I can't speak for Europeans, but as for Americans, I'd say there are a lot more retired in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. than in Thailand.

According to some people, "a lot more" is not enough.

For me personally

FREEDOM

Even with the various warts Thailand has it feels much more free IMHO

I am not talking about race, here, I am talking about cultural differences, not fisical differences.

But you were talking about seeing the differences, you can't spot these cultural differences just by looking at people.

I only care about what the young sexy ones are like in bed, and of course the price.

Got it

For me personally

FREEDOM

Even with the various warts Thailand has it feels much more free IMHO

If you mean in the sense that the recent Cambo thread OP did, I think you're pretty free in Columbia, as long as you've got a convoy of bullet-proof cars and bodyguards armed to the teeth.

Freedom's one of those words, like love, that means so many different (and often contradictory) things it's become a more or less content-free term.

If you mean in the sense that the recent Cambo thread OP did, I think you're pretty free in Columbia, as long as you've got a convoy of bullet-proof cars and bodyguards armed to the teeth.

Freedom's one of those words, like love, that means so many different (and often contradictory) things it's become a more or less content-free term.

No I am not aware of previous threads as I do not read this section much.

I mean free in not being nannied

I like the sink or swim attitude here.

Why not?

Great place, cheap lifestyle, hot women that does it for me.

Also only 8 hours from Australia. to frikn easy.

I always have been wondering why so many Europeans, Americans and Canadians want to live in Thailand, I mean, they must to learn a very difficult language, learn a totally different culture, in a very distant country.

Many does not bother to learn the language, and many does not bother to learn the culture.

Yes, I meet very few retired North Americans, far more Brits and ANZ.

Personally I prefer Asian women to Latin, but I admit I'd probably do both if I had the dosh.

And Thailand is definitely safer, a honky living in Columbia's really asking for trouble, and even Rio's probably more dangerous than Pattaya 8-)

I guess that in Latinamerica violence is the main problem but fortunatelly we also have lots of Asians,(Japanese, Chinese and Thai), I like Thai women cuz they are the only ones in Asia with nice asses but they usually lack boobies

I hear you brother, but I would like to introduce you to a Thai street saying : "small boobs, small problem". You know what is more important.

As a retired north american i'm asking myself the very question you pose. and after increasing hassles with visas, low quality of women that I have access to as an english speaking foreigner, and ongoing issues with being viewed and treated as a sex tourist, I am in fact seriourly considering the Mexico or south american options you just mentioned. I hear Rio and Argentina are nice alternatives. The safety is not an issue for me, just keeping the hassles and price down.

Why did I come to Thailand then? I was familiar with the country from prior trips and wanted to get my feet wet, so to speak with being an expat, rahter then moving to an un-visited country cold turkey.

Thailand is a well known vacation destination that feels safe and advertises and feels comfrttable to expats, while south american is not. Thus, Thailand may be a jumping off point for many expats, who fan out eventually to other locations.

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by jacktrip

I haven't reached retirement age, but Thailand is the best option for me.

I have a lot of reasons that make Thailand my personal favorite over any other location necause Thailand got it (almost) all.

- girls. beautiful,slim, very asian. I've got a serious Asian fetish and don't like the south american type.

- prices. say what you want, but I come from Switzerland, everything local is dirt cheap in Thailand, including girls

- ultimate service country. In Thailand, people take care of anything for a small fee, in Switzerland the simplest works require payment of nearly 1000 baht per hour!

- friendliness. Thai people are so friendly (usually)

- safety. I consider Mexico, south america, etc. unsafe

- full range of medical facilities

- availability of internet, speed

- taxes. no tax or very low tax for me in Thailand

- the weather. although I could do with 3-4 degrees less, the weather in general is near perfect

- food: I love Thai food, I dislike mexican, south american foods

- personal affinity with language: I get irritated when I hear some mediterranean languages such as spanish, portuguese, italian, greek, hebrew, etc. although learning the latin languages would be easier for me

- personal affinity with culture/religion: I have deep respect for Buddhism and consider it the least harmful religion I know. I also like many aspects of Thai social behaviors.

