Why You Prefer Thailand Over Your Homeland.

[F1fanatic]

1. As for the rest, the weather here sucks,

2. it is no longer a cheap country to live

1. true, it sucks²!

2. disagree as this depends on the individual situation. all our living expenses are paid for (and much more) by the money we don't pay to Herr Wolfgang Schäuble (the german finance minister) who would use a good part to finance military excursions in far away countries like Afghanistan, house and feed asylum seekers from five dozen far away countries, pay for lazy country fellows who's attitude is "why should i work for the pittance in difference?"

Point no. 2 is irrelevant. Either Thailand is cheaper than one's home country or it is not. Our governments obviously waste much of our hard-earned cash, but then again salaries are stratospheric compared to the average Thai salary.

Fortunately Thailand is still cheaper - but getting more expensive.

[mstribling]

My home country has almost 300 million TV member types.

Too tender.

[TheLaughingMan]

Easy for me, In thailand I can go months without seeing or hearing a fat arsed loud mouthed white woman, screw your political correctness its just a plain simple truth for me at least. Thailand can double,triple in price, but for me it is paradise and i am thankful I can be here

Nice man, way to be a plick. On a similar train of thought, one of the things I absolutely hate about Thailand is the vast number of fat arsed loud mouthed white men I encounter and have to put up with, far more than back in my home country. It's almost enough to make me quit my entire career and escape this retched place.

[samran]

The new 'political correctness' is to criticise 'political correctness'. To me, it is just an excuse by people to behave like boorish morons.

As for the immigrants taking over back home. Always amazes me that one - especially when it comes from the immigrant from ole blightly who hangs out down the pub with other whities watching the footy on telly.

But 'noooooo..' cries the 'immigrant'. I integrate, i shag local chicks and I'll learn at least 50 words of Thai by which to communicate when I'm living there.

The rednecks down here in OZ like attaching the 'fit in for f-off' stickers to the back of their utes/pickup trucks. Perhaps I can organise a Thai language version for the locals in LOS. I mean, it is alright not to be politically correct, right?

55555555

[Xangsamhua]

I dunno. 16 years here. Married for 10. It just became home. Felt comfortable. Something I can't real put my finger on. Although a stable, normal, family life with nary a problem or cross word spoken must go some way towards it.

You're a lucky man mca.

When you're on a good thing, stick to it.

[mark45y]

Easy for me, In thailand I can go months without seeing or hearing a fat arsed loud mouthed white woman, screw your political correctness its just a plain simple truth for me at least. Thailand can double,triple in price, but for me it is paradise and i am thankful I can be here

Nice man, way to be a plick. On a similar train of thought, one of the things I absolutely hate about Thailand is the vast number of fat arsed loud mouthed white men I encounter and have to put up with, far more than back in my home country. It's almost enough to make me quit my entire career and escape this retched place.

The two posts above are identical except for gender. From an ethical non sexist point of view you are both bigots. Are you related?

[mca]

^^I think the most annoyed my wife ever got with me was a slightly frustrated " Can you pee in the toilet rather than on the floor " when my aims been a bit off and I stagger in the loo half asleep in the early hours.

Edited March 5, 2011 by mca

[TheLaughingMan]

Easy for me, In thailand I can go months without seeing or hearing a fat arsed loud mouthed white woman, screw your political correctness its just a plain simple truth for me at least. Thailand can double,triple in price, but for me it is paradise and i am thankful I can be here

Nice man, way to be a plick. On a similar train of thought, one of the things I absolutely hate about Thailand is the vast number of fat arsed loud mouthed white men I encounter and have to put up with, far more than back in my home country. It's almost enough to make me quit my entire career and escape this retched place.

The two posts above are identical except for gender. From an ethical non sexist point of view you are both bigots. Are you related?

Uh ya... that was the whole joke, gee... thought you were smarter than that Mark?

[transam]

^^I think the most annoyed my wife ever got with me was a slightly frustrated " Can you pee in the toilet rather than on the floor " when my aims been a bit off and I stagger in the loo half asleep in the early hours.

