Did You Ever Imagine You Would Still Be Living In Thailand This Long

[livinthailandos]

After going through many posts over the last year or so, I've come to realize many of you have been in thailand either many months, years or even a decade or more, so I decided to ask the simple question

did you ever imagine you would still being living in thailand this long

I haven't been here as long as many of you but I've been living and working here in thailand since jan 2008 and have not gone back to the U.S. for visits or holidays just don't see the point. Honestly I didn't think I would still be here after so many things that have happened but i'm still here. For how long I don't really know but i'm just taking it at one day at a time.

look forward to all your posts and comments on this

[Ulysses G.]

I hoped that I would and I do not regret it one bit.

[simon43]

Been here since 2002..

Last year I did consider returning to the UK and working again as a software contractor. But after doing a comparison spreadsheet of my UK income/tax rate/cost of living etc versus my Thai equivalent, I calculated that I would be worse of (financially) doing a skilled software job in the UK, as opposed to my (relatively unskilled) job of propping up the bar at my hotel and berating customers.

I hear that the UK has changed considerably in the past few years, and I'd probably feel like a foreigner in my 'homeland'.

Despite all the sh*t that has been thrown at me whilst living here, I can't think of a decent alternative location. One of the few things I do miss is cross-country skiiing, which I used to do when I lived in Andorra (in another previous life)

Simon

[MSingh]

No way did i..

& i wouldn't be if i hadn't have had my Daughter quite simply..

But bringing her up here >> London is a no brainer so here we are still..

[JurgenG]

I really never planned anything. I came in Asia a bit more than 15 years ago to join my father in Singapore when my parents divorced. At the beginning it was only for the holidays as I had to go back to school back home. At school, I got closer to expat kids whose parents were working in Asia, I guess it was a way for me to get closer to my dad, to understand better his life there. Little by little Asia became my home, first in Singapore then in Hong Kong. I met my gf during an internship and I discovered Thailand. My dad is now back home. For me, I'm not so sure where home is. I realized I couldn't completely discount going back to Europe one day so I try to stay in touch with childhood friends. I try to keep all the doors open so whatever choice I have to make in the future, I'll have friends around when I put my suitcases down

[David006]

5555 for sure mate...I arrived on my yacht in 2004 .."just to have a look"...got Tsunami'd , love struck , ripped off etc etc ..and am still here ..married again ..rubber farming....who'd a thunk it....life hugh?

[Tonto21]

Yes….and no, I like Thailand, and where I live in Mae Taeng. But I’ve been here very near 5 years and it would seem I’m cursed; I have never lived anywhere longer than 5 years my whole life. I don’t have a say in staying somewhere anymore, weird a? I am off to the Philippines’s on the 25^th for a nose, I hope I don’t like it as I would like to stay in Thailand, see if I can beat this thing.

[PhilHarries]

No way did i..

& i wouldn't be if i hadn't have had my Daughter quite simply..

But bringing her up here >> London is a no brainer so here we are still..

Not wishing to criticise but just ask a question. London is a no-brainer, I can understand that, but London is not the UK. Do you not forsee yourself considering a return for no other reason than your daughter's education, or do you consider Thai education acceptable as "fit for purpose"?

I was in Thailand for some twelve years, with a couple of short sojourns elsewhere, and I never thought I'd be there that long. It just happened, in the words of the song "one day you find ten years have got behind you....".

I'm now in Viet Nam, been here coming on four years, again with a short sojourn in Seoul. Will I be here in ten years? Who knows? I have no intention of moving on, insha'Allah I will survive that long but last night I was talking to an agent about a job prospect in the UK and he asked would I ever consider a return.

My reply was; Golden Rule #1: Never say never.

Do people like us expats ever make long term plans? Does anybody ever set up their stall in a country like Thailand with the intention of staying for the rest of their days? Undoubtedly some do but I'd hazard a guess that most don't, we are just 21st century drifters at heart. I guess the oft repeated hackneyed old phrase "never invest more in Thailand than you can afford to walk away from" nails it. Though we stay in a place for maybe years we always have that escape capsule.

Tempus fugit.

[Spaniel]

I first arrived here in 1967 working for Philco-Ford Corp in Korat then later in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. Worked in the middle east and Europe about 12 years but always returned to Thailand between jobs. Finally retired here with Thai wife in 1999. Back in '67 would never have guesed this would have been the outcome.

[tim armstrong]

No way did i..

& i wouldn't be if i hadn't have had my Daughter quite simply..

But bringing her up here >> London is a no brainer so here we are still..

