Survivalism In Thailand

[funlovinkid]

I've been doing some reading lately on "Disaster Preparedness" and Survivalism, just to familiarize myself a bit with the subject should things go really badly with the world economy (for example), but everything I read assumes that the reader is planning to do all the preparation somewhere in the West, like the U.S., Canada, etc. As a result, a lot of the advice and instruction isn't applicable for someone living here. I've been living in Thailand for four years, and I consider it home, so I'm wondering if there's anyone out there who is making preparations for partial or complete self-reliance here in Thailand. I'm pretty sure that planning for "going off-grid" in Thailand would be significantly different than doing the same thing in the U.S. Anyone out there of a similar mindset?

[MSingh]

No nothing in Thailand, although i do recall a Friend last Year talking about " lliving like the people of the Land " down on Samui if the World's economy crumbled completely..

He has since gone home as he absolutely lost it completely a few Months back..

But if it did come down to that, Thailand would be one of the last places on Earth i'd want to be in in, that situation..

[SweeneyAgonistes]

If it comes to the point where you really need to do this, your chances of making it are, I would imagine, slim unless you've spent considerable effort integrating into the community (to an extent which is pretty rare among expats). If it's you and the missus and things really have gone south, I don't think many people would think too long before stealing your chickens or your turnips and the extent to which a village is going to protect you against one of their own is questionable.

[cardholder]

YOU MUST BE A BUNDLE OF LAUGHS TO BE OUT WITH.

HAVE A GO ON THE FINANCIAL CRISIS THREAD YOU WILL FIND SOME LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE.

PS. THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED

(Sorry about CAPS lock)

[dom samui]

I'm really happy that all of this will end in December 2012 ! 24 months to go !

[easyride]

Pardon my witticism, but I must reply to the absurdism of your post. Should capitalism fail I suspect that there would be rather a lot of anarchism and fatalism around the world, including Thailand. This would lead to adventurism and feudalism whereby the farang would suffer skepticism and pauperism by the local populace.

All my ism's are in fact words whereas your "Survivalism" borders on cretinism.

I'm getting drawn to alcoholism.

Credits to Google

[transam]

YOU MUST BE A BUNDLE OF LAUGHS TO BE OUT WITH.

HAVE A GO ON THE FINANCIAL CRISIS THREAD YOU WILL FIND SOME LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE.

PS. THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED

(Sorry about CAPS lock)

Yeh, was enjoying a beer (on my own) till l read the topic post. Merry Christmas.

[Beetlejuice]

I'm really happy that all of this will end in December 2012 ! 24 months to go !

I have decided to blow all my life savings by having unprotected sex with at least 3 bargirls a day, drinking 24 cans of beer a day and getting through 10 packs of cigarettes a day, plus taking on 7 minor wives and buying a merc so I can travel in comfort.

My life savings should support this lifestyle until the end of December 2012.

Now, if whatever it is doesn't end in 24 months time and I become destitute living on handouts, infected with the AIDs virus, suffering from alcoholism and lung cancer, I hereby advise you that under clause 5 of the 1974 criminal liable act, that I'll be suing you.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Beetlejuice

[stander]

This has to be a wind up, surely nobody can be as sad as this OP

[Chunky1]

OP,

Countries like Thailand which have large agricultural economies, warm climate, plenty of fish in the sea, will do much better than Industrialized communities which will have to rely on their government (lol) in the time of crisis.

Progress towards for our upcoming Great Depression and US dollar collapse has already begun - it is definitely coming. The best preparation is to purchase gold. Take a look at the Global Reserve Banks and notice how they all list gold under their asset column. Gold will still be money, just as it has been the last 6000 years.

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

Hi sheople,

If i am honest (and why shouldn't I be?) a similar thought does cross my mind. I have often thought that if the sh*t were to hit the fan in a big way, would I want to be in an agrarian society where self sustainability would be 'more doable' or in a city, western or eastern (such as the one I was raised in)?? To me, a fair chunk of rural Thais would have 'less far to fall' than those in places who rely solely on others for food/clean water etc.

I am lucky insomuch that I live in relative rural tranquility within a pretty close knot community (neighbors/in laws) and not in central Bangkok/Pattaya/Chiang Mai.... that said, I can also foresee a time when all visas would be canceled and all non-Thais potentially deported.... should that time come, I should have to make a tough choice - follow the herd back home or head for the hills with the family? A friend has about 50 rai stuck out in the middle of nowhere with access to fresh water and aims to be almost self sufficient after living there for only two years. Makes sense to me... for whatever his reasons.

No one wants such a scenario to ever occur, but I see no harm in thinking about it and maybe trying to make oneself the least 'vulnerable' possible...

