Do The Thais Like Living In Thailand?

[craigt3365]

Very few Thais are interested in living overseas, at least permanently, which is why they are so rare compared with other Asian elasticities. They barely make up 1% of the 15 million Asian Americans.

Most folks I know here would LOVE to go overseas. Like mentioned above, they have illusions from what is seen on TV. The TV show Friends, with that huge apartment (never happen)....etc. The reason they can't travel is that they can't get a visa. Almost impossible unless you own property and have a decent job. Otherwise, forget it. Japanese? No problems. From Taiwan? OK. Thailand? Forget it.

In my wife's village and surrounding area there are many, many, many Thai guys who are working overseas...Israel is a big one. Ever heard about all those scams that prey on these poor folks...give me 50k Baht and I will get you a job in ?????. Then they disappear.

Once overseas, some start to miss home, others really appreciate the better infrastructure, lifestyle, etc. I mean it is hard to argue with how darn nice things are in first world countries. No internet problems, high def TV, great roads, pretty honest cops, great shopping, etc. Even I miss that stuff!!! If ya got the bucks, there are some darn nice places to live...but most come with high price tags...and can be a little sterile...

[bina]

most of the thai guys here love thailand, prefer to live forever in thailand, miss the food, the social network, the farm life and dont really care abou tthe money side of living. they like making the money needed, but the actual livng they dont really enjoy. israel is not easy for thai men (i think the women have it better/easier/just prefer the 'pampering' side of life that higher level of living can get u, but the men married ot women here seem to always be in a permanent homesickness state, and dont seem to integrate well with the style of living here.

im talking about the migrant workers as well as those guys ive met that have israeli wives (mostly on kibbutz or moshav so they have to get used to not only a different country, but a very different life style - my kibbutz for instance is still very socialistic. husband despises anything remotely 'communist' as he puts it. pay him a million dollars and he would stil lrefuse to become a member (he has told them he refuses.)

if my son wasnt in the army, im sure we would be in thailand in the next year cause husband really doesnt like it here apart from humous in pita. and as for those that move to other countries, often poeple that move to other countries (israelis are a classic case) they always are 'going back home' next year. just teh next year things happen and the plans become harder to actually carry out. the kids in school, there's a good job finally, the flowers finally came in, the list is endless. and some people just dont have the money to move again back to home country.

on the other side of the spectrum, i've lived in israel for 30 yrs now and dont remember the 'real' america, dont miss it, dont even like to visit... and can see myself in thailand just as well as here, (thailand doesnt have the wars, the aggrssions, the violence, corruption , well, maybe the same corruption, and it has tropical fruit and better winters. as for quality of life, poor here, poor there same same.)

most of the thai men, when i ask them, and i do, tend to say things like : in thailand no one tells u what u can do with your house, if u can have chickens or not, when to work, when to take vacation time, no beaurocracy etc. they are naive, as they are mostly country agricultural guys here, and dont realize that thailand is catching up to the rest of the world in rules/regualtions/paperwork. the women on the other hand, mostly are stay at home wives, living in good housing, with yearly vacations in thailand, but they also, for the most part, tend to voice dislike of the country here (war, aggressive people always shouting, blablabla). but they do like their own house, shopping, and luxury items. they miss the family and the food. and im not talking again about thai women migrant workers. i m talking about older women who have been here a long time, have kids here in school or in army here.

bina

israel

[tangcoral]

Very few Thais are interested in living overseas, at least permanently, which is why they are so rare compared with other Asian elasticities. They barely make up 1% of the 15 million Asian Americans.

I think this is due to the visa status requirements.

hel_l, if there was an open visa or refugee status let the flood gates open, I'm sure Thailand would loose at least a million citizens in a blink.

Not a scientific poll however being an Asian American and surrounded by many other Asian immigrants, where else LA.

I noticed that asians from poorer countries generally want to go back home when they retire, example Philippines and Thais as they can retire cheap an comfortable.

However this only holds true of nations that haven't experienced war in recent memories like Vietnamese and political suppressed countries like mainland china, cambodia and laos.

Cant comment on Singaporeans, Malaysians, Indonesians, Myanmar cause there just is'nt enough of them.

General consensus of immigrants from richer countries like Korea, Japan, Taiwan rather tend to stay in the USA and call it their home.

Edited March 1, 2010 by tangcoral

[DP25]

I think this is due to the visa status requirements.

hel_l, if there was an open visa or refugee status let the flood gates open, I'm sure Thailand would loose at least a million citizens in a blink.

