Thailand. Lucky Country?

[Shaunduhpostman]

I doubt I'd have a good life at all in the States had I not left 18 years ago. Still, I bitch and moan about certain aspects of life here.

It can bother you to see things, tragedies and so on that go on here needlessly. A woman on the bus my wife and I were chatting with the other day asked my wife, "What does he think of Thai people?" My wife rather tersely said with an attitude that she agreed as well, "He thinks we are wreckless." The woman did not seem upset, in fact she seemed to give it a long pensive round of reflection.

It is quite painfull and frankly infuriating at times the things you see and read about, but at the end of the day it is trade off, whether it is the USA or Thailand, it's all samsara baby!

[simonuk]

more idiotic <deleted> , this drivel is the sort of stuff that makes me want to puke.......you are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another...... its not paradise!!!!!

Just a couple of points. -

Countries that are not corrupt are certainly in the minority. Look at multinacionals in the us and the goverments in the uk.

Thailand is not a 3rd word country, it is in fact a developing nation. Officially classed as a middle income nation.

Half the country is not on the game. I personally do not know anyone on the game, sure i know its around but its not part of my life.. Perhaps you should move in different circles.

Your view of thailand is warped and incorrect, perhaps a reflection of yourself? Manynof us experience the country in a different way.

Im not an apologist , I just dont share your opinion.

Edited December 5, 2013 by simonuk

[Jingthing]

I am sorry to say so but there are altogether too many snakes ...

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bbbbooboo]

I agree

more idiotic <deleted> , this drivel is the sort of stuff that makes me want to puke.......you are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another...... its not paradise!!!!!

[SeabagsFull]

Looks like the usual split between the " I love Thailand" and the " I love myself " gangs.

Outstanding perception, willyumiii!

You have described in simple words the essence of the division we all see in nearly every TV thread.

Living in Thailand was probably the best seven years of my life. Lucky indeed.

Well done!

[Bpuumike]

10 yrs ago i would have agreed , and did live in thailand twice for a few yrs , since then i have watched the greed, corruption , violence and lawlessness increase , along with the infestation of the "new" visitors i no longer have the desire to live here , thailand is/was "sold out" long ago and now looks at tourists as cash cows only , ....the thai youth have no respect and no idea where their country would be without foreign investment and tourists and will eventually have to lie in the bed they made for themselves , xenophobia and insular thinking will continue to help sink thailand to the bottom . Every thai i know that has been to the UK with the exception of 1 , wanted to stay , I was at a party last week with around 15 thai girls, none of them wanted to go back to live in LOS , but then they were not in London , even i could'nt live there !

Agree, would rather move back to my place in Spain. Definitely not the UK.

The wife prefers the climate in Spain but too far from the family.

Admittedly her mother is approaching the final stages so will take it as it comes.

Karma, Zen or too long in Thailand.

Dunno, but have a lady that will go with me wherever.

[Bpuumike]

Who told you that Thais don't want to live anywhere else? That's not true.

The Thai's I know love to travel - but would not want to live anywhere else than in Thailand.

What for sure is not true, is when a Thai-woman says she would like to in another country. It is just as big a lie, as when she says to a 65 year old ugly guy, that he looks "hansum"...

Thais love their country and 99,9% want to live here... and who can really blame them?

My Thai wife, at the age of of 43, (and I am 65) is not happy with the climate (humidity mainly) and would prefer to live in Europe or Oz but family are like super glue.

Incidentally, check out your Laos to find out what 'hansum' means lol

[Bpuumike]

more idiotic <deleted> , this drivel is the sort of stuff that makes me want to puke.......you are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another...... its not paradise!!!!!

Just a couple of points. -

Countries that are not corrupt are certainly in the minority. Look at multinacionals in the us and the goverments in the uk.

Thailand is not a 3rd word country, it is in fact a developing nation. Officially classed as a middle income nation.

