Do You Regret Moving To Thailand?

[ding]

And how about your offspring?? Do you imply you will retire with them here or will they be past 18-on-your-own mark as goes the tradition?

9 1/2 years and I'm on my own!

I can retire early in 8 which gives me 3 options;

Waiting until he's out of high school.

Let him spend the last 2 years of high school in Thailand

Go now and home school him or send him to American school.

But the little guy keeps bugging me to move to Thailand. He even wants me to marry a Thai lady so he has a nice mom.

I smile and just say, "Maybe someday, who knows..."

Edited February 6, 2006 by ding

[skylar]

I think I should state right up front, I have no problems with working with Thais in Thailand, or elsewhere for that matter. I thoroughly enjoyed working with our Thai staff, still do enjoy working with our Thai staff and contrary to the often negative views we hear about Thai workers I believe those I worked with to be professional and reliable.

Interesting - what profession are you in?

Edited to say: I'm guessing you worked with Thais with a high social status. This is not to say that problems can't/don't/won't happen, but when my father was working in Bangkok, his sales team were university educated hi-so's (some educated in Australia/States/UK) and also directly managed mechanics and machinery operators who came from a very working class background. I'm sort of seeing a pattern here.

Edited February 6, 2006 by skylar

[GuestHouse]

I work in Process Engineering (Chemical/Pharma/Oil&Gas), the Thais I have worked with range from Chula/Thamasat/King Mongkhut to day laborers.

I often joke that as a general observation I found the day laborers harder working and often more intelligent than the boys and girls from Chula - like all such jokes there is some truth in it.

Give me Thamasat and King Mongkhut every time.

As for high social status, I don't think that is necessarlily the case, Hi Sos don't tend to hang around where they find talent being rewarded rather than status.

Most of the Thais I have worked with have been middle class, degree educated from middle class, but certainly not high society backgrounds.

[marquess]

Thailand was really my second choice, having left the UK just over six and a half years ago. I went to live in Melbourne, which is a great city, and only came over here, when the visa ran out. Stayed ever since, as much as I love Melbourne, I wouldn't want to live there now. Most certainly wouldn't want to go and live in Blighty again! Thailand is not paridise (and was certainly better before that idiot came in), but I have been happier here than at any other time of my life!

[ThaiPauly]

No regrets.

Positives of being here outway the negatives by a mile for me

Sure there will always be people who moan about this or that, (me included),but thats only normal.

We would be moaning about things back home if we were not here

Half the topics on TV are about moaning about something or other

Carry on moaning, thats what I advocate, its good to get it out of your system

But thats all they are moans, us moaners won't leave.

If we HAD to leave that would REALLY be something to moan about

Cheers

TP

[Neeranam]

I met an amazing couple last night who came to Thailand in 1956 from Scotland.

Amazing people - half a century in Thailand, Thai citizenship, but still got a very, very strong home accent.

They said that they had absolutely no regrets about spending most of their life here, and have seen a lot of changes. I wonder if Thailand will change for the worse in the next 50 years.

[ding]

I met an amazing couple last night who came to Thailand in 1956 from Scotland.

Amazing people - half a century in Thailand, Thai citizenship, but still got a very, very strong home accent.

They said that they had absolutely no regrets about spending most of their life here, and have seen a lot of changes. I wonder if Thailand will change for the worse in the next 50 years.

Wow! I'd read THAT book!

They must speak fluent Thai.

[Tippaporn]

That is rather incredible, especially considering they are a couple. It would be highly interesting talking with them.

[TokyoT]

Yes, I do regret moving to Thailand. I should have fought harder to stay in Tokyo. I am originally from the US, was posted in Tokyo for work, then moved to Bangkok last year. Maybe I have not given Bangkok/Thailand enough time yet, but I very much preferred things in Tokyo.

I have a Thai wife who I met and married in Japan, after she got pregnant the opportunity to move to Bangkok became available and we took it. I might change my mind as more time passes, but as of now I would prefer to be back in Tokyo or back in the US.

Why do I stay in Bangkok then you ask – I think it only fair to give my wife some time here (as it is unlikely that Thailand will be where we spend most of our days in the future), and it will give my daughter a chance to experience Thai culture and better understand that part of her heritage – and my job of course.

As for me I felt much more at home and welcomed in Tokyo (and the US of course) than I have in my time in Thailand.

[wamberal]

Some really good comments earlier about managing and working with Thai staff.

I would add that it is important to be aware that family obligations can be much more important in Thailand than in Farangland, so make allowances when somebody has to take a trip up-country for family reasons.