My Top Ten Reasons

[WarpSpeed]

Anyone who THINKS they have been accepted in Thai society (especially the ones who drive around with no helmets and their dogs perched upon their Motocy or in their side-car) really needs to think twice. All the Thai's think when they see you is "look at that stupid poor farang."

Trust me when I say that if you think their Family has accepted you, it's ONLY because of your bank account. If for 1 minute they thought their daughter could be with a younger farang with triple your bank account, YOU'RE OUT THE DOOR.

All the posters who have counter-posted my OP in all 10 ways are just dreamers. You say that you own your house (just not the land) again believe me if they wanted you out, YOU'RE OUT.

These are all posts from people who have gone native on us (or so they think) and have only adjusted your make-belief-life to suffice for reality.

I understand people not agreeing with some of my 10 points but to slag all 10? Come on man, you are pathetic.

Finding it kinda hard to believe that you wrote that crap! You start the thread, then when people respond with their (flawed or not) opinions, they are all pathetic? Would love to meet you face to face so that I could debate some of your points with you, but on the other hand it seems that only one opinion can be right....yours.

Hold your horses there Popeye...

[soundman]

I have removed some posts that are overly negative towards ALL Thai's.

Please don't stereotype.

[WarpSpeed]

this place is total crap they the Thais don't like you .at all the day you start to run out of money you find out there famous words (i love you long time mister ATM.) YOU ARE THERE ATM.that's all you are.

It sounds like you are talking about hookers and lowlifes. There are plenty of decent Thais around if one has something to offer other than money. Are you sure that the problem is not something missing in you?

I do agree we have had some good Thai and farang friends here and still do and even help from some virtual strangers that really came out recently during the floods and that part I will miss, as I will the ego stroking, genuinely appreciative, admiring smiles I get from attractive young ladies here unlike the resentful perturbed looks I'll get back home but they are outdone by the overwhelming negatives that surround us daily and every time I leave the house I'm reminded again, whether it's the idiot I just had to avoid down the road going the wrong way against traffic on his motocy as I try to pull out. The mother who I'm scared for that she/they will actually fall off in my presence, that has her baby sleeping in her arms while her other child is sleeping between her and her aunt and the mother not holding onto anything for support and not a helmet to be seen anywhere. Or the road conditions, the trash pile in the nice swamp down the road, geeeezz I could go on and on and on..

BTW A bit off topic maybe but seriously how sleep deprived must a child have to be to sleep sitting straight up in the middle of the day on a motocy and consider how quickly they must have fallen asleep on a short local jaunt? But that's a whole nother thread..

Edited January 20, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[janverbeem]

My question would be why do so many expats (read non citizens with severely restricted rights and freedoms) get all defensive and their panties in a twist every time, any time someone relays their OWN PERSONAL feelings and makes it known they're discontent and leaving?

The answer is very easy,look at the post count of those posters.They have still the rose tinted glasses on.

Those that know how it really works in this country and dare to post the truth are long gone or banned from this forum for using their rights of freedom of speech.

[Ulysses G.]

I have been here for many years, have tons of posts and have been suspended regularly. I still love the place and so do most of the expats that I know who have been here 20 years and more. If someone hates Thailand and wants to leave, it is no skin off my back.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[soomak]

1) Oh really? Can you own more than 49% of a business too?

Yes.

If you are American you can own a business 100% under the Amity Treaty.

But I am not an American...

[soomak]

And, dude, you probably american (no offence), but english is NOT a common global language (yet), so learn Thai, it isnt so difficult to get to a certain level.

English is the second or third most spoken language in the world (depending on which poll/site you want to believe)

http://www.krysstal.com/spoken.html

http://listverse.com...s-in-the-world/

http://www2.ignatius...r/languages.htm

Or you can jsut google for yourself...

But dont let facts get in the way of a good rant!

English is the most spoken language in the world.

Mandarin is spoken only in China and some small pockets (Taiwan, Singapore, etc)

The statistics that you brought probably shows the NATIVE speakers (meaning English as the first language),

while hundreds of millions speak good English as a seconds language, and hundreds of millions more speak passable English.

In my business, I communicate in English with Russians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Indians, Turks, Germans, Malaysians, Ukrainians, and many more.

I could not think of any other language that this can be possible in.