Half the country is not on the game. I personally do not know anyone on the game, sure i know its around but its not part of my life.. Perhaps you should move in different circles.

Your view of thailand is warped and incorrect, perhaps a reflection of yourself? Manynof us experience the country in a different way.

Im not an apologist , I just dont share your opinion.

Off topic but name a recent UK PM who has not become a multi millionaire

[osiboy]

As a friend of mine who lives in Thailand says "this is the best screwed up country in the world"

that's a great quote , ..................i think most here on TV have a "luv/hate " thing with LOS, now i only luv it for 1-2 months of the year , the first 7yrs was "real luv" , but now LOS is my " mear noi" ...., a few years ago i wouldn't look at anywhere else !, but now im taki'n a " lookalouW " , knowing there ARE better "oberdare" , & LOS is feeling so "plastic "and false ' to me now , makes feel sad and want to go back to the 90s again ,......... i loved you then" terak" JING JING ! .

[wamberal]

Glad to know that there is no "extra terrestrial" threat.

[Joe Mamma]

I see it as an opportunity to continue doing the things i did back home. Like spreading positive and productive energy. To try to be a help in cleaning up the lands and waters and the things i can affect change to. To be an observer and not act judgmental with ego and superiority as my core. To raise the kids here same same as back home and learn from them. To play some rock and blues and educate the Thais on the US and British R&B standards at night. To make as much fun every day.

[soomak]

OP, regarding this:

"But no wonder most Thai people do not want to live anywhere else. We are, as aliens!!!, lucky and privileged to be able to live here,
are we not?"

you can't be more wrong...

There are many more Thais living in the US (over half a million), then Americans living in Thailand, even though the US population is much larger.

I presume it's the same for Canada, Australia, Germany and most other Western countries.

There are three main reasons why most Thais "want" to live in Thailand:

1. Most Thais have no idea what the rest of world is like. They only know Thailand and maybe Cambodia, Myanmar & Laos.

2. No English (or other foreign language)

3. Very limited job skills means they are not in demand abroad, accept for menial labor jobs (agriculture, construction, massage)

Edited December 6, 2013 by soomak

[nontabury]

more idiotic <deleted> , this drivel is the sort of stuff that makes me want to puke.......you are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another...... its not paradise!!!!!

According to you, over 30 million Thais are prostitutes and most of the country is a brothel.

You said; you (meaning we) are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another which I assume means you do not live in Thailand. So who are you and what are you? .What country do you live in? Do you have extremist political views?

Or perhaps you`re one of those losers who couldn`t hack it in Thailand and bear a grudge against the country? Or got shafted by some Thai woman of ill repute when you fell head over heels in love with her after only 2 nights of hot passion and paid sex?

For me personally, I consider myself lucky and fortunate to be in Thailand and able to afford living here.

The continuous politically bickering's here do rather spoil things, because it brings an uncertainty to what the furture holds for us in Thailand, but besides that, I believe that those like me who can afford to live in Thailand should also consider themselves privileged and lucky. I bet that there are thousands of people in the West that would swap with us in an instant to escape their mundane lives there.

terryp's reply was as accurate a description of thailand as the op's.

Thailand can be many things to different people.

For me as someone who has retired here, keeps his head down, abides by the laws to the letter, never becomes personally involved with businesses, Thai politics, women of ill repute, or Thais from the underclass of society, and can afford to live here without the stresses of financial concerns as to where my next month`s income is coming from, is able to qualify staying here under the imposed terms and conditions of the Immigration department, Thailand is a haven and I am enjoying my life here.

As regards the lower ends of Thai society, prostitutes and so on, this is there only for those who go seeking it or actively get themselves involved, the same as anywhere else in the world.

Life in Thailand is what you make it, excepting the facts that we are foreigners with few statutory rights and that the Thais like to keep us well under the thumb in Thailand, and judging by the distorted, malign and prejudicial comments made by some posters, which these day`s appear to be quite prevalant on Thai visa, explains the reasons why the Thais have good causes to be wary and cautious about us.

