Complications In Thailand?.......

[endure]

Make sure you get yourself in good physical condition before traveling.

So many overweight foreigners here ... Thailand doesn't need any more.

There are no excuses for being overweight and,

.

I like food and booze. That's excuse enough for me

[Rob8891]

@ wigantojapan..... sorry (not really ) for snipping this out of your post...

Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today. <snip> simple no scams just good hard workinh honest people who speak a different language

You've been to Aberdeen, then??

[GuestHouse]

I like WigantoJapan's post,

The Thai people I know are on the whole hard working honest people doing their best to build a good life for themselves and their families.

If anyone can't get a straight answer from Thai people they interact with then they perhaps need to be introduced to the wonders of the simultaneous equation and the common denominator.

[David006]

way to go Blether...disguise the fly and up we rise....yet again.

Just let the buggers jump in and swim around and find their own sharks...we had to.....

[hellodolly]

First thing they should do is take Thai language lessons... would recomend 2 hours a day, 5 days a week for at least a few months, then maybe pull it back to at least a few times a week for the next 6-9 months.

As once you can speak passable Thai a whole lot of things become easier and a whole lot less frustrating.

The funny thing is, once you can speak good Thai, you will start to notice that things really ain't that much different here then anywhere else in the world...

Once you get out of the bars and tourist areas, Thais are mostly just normal folks going through life trying to better themselves in the rat race and trying to provide best possible future for their kids that they can afford...

Also don't believe it if anyone makes some outragous claim about having to pay or do something that doesn't make much sense or feels wrong to you, as it is "Thai Culture".

As once you get outside "the scam zone", it really ain't like that... and the sooner you can speak Thai, the less time you will be spending in "the scam zone".

I dont speak Thai but i see where you are coming from about being able or putting the efforti nto speaking Thai.

people who aew wasuly frustrated would be anywhere so just relax and enjoy the sunshine and the mosquitoes.

Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today.I Peole doing shitty jobs for little or no money having a good drink with there mates after work

going home to the wife and kids/Talking to their wives and kids

go to bed get up g to work

simple no scams just good hard workinh honest people who speak a different language

,.Knowing the language can also lead to your understanding of how much shit the average peson speak,only need to look at Thai tv to see that but that is another story

Being friends of the blether i,m sure the"y have their heids screwed on the right way

YOU SAY

"Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today.I Peole doing shitty jobs for little or no money having a good drink with there mates after work"

Don't tell that to the bletheror any other Scotsman they all think they do a good job of making Scotch Whiskey.

[Rob8891]

First thing they should do is take Thai language lessons... would recomend 2 hours a day, 5 days a week for at least a few months, then maybe pull it back to at least a few times a week for the next 6-9 months.

As once you can speak passable Thai a whole lot of things become easier and a whole lot less frustrating.

The funny thing is, once you can speak good Thai, you will start to notice that things really ain't that much different here then anywhere else in the world...

Once you get out of the bars and tourist areas, Thais are mostly just normal folks going through life trying to better themselves in the rat race and trying to provide best possible future for their kids that they can afford...

Also don't believe it if anyone makes some outragous claim about having to pay or do something that doesn't make much sense or feels wrong to you, as it is "Thai Culture".

As once you get outside "the scam zone", it really ain't like that... and the sooner you can speak Thai, the less time you will be spending in "the scam zone".

I dont speak Thai but i see where you are coming from about being able or putting the efforti nto speaking Thai.

people who aew wasuly frustrated would be anywhere so just relax and enjoy the sunshine and the mosquitoes.

Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today.I Peole doing shitty jobs for little or no money having a good drink with there mates after work

going home to the wife and kids/Talking to their wives and kids

go to bed get up g to work

simple no scams just good hard workinh honest people who speak a different language

,.Knowing the language can also lead to your understanding of how much shit the average peson speak,only need to look at Thai tv to see that but that is another story

Being friends of the blether i,m sure the"y have their heids screwed on the right way

YOU SAY

"Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today.I Peole doing shitty jobs for little or no money having a good drink with there mates after work"

Don't tell that to the bletheror any other Scotsman they all think they do a good job of making Scotch Whiskey.