The fact that Thais speak VERY POOR English, keeps many of them out of the global economy.

Maybe this is what their government wants, a kind of isolation from the influences of the world, who knows?

Edited January 20, 2012 by soomak

[midasthailand]

I have removed some posts that are overly negative towards ALL Thai's.

Please don't stereotype.

I wish you had left them there as these people need to be exposed!!

[midasthailand]

I have removed some posts that are overly negative towards ALL Thai's.

Please don't stereotype.

I wish you had left them there as these people need to be exposed!!

10 things that annoy me about Thailand, but not enough to make me leave:

1. Music is too loud at my local!

2. Annoying foreigners that do not like it here but stay nevertheless.

3. Staff that get in my way in the supermarket when I am shopping

4 Thai people that pretend that I do not speak Thai

5. People that give me change of 200 Baht with 5 twenties and 1 hundred.

6. People that overtake me in their pick-ups doing 160 when I am doing 140 and the limit is 80.

7. People trying to sell me nuts, fluffy toys or flowers when I am having a conversation

8. People thinking that I have plenty of money to finance their dreams.

9. Taxi drivers that have no sense of humour.

10.Foreigners that do not like Thailand not growing a set and leaving for home.

[chainarong]

opinions are like arsoles, everyone has one

[BoonToong]

• Foreigners can’t own anything in our own name - doesn't bother me
  
• Visas & Work Permits - not a problem for me
  
• Work is very minimal except for Teaching jobs that pay crap - I don't need to work here
  
• Double pricing - sometimes bothers me
  
• Government controlled Internet and websites being blocked - doesn't affect me
  
• Language barriers (Worst country for English speakers.) - Common to most other places I have visited/lived in and I expect it to be a barrier here
  
• Corruption is everywhere - Same as many other places I have visited/lived in
  
• Politics create instability - and sometimes create stability
  
• Things are getting MUCH more expensive then neighboring countries - ditto what some other posters have said, my experience is that Malaysia is MUCH more expensive
  
• We are no longer welcome here - I can live with that
  

Everyone's experiences here are likely to be different.

I have lived, visited and worked in many countries. In my opinion, on balance, Thailand has been the best place I have ever lived and when I am away from Thailand there is a lot about it that I really miss. It has an intangible something that I cannot put into words, even to try and understand it myself; So I don't. I just roll with it and try not sweat the small stuff.

[mjnaus]

This topic, and many like them, can be summarized as follows:

BERT: Thailand sucks! I can never have what I want; the girls tell me I'm handsome but they only want my money; everything is overpriced; you need a visa/work permit to be here, Thai people are all evil and it's too hot and humid!

ERNIE: Well, sorry you feel that way. But perhaps it's something within your own perception of the country that makes you feel this way? I have been living here for many years as well and my experience couldn't be more different. I feel welcome, loved and generally happy, having everything I want! Perhaps your unhappiness has got more to do with yourself then with this country?

BERT: You're wrong! You can not be happy in Thailand because you can not own your house! And you need visas and work permits to be here! People who say they're happy in Thailand are stupid and pathetic, pathetic I tell you! And there was something else... Oh yeah, pink glasses! They all wear pink glasses!

ERNIE: Why are you getting upset? Can we not have two different views of what it is like to live in Thailand?

BERT: No! That's not possible! I couldn't make my life work here, so everybody who claims he or she could is wrong! Stupid! Stupid Thailand; you're all pathetic! I am leaving and you should too! They don't appreciate foreigners here the way they should!

ERNIE: Ok, have a safe trip back home! Oh, and perhaps you can find some comfort in a local support group for disenfranchised expats when you get back home?

[necronx99]

This topic, and many like them, can be summarized as follows:

BERT: Thailand sucks! I can never have what I want; the girls tell me I'm handsome but they only want my money; everything is overpriced; you need a visa/work permit to be here, Thai people are all evil and it's too hot and humid!

ERNIE: Well, sorry you feel that way. But perhaps it's something within your own perception of the country that makes you feel this way? I have been living here for many years as well and my experience couldn't be more different. I feel welcome, loved and generally happy, having everything I want! Perhaps your unhappiness has got more to do with yourself then with this country?