Not a scientific poll however being an Asian American and surrounded by many other Asian immigrants, where else LA.

I noticed that asians from poorer countries generally want to go back home when they retire, example Philippines and Thais as they can retire cheap an comfortable.

Phillipinos are the largest Asian American group, with roughly 4 million compared to 150-200k Thais. And over 10 million overseas worldwide. Thais could do the same thing, emigrate in huge numbers, but they don't. It's not really easier for Koreans, Vietnamese, Phillipinos, Chinese, etc to move to the US, but they all do in the millions each, while Thais are only a handful.

[hardy1943]

Jingthing I take offence ....... well maybe not too much.

I think a lot of Thai's want to live in a different country but once they have been there a while I think they miss home (Thailand) it also depends on the age.

Maybe so, but they all want a foreign education.

Let be frank no one ever come here to get one .

Us Farang get one for free and the Riff Off and treating as like criminals from Government employees gets worse every year

[Travel2003]

None of my friends here would like to live in another country.

However, they are willing to work in another country for shorter (5-6 months) periods.

But they all want to live here.

Same with my wife as well. She doesnt want to leave Thailand.

Have they ever been abroad before to see the other side of the coin?

The ones that have been working abroad, yes.

I have never been to Poland, I have some nice colleagues from there. Still, I dont want to move there.

;-)

;-)

[carmine]

Many of the posts on ThaiVisa would lead me to believe that anywhere is better than Thailand.

The worlds worst drivers, the worlds lazieist people, the worlds stupidest people the worlds worst scheming cheating women, the worlds worst alcoholics, the most corrupt government and police force, and so on and so on, they are all Thai according to ThaiVisa posters, the negativity on this forum is absolutely unbelievable, especially as it comes from mainly those with a choice.

It appears that Thai people don't mind living in Thailand. 99.99% have no choice anyway, yet many ThaiVisa Farang posters who have the choice hate the place, and still live there.

Strange.

Myself, I don't live in Thailand, I have a comfortable life in my own country, it's great for holidays and I don't think I would want to spoil my image of Thailand by living there full time. Thanks mainly to this forum.

Luckily i do have a choice, I would think many of the haters of Thailand have no choice but to stay there, that's why they hate it.

You my friend have it sussed. (i don't think it is the most corrupt government though )

[Travel2003]

Many of the posts on ThaiVisa would lead me to believe that anywhere is better than Thailand.

The worlds worst drivers, the worlds lazieist people, the worlds stupidest people the worlds worst scheming cheating women, the worlds worst alcoholics, the most corrupt government and police force, and so on and so on, they are all Thai according to ThaiVisa posters, the negativity on this forum is absolutely unbelievable, especially as it comes from mainly those with a choice.

It appears that Thai people don't mind living in Thailand. 99.99% have no choice anyway, yet many ThaiVisa Farang posters who have the choice hate the place, and still live there.

Strange.

Myself, I don't live in Thailand, I have a comfortable life in my own country, it's great for holidays and I don't think I would want to spoil my image of Thailand by living there full time. Thanks mainly to this forum.

Luckily i do have a choice, I would think many of the haters of Thailand have no choice but to stay there, that's why they hate it.

Really too bad if you let a Forum of strangers spoil your image of Thailand.

[dmax]

my wife doesnt want to go back, maybe because she has money in her pocket now but hates the climate here in uk. if she had money in thailand and was able to live comfortably then she says she would like to return home.

[somtampet]

Many of the posts on ThaiVisa would lead me to believe that anywhere is better than Thailand.

The worlds worst drivers, the worlds lazieist people, the worlds stupidest people the worlds worst scheming cheating women, the worlds worst alcoholics, the most corrupt government and police force, and so on and so on, they are all Thai according to ThaiVisa posters, the negativity on this forum is absolutely unbelievable, especially as it comes from mainly those with a choice.

It appears that Thai people don't mind living in Thailand. 99.99% have no choice anyway, yet many ThaiVisa Farang posters who have the choice hate the place, and still live there.

Strange.

Myself, I don't live in Thailand, I have a comfortable life in my own country, it's great for holidays and I don't think I would want to spoil my image of Thailand by living there full time. Thanks mainly to this forum.

Luckily i do have a choice, I would think many of the haters of Thailand have no choice but to stay there, that's why they hate it.

