ThailandLovr Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 I get asked so often by friends back home about living in Thailand. Asking me the major pros and cons. My Pros: 1) Very inexpensive basic but comfortable living conditions (housing, food, basic medical/dental) 2) Sun virtually day. Even in the rainy season the sun usually breaks through a few times a day (where I've stayed) 3) The absence of daily stress as it is in the west (road rage, up-tightness, open display of anger) [ignoring current protests] Cons: 1) Language barrier related difficulties 2) Relentless heat and humidity 3) Seems everything is old, dusty, dirty everywhere. What are your TOP THREE pros and cons? (Please leave out the women part, everybody knows that.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midasthailand Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 PROS: The (mostly) friendly Thai people. The range, availability, quality and cost of fruit and vegetables, The comfortable and easy paced lifestyle at a relatively low cost. CONS: Traffic Noise Being seen by all non-farangs as "rich". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 PROS:The (mostly) friendly Thai people. The range, availability, quality and cost of fruit and vegetables, The comfortable and easy paced lifestyle at a relatively low cost. CONS: Traffic Noise Being seen by all non-farangs as "rich". But you are rich Midas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likewise Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pros : - Very good standard of living easy to maintain with lets say 1400 euro/month. (that's for my life, some might need more, some less). - Climate, even though a bit of rain would be very welcome now. - The locals, some good some bad as everywhere but most are ok. Cons : - Corruption in all levels of society. - Poor customer and after sale service. - The law that doesn't seem to be the same for everybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 PROS: - Friendly people / culture - High standard of living (value for money) - Love all aspects of Thailand: music, food, religion, etc.. it just fits for me. CONS: - Lack of any sort of safety standards - Corruption, bureaucracy / not a fully democratic country which doesn't affect single guys but does affect my children. - Ugly women (Ok, I needed three. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midasthailand Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 PROS:The (mostly) friendly Thai people. The range, availability, quality and cost of fruit and vegetables, The comfortable and easy paced lifestyle at a relatively low cost. CONS: Traffic Noise Being seen by all non-farangs as "rich". But you are rich Midas. James, I probably earn less in a year than you do in a month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 PROS:The (mostly) friendly Thai people. The range, availability, quality and cost of fruit and vegetables, The comfortable and easy paced lifestyle at a relatively low cost. CONS: Traffic Noise Being seen by all non-farangs as "rich". But you are rich Midas. James, I probably earn less in a year than you do in a month! For you sake I hope not. I am so poor I have to use my work computer to go on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry9999 Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pros Corruption The weather Thai people Cons Corruption The weather Thai people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangcoral Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pros: Thai People = friendly, courteous, not outspoken Low cost less competitive Cons: Hot humid weather Traffic little choices in quality products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
givenall Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pro’s are pretty good. Cons: 1. Red shirt 2. Red shirt 3. Red Shirt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HalfSquat Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pros: Rent is cheap Money goes further Beaches are never that far away Cons: Lack of western-sausages/fry-ups Western clothes are too expensive Can't walk around/less things to walk to/miss wandering about like back home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F1fanatic Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Gary9999 - spot on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeGB Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pros The weather, from the almost everyday sunshine, to watching the lightning at night, over the mountains behind our house, in the rainy season. The beautiful smiles from pretty girls, when we're out shopping. I'm happily married, and too old to be interested in them in any other way but being friendly, but it really makes my day. Being able to sit in the garden for nearly all of our meals, watching the various lizards, chameleons, butterflies, and birds. Far more uplifting than being huddled over a fire and watching garbage TV. Cons No long warm summer nights, that last until almost 11pm. A lack of easily available, decent reading material - though I'm currently investigating those computer book thingumejigs, so that may improve. No English speaking friends who live locally. I've a hearing problem, and find learning Thai impossible. My wife does her best, bless her, but sometimes it would be nice to spend an afternoon or evening, conversing with others, in my native tongue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverdie Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 PROS:The (mostly) friendly Thai people. The range, availability, quality and cost of fruit and vegetables, The comfortable and easy paced lifestyle at a relatively low cost. CONS: Traffic Noise Being seen by all non-farangs as "rich". But you are rich Midas. James, I probably earn less in a year than you do in a month! midas, i heard james works for peanuts.....so what exactly do you get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverdie Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 (edited) neverdies pros: 1. Limitless amusing occurrences around me daily causing me to laugh. 2. Carefree lifestyle. 3. Food. cons: 1. Eat too much. 2. Careless people. 3. Too much amusement. ps: good to see you on deck OP. Edited March 17, 2010 by neverdie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThailandLovr Posted March 17, 2010 Author Share Posted March 17, 2010 Hi neverdie. Yeah you sure are right about the food, I am up about 15 kgs in the past couple of years and worry if I will ever stop getting fatter! Now I can even eat the spicy dishes, like curry soups <aloy mak mah!