I feel very much in agreement with the OP. I have been here on a permanent basis for 12 years and it is undoubtedly frustrating at times but it is also very enjoyable. I suppose you take from life whatever you can and without doubt my children are a joy all 7 of them ranging from 40 to the baby who is 2 tomorrow.

I have driven from BKK to KL a number of times stopping only to eat or fill up the tank and can honestly say that everyone I met on the journey ( and I could not speak Thai) was helpful and friendly but I have found that to be true in South Africa, Israel, USA etc: "what goes around comes around"

To all you folks on TV I hope that 2014 brings Health Happiness and Prosperity. "Happy New Year"

Been in Chiang Mai five years now. I love it here, not only for it's own sake (the weather, the cost of living, the food, the people, the freedom, etc) but also comparing it with how things would be for me back home in the UK (the weather, the cost of living, etc). I go there every year for a couple of months but can't wait to get back. I give Thailand a high nine any time. ps: I do miss the food sometimes otherwise I would have to give it a resounding ten out of ten. pps: I can only hope and pray the political situation does not change things for us.

I have lived here 8 years, and I voted a 10. One of the best things I did was to go about learning to read and speak Thai, When I go back to the states, I am homesick for Thailand after a few days.

I am an 8 to me the positives ought weigh the negatives living in Thailand at the moment and with the Baht dropping to a more reasonable rate against the pound is a bonus for transferring my living allowance over from the UK can now manage 2 Leo every week rather than my usual 1 Leo a week. 15 years ago when I arrived it would have been a 10 out of 10 for sure, but lately the Thai bigoted attitude and aggression towards foreigners now spoils it for me a bit.

I've voted 5 because I'm content with life, for every exceptionally bad day (and there are a few) I have equally exceptionally good days - those claiming to only have exceptionally good days or only have exceptionally bad days are not telling the truth.

i voted 5 then deleted my vote

no particular reason

Lived here for 24 years so I give it 10*. If it would be 5 or 6* I would have packed up and go somewhere else.

Beside the political instability everything else is just great here.

I have nothing to complain really, Thailand has been great to me. I came here first time when I was 22 years old and now I am 48 years.

I have a great wife, know the culture and the Thai language.

Voted 8 but could have been 10. I think there's always some space for improvement.

Been here 7 years. Didn't get bored one day since I live here, finances have improved, work has diminished, got a good wife and comfortable life.

I have a few good friends here and choose (farang) acquaintances very carefully as I'm pretty happy to be by myself.

Sure, I now see more of the rubbish in Thai society than when I first came here, but I try to take it with a smile.

I have never identified with the notion that life is some miserable roller coaster of ups and downs, filled with misery and suffering. I have often suspected that my worst days are better than most people's best days, but I don’t know why that is.

Somehow, I have instinctively made choices much different from what seemed to be the norm of the day. It is not like I had any great insights at such a young age, or that I knew how things would turnout. Just one of those conundrums, I guess, that I find myself so content with my lot in life while others talk about how hard life is or has been.

A thoughtful posting. In response: I've been here for 7 years and although not married to a Thai, have a mix of both Thai and non-Thai friends and acquaintances. mots of whom know each other in varying degrees. Over the years my fondness for the country and the people [and the food!] has not diminished. I've been an expat since I was 6 years old because my parents moved around for work,and after I graduated from university, I carried on working in foreign countries so I've lived in a lot of different places and Thailand is my over all favourite. It's a beautifu country, the people are friendly and have a good sense of humour, not to mention are very polite, it's never cold, and it has such lax visa rule, one can come and go at will. Mind you, the country I lived in immediately before relocating here was Iraq, so maybe I've got a skewed view of things as a result. I'm not knocking Iraqis, but there was IEDs going off every day and it was full of armed religious militias....even during my 7 years here I've done brief stints in Taipei, Manila and Buenos Aries, and within weeks of being in all of them I began to miss Bangkok....anyway, for it's worth, that's my answer

