Has The Thai Political Crisis Made You Think About Leaving Thailand?

[Jingthing]

The mood and reality on the ground in Thailand is very different than it was when I first came to Thailand. Countries change. People change. Thailand is going through an extreme time right now and it isn't likely to stabilize for quite a long time. Have these new realities made you think about leaving?

Important Note: Please limit any comments to be about the issue of being an expat considering leaving Thailand due to the new realities here. If you want to debate the POLITICS of these changes, please go to the many existing threads in the NEWS section.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Jingthing

[jonwilly]

The Thai people will sort out their politics in their own way.

Frangs like me will never understand.

I was told by an Old hand who Knew W.A.R. Wood when he was alive as a very old man

The longer I stay here the less I know or understand.

Wood had come in Queen Victoria's time and had been HM Consul General In Chiang Mai, marriage to a local lady had prevented him being Ambassador.

john

[vicco]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

[QED]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Sounds like a quote from a tourist rather than an expat - how long have you lived here?

I don't live in Bkk, and these things rarely affect me (such as the last coup). However I am concerned that there is a big potential for civil war right now, who some pundits have speculated could degenerate to the likes of Rwanda!

I take that with a pinch of salt, but I am considering options right now should the country wide situation degenerate.

For the poll I had to choose the middle option, which seems the most popular, however I am alot more relaxed than that option suggests.

[PhilHarries]

I had to give a null vote as you didn't include an "I was planning on coming but have changed my mind" option.

But, to be honest, my choice has little to do with the current crisis, as it's being called, but more to do with the general creeping malaise in the country. Having said that, it is very true that the only permanent thing in life is change and I might change my mind again.

Although the current troubles are very localised it wouldn't take much for farangs to be perceived as being for one side or the other. Say the EU and American governments come down off the fence and state their support for one faction. Unlikely in the extreme I know, diplomats live their entire lives on the fence, but it could be triggered by another stupid internal foreign office memo like the recent pop at the Pope.

Unlikely you say? Mobs have been whipped up on less.

[Garry9999]

I had to give a null vote as you didn't include an "I was planning on coming but have changed my mind" option.

Didn't include a left already option either.

[erobando]

No, I live outside of Bangkok so haven't been effected.

It's a long way from a civil war, it's more like 1950's teenage gangfights.

Maybe a couple months of "checkpoints" and I'd start to get annoyed, though.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Not to long ago I thought I/we would be here forever. But I dislike the insecure feeling of not knowing what new rules will spring up and I dislike the fact that no matter how long you are here, you are just a guest.

Thinking about moving to a country where you can become permanent and are treated no different than the locals. I'm getting it narrowed down and will go check it out in Sept. Haven't had a new adventure for a long time so I'm looking forward to it.

[Just1Voice]

I've tried to look at, and weigh, all the various "options", and leaving would be the last resort for me. While, for now, the conflict is mainly concentrated in BKK, I see the potential for it spreading to other areas such as Chiang Mai (where I live), Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, ect, and even a civil war is one possible (but hopefully remote) possibility. I think expats, for the most part, would be relatively safe, barring any accidental injury from perhaps an explosive device near a bank, or something of that nature, as long as they use their heads and don't become involved in this conflict as anything more than observers. So for now, I'm staying put.

[rfukata]

I've chosen the middle 'take an open mind'; I have 10 years here and in Indochina. as I am married & retired with two small (toddlers) I am now really concerned about the kids future here. The situation here has not improved since the 06 Coup rather

degenerate. If things don't get better, I'm opting to take the family back to US.

[Insight]

Me and the missus have been thinking about moving back to the UK for the past year or so. This is just another factor influencing the decision.

If there's one thing this crisis has done its highlighted (again) the utter ineptness of the the local plod. Appreciate the UK forces have never been crystal clean, but would they seriously let a mob armed to the teeth ransack central London for weeks on end?

Any sense of stability is a complete façade here. IMHO it would be irresponsible to raise kids here if there's other options available.

[vicco]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Sounds like a quote from a tourist rather than an expat - how long have you lived here?

What an amazing thing to say. Are you suggesting that the crisis is NOT concentrated in BKK? I am no tourist..I live here, have wife, house, pickup truck et al.

I don't know what the length of time here has to do with it.....I stated what I see, feel and hear around me... no feeling of crisis, no blood in the street, life going on

as usual....ant you think that sounds like a tourist talking....do you prefer the usual exaggerated, hyperventilating BS we get on these threads every day from people who

never leave their air conditioned condos in Bankok and just feed on the hype from each other.? Well it is more exiting I suppose---bad news always sells...lets ramp it up.

