Where Would You Really Like To Be?

[chonabot]

That being said ... I'd just as happily live almost anywhere but Isaan in the LOS .... and be content

Why would you be content living almost anywhere except Isaan ?

What's wrong with Isaan?

Too hot. No used bookstores. Very little International cuisine.

Should I go on?

Use the money to get a decent AC unit , open up a bookstore/cafe...Loong Bob's yer uncle.

Edited April 30, 2006 by chonabot

[Maigo6]

Loong Bob's yer uncle.

Isaan is very diverse, I guess if You live in Udon Thani City it's completely different to living in a Village.

[OldAsiaHand]

I actually feel sorry for you OAH, cos you are obviously very unhappy....

Oh dear, another yokel who defines happiness as loving this backwards litttle hole unconditionally and unhappiness as wishing you were living somewhere else.

Look, man, in my experience half (or three-quarters or seven-eights?) of the people on the whole darn planet wish they were living somewhere other than where they are. That should not earn them a patronizing pat on the head and a floor of crocodile tears over their 'unhappiness.' Hey, I'm glad you figure you've found your paradise. There are days I almost wish I were simple enough to think the same thing.

[taxexile]

i wouldnt move from thailand.

i like living in a third world country with very little culture.(actually there is a lot of culture here , but it is unwritten and unless you were born and bred here and have breathed that culture from day 1 you have very little chance of understanding it.)

i like the absence of sophisticated people.

i like the anonymity of living here , of being able to choose whether to intereact or not , i can use my falangness to enter or withdraw from any situation , i can disappear or appear at will , thats a luxury to me that i cant have in my own country and worth far more than 250,000.

my wife hopes i will soon get fed up living here and we can return to a civilised country instead of living amongst people who (by and large) you cant trust and only want your money (her words ).

15 years of living in the west has shown up all of thailands deficiencies to her.

i think i'm here for the duration though , unless she threatens me with divorce.

if you want to understand more about thailand , i suggest you read back through some of old asia hands postings on thai visa.

he is usually spot on with his observations.

[Maigo6]

Oh dear, another yokel who defines happiness as loving this backwards litttle hole

Like I said before, I do actually feel sorry for you, you are stuck in a place you hate for whatever reason. You are always posting about how much you hate Thailand, why can't you leave, Work, no money, why ?

I sympathise with you and you call me a Yokel, whats that all about?

[The Dude]

interesting thoughts Tax exile, here's a shovel

[jdinasia]

I'd be right here mate in LOS, why would I have moved here if I don't really wanna live here?

This is a theme that seems to be played out over and over in threads on this board.

Why is it that so many people assume that every foreigner in Thailand is here because we have chosen it over every other place on earth as the place we want to be. In my experience, most people live where they do because of their obligations, not their desires. Sometimes they are family-related obligations, sometimes they are work-related obligations, sometimes they are something else entirely; but nevertheless, they are obligations of some kind. Good God, do you think all those folks are living in Cleveland and Manchester because they think they're the greatest places on earth?

Is it because the people who can't get it through their heads that everyone isn't here because they love it are a little divorced from reality? Uh....maybe. Is it because this place attracts so many sex-tourist foreigners who are on the lamb from the real world and just assume everyone else must be here for the same reason? Uh...probably.

The OP asked about desires. My answer to his question would be that, instead of living in a very limited third world city like Bangkok, I would prefer to live in a real city with sophisticated people and a genuine cultural life. Nana Plaza is good for a laugh every now and then, but a little theater, some music, even a few decent book stores would be very welcome.

New York, London, maybe Paris. The amount of money the OP set as his standard wouldn't do that, of course, but in the abstract, that's still my answer. Alas, however, I have obligations here. So that's not going to happen for a few years. Darn.

Man ....

It must really be sad not to have the cojones to make a change and do what you want! Amazing that people just cry and cry about being in Thailand as if they were trapped here! I have lived in some of the most beautiful places in the world and CHOOSE to live here! Then again I am not some pathetic outsider with no clue about what Thailand is really about (nor am I an assimilationist that denies life outside of Thailand!) I live here because I love it! Life is easy here and the diversity here is amazing! The only thing missing in Thailand for me is SNOW ... but that's just a few hours away by plane!