Agree with you on how to live in Thailand, I believe this is the correct approach to take, not quite so sure about your last paragraph.

[JSixpack]

OP, regarding this:

"But no wonder most Thai people do not want to live anywhere else. We are, as aliens!!!, lucky and privileged to be able to live here,

are we not?"

you can't be more wrong...

There are many more Thais living in the US (over half a million), then Americans living in Thailand, even though the US population is much larger.

I presume it's the same for Canada, Australia, Germany and most other Western countries.

There are three main reasons why most Thais "want" to live in Thailand:

1. Most Thais have no idea what the rest of world is like. They only know Thailand and maybe Cambodia, Myanmar & Laos.

2. No English (or other foreign language)

3. Very limited job skills means they are not in demand abroad, accept for menial labor jobs (agriculture, construction, massage)

Give Thais jobs in the USA and allow them to take their families with them and the whole country would empty out.

Silly topic, just another I Love Thailand.

All countries have their advantages and disadvantages. Each person must decide for himself where he's happiest according to his own circumstances. E.g., I love warm weather year round, but I know people who don't. They love a distinct 4 seasons and look forward to the snow.

So every forum member gets to sound off on his likes/dislikes. Again, ad infinitum.

Here you go: 11 reasons to love Norway: http://blog.oyster.com/11-reasons-to-love-norway-from-fjords-to-skiing-to-the-midnight-sun-44633/

Yawn.

Edited December 6, 2013 by JSixpack

[Jim walker]

Thailand will do fine for the moment for me and my wife, if it gets to problematic with visa runs etc in the future I might consider some ware else to settle possibly another country in Asia where if I end up in any serious problems you can buy yourself out of them, same as good old corrupt Thailand.

[arminbkk]

Thailand, like any country, can be near perfect if you have money.

If you have enough money to do what you want, get what you want, live where you want,

Thailand can be like paradise. But one could create paradise in any country if enough money.

When you are here in Thailand and are as poor as the 7 baht bus driver, see how lucky you still feel.

I'm sure he would like to have more than just a few bowls of rice each day and a corrugated sheet roof over his head.

[thaibeachlovers]

Thailand isn't the only country where you can't own land, so no complaints there. The cost of living is a 3rd of the USA, summer all year round, friendly Thai folks, little cussing going on, much less armed than the Americans and road rage is a minimum. I love it here and all my good Thai friends!

True.

It's a good thing they don't sell off their land to foreigners- wish my government was as enlightened.

It is possible for me to live here for 50 bht a day, as long as I don't want NZ lamb for dinner.

Love that it's hot almost all the time.

Stick seed in the ground and food grows for free.

Nobody got shot in my area that I can remember, no graffiti, no gangs of thugs roaming the streets with big boots.

I don't find the Thais any more friendly than folks back home, but they leave me alone, and don't judge me like busybodies like in my own country.

however, the roads are insane- I don't enjoy driving like I did back home.

If it wasn't for the fact that health insurance when old is too expensive and probably not much use, and that having to have 800,000 in the bank for a visa is getting to be a problem, I'd like to live here till I die, but that doesn't seem likely, so I'll have to go home and be a burden to the tax payer there.

Edited December 6, 2013 by thaibeachlovers

[Jingthing]

Thailand, like any country, can be near perfect if you have money.

If you have enough money to do what you want, get what you want, live where you want,

Thailand can be like paradise. But one could create paradise in any country if enough money.

 

When you are here in Thailand and are as poor as the 7 baht bus driver, see how lucky you still feel.

I'm sure he would like to have more than just a few bowls of rice each day and a corrugated sheet roof over his head.

7 baht? Mai chai. 10 baht.

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Benmart]

more idiotic <deleted> , this drivel is the sort of stuff that makes me want to puke.......you are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another...... its not paradise!!!!!

