Have You Got The Time?

[pmgthailand]

I must waste at least 10 hours a week, sitting in traffic trying to get to and from work and I only have to travel 20km to travel each way. This is on top of the 40 mins I have allocated for the trip each way. Add to that the the time wasted trying to get in and out of Tesco or Central Festival when shopping, add to that the time wasted waiting in line to pay, or at the banks or ATM's, visa runs etc. etc. Then I figure that at least 600 hours a year of my time is wasted sitting in my car or standing in line to pay for something, that's 25 days a year and I have been here for 5 years. That's a total 125 days wasted and I'm not getting any younger.

You may ask why I live here:

• is it for the sleaze and corruption or
• the dangerous and reckless driving or
• the crime and murders and drugs and prostitutes or
• the lack of consideration for others or
• the overpriced and undervalued restaurants or
• greedy landlords and unrealistic property prices
• crap internet service and basic infrastructure

I ask myself the same question every day.

[Lannatyne]

Yes, I agree with all your points here. Especially 1 through to 7.

I don't work here, but I often think that I couldn't hold down a job anyway, what with all things you have to do here in person that are so time-consuming.

It almost makes you appreciate the efficiency of a call centre - even those in India!

[MissChris]

Perhaps you could take up a hobby, like knitting or crochet while waiting. Then there's all those games on my iPhone I never get around to. I never ever get bored waiting in a doctor's surgery. Must drive the receptionists from hell crazy

[KarenBravo]

My travel times haven't changed over the years, but, then I drive a step-thru.

Zip to the front of the lights; no problems with parking. It's fun driving, too.

[Koolkat]

I suspect you have an accounting background.

I suggest you use the same rigorous maths to what you enjoy in Th.

If it does not counterbalance favorably, you could try Myanmar!

Best of luck.

[BangTaoBoy]

What make syou think people in other places and countries have the same list of time consuming things?

I've always said, working in Thailand can lead to problems. I hate traffic normally, but in Phuket it doesn't bother me, because I'm a man of leisure. I've got more hours in the day than I know what to do with. Traffic time is either listening to music time, if I'm on my own, or family sing along time, (nursery rhymes) if we're all together.

I think you'll find anybody who has to work will have those same frustrations of not having enough time to get everything done. It has nothing to do with Phuket or that list of negative aspects you posted.

Edited June 3, 2011 by BangTaoBoy

[wtk]

so your home country does not have any traffic, all the jobs are near where the employees live, no queues at ATMs, grocery stores, banks etc.?

where did you come from and why did you move then!?

imo property is still cheap here compared to europe for example but you can not really compare them directly so maybe you are right about that

[Kimera]

What make syou think people in other places and countries have the same list of time consuming things?

I've always said, working in Thailand can lead to problems. I hate traffic normally, but in Phuket it doesn't bother me, because I'm a man of leisure. I've got more hours in the day than I know what to do with. Traffic time is either listening to music time, if I'm on my own, or family sing along time, (nursery rhymes) if we're all together.

I think you'll find anybody who has to work will have those same frustrations of not having enough time to get everything done. It has nothing to do with Phuket or that list of negative aspects you posted.

Well I get up every day and today it will be different just stay calm, I also have all the time in the world. and then it begins the frustration of driving here!! Are your children at school, thats when it started for me, a time deadline not many songs on that run

[Jimi007]

It sounds like it's time for the OP to move on. You didn't mention one thing that you like about Phuket, so why stay here? I don't have any of your frustrations. Almost every 7-11 has a Bangkok Bank ATM in Rawai, which is one of my banks, so never a line. I don't drive in rush hour traffic, so I'm not bothered. I rarely go to Central or the big Tesco because I don't like crowds. If I do go, I know what I'm going for and I'm in and out quickly. It's easy to pay my bills and I don't have many. I pay PEA at 7-11, KPP at their office, UBC at Siam Commercial Bank in Rawai which is just down the street from 7-11. My auto insurance, once a year, by electronic transfer online. Motorbike and car registration and motorbike insurance, I pay at the local testing center, no line, and five minutes from my house. I don't do visa runs. I stop by the Phuket Immigration Office for 5 minutes every three months. My rent has been the same for the past 5 years and I don't have to deal with sleaze or corruption. But then again I don't and wouldn't want to work in Thailand or own a business, then I may become as frustrated as you! Good luck, things won't change here much, so you might as well find somewhere you are happy. Life is too short to be miserable...

[Theo007]

Well, pgmthailand, you are not alone! I often ask myself the same question. I sometimes feel trapped here working in a volunteer position and wonder how much longer I can carry on.