- golf courses

- a feeling of freedom. many places to park the car or motorcycle, relaxed driving rules, etc. this might not seem important, but in Switzerland every bloody road is completely fenced off making it impossible to stop a car on the side

- another very personal reason is that I'm of small build, so I feel better among Thais than in a country where males are in average taller than 1m75.

What Thailand is lacking:

- long stay visas for people under 50

- private land ownership for foreigners

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by manarak

that's why my Thai acquitances, friends and family never refer to me as a farang

Maybe Thais don't refer to you as a farang because you're a bit dark-complexioned.

The less-educated ones get very confused about the idea that "farang countries" have native locals that come from all kinds of racial backgrounds and that most people are mixed to some degree.

Darker Spaniards, Italians, Greeks etc are often considered more "khaek" than farang.

I believe in Latin America there is also the generalized cultural preference for whiter skin being more attractive?

Is expressing that honestly considered racist there or just an acceptable personal preference?

I've got a serious Asian fetish and don't like the south american type.

Note to the extent their DNA didn't get mixed with too much black or farang caucasian, they are Asian, came over the Alaskan land bridge not that long ago wrt physical anthropology.

Example

that's why my Thai acquitances, friends and family never refer to me as a farang

Maybe Thais don't refer to you as a farang because you're a bit dark-complexioned.

The less-educated ones get very confused about the idea that "farang countries" have native locals that come from all kinds of racial backgrounds and that most people are mixed to some degree.

Darker Spaniards, Italians, Greeks etc are often considered more "khaek" than farang.

I believe in Latin America there is also the generalized cultural preference for whiter skin being more attractive?

Is expressing that honestly considered racist there or just an acceptable personal preference?

Well, first of all I am white, and green eyes, if you see me you shouldn't note the difference, since when i lived in Russia must Russians thought that I was one of them, I know what a khaek is, and I have never been refered as one, -not that I knew-, and I don't think that in my countries people have any especial preference for white people, must of Latin people prefer Latin people(including Spaniard, Portuguese,Italians etc) but this is a question to aesthetics not very much to do with racism, I think, by the way, Latin people are of all colours and races.

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by Om85

For me personally

FREEDOM

Even with the various warts Thailand has it feels much more free IMHO

Feeling free is quite different than having freedom and guaranteed rights. Thailand can seem like a playground for deviants or those that think a bit of dosh can lubricate the cogs of officialdom. The reality is that foreign guests have no rights or freedoms. They are tolerated. A foreigner does not discover this until the day he or she has a serious problem and finds that one's status quickly goes from welcome guest to dirty farang.

I've got a serious Asian fetish and don't like the south american type.

Note to the extent their DNA didn't get mixed with too much black or farang caucasian, they are Asian, came over the Alaskan land bridge not that long ago wrt physical anthropology.

Example

I didn't fully understand your point, but I can add that I am not attracted to the following Asians: mixed blood Philippinas (too fleshy and their eyes are different), han Chinese, Indians.

Looking nice for my taste: Thais, Lao, Cambodians, Viets, south Chinese, Koreans, Japanese.

Didn't see enough Burmese to make up my mind :-)

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by manarak

I don't know why there is an assumption that so many people want to live in Thailand. The only region where this might hold true is for Scandanavia and those people tend to be older and see Thailand as a place to go to avoid the winter. If I look at the stats, and Canada seems to have a good statistical base, more Canadians live in the USA than anywhere else. More revealing is the demographics; The majority of Canada's young and educated emigrants go to the USA, UK and Australia. Although the USA attracts a large number of "snowbirds" approx. 75% of Canadians migrating to the UK and Australia are young and prime working-age adults (18 to 49 years).- Source Govt. of Canada

I think the numbers are reversed for Thailand, with the majority being older single males and they certainly are not overly educated at least not the ones I have met. (That's not a slight or saying they aren't nice people,, just an observation.) Australians in Thailand are a different demographic than Canadians and it is a reflection of the low cost associated with relocating and traveling back and forth to Australia. A person of moderate means can easily commute back and forth to Australia retaining access to social benefits and all the advantages of Australia. Jet Star and Air Asia make that possible. Thailand is to Australians what Florida is to Canadians.