According to you, over 30 million Thais are prostitutes and most of the country is a brothel.

You said; you (meaning we) are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another which I assume means you do not live in Thailand. So who are you and what are you? .What country do you live in? Do you have extremist political views?

Or perhaps you`re one of those losers who couldn`t hack it in Thailand and bear a grudge against the country? Or got shafted by some Thai woman of ill repute when you fell head over heels in love with her after only 2 nights of hot passion and paid sex?

For me personally, I consider myself lucky and fortunate to be in Thailand and able to afford living here.

The continuous politically bickering's here do rather spoil things, because it brings an uncertainty to what the furture holds for us in Thailand, but besides that, I believe that those like me who can afford to live in Thailand should also consider themselves privileged and lucky. I bet that there are thousands of people in the West that would swap with us in an instant to escape their mundane lives there.

terryp's reply was as accurate a description of thailand as the op's.

Thailand can be many things to different people.

For me as someone who has retired here, keeps his head down, abides by the laws to the letter, never becomes personally involved with businesses, Thai politics, women of ill repute, or Thais from the underclass of society, and can afford to live here without the stresses of financial concerns as to where my next month`s income is coming from, is able to qualify staying here under the imposed terms and conditions of the Immigration department, Thailand is a haven and I am enjoying my life here.

As regards the lower ends of Thai society, prostitutes and so on, this is there only for those who go seeking it or actively get themselves involved, the same as anywhere else in the world.

Life in Thailand is what you make it, excepting the facts that we are foreigners with few statutory rights and that the Thais like to keep us well under the thumb in Thailand, and judging by the distorted, malign and prejudicial comments made by some posters, which these day`s appear to be quite prevalant on Thai visa, explains the reasons why the Thais have good causes to be wary and cautious about us.

Spot on.

Obey the laws.

Stay away from trouble and trouble makers (drugs, illegal business deals, excessive alcohol consumption and numerous prostitute liaisons)

Pay your bills

Save a bit each month

I follow these tenants and life is pretty grand here...at least for me. Chaps that I know who seem to be in continual dire straights, seem to have never heard of these principles.

Live and Let Live

Edited December 6, 2013 by Benmart

[arminbkk]

Thailand, like any country, can be near perfect if you have money.

If you have enough money to do what you want, get what you want, live where you want,

Thailand can be like paradise. But one could create paradise in any country if enough money.

When you are here in Thailand and are as poor as the 7 baht bus driver, see how lucky you still feel.

I'm sure he would like to have more than just a few bowls of rice each day and a corrugated sheet roof over his head.

7 baht? Mai chai. 10 baht.

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

In my example: taking the red bus that drives up and down Thonglor (Sukhumvit 55) costs 7 baht.

[Ghostnigel]

It's as close to paradise I will ever get, living here is a great improvement over the country I left the U.S., that has become a police state. You-all that love the west can have it, While I enjoyed a good life in the states, there was to much racial hatred, to much Big brother looking over your shoulder, to much taxation, to much disunity, to many laws, to much regulation etc..

But having lived in the worst taught me to appreciate what I have found in Thailand, Freedom, to be myself and do as I please.

It is so sad to find Freedom away from the country that is supposed to be the free-est in the world, it most certainly is not!

Thank you Thailand for letting me live here, the issues that I can not vote own land or any other thing I can not do here is not material to me, it is what I am allowed to do and be free in the process.

Cheers

Totally agree with you, just swap US for UK and you are spot on.

[Ghostnigel]

10 yrs ago i would have agreed , and did live in thailand twice for a few yrs , since then i have watched the greed, corruption , violence and lawlessness increase , along with the infestation of the "new" visitors i no longer have the desire to live here , thailand is/was "sold out" long ago and now looks at tourists as cash cows only , ....the thai youth have no respect and no idea where their country would be without foreign investment and tourists and will eventually have to lie in the bed they made for themselves , xenophobia and insular thinking will continue to help sink thailand to the bottom . Every thai i know that has been to the UK with the exception of 1 , wanted to stay , I was at a party last week with around 15 thai girls, none of them wanted to go back to live in LOS , but then they were not in London , even i could'nt live there !