Not wishing to criticise but just ask a question. London is a no-brainer, I can understand that, but London is not the UK. Do you not forsee yourself considering a return for no other reason than your daughter's education, or do you consider Thai education acceptable as "fit for purpose"?

I was in Thailand for some twelve years, with a couple of short sojourns elsewhere, and I never thought I'd be there that long. It just happened, in the words of the song "one day you find ten years have got behind you....".

I'm now in Viet Nam, been here coming on four years, again with a short sojourn in Seoul. Will I be here in ten years? Who knows? I have no intention of moving on, insha'Allah I will survive that long but last night I was talking to an agent about a job prospect in the UK and he asked would I ever consider a return.

My reply was; Golden Rule #1: Never say never.

Do people like us expats ever make long term plans? Does anybody ever set up their stall in a country like Thailand with the intention of staying for the rest of their days? Undoubtedly some do but I'd hazard a guess that most don't, we are just 21st century drifters at heart. I guess the oft repeated hackneyed old phrase "never invest more in Thailand than you can afford to walk away from" nails it. Though we stay in a place for maybe years we always have that escape capsule.

Tempus fugit.

I like that '21st century drifters'- sounds like a modern western directed by Clint Eastwood. You're right about the long term plans though, maybe we don't do that, and that's OK. I used to drive to work through a modern suburb in a large regional OZ town everyday. I'd look at the neat lawns, the neat people, the neat houses, the neat cars, and get very critical, but at the same time have a touch of envy at the predictability of that lifestyle. Years later, now in Thailand I live in a large house with a relatively neat lawn. But life is anything but predictable. Perhaps all roads lead to the same place. You just get there by different routes.

[Slip]

We came just after 9/11, planning to travel for 6-12 months. Still here and no plans to go anywhere unless Takky comes back, even then maybe not.

[villagefarang]

Back in 1975 I doubt I had a clue what I would be doing in 6 months, let alone 36 years on. Probably spent the first 10 or 15 years wondering and finally resigned to let fate take its course. Still here and still happy.

[andrewbkk]

I hear that the UK has changed considerably in the past few years, and I'd probably feel like a foreigner in my 'homeland'.

Great post. I came here in August 1999. Never been back.

Apparently England is now overrun with immigrants, and roughly 50% of people are "chavs". Admittedly I don't really know what a "chav" is, but they sound like a sub-spieces best avoided.

[gmac]

I came here to live in 2001 when I realised that I could either continue to live in my big house in the UK with little money and work for another 20 years or sell the house and let it keep me for a long and happy retirement in Thailand. No regrets so far even though the fall in value of sterling and crap interest rates have made things a little less luxurious than I might have wished.

[happyrobert]

Yes, because:

1. The bad now outweighs the good in the States, as opposed to 30+ years ago.

2. The good outweighs the bad here in Thailand.

3. If the bad ever outweighs the good here someday, I will look for another place that qualifies under 2 above.

I have no desire to go "home."

[JAS21]

Yes

[billd766]

Back in 1990 I hadn't even been to Thailand, was married to my UK wife and had a 12 year old son and lived in a 3 bedroom semi-detached house near Portsmouth in England.

In October 1991 the company lost its UK contract and we were given 3 choices:

1 work in the factory 120 km away but lose the company car, mobile and overtime

2 take redundancy and get 3 week salary in compensation

3 work internationally

I talked it over with my wife and son and decided to work internationally for a couple of years.

In 1992 I worked in Indonesia, Mexico, USA, Chile, Venezuela

1993 UK, Indonesia, UK, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, UK, Qatar

1994 UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Thailand

1995 Thailand

1996 Thailand

1997 Thailand and Sri Lanka

1998 Sri Lanka, UK, South Africa, Egypt, Angola, France and Angola again.

It went on like that for another 10 years and somewhere down that line I divorced my UK wife and married my long term Thai lady and we had a son.

I finally finished my 3 years international work in 2009 and I am now retired and living at home in Thailand.

Perhaps once more in my life I will return to the country of my birth to show my wife and son where my side of the family came from and after that I will be here until I die.

I love Thailand and the Thai people warts and all and in some 38 countries that I have worked and live in I can't think of a better one to be in.

[Beetlejuice]

When I decided to rest my head in Thailand I had all the confidence in the world that I could make a success of things here.

Strangely it was those who were close to me, family and friends that said; I would never last more then a year in Thailand. Even my best friend said; see you back in 3 months. That was almost 30 years ago.

Whether or not it was jealousy, or just the we are stuck in a rut because we do not have the guts to move on so why should I try and better myself attitude? I don’t know for sure.

