What do you want from this forum?

[kevvy]

Sadly I am scared to do anything like teach or use some of the skills I have though they could be useful. I live on my retirement visa and as such cannot get a work permit. I will not do anything without one because that may jeopardise my living in Thailand and cause me and my family major problems.

maybe just help the poor people with some food or something , maybe i am just being to forward thinking . who knows what the future holds harry.

I too am on a retirement visa and dont have to rely on any government to look after me .

+

hope i run into you one day for a cup of tea or coffee.

[villagefarang]

Not being a joiner by nature, I think too much is made of work, projects or organizational affiliations. There is perhaps as much to be offered in the pursuit of ones daily life, without having to deal with officialdom. Setting an example and touching the lives of those around you, in a more personal way, can have a more lasting effect than becoming another faceless member of some inefficient organization, with sometimes questionable motives.

Though social media has made it easier to keep in touch with distant friends, life in Asia has always been a very transient affair. Not being the clingy or insecure type, I have never had a problem with moving on, meeting new people or just doing my own thing. Sure there are a few farangs who were here when I arrived and who have remained and thrived, but most have moved elsewhere for work and many others have died along the way. It is a far cry from those who are born, live and then die in pretty much the same place.

In general I have noticed changes in the demographic of people who now move to Thailand, as opposed to those who came many years ago. Then again, life has changed everywhere. Chiang Rai is different again, to some other areas of Thailand, in the type of person generally attracted to this remote local. If you fit into the dominant demographic then you will feel at home, if not, then you will struggle to find interesting people and may end up preferring your own company. Taking the occasional trip to visit friends, or inviting them to visit here, is often enough to add any needed variety.

Edited August 18, 2013 by villagefarang

[villagefarang]

I don’t know about you, but I find myself hesitant to make specific recommendations or introductions, and try to limit my interaction online, more to encouragement than advice. I have always had a very eclectic assortment of friends and interests which don’t always mix well, kind of like oil and water.

While there are people I enjoy saying hello to and catching up with, I wouldn’t necessarily want to see them too often or after the sun goes down. I prefer my conversations unadulterated by alcohol or medication, though I do understand some people find one or the other necessary.

In many cases I would be reluctant to introduce a Thai friend, like my contractor, to a farang acquaintance for fear of subjecting my him to emotional outbursts and irrational behavior somewhere down the road. I know some very unstable foreigners living in these parts.

I have noticed there are some who are quite insistent as to what others should do and how they should do it, which I find very strange, but clearly others find helpful. I prefer going to the source for information, over getting it second or third-hand, but that is just me.

The nice thing about this forum, in my opinion, is that pretty much everyone can find something of interest in these pages. I also like the fact that no one is selling anything. There is no financial motive for posting, just people talking to each other and sometimes offering advice or encouragement.