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

[thailiketoo]

Only thing I would miss is the cheap women.

Cheap women everywhere.

You haven't been to my country then!

Cheap as used here I don't think applies to money or cost of women. I think it means cheap looking and easy as in floozy.

The below wine label says it well.

[geriatrickid]

Miss: Thai food, can hire people for most anything, affordable massages, many Thai hotels, Tesco Lotus/7-11/Family Mart (Thai style), Thai variations of fast food outlets, politics (always exciting and always close to a coup), the foreign residents who give so much of themselves and money to help Thai people and animals.

Not Miss: Dangerous roads/drivers, corruption, violence, animal cruelty, creepy foreign sex tourists, unpleasant beer, cops, military,Thai railway, Thai obsession with uniforms and whistles, the large number of people presenting with nasty skin ailments, low quality toilet paper,

Edited December 29, 2013 by geriatrickid

[thailiketoo]

Miss: Thai food, can hire people for most anything, affordable massages, many Thai hotels, Tesco Lotus/7-11/Family Mart (Thai style), Thai variations of fast food outlets, politics (always exciting and always close to a coup), the foreign residents who give so much of themselves and money to help Thai people and animals.

Not Miss: Dangerous roads/drivers, corruption, violence, animal cruelty, creepy foreign sex tourists, unpleasant beer, cops, military,Thai railway, Thai obsession with uniforms and whistles, the large number of people presenting with nasty skin ailments, low quality toilet paper,

I just gotta ask. How do you know they are creepy foreign sex tourists? And what is the difference between a creepy foreign sex tourist and a nice foreign sex tourist. And since 95% of the business is Thai only how about the creepy Thai sex tourists? There are only 5 Farang sex tourists for every 95 sex tourists so they seem like such a small minority you must really get freaked out by the Thai sex tourists?

[GuestHouse]

I can't see me ever missing people who trot out dubious statistics to defend sex tourism.

[thailiketoo]

I can't see me ever missing people who trot out dubious statistics to defend sex tourism.

I assume you are writing about what I wrote. Would my point be substantially different if 90% or 85% or 80%? By any stretch of the imagination Thai men and women are the overwhelming majority of the sex trade in Thailand.

Edited December 29, 2013 by thailiketoo

[thaibeachlovers]

Please, let's not have another tiresome debate about the sex industry in Thailand.

We know that some of you don't like it, so please leave it at that.

[GuestHouse]

Precisely that. Its something about life in Thailand many of us would not miss - neither the sex industry or the hypersensitivity some have to it (on both sides of the camp).

[suthansman]

The way one day seems to roll into the next and losing track of time.

Some good friends I have made here.

The friendly people from all nations who I meet in my 'local'.

No fights or arguments about football, just good hearted banter.

Good, hassle free nights out.

Cheap restaurants and more.

I'll not miss.....

The 'density level' of some Thai people.

Bad car mechanics.

Idiots on the wrong side of the road etc.

The bad roads and pavements.

But the good outweighs the bad here, for me at least.

[seasia]

I`d miss :

The climate( prefer hot to cold) but that would be achievable elsewhere.

24 hour shops everywhere, handy when forgotten something.

Local transport system seems to be OK.

Nice female eye candy.

Street food, it`s mostly OK and convenient.

I wouldn`t miss :

Crazy driving habits.

Corruption.

Lack of accountability.

The " It doesn`t matter attitude " when sometimes something does matter.

soi dogs.

Thai television.

Thai internet.

[PaullyW]

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 don't have a Thai daughter.

I don't have a father and never did as I was a test tube baby.

My mommy was expensive.

[uptheos]

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?

The OP asked what people would miss?

He answered, what's anything else have to do with it?

[HeavyDrinker]

Miss:

Weather

Superb perving....

swimming off a hangover....

Not miss:

Bangkok traffic.

Poor Customer service

A/C sometimes set to sub zero temps

People not laughing at my farts....

Boy racers tearing up the roads in the wee small hours and no one doing anything out of fear as they're related to some headman....

People always trying to get me playing golf....

[LivinginKata]

Off topic trolls and replies - removed

[In Search of Space]

Got that problem at tthe moment. My job in Bangkok is likely to be over in 3 months and I am not sure what else is waiting for me, but another company has offered me a job in the Middle East, whilst the work itself will be better, salary better (no tax) I am veering on the side of rejecting it and staying in Thailand, come what may. So what will I miss,

The fun

Size and scope of the country

Dramas on every street corner

Not miss

The wife !

Mosquitos

[HeavyDrinker]

One big "miss" for me is the fact that in a 3-4 hour trip I can be on a stunning tropical beach or in staggeringly beautiful countryside.

One big "not miss" is the amount of ambient noise there is in this country....even in what seems to be the remotest of areas your silence can (and often is broken) by some knackered in truck farting its way towards its destination, or some prat on a scooter which needs sorting out....

[villagefarang]

Okay, on a more serious note, I would miss the view from my house.

[donniereadit]

I would not miss the immature drunks. Not drinking, bars, or getting wasted. Has nothing to do with age.

Something about Thailand makes people not afraid to act idiotic and stupid. Could be rose colored glasses, getting laid, or just the type who gravitates here. I'm not sure exactly what is is. But you get a lot of grown men acting kind of immature and childish in bars and other such locations here, that would have a more macho and tough vibe in the US.

[mcfish]

I would not miss the immature drunks. Not drinking, bars, or getting wasted. Has nothing to do with age.