Use the shower, no probs. .

[Darrel]

Thailand is nowhere near as good as it was 10, 20, 30 years ago. But where is? I am very glad that I was able to spend long periods of time every year in SE Asia several decades ago because it really was so much nicer then than it is now.

I like it here because it is cheap, the food is spicy (I hardly ever eat farang food now and I dont miss it at all) and I never need to wear more than shorts and a t-shirt. On the other hand, the nanny state is much more evident here than it used to be, it is not as cheap as it used to be and it would be nice if it was 5°C cooler most of the year (though it suits me just to put the aircon on).

When I stop living here it will probably be to go to some other SE Asian country that is cheaper but has developed enough to have decent internet connections. Not sure when that will be but probably under 10 years. Hopefully I will be stone dead long before they all get too expensive (which they will one day) and before they all develop the nanny state habit (which they will do soon also).

[geriatrickid]

1. As for the rest, the weather here sucks,

2. it is no longer a cheap country to live

1. true, it sucks²!

2. disagree as this depends on the individual situation. all our living expenses are paid for (and much more) by the money we don't pay to Herr Wolfgang Schäuble (the german finance minister) who would use a good part to finance military excursions in far away countries like Afghanistan, house and feed asylum seekers from five dozen far away countries, pay for lazy country fellows who's attitude is "why should i work for the pittance in difference?"

One never wins when it comes to a discussion on the weather. I don't think any of us is partial to extremes in the weather.

Yhink about your point no. 2. There are hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers in Thailand, but they are often mistreated and subject to horrific living conditions. Is that what you really want? Are you really that comfortable knowing that refugees from Burma are exploited, that young boys and girls are sexually assaulted and denied an access to education to break the cycle of poverty? You have no problem with Rohingyas being abandoned at sea?

Germany and other western countries pour hundreds of millions of dollars into the charities and state sponsored organizations that try and care for the displaced people that end up in Thailand. It is those German taxpayers that are making sure you don't have a starving Burmese refugee on your doorstep. Germany is hardly on the frontlines in Afghanistan. If you believe that Germany's sponsorship of schools and social services to help the poor and to provide an alternative to opium growing in Afghanistan is wrong and should be stopped, ok. Unfortunately, the people that come from the stone ages don't like people like you and short of killing them all off, the only alternative is to try and divert them away from violence.

Yes there are lazy people that abuse western social systems, but those social systems also provided you with an opportunity for an education and health care when you lived there, didn't they? Those social systems also respond to keep from the sick and elderly from starving to death. I read your position as a statement of selfishness. Here's an example to make it clear. Some people don't understand why hundreds of millions of baht are spent on R&D for HIV, Malaria, Dengue, Tuberculosis etc. in Thailand. These are infectious diseases that typically kill off the old, the weak, and the poor. Unfortunately, until those people die they are in the general population spreading their disease, putting the safety of everyone at risk. They oblige their family members to care for them interfering with the economy (labour supply) of Thailand. We respond to their needs because it is in the best interests of the population at large. And btw, Germany's taxpayers are paying for that research in Thailand, research that directly benefits you. You are happy not to pay tax in Thailand. Fine. Then who pray tell is going to pay for the treatment of a 35 year old service worker with TB walking about coughing sputum up, infecting others? We have to deal with corrupt police, but it is because they are not paid a decent salary and are instead obliged to raise money through their activities. Life is an investment. If we put nothing in, we aren't going to get anything back.

[StreetCowboy]

1. As for the rest, the weather here sucks,

2. it is no longer a cheap country to live

1. true, it sucks²!

2. disagree as this depends on the individual situation. all our living expenses are paid for (and much more) by the money we don't pay to Herr Wolfgang Schäuble (the german finance minister) who would use a good part to finance military excursions in far away countries like Afghanistan, house and feed asylum seekers from five dozen far away countries, pay for lazy country fellows who's attitude is "why should i work for the pittance in difference?"

One never wins when it comes to a discussion on the weather. I don't think any of us is partial to extremes in the weather.