No one in Scotland makes whiskEy, HD....but we KNOW that we make a darned good job of making whisky

[rene123]

Holiday visits and actually "living" in Thailand are vastly different. Thailand laws make it difficult for any foreigner to own anything of any value in Thailand. Many others before me have all said the same thing... never buy what you can rent. And, don't try to plant roots too deeply because you might have to move quicklyfor any one of a thousand reasons.

Other than property what is there that is so hard to own? True you might have to move quikly for any one of a thousand reasons. But that can be said the world over. If you were forced to leaave Thailand I strongly suspect if you examined it you would find out it was for some thing you did wrong.

I don't buy into this bit that Thailand dosen't want us. If that were so they would make it a lot tougher to stay here.

The complications I run into are not really complicated. They are mainly the attitudes of foreigners towards the Thais. It has been my experience that if you give them a chance they will be very friendly. But you can not find that hanging around tourist areas. They are there to make as much money as they can the same as you when you were working.

Other than property, what is there that is so expensive that you can't just walk away from? And, if you just bought a big new Mercedes sedan then you don't worry about money losses or gains anyway. You've already got more than you need. I've never stated that Thailand doesn't want us. They just don't want us to buy their country and then hold them ransom. That is the problem with Canada. We sell our country and its resources to the highest foreign bidder and then have to pay premium prices to get a small portion back.

It's also been my experience that the every day common Thai is a nice person. They want the same things that everyone in the world wants: a home, a few good meals each day, safety for their family and an education for their children, and a tiny bit of hope for the future.

It's certainly a lot easier for a foreigner to stay long term in Thailand than it is for a common Thai to take a simple holiday in North America. Just ask any of the foreign men who want to bring their Thai girl friend home to the States or Canada for a simple visit. I won't say it is impossible, but there are mountains to climb to get it done. A Thai can't simply buy an airline ticket and fly to Canada for a holiday, like a Canadian can do to Thailand. There are double standards everywhere. When I say "common" Thai I do not mean anything derogatory. I'm just saying they are the working class Thais that you see everywhere trying to exist on 6000 baht a month.

[swissie]

The answer to the OP's question can be answered easily:

Stay here for one year and buy nothing exept food, clothing and entertainement. The rest you rent!. Once the year is over, one can still swich into some kind of "buying-mode". Chances are, that after this period of time, notions of "Buying" anything of major proportion in Thailand will have vanished.

Especially if during this time (or afterwards), if some Farang-Residens of many years, try to interest you in "the Business-Opportunity of a lifetime". In this case JUST RUN ! If necessary even without paying the bar-tab. JUST RUN!

Cheers.

[arthurwait]

Holiday visits and actually "living" in Thailand are vastly different. Thailand laws make it difficult for any foreigner to own anything of any value in Thailand. Many others before me have all said the same thing... never buy what you can rent. And, don't try to plant roots too deeply because you might have to move quicklyfor any one of a thousand reasons.

Other than property what is there that is so hard to own? True you might have to move quikly for any one of a thousand reasons. But that can be said the world over. If you were forced to leaave Thailand I strongly suspect if you examined it you would find out it was for some thing you did wrong.

I don't buy into this bit that Thailand dosen't want us. If that were so they would make it a lot tougher to stay here.

The complications I run into are not really complicated. They are mainly the attitudes of foreigners towards the Thais. It has been my experience that if you give them a chance they will be very friendly. But you can not find that hanging around tourist areas. They are there to make as much money as they can the same as you when you were working.

Other than property, what is there that is so expensive that you can't just walk away from? And, if you just bought a big new Mercedes sedan then you don't worry about money losses or gains anyway. You've already got more than you need. I've never stated that Thailand doesn't want us. They just don't want us to buy their country and then hold them ransom. That is the problem with Canada. We sell our country and its resources to the highest foreign bidder and then have to pay premium prices to get a small portion back.

It's also been my experience that the every day common Thai is a nice person. They want the same things that everyone in the world wants: a home, a few good meals each day, safety for their family and an education for their children, and a tiny bit of hope for the future.