>. Surprised I haven't read more cons about the language barrier. Drives me more and more nuts not knowing what everybody is saying, including my gf. I know neverdie speaks Thai fairly well, but how do you others cope sitting there like a deaf-mute so often? But I can hear them saying "baht" and "gin khao" all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F1fanatic Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Personally, I took the option to just avoid having any involvement. Friends who have been here for FAR longer than me tell me its a bad move as I won't understand when they're insulting me etc. etc. I'd rather not know..... I don't own a house, just rent - so any major problems are not mine. Its great - I find I can happily get by speaking little Thai and just smiling and coming across as friendly. It took me a couple of years to make this decision, but I've never regretted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pros: 1. Cheap bilingual gardeners 2. Cheap german cars 3. Cheap high quality education Cons: 1. The number of highly educated farangs in BKK creates to much competition in my line of work 2. I get constantly reminded that I am the only one not married to a top class woman with academic abilities beyond belief, anthropology included. 3. I have to sit around and wait for the day when extra terrestrial warriors inform me that their house cat is equipped with a golden arse that manufactures danish buttercookies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richb2004v2 Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pros: -Cheap rice. -Big prawns. -Cheap socks. Cons: -Expensive Pledge. -Putrid street smells. -Not much opportunity to wear socks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckamuck Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pro's Less expensive to maintain a good standard of living. Less nanny state legislation, common sense is your own responsibility. no ice and snow Con's -Hard to find stimulating conversations, intelligent entertainment -Traffic is very dangerous, non existent enforcement for basic moving violations. -Impossible to get direct answers or find information (inconsistent handling of procedures, ie immigration) -Visa hassles, difficult to stay here, difficulty (risky) to invest here, can't own land... -My inability to count to 3 PS: too hot, too much corruption, robotic citizens is another list of three if someone else needs ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThailandLovr Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 Right Canuck... inability to own land is a biggie. Kinda makes everything we own here seem transitory, impermanent, to me anyway. Not that land ownership is permanent anywhere*, but at least it can be titled in our name. Not owning the land I live on prevents me from feeling more attached to Thailand. * My family came from St. Vincent in the West Indies. A number of years ago the government there decided land should be owned by Vincentians only. I know people who had estates repatriated from under them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonititan Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Pros: 1. Can save significantly more money than in my home country 2. Easy/low-stress lifestyle 3. Great travel opportunities Cons: 1. Weather 2. Language barrier/difficulties 3. Being so far away from family and friends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 pro: 1) a standard of living I can afford 2) no real winter (like with snow) 3) culturally acceptable to pick your nose in public con: 1) rogue police, I dread being in a situation that involves having to deal with them 2) cut-throat way of doing things -- once you paid for it, you're on your own 3) a farang is like a cartoon character that's been brought to life (as opposed to being a human being), so anything goes in the way you're treated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naam Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 pros: 1. no income tax 2. no income tax 3. no income tax cons: 1. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here 2. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here 3. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tejas Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 pros:1. no income tax 2. no income tax 3. no income tax cons: 1. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here 2. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here 3. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here PROS: 1) the pros........the real ones 2) good health care if you need it (in Bangkok, mainly) 3) relatively inexpensive (but getting more expensive each day) CONS: 1) too many farangs who are stuck here (and actually dislike it here but say they don't as a psychological defense mechanism) complaining about farangs that might have something negative to say about Thailand 2) extreme heat and getting hotter each year 3) completely insane visa/business rules (coupled with rising xenophobia) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcruisin Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 I'm with you Naam. Thats the best Ive read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 (edited) pros:1. no income tax 2. no income tax 3. no income tax cons: 1. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here 2. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here 3. too many whining farangs who should return to their home country if they don't like it here You forgot to tell us your cat is equipped with a golden arse that manufactures danish buttercookies. What about it's linguistic abilities? Speak any gibberish? Edited March 18, 2010 by Forethat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connel707 Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 ProsThe weather, from the almost everyday sunshine, to watching the lightning at night, over the mountains behind our house, in the rainy season. The beautiful smiles from pretty girls, when we're out shopping. I'm happily married, and too old to be interested in them in any other way but being friendly, but it really makes my day. Being able to sit in the garden for nearly all of our meals, watching the various lizards, chameleons, butterflies, and birds. Far more uplifting than being huddled over a fire and watching garbage TV. Cons No long warm summer nights, that last until almost 11pm. A lack of easily available, decent reading material - though I'm currently investigating those computer book thingumejigs, so that may improve. No English speaking friends who live locally. I've a hearing problem, and find learning Thai impossible. My wife does her best, bless her, but sometimes it would be nice to spend an afternoon or evening, conversing with others, in my native tongue. WeeGB..... Are you sure you are in Thailand... sure not the same Thailand as me...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mca Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Cheap german cars I'd hate to be where you're from if you consider German cars in Thailand cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Cheap german cars I'd hate to be where you're from if you consider German cars in Thailand cheap whatever you do, dont ellaborate on that thought, you'll get all sorts of shit if you do. Just employ a bilingual gardener and the price will get down to normal, trust me. It's hard fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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