Yhink about your point no. 2. There are hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers in Thailand, but they are often mistreated and subject to horrific living conditions. Is that what you really want? Are you really that comfortable knowing that refugees from Burma are exploited, that young boys and girls are sexually assaulted and denied an access to education to break the cycle of poverty? You have no problem with Rohingyas being abandoned at sea?

Germany and other western countries pour hundreds of millions of dollars into the charities and state sponsored organizations that try and care for the displaced people that end up in Thailand. It is those German taxpayers that are making sure you don't have a starving Burmese refugee on your doorstep. Germany is hardly on the frontlines in Afghanistan. If you believe that Germany's sponsorship of schools and social services to help the poor and to provide an alternative to opium growing in Afghanistan is wrong and should be stopped, ok. Unfortunately, the people that come from the stone ages don't like people like you and short of killing them all off, the only alternative is to try and divert them away from violence.

Yes there are lazy people that abuse western social systems, but those social systems also provided you with an opportunity for an education and health care when you lived there, didn't they? Those social systems also respond to keep from the sick and elderly from starving to death. I read your position as a statement of selfishness. Here's an example to make it clear. Some people don't understand why hundreds of millions of baht are spent on R&D for HIV, Malaria, Dengue, Tuberculosis etc. in Thailand. These are infectious diseases that typically kill off the old, the weak, and the poor. Unfortunately, until those people die they are in the general population spreading their disease, putting the safety of everyone at risk. They oblige their family members to care for them interfering with the economy (labour supply) of Thailand. We respond to their needs because it is in the best interests of the population at large. And btw, Germany's taxpayers are paying for that research in Thailand, research that directly benefits you. You are happy not to pay tax in Thailand. Fine. Then who pray tell is going to pay for the treatment of a 35 year old service worker with TB walking about coughing sputum up, infecting others? We have to deal with corrupt police, but it is because they are not paid a decent salary and are instead obliged to raise money through their activities. Life is an investment. If we put nothing in, we aren't going to get anything back.

Thanks. I could not have put it so succinctly, nor so even-temperedly.

So tax in Germany only works out at 45% top whack, plus 17% or so VAT; compared to 37% here plus 10% Sales Tax; the difference is that in Germany, I would not be the only one paying all that tax...

Personally, I'd rather spend money on a war propping up a democratic government in Afghanistan against drug lords and terrorists than on kick-backs to buy over-priced and unnecessary Western fire engines

Interestingly, my wife probably thinks that the school here is better than what we could afford in the UK, though I have my doubts...

SC

[Lancelot]

The new 'political correctness' is to criticise 'political correctness'. To me, it is just an excuse by people to behave like boorish morons.

As for the immigrants taking over back home. Always amazes me that one - especially when it comes from the immigrant from ole blightly who hangs out down the pub with other whities watching the footy on telly.

But 'noooooo..' cries the 'immigrant'. I integrate, i shag local chicks and I'll learn at least 50 words of Thai by which to communicate when I'm living there.

The rednecks down here in OZ like attaching the 'fit in for f-off' stickers to the back of their utes/pickup trucks. Perhaps I can organise a Thai language version for the locals in LOS. I mean, it is alright not to be politically correct, right?

55555555

How many Thais have Australian citizenship? Compare that with the number of Australians that have Thai citizenship. I think you want it both ways SR

[StreetCowboy]

The new 'political correctness' is to criticise 'political correctness'. To me, it is just an excuse by people to behave like boorish morons.

As for the immigrants taking over back home. Always amazes me that one - especially when it comes from the immigrant from ole blightly who hangs out down the pub with other whities watching the footy on telly.

But 'noooooo..' cries the 'immigrant'. I integrate, i shag local chicks and I'll learn at least 50 words of Thai by which to communicate when I'm living there.

The rednecks down here in OZ like attaching the 'fit in for f-off' stickers to the back of their utes/pickup trucks. Perhaps I can organise a Thai language version for the locals in LOS. I mean, it is alright not to be politically correct, right?