It's certainly a lot easier for a foreigner to stay long term in Thailand than it is for a common Thai to take a simple holiday in North America. Just ask any of the foreign men who want to bring their Thai girl friend home to the States or Canada for a simple visit. I won't say it is impossible, but there are mountains to climb to get it done. A Thai can't simply buy an airline ticket and fly to Canada for a holiday, like a Canadian can do to Thailand. There are double standards everywhere. When I say "common" Thai I do not mean anything derogatory. I'm just saying they are the working class Thais that you see everywhere trying to exist on 6000 baht a month.

Wow a Canadian that doesn't think Canada is cheaper than Thailand !

[wigantojapan]

First thing they should do is take Thai language lessons... would recomend 2 hours a day, 5 days a week for at least a few months, then maybe pull it back to at least a few times a week for the next 6-9 months.

As once you can speak passable Thai a whole lot of things become easier and a whole lot less frustrating.

The funny thing is, once you can speak good Thai, you will start to notice that things really ain't that much different here then anywhere else in the world...

Once you get out of the bars and tourist areas, Thais are mostly just normal folks going through life trying to better themselves in the rat race and trying to provide best possible future for their kids that they can afford...

Also don't believe it if anyone makes some outragous claim about having to pay or do something that doesn't make much sense or feels wrong to you, as it is "Thai Culture".

As once you get outside "the scam zone", it really ain't like that... and the sooner you can speak Thai, the less time you will be spending in "the scam zone".

I dont speak Thai but i see where you are coming from about being able or putting the efforti nto speaking Thai.

people who aew wasuly frustrated would be anywhere so just relax and enjoy the sunshine and the mosquitoes.

Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today.I Peole doing shitty jobs for little or no money having a good drink with there mates after work

going home to the wife and kids/Talking to their wives and kids

go to bed get up g to work

simple no scams just good hard workinh honest people who speak a different language

,.Knowing the language can also lead to your understanding of how much shit the average peson speak,only need to look at Thai tv to see that but that is another story

Being friends of the blether i,m sure the"y have their heids screwed on the right way

YOU SAY

"Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today.I Peole doing shitty jobs for little or no money having a good drink with there mates after work"

Don't tell that to the bletheror any other Scotsman they all think they do a good job of making Scotch Whiskey.

helly dolly as stated before by yourself the whisky you have drunk we use to clean out toilets when the new year clean up is in operation/

whisky without the e for genuine whisky all others are just pretenders like american language

[wigantojapan]

@ wigantojapan..... sorry (not really ) for snipping this out of your post...

Thailand to me is like Scotland 30 years ago or even today. <snip> simple no scams just good hard workinh honest people who speak a different language

You've been to Aberdeen, then??

aberdenn once for the soul allnighter at the beach ballroom

good people the aberdonians .cant understand them either,but nae pretence from them ,no like a few people lurking about on here

oh well happy to have been brought up in scotland and the thais have similar qualities even though they go about in in different ways.

The main problem will be having a now and again deep conversation in Thai unless you master Thai that is

also knowing what you are buying can be problematic if you cant read thai for the ingrediants,but like a good nutritionist said back in Bonnie land anything with a list on it or e numbers avoid..comprendo.

people the whole world in general are the same the majority just getting on with their lives

The people who look down to the thais i guess they would look down on anyone

We are in Thailand of course so it is easy to accuse the thais of this that and everything.

i do it myself when i am being a prat which is a daily occurance but i would also say the same

wherever i have lived be it scotland japan or india etc

One tip i would say is to hang around with some backpackers as they have the spirit of adventure .that is seems a lot of farang in chiang mai NEVER HAD.

There are some cool people in the Pai area who will give you a more realistic honest lifestyle than the ones in CM are living

Each to ones own

a mans a man for aw that

lots of people it seems are trying to replicate their lifestyle in thailand but at a cheaper level .so bringing their blockhead ways with them

if you are good you will atract good simple

if you are not you wont

if you want complications complications will arrive

be careful what you wish forget the careful bit just relax and enjoy all what life offers

[theblether]

Excellent wigantojapan.........among a lot of high points this sticks out......

" people the whole world in general are the same the majority just getting on with their lives

The people who look down to the thais i guess they would look down on anyone

"

Too true........I cannot stand these snobs, and more often than not, I find they have nothing to be snobbish about. We often see ex-pat preening on this forum, and I regard that as laughable. When I die and they lay me to rest, I hope the best that can be said about me is more than " I bought a £500 ticket to Thailand and lived there ".