These people never did move on and eventually either stopped communicating with me completely or only very occasionally. Now 30 years on those that said I would be back in my home country within a year are now either dead or still living in the same homes and working at the same jobs, constantly moaning about they’re mundane lives.

The good part is that those people from my past, the very few that once in a blue moon do still send me the odd email, have all said; I done the right thing.

[onnut]

I've lived here for 8 years and will move home in two weeks. Want to educate my son in the UK. I never thought I would be going home! Such is life. I will be back one day though.

[PattayaParent]

Although I'd been in Thailand a couple of times before and didn't like it I came in December 1994 for a weeks holiday, got a job and have loved the place ever since.

[kokesaat]

Married my wife in NKP in 1973. She followed me in the Air Force for 26 years....all along we talked about retiring in Thailand. When the time came in 1996, we sold our house and possessions in the US and moved over. Retired at 46. Regrets? Not a one.

[stander]

First came to Thailand in 1984, back and forth three to four times a year, and then settled here in 1987.

I have worked on a number of projects here and I also travel a lot with my work, but Thailand is home. and I would not change that, ever.

I never really thought about how long I was going to stay and think that is made easier if you have a decent level of financial stability.

[pjclark1]

I came here from the UK for a 3 week holiday.

Didn't go back.

I hate cold, damp weather (UK).

Hot and sunny is great (Thailand)

Nothing else matters, all that much to me.

[zzaa09]

I hoped that I would and I do not regret it one bit.

Same. I'm not that overtly conscious about it. It's long been past the novelty phase and just is what it is. The innocents. Still foreign.

Edited March 19, 2011 by zzaa09

[AzarovDmitriy]

I am reading this topic and I want to thank everybody who wrote here. You have changed my mind about foreigners who are living here. One more time thanks a lot.

[draggons]

Been here since 2004. Happily married and no intension of leaving.

[chops]

Made the permanent move in 2008 and haven't looked back. I never thought I'd still be here. It's strange living in a foreign country this long.

One day I'll return, but just to sample some memories of the west. Then I'll no doubt have a desire to scrape up all my money and head back.

[MSingh]

No way did i..

& i wouldn't be if i hadn't have had my Daughter quite simply..

But bringing her up here >> London is a no brainer so here we are still..

Not wishing to criticise but just ask a question. London is a no-brainer, I can understand that, but London is not the UK. Do you not forsee yourself considering a return for no other reason than your daughter's education, or do you consider Thai education acceptable as "fit for purpose"?

True very true, London is not the UK but i am from Inner London as are my Family so for me, going back " there " with my Daughter is a no brainer..

I don't like the mentality of your every day Londoner these days or the general mindset either 7 there sadly does seem to be, to me anyway, a pattern emerging in this new Generation that i dont' like at all..

Who knows about somewhere else, never say never as you say..

I do have a way into the US however legally & would rather explore that than go home i think anyway..

If it's in you it's in you this emigrating thing, i don't particulary wnat to go home & that would be based on a decision for my Daughtrers sake aswell as my own selfishness of liking the US like i do..

Edited March 19, 2011 by MSingh

[David006]

No way did i..

& i wouldn't be if i hadn't have had my Daughter quite simply..

But bringing her up here >> London is a no brainer so here we are still..

Not wishing to criticise but just ask a question. London is a no-brainer, I can understand that, but London is not the UK. Do you not forsee yourself considering a return for no other reason than your daughter's education, or do you consider Thai education acceptable as "fit for purpose"?

True very true, London is not the UK but i am from Inner London as are my Family so for me, going back " there " with my Daughter is a no brainer..

I don't like the mentality of your every day Londoner these days or the general mindset either 7 there sadly does seem to be, to me anyway, a pattern emerging in this new Generation that i dont' like at all..

Who knows about somewhere else, never say never as you say..

I do have a way into the US however legally & would rather explore that than go home i think anyway..

If it's in you it's in you this emigrating thing, i don't particulary wnat to go home & that would be based on a decision for my Daughtrers sake aswell as my own selfishness of liking the US like i do..

Seems the longer term "residents" here are not those that came on vacation or for the bars and birds...???

Agree about some of those bods that are still "back home"..I have noticed there seems to be negativity based on resentment or jealousy maybe of us that "did" whilst they apparently continue to wallow in self pity and blame shifting of their rather more mundane lives where the horizon is always grey...realistically and figuratively. This does not apply to all....some say goodonya... wish I had the resources/circumstance or guts to do it.....

There was a saying in Africa that said something to the effect..."you'll be back now you've been here"...certainly applies here.....it's so good to get through customs an step outside the airport into LOS..

[pauljones]

10 years