[granuaile]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Even in BKK it is only seriously affecting certain areas. Where I live everything is normal. No matter what I would not have considered leaving over this... Grace

[paulandmaneerat]

If at this point I had been considering Thailand as an option for retirement as I did 10 years ago, I would certainly be looking at other countries. And if I didn't have my wife and family here as settled as I am, I would certainly be moving back to the UK. (Not the UK is any more desirable but that people in the UK do not en masse hold a country to ransom to express their views). But settled as I am with my friends, home and family I'll ride out the storm and look for better times ahead for my adopted land.

P&M

[villagefarang]

Coups, curfews, countless changes and 35 years later, I am still here. And this situation, too, will pass in time.

[aussimike]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Sounds like a quote from a tourist rather than an expat - how long have you lived here?

What an amazing thing to say. Are you suggesting that the crisis is NOT concentrated in BKK? I am no tourist..I live here, have wife, house, pickup truck et al.

I don't know what the length of time here has to do with it.....I stated what I see, feel and hear around me... no feeling of crisis, no blood in the street, life going on

as usual....ant you think that sounds like a tourist talking....do you prefer the usual exaggerated, hyperventilating BS we get on these threads every day from people who

never leave their air conditioned condos in Bankok and just feed on the hype from each other.? Well it is more exiting I suppose---bad news always sells...lets ramp it up.

Only in Bkk - really --- well i guess i have been reading and seeing the wrong news reports - the other things i have been seeing must have been some sort of local festivals to celebrate something or other - seems that red is a popular colour t-shirt to wear these days - only problem is that the police and army are not partical to it and tend to treat this as a red rag to a bull --- so better is stay in my aircon condo in bkk away from it all or move to chaing mai or somewhere in isan where things are so peaceful even the soi dogs dont even stir -- think of the bliss -

[keeniau96]

This current one is only the straw on the pile of major and minor annoyances. The overall attitude of many Thais toward farengs is just getting too much. If I had to do it all over again I would go to the Philippines. Yes, many problems there, I know them well. But much better when costs/benefits (and I am not talking just money) are summed up.

[doggie888888]

Living in Pattaya, everything is rosy at the moment. However, quite by accident I came across a forum in the BKK Post website where there were comments that on the PAD side, there is a view that foreigners are meddling in local politics and some proceeded to use rather unfriendly language like "foreigners get out" . Personally, I have not experienced any danger or threat as yet, but the tone and direction of that forum made me think that perhaps a Plan B need to be mapped out for myself although not necessarily acted upon yet. I always thought regardless of red or yellow, the Thai feelings towards foreigners were in the majority neutral...but I may be wrong. Anyway, if they end up looking for scapegoats, it's usually the voice-less that fills that need, in this case the meddlesome farangs!

[rafish]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Sounds like a quote from a tourist rather than an expat - how long have you lived here?

What an amazing thing to say. Are you suggesting that the crisis is NOT concentrated in BKK? I am no tourist..I live here, have wife, house, pickup truck et al.

I don't know what the length of time here has to do with it.....I stated what I see, feel and hear around me... no feeling of crisis, no blood in the street, life going on

as usual....ant you think that sounds like a tourist talking....do you prefer the usual exaggerated, hyperventilating BS we get on these threads every day from people who

never leave their air conditioned condos in Bankok and just feed on the hype from each other.? Well it is more exiting I suppose---bad news always sells...lets ramp it up.

Why get so excited by someones post? Just another opinion weather informed or uninformed its just rambling and gossip. No excitement unless one chooses it to be so. LOS is the fine, its just the politico's that have it wrong IMHO. As for Ferangs opinions, they really don't count here. Just enjoy your life here and quit worrying about Thai politics.

[vicco]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Sounds like a quote from a tourist rather than an expat - how long have you lived here?

What an amazing thing to say. Are you suggesting that the crisis is NOT concentrated in BKK? I am no tourist..I live here, have wife, house, pickup truck et al.

I don't know what the length of time here has to do with it.....I stated what I see, feel and hear around me... no feeling of crisis, no blood in the street, life going on

as usual....ant you think that sounds like a tourist talking....do you prefer the usual exaggerated, hyperventilating BS we get on these threads every day from people who

never leave their air conditioned condos in Bankok and just feed on the hype from each other.? Well it is more exiting I suppose---bad news always sells...lets ramp it up.

Only in Bkk - really --- well i guess i have been reading and seeing the wrong news reports - the other things i have been seeing must have been some sort of local festivals to celebrate something or other - seems that red is a popular colour t-shirt to wear these days - only problem is that the police and army are not partical to it and tend to treat this as a red rag to a bull --- so better is stay in my aircon condo in bkk away from it all or move to chaing mai or somewhere in isan where things are so peaceful even the soi dogs dont even stir -- think of the bliss -

???? What are you talking about? You write 3+ lines but don't actually say anything.....just make vague statements...what news reports have you been seeing or reading that would contradict the view that the crisis so far has been concentrated in Bankok........the operative word being CONCENTRATED......did you even bother to read the post..which part of that simple statement do people not understand?

