Thailand Is #2 Place To Live And Work For Wealthy Expats: 100 Country Survey

[SantiSuk]

Many rich expats presumably favour Singapore because of its favourable tax regime.

Cant think of anything more anodyne/boring than retiring in Singapore when you can have so much more cultural variety in Thialand (and I believe that you can sort your affairs out so that much of your wealth is subject to tax in Singapore, though I have not got round to exploring that myself)

[Baerboxer]

BKK is a disorganised, filthy, dangerous DUMP compared to Singapore. So Thailand could only have ranked so high if they excluded those expats who currently live in BKK!!!!!

Singapore might be more clean, safer and more organized.........but is extremely boring to say the least!

If you are excited by Asian women who are beautiful, wealthy, highly educated and speak perfect English, then Singapore isn't boring in the slightest... On the flip side of the same coin, the only Thai women who will be interested in you in Bangkok as a foreigner are perhaps very beautiful too, but are also dirt poor, virtually uneducated and illiterate and with first-grade English skills, and tend to act like spoiled little kids. That makes for a very boring relationship and you even have to pay Thai women for sex too. You don't have to do that in Singapore. You don't need to be the best-looking guy, you just need to dress fairly well, try to be funny and witty, be a gentleman and make the ladies laugh and you can have any number of beautiful, rich Asian women in Singapore who will go with you for fun and excitement, not for money, because they already have plenty of that. What Thai women won't tell you, but is a true fact nevertheless, is that Thai women don't really prefer Western guys in the looks department. They only prefer them because they can get more money from them than they can from Thai men. Give them a choice between an equally wealthy falang and a Thai man and they'll choose the Thai man every time. There's always a social stigma attached to a Thai girl being with a falang man, whether she is a prostitute or not. On the other hand, Chinese girls in Singapore are actually more attracted to Westerners and money is not their primary motivation, because they have money enough. The idea that you as a boyfriend/husband would be expected to support her family in any way would be laughed at and totally goes against their culture. So in short, Singapore isn't boring, it's exciting and unpredictable, and it's Thailand that's crushingly boring because your interaction with women here is so predictable and based exclusively on money, and involves no communication other than the understanding that you will pay them for sex. You can't talk with Thai women except the same way you would talk with a bunch of kiddies in the kindergarten... So you end up feeling like a perv even if the girl is 25 or 30 because her English level or IQ is equivalent to kindergarten. True, there are educated Thais, but they are so snobbish and racist and wouldn't be seen dead with a Western guy. Now how boring is that? Even though I'm not exactly Brad Pitt, I know how to charm Asian ladies and make them laugh, and I have even been wined and dined by Singapore girls at their expense (they actually get a kick out of "wearing the pants" because they are financially strong) and then go back and shag them crazy, for fun, and not ruining it all by having to pay her or fork out for a dying buffalo / sick cousin. Singapore girls win every time!

Wow - an international man of mystery posting on TV! Smooth as silk with the all those nubile Chinese Singapore girls falling at his feet; and such a deep understanding of Thai culture and female psychology, no doubt researched methodically and carefully.

Is it Bond, Powers or a billionaire playboy? ....................... or more probably Richard Head

Every country has its plus and minuses for expats. I have taken part in the HSBC surveys and they don't have questions about the sexual habits of females.

[Kananga]

Many rich expats presumably favour Singapore because of its favourable tax regime.

Cant think of anything more anodyne/boring than retiring in Singapore when you can have so much more cultural variety in Thialand (and I believe that you can sort your affairs out so that much of your wealth is subject to tax in Singapore, though I have not got round to exploring that myself)

Its easy. You channel your income through Singapore and pay the non resident tax rate of 15%. Beats paying 30% to the Thai government!

[Thai at Heart]

BKK is a disorganised, filthy, dangerous DUMP compared to Singapore. So Thailand could only have ranked so high if they excluded those expats who currently live in BKK!!!!!

Singapore might be more clean, safer and more organized.........but is extremely boring to say the least!