55555555

How many Thais have Australian citizenship? Compare that with the number of Australians that have Thai citizenship. I think you want it both ways SR

I guess the number will be about the same. If they are Thai citizens and Austrralian citizens, then they will be the same people, whichever order you count them in.

The difference is that Australia is a nation built by immigrants at the expense of the indigenous culture, while Thailand seeks to retain its culture by discouraging immigration.

SC

[chooch7]

no offense but thailand offers very little besides thaigirls ....if you into that kind of thing.

what diffwerentiates thai cheapness from other countries- many countriess cheaper than thailand----------------its the girls

Cheapness is what it offers if you know how to do all that home economics stuff. Very, very cheapness.

However, it used to offer cheap coconuts but doesn't anymore.

cheap is overrated!

Edited March 6, 2011 by chooch7

[Berkshire]

There is really only one reason I'm here when you get right down to it. The fact is, in general, Thai children grow up in a culture where respect for their elders is expected, and they learn that trait instinctively. That is not to say all people who are older deserve respect, but the West has gone too far in the other direction. Children and young adults are often incapable of recognizing the value of experience and wisdom, and many times in their exuberance to fix the world they often create more problems than they solve, and hurt those people who shouldn't be hurt. Given that reality, the Thai culture of showing respect for those who are older than you provides a means of moderating some of those unhealthy activities.

The Thai way is not perfect of course, and the system in the West isn't all bad. But Thailand is much closer to the optimum. If all you concern yourself with is materialism and technological progress, then maybe Thailand offers nothing for you. But if you value family and culture, Thailand provides a better environment to grow.

As for the rest, the weather here sucks, it is no longer a cheap country to live, and once you are married the women simply become a nuisance that will cause your wife to become unreasonably jealous. There are tax advantages though, and you don't have to walk through nude scanners in order to board a plane, or face self important TSA cretins who have the manners of a goat. Give me a self important Thai official any day over some pimply faced 25 year old TSA agent in the states with a chip on his shoulder. So the rest of life is just kind of a wash. But the family values thing...that is the reason to stay.

Pretty good assessment, Greg. And you're right about the societal attitude of respecting elders. That's one of the perplexing thing about TV and TV members, whom are mostly old guys. You old farts criticize Thais and Thai society, even though you're treated with much more respect here than in the west. In the west, society pretty much wants old geezers to hurry up and die. The western youth could give a rats arse about the opinion of the old, even though they can learn a thing or two. Ironic.

[Ulysses G.]

You old farts criticize Thais and Thai society, even though you're treated with much more respect here than in the west. In the west, society pretty much wants old geezers to hurry up and die.

Respect? Bitching about all and sundry is apparently much more satisfying to the Grumpy Old Men types.

[MJP]

no offense but thailand offers very little besides thaigirls ....if you into that kind of thing.

what diffwerentiates thai cheapness from other countries- many countriess cheaper than thailand----------------its the girls

Cheapness is what it offers if you know how to do all that home economics stuff. Very, very cheapness.

However, it used to offer cheap coconuts but doesn't anymore.

cheap is overrated!

Not this year it isn't.

[Sakeopete]

Weather and I don't pay taxes otherwise I would be living in Canada. I really hate the cold.

[nickmanchester2]

i just waved goodbye to a 26 year old girl this morning who i have started seeing (i am 37) in the UK i tried joining a dating site and the girls who messaged me average age was 42 - cheeky mares - I didn't meet this new girl through dating site, she is a friend of a friend.

cost of living over here is the other one, in the uk, a nice 3 bed detached is about £800 a month rent for something half decent, over here I have seen 3 bed private houses in Phuket for £500 inc private pool - bills in uk work out more expensive than my rent and bills together over here.

yep its too hot a lot of the time but its not that bad - love being able to walk out in shorts and tshirt at whatever time i like.

always able to buy a cold beer if i want one in the local shop 24 hours a day.