BERT: You're wrong! You can not be happy in Thailand because you can not own your house! And you need visas and work permits to be here! People who say they're happy in Thailand are stupid and pathetic, pathetic I tell you! And there was something else... Oh yeah, pink glasses! They all wear pink glasses!

ERNIE: Why are you getting upset? Can we not have two different views of what it is like to live in Thailand?

BERT: No! That's not possible! I couldn't make my life work here, so everybody who claims he or she could is wrong! Stupid! Stupid Thailand; you're all pathetic! I am leaving and you should too! They don't appreciate foreigners here the way they should!

ERNIE: Ok, have a safe trip back home! Oh, and perhaps you can find some comfort in a local support group for disenfranchised expats when you get back home?

If it was Bert and Ernie they would agree at the end of the discussion....

[mjnaus]

This topic, and many like them, can be summarized as follows:

BERT: Thailand sucks! I can never have what I want; the girls tell me I'm handsome but they only want my money; everything is overpriced; you need a visa/work permit to be here, Thai people are all evil and it's too hot and humid!

ERNIE: Well, sorry you feel that way. But perhaps it's something within your own perception of the country that makes you feel this way? I have been living here for many years as well and my experience couldn't be more different. I feel welcome, loved and generally happy, having everything I want! Perhaps your unhappiness has got more to do with yourself then with this country?

BERT: You're wrong! You can not be happy in Thailand because you can not own your house! And you need visas and work permits to be here! People who say they're happy in Thailand are stupid and pathetic, pathetic I tell you! And there was something else... Oh yeah, pink glasses! They all wear pink glasses!

ERNIE: Why are you getting upset? Can we not have two different views of what it is like to live in Thailand?

BERT: No! That's not possible! I couldn't make my life work here, so everybody who claims he or she could is wrong! Stupid! Stupid Thailand; you're all pathetic! I am leaving and you should too! They don't appreciate foreigners here the way they should!

ERNIE: Ok, have a safe trip back home! Oh, and perhaps you can find some comfort in a local support group for disenfranchised expats when you get back home?

If it was Bert and Ernie they would agree at the end of the discussion....

I don't think Bert and Ernie have come to agreement, but more reached an understanding; Bert will kick and scream a little while longer condemning those that do live a happy life in Thailand and Ernie will keep on living his happy life after being confused for a few hours regarding the whole "pink glasses" thing...

[PattayaParent]

Yes I see that he has made some valid points and why anyone would take them personally is beyond me... Let me ask do you REALLY believe you own your property here? So tell me what your rights are if you're visa is revoked say tomorrow for no apparent reason and you're forced to leave? What about your business? Do you think somehow that you have any REAL rights to that either? Far too great a gamble for me to invest in a society that has no political stability and very little desire to open up it's policies and provide guarantees of your foreign rights here...

You don't need a visa to buy property in Thailand.

Ok so now your intentionally being difficult in splitting hairs or being obtuse so which is it before I respond?

Just pointing out the facts which you don't appear to know

[PattayaParent]

Only need a guarantor? Sure! Know anyone who will do that for a complete stranger, they're just queuing up to offer their signatures, I mean are you for real?? I think your're trolling now.. Besides......... Ahhh never mind, waste of time and bandwidth trying to explain..

Ahhhh, so you don't have any Thai friends, that explains a lot.

Edited January 21, 2012 by PattayaParent

[PattayaParent]

1) Oh really? Can you own more than 49% of a business too?

Yes.

If you are American you can own a business 100% under the Amity Treaty.

But I am not an American...

That's hardly the fault of the Thai's or their regulations is it?

Anyway, you could always got the BOI route as CBD explains.

[PattayaParent]

And, dude, you probably american (no offence), but english is NOT a common global language (yet), so learn Thai, it isnt so difficult to get to a certain level.

English is the second or third most spoken language in the world (depending on which poll/site you want to believe)

http://www.krysstal.com/spoken.html

http://listverse.com...s-in-the-world/

http://www2.ignatius...r/languages.htm

Or you can jsut google for yourself...

But dont let facts get in the way of a good rant!

English is the most spoken language in the world.

Mandarin is spoken only in China and some small pockets (Taiwan, Singapore, etc)

The statistics that you brought probably shows the NATIVE speakers (meaning English as the first language),

while hundreds of millions speak good English as a seconds language, and hundreds of millions more speak passable English.