If you are excited by Asian women who are beautiful, wealthy, highly educated and speak perfect English, then Singapore isn't boring in the slightest... On the flip side of the same coin, the only Thai women who will be interested in you in Bangkok as a foreigner are perhaps very beautiful too, but are also dirt poor, virtually uneducated and illiterate and with first-grade English skills, and tend to act like spoiled little kids. That makes for a very boring relationship and you even have to pay Thai women for sex too. You don't have to do that in Singapore. You don't need to be the best-looking guy, you just need to dress fairly well, try to be funny and witty, be a gentleman and make the ladies laugh and you can have any number of beautiful, rich Asian women in Singapore who will go with you for fun and excitement, not for money, because they already have plenty of that. What Thai women won't tell you, but is a true fact nevertheless, is that Thai women don't really prefer Western guys in the looks department. They only prefer them because they can get more money from them than they can from Thai men. Give them a choice between an equally wealthy falang and a Thai man and they'll choose the Thai man every time. There's always a social stigma attached to a Thai girl being with a falang man, whether she is a prostitute or not. On the other hand, Chinese girls in Singapore are actually more attracted to Westerners and money is not their primary motivation, because they have money enough. The idea that you as a boyfriend/husband would be expected to support her family in any way would be laughed at and totally goes against their culture. So in short, Singapore isn't boring, it's exciting and unpredictable, and it's Thailand that's crushingly boring because your interaction with women here is so predictable and based exclusively on money, and involves no communication other than the understanding that you will pay them for sex. You can't talk with Thai women except the same way you would talk with a bunch of kiddies in the kindergarten... So you end up feeling like a perv even if the girl is 25 or 30 because her English level or IQ is equivalent to kindergarten. True, there are educated Thais, but they are so snobbish and racist and wouldn't be seen dead with a Western guy. Now how boring is that? Even though I'm not exactly Brad Pitt, I know how to charm Asian ladies and make them laugh, and I have even been wined and dined by Singapore girls at their expense (they actually get a kick out of "wearing the pants" because they are financially strong) and then go back and shag them crazy, for fun, and not ruining it all by having to pay her or fork out for a dying buffalo / sick cousin. Singapore girls win every time!

You never read the SPG comic book did you.

[soomak]

BKK is a disorganised, filthy, dangerous DUMP compared to Singapore. So Thailand could only have ranked so high if they excluded those expats who currently live in BKK!!!!!

Singapore might be more clean, safer and more organized.........but is extremely boring to say the least!

If you are excited by Asian women who are beautiful, wealthy, highly educated and speak perfect English, then Singapore isn't boring in the slightest... On the flip side of the same coin, the only Thai women who will be interested in you in Bangkok as a foreigner are perhaps very beautiful too, but are also dirt poor, virtually uneducated and illiterate and with first-grade English skills, and tend to act like spoiled little kids. That makes for a very boring relationship and you even have to pay Thai women for sex too. You don't have to do that in Singapore. You don't need to be the best-looking guy, you just need to dress fairly well, try to be funny and witty, be a gentleman and make the ladies laugh and you can have any number of beautiful, rich Asian women in Singapore who will go with you for fun and excitement, not for money, because they already have plenty of that. What Thai women won't tell you, but is a true fact nevertheless, is that Thai women don't really prefer Western guys in the looks department. They only prefer them because they can get more money from them than they can from Thai men. Give them a choice between an equally wealthy falang and a Thai man and they'll choose the Thai man every time. There's always a social stigma attached to a Thai girl being with a falang man, whether she is a prostitute or not. On the other hand, Chinese girls in Singapore are actually more attracted to Westerners and money is not their primary motivation, because they have money enough. The idea that you as a boyfriend/husband would be expected to support her family in any way would be laughed at and totally goes against their culture. So in short, Singapore isn't boring, it's exciting and unpredictable, and it's Thailand that's crushingly boring because your interaction with women here is so predictable and based exclusively on money, and involves no communication other than the understanding that you will pay them for sex. You can't talk with Thai women except the same way you would talk with a bunch of kiddies in the kindergarten... So you end up feeling like a perv even if the girl is 25 or 30 because her English level or IQ is equivalent to kindergarten. True, there are educated Thais, but they are so snobbish and racist and wouldn't be seen dead with a Western guy. Now how boring is that? Even though I'm not exactly Brad Pitt, I know how to charm Asian ladies and make them laugh, and I have even been wined and dined by Singapore girls at their expense (they actually get a kick out of "wearing the pants" because they are financially strong) and then go back and shag them crazy, for fun, and not ruining it all by having to pay her or fork out for a dying buffalo / sick cousin. Singapore girls win every time!

