Los..... Why...?

[Voo Doo]

Been living here for a'while.

Lots of times people (who don’t live here in LOS) ask me: “why Thailand?”, “do you enjoy living here and why?”, “would you and could you change it for any other place?” etc, etc...

My answer is: YES & NOT.

I’m curious what’s yours?

[Totster]

Hmmm... I can sense black magic in the air..

totster

[Braccobaldo]

..if Italy would have the same cost of life than Thailand no doubt I would not live in Thailand but in Italy....but from december to march still in Thailand!!!!

[Boon Mee]

What's this?

Who doo, Voo Doo?

[SiamOne]

why everyone call it LOS, seems like a convenient way to not understand things!

yes, we smile, but many smiles!! don't be fooled by them all.

we are Thailand, or Siam for old ones

land of good food (LOGF)

land of cute girls (LOCG)

land of cheap oranges (LOCO) ok I was trying too hard

[TRIPxCORE]

If money wasn't a concern, Thailand would not be my choice of places to live. I would much rather live in Japan half of the year and then the other half in the land of my ancestors, Sicily.

[SiamOne]

If money wasn't a concern, Thailand would not be my choice of places to live.  I would much rather live in Japan half of the year and then the other half in the land of my ancestors, Sicily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK so why is Japan better than Thailand for living (besides the cost problem)?

I have never been there, so am interested

[TokyoT]

If money wasn't a concern, Thailand would not be my choice of places to live.  I would much rather live in Japan half of the year and then the other half in the land of my ancestors, Sicily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK so why is Japan better than Thailand for living (besides the cost problem)?

I have never been there, so am interested

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The following are some areas that IMHO are benefits of living in Japan as compared to Thailand. These are based upon my own opinions and experiences, and I am sure others may/do not agree.

Cleaner

Safer

Better schools

Less corruption

More respect for the rule of law

Bars that are open past 1:00 AM

Easy to obtain lots of quality products

Better/cleaner/more convenient public transportation

Lots of local festivals/ street fairs

Better galleries/museums/theater

Less motorbikes on the sidewalk

More westerns rock bands have tour stops in Japan

They get snow (yes some of us actually like having seasons)

I could go on. But don’t want to appear like I am bashing Thailand. I like living here and, Bangkok is certainly proving to be an interesting city.

[Nordlys]

OK so why is Japan better than Thailand for living (besides the cost problem)?

I have never been there, so am interested

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The following are some areas that IMHO are benefits of living in Japan as compared to Thailand. These are based upon my own opinions and experiences, and I am sure others may/do not agree.

Cleaner

Safer

Better schools

Less corruption

More respect for the rule of law

Bars that are open past 1:00 AM

Easy to obtain lots of quality products

Better/cleaner/more convenient public transportation

Lots of local festivals/ street fairs

Better galleries/museums/theater

Less motorbikes on the sidewalk

More westerns rock bands have tour stops in Japan

They get snow (yes some of us actually like having seasons)

I could go on. But don’t want to appear like I am bashing Thailand. I like living here and, Bangkok is certainly proving to be an interesting city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with TokyoT for all of which he mentioned. Though I can go on with why I'd rather ive in LOS over Japan.

[think_too_mut]

If money wasn't a concern, Thailand would not be my choice of places to live.  I would much rather live in Japan half of the year and then the other half in the land of my ancestors, Sicily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK so why is Japan better than Thailand for living (besides the cost problem)?

I have never been there, so am interested

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The following are some areas that IMHO are benefits of living in Japan as compared to Thailand. These are based upon my own opinions and experiences, and I am sure others may/do not agree.

Cleaner

Safer

Better schools

Less corruption

More respect for the rule of law

Bars that are open past 1:00 AM

Easy to obtain lots of quality products

Better/cleaner/more convenient public transportation

Lots of local festivals/ street fairs

Better galleries/museums/theater

Less motorbikes on the sidewalk

More westerns rock bands have tour stops in Japan

They get snow (yes some of us actually like having seasons)

I could go on. But don’t want to appear like I am bashing Thailand. I like living here and, Bangkok is certainly proving to be an interesting city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

More for Tokyo:

Not a single soi dog in 20 a million people city

Not a single beggar

Sidewalks are made for - walking, not cracked and uneven

Competence everywhere, everyone takes pride in what they do

Not only bars but regular restaurants are open until 4-5am

[Nordlys]

More for Tokyo:

Not a single beggar

Sidewalks are made for - walking, not cracked and uneven

Competence everywhere, everyone takes pride in what they do

Not only bars but regular restaurants are open until 4-5am

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But lots of homeless.

And regular restaurants are NOT open until 4-5AM.

[think_too_mut]

More for Tokyo:

Not a single beggar

Sidewalks are made for - walking, not cracked and uneven

Competence everywhere, everyone takes pride in what they do

Not only bars but regular restaurants are open until 4-5am

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But lots of homeless.

And regular restaurants are NOT open until 4-5AM.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Places without tablecloths where you can sit and eat, drink, not aimed for "girly" entertainment - hundreds, if not thousands of those in Shinjuku (where I live) area are open until early hours 2, 4, 5am. Reopen 11am.

Even "Denny's" is on 24x7.

Those who are not, all close on time so their staff can catch last train, 11pm last order.

Those staying open cater for all the patrons who missed or wanted to miss the last train. Tens of thousands of those every night. Until the trains start running again in the morning.

"Lots of homeles" among Tokyotes I would think is some really significant number out of 20 million people.

In fact, it's less than 5000 of them. Sydney, my town, 5 times smaller place would easilly have more, if not doubled or tripled.

