One for long term expats- if you had to leave LOS tomorrow, what would you miss/ not miss.

[thaibeachlovers]

Leaving your wife out of the picture, if married/ in a long term relationship.

For myself ( undoubtedly I'll think of others as soon as I post ).

Miss:

Cute Thai girls in their short shorts ( look but don't touch ).

Hot weather ( usually ).

Cheap food, but nice restaurants too, if you want to splurge.

Amazing cinemas, like you don't find in the west anymore.

Great malls.

Fantastic public transport at a very reasonable price.

Cheap IT cafes.

Not miss:

The bureaucracy.

Rip off taxis.

Thai roads.

The crappy infrastructure and bad concrete.

Bad workmanship.

The garbage everywhere.

Soi dogs.

[villagefarang]

My Golden Retriever and I would miss our soi dogs because we say hello to them on our daily walks.

I don’t take taxis but would miss driving these wonderful northern roads.

I would miss the good workmanship on our house and the lack of garbage in our neighborhood.

I would miss that the only real bureaucracy I deal with is my yearly visa renewal, with that process being quite painless.

No comment on IT cafes because I have internet at home in the rice field and keep in touch with my iPhone when I am out and about.

Since I am not going anywhere after living here for 36 years, I don't spend much time thinking about such things.

[thaibeachlovers]

My Golden Retriever and I would miss our soi dogs because we say hello to them on our daily walks.

I dont take taxis but would miss driving these wonderful northern roads.

I would miss the good workmanship on our house and the lack of garbage in our neighborhood.

I would miss that the only real bureaucracy I deal with is my yearly visa renewal, with that process being quite painless.

No comment on IT cafes because I have internet at home in the rice field and keep in touch with my iPhone when I am out and about.

Since I am not going anywhere after living here for 36 years, I don't spend much time thinking about such things.

<would miss driving these wonderful northern roads>

Been on the Thaton to Chiang Rai road recently, LOL?

[villagefarang]

There is always one road or another, either in need of or under repair, and there is always an alternative route. It doesn't keep me from enjoying the drive and the view.

[thaibeachlovers]

There is always one road or another, either in need of or under repair, and there is always an alternative route. It doesn't keep me from enjoying the drive and the view.

<there is always an alternative route>

Not really from Thaton to Chiang Rai, unless you want to go down to Chiang Mai and back up.

FYI, the road is bad because it was made badly, not just normal wear and tear.

[villagefarang]

We recently did the 109 from Chiang Rai to the 107, Fang and Doi Angkhang on a rather long road trip. No need to go all the way to Chiang Mai.

The worst section of the whole trip was probably Khun Yuam to Mae Chaem but I still had a great time because I love the remote feeling of that area.

[Thai at Heart]

Food is the only thing so far.

That said, I have been catching up with all the fine favourites I missed out on.

Ironically, have been playing more sport in the cold and dark winter than in 17 years in thailand. 35c is just not a temperature for exertion.

[i claudius]

The freedom from speed cameras, traffic wardens ,jobsworths , parking charges ,police cars everywhere , dustmen who dont want to take your bin if the lid is up ,oh the list goes on ,the west is a differant place from where i grew up ,free.

[CharlieH]

What would I miss?

Freedom ! Do what you want, do it your way. The peace and quiet, the rural simplicities of day to day life, the rich green ricefields stretching out to reach the mountains from my front gate, the sun as it goes down behind those same mountains. The low low cost of living. The smiles of local people

What wouldnt I miss, the frustration of inadequate infrastructure at times. The obvious corruption.

[kikoman]

If I left what would I miss, The freedom to do as I please, not have to get, licence , permits on things to improve our home, the quiet life, the best neighbors I ever had in my life, great friendly people, positive people with a zest for life, the village markets, the village market truck that bring shopping to my front gate, the village life so quiet, laid back and simply, the cheap cost of living and food.

What I would not miss, The Idiots on TV.

But I really doubt that I would ever leave Thailand, I buried one brother here, my older brother is still here and I plan to die here. I can not help but think when I was a kid in the dusty barrio's of Tucson Arizona with my two brothers, that we would all die of old age in Thailand 10,000 miles as the crow fly's from my childhood home. Stranger things have happened!

Cheers

[thailiketoo]

Eye contact. Eye contact is not illegal here. Eye contact is illegal in my country. Men my age must shuffle in public with head downcast and never make eye contact with another person.

[FiftyTwo]

Not sure I would miss anything.

Plenty of similar 3rd world countries out there.

[thailiketoo]

Not sure I would miss anything.

Plenty of similar 3rd world countries out there.

Would anyone miss you? Or just the money? I mean is there anyone who would cry if you left, given you left them your money.