From my experience some Thai woman prefer the western men looks (I am not a big expert though - only talked to a few of them).

I do agree with you that their English level is ridiculous - have met only 1! woman who had the same English level as me, and I am not a native English speaker.

[JurgenG]

After more than 10 years of experience sharing my time between Hong Kong and Thailand, I think I found the perfect answer for my retirement : sharing my time between Hong Kong and Thailand.

Each place has what the other doesn't and vice-versa. There are #2 and #3 in this survey and in the top ten in most other surveys. There are at only 2.5 hours from each other by plane and have only one hour time difference. Why choosing when you can have both ?

Edited October 11, 2012 by JurgenG

[easybullet3]

Survey has Mexico like # 6 and India above US. Nuff said . . . Mexico is an absolute war zone with an awful economy right now unless you are into narcotraficking and own a funeral home. India is absolute hole. Awful. Love Thailand and Singapoire though.

I take these surveys with a pinch of salt.

one notable company of is Mercer!! they are full of mistakes! they rate the worlds most expensive cities to live in. and ALWAYS wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_cities_for_expatriate_employees#Mercer

so, really, I take these surveys with a pinch of salt, even if its done by a big bank such as HSBC

[hyperdimension]

Singapore would be much more fun if MDMA usage was tolerated like in Netherlands.

Then again... the same could be said for Thailand.

Edited October 12, 2012 by hyperdimension

[hyperdimension]

I'm an old timer here in Thailand now. I truly loved the life here 30 years ago, but today Thailand has transformed into a country where money has become God for all too many and the safety and spontaneous happiness we experienced here in the past is gone. It is sad for me. I do not know that anywhere else is any better.

Myanmar... but that's changing as we write.

[me313]

I'm an expat in Singapore, and I can see how it would appeal to some, especially if money is not an issue. But the place doesn't have much 'soul', and they're killing more of it each year in their bid to turn it into an upscale disneyland. There used to be dirtier, edgier places here where things went on that you wouldn't want your mother to know about. But those places are being squeezed out by shiny new shopping malls and condos. So yeah, a great place if your priorities are on efficiency, predictability, cleanliness, safety, education, air conditioning, being able to speak English with people, and shopping for branded goods. Some of these things I appreciate too. But I find that I'm much happier when I go to Thailand (usually Isaan) where there is a rich culture and more warmth and openness to foreigners... and where my money goes so much further.

Everywhere new shiny square shopping/apartment zones are considered the highest form of modern living. Personality, soul, these things are becoming "modernized" so everything and everyone will follow one gigantic protocol. Really boring, really dead and really complacent zombie living

[Colabamumbai]

Survey has Mexico like # 6 and India above US. Nuff said . . . Mexico is an absolute war zone with an awful economy right now unless you are into narcotraficking and own a funeral home. India is absolute hole. Awful. Love Thailand and Singapoire though.

Lived and ran a jewelry manufacturing business in Taxco Mexico for many years. Business went down hill 7 years ago. Then they started pulling bodies, hundreds of them from the old presemuably unused silver mine and shafts in town and the increase in violence in general, I came to Thailand, my heart has been here for the past 38 years.

[masaomi]

What a Disappointment!! Thailand should be number 1. Loved this country for its everything! Singapore?? Yuks! Who can imagine living there?? Like a sterile hospital environment! With everything regimentated by the obssesive compulsive government and its 'no chewing gum' law!

According to my singapore business associates, everyone is in your face all the time & I totally agree! After visiting there for only 10 days, I had enough!

If you think the Thais are dishonest, Singaporeans are unscrupulous scammers and cheats who know how to manipulate the strict laws to their own conniving schemes.

Irregardless, I vote Thailand most liveable. Singapore would be the last on my list! No, correction, would not even be on my list!

[masaomi]

BKK is a disorganised, filthy, dangerous DUMP compared to Singapore. So Thailand could only have ranked so high if they excluded those expats who currently live in BKK!!!!!

Nice to hear from you. I imagine you dont live in Thailand... lucky for you... actually no, its lucky for us... keep thinking that, and dont come here. You may prefer India then...

Yeah! I agree! Have it your way Hermit in the Well, Don't come to Thailand, the locals don't think much about your singapore either! Spoke to many Thais who have been to Singapore and they said:" Nah Burr"