Something about Thailand makes people not afraid to act idiotic and stupid. Could be rose colored glasses, getting laid, or just the type who gravitates here. I'm not sure exactly what is is. But you get a lot of grown men acting kind of immature and childish in bars and other such locations here, that would have a more macho and tough vibe in the US.

Tension is gone. Men act child like when they are happy, its a natural reaction and men acting like children can be misinterpreted as idiotic

[fatfather]

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.

You obviously don't live on the countryside

Fatfather

Sent from my phone

[NanLaew]

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

Who says you can't touch?

[HardenedSoul]

Only thing I would miss is the cheap women.

Mmmmm, classy

I would miss:

The cheap cost of living

Nigh on complete anonymity

The wide-eyed curiosity of Thais when they realise I'm black & British

Being called "Chocolate Man"

Thai street food

No property taxes or rates

Sensual Thai women

Cheap taxis

Cheap BTS/MRT

I wouldn't miss:

The drunken farang losers who, upon persuading me to engage in conversation, immediately set about slagging off their country of origin and Western women

The Thais' immense talent for obstruction

The oppressive heat - (though now I've binned the cigs, I don't seem to sweat half as much as I used to)

Hearing the tired old "Walking ATM" cliche that every clown trots out when describing how he's been treated by Thai women

[Deaw]

Honestly, and I am not bitching here, just being honest, the only thing I'd miss is the ''cheapness factor.'' Maybe the nice weather we are having right now as well, but sometimes it's just too darn HOT from March on.

Been coming here since 1998, spending high seasons here since 2003, and frankly I am kind of done with the place. The girls don't interest me at all anymore, the traffic is getting outrageous just about everywhere, and frankly the new breed of tourists suck. Man, I used to think annoying drunks and hooligans from Britain were about the worst it could get, but now with all the Russians and Indians around I long for those days.

Still a decent place, the weather is good and I like meeting up with ex-pats for a beer or 3 on occasion, but frankly the only reason I come here anymore is because it costs half of what it costs in Boston, there's no snow here, and I have yet to find anywhere better.

[craigt3365]

I agree with your list, but would add cheap labor. It's nice getting 2x per week yard service for basically $100 a month. Or a full time maid for $300 or less. I was paying $100 per visit for yard service back in the US. Maids back home? Forget about it! 555555

I would also add having to deal with very poor drivers, especially scooters. Driving here is way more dangerous.

If you live like a westerner, it ain't cheap here any more. I can live back home for almost the same amount, sans the cheap labor. And the infrastructure is so much better.

I'm still looking for Shangri-la!

[digibum]

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.

This sums it up for me as well. I left for a job opportunity awhile back and while my wife and I plan on returning at some point, neither of us are in a hurry. It's kind of funny because when we first moved my wife said she would try it for 2 years and then go back home if she didn't like living in the US. Six months later she upped it to 5 years. By the end of the first year she said she was okay if we stayed until I retired.

I don't miss Thailand. I come back every year for a couple of weeks but I don't really miss it. The only thing my wife really misses is her family. For me, once a year is about the right dose of Thailand at the moment.

[jackr]

One for long term expats- if you had to leave LOS tomorrow, what would you miss

Not missing my country.

[lannarebirth]

I had to return to the states last year for family business. I expect we'll be here for maybe three years before returning home to Thailand. It hasn't been as onerous as I had expected it would be, but I'm just not good at cold weather anymore. The things I miss most about Thailand are my domestic staff, both inside and outside, and the fact I never checked my mail for 10 years while in Thailand. I hate mail. Nothing good ever comes in the mail.

Edited December 30, 2013 by lannarebirth

[Toscano]

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.

.............................................................................................................................................................

Chiang Mai has it right . I live in rural Isaan , in a big village with fairly good facilities including hospital and post office .

I'm married to a beautiful wife , with charming adult children who love me as father too . My wife and most of her brothers and sisters are educated , we are all very good friends , including my wife's ex husband . We are able to live very comfortably on a modest income that would go nowhere in Europe .

I am English , but I do miss Tuscany , Italy , where I lived before . I speak fluent Italian and have many friends there . I have brought with me to Thailand many book , DVDs , Videos , CDs , but I do miss European culture . I do have some Farang friends with whome I can have a good conversation on world affairs

and more intellectual subjects . I spend too much time at my computer for mental stimulation and to keep in touch with family and friends around the world .

[bkk_mike]

I left a couple of months ago - returned to London...

I miss some of the people, and the expressways (not got round to even getting a car yet here as driving in London is always a pain), and the warm weather. But the only real shops I miss are the IT ones in places like Fortune Town and Zeer, and the cheap restaurants, like the Korean barbecue places.

I don't miss the insects, the noisier soi dogs, and the painfully slow internet I had there. The other main thing I don't miss is the school run as when you come down off the expressways, the traffic in Bangkok is just crazy.

From a shopping mall perspective, there's two Westfields in London now that give my kids their shopping mall fix, and they even have decent, if obscenely expensive from a Thai perspective, cinemas.

What I like here... being able to go to the caff around the corner for a full English breakfast when I'm in the mood for one, having Amazon available without paying a fortune for delivery (which helps with the lack of IT shops), and being able to get things like Irn Bru, that I could only ever get in Asia in HK and Singapore. And getting around on the tube and trains here reminds you how abridged Bangkok's public transport network is.

[ozyjon]

I would miss the daily drive to the local ATM

I would miss seeing my bank balance dwindle to zero

I would miss going to Tesco shopping for 3 families

now that i have gone i got a bank statement today

and am wondering where has all the money come from

i have saved lots, now where shall i spend it (on my own)

[quiuvo]

Cheap things. Not hot weather.