OldHandLuke ---- exactly what DOES keep you here where you are so miserable?

[Patex]

Following on from a disaffected poster who wishes to return from whence he came, it occurs to me that there may be more folk who would like to quit the LoS if they could but cannot for whatever reason.

Assuming the windfall was yours, where would you like to be and why ?

Thailand is hardly a cultural mecca, its climate is challenging and its people are exasperating to the point where most, given the chance, would gladly be rid.

Would you choose to remain in differing circumstances or would you decamp. The world is your lobster so choose.......

Or does the LoS meet your needs?

Wishing yourself away from the place wherever you stay only shows your irreverence to the place you actual stay... childish attitude .

I went to Thailand unexcited and without hatred towards the place I came from.

Patex

[RAZZELL]

I actually feel sorry for you OAH, cos you are obviously very unhappy....

Oh dear, another yokel who defines happiness as loving this backwards litttle hole unconditionally and unhappiness as wishing you were living somewhere else.

Look, man, in my experience half (or three-quarters or seven-eights?) of the people on the whole darn planet wish they were living somewhere other than where they are. That should not earn them a patronizing pat on the head and a floor of crocodile tears over their 'unhappiness.' Hey, I'm glad you figure you've found your paradise. There are days I almost wish I were simple enough to think the same thing.

Must be great being perfect........

[GuestHouse]

I'm where I want to be right now.

I gave up a very good salary in Thailand to go do other things, see other places. My wif and I still have property in Thailand and we plan to retire there some day, but we are in no hurry to get back.

I'll retire in Thailand because that is where my wife is from, if she decided she'd like to retire here in Italy (Also renowned for culture, food, great life style and far better weather than Thailand), well I'd be happy to retire here.

Money is not the question, being where we want to be and being together is.

[Maigo6]

Hey, I'm glad you figure you've found your paradise. There are days I almost wish I were simple enough to think the same thing.

No you don't, you wouldn't have nothing to whine about.

[Ulysses G.]

[lordofdelusion]

"The external world is merely a manifestation of the activities of the mind itself." -Buddha

Hence, there is no difference in living in Thailand, Greece or on the moon.

[RAZZELL]

"The external world is merely a manifestation of the activities of the mind itself." -Buddha

Hence, there is no difference in living in Thailand, Greece or on the moon.

Does that include after a few Singha's???

[scotsman]

My wife & I have gave this question a lot of thought and I think we would sell the house in pattaya and move to hua hin, and rent a nice house with a pool

[samran]

It'd cost a bit more than 250K quid but I'd like places in all the following places.

Jan and Feb in Bangkok, Hua Hin and maybe down one of the islands. I love Bangers for the 3 or 4 weeks a year you can actually walk around. Also, I need my Thai food fix.

late Feb-May in Melbourne for the GP, start of the footy season while the weather is still warm, the comedy festival and the other umteen food, wine and film festivals.

June-Late september. Toss up between Wanaka in NZ for skiing or London for a base for jaunts to Switzerland for summer hiking. London on a nice day is one of the best and most beautiful cities in the world IMOH and a great base.

October - December. Tough one. Dunno really. I suppose I should work.

[Jim 50]

I'd be right here mate in LOS, why would I have moved here if I don't really wanna live here?

This is a theme that seems to be played out over and over in threads on this board.

Why is it that so many people assume that every foreigner in Thailand is here because we have chosen it over every other place on earth as the place we want to be. In my experience, most people live where they do because of their obligations, not their desires. Sometimes they are family-related obligations, sometimes they are work-related obligations, sometimes they are something else entirely; but nevertheless, they are obligations of some kind. Good God, do you think all those folks are living in Cleveland and Manchester because they think they're the greatest places on earth?

Is it because the people who can't get it through their heads that everyone isn't here because they love it are a little divorced from reality? Uh....maybe. Is it because this place attracts so many sex-tourist foreigners who are on the lamb from the real world and just assume everyone else must be here for the same reason? Uh...probably.