In the litany of life's rich achievements, I would say that wallows near the bottom of the list.

However!! If I had to find fault with the Thais, I could certainly start with the notion that I think they cut off their nose to spite their face when it comes to volunteer work. The work permit requirements seem to be a barrier to good deeds, and everybody loses as a result. To rephrase........

" I bought a £500 ticket to Thailand and I lived there, while I was there I worked in a volunteer capacity in child welfare / education / safety awareness / health care / animal welfare etc ".........

I would say, " Let me shake you by the hand ". There's a well of goodwill within the ex-pat community, and it's a pity that people are fearful to help in case they fall foul of visa regulations.

[transam]

Getting attacked by Ladyboys in CM?

No kiddin' Dude. Be careful of the Ladyboys in Chiang Mai and everywhere else.

They're a nasty lot, and some of them are downright evil.

As a new guy you would know eh.

[weegee]

"Are you seriously saying that being Thai is some kind of barrier to giving a straight answer"

YEP !!!!

[Banzai99]

Thank christ I came to Live in Thailand when I was 35, I wasn't too old to adapt, plus I had a ball, , 22 years on, I actually still like it here..

I am sure, had I been 20 - 30 years older, it would have been different.

[transam]

"Are you seriously saying that being Thai is some kind of barrier to giving a straight answer"

YEP !!!!

The internet is a marvellous thing for broadcasting your thoughts - you might consider not being so keen to broadcast your own idiocy.

Hark who's talking. At least he has a spell check.

[rene123]

This is not in reply to any one person here, but it is appropriate to the topic. When a wealthy person is lying on their death bed with millions of dollars in the bank I can pretty much guarantee they aren't wishing they had bought one more piece of property and a few more cars.

My only advice is to enjoy life to the fullest and spend every day like it is your last.

[wigantojapan]

Another major consideration apart from the visas ,insurance health usual beaurocratic nonesense{what the brits taught the world eh)is Pollution.

I,m sure there is a high number of Uk passport holders that came to Thailand for the sunshine amongst other things,,me included.

What was totally unexpected was the pollution in the hills and you can add CM to that equation.

On that i would retire to the south to get away from the hill fires but off course temperture wise is better for me anyway to be in the North,so again the pollition in BK and CM i was aware of ,but not out in the sticks where in many ways the real Thailand is.

I would seriously advise them to retire to Cambodia as there are so much little hassle regarding visas Work,land etc ,though having said that a lot of land on offer to foreigners is land that the army has taken from local people by force,but again the foreigners dont give a monkey as long as they can brag that they own land.but thats another story.

like you said originally blether they have done their homework on visas etc,but for me pollution is a major concern for my long term future and i have a beautiful wooden bamboo house surrounded by beautiful trees and mountains ,so personally i am weighing up going back to freezing Scotland and the beautiful pollution free air or doing my lungs in here

[theblether]

Another major consideration apart from the visas ,insurance health usual beaurocratic nonesense{what the brits taught the world eh)is Pollution.

I,m sure there is a high number of Uk passport holders that came to Thailand for the sunshine amongst other things,,me included.

What was totally unexpected was the pollution in the hills and you can add CM to that equation.

On that i would retire to the south to get away from the hill fires but off course temperture wise is better for me anyway to be in the North,so again the pollition in BK and CM i was aware of ,but not out in the sticks where in many ways the real Thailand is.

I would seriously advise them to retire to Cambodia as there are so much little hassle regarding visas Work,land etc ,though having said that a lot of land on offer to foreigners is land that the army has taken from local people by force,but again the foreigners dont give a monkey as long as they can brag that they own land.but thats another story.

like you said originally blether they have done their homework on visas etc,but for me pollution is a major concern for my long term future and i have a beautiful wooden bamboo house surrounded by beautiful trees and mountains ,so personally i am weighing up going back to freezing Scotland and the beautiful pollution free air or doing my lungs in here

I was up in Caithness on Boxing Day.........

Not much pollution there.....stunning.

[hellodolly]

Holiday visits and actually "living" in Thailand are vastly different. Thailand laws make it difficult for any foreigner to own anything of any value in Thailand. Many others before me have all said the same thing... never buy what you can rent. And, don't try to plant roots too deeply because you might have to move quicklyfor any one of a thousand reasons.