Have to totally agree with you.Thailand thinks us farangs owe it our lives,while most other 3rd world countries would be more than grateful to let us reside there without a ton of obstacles.

if you don't like the obstacles in the way, you don't have to try and get round them, basically, go somewhere else if you don't like it, you are not forced to come here. Why bother to come if you hate it so much? I don't understand that one at all.

[JSixpack]

Let's do Pattaya. Lucky City? and get things all stirred up.

[bander]

"lucky and privileged to be able to live here"

Now this is a statement with some complications

I would say they are lucky and privileged to have us here

Edited December 6, 2013 by bander

[bander]

10 yrs ago i would have agreed , and did live in thailand twice for a few yrs , since then i have watched the greed, corruption , violence and lawlessness increase , along with the infestation of the "new" visitors i no longer have the desire to live here , thailand is/was "sold out" long ago and now looks at tourists as cash cows only , ....the thai youth have no respect and no idea where their country would be without foreign investment and tourists and will eventually have to lie in the bed they made for themselves , xenophobia and insular thinking will continue to help sink thailand to the bottom . Every thai i know that has been to the UK with the exception of 1 , wanted to stay , I was at a party last week with around 15 thai girls, none of them wanted to go back to live in LOS , but then they were not in London , even i could'nt live there !

Have to totally agree with you.Thailand thinks us farangs owe it our lives,while most other 3rd world countries would be more than grateful to let us reside there without a ton of obstacles.

if you don't like the obstacles in the way, you don't have to try and get round them, basically, go somewhere else if you don't like it, you are not forced to come here. Why bother to come if you hate it so much? I don't understand that one at all.

Here we go again, another "if you not like it, go home" post. Another freshman at TV who know all about Thai's and their country. My advice to you Ghostnigel: try to read the news about all the tourist scams, robbery's, beatings, cheating and even murders we falangs have to accept. Thailand is not like it was 20 years ago and it will never be, my guess is that it's getting worse every day as we speak

[kikoman]

I have just few comments.

1) most of you expats are lucky, not for living in LOS, but having a western passport and education that entitled you to earn a reasonable wage or pension that allows you to live in Thailand.try living as locals on 10-15 k per month

2)it is not entirely true that most of the thais dont want to live abroad...they are very close to family and most of them are uninformed about the rest of the world...however i am conviced that a factory worker would hapilly take a job overseas for 5 times higher pay

3) it is funny hear some guys here talking about police state while they never lived in such statd...well, i am from Romania, country who had one of the toughest communist regimes in the world...please stop whining

4) i remember reading about expats in Romania..they were so glad for their lives...of course, when you make 10-15 times more than average...and beautiful womens everywhere...better nightlife than most of european cities ( at least Bucharest)

5) of course you like living in Thailand...western guys...with all due respect, but i doubt you guys met so many beautiful womens in your home countries who are actually nice and willing to conversate...

6) while retirees here in Thailand are spending their time on alkohol and underaged Isaan girls, their siblings in countries such as mine are waiting for their lousy pension and fighting litteraly for groceries from Salvation Army...it was kinda tragic and sad when k saw western retirees fooling around in Thailand. ..but i know its not all of you guys.

Well I grew up in the U.S. as a minority and my life was a lot different that the average citizen of the dominate culture. My home country was a great country in my youth as I interacted with only the Chicano's in our neighborhood.

Most of you are from the dominate culture and of coarse you have different memories than I do, After my retirement I moved to Mexico !40 miles away from Tucson Az, on one trip back to Tucson I was stop 6 times and had to prove my citizenship, for no other reason than the color of my skin. Again driving in Tucson police pull you over for no other reason but the color of your skin, and you must prove your citizenship.for those of you that think these things do not happen there are a lot of actual incidents on You tube under US police brutality.