[pmgthailand]

Not to long ago I thought I/we would be here forever. But I dislike the insecure feeling of not knowing what new rules will spring up and I dislike the fact that no matter how long you are here, you are just a guest.

Thinking about moving to a country where you can become permanent and are treated no different than the locals. I'm getting it narrowed down and will go check it out in Sept. Haven't had a new adventure for a long time so I'm looking forward to it.

I have been living and working here in Phuket for the last 4 years. The novelty has definetely worn off. I have a business, I pay taxes and employ Thai nationals. I still feel like a guest here. Me and many of my friends here in Phuket feel the same way. We are just not wanted here in Thailand, only our money. I have met a few really genuine nice Thai people here during my stay, but they are the exception rather than the rule. I know that Phuket is not a good window on the real Thailand this is where I need to be to work. But the longer that I stay here the less and less I actually like it here.

[palm]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Sounds like a quote from a tourist rather than an expat - how long have you lived here?

What an amazing thing to say. Are you suggesting that the crisis is NOT concentrated in BKK? I am no tourist..I live here, have wife, house, pickup truck et al.

I don't know what the length of time here has to do with it.....I stated what I see, feel and hear around me... no feeling of crisis, no blood in the street, life going on

as usual....ant you think that sounds like a tourist talking....do you prefer the usual exaggerated, hyperventilating BS we get on these threads every day from people who

never leave their air conditioned condos in Bankok and just feed on the hype from each other.? Well it is more exiting I suppose---bad news always sells...lets ramp it up.

Well actually you are right in what you observe; but the trouble is not even 'in Bangkok' - it's in a small, well-known part of central Bangkok.

I was at Pantip Plaza and Platinum yesterday, where you can see the barricade entrance next to the canal/Central World there. I drove straight past along New Phetburi Road and into Pantip - the streets are filled with normal people going about their normal business. And the day before I was at Home Pro Ploenchit near the British Embassy - almost no red shirts at all by their barricade that I could see from the Ploenchit walkway that goes to the BTS.

Anywhere outside the 'encampment' you would not even know there was a problem. A few soldiers yesterday along Sukhumvit road - maybe 15 in total, near Asok. Emporium was normal yesterday too.

I've never seen so many expats wetting their panties over this. If the protest was in a more uninteresting part of town, like out in Bang Na, the western news media probably would only give it a line or two in their newspapers.

And none of my Thai friends are concerned about it (Thais from all walks of life and incomes); just more annoyed that its dragged on and hurt Thailand's image.

When the airport was taken last time and Government house, I remember many expats wetting their pants too, talking about 'getting out', but after the dust settled it was business as usual in Bangkok.

I've lived here 6 years and I am in Bangkok daily - Sukhumvit, Ladphrao, Nonthaburi, Bang kapi, Thonburi, China town, down by the river. All those parts of Bangkok are exactly the same as always.

As for the shopping malls being closed; its bad for the staff and owners, but people are just using Emporium instead. The highways are all open and in rush hour packed with traffic of normal Bangkok people getting on with their lives.

There's no point arguing with a red or yellow about the political rights or wrongs of the red shirts, as they talk like Islamic fundamentalists who've been invited to a college disco party with booze.

Meanwhile, 99.9% of Bangkok is normal; and it looks like the barricaded streets are now in their final days as the army and police finally move it to restore order to those areas.

Just my opinion of course from actually living here the past 6 weeks and being all over Bangkok.

Edited April 29, 2010 by palm

[Gigabyte]

I like Thailand very much and even if the current events are sad I still see this as a great and wonderful opportunity to be here and see with my own eyes history in the making.

[vicco]

The crisis is concentrated in Bankok. Once you are out of BKK there is hardly a ripple. I suppose that could change, but so far that's the way it's been. I visited

the railway station in Khonkaen when the army train was "captured"...but there was no sense of crisis at all. Felt more like a carnival than a crisis.

Sounds like a quote from a tourist rather than an expat - how long have you lived here?

What an amazing thing to say. Are you suggesting that the crisis is NOT concentrated in BKK? I am no tourist..I live here, have wife, house, pickup truck et al.

I don't know what the length of time here has to do with it.....I stated what I see, feel and hear around me... no feeling of crisis, no blood in the street, life going on

as usual....ant you think that sounds like a tourist talking....do you prefer the usual exaggerated, hyperventilating BS we get on these threads every day from people who

never leave their air conditioned condos in Bankok and just feed on the hype from each other.? Well it is more exiting I suppose---bad news always sells...lets ramp it up.

Why get so excited by someones post? Just another opinion weather informed or uninformed its just rambling and gossip. No excitement unless one chooses it to be so. LOS is the fine, its just the politico's that have it wrong IMHO. As for Ferangs opinions, they really don't count here. Just enjoy your life here and quit worrying about Thai politics.

