Reasons For Leaving Thailand

[DeathbyDurian]

I have no current plans to leave, but then again I haven't passed the 1.75 year benchmark yet.

What will your reason be if it ever happens? (or if it already did)

Link to original survey (The survey is still open and you can take it yourself):

http://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/Preliminarydatastayingon

NOTE: This survey is actually about Farang life in Thailand, not exclusively about leaving - I just picked out the leaving bit.

Reasons for leaving Thailand:

A total of 286 (out of 895) had lived in Thailand but had left. Their median stay length was quite short, however, at about 1.75 years, with a range from 1 to 20 years. Many had not wanted to leave and would return if they could.

"Right decision for my kids, but personally I would rather be there."

"Forced to leave- Thai family nearly killed me."

Main cited reasons for leaving were as follows:

Financial reasons 39%

Left expat job 25%

Disillusioned with life in Thailand 20%

Visa reasons 11%

Missed life in West 9%

Family (often children's education) 4%

Some specific comments,

"Always a tourist."

"Could not accept being a farang all my life and not being given a chance to assimilate."

"Not good for young children."

"Thais look down on whites. They don't like us and I got tired of it."

"Unfairness, corruption and racism."

"Crime/bad girls."

"The girl told me lies from the first time I saw her. I was supporting her family and two Thai husbands."

Most ( 54%) still were happy with their decision to leave but 54% would still move back to Thailand if they won $10 million in a lottery.

Respondents' general comments

Some comments reflect an ambivalence about Thailand and others suggest that one needs a few years to see if living in Thailand really does suit.

'Heaven and hel_l in the same place.'

"We are all treading on eggshells."

'Some [farangs] really happy, but many have miserable lives.'

'Thais consider farangs third class persons.'

"Alcoholism is a problem among many."

'There are a lot of bitter and cynical farangs here."

"Good if you can adapt to the culture and way of life."

"see an increasing number of people struggling to survive on a grossly inadequate income; 25% are very happy, 75% depressed and not living in the right place."

"Most farang fail here because they involve themselves with a Thai woman's family."

"If you want cheap sex and booze, its great."

"Basically to live in Thailand you need money... cash is king."

"Paradise for farang if have money."

"Always felt like a walking ATM."

"Should attempt to live in Thailand only if willing to learn the language."

[DJ Pat]

If I'd leave it'd be because :

1) racism

2) double tier pricing

3) they outlawed university uniforms

4) they regulated soi dogs

5) I was in a coffin dead

[WhiteShiva]

You'd get exactly the same commets if you spent a couple of evenings visiting expat bars in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya or Chiang Mai.

Honestly, is there a single piece of information here that is new to you?

[Tyree D.]

my reasons for staying:

1. whites are a powerless minority

2. I can speak the language

3. I would be the forth shortest player in the NBA but here I am suddenly big and rich

4. girls

5. I have money

[khall64au]

my reasons for staying:

1. whites are a powerless minority

2. I can speak the language

3. I would be the forth shortest player in the NBA but here I am suddenly big and rich

4. girls

5. I have money

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And you enjoy being a ######??

[Leo_Moscow]

my reasons for staying:

1. whites are a powerless minority

2. I can speak the language

3. I would be the forth shortest player in the NBA but here I am suddenly big and rich

4. girls

5. I have money

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And you enjoy being a ######??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

looks like all of you have being asked a question, that is miracle. )

who said you would not be a stranger in country, that 10 hours from place you borned, studied, ideologized and set other social rules?

How you will look at Thai people in your country?

Strange research for glimpse purpose. Try to live in Brazilia or Cambodja or Vietnam that is not far from this elephant place. ) if you are ok with yourself you will live anythere

[stevehaigh]

i have horrible nightmares many nights about interviewing for a job back in silicon valley, california. really, i'm not making it up, i do!

the only way i'm leaving here is in a box!

[steveromagnino]

the only way i'm leaving here is in a box!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The funniest thing is not getting to see in the poll all the stuff some of the people moan about all the time; civil liberties and &lt;deleted&gt; closing hours. And on related farang forums, increased bar fine prices and the like.

