that annoys the cr@p out of me its stupid western males who ask "why are you here? do you like women?" or similar! I don't get upset (much) anymore but now have stock answer "NO, love Thai men, and I don't have to pay" usually shuts them up.

Moved to the Gay section

got bitten by the esan bug in 1963, been coming and going ever since, did the buying a a house bit in huahin long before the scandinavian invasion now a 3month visit once or twice a year is enough to keep us oldies sane, must admit though still enjoy the odd bucket of lao khao and a game of cards keeps me young

got bitten by the esan bug in 1963, been coming and going ever since, did the buying a a house bit in huahin long before the scandinavian invasion now a 3month visit once or twice a year is enough to keep us oldies sane, must admit though still enjoy the odd bucket of lao khao and a game of cards keeps me young

isaan surely gotta be better than oakey no?unless your family are in oakey of course.

6years for me and never been so happy.I never lose my temper because its not worth it and my life is brilliant,compared to working hard in the uk.Have many many friends here,both thai and non thais,which makes my life complete.Have no intention of being an upcountry expat but each to their own.

23 years and I have a wonderful wife and two great sons. No regrets ever, continue to work on projects both inside and outside of Thailand. Financially secure which for living in Thailand and any other country is important.

22 years this time around. Spent extensive years {in the broader SE Asia region} as well in the 1960s and 1970s. Well seasoned, I am.

Going on ten years!

I have found Peace,Tranquility and Harmony in Thailand, That I never found in the West, people are happier, friendlier, and most of all I can trust people that keep their word. They are not only fair weather friends.

Yes! you are right I have gone Native and am happier surrounded by Thais, the less I interact with the Pattaya, Bangkok and Chang Mai crowd the happier I am.

Life is good here in this/my Rice growing village!

Cheers:

Such a positive post. I am really glad for you.

got bitten by the esan bug in 1963, been coming and going ever since, did the buying a a house bit in huahin long before the scandinavian invasion now a 3month visit once or twice a year is enough to keep us oldies sane, must admit though still enjoy the odd bucket of lao khao and a game of cards keeps me young

isaan surely gotta be better than oakey no?unless your family are in oakey of course.

oakey and Leong Nok Tha (near Mukdaharn) are about the same standard! good friends , great living area, the odd neighbour or 2 speak english standard of driving is the same, old fat farangs with young thai wives, fresh made somtam pla raah 2 minutes walk from the front door, only big difference in oakey need a lot more tea money for planning permission than in isaan lol