I'd venture that the wealthy foreigners do not see Thailand as an alternative home, but as another place to go for extended periods of time.There really isn't much on offer in Thailand to make it a desirable place for the weathy. Americans and Canadians prefer the Carribean or Hawaii. Wealthy Europeans have places in Spain or Sardinia. Thailand is a destination for people of modest financial means and with the way costs are going up, it would seem that Vietnam and Cambodia are knocking at the gate. The Chinese setting up second homes , from what I have seen are married middle aged people that want an alternative to China. The number of expat professionals that I have met is quite small and they are in Thailand for work, not because they love the place.

Could not agree more. People that have real money and and spouse they love do not choose Thailand by a long shot. Its more for washed up.divorcees and guys who slogged it out i shitty jobs coming to live their neckbeard fantasies before they die.

Being able to get on TV and belittle everyone because they have a small pile of cash they have traded for their lives somehow gives them comfort but truth is, they use the money to isolate themselves. They find it all odf and foreign but realize that even with their pile of money no woman wants to be around them. Better to pay for the pleasure here., home issuch a lonely place.

OP, you claim you never said "Thais never refer to you as Farang". You said you were white. You also said, "Thai ACQUAINTANCES, friends and family", never refer to you as a farang. We all have acquaintances, the person who serves you in your local store or bar, neighbours, a waitress who serves you in a regular dining spot, a regular taxi driver etc etc. Do you honestly believe that none of these people ever refer to you as a Farang? Get real! I think 'Deluded' is the cap that fits.

It seems that you and me do not share the same definition of acquitances, of course that people who doesn't know me call me Farang, I don't denie that.

Edited November 2, 201213 yr by Om85

I don't know why there is an assumption that so many people want to live in Thailand. The only region where this might hold true is for Scandanavia and those people tend to be older and see Thailand as a place to go to avoid the winter. If I look at the stats, and Canada seems to have a good statistical base, more Canadians live in the USA than anywhere else. More revealing is the demographics; The majority of Canada's young and educated emigrants go to the USA, UK and Australia. Although the USA attracts a large number of "snowbirds" approx. 75% of Canadians migrating to the UK and Australia are young and prime working-age adults (18 to 49 years).- Source Govt. of Canada

I think the numbers are reversed for Thailand, with the majority being older single males and they certainly are not overly educated at least not the ones I have met. (That's not a slight or saying they aren't nice people,, just an observation.) Australians in Thailand are a different demographic than Canadians and it is a reflection of the low cost associated with relocating and traveling back and forth to Australia. A person of moderate means can easily commute back and forth to Australia retaining access to social benefits and all the advantages of Australia. Jet Star and Air Asia make that possible. Thailand is to Australians what Florida is to Canadians.

I'd venture that the wealthy foreigners do not see Thailand as an alternative home, but as another place to go for extended periods of time.There really isn't much on offer in Thailand to make it a desirable place for the weathy. Americans and Canadians prefer the Carribean or Hawaii. Wealthy Europeans have places in Spain or Sardinia. Thailand is a destination for people of modest financial means and with the way costs are going up, it would seem that Vietnam and Cambodia are knocking at the gate. The Chinese setting up second homes , from what I have seen are married middle aged people that want an alternative to China. The number of expat professionals that I have met is quite small and they are in Thailand for work, not because they love the place.

Could not agree more. People that have real money and and spouse they love do not choose Thailand by a long shot. Its more for washed up.divorcees and guys who slogged it out i shitty jobs coming to live their neckbeard fantasies before they die.

Being able to get on TV and belittle everyone because they have a small pile of cash they have traded for their lives somehow gives them comfort but truth is, they use the money to isolate themselves. They find it all odf and foreign but realize that even with their pile of money no woman wants to be around them. Better to pay for the pleasure here., home issuch a lonely place.

You wrote, " Its more for washed up.divorcees and guys who slogged it out i shitty jobs coming to live their neckbeard fantasies before they die." I know a thousand guys who live in Thailand full or part time. Not one fits your description. One wonders how you got so bitter at your elders.

A large number of inflammatory posts and replies have been deleted. Continue posting in such a manner and you will find yourself suspended.

