It seems to me that a lot of people decide to go for it and make the big move from Europe or even the United States or Australia/New Zealand to The Land of Smiles.It then seems to me that after spending many years here and going through the stresses that everyone faces here with visas,ripoffs,dodgy girlfiends/wives etc,etc,they then decide to pack up and leave back to their home country!
My question is why don't people want to live in different parts of South-East Asia which is all beautiful,like Vietnam,Cambodia,Philippines,Malaysia,Indonesia et al?

I always say that Thailand's is a bit like Europe in SEA as it has all the home comforts and food,plus the best Western-style housing also but surely it's worth at least trying one more option before flying home in abject failure?
What say you?

I dont get it. what dose one fail in Thailand? fail the exams for being thai? or fail at building a life in 3rd world developing country? I work on the border aran/poipet. and trust me a over night drvie in to siam reap just for fun, we packing heat!!

Malaysia and Singapore are not cheap. the Philippians is improving and there police force doing a half descent job on crime. I did say half descent. but dont go walking around the slums at night too.

Vietnam is a nice holiday but its quite boring.( my opinion anyway).

All of these country's do have expats and im sure some are very happy. i know a few in each.

I dont get it. what dose one fail in Thailand? fail the exams for being thai? or fail at building a life in 3rd world developing country? I work on the border aran/poipet. and trust me a over night drvie in to siam reap just for fun, we packing heat!!

Malaysia and Singapore are not cheap. the Philippians is improving and there police force doing a half descent job on crime. I did say half descent. but dont go walking around the slums at night too.

Vietnam is a nice holiday but its quite boring.( my opinion anyway).

All of these country's do have expats and im sure some are very happy. i know a few in each.

I don't get it either but I have a friend who I found out a couple of weeks ago is driving a bus in England!He's done all his TEFL qualifications as well,so I don't understand why he doesn't use them to teach while looking for something better?

He doesn't want to be back home either but surely anything is better,even TEFLing around the place and jobhunting?

There just seems to be so many threads on here about people moving back home lately,I just don't get it?

I think your friend has made a wise choice. Its very hot this year and running around Asia looking for jobs and supporting ones self is not much of a life. and a university degree would be much more useful then a TEFL.

Alot of people are fed up with the immigration policies

if one is retired here and settled in well, or one is working for a international company or really dose have a good English teaching qualifications and teaching at a good school then one should have no problem in residing in Thailand for the time being.

other then that people tent to walk on thin ice around here.

i like my job and i have behaved my self for the last few years and made some wise investment choices well lucky really. and now im looking at Australia or U.S to reside in. I think Thailand is digging a hole for its self slowly. and a another personal option is i think its kind of a shit hole.

Returning in abject failure ?

For many living in Thailand isn't a competition based on longevity of staying here.

Many simply out grow it, get bored,become ill or have kids that need better education then the archaic system Thailand offers, or realise there is more to life than what Thailand originally offered them.

There are the losers who wouldn't last anywhere of course, but they are the minority from my experience.

Most I know move back as a stepping stone to something else, most I know have done very well out of Thailand . Whether that be financially or with personal growth.

Most I know return with there heads held high proud of what they achieved.The ones that are stuck in Thailand hanging on to failing dreams, resident bar flys or in washed out relationships are in my opinion the real abject failures.

things change, places change, people change....

thailand has certainly changed immeasurably in the 20-odd years i've been here and continues to do so - these changes suit some people and don't suit others - reasons for some to leave perhaps.

personally speaking i have changed a lot too in these 20-odd years - arguably for the worse, but i won't bore strangers in an online forum with that - and my priorities have too - kids being the most significant change of all.

there is a constant inflow and outflow of people here, but i agree there is a noticeable phenomenon of people who have come here had a go and decided they've had enough. 5, 10 and certainly 15-20 years ago it was easier here - things were cheaper, attitudes more relaxed and the contempt bred of familiarity between us and them had yet to ripen to the level it is at now. i feel sorry for the people who burn out, or hit the wall or run out of cash or get screwed and leave here beaten and jaded and i don't blame most of them, i've skimmed along rock bottom myself on occassion and thailand is a grim place to be struggling.

i count myself lucky to have had the beaches of the south in the early 90's, bangkok in the late 90's and early noughties and now to have a job independant of what goes on here (offshore) and the choice to stay or go and currently am staying but will probably go when the kids are a bit older with no hard feelings.

My sister came over for two years and then left. The reason for this was she wanted to come over for two years to experience something different and then leave. I use this as an example to say that for many people, living here is temporary. I do not plan to live the rest of my life in this country. It may happen, but its not my plan. At some point I would like to move back to be close with my family. I have made this perfectly clear to the missus and have given her the option of a) coming with me or b; saying goodbye when the time comes.

Edited April 11, 201313 yr by yourauntbob

I suppose if I was stuck in a rut in Thailand, I'd look pretty desperately to find a reason to justify it, and look down on people who have moved on, so I can understand the OP's question.

I like to kid myself that when I moved along I looked like I was moving onwards and upwards. One of the reasons that I did was because there were so many deadwoods who wanted to live in Thailand and would sacrifice for it that the salary market was depressed.

SC

I don't understand the OP's puzzlement.

Most people view the world as "home country" vs "overseas".

If you've had a go living overseas for a few (or many) years and for whatever reason get sick of it, financially crash and burn or whatever, the natural instinct would be to head "home" for a while and re-boot your life in more familiar and secure circumstances, get a decent job in a real economy with law and order, save up and then (maybe) head out for further adventure later on.

Sure some people have a secure enough financial situation to hop from one place to another, but given human nature's normal inertia, they're more likely to just continue on unless there's some major personal crisis motivating them to leave, and again, the home base is the most likely candidate. . .

Edited April 11, 201313 yr by FunFon

It used to be called homesick.

Spot on Fun fon

I was contemplating Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

I had never been in Asia so when a friend said he had a bungalow ready to move in in Pattaya, it was a definite plus.

I was also into muai thai so my interest was deeper in Thailand.

I suppose if I was stuck in a rut in Thailand, I'd look pretty desperately to find a reason to justify it, and look down on people who have moved on, so I can understand the OP's question.

I like to kid myself that when I moved along I looked like I was moving onwards and upwards. One of the reasons that I did was because there were so many deadwoods who wanted to live in Thailand and would sacrifice for it that the salary market was depressed.

SC

It looks to me like you've totally misunderstood the OP's question,it seems to me he's asking why not move on to another South-East Asian country!

You sound very bitter though,more proof it really isn't for the weak!