Other than property what is there that is so hard to own? True you might have to move quikly for any one of a thousand reasons. But that can be said the world over. If you were forced to leaave Thailand I strongly suspect if you examined it you would find out it was for some thing you did wrong.

I don't buy into this bit that Thailand dosen't want us. If that were so they would make it a lot tougher to stay here.

The complications I run into are not really complicated. They are mainly the attitudes of foreigners towards the Thais. It has been my experience that if you give them a chance they will be very friendly. But you can not find that hanging around tourist areas. They are there to make as much money as they can the same as you when you were working.

Other than property, what is there that is so expensive that you can't just walk away from? And, if you just bought a big new Mercedes sedan then you don't worry about money losses or gains anyway. You've already got more than you need. I've never stated that Thailand doesn't want us. They just don't want us to buy their country and then hold them ransom. That is the problem with Canada. We sell our country and its resources to the highest foreign bidder and then have to pay premium prices to get a small portion back.

It's also been my experience that the every day common Thai is a nice person. They want the same things that everyone in the world wants: a home, a few good meals each day, safety for their family and an education for their children, and a tiny bit of hope for the future.

It's certainly a lot easier for a foreigner to stay long term in Thailand than it is for a common Thai to take a simple holiday in North America. Just ask any of the foreign men who want to bring their Thai girl friend home to the States or Canada for a simple visit. I won't say it is impossible, but there are mountains to climb to get it done. A Thai can't simply buy an airline ticket and fly to Canada for a holiday, like a Canadian can do to Thailand. There are double standards everywhere. When I say "common" Thai I do not mean anything derogatory. I'm just saying they are the working class Thais that you see everywhere trying to exist on 6000 baht a month.

In spite of it's faults the one thing you can not accuse them of is paranoia as the Unite States and Canada have and practice.

Like I said whart is there you can't own got nothing to do with what cost as lot of money.

Yes if I buy a new Mercedes I will do so because it is some thing I can walk away from, I am retired and not looking to save money for my old age I am already there. My three boys tell me to spend my money don't worry about them. I have enough to care for the wife if I go first. What I am leading up to is I am a free man and refused to be owned by my property. If I can't walk away from it I won't buy it.

This is a policy that younger people who are building for there future can not follow. I lived with it for 65 years now I am free.

[theblether]

This is not in reply to any one person here, but it is appropriate to the topic. When a wealthy person is lying on their death bed with millions of dollars in the bank I can pretty much guarantee they aren't wishing they had bought one more piece of property and a few more cars.

My only advice is to enjoy life to the fullest and spend every day like it is your last.

At the risk of being contrary......okay, I'll just be contrary, being poor is over rated too. Money is a passport to Choice, when it becomes your God, you become it's prisoner, however that prison is incomparable to true poverty, where people starve and die of preventable diseases.

In life though the greatest poverty is the Poverty of Hope, there are far too many people living in hopeless situations.

One thing I can say about Thailand though is, there may be poverty in places, and there are plenty of poor people, but the Thai people are far from hopeless. They just get up and get on with it every single day, I often stand back and admire the people I see around me in Thailand, grafting, working hard and long hours in their micro businesses, often for little return. I do feel humbled by the Thai work ethic that I see, and irritated when I fly back in to the UK and listen to the moaners. They don't know they're born.

[JetsetBkk]

<snip>

And, don't try to plant roots too deeply because you might have to move quickly for any one of a thousand reasons.

All my plants are in pots. Every time I move house, the plants go with me. After ten years they are still in pots. Maybe one day I'll plant them in the garden, but not just yet.

Then:

Now:

.

Edited December 28, 2012 by JetsetBkk

[wigantojapan]

This is not in reply to any one person here, but it is appropriate to the topic. When a wealthy person is lying on their death bed with millions of dollars in the bank I can pretty much guarantee they aren't wishing they had bought one more piece of property and a few more cars.

My only advice is to enjoy life to the fullest and spend every day like it is your last.

At the risk of being contrary......okay, I'll just be contrary, being poor is over rated too. Money is a passport to Choice, when it becomes your God, you become it's prisoner, however that prison is incomparable to true poverty, where people starve and die of preventable diseases.

