Living In Thailand

[eurasianthai]

And none offer you money...

[StreetCowboy]

I'd not recommend voluntary work unless you want to help people.

You'd be better being an industrial gypsy,

Don't rely on your wee boy learning Chinese. Children can be quite obstinate. But at least he'll have the chance. It is quite hard work to learn well, though, apparently. It takes the Chinese years of hard work, and they're not daft...

SC

[enginerevision]

If you are bored, go live upcountry and work in the field or get a farm or something. Or do some volunteering work, plenty to help the poor people yo!

But dont forget you need a work permit...

Alot of volunteering or other " help poor people " programs will offer you a work permit.

and a lot dont..

Agreed. Well he should get of his ass and do something if he's bored ! Some people prefer filling their own pockets over other people's backs. Some prefer to help the poor, without becoming rich themselves for a minimum wage. " Up to you ".

There's alot of things to do, and it doesn't have to be for free at all...

[somtampet]

The bottom line is that Thailand is just bulging at the seams with bitter, socially challenged misfits who have probably failed at just about everything they have tried and we get to hear from them all the time.

Well, indeed, it seems the majority od the foreigners staying in Thailand are the misfits.

But being a misfit is not always bad...

So how do you know this majority of expats,you have travelled so much to meet them.I think you must mean misfits in Bangkok if thats where you live,surprise surprise.

[eurasianthai]

So how do you know this majority of expats,you have travelled so much to meet them

Yes I did and still do.

[StreetCowboy]

8>< SNIP NESTED QUOTES DELETED ><8

Agreed. Well he should get of his ass and do something if he's bored ! Some people prefer filling their own pockets over other people's backs. Some prefer to help the poor, without becoming rich themselves for a minimum wage. " Up to you ".

There's alot of things to do, and it doesn't have to be for free at all...

I think he feels that paying for their roads and their 100-baht healthcare is enough of a contribution to the poor of thailand, according to his original post. Its probabkly a bigger contribution than he could make by voluntary work

SC

[WOOHOO]

You're obviously not starting to understand them if that's what you think.

Do you?

Absolutely not & i've long since given up as i, nor you, nor anyone else outside of their way of thinking & culture, ever will...

So Farang who have been married to Thai woman and lived among Thai people for 10, 20 sometimes 30 years, have no understanding of Thai people and their culture??

Doesn't sound right to me.

[Ulysses G.]

I pretty much agree that very few of us really understand Thais - and many of the expats who think that they are Thai are usually the most clueless of all.

[WOOHOO]

I pretty much agree that very few of us really understand Thais - and many of the expats who think that they are Thai are usually the most clueless of all.

Judging others by your own poor standards. I wish I had 10 baht for every time I had to write those words on TV.

People who think they are Thai don't exist. There are people who have adapted and integrated in to the Thai way of life, better than others. There are people who have more respect for Thai people and Thailand than others do, and there are people who enjoy living in Thailand more than others do. Then there are the others, that sit on the side line, pointing, talking about people trying to be Thai.

[phutoie2]

People who think they are Thai don't exist. There are people who have adapted and integrated in to the Thai way of life, better than others. There are people who have more respect for Thai people and Thailand than others do, and there are people who enjoy living in Thailand more than others do. Then there are the others, that sit on the side line, pointing, talking about people trying to be Thai.

Well I'll go to the foot of the stairs!, thats it, so simple!!.

Goes a long way to explain why my nearest ex-pat neighbour was wearing that flowery design shirt all over Songkran.

When I first met him he used to do the "yellow shirt on a Monday" thing too, but I think we have moved on a bit since then.

[longstebe]

I pay hundreds of thousand of Baht in taxes every year but I have no right.

Just the right to spend more.

Unfortunately that is the case pretty well everywhere you live as an ex-pat.

I am British and I have also lost the right to a say back home, in the coming election, because I live overseas.

PS what will the wife say, if you up sticks??

Very true. I've been paying taxes in the US with no rights.

Same old story though, if you don't like it, leave, go back home.

No pun intended.

[sarahsbloke]

I am British and I have also lost the right to a say back home, in the coming election, because I live overseas.

You can have my postal vote if you want ...... I don't care about England any more.

[deejah]

i love it here after many years

if there is a better place

for a single middle aged fun loving male with modest means

then please post here and now!!!

[wintermute]

Well, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out then.

[WOOHOO]

I am British and I have also lost the right to a say back home, in the coming election, because I live overseas.

You can have my postal vote if you want ...... I don't care about England any more.

That's funny, she's been saying the same thing about you.

[WOOHOO]

People who think they are Thai don't exist. There are people who have adapted and integrated in to the Thai way of life, better than others. There are people who have more respect for Thai people and Thailand than others do, and there are people who enjoy living in Thailand more than others do. Then there are the others, that sit on the side line, pointing, talking about people trying to be Thai.

Goes a long way to explain why my nearest ex-pat neighbour was wearing that flowery design shirt all over Songkran.

Flowery shirt over songkran = thinks he is Thai

[Birdman]

There are not few Farangs, who think that they are more Thai than any other Farang. They have to show that to themselves and others every moment that they are the superior ones, the evoluded ones, the experts on anything Thai. To be easily offended.

Contrary to some Farangs who live 100% Thai style, and enjoy nothing more than that. They are not interested in opinions of other Farangs, actually they are not interested in Farangs at all. Not to be seen in forums.

[Forethat]

There is no "best" place to live. Thailand is not for everyone. There are lots of frustrations and BS to endure, but we each have to decide for

ourselves if we want to endure it or not. I still enjoy living here, but if I ceased to enjoy, I would leave. Simple as that. The one piece of advise I gave myself (and freely give to others) is not to have unrealistic expectations, an do not invest more than you can afford to walk away from without damaging yourself too much financially. I have met lots of guys trying to live here on pretty meager budgets. They are very vulnerable in my view. I have also met lots of guys who have sunk their life savings into business ventures and houses in which they have very little control over. To me that is just nuts. I have met guys who have made the same bad decisions about women that they would probably make anywhere else, and then blame the country. It's not like there are not warnings out there. If a guy comes here on a retirement visa, with a decent income and no "baggage" he can live a pretty nice life here, and if he is smart enough to keep his options open, he can move on any time he chooses. The bottom line is that Thailand is just bulging at the seams with bitter, socially challenged misfits who have probably failed at just about everything they have tried and we get to hear from them all the time. If you come here for the right reasons, with a clean slate and you feel free to leave the same way, Thailand is just fine.

Anyhow I hope you feel more satisfied with life wherever you plan to go next...

Hear hear!

One of the better posts I've ever read on TV!