Good advise my friend....but I'm actually not in the least bit excited... ...if you read back a bit I'm saying essentially that there is not that much for us to get excited about..but that brings out the cheerleaders who thrive on hype and scaremongering...........maybe I should just shut up and let them scare each other out of the country...

Thailand will be back to *"normal' after a while......the dogs bark, but the caravan moves along....

*Normal in LOS being a semi-controlled state of chaos. as opposed to an uncontrolled state of chaos...

[Lopburi99]

I've been at the decision point about whether to dig in and stay here long term (been here three years). This has clinched it - I am moving on. The future is too uncertain, all hel_l could break loose at any time due to the complexity and depth of the problems. Plus, when the inevitable occurs all bets are off for what to expect.

Also, living in a country where the rule of law cannot be enforced just rubs me wrong. Can't stand mob violence.

What a shame. Thailand could be so much more.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Lopburi99

[sarahsbloke]

I still feel like a guest here. Me and many of my friends here in Phuket feel the same way. We are just not wanted here in Thailand, only our money. I have met a few really genuine nice Thai people here during my stay, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Pretty much the same everywhere IMHO.

They don't like us and don't want us. (government and population)

[vicco]

I still feel like a guest here. Me and many of my friends here in Phuket feel the same way. We are just not wanted here in Thailand, only our money. I have met a few really genuine nice Thai people here during my stay, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Pretty much the same everywhere IMHO.

They don't like us and don't want us. (government and population)

Not everywhere. Phuket has been over run with farangs for a long time (and some other places too) Far too much farang money thrown around. Far too many of the wrong kind of farangs. After spending time in a few of these places---Phuket, Huahin, Pattaya etc....I was not surprised that many Thais don't like us....many of us don't like us!!

I know lots of guys who live quiet respectable lives and have made friends in the Thai communities they live in. (myself included) They are well accepted and respected because they have earned it. You don't earn respect by showing off how rich you are, treating the locals like village idiots, or loud boorish behavior etc. Certainly some Thai's do not like some of us but I don't think this kind of sweeping generalization is helpful or accurate. I can think of one guy who is extremely well liked by the locals because he has learned to speak Thai quite well, takes good care of his family and is always polite and respectful to everyone.....but he does not have much money...in fact he lives a very frugal life because he is on some kind of disability pension. He has virtually no farang friends because he does not drink, or play golf...so in the ex-pat world that makes you an outcast I guess. The notion that all Thai's just like you for your money is just BS....and it may be part of the problem because that's how we seem to judge people, so many of us seem to assume it's the same for them. The most despised farang I have met drives a BMW and lives in a ridiculous house that he built for the sole purpose of "impressing" everybody...2 people living in a massive ugly, pretentious house....I think the novelty has worn off because now he is trying to sell it and move somewhere else to impress another local population...probably with an even bigger, even uglier house. The locals won't like him any more next time around because he is an arrogant, ignorant asshol_e and people don't like that regardless of where you come from or how much money you spread around. Thailand is not for everyone, and everyone is not suited to life in Thailand---obviously.

[ExpatJ]

I still feel like a guest here. Me and many of my friends here in Phuket feel the same way. We are just not wanted here in Thailand, only our money. I have met a few really genuine nice Thai people here during my stay, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Pretty much the same everywhere IMHO.

They don't like us and don't want us. (government and population)

Well have you seen the typical farang in Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok- loud and/or drunk and/or loutish and/or freaks?? Frankly, i totally understand why the thai's in those places would despise farangs and rightly so.

[Jingthing]

To clarify a bit. The thread was intended to be about expat reaction to the big picture, macro, issues here. Clearly Thai society is deeply divided now, MAY be entering a civil war, and in any case most people would agree it will be years or even decades before the tensions revealed in the last few years and fully exposed now are finally healed. So bottom line I think objectively it is fair to say Thailand is overall a less FUN, less harmonious country to live in, for Thais or foreigners. (No matter which side wins, whatever that really means.) I was NOT talking about short term inconveniences such as not being able to shop at Paragon for awhile. Who in their right mind would make a major decision such as leaving the country based on that kind of small thing?

BTW, in the rare cases of any people who have already left due to the political crisis, the closest answer is obviously --

I am definitely leaving due to the crisis

Like any poll, it doesn't cover every possible twist. For example, if you planning to leave for other reasons, or a combination of reasons including the crisis, it doesn't cover that level of complexity. But actually

I haven't thought about leaving due to the crisis

may be the closest, as you are leaving for OTHER reasons.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Jingthing

[Lopburi99]

Then you can subtract 1 from the first category for me Jing. The crisis tipped the scale for me but in itself wasn't the sole reason.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Lopburi99