In my business, I communicate in English with Russians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Indians, Turks, Germans, Malaysians, Ukrainians, and many more.

I could not think of any other language that this can be possible in.

The fact that Thais speak VERY POOR English, keeps many of them out of the global economy.

Maybe this is what their government wants, a kind of isolation from the influences of the world, who knows?

Maybe the Thais you know, but I know Thais that speak English better than a lot of the board members on TV.

[PattayaParent]

This topic, and many like them, can be summarized as follows:

BERT: Thailand sucks! I can never have what I want; the girls tell me I'm handsome but they only want my money; everything is overpriced; you need a visa/work permit to be here, Thai people are all evil and it's too hot and humid!

ERNIE: Well, sorry you feel that way. But perhaps it's something within your own perception of the country that makes you feel this way? I have been living here for many years as well and my experience couldn't be more different. I feel welcome, loved and generally happy, having everything I want! Perhaps your unhappiness has got more to do with yourself then with this country?

BERT: You're wrong! You can not be happy in Thailand because you can not own your house! And you need visas and work permits to be here! People who say they're happy in Thailand are stupid and pathetic, pathetic I tell you! And there was something else... Oh yeah, pink glasses! They all wear pink glasses!

ERNIE: Why are you getting upset? Can we not have two different views of what it is like to live in Thailand?

BERT: No! That's not possible! I couldn't make my life work here, so everybody who claims he or she could is wrong! Stupid! Stupid Thailand; you're all pathetic! I am leaving and you should too! They don't appreciate foreigners here the way they should!

ERNIE: Ok, have a safe trip back home! Oh, and perhaps you can find some comfort in a local support group for disenfranchised expats when you get back home?

Excellent post.

[MrsMills]

99% of Farangs that I've known who have left Thailand have left for one very good reason.

They ran out of money.

Edited January 21, 2012 by MrsMills

[hehehoho]

1. Uuugghhh.

2.Uuugghhh.

3. Uuugghhh.

4. Uuugghhh.

5. Uuugghhh.

6. Uuugghhh.

7. Uuugghhh.

8. Uuugghhh.

9. Uuugghhh.

10. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

[DP25]

99% of Farangs that I've known who have left Thailand have left for one very good reason.

They ran out of money.

And when they say how Thailand is expensive and unfriendly compared with its neighbors, what they usually mean is that Thais won't put up with them anymore but Cambodia is completely destitute and you can get good looking whores who will pretend to like you for table scraps

[Ulysses G.]

If one looks at expat websites in Vietnam and Cambodia, one sees all the same complaints about costs and corruption as on this forum, but even worse.

[MrsMills]

99% of Farangs that I've known who have left Thailand have left for one very good reason.

They ran out of money.

And when they say how Thailand is expensive and unfriendly compared with its neighbors, what they usually mean is that Thais won't put up with them anymore but Cambodia is completely destitute and you can get good looking whores who will pretend to like you for table scraps

I should also add that many of those who ran out of money would also say what a terrible place Thailand is, strange really, cos when they had money they loved the place.

Thailand didn't change, their financial circumstances did.

I will also add that amongst those that ran out of money and would say what a terrible place Thailand is, many of those people spent much of the time thinking of ways to get back to Thailand, and those that came back into money did come back and again they loved it.

I personally don't know any financially secure expats who have left Thailand because they thought it was a terrible place to be.

[janverbeem]

And, dude, you probably american (no offence), but english is NOT a common global language (yet), so learn Thai, it isnt so difficult to get to a certain level.

English is the second or third most spoken language in the world (depending on which poll/site you want to believe)

http://www.krysstal.com/spoken.html

http://listverse.com...s-in-the-world/

http://www2.ignatius...r/languages.htm

Or you can jsut google for yourself...

But dont let facts get in the way of a good rant!

English is the most spoken language in the world.

Mandarin is spoken only in China and some small pockets (Taiwan, Singapore, etc)

The statistics that you brought probably shows the NATIVE speakers (meaning English as the first language),

while hundreds of millions speak good English as a seconds language, and hundreds of millions more speak passable English.

In my business, I communicate in English with Russians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Indians, Turks, Germans, Malaysians, Ukrainians, and many more.

I could not think of any other language that this can be possible in.