The OP asked about desires. My answer to his question would be that, instead of living in a very limited third world city like Bangkok, I would prefer to live in a real city with sophisticated people and a genuine cultural life. Nana Plaza is good for a laugh every now and then, but a little theater, some music, even a few decent book stores would be very welcome.

New York, London, maybe Paris. The amount of money the OP set as his standard wouldn't do that, of course, but in the abstract, that's still my answer. Alas, however, I have obligations here. So that's not going to happen for a few years. Darn.

I agree. Thailand is very limited, but 250k will not get you NY. For a limited budget Thailand gets high marks. With more funds and a yearning for more than 12 months of rice and noodles, part time in Thailand maybe 2 - 4 months a year would be very enjoyable. If funds allow I would think splitting time between 2 or 3 places would really be ideal case.

[tartempion]

i wouldnt move from thailand.

i like living in a third world country with very little culture.(actually there is a lot of culture here , but it is unwritten and unless you were born and bred here and have breathed that culture from day 1 you have very little chance of understanding it.)

i like the absence of sophisticated people.

i like the anonymity of living here , of being able to choose whether to intereact or not , i can use my falangness to enter or withdraw from any situation , i can disappear or appear at will , thats a luxury to me that i cant have in my own country and worth far more than 250,000.

my wife hopes i will soon get fed up living here and we can return to a civilised country instead of living amongst people who (by and large) you cant trust and only want your money (her words ).

15 years of living in the west has shown up all of thailands deficiencies to her.

i think i'm here for the duration though , unless she threatens me with divorce.

if you want to understand more about thailand , i suggest you read back through some of old asia hands postings on thai visa.

he is usually spot on with his observations.

Whislt I agree with most that Taxile says (I got to loathe the west for a lot of reasons, and that's why I choose to live here, not working but retired), after 5 years of LOS I would have a slight preference to move to the South of France into an abandonned village, somewhere it's more charming, but I don't have 16 million baht though....

[lordofdelusion]

"The external world is merely a manifestation of the activities of the mind itself." -Buddha

Hence, there is no difference in living in Thailand, Greece or on the moon.

Does that include after a few Singha's???

Especially after a few Singha's!! Then it really doesn't matter where you are since you can't remember anyway

[bendix]

I'm not blind to Thailand's defincies or the frustrations of living here, but pound for pound I'm much happier here than anywhere else I have ever lived before (UK, Australia and New Zealand). I came here for positive reasons (a good career development job offer) and without hatred for the places I've lived before, but to me this is the pick of the bunch.

I feel pity for those who are here, yet hate it.

Life is too short to be miserable all the time.

[Maigo6]

I would have a slight preference to move to the South of France into an abandonned village, somewhere it's more charming, but I don't have 16 million baht though....

I would like to have an Apartment in Annecy in France, but 250,000 USD ain't enough, nor is it enough for another of my choices, a lakeside villa on Lake Geneva.

Then again last time I was in Geneve a guy I know who has lived there all his life just dreamed of living in India. And his other choice would be Thailand.

[sadman]

Whilst I haven't lived and worked around the world as much as many of you, I have travelled a good deal and researched into living in different places. Frankly, aa places have good points and bad ones, and in no particular order, the places I would be pretty happy to live include: Sussex (south of London), Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, South of France (nr Pyrenees), Edinburgh, Brisbane, San Diego, San Francisco, Cape Town or Cuba (I agree with you, Dude).

Definite no-nos include Turkey, Czech Republic, Romania, Mexico, Tunisia, Wales, Ghana, Spain, Hong Kong (all for my own reasons, I'm not knocking these places per se).

However, for numerous reasons (not related to family or work) I would move to Phuket full-time like a shot. I would invest my £250k and use it to continue travelling - just because I love LOS doesn't mean I don't wish to travel more.

[Jockstar]

If i had 250 k. Then I'd still live here. Buy a house in CM or by the beach. Do a little bit of work and just chill for a while. But come this October i sadly have to leave LOS and goto Oz and try and make that 250k first.