Thailand is a great improvement over my life in my home country, I have only been stopped twice in 13 years and needed to show my passport, I visited Communist Laos many times and was never required to prove my legal right to walk on their streets.

Thai police have never been a problem for me in 13 years with only one visit to my home last month asking where I was from and language I spoke. Never have been asked for "tea" money by BIB, but I also i chose not drive in Thailand.

I only relate to how the home country treated me as a citizen and Thailand treats me as an expat.

Thailand is by far the better!

Cheers

[TPI]

more idiotic <deleted> , this drivel is the sort of stuff that makes me want to puke.......you are living in a 3rd World Corrupt Country where over half the population are on the game one way or another...... its not paradise!!!!!

Duh! Then don't live here! Go away, don't ever contemplate coming here, tell all of your friends that its horrible here, go to say, America or England or France?

[TPI]

I have just few comments.

1) most of you expats are lucky, not for living in LOS, but having a western passport and education that entitled you to earn a reasonable wage or pension that allows you to live in Thailand.try living as locals on 10-15 k per month

2)it is not entirely true that most of the thais dont want to live abroad...they are very close to family and most of them are uninformed about the rest of the world...however i am conviced that a factory worker would hapilly take a job overseas for 5 times higher pay

3) it is funny hear some guys here talking about police state while they never lived in such statd...well, i am from Romania, country who had one of the toughest communist regimes in the world...please stop whining

4) i remember reading about expats in Romania..they were so glad for their lives...of course, when you make 10-15 times more than average...and beautiful womens everywhere...better nightlife than most of european cities ( at least Bucharest)

5) of course you like living in Thailand...western guys...with all due respect, but i doubt you guys met so many beautiful womens in your home countries who are actually nice and willing to conversate...

6) while retirees here in Thailand are spending their time on alkohol and underaged Isaan girls, their siblings in countries such as mine are waiting for their lousy pension and fighting litteraly for groceries from Salvation Army...it was kinda tragic and sad when k saw western retirees fooling around in Thailand. ..but i know its not all of you guys.

Well I grew up in the U.S. as a minority and my life was a lot different that the average citizen of the dominate culture. My home country was a great country in my youth as I interacted with only the Chicano's in our neighborhood.

Most of you are from the dominate culture and of coarse you have different memories than I do, After my retirement I moved to Mexico !40 miles away from Tucson Az, on one trip back to Tucson I was stop 6 times and had to prove my citizenship, for no other reason than the color of my skin. Again driving in Tucson police pull you over for no other reason but the color of your skin, and you must prove your citizenship.for those of you that think these things do not happen there are a lot of actual incidents on You tube under US police brutality.

Thailand is a great improvement over my life in my home country, I have only been stopped twice in 13 years and needed to show my passport, I visited Communist Laos many times and was never required to prove my legal right to walk on their streets.

Thai police have never been a problem for me in 13 years with only one visit to my home last month asking where I was from and language I spoke. Never have been asked for "tea" money by BIB, but I also i chose not drive in Thailand.

I only relate to how the home country treated me as a citizen and Thailand treats me as an expat.

Thailand is by far the better!

Cheers

Agreed, a trip back to Oz was a shock when my wife and I were questioned in Immigration by a very suspicious woman agent! It seems that if it's not permitted then any action is forbidden, try sitting at a roadside milk bar and be seen drinking a beer....shock horror call the police!

This country is pretty nice to farang when you see how we could be treated!

[hanssna]

Finally a positive post again. Well said !

[ableguy]

I chose to live here nobody begged me, love waking up next to my gf of four years half my age., love the food and cost of living, dislike how cheap life is but having lived my three score years and ten do not give a fiddlers ass. Hate the BIB and corruption but avoid them. Life is sweet.