Cheers

[mahtin]

Pardon my witticism, but I must reply to the absurdism of your post. Should capitalism fail I suspect that there would be rather a lot of anarchism and fatalism around the world, including Thailand. This would lead to adventurism and feudalism whereby the farang would suffer skepticism and pauperism by the local populace.

All my ism's are in fact words whereas your "Survivalism" borders on cretinism.

I'm getting drawn to alcoholism.

Credits to Google

Stick around; good post.

[bifftastic]

I've already got a tin foil hat but it's fur-lined. my preparations, to date, include removing that fur lining for tropical conditions and shouting at cars. I think I'm ready for the rapture/armageddon/collapse of the world/sky falling down/aliens arriving/people running for the high ground (insert your favourite fantasy as applicable).

[swissie]

IMH Opinion: In any "Armageddon-Scenario" you are better off in a rural-environement than in a urban one. A Farang in Thailand? If "Law and Order" should completely break down, a Farang will find himself in a truly difficult situation. If the looting and plundering sets in, he and his property will be first on the line. Not necessarily that the Thai's have something personally against him, it's more like: Since he is so rich, whatever we take from him, he can easily replace.

At this point it would definitely show how "integrated" he is in his rural-thai-community and how his standing with the local police is. The Mansion-like Palaces, built by Farangs in the Isaan would stand out like exclamation points = here it is, come and get it !

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A Farang can already get accustomed to such a scenario. How?: Live in one of those villages just outside of Pattaya, call the Police in the middle of the night and declare an emergency situation. They will of course notice, that a Farang is calling. After that, you will notice the following: No Police will show up. Period! End of story!

Next day (at the Police Station), the Chief of Police will gladly explain to you: "When I have to send out my people out of town, I must pay them extra, otherwise they will not go out of town". Amen! This is the procedure in a peaceful setting. How would things unfold in a "not peaceful setting?", like in a "all hell breaks loose" scenario?

Let us Farangs hope that it will never come to that. In earnest. Cheers.

[craigt3365]

I'm for sure no believer in an upcoming global implosion, but this is an interesting article:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/19/dawson.cheap.food.danger/index.html

[davejonesbkk]

dont forget your tin foil hat and keep your head down

[Jingthing]

Well if there's any Thai government left about a global meltdown, you can be sure the first they will do is boot out all foreigners ...

[Chunky1]

Why would Thailand kick farang out except those that are bankrupt, committing crimes and/or living on the street? Granted, that will be a very high percentage, but still, no reason to think that all farang will be kicked out.

[martindavies]

funlovinkid... not really an appropriate username for a topic of this nature?

[Goshawk]

ha..

if the OP is refering to some kind of 'road warrior' style total collapse of society, government & law after a regional or global catastrophe of sorts, then Thailand is probably one of the last places on Earth you would want to be.. seriously...

[Naam]

Pardon my witticism, but I must reply to the absurdism of your post. Should capitalism fail I suspect that there would be rather a lot of anarchism and fatalism around the world, including Thailand. This would lead to adventurism and feudalism whereby the farang would suffer skepticism and pauperism by the local populace.

All my ism's are in fact words whereas your "Survivalism" borders on cretinism.

I'm getting drawn to alcoholism.

Credits to Google

it is a well known fact that Changism and boozeism go hand in hand with bollocksism

[thunder30101]

Are you kidding me ? LOL. Most of the people I know here wouldnt see or feel a thing if the world economy crashes. We would still wake up in the morning have sticky rice and meat products and some veggies. The markets would still be full of locally produced food/products and people laughing trading and having a good time. Then at nite out would come the food, booze and music, and up again the next day to start all over. You really should get out of the city sometime.

[tim armstrong]

Are you kidding me ? LOL. Most of the people I know here wouldnt see or feel a thing if the world economy crashes. We would still wake up in the morning have sticky rice and meat products and some veggies. The markets would still be full of locally produced food/products and people laughing trading and having a good time. Then at nite out would come the food, booze and music, and up again the next day to start all over. You really should get out of the city sometime.

Thunder, you are right on the mark. But don't tell anyone to leave the city. Or if you do tell them there is chaos everywhere!

[geriatrickid]

Why would Thailand kick farang out except those that are bankrupt, committing crimes and/or living on the street? Granted, that will be a very high percentage, but still, no reason to think that all farang will be kicked out.

Because Thailand is filled with human beings. In times of crisis, humans regress and engage in primitive behaviour. Attacking those that are different is a manifestation of such behaviour. Think of Zimbabwe and the white farmers. Of all the people not to harass, it was those farmers. And yet, mugabe targeted those hardworking decent people.