Edited August 16, 2005 by think_too_mut

[Nordlys]

Of course you get everything 24 hours a day if you live in the part of the city that never sleeps. But not all of Japan is Shinjuku. Yes, so-called "family restaurant" like Denny's is open 24 hours anywhere in Japan, but I wouldn't call them "regular restaurants".

There are 25,296 homeless in Japan as of 2003 (well that's one good thing about Japan, there are statistics on just about anything and readily accessible) and Japanese population is roughly 126 million.

[Bull]

...If I could take my business back home and make the equivalent amount of money there, no doubt I would live there most of the year and spend some months in Thailand, which is the opposite of what I am currently doing.

Back home I can have good beaches, good weather and good food too. Nightlife here is crap compared to nightlife back home.

Nevertheless, being in Thailand is paying off so far, and it is far from being the most unpleasant place on earth to live. People in general are nice, the place is safe and there are plenty of places to travel around of great interest within a reasonable distance.

Anyway... you can make sure that the day numers don't add up...I will go looking for my bread and butter somewhere else.

Bull

[think_too_mut]

Of course you get everything 24 hours a day if you live in the part of the city that never sleeps.  But not all of Japan is Shinjuku.  Yes, so-called "family restaurant" like Denny's is open 24 hours anywhere in Japan, but I wouldn't call them "regular restaurants". 

There are 25,296 homeless in Japan as of 2003 (well that's one good thing about Japan, there are statistics on just about anything and readily accessible) and Japanese population is roughly 126 million.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you found the number, then I believe it.

Let you and me finish with Japan now and I'd like to present an another alternative to Thailand: Cairns (Port Macquarie), Australia.

Same climate as along the shores of Thailand. Oz, a country with known laws, language, script, a robust democracy. When I finish with Japan, I'd like to settle there.

Just look at houses and prices. If one accepts that living 1 or more km from the beach in Pattaya is still "resort living", then the price of land and house (that are both YOURS) is, if not better than comparable to Pattaya. It's less than 6 mil baht altogether, yours and your offspring's property forever. That would be my choice.

Daily flights to Singapore, Tokyo, somebody told me to LA via Auckland NZ, a dozen to Sydney. Good schools, good health and shopping facilities.

http://www.plantationhomes.com.au/content/index.cfm?id=6

Edit: a sublink: http://www.plantationhomes.com.au/content/index.cfm?id=236

(I have no interest in that company, just one example, there are many others).

Edited August 16, 2005 by think_too_mut

[zaz]

I don't currently live in Thailand but I was also thinking of posting this topic to see why you guys live there so a good post Voo Doo. I would like to live in Thailand, so why?

Well....I guess it's not just one thing. The thing is when you go on holiday somewhere and you like it some people always say "Oh I wish I lived here" etc etc but I know living in some place is not the same as being on holiday there permanently! I like the food, the weather, I like the diversity of Bangkok. When I first came to Thailand I was surprised to see how "modern" BKK actually was, the high rise buildings, the big shopping centres, stylish men and women, the existence of posh cars (not to be condesending with that comment). I certainly like how inexpensive everything is but of course this is only relative and things wouldn't seem cheap if I actually had to earn a living there. I've been to Samui and would like to live there as my first staying point, but from other posts I have been put off by some of the comments - I don't think it's changed my mind though.

But I'll be honest with you guys and gals because I'm like that - one main factor of being so attracted to Thailand is ...........the indeginous population of the female species of the human race some of which I find really rather attractive!!

Now don't kick me off and start labelling me as a pervert or a troll or a sexpat etc etc because I'm not like that!!

[sadman]

I like travelling, and have been to many different countries, but have never fallen in love with a place the way I did when I first visited LOS.

I'm fairly immune from the usual major considerations determining one's abode: the financial part is pretty much immaterial (I'm not trying to be flash, it's just the way it is); I'm not looking to build a big business (been there, done that), or worry about children's education (grown up and flown the coop).

I like the people and culture more than any other I've come across. Yes, Australia has a nice climate, no language barriers etc; yes, parts of Europe have their attractions (particularly Italy and Great Britain); and yes, the USA is a great nation. What I especially like is the mai pen rai attitude: the rest of the world is running at full pelt in search of wealth, status and so on. Whilst there is an element of that in LOS, there is still room for people like who, having bought into the material world for so long, want to breathe and to live life at my own pace, be at peace with the rest of humanity, and be left alone.

I'm not saying that other places aren't nice, or even nicer than LOS - just that I've never been anywhere I'd rather be.

And no, I'm not a tree-hugging, bleeding-heart liberal who's all wild rice and open-toed sandals.

[The Dude]

If money wasn't a concern, Thailand would not be my choice of places to live.  I would much rather live in Japan half of the year and then the other half in the land of my ancestors, Sicily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your ancestors are Sicilian? That's great. I know Sicilians are very proud of their roots and I respect that. There is an absolute must see movie for you. More specifically a scene in the movie. The flick is True Romance, screenplay by Q. Tarantino. The scene in the movie is with Dennis Hopper living in a trailer and is visited by a Sicilian descent played by C. Walken. You have got to see it. Classic! A year before the immortal Pulp Fiction

[The Dude]

I think Thailand is OK but it isn't the only livable country in the world. Remove me from this place and I would more than survive. It might in fact be the best thing that ever happened. I think we all get too bogged down here

[Davey]

I've done a lot of travelling and my favourite destination has to be anywhere in south-east Asia, particuarly Thailand. I know there are people who say 'if money was not an issue I would probably live elsewhere', I can genuinely say I wouldn't. I love Thai culture, their food is the best I've ever tasted and the people are so incredibly friendly ..Just simply a wonderful place

Some people have giving alternatives such as Japan and Italy. The only places which rival Thailand in my opinion is Argentina and Peru, machu picchu is amazing, anyone else been?