Regarding the racism thing; I am amazed at those results. hel_l, non-whites in white countries like my mum, they just suck it up. Fact of life...Amazes me that it would come up with such a high percentage...I mean double pricing?! What the hel_l is that???? Double pricing is the reason you would or wouldn't live here?! It really bothers some people that they have to pay a whole $10 NZD to go to a public park or to look at the crocodiles in Samut Prakan??

I know the average Thai wage here is kind of low. I know that tourists must earn money. I know that to have a work permit apart from teachers and a few others, that you need to be on above average wages.... I know plenty of westerners that always get the Thai price on everything due to speaking Thai.

And despite knowing all that, just the thought that the one mythical wealthy Thai-Chinese with an ID can get in to the park for 10 times less, it drives you nuts enough to leave here?!

The whole racism bit fascinates me; I guess for some people white from white countries or coming from their own Asian country, encountering racism for the first time must be kind of an eye opener though....one I cannot really fathom being that bad though?

This is fascinating to me!

[ProfessorFart]

The whole racism bit fascinates me; I guess for some people white from white countries or coming from their own Asian country, encountering racism for the first time must be kind of an eye opener though....one I cannot really fathom being that bad though?

Racism is not the preserve of white people and many whites in what you moronically define as 'white' countries do face racism and prejudice in their own homelands.

I think what puts people's backs out about Thailand (and much of Asia) is that there is no chance of assimilation no matter what efforts they make. Westerners will always be treated as different no matter how fluent they may be in the language or familiar with the culture.

People from the West are told to welcome immigrants with open arms and face punishments if they don't and many go to great lenghts to accept immigrants to their homelands to the extent that it has become a social norm to accept immigrants without question.

However, what has become the moral and social norm for most Western societies in this day and age, seems to have passed most of Asia by. Some people find this hard to stomach as much as other people find racism hard to stomach.

If you can't figure this out you must be a little blinkered Steveromagnino.

Edited November 24, 2005 by ProfessorFart

[Smokin Joe]

... just the thought that the one mythical wealthy Thai-Chinese with an ID can get in to the park for 10 times less, it drives you nuts enough to leave here?!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are those the ones driving all the mythical BMWs and Mercedes.

[Boon Mee]

I'd leave if they ran out of Chang Beer...

[OxfordWill]

Are those the ones driving all the mythical BMWs and Mercedes.

Hahaha...

The type of info is not new, whiteshiva, but the interesting bit is the statistics - i.e. how much and of/in what regularity is one particular bit of info repeated?

[WhiteShiva]

Are those the ones driving all the mythical BMWs and Mercedes.

Hahaha...

The type of info is not new, whiteshiva, but the interesting bit is the statistics - i.e. how much and of/in what regularity is one particular bit of info repeated?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right, but to have reliable statistic, you need a representative sample - which I am pretty sure they did not get.

Hence the statistics are of no value, nor any interest. Fun reading perhaps, but they do not contain anything interesting.

[Gary A]

I moved over here the first time in 1991 and went back to the states in 1996. I was well and truly burned out. I had no plans to ever return. Within the first month in Kalifornia I asked myself what I was doing there. I spent the next two and a half years figuring out how to get back to Thailand. The next time I went back to Kalifornia I was broke. But I had a plan that required working three years and then retiring in the Kingdom. My plans worked out and here I am. I intend to spend the rest of my life here and have no intention to EVER go back to the states.

[Leo_Moscow]

I moved over here the first time in 1991 and went back to the states in 1996. I was well and truly burned out. I had no plans to ever return. Within the first month in Kalifornia I asked myself what I was doing there. I spent the next two and a half years figuring out how to get back to Thailand. The next time I went back to Kalifornia I was broke. But I had a plan that required working three years and then retiring in the Kingdom. My plans worked out and here I am. I intend to spend the rest of my life here and have no intention to EVER go back to the states.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

for my first view from people i met in Thailand every time it is a place for people with very intersting options in charasters. really Freeman nation place ? planet Dune, spice is everythere

[stevehaigh]

I'd leave if they ran out of Chang Beer...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

or girls!

[OlRedEyes]

Regarding the racism thing; I am amazed at those results.  hel_l, non-whites in white countries like my mum, they just suck it up.  Fact of life...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What utter crap...

[LaReina]

Racism is not the preserve of white people and many whites in what you moronically define as 'white' countries do face racism and prejudice in their own homelands.

hmm if you are white in a "white" country, then you are of the same race. So exactly what is your definition of Racisim? Unless of course you are talking about the "white blacks", or "white asians"..... ... ...