[Richb2004v2]

i just waved goodbye to a 26 year old girl this morning who i have started seeing (i am 37) in the UK i tried joining a dating site and the girls who messaged me average age was 42 - cheeky mares - I didn't meet this new girl through dating site, she is a friend of a friend.

cost of living over here is the other one, in the uk, a nice 3 bed detached is about £800 a month rent for something half decent, over here I have seen 3 bed private houses in Phuket for £500 inc private pool - bills in uk work out more expensive than my rent and bills together over here.

yep its too hot a lot of the time but its not that bad - love being able to walk out in shorts and tshirt at whatever time i like.

always able to buy a cold beer if i want one in the local shop 24 hours a day.

Cheap beer and easy women is what swings it for most people it seems.

[utapaortnab]

I lived fulltime in Thailand 1971-1973 and 2005-2010 and part time ever since 19712 excepting

when I lived in-country full time. In all the 39 years in-country my female friends were aged

22-41 (my wife was 21 when I married her and is 37 now), I'm 74.

In all that time I never slept with a bargirl, always preferring to "farm" shopping malls, and

shops, restaurants, coffee shops and tea shops. That certainly doesn't make my way of makhing

friends right or anyone else's way wrong, just that I march to a far different drummer (I also

do not drink or smoke but certainly have always looked at that as my shortcoming, not that there

is anything wrong with either). It's just that I am an incillin dependent diabetec and always

get sick drinking and I did not ever smoke because Pall Malls killed my dad at such an early age.

Now, back in America, few young women give someone my age a tumble or even a thought.

I have missed Thailand every moment since I left.

Ken

[Seewolf]

After getting divorced in France and without too much money i found back the good way of live , good job goo money and by chance i came 5 years ago and i found here my Paradise , i am married again since 3 years with a beautiful Girl in Issan where i meat her and we have a beautiful daughter a beautiful house a big pool which one can be used 12 months per year , live is cheaper no taxes same as in France or Germany (where are my origins) and my house was 10 times cheaper than in Europe and it's enough for the rest of my life. I can ride my Bike anytime of the year and the rain is not an obstacle for that. Another Baby girl is coming next month and i will be retired after 6 years. to enjoy my second life..........................!!! No reasons to move away back to my homeland.

[mstribling]

i just waved goodbye to a 26 year old girl this morning who i have started seeing (i am 37) in the UK i tried joining a dating site and the girls who messaged me average age was 42 - cheeky mares - I didn't meet this new girl through dating site, she is a friend of a friend.

cost of living over here is the other one, in the uk, a nice 3 bed detached is about £800 a month rent for something half decent, over here I have seen 3 bed private houses in Phuket for £500 inc private pool - bills in uk work out more expensive than my rent and bills together over here.

yep its too hot a lot of the time but its not that bad - love being able to walk out in shorts and tshirt at whatever time i like.

always able to buy a cold beer if i want one in the local shop 24 hours a day.

Cheap beer and easy women is what swings it for most people it seems.

Word!

[ArtVandelay]

Try selling food outside a McDonalds in America and see what happens to you.

Step 1) Assistant manager comes out and threatens to call the cops

Step 2) Vendor gives up...ends up living under a bridge somewhere

Step 3) Two people walking their dog see the homeless man, point at him, and comment that if he'd only taken a job at a McDonalds, he would have a place to live.

Moral of the Story: Corporations run the West, control the media, and elect presidents. The manager of the McDonalds isn't going to get his big screen TV bonus at the end of the year if he doesn't sell enough food so don't stand in his way. Start flipping burgers or get out of the way.

[beppi]

immigration out of control

It takes a surprising amount of hypocrisy to cite this as a reason to become an immigrant oneself in another country!

For me, I do NOT prefer Thailand over my home country.

I am here for work and will leave once my projects allow.

I lived (minimum 1.5 years) in 5 Asian countries, worked (a few months) in 5 more and managed to build a comfort zone and a feeling of belonging ("home") in most. Not in Thailand, for a variety of complex reasons that would take too long to explain here (PM me if you're really interested).

If I had to choose an Asian country for the rest of my life, it would be Singapore.

But for quality of life Europe wins hands-down in almost any respect other than costs and maybe the women (which for me isn't an issue - happily married to a non-Thai Asian).

This is my opinion - I respect yours if it is different!

