If Indonesia changed laws to allow foreigners to purchase freehold land, Bali would be quickly on the radar.

Breaking up with Ms. Auntbob, she is my only strong tie to this place anymore. I dont want to go home (yet) but honestly dont mind walking away from Thailand. Japan would be nice...or eastern Europe... or South America...... or.....

according to stickman many have and cite various reasons ,the negatives outweigh the + bla bla

30 day address reporting and semi-annual visa extensions. OMG, I probably shouldn't give them ideas

Usa invading Thailand... And I will be out...

If England & Great Britain & United Kingdom & UK & Britain & U.K. tried to colonize 1/3 of the world again and this time included Thailand, I'd be out.

Oh wait. UK expats have invaded and colonized Thailand. Never mind.

Did that to America too.

What would it take for me to leave Thailand? Nothing really. I've made the place my home and that's it.

1.cider no longer available.

2.my beloved dog leaving me.

3.oh my wf.fkin.off with a thai.[male]

So if she went off with a Thai woman, that would be ok?

Kids education !

But aren't there quality education choices in the private schools? Like in Chiang Mai?

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

After 15 years I left for two reasons.

* My private health insurance premiums went up by 400% after I had a pacemaker and a new hip. (I have been symptom free for 3 years). Whilst I could comfortably afford to live in Thailand I could not afford this extra £7000. Life in Thailand without good medical insurance is very risky.

* My daughter was attending a very good (by Thai standards) private school. She was at the head of the year 2 age cohort, happy and doing well. We went on a holiday to the UK where she played with family of her own age. It was quite clear that there was a huge gap in the English, Maths, Science between her cousins and herself. I enrolled her in a private school in the UK and she was given 1 on 1 remedial (they call it support) teaching for two sessions each week for 2 years. She was that far behind. Thank goodness she is now in the middle of her year 5 group.

Thailand is a wonderful haven for those of us who like a light government touch, leaving us to enjoy our freedom. The weather, food, cold golden liquid, soft warm flesh and freedom to just live life is unbeatable. HOWEVER it is my view that two major responsibilities override this: providing proper health cover for all eventualities and educating a child for the global challenges of the 21st century.

If they banned motorbikes.....

re

If Thailand happened to erupt into civil war,

if ? ... errr emmm errr

dave2 .. already sorted and almost no

more hoops

To have a civil war you would need two sides who were passionately and fundamentally opposed to each other/each othesr beliefs. Not soldiers/voters of fortune who are swayed by a few hundred Baht.

The bulk of Thais are Thai first , political opponents second.

You obviously haven't been out in the red heartlands to often. Those people will fight.

I wonder which area that is. Also PTP won the election in most of the provinces in the Northeast but we do have people who voted against Yingluck and they are still part of the village life and no red shirts fight them. Their maybe some hardcore red shorts that want to fight but the yellow shirts surely want to fight too.

If you pick any north eastern or northern reasonably sized village, I would say the balance of support is 70:30 red to yellow.

So maybe the yellows fight but it won't be much of a scrap. I believe that the reds would attack the army should they take to the streets for a coup up country.

The next thing you will hear is that England is a free state, a country, England a place only recognized by FIFA as a country: s where is the English Embassy the English Army or English money, Oh I forgot an English queen how quaint

Another ten percent of the English moving here and refusing to learn Thai

I'm w Pomchop on this one. Plus adding if they did something that is not ever going to happen and started prohibition in beer. Outside of that and as Pomchop noted a medical reason to head home for major medical I am quite happy.

No, country not perfect, but, nothing ever is. I'm happy, married to a great Thai and spend also about as worried about Thailand being overthrown as I am the US.

Usa invading Thailand... And I will be out...

If England & Great Britain & United Kingdom & UK & Britain & U.K. tried to colonize 1/3 of the world again and this time included Thailand, I'd be out.

Oh wait. UK expats have invaded and colonized Thailand. Never mind.

Back in the day, the sun never set on the British Empire. We got a lot of catching up to do....