In life though the greatest poverty is the Poverty of Hope, there are far too many people living in hopeless situations.

One thing I can say about Thailand though is, there may be poverty in places, and there are plenty of poor people, but the Thai people are far from hopeless. They just get up and get on with it every single day, I often stand back and admire the people I see around me in Thailand, grafting, working hard and long hours in their micro businesses, often for little return. I do feel humbled by the Thai work ethic that I see, and irritated when I fly back in to the UK and listen to the moaners. They don't know they're born.

plenty people here moaning and they asure us they have all the answers reading the posting here on TV.

It will be an experience for your friends to live in another country

.How they handle lives lessons will be the measure of their learning and understanding. and their upbringing and choices in life.

we all have time to sit back and observe ourselves as well as others

.Some more than most

./Most Thais dont have that luxury.

Many people come to Thailand for many things and a lot of it has no respect for the fellow human being

,more so when people talk down women in general and Thailand as a whole ,

Thais still have a faith in their immediate community much more than in vast areas of the modern progressive world order and i include BK CM and any of the imitation western ideals and actions.

yes they can be poor in baht but not poor in spirit.

spending time with real people anywhere in the world can only uplift you

.If your friends are genuine nice people .even if they have faults all the problems that may occur over here,the genuine Thai people will offer a helping hand without any thought of return.

[Rob8891]

This is not in reply to any one person here, but it is appropriate to the topic. When a wealthy person is lying on their death bed with millions of dollars in the bank I can pretty much guarantee they aren't wishing they had bought one more piece of property and a few more cars.

My only advice is to enjoy life to the fullest and spend every day like it is your last.

At the risk of being contrary......okay, I'll just be contrary, being poor is over rated too. Money is a passport to Choice, when it becomes your God, you become it's prisoner, however that prison is incomparable to true poverty, where people starve and die of preventable diseases.

In life though the greatest poverty is the Poverty of Hope, there are far too many people living in hopeless situations.

One thing I can say about Thailand though is, there may be poverty in places, and there are plenty of poor people, but the Thai people are far from hopeless. They just get up and get on with it every single day, I often stand back and admire the people I see around me in Thailand, grafting, working hard and long hours in their micro businesses, often for little return. I do feel humbled by the Thai work ethic that I see, and irritated when I fly back in to the UK and listen to the moaners. They don't know they're born.

plenty people here moaning and they asure us they have all the answers reading the posting here on TV.

It will be an experience for your friends to live in another country

.How they handle lives lessons will be the measure of their learning and understanding. and their upbringing and choices in life.

we all have time to sit back and observe ourselves as well as others

.Some more than most

./Most Thais dont have that luxury.

Many people come to Thailand for many things and a lot of it has no respect for the fellow human being

,more so when people talk down women in general and Thailand as a whole ,

Thais still have a faith in their immediate community much more than in vast areas of the modern progressive world order and i include BK CM and any of the imitation western ideals and actions.

yes they can be poor in baht but not poor in spirit.

spending time with real people anywhere in the world can only uplift you

.If your friends are genuine nice people .even if they have faults all the problems that may occur over here,the genuine Thai people will offer a helping hand without any thought of return.

A GREAT post, WTJ.

It is refreshing to see someone take a positive view of Thailand, instead of the usual whingeing, blaming personal failures on all and sundry. Thailand is, on balance, a pretty good place, not perfect, not El Dorado or Shangri La, but it is what we help to make it. Respect begets respect. Scorn and derision can only bring simialr reactions. People should print out your post and pin it on the wall..... read it every day....and when they fup.

Thanks for reaffirming what is good about Thailand, and what attracted us there.

[endure]

A flame and a reply have been removed. If you can't be civil then best to be quiet...

[rene123]

This is not in reply to any one person here, but it is appropriate to the topic. When a wealthy person is lying on their death bed with millions of dollars in the bank I can pretty much guarantee they aren't wishing they had bought one more piece of property and a few more cars.

My only advice is to enjoy life to the fullest and spend every day like it is your last.

At the risk of being contrary......okay, I'll just be contrary, being poor is over rated too. Money is a passport to Choice, when it becomes your God, you become it's prisoner, however that prison is incomparable to true poverty, where people starve and die of preventable diseases.