[FiftyTwo]

Not sure I would miss anything.

Plenty of similar 3rd world countries out there.

Would anyone miss you? Or just the money? I mean is there anyone who would cry if you left, given you left them your money.

Both my children.

As for the wife, she would miss the money.

[thailiketoo]

Not sure I would miss anything.

Plenty of similar 3rd world countries out there.

Would anyone miss you? Or just the money? I mean is there anyone who would cry if you left, given you left them your money.

Both my children.

As for the wife, she would miss the money.

But you wouldn't miss the kids?

[chiang mai]

Jeeze, different thread, different day, same moans - go home if you think it's better.

[FiftyTwo]

Not sure I would miss anything.

Plenty of similar 3rd world countries out there.

Would anyone miss you? Or just the money? I mean is there anyone who would cry if you left, given you left them your money.

Both my children.

As for the wife, she would miss the money.

But you wouldn't miss the kids?

Doesn't take long to buy a new wife and grow new kids.

[Bender]

would miss the hot weather, 7-eleven open 24 hours, my easy life

would not miss their mentality, half of the population, their sneaky smile, the lawless, the soi dog, the taxi driver, the police

[mogandave]

Kind of depends on why I was leaving and where I was going, but I assume I'd take the wife and kid with me.

If I got transferred back to the US I'd miss my friends and coworkers here, but I would be happy to go.

I like it okay here but I've had enough.

[khunpa]

I would miss not living the place I love...

Thailand has both good and bad - but it is exactly a combination of all that, which I like and would really miss...

[thaibeachlovers]

Not sure I would miss anything.

Plenty of similar 3rd world countries out there.

Would anyone miss you? Or just the money? I mean is there anyone who would cry if you left, given you left them your money.

Too bitter to answer the topic??????????

If that's how you feel I hope you don't live here.

[thaibeachlovers]

Would anyone miss you? Or just the money? I mean is there anyone who would cry if you left, given you left them your money.

Both my children.

As for the wife, she would miss the money.

But you wouldn't miss the kids?

Doesn't take long to buy a new wife and grow new kids.

Doesn't anyone read the OP properly? I specifically said <Leaving your wife out of the picture, if married/ in a long term relationship.> to avoid the type of replies that have been put on here recently .

[chiang mai]

Miss:

The climate

The low cost of living

Not being taxed to death

Friendliness and smiles of strangers (even if much of it is only surface)

Vast amounts of eye candy

Really fresh fruit and vegetables

The "you do your thing and I'll do my thing and we'll both be OK" attitude

Going to a high quality mall from time to time.

Safety and security to be able to walk almost anywhere, 24 hours a day.

Wouldn't Miss:

Burning season

Traffic and poor standards of driving

The lack of quality in many things

Thai soaps

Visits to the Immigration Dept for visa related stuff

Visiting a doctor and trying to figure out if the diagnosis is correct or whether he/she's just saving face.

[GuestHouse]

I did leave five months back.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the change and the new opportunities I've had from my new location. (+ a significant rise in income).

As a professional expat who's job requires frequent moves around the world I'd go nuts if I spent my time pondering on what I miss about places I move on from.

I find it far better to make the best of the day I have no matter where that day is.

That's not to say I don't miss things or places I've been in the past - but I don't waste time of emotional energy on missing what I have already had.

I have happy memories from every single place I have ever lived and worked - I cherish happy memories - they are treasure to enjoy not a burden to make the life I have today miserable.

[PaullyW]

Only thing I would miss is the cheap women.

[thailiketoo]

Only thing I would miss is the cheap women.

I don't know if you have a Thai daughter but if you did would you tell her that. Ya, honey I came to Thailand for the cheap women. Or what about the men who do have a Thai daughter? How would you expect them to react when you are in the restaurant and at the next table is a Farang with his young daughter?

Was your father like you? Where did he go to meet cheap women? Fair Dinkum eh?

[FiftyTwo]

Only thing I would miss is the cheap women.

I don't know if you have a Thai daughter but if you did would you tell her that. Ya, honey I came to Thailand for the cheap women. Or what about the men who do have a Thai daughter? How would you expect them to react when you are in the restaurant and at the next table is a Farang with his young daughter?

Was your father like you? Where did he go to meet cheap women? Fair Dinkum eh?

i do have a thai teen daughter, and she does agree her mum is cheap.

[mogandave]

Only thing I would miss is the cheap women.

Cheap women everywhere.

[thaibeachlovers]

Only thing I would miss is the cheap women.

Cheap women everywhere.

You haven't been to my country then!

[Sam Gold]

Would miss: Freedom.

Would not miss: Widespread ignorance and arrogance.