Think all you like mate,and dont get jealous of the many rich expats here in Thailand who choose to live here because its better than most other places

[somtampet]

my wife doesnt want to go back, maybe because she has money in her pocket now but hates the climate here in uk. if she had money in thailand and was able to live comfortably then she says she would like to return home.

We have an honest guy in da room.

Most thais want one thing and that dosh,not living in uk.

[toptuan]

I have a couple hundred Thai friends and acquaintances. Only one of them is happy to remain in Thailand. The rest would rather be elsewhere. Maybe it's more reflective of hot, dry Isaan where the usual labor is backbreaking farm work.

[HS Mauberley]

In all walks of life, a lot more people say they want to do something than actually do it when the opportunity arises. I suspect - although I could obviously be wrong - that if presented with a visa, a one-way ticket and enough money to get started, those hundreds would rapidly thin out.

[kikoman]

Ask yourself the same question, why would you live in 3rd world Thailand if everything is so great in your home country. What keeps you here and why have you not returned to your country?

My friends most of which are rice farmers, want to go to the west to work to send money home to their families, it is a question of economics, not a question of not wanting to live in their own country, most older Thais I know. left to work in the west ( including my father in law) who worked in Libya. They return to start their own businesses.

Some leave for some of the reasons that have been mentioned, such as most Expats have done in coming to Thailand.

Mexico is to close to the US and the cost of living and the violence fighting for the competition to feed the US ever increasing Drug using population.

I have left the violence in the US as well as Mexico. and plan never to move back!

Cheers:

[tooninthai]

The Thai's that realise how good it is here are the ones that move to say Scunthorpe under the false impression their so called millionaire husband lives in a castle when he actually lives in a run down shoddy council flat that hasn't seen a lick of paint since 1968 with the local Kebab shop as the culinary delight after a Friday night out on the piss. These are the ones that return faster than a butchers dog.

Would that be for a new 'bone' ?

[Jangot]

I work extended periods outside Thailand in various countries.

Sometimes my wife joins me. She is always eager to get back to Thailand.

She has visited my family in UK twice. and would definitely not want to live there.

A real duck out of water.

If it isn't Chiang Mai, it isn't.

J.

[bina]

seems my post went to cyberspace... so:

of the 26000 migrant thai workers here, i would say from what i hear from a vast majority they dont want to live here: war, aggressive people, racism, corruption no religious freedom, hate the food, too many rules and regulations that seem arbitrary to them. for the most part they dont like the people. they mostly all seem to prefer the agricultural life of when there's no work, hang out, want to quit, no problem, etc. all they talk about is how wonderful thailand is, their families, their friends, the food, the climate, the music...

the men that stay like my husband are here for their wives not because they see their life here in any way shape or form. the women (thai) that are here for their husbands, on the other hand, seem to like it here. they dont like the people or the food but the quality of the life they have here with the husband (usually dont work, stay at home, for a guy here to marry a foreigner a lot of money is needed wo obviously the quality of life is equal to that. anon wouldnt stay here if i drop dead tomorrow, not for a milliion dollars. but he is not content with sitting at home cleaning the house and so is out working. and the type of work he can get is not conducive to enjoyment. its physical labour either in gardening or in restaraunts. havent met any high tec thai guys working and living here.

i havent met any middle or upper class thai that live here becasue they want to. actually, they cant live here. the only reason someone can come live here is if they are marrying someone here, or they belong to some esoteric religious community like some japanese group that lives here. so therefore, no thais that arent in the migrant worker with or w/o visa category.

bina

israel

[Shuguk]

Yea, I know, not as good as a couple of years ago, but the house is there near Pak Chong already, there is also a car so it would just be living costs.....in theory...(forever the optimist). I do have some savings and there is the fall-back of a private pension, that I already get, and the UK government pension that I will get in a couple of years. I`ll work `til I`m 65 and see what happens.

Actually, what might swing it to at least 6 months/6 months is that I feel so much better in Thailand healthwise. No more hassle with my legs after sciatica like I do in the cold winter in Scotland, and just a feeling of wellbeing.

Shug

you might be retiring at 66 or 67,just get this feeling that the government cannot afford to pay out.I have 8 years to draw mine so i hope i am wrong.

I also hope you are wrong also but remember us golden oldies have to have a dream also....it keeps you going. But to get back on-topic, I know lots of Thai people both here in the UK and in Thailand. The ones here in the UK are queing up to do the Life in the UK test and the ones in Thailand wish they had the chance. It is a pity I can only marry one to help them out. Ha ha, but can you imagine being married to more than one Thai wife? A*se and elbow, and round the bend spring to mind.