Unlikely, but not impossible - outliving my wife.

re

If Thailand happened to erupt into civil war,

if ? ... errr emmm errr

dave2 .. already sorted and almost no

more hoops

To have a civil war you would need two sides who were passionately and fundamentally opposed to each other/each othesr beliefs. Not soldiers/voters of fortune who are swayed by a few hundred Baht.

The bulk of Thais are Thai first , political opponents second.

You obviously haven't been out in the red heartlands to often. Those people will fight.

I wonder which area that is. Also PTP won the election in most of the provinces in the Northeast but we do have people who voted against Yingluck and they are still part of the village life and no red shirts fight them. Their maybe some hardcore red shorts that want to fight but the yellow shirts surely want to fight too.

If you pick any north eastern or northern reasonably sized village, I would say the balance of support is 70:30 red to yellow.

So maybe the yellows fight but it won't be much of a scrap. I believe that the reds would attack the army should they take to the streets for a coup up country.

It must seem like the sky is falling down in some parts of Isaan.

This would do it for me:

http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/aussies-in-bag-tampering-scare-in-bangkok/story-fnizu68q-1226704445532

What would need to happen to have you questioning whether to continue living here?

47.98% total income tax on worldwide income plus enforced 19% VAT on goods and services like in my home country Germany alt=w00t.gif width=18 height=20>

47.98% total income tax on worldwide income plus enforced 23% VAT on goods and services like in my home country Portugal alt=w00t.gif width=18 height=20>

Some of the things that might occur after the thing we don't talk about happens.

I hear ya. The country may come totally unglued when "that thing" happens.

That really worries me, when "that thing" happens i hope i am overseas because i might be asked to take sides and being colour blind i don't really care what colour wins but it will be bloody i think from all sides,,, we wait and see.

Good topic. I'd have to say communication, and a purpose to wake-up. If you've got both you can live anywhere

What would it take?

A visa for New Zealand.

I did not qualify for the Skilled Visa because i am autodidact and a few years to old.

Still thinking about getting an education visa for the kids. Their English would improve without a doubt.

Already made that decision.

After spending 18 years in the country (pretty much my whole adult life) I will be leaving next year. This is for a number of reasons:

Firstly, my kids' education. I can't afford any more than the basic private school they're in, and I'm worried for their future. My 8-year-old son's creativity and love of learning is being sucked out of him... and he used to have loads of both.

Secondly, my 'career'. Yes, I suppose if forced to, I COULD do this same teaching job for the next 26 years without killing myself or anyone else. But it would be bloody hard. And even the 1000 Baht pay rise I get each year would probably be stopped by my employer within a few years. And who can save money on a basic Esarn teacher's salary with a family to look after? Then after those 26 years, I would be at the age where a work permit is impossible, and I would have no pension whatsoever. Being a woman married to a Thai man, I would be able to renew my visa, but I would have nothing to live on.

Thirdly, I have started to feel more and more negative about the culture and society - and even the climate, geography etc. Of course nowhere is perfect, but I don't want to live in a place where the scales have tipped, and I find myself hating more and more things.

I'll miss plenty of things, especially being able to buy food absolutely anywhere, dirt cheap. But the time has come. My parents are ecstatic!

Usa invading Thailand... And I will be out...

If England & Great Britain & United Kingdom & UK & Britain & U.K. tried to colonize 1/3 of the world again and this time included Thailand, I'd be out.

Oh wait. UK expats have invaded and colonized Thailand. Never mind.

Back in the day, the sun never set on the British Empire. We got a lot of catching up to do....

Now it never rises, funny how things change.

1. When the people become inhospitable.

2. When living costs triple.

3, When violent crime becomes a major problem.

4. When I can't walk 1 minute and get good Thai food.

5. When the police become obnoxious and intimidating.

6. When I start getting 4-5 traffic tickets a month.

Wait...

Even if all this happened, I might not go back home. These

are precisely the conditions I'd have back home.

If I couldn't get it up anymore

Already made that decision.

After spending 18 years in the country (pretty much my whole adult life) I will be leaving next year. This is for a number of reasons:

Firstly, my kids' education. I can't afford any more than the basic private school they're in, and I'm worried for their future. My 8-year-old son's creativity and love of learning is being sucked out of him... and he used to have loads of both.