In life though the greatest poverty is the Poverty of Hope, there are far too many people living in hopeless situations.

One thing I can say about Thailand though is, there may be poverty in places, and there are plenty of poor people, but the Thai people are far from hopeless. They just get up and get on with it every single day, I often stand back and admire the people I see around me in Thailand, grafting, working hard and long hours in their micro businesses, often for little return. I do feel humbled by the Thai work ethic that I see, and irritated when I fly back in to the UK and listen to the moaners. They don't know they're born.

plenty people here moaning and they asure us they have all the answers reading the posting here on TV.

It will be an experience for your friends to live in another country

.How they handle lives lessons will be the measure of their learning and understanding. and their upbringing and choices in life.

we all have time to sit back and observe ourselves as well as others

.Some more than most

./Most Thais dont have that luxury.

Many people come to Thailand for many things and a lot of it has no respect for the fellow human being

,more so when people talk down women in general and Thailand as a whole ,

Thais still have a faith in their immediate community much more than in vast areas of the modern progressive world order and i include BK CM and any of the imitation western ideals and actions.

yes they can be poor in baht but not poor in spirit.

spending time with real people anywhere in the world can only uplift you

.If your friends are genuine nice people .even if they have faults all the problems that may occur over here,the genuine Thai people will offer a helping hand without any thought of return.

A GREAT post, WTJ.

It is refreshing to see someone take a positive view of Thailand, instead of the usual whingeing, blaming personal failures on all and sundry. Thailand is, on balance, a pretty good place, not perfect, not El Dorado or Shangri La, but it is what we help to make it. Respect begets respect. Scorn and derision can only bring simialr reactions. People should print out your post and pin it on the wall..... read it every day....and when they fup.

Thanks for reaffirming what is good about Thailand, and what attracted us there.

x2

I was going to reply just to theblether's good comment, but have to include the whole segment. I also am impressed how Thais just get on with life. After the Tsunami in 2004 the locals just went back to rebuilding, and except for a few stark reminders, the country just rebounded. From what I heard, Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and even Chiang Mai had some serious flooding last year, but you would hardly know it today, and you don't hear everyone moaning about what happened years ago like you do in western countries.

[HeijoshinCool]

Do not trust anyone, no matter how big the smile, that goes for any nationality. Read between the lines always.

I tried. I really did. But you only wrote one.

[NeverSure]

snip - ...pretenders like american language

Oh, that we all spoke and wrote exactly as Shakespeare. Somewhere along the line, only we Americans lost our way.

Edited December 29, 2012 by NeverSure

[clockman]

Its more exspensive here, than you realised! Never cut off your connections to where you came from!

[boggle]

Health insurance? Expats coming over here with typical older age chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure on medications will have a very hard time buying any private health insurance that covers for any connection to cardiovascular disease (as one common example). Before I moved over here, I was led to have the impression talking to expats that getting insurance was looser here than in the U.S. (pre-Obamacare). I don't think so. In other words, what is the real value of insurance that excludes the expensive and serious conditions that you personally are most likely to get? This situation wasn't culture shock to me coming from pre-Obamacare USA but I think it would be for people from countries that provide medical cover for all citizens. Living here long term, the health insurance access and recently inflated medical costs in Thailand issue are the main things that would motivate me to leave Thailand (if the situation doesn't kill me first). To "self insure" in other words to have a pot of money and/or credit available instead of good insurance which may be impossible to obtain involves a much bigger pot of money than many people realize. I think for retirees this health care issue is ultimately a much bigger deal than issues like buying vs. renting.

Ya I got all those problems. I go to a better than Western hospital here once a month for a checkup 500 to 1500 baht depending on lab work. The hospital has a new cath lab and all new equipment for testing. Top quality doctors and nursing staff. Never a wait and when I'm done the nurse calls me a cab door to door service. The nurses bring me green tea in the waiting room and the lady who takes the blood is so good I never feel the jab. The doctor prescribes generic drugs when possible. So it costs me about 2 or 3 thousand baht more than it would in the States where I got the pills from the VA because the Army poisoned me 40 years ago. I think it's worth it. I never trusted the Army after they tried to kill me anyway (actually they did kill me, I just haven't died yet).

Every Month?