The fact that Thais speak VERY POOR English, keeps many of them out of the global economy.

Maybe this is what their government wants, a kind of isolation from the influences of the world, who knows?

Maybe the Thais you know, but I know Thais that speak English better than a lot of the board members on TV.

And do you think that the Thais that belong to that group account for more than 0,00001% of the population?

[tombkk]

I don't think anybody should be forced (or persuaded) to live in a country he doesn't like. Good-bye, OP. Enjoy your life in another country.

Apart from that, no country is ever perfect. For me, there are pros and cons about living in Europe vs. Living in Thailand, and at the bottom line, I choose to live here in Thailand. This doesn't mean that I wear rose-coloured glasses, otherwise I wouldn't have survived the past 22 years.

It's my decision, and I respect that other people decide otherwise.

[tombkk]

Anyone who THINKS they have been accepted in Thai society (especially the ones who drive around with no helmets and their dogs perched upon their Motocy or in their side-car) really needs to think twice. All the Thai's think when they see you is "look at that stupid poor farang."

Trust me when I say that if you think their Family has accepted you, it's ONLY because of your bank account. If for 1 minute they thought their daughter could be with a younger farang with triple your bank account, YOU'RE OUT THE DOOR.

All the posters who have counter-posted my OP in all 10 ways are just dreamers. You say that you own your house (just not the land) again believe me if they wanted you out, YOU'RE OUT.

These are all posts from people who have gone native on us (or so they think) and have only adjusted your make-belief-life to suffice for reality.

I understand people not agreeing with some of my 10 points but to slag all 10? Come on man, you are pathetic.

I am sorry you feel this way. It's definitely better for you to seek happiness in another country. Good-bye, and please send a postcard. All the best!

[tombkk]

Yeah but you referred to anyone who decides not to put up with this dump and finally pack it in (and I mean that literally I'd be glad to take a walk down my street to take some jpegs and post up said jpegs to illustrate it) as a failure which is patently wrong and demeaning in my point of view..

FYI Not everyone is a teacher some people actually have other aspirations in life and nothing to be vilified for..

My aspiration in life is to become angry and bitter and live in a foreign country I despise and spend 5000 posts moaning about it on the internet.

[Ulysses G.]

I have nothing but admiration for any moderator who implies that if you do not like it here, do not let the door hit you in the butt.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[tombkk]

And, dude, you probably american (no offence), but english is NOT a common global language (yet), so learn Thai, it isnt so difficult to get to a certain level.

English is the second or third most spoken language in the world (depending on which poll/site you want to believe)

http://www.krysstal.com/spoken.html

http://listverse.com...s-in-the-world/

http://www2.ignatius...r/languages.htm

Or you can jsut google for yourself...

But dont let facts get in the way of a good rant!

English is the most spoken language in the world.

Mandarin is spoken only in China and some small pockets (Taiwan, Singapore, etc)

The statistics that you brought probably shows the NATIVE speakers (meaning English as the first language),

while hundreds of millions speak good English as a seconds language, and hundreds of millions more speak passable English.

In my business, I communicate in English with Russians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Indians, Turks, Germans, Malaysians, Ukrainians, and many more.

I could not think of any other language that this can be possible in.

The fact that Thais speak VERY POOR English, keeps many of them out of the global economy.

Maybe this is what their government wants, a kind of isolation from the influences of the world, who knows?

Mandarin is not only spoken in China and some pockets. When I worked in Taiwan, I realized that they conducted business in Mandarin with people all over Asia, and in addition Australia and the US West Coast. And these were only the people I worked with.

Spanish, so I heard (don't have a website to prove it but can create one if you want to read it on the internet), is the language that is spoken by most people as a native language. Mandarin isn't, because there are many languages (for some reason they call them "dialects") in China. Spanish is spoken in Spain and all of the Americas (which includes North America - except Canada wide stretches of the US - all of Central America, South America except Brasil) and some Caribbean countries.

English is one of the World Languages, along with Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic and Chinese. so yes, in business, English is important.

Coming back to Earth, living in any country for good means that learning the local language and culture is a must for any foreigner. So the OP's reason for leaving saying that English (which just happens to be a language he is comfortable with) is not as widely spoken as he would like, is only a valid reason to leave as he is not willing to learn the local language.