Secondly, my 'career'. Yes, I suppose if forced to, I COULD do this same teaching job for the next 26 years without killing myself or anyone else. But it would be bloody hard. And even the 1000 Baht pay rise I get each year would probably be stopped by my employer within a few years. And who can save money on a basic Esarn teacher's salary with a family to look after? Then after those 26 years, I would be at the age where a work permit is impossible, and I would have no pension whatsoever. Being a woman married to a Thai man, I would be able to renew my visa, but I would have nothing to live on.

Thirdly, I have started to feel more and more negative about the culture and society - and even the climate, geography etc. Of course nowhere is perfect, but I don't want to live in a place where the scales have tipped, and I find myself hating more and more things.

I'll miss plenty of things, especially being able to buy food absolutely anywhere, dirt cheap. But the time has come. My parents are ecstatic!

Because you think it will be better in UK or USA?

You think kids are better educated with their 80k $ loan they wil never pay back because there are no good paid job anymore.

You know the world collapsed in 2008 and it s still down.

You will run back to Thailand in less than 6 months. Bet?

The ladies becoming the same as those back in my home country...

Already made that decision.

After spending 18 years in the country (pretty much my whole adult life) I will be leaving next year. This is for a number of reasons:

Firstly, my kids' education. I can't afford any more than the basic private school they're in, and I'm worried for their future. My 8-year-old son's creativity and love of learning is being sucked out of him... and he used to have loads of both.

Secondly, my 'career'. Yes, I suppose if forced to, I COULD do this same teaching job for the next 26 years without killing myself or anyone else. But it would be bloody hard. And even the 1000 Baht pay rise I get each year would probably be stopped by my employer within a few years. And who can save money on a basic Esarn teacher's salary with a family to look after? Then after those 26 years, I would be at the age where a work permit is impossible, and I would have no pension whatsoever. Being a woman married to a Thai man, I would be able to renew my visa, but I would have nothing to live on.

Thirdly, I have started to feel more and more negative about the culture and society - and even the climate, geography etc. Of course nowhere is perfect, but I don't want to live in a place where the scales have tipped, and I find myself hating more and more things.

I'll miss plenty of things, especially being able to buy food absolutely anywhere, dirt cheap. But the time has come. My parents are ecstatic!

Because you think it will be better in UK or USA?

You think kids are better educated with their 80k $ loan they wil never pay back because there are no good paid job anymore.

You know the world collapsed in 2008 and it s still down.

You will run back to Thailand in less than 6 months. Bet?

I found this post quite interesting.

Why wouldn't it be better elsewhere? As I pointed out earlier, there are numerous reasons why someone would want to leave. Some of them applies to us as individuals only. This means there's no hard rule that can be applied to the issue and formulate a uniform answer to the question; "why should one stay or leave?"

There are plenty of well paid jobs. Interestingly enough, not many of them are available to those with a Thai education.

As for the quick return to Thailand (and I speak from experience), there is no sudden urge to go back. The first 12 month will run by so quickly you won't have time to reconsider. If you're lucky, you returned in the spring to whatever country you came from meaning the 12-month urge will be delayed by the summer. But then, when the winter finally kicks in again, that's when your brain starts playing games.

In addition, one of the worst emotional obstacles when you return is the expectation that others will be thrilled and envy your experiences. They won't. In fact, not many are interested, and considering the emotional attachment many of us have to Thailand, this will add to the perception of hostility; no one cares who you are, where you've been or why you went there. When you reach this point - and many will - the idea of going back to Thailand is appealing compared to remaining in your home country as the stranger you have become. But it doesn't have anything to do with practicalities like education .

What would it take?

A visa for New Zealand.

I did not qualify for the Skilled Visa because i am autodidact and a few years to old.

Still thinking about getting an education visa for the kids. Their English would improve without a doubt.

Ever been to NZ anywhere between April and September ? Thanks, but no thanks

If the Mrs catches me looking at her Sister-in-Law like that again I'll be lucky to make it as far a the border

Pics or she doesnt exist !