[Buff-horns]

lots of other reasons not mentioned , like too hot, broken hearted she cleaned me out,

and my mate is leaving because of erectyle disfunction ! no good staying in LOS if you cant get a hardon.

[jonik]

I moved over here the first time in 1991 and went back to the states in 1996. I was well and truly burned out. I had no plans to ever return. Within the first month in Kalifornia I asked myself what I was doing there. I spent the next two and a half years figuring out how to get back to Thailand. The next time I went back to Kalifornia I was broke. But I had a plan that required working three years and then retiring in the Kingdom. My plans worked out and here I am. I intend to spend the rest of my life here and have no intention to EVER go back to the states.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

California that is, Kalifornia where is that? Think you'd better stay in LOS yes........

[zzap]

Racism is not the preserve of white people and many whites in what you moronically define as 'white' countries do face racism and prejudice in their own homelands.

hmm if you are white in a "white" country, then you are of the same race. So exactly what is your definition of Racisim? Unless of course you are talking about the "white blacks", or "white asians"..... ... ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is amazing how those who are 'privileged' in their own country keep moaning about 'racism' in Thailand, and believe the situation in their country is somewhat better.

As a 'white European', I have come across prejudice and being looked down on frequently in the UK, and that's towards someone you wouldn't know wasn't British until he opened his mouth. That's not the whole story, of course, otherwise I wouldn't have stayed for so long, but for somebody who has never experienced this before, it is hard to understand just how disturbing these little evryday incidences are.

Those who are familiar with it, like myself, have learned to live with it and enjoy their stay nonetheless.

I am not talking about the legal reality and visa regulations, but day-to-day living.

[sonthaya]

I'm not leaving unless they kick me out

[steveromagnino]

I'm not leaving unless they kick me out

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Based on your avatar and that obvious flagrant disregard for water conservation, I'd be watching myself if I were you

My comment regarding whites; well certainly non-whites get it too, but since the comments are mostly about farang, well one does have to consider that farangs are white so...... and what you are talking about is farang vs. farang racism.... hmmmm; well I take your point, although probably it isn't race so much as xenophobia.

Yep, for the most part there has been terrible racism directed towards people of same colour with different beliefs; Dutch, Polish and others got it a lot in NZ a while back...but I have (in talking to my Dutch and Polish friends) got the impression that living there long enough many were able to blend in; language skills improved and people started to look to some other group to blame for their problems - pacific Islanders, Maori, Asians, etc. Based on the abuse an Asian gets in Auckland it is fair to say that for at least some Asians the idea that they can ever feel like a 'genuine' New Zealander is not really any different to the liklihood that a farang can feel like a 'genuine' Thai. they will always be a visitor. And based on beatings/intimidation through school (that are still widely documented to the point they introduced guardian schemes), ongoing abuse in the streets, skinheads in Christchurch and the popularity of a political party whose main policy is restriction of Asian immigration; well in NZ at least it certainly is a sizeable group who have a problem and do not like immigrants. This I would not describe as a 'norm' for equal treatment; certainly illegal but nonetheless there. Additionally, while not spoken about, any job interview can easily choose applicants on a wide range of factors, and having seen how the companies I worked for recruited, selection based on last name was commonplace in the first round getting to who would get an interview. There is a reason why so many immigrants in NZ get disallusioned and return home; it ain't that easy to fit in and get a job.

And that's the price you pay for looking/sounding different. Difference is here that people on this forum (farang primarily based on the responses in this thread) expect different, like we will all be happy families. Doesn't happen here. Doesn't happen there.

Try being Indian in either place; would be worse than Thai or white for sure.

Cannot speak for the rest of the world, haven't lived there. HOwever most western societies that welcome immigrants so much with open arms you say?...well based on Ali G, the KKK, racist chants at football, Asian youths getting beat up, the riots in France, gang issues in Australia..well there may well be many people who are very very fair to all races, but there are a fair few who are not.

So what? The world isn't fair. That';s the best attitude, after all we're all rich compared to the majority of the planet. Who cares you don't fit in completely? I'd say Farang get it pretty good here for some things depending on how much effort they've made to understand how things work here.