I'm american. I'm not "retired" but semi-retired. I live in Thailand(Pattaya). I came here because I enjoy the low cost of living, sexy Thai girls , good food, and warm weather(it is very cold in the midwest US). Yes, the plane tickets are expensive. We americans pay much more than Europeans(double) for the priveledge of coming here so there might be less of us here.

By the way I'd never want to live in Panama .

I stay because my wife is Thai and for no other reason. There are many things about Thailand I really dont like.

I can't speak for Europeans, but as for Americans, I'd say there are a lot more retired in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. than in Thailand.

Exactly, Costarica is full of Americans, and they seem to love it, they can easily get permanent residence there, buy a house, work, party so I don't why so many people come here only to get riped off.

working girl in los are more fun!

I always have been wondering why so many Europeans, Americans and Canadians want to live in Thailand, I mean, they must to learn a very difficult language, learn a totally different culture, in a very distant country.

Many does not bother to learn the language, and many does not bother to learn the culture.

agreed! what so great abut thai culture????????????? never understood this one.

I always have been wondering why so many Europeans, Americans and Canadians want to live in Thailand, I mean, they must to learn a very difficult language, learn a totally different culture, in a very distant country.

Many does not bother to learn the language, and many does not bother to learn the culture.

agreed! what so great abut thai culture????????????? never understood this one.

Try education.

Try education.

And if you think that's too expensive try ignorance.

The point isn't that Thai culture is wonderful, or even that it isn't often idiotic. The point is that by actually understanding it a much as possible, and acquiring at least some ability to understand where the to-the-newcomer bizarre behaviour is coming from, you are in a much better position to get what you want, preserve what you have and maximize the enjoyment of your time here.

Pure pragmatics rather than principle.

The principle side of it is that by learning other languages and other cultural POV you are learning more about yourself, how your own behaviour is often driven by unquestioned scripts and beliefs programmed into you from birth.

If you stay in your own mental/cultural belief bubble, then you miss out on a lot of insight that could help you grow as a person and perhaps wake up a bit more than most people who go through their whole life on autopilot.

But I understand such isn't of interest to many. . .

For me personally

FREEDOM

Even with the various warts Thailand has it feels much more free IMHO

Feeling free is quite different than having freedom and guaranteed rights. Thailand can seem like a playground for deviants or those that think a bit of dosh can lubricate the cogs of officialdom. The reality is that foreign guests have no rights or freedoms. They are tolerated. A foreigner does not discover this until the day he or she has a serious problem and finds that one's status quickly goes from welcome guest to dirty farang.

Well luckily I inserted that get out of jail free card "IMHO"

As it is my opinion based on My experiences I stand by it.

I assure you I fit into none of the categories you mentioned

Yet I still find this country much more free than the one I came from.

As I said I like the sink or swim none nannied state of things here.

As you say perhaps those that have a serious problem ? May not have certain rights

afforded elsewhere, but let me tell you the rights afforded elsewhere are quickly decaying

and came with a load of baggage & frivolous byproducts to begin with.

Corruption? Yes sure same as any other country I imagine.

But again I do not fall into the categories you mentioned so cannot say 1st hand.

If you do & are speaking from your own actual experiences you have my condolences.

Edited November 3, 201213 yr by mania

The cost of healthcare and medicines in America is one good reason not live there and chose Thailand instead

The americans I know can't seem to stop complaining on the cost of medicines in Thailand.

They complain about cost on a lot of things, but medicine rank among the most frequent

Edited November 3, 201213 yr by poanoi

The americans I know can't seem to stop complaining on the cost of medicines in Thailand.

They complain about cost on a lot of things, but medicine rank among the most frequent

Odd. My daughter's husband is a pharmacist. I check out all my meds. Half price or less here. Of course they were free in the States (Veteran). But ....

Edit to add. I have a good working relationship with my doctor and pharmacist and get generics when possible and no loss in quality.

Edited November 3, 201213 yr by chiangmaikelly

Why not?

Great place, cheap lifestyle, hot women that does it for me.

Also only 8 hours from Australia. to frikn easy.

The topic was about living inThailand, not going for a 1 month holiday to ( insert your city of choice).

Edited November 3, 201213 yr by Semper