Edited March 6, 2011 by beppi

[Lancelot]

I guess the number will be about the same. If they are Thai citizens and Austrralian citizens, then they will be the same people, whichever order you count them in.

The difference is that Australia is a nation built by immigrants at the expense of the indigenous culture, while Thailand seeks to retain its culture by discouraging immigration.

SC

I think you accidentally made my point. Thais can become Australian citizens much easier than Australians can become Thai citizens. And yes, the Thais don't want us here-longer than 30 days

The US, Canada, UK, Australia do a far better job of integrating naturalized citizens. Unless your face is asian, you'll never be truly accepted in Thailand.

[mark45y]

I guess the number will be about the same. If they are Thai citizens and Austrralian citizens, then they will be the same people, whichever order you count them in.

The difference is that Australia is a nation built by immigrants at the expense of the indigenous culture, while Thailand seeks to retain its culture by discouraging immigration.

SC

I think you accidentally made my point. Thais can become Australian citizens much easier than Australians can become Thai citizens. And yes, the Thais don't want us here-longer than 30 days

The US, Canada, UK, Australia do a far better job of integrating naturalized citizens. Unless your face is asian, you'll never be truly accepted in Thailand.

You must be doing something wrong Lancelot. I go to immigration once a year for 20 minutes and they tell me they want me here for another year. They smile and say thank you, see you next year.

[JPPR2]

For me, it's largely a George Costanza thing.

In the US, if you don't have work for whatever reason, you're a nogoodnik bum.

Here, it's official! With the retirement visa it is ILLEGAL to work, even if you really want to. Wouldn't want to break the law!

Pretty much same as Jingthing and even more now as I just got my retirement visa. Let me add a few more things. People quickly judge you based on your job. if you do not have one and even though you may have reserves or investments you are still viewed as a loser. In US you MUST work until you die. In US I find most people live life walking aimlessly. Just relentless consumerism and cover their depression by eating. I found over last 10 years most have no idea what happiness is. They view happiness by how many material things they accumulate to make other envious of them. Very few no how to live with less.

Why I enjoy Thailand....the list is long

*I enjoy not paying US Income taxes anymore.

*No more property taxes until I die.

*No mortgage,

*No car payments,

*No car insurance,

*No more processed food as it costs premium money to eat healthy in US.

*No more drive thrus, *

*No more 64 oz Big gulp,

*No more living in fear that gas will rise to $5 a gallon.

*No more 1 is good 2 is better 3 is great and 4 your neighbors will envy you mentality.

*The people are rude, pretentious and arrogant as they think the US is the best place in the world while most are ignorant of the truth

* Families are all dysfunctional.

* No more listening to parents talk about how great their kids are and how they brag about them to the end of the earth. Proud is one thing, but come on......Enough already.

* No more having to see fat a$$ people who complain it is a gene thing when in fact they should stopping EATING SO MUCH FOOD.

* No more Viagra, Cialis, Ambien, Cymbalta, Penal enlargement, and the other million medical commercials the TV sells over and over.

* No more commuter lane and having to hear Toyota Prius owner Yuppies who brag and believe their car is saving the environment...

* No more work in corporate America listening to blow hards yak and yak to their 50 page powerpoint presentation yet are never held accountable for their poor performance. If they cant dazzle them with brillance, they baffle them with bull$shit.

And if that is not enough; No more snotty US women who have ridiculous expectations and offer very little in return . Its gets old seeing women prancing around in matching sweat suits with coach bags hoping out of a 500 Mercedes Benz.

Thailand is a nice place especially if you stay away from Pattaya and Phuket. Sure it is not the answer to everything but it beats the US hands down for the reasons I stated above. There is a lot of history and culture here to learn. You can live simple and stress free. It suits my life style well. My US dollar goes a long way. Public transportation is very good. Healthy food is everywhere. People are nice, cars are LPG and CNG powered. I love no cup holders in cars and no drive thru restaurants. Coffee is stellar and you can walk to a night market anytime and eat. for a buck or 2.

[Ulysses G.]

No wonder you could not get a girlfriend back home.