ExpatOilWorker Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 I've been moving back and forth between SEA and S. America these past 10 years. In most of the countries out here in Asia armed robbery is uncommon, which certainly cannot be said of Latin America. A lot more in the way of burglary, sneak-thievery, etc. It adds another layer of concern in living day to day. Who needs that? The macho violence was a big part of it. I was only robbed once, but I lost my beloved HP15C calculator, which by the way it the Bugatti of all calculators. A close college of mine, got kidnapped and abused to the point where it changed his personality. They actually played Russian roulette on him and they were all informed that they would be chopped up with a machete and thrown in a ditch. Another guy was also taken and held captive for 6 month, but he was OK. He was a sales person with good communication skills and a native Spanish speaker, so at the end he was doing practice shooting with the guards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardholder Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I hope all whining Falangs leave LOS.....make this place more peaceful. That would be the 95 percentile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soomak Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. You could have halved that list by getting rid of the car! how true then i could have walked the 25 miles to work ,or i could have cought the train (change twice) then the bus to within 3 miles of my office and walked the rest of the way ,or got a taxi , thanks for the advice, i had never thought of getting rid of the car. Or you could find work closer to home Or you could find work next to convinient public transport Or you could have worked from home (I done all of the above, although not in the UK) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeyserSoze01 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Lessons are sometimes hard learned. The grass is not always greener on the other side. I would wager that one day you will start to recognize some of the same traits in Thailand that you have listed as reasons for leaving SA. The moral is that every dogs has fleas, just pick one with the least. Yeah, there are fleas and bad apples everywhere, but they just don't bite as hard and even a bad apple can taste sweet in Thailand. To put it in perspective, towards the end of my stay in South America I was so tired of it, that I was willing to give up an oilfield salary + the live-in package so I could live in Thailand where I had to cover my own cost of living. At the end my ticket out of South America was an equal time assignment working in Siberia and living in Thailand. Whatever makes you happy and sees you through the day is all that really matters. I have worked and lived in SA also and know of what you speak. I still have a soft spot for certain cities in SA, most likely because I left before the resentment set in. Sometimes a change of venue is needed to alter your prespective. Fortunately, oil & gas work in transient and the way the shift rotations work, you can live pretty much anywhere you want, as long as you make muster on crew change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannork Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. 11. Inability to communicate in English. 12. Dreadful weather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. 11. Inability to communicate in English. 12. Dreadful weather 13. Violent society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 For some it is only a matter of time for the half full glass to become half empty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elwood Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 All one has to do is stroll through News Clippings to see that Thailand is far from perfect. However, if you have the money to have a state of the art security system, 2.5m+ baht SUV for road safety, 400-500k/year per child for schooling... I would say that solves the bigger problems of Thailand. But for example, some stuff is inescapable. Such as the lack of freedom of expression and the lack of civil liberties and massive police corruption. Stuff like being stopped by a police officer who can search your car without suspision really puts Thailand into perspective. My security system is bars at the windows, our transport is a Jazz and a Honda Wave, I have managed to avoid any problems regarding freedom of expression and haven't been bothered by the corruption of the police force, and I am managing to live a happy life. To each his own, but this is what puts Thailand into perspective to me. Surprised that a happy topic hasn't attracted more of the regular whingers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besth Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Good one OP It took me reading up to point 8 of your list thinking more and more "what an a*******" and then that just changed to a laugh. Very true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaimate Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. Pity you don't list, all the good things in life maybe a reflection on your attitude to life. I also See many of these whining posts about the UK, but many come back for NHS treatment or when the Dream has become a night mare. UK one of the safest places to live in the world, don't read to many papers and believe every thing. Its nothing to do with "reading the papers" ,if i had added all the scare stories from the Mail then i wouldnt even come back for a holiday. no its all the petty rules and regulations that blight your everyday life in the UK . i do not know how old you are but i can remember a time when ,there was a lot more freedom than there is now ,as for the NHS yes i admit that helps ,but to be honest i would prefere to be in hospital here in Thailand ,but then i am lucky enough to be able to afford it ,and as for the dream going sour ,why should it? we were a familly in the UK ,we are still a familly here ,if my wife and i broke up after all these years ,i would be no happier in Britain . by the way as for your comment about Britain being the safest place in the world ,our house was broken into twice ,my car was stolen ,it was broken into many times and i lived in a nice area of town ,here i leave my car unlocked ,we have never been broken into and