[gregb]

In a serious response to the OP, rather than the people who simply start screaming "Armageddon" every time someone brings up the certainty of the decline of our civilization (we're not writing in hieroglyphics, are we? Somehow I don't think the end of Egypt was the end of the world), any collapse is likely to take place over several centuries. There won't be an event that says "Ah ha! See. There it was! Now we can expect roving hoards." What you will likely see is difficult economic times that place pressure on communities to adapt. You want to be in a community that adapts, rather than one that doesn't. Furthermore, you want to have a skill that the community values. If all you have is money, you will likely eventually be robbed. The rich will be blamed for what is coming, and there is some truth to that sentiment. You do not want to be a wealthy land owner in Thailand during decline. It will not go well for you unless you also have a large, private militia to protect what you think you own.

If you truly want to make Thailand your home, you need to have a business that provides a needed service to the community. You need to treat those around you fairly, and expect them to act fairly in return. You need to live "slightly" better than your peers, but not extremely high on the hog. Things that will be needed in the future are things like automotive repair (without expensive factory parts...can you rewind an alternator, or reseal a hermetically sealed pump?), recycling and milling new parts from scrap (small smelters aren't that expensive), any type of energy generation, such as producing electricity from biomass (the electric grid in the villages is almost certainly going to permanently fail at some point in the future.), etc.

It is quite simply unlikely you will be able to thrive as a farmer. The Thais are all so much better than you at that, and are so much better adapted to the environment than you, that there is little reason for you to even try to fit into that niche. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a garden, but it is unlikely you will ever be self sufficient in food production.

Most importantly, keep in mind that you will not be able to pinpoint the date at which the little slice of heaven where you live officially went from being a part of the larger industrial economy to one that relies on local services, and whatever business you elect to do will be of limited value as long as the larger economy is still plodding along as it does today. Thus, your future niche had better be something you can do as a hobby today and offer as a community service. With luck, we will all die before things get really bad, but it is almost a certainty our grandchildren born in 20 years will never understand why globalization was even considered practical.

Survival in Thailand will be about being adaptable, and having knowledge that the locals lack. It will also mean being able to generate some kind of income in whatever remains of the industrial economy at the same time most of your means of support comes from the informal economy of the village. You will always need to pay the visa fees and other costs to remain.

I also fear if you don't have permanent residency, you will almost certainly be expelled at some point in the future, as they continue to raise the bar on how much you need to have to qualify for an extension of stay.

Remember, you can lose your money, but you can't lose your skills. Make sure you have enough of the latter that are practical in a low tech future that the Thais want to keep you around.

[jazzbo]

Become a Mormon ... you know like those guys you see on their bicycles with the white shirts .. they own most of the survival gear outlets in the USA.

[thaihome]

OP,

Countries like Thailand which have large agricultural economies, warm climate, plenty of fish in the sea, will do much better than Industrialized communities which will have to rely on their government (lol) in the time of crisis.

Progress towards for our upcoming Great Depression and US dollar collapse has already begun - it is definitely coming. The best preparation is to purchase gold. Take a look at the Global Reserve Banks and notice how they all list gold under their asset column. Gold will still be money, just as it has been the last 6000 years.

In the scenario described by the OP, gold will be worthless unless you have also invested a significant amount of what is currently used as money in weapons as well.

TH

[jazzbo]

In the scenario described by the OP, gold will be worthless ... No it won't be; you'll be able to get your teeth fixed.

[Tonto21]

Hi “funlovinkid”………(Ironic handle for the topic)

Interesting, as to whether I would wish to be in my homeland or Thailand if a disaster happened and or the need to Survive become apparent. Well it would depend, because one does not automatically follow the other. If it was a disaster, a worldwide <deleted>, if some modicum of law and order could be maintained and communities still functioned with a basic society still working be it back to basic living and a “cottage industry” life style, then farang land would be the place to be, 100%. Being an outsider, (foreigner) in any country let alone Thailand would not be a healthy options.

However, I view a survival situation to be different, (a survival situation in the way I interpret you to mean) a full on, “every man for himself” situation, then I would plum to stay in Thailand, Why, well do you think people in your home country are going to be any nicer to you in a dog eat dog world? The gloves are off where ever you are in the world! Why Thailand, well the climate for one good reason, you will not freeze to death, it gives good plant growth, there is an abundance of wild life, there so much food here. Just move out of the cities and into the low mountains, you got everything there. Learn to defend, grow and trap, make alliances, help build small community (mutual support) ………………Trade….Hang on! Haven’t we done this before?

I did at one point, when I first came to Thailand think of opening a jungle survival school north of Chiangmai, but never got around to it, I didn’t and still don’t think it would break even.

Op…. Remember this “The mind leads and the body follows” read all you want, Knowledge is good, but it’s nothing compared to the will to survive, this is the key to surviving, (and a good machete) any situation short or protracted.

[trompelemonde]

With the survival and combat skills gained by almost all TV members here during the time they spent in Special Services, what’s there to worry about?