Shug

[Brigante7]

Its all about your personal situation and what you have to compare it to. Generally most people of any nationality are fine with living in their home country for life. Brits may be an exception.

Not sure where you're from Jingthing but every person I know who has left the UK has left purely because the country has gone to shit, that's why, no other reason.

Brigante7.

[lazygourmet]

Nice and accurate post -as usual!- Bina...

We went holidaying -2 years ago- in Israel, Jordan, Syria and Turkey.

The most happy Thai people -that we found- who are living in this part of the world, were in Istambul.

But back to the topic:

Mother-in-law is living and running businesses in Germany, at present she is just visiting us, here in Bangkok... but she cannot stand the heat, the dirt, the global disorganization, total chaos, etc.... She is dreaming about a Switzerland retirement!

Ironically, when we are going to Europe I (Belgian) and my girlfriend (Thai) cannot stand the cold, aseptic environment and the nanny state organization.

[MrHammer]

Thais don't exactly strike me as an adventorous people. Ask a Thai were they would like to go in the world if they had the chance. Most would probably say Phuket.

[Lammbock]

Once i traveled with a Thai overseas and the first think at the Dinner around our hotel was " I don't like, not same Thailand" I just thought what stupid Thai.

of cause its not same Thailand because it is not Thailand. What he expect? The hole world is like Thailand? Crappy Street food and 35 degree all day?

Sometimes there are so stupid and no open mind. Only Thailand Thailand Thailand.

[nakachalet]

They miss their family indeed, but do they really miss the country?

Not really a statistical study, but all the Thais I know who moved abroad with their husband, wife or parents never came back to Thailand on a permanent basis.

And never tried to.

Same for quite a few Thais I know who studied abroad and never came back.

i beg to differ, eurasianthai

all my relatives without any exception love to travel overseas, as a matter of fact, around the globe....

after a few weeks of amazingly seeing and exploring new territory, culture and people.... they want to return to thailand....

my nephews and nieces are no different.... they graduated from eastern seaboard as well as western seashore.... they are all here in thailand doing their own things....

but do they want to return to the states, england or australia.... yes, they surely want to.... but just for visiting colleages and friends

and not to stay....

i guess, the difference is.... how a person is taught, when they were younger, to appreciate life, the quality of life and the value of money.... and

more importantly, the person's place in the society and.... how much is the person willing give back, specifically--be where you are needed most (as it was put to me in 1987 by HRM).... the SELFLESS concept that eludes most of the people....

but i must confess, when i was younger.... i never thought that i would come to the pacificrims either.... there was just nothing worthy outside of the north american countinent.... LOL (sorry, my brit and aussie friends! i know now.... that was really silly of me....)

Edited March 2, 2010 by nakachalet

[mogoso]

Once i traveled with a Thai overseas and the first think at the Dinner around our hotel was " I don't like, not same Thailand" I just thought what stupid Thai.

of cause its not same Thailand because it is not Thailand. What he expect? The hole world is like Thailand? Crappy Street food and 35 degree all day?

Sometimes there are so stupid and no open mind. Only Thailand Thailand Thailand.

It might take a while to be accustomed to different food different locations. His I don't like was at least momentarily honest. My wife's reaction to mashed potatoes and gravy wasn't a smashing success, " that look bad" and wouldn't taste them .She now loves them and makes them better than I do. Her first reaction to most anything new, here or in Thailand, is not to like it, call it her default position. It takes a while but she will change her mind.

I myself like street food, I have an open mind about it. Most will be decent some bad and a few exceptional

[joorakee]

Well, if your life options are limited to choosing between working in the fields or making trainers for Nike, living abroad probably seems rather attractive but if you've got a good education and come from the middle classes, living abroad can quite often be a step down. My wife lived in England for 5 years doing post-grad work but always had zero interest in staying there.

Just like my Thai fellow students in Japan. Most of them return(ed) to Thailand by choice.

[phetaroi]

Very few Thais are interested in living overseas, at least permanently, which is why they are so rare compared with other Asian elasticities. They barely make up 1% of the 15 million Asian Americans.

I think this is due to the visa status requirements.

hel_l, if there was an open visa or refugee status let the flood gates open, I'm sure Thailand would loose at least a million citizens in a blink.

Not a scientific poll however being an Asian American and surrounded by many other Asian immigrants, where else LA.