[grumpyoldman]

This just seems a bit of a troll for all the Phuket bashers out there (talk about wasting time! Bored keyboard warriors) but i'll take the bait:

You may ask why I live here:

• is it for the sleaze and corruption or- I guess to each their own, at least they are both transparent
• the dangerous and reckless driving or - That's any 2nd or 3rd world country where driver training is poor and road laws ignored
• the crime and murders and drugs and prostitutes or - Been to Kingston, Jamaica? Be happy with the numbers compared to there
• the lack of consideration for others or - I find most Thais to be pretty polite, you talking the other farangs here (mofo)? Ha, ha.
• the overpriced and undervalued restaurants or -This is baffling, all kinds of options here, noodle soups to The Boathouse.
• greedy landlords and unrealistic property prices - can't really own anyway so who cares about prices, landlords(?) same as above, many options
• crap internet service and basic infrastructure - In Phuket? I'll go with mediocre, but considering all the people working internet jobs here I think the service must be o.k. Infrastructure is fine and a subjective topic, your expectations might be different than mine.

Now, still awaiting all the "yea, Phuket sucks posters" as I shine my rose tinted glasses.

[ESB7]

The simple thing is to move away...........I came here to get away from the things you mention and most of the time do stear clear of them...sometimes traffic is a pain but luckily most of the time I stay at a nice Thai beach resort location where there isnt any of what you mentioned...if you came here to escape those things why on earth did you choose Phuket to settle, there is enough info about to stear you clear of the tourist traps and all that brings for you to find the idyllic retirement location in Thailand...........you sound like you are the kind of person that is never happy wherever you are..make the most of your lot as I and many others could post a list 100 times longer than yours with the bad things of where we come from and also another list 100 times as long with the beneits of living in Thailand

[katabeachbum]

The simple thing is to move away...........I came here to get away from the things you mention and most of the time do stear clear of them...sometimes traffic is a pain but luckily most of the time I stay at a nice Thai beach resort location where there isnt any of what you mentioned...if you came here to escape those things why on earth did you choose Phuket to settle, there is enough info about to stear you clear of the tourist traps and all that brings for you to find the idyllic retirement location in Thailand...........you sound like you are the kind of person that is never happy wherever you are..make the most of your lot as I and many others could post a list 100 times longer than yours with the bad things of where we come from and also another list 100 times as long with the beneits of living in Thailand

OP has been posting complaining posts like this for a year. If my life was this miserable for 3 months, I would possibly need another month to make a change.

Plenty of nice beach locations in Thailand without the population and density of Phuket. and the Phuket he describes is not the Phuket I have been living in past 8 years.

Most choose how to live.

OP is choosing to complain

[jdinasia]

The simple thing is to move away...........I came here to get away from the things you mention and most of the time do stear clear of them...sometimes traffic is a pain but luckily most of the time I stay at a nice Thai beach resort location where there isnt any of what you mentioned...if you came here to escape those things why on earth did you choose Phuket to settle, there is enough info about to stear you clear of the tourist traps and all that brings for you to find the idyllic retirement location in Thailand...........you sound like you are the kind of person that is never happy wherever you are..make the most of your lot as I and many others could post a list 100 times longer than yours with the bad things of where we come from and also another list 100 times as long with the beneits of living in Thailand

OP has been posting complaining posts like this for a year. If my life was this miserable for 3 months, I would possibly need another month to make a change.

Plenty of nice beach locations in Thailand without the population and density of Phuket. and the Phuket he describes is not the Phuket I have been living in past 8 years. We choose how to live. OP chooses to complain

It simply begs the question that the OP raises at the end of his post --- Why does he live there?

Life is too short to make a deliberate choice to be unhappy about where you live.

[grumpyoldman]

Well, pgmthailand, you are not alone! I often ask myself the same question. I sometimes feel trapped here working in a volunteer position and wonder how much longer I can carry on.

Yeeesh, ever heard "you make the bed you sleep in"?

[terak69]

Well, pgmthailand, you are not alone! I often ask myself the same question. I sometimes feel trapped here working in a volunteer position and wonder how much longer I can carry on.

Yeeesh, ever heard "you make the bed you sleep in"?

What volunteer position can make you stay here - If I was an unhappy volunteer I think I would relocate my volunteer skills elsewhere

[Semper]

OP. I assume that you know where the airport is located.

[madmitch]

OP. I assume that you know where the airport is located.

No, too much traffic on the way up there and nowhere to park the car.

Ooops, sorry, I've replied on the OP's behalf.