nothing has ever been stolen ,i also feel safe walking around town at night ,something you didnt in my old hometown. but after saying all that ,there are many beutifull parts of Britain and we do miss the countryside ,enjoy the snow ,if you are in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrJohnson Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Myanmar is cheaper. Myanmar is cheaper. Well yes, and so is Bangladesh. You cannot compare Thailand with Myanmar. Unless $$ is your only criteria. If you are a pensioner on a fixed income and your $$ is going down then perhaps better move to Myanmar. www.myanmarvisa.com - now that would have a lot of complaints threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty1412 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Nice post OP. Like others have said some of the things we tend to be critical of as it pertains to Thailand pale into insignificance when compared to back home... Ive bitched about paying 200B tea money to the BIB for pulling me up on the bike for no real reason... well back home at Christmas 100 quid for a 72 in a 60km/h zone at 5am Christmas morning... most western countries now becoming so nannified ( is that a word) that the chaos and lack of organisation here is actually a blessing. ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPG Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Yah, ExpatOilWorker, but think of all those hot Latin women you had to leave behind. Surely the hottest women on the planet, *sigh*. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berkshire Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Yah, ExpatOilWorker, but think of all those hot Latin women you had to leave behind. Surely the hottest women on the planet, *sigh*. Not sure about the rest of South America, but in Mexico, there was a joke among Americans that inside every Mexican woman was a skinny one trying to get out. Must be their diet. Yes, the hot ones are hot. But the majority.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 All one has to do is stroll through News Clippings to see that Thailand is far from perfect. However, if you have the money to have a state of the art security system, 2.5m+ baht SUV for road safety, 400-500k/year per child for schooling... I would say that solves the bigger problems of Thailand. But for example, some stuff is inescapable. Such as the lack of freedom of expression and the lack of civil liberties and massive police corruption. Stuff like being stopped by a police officer who can search your car without suspision really puts Thailand into perspective. My security system is bars at the windows, our transport is a Jazz and a Honda Wave, I have managed to avoid any problems regarding freedom of expression and haven't been bothered by the corruption of the police force, and I am managing to live a happy life. To each his own, but this is what puts Thailand into perspective to me. Surprised that a happy topic hasn't attracted more of the regular whingers. There's always one... Where's the whingers - you can never get one when you want one... wait for ages, and then they all come along at once. Anyway, more than two wingers is just ridiculous. SC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaBuddha Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. Well my second week back in the states I had an interesting incident which left me appreciating certain aspects of Thailand when I got pulled over by the highway patrol in my newly bought car. "You ran that red light..." (It was close, I didn't think so.) "and you were going 35 in a 25." (Ok maybe, but the speed limit sign turned out to be at the top of a street light and partially obscured by a tree. It was 25 for just 2 blocks) "What's with the dealer plate? (Landlord is a wholesaler blah blah blah.) "Do you have insurence?" Errr....no. Not yet. Just bought the car. "I hope you are wearing contact lenses?" Yep, although I rarely do. (My license shows "restr: corr lens") I thought I was done for sure. Highway patrol as a general rule doesn't let people off. I was shocked she didn't address the 12 pack of beer in the passenger seat. Luckliy she let me off with a warning, but it sure was a wake-up call. Made me realize that by comparison, I feel quite oppressed here in the states. It will be hard to get used to all the rules again. . Edited February 3, 2012 by ScubaBuddha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Yah, ExpatOilWorker, but think of all those hot Latin women you had to leave behind. Surely the hottest women on the planet, *sigh*. Not sure about the rest of South America, but in Mexico, there was a joke among Americans that inside every Mexican woman was a skinny one trying to get out. Must be their diet. Yes, the hot ones are hot. But the majority.... One shouldn't include Mexican ladies when referring to hot Latin women. Quite the insult to this circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblether Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. Thank god you left.....we were getting over run by namby pamby whingeing malcontents until you all packed up and went to live in Thailand. Imagine telling the world that you left the UK because of Traffic Wardens...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblether Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. Well my second week back in the states I had an interesting incident which left me appreciating certain aspects of Thailand when I got pulled over by the highway patrol in my newly bought car. "You ran that red light..." (It was close, I didn't think so.) "and you were going 35 in a 25." (Ok maybe, but the speed limit sign turned out to be at the top of a street light and partially obscured by a tree. It was 25 for just 2 blocks) "What's with the dealer plate? (Landlord is a wholesaler blah blah blah.) "Do you have insurence?" Errr....no. Not yet. Just bought the car. "I hope you are wearing contact lenses?" Yep, although I rarely do. (My license shows "restr: corr lens") I thought I was done for sure. Highway patrol as a general rule doesn't let people off. I was shocked she didn't address the 12 pack of beer in the passenger seat. Luckliy she let me off with a warning, but it sure was a wake-up call. Made me realize that by comparison, I feel quite oppressed here in the states. It will be hard to get used to all the rules again. . So let me get this straight, your a partially sighted speedster that ran a red light while driving an uninsured car............ You got let off...........but you feel oppressed? Have you ever considered self awareness classes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Luckily the driver that parially disabled me was fully insured. Namby Pamby liberals! That paid off my first mortgage, and the fact that i can never play my favourite sports, nor pole vault, nor leap frog, nor hang wall paper ... c'est la vie. He feels grateful that he was insured as well; no doubt our relationship would have been seriously soured had I claimed the damages I was entitled to, and he had not been insured; had I rendered him to poverty.... So often we forget that our insurance for third parties is for our own benefit... SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. Let me guess....you were a taxi driver? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonD Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Following my horrendous road accident, caused by an uninsured driver, the doctor told me I would never play the piano again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. Well my second week back in the states I had an interesting incident which left me appreciating certain aspects of Thailand when I got pulled over by the highway patrol in my newly bought car. "You ran that red light..." (It was close, I didn't think so.) "and you were going 35 in a 25." (Ok maybe, but the speed limit sign turned out to be at the top of a street light and partially obscured by a tree. It was 25 for just 2 blocks) "What's with the dealer plate? (Landlord is a wholesaler blah blah blah.) "Do you have insurence?" Errr....no. Not yet. Just bought the car. "I hope you are wearing contact lenses?" Yep, although I rarely do. (My license shows "restr: corr lens") I thought I was done for sure. Highway patrol as a general rule doesn't let people off. I was shocked she didn't address the 12 pack of beer in the passenger seat. Luckliy she let me off with a warning, but it sure was a wake-up call. Made me realize that by comparison, I feel quite oppressed here in the states. It will be hard to get used to all the rules again. . So let me get this straight, your a partially sighted speedster that ran a red light while driving an uninsured car............ You got let off...........but you feel oppressed? Have you ever considered self awareness classes? DESTINATION ZULULAND ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Following my horrendous road accident, caused by an uninsured driver, the doctor told me I would never play the piano again... Thank heavens for small mercies.... SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naam Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I've been moving back and forth between SEA and S. America these past 10 years. In most of the countries out here in Asia armed robbery is uncommon, which certainly cannot be said of Latin America. A lot more in the way of burglary, sneak-thievery, etc. It adds another layer of concern in living day to day. Who needs that? and inspite of having lived in South America you selected "bendejo" which hardly differs from "pendejo"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExpatOilWorker Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 nice post ex pat oil worker. And here I was going to jump on you because I thought it was another whinging about Thailand post. Submaniac, Thailand is my home, you can't beat me out of here even with a stick. This is where I drink my beers and drill my holes . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I go back and forth but always happy to get back to Thailand. We all know that Thailand isn't perfect, less so for many. From my experience its all in ones head anyway how you feel about life and the place you are at at this moment. I woke up this morning in paradise and will go to bed in paradise even with the warts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanForbes Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I go back and forth but always happy to get back to Thailand. We all know that Thailand isn't perfect, less so for many. From my experience its all in ones head anyway how you feel about life and the place you are at at this moment. I woke up this morning in paradise and will go to bed in paradise even with the warts. Are you quoting me? Oh, wait, you are quoting yourself. Maybe you've been listening to me for too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExpatOilWorker Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 I've been moving back and forth between SEA and S. America these past 10 years. In most of the countries out here in Asia armed robbery is uncommon, which certainly cannot be said of Latin America. A lot more in the way of burglary, sneak-thievery, etc. It adds another layer of concern in living day to day. Who needs that? and inspite of having lived in South America you selected "bendejo" which hardly differs from "pendejo"? That is really well spotted and while we all know why Naam are familiar with this word, then for all the other non-Spanish speakers it is a very strong and insulting profanity. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Pendejo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaimate Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Well here is 10 reasons that i left 1/councill tax that you got nothing for 2/traffic wardens 3/intolerant immegrants 4/no police on the streets 5/traffic speed cameras all over the place 6/massive car parking charges 7/overcharging for the simpelest repairs 8/ massive cost of petrol 9/ nanny state 10/motorists being targeted and not criminals i could go on and on but you guessed it thats why i left Britain so glad i am here in Thailand ,its more like Britain was in the 60s and 70 s not so many rules and regulations. Thank god you left.....we were getting over run by namby pamby whingeing malcontents until you all packed up and went to live in Thailand. Imagine telling the world that you left the UK because of Traffic Wardens...... Thats ok ,people like you that cant think for themselves ,need to be looked after by the namby pamby state Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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