I noticed that asians from poorer countries generally want to go back home when they retire, example Philippines and Thais as they can retire cheap an comfortable.

However this only holds true of nations that haven't experienced war in recent memories like Vietnamese and political suppressed countries like mainland china, cambodia and laos.

Over the years, in the American school where I was an administrator, we had a few Thai students almost every year. I got to know most of the families, and virtually every family was in America so their children could get an education from primary school right on up through college, and then they all stated a wish to return to Thailand. The family that lived in the townhouse next to me was Thai -- opened a Thai restaurant, and they appear to be staying. But several of the families I knew well did, indeed, return to Thailand once the kids finished college.

[phetaroi]

Once i traveled with a Thai overseas and the first think at the Dinner around our hotel was " I don't like, not same Thailand" I just thought what stupid Thai.

of cause its not same Thailand because it is not Thailand. What he expect? The hole world is like Thailand? Crappy Street food and 35 degree all day?

Sometimes there are so stupid and no open mind. Only Thailand Thailand Thailand.

It might take a while to be accustomed to different food different locations. His I don't like was at least momentarily honest. My wife's reaction to mashed potatoes and gravy wasn't a smashing success, " that look bad" and wouldn't taste them .She now loves them and makes them better than I do. Her first reaction to most anything new, here or in Thailand, is not to like it, call it her default position. It takes a while but she will change her mind.

I myself like street food, I have an open mind about it. Most will be decent some bad and a few exceptional

I have mixed feelings about Lammbock's post. I guess what turned me off at first glance was the insulting nature of it. I know lots of people in America who prefer nothing but good old American food. Not adventuresome at all. Doesn't make them stupid. I know other people who love experimenting with different cuisines. Doesn't make them intelligent.

Mogoso, I think you are pretty close to the reality of it. It takes time to adjust. When I cook American here (at home in Bangkok), my Thai spouse isn't always thrilled with it, but will eat it. Has come to appreciate pasta and pizza, for example, but not a big fan of gravy or most cheeses. And, I don't eat "in the village", and don't apologize for it. It's understood in advance "because I have a stomach medical problem". ;-) And I do, but eat lots of Thai food in places I trust for reasonable cleanliness. Lammbock doesn't seem to understand that eating "internationally" is an acquired taste. And for the average Thai who can afford to buy only Thai food, there's not much of an opportunity to acquire that international taste.

[WeeGB]

They don't know where Aberdeen or Birmingham are, on any continent.

I've developed a method for not only reducing the number of inane questions from locals, in the 40 minute songtieow ride from town to our village, but stopping them completely.

When I'm asked where I am from, I say Scotland, (which is true..I was born there, but raised in England). Nobody seems to have even heard of Scotland. Stops all the rest of the questions, particularly to my wife, (how old is he, how much does he earn!?!, etc. Resulting in a comparitively peaceful journey.

There was one lady, however, who not wishing to look too unknowledgeable, remarked to her friend that Scotland was in Sweden.....I think she meant Stockholm.

My wife is much happier travelling in the taxi now. Until she lived in the UK, she didn't realise how nosey most Thai people are.....now it drives her mad.

[Boo]

My husband spent 5 1/2 years in UK just outside of London, had a decent job, friends, got a British passport & both places in his mind are now home. Last night we were discussing our future plans, where to settle, what place has best schools for our son, where is best business opportunities for us both & he surprised me by suggesting that one of the options was going back to UK.

For the past 5 1/2 years we were always agreed that Thailand would be our home once we were ready so that our son could experience the Thai side of his culture but that we would all return to UK for his senior education/university etc but it seems that coming back has been less of the expected home coming he imagined. He sees Thailand now with different eyes & like his Thai friends who live in Stockholm (thai-thai families) also see the benefits of western life. His friends thai wife in Stockholm told me that she would never return to Thailand & would not allow her daughters to be raised there. Make of that what you will?

That's not to say that we will go back full time but as HE suggested it is just an example of one Thai person living & appreciating life away from Thailand as well as being able to also appreciate what Thailand has to offer too. Nothing is so black & white for anyone I think but what it boils down to for us, is our son & what is best for him, our own needs come 2nd to his & my husband will gladly sacrifice his own need (living in Thailand) if it benefits our child.

[robert00]

Its all about your personal situation and what you have to compare it to. Generally most people of any nationality are fine with living in their home country for life. Brits may be an exception.

My ex wife, I couldn't get her back to Thailand with ten horses, even promising to build a house for her didn't work.