Forgot to add to my initial posting....the only thing that I've never liked about Thailand is all the prostitution and all the sad, pathetic, Western scumbag sex-tourists and sex-pats it attracts. They're living breathing evidence that travel does not necessarily broaden the mind and a huge embarrassment.....If prostitution became illegal here [which will never happen] there would be a mass exodus of white trash out of the this country

Forgot to add to my initial posting....the only thing that I've never liked about Thailand is all the prostitution and all the sad, pathetic, Western scumbag sex-tourists and sex-pats it attracts. They're living breathing evidence that travel does not necessarily broaden the mind and a huge embarrassment.....If prostitution became illegal here [which will never happen] there would be a mass exodus of white trash out of the this country

So you've never had sex with a Thai lady then?

I voted a 10, only because that was the highest I could vote, I am one of those people you referred to as "unrealistically defensive of all things Thai" which is untrue but only the people that find fault of my embracing "MY" life here in Thailand, as I do not agree with their negative outlook as they relate it to Thailand!

I have been here going on 14 years, live in a rural country village with no interaction of any sort with other expats and prefer to live my life that way. Except for my family and children, I miss nothing of the home country, those that love to live their lives in that fashion can have it. Life in Thailand has been a great improvement over my life in my home country, maybe that is the major difference between me and other expats. I was very dissatisfied with my life in the home country and was looking for a new country and people that I could identify with, which I found in Thailand!

Cheers

Kikoman, I like all of your input, your glasses may be a bit pink, but your posts are thoughtful and your points are well made. I don't often disagree with you.

Hi canuckamuck,

Many thanks for your honest post on this subject. Comes just at the right time, as I'm in that "middle phase" that you were talking about. I'd been here so many times to write travel, then working for the TAT and then to live and work here before we returned to Australia for a few years.

Back here now almost three years, I know that I can't move us back to Oz again because I don't want to upset our daughter's education, as she is now doing well in the Thai education system and about to enter High School. The prospect of "retiring from Retirement" and going back to work and earning REAL Money is something I would relish but as I said, I can't justify pulling my little girl out of a school that she loves here in CNX which also happens to be my wife's old school. Our daughter did very well scholastically in Primary School in Oz but to move her again now, would cause far too much stress. So, for better or for worse, I'm "stuck here."

Your story, as I said, comes at just the right time for me. There was a time I would have unhesitatingly voted 10. Just before reading your story, I was toying with a vote of 5 or maybe 6.

I've settled on an 8 for the moment and as I think more about what you have said, that may quickly go up to a score of 9.

Thanks again,

Greatly appreciated..

Many great responses here, It seems there are a lot of positive impressions amongst you cranky old gits.

Voted 9 - as I would have for many of the places I have lived. My home life follows me wherever I may be living. Just moving to Thailand does not change my attitude or mindset. I live as I would in any other place. I do however chose my locations carefully, almost. Made the mistake of living in Dominican Republic and Jamaica and regretted (slightly) both decisions. But as I did not like them, I moved.

The amazing thing about this world is no matter where you go.....you will nearly always find a 7/11.....somewhat comforting.

Mr. canuckamuck.

I praise you for polling this intrinsic question.

I like it here .... 9.

But unlike most of the deluded, I know what I'm buying, and am happy with the product.

Currently in OZ but soon to be back in LOS. I live in rural village of Isaan, no Falang, GF and family and friends and I love it.

I voted a 9 but I will never be a long term resident, family in OZ but I do love coming to Thailand it is so beautiful and the people so warm and welcoming.

I miss the bread.

Excellent OP.

Really

The amazing thing about this world is no matter where you go.....you will nearly always find a 7/11.....somewhat comforting.

Not where I live....

That brings me to the question: When there is not 7eleven around within 500m, can the place be considered as a part of Thailand?

Good question. I voted a 7. If it's 5 or lower, I wouldn't be on this forum. a 10 is delusional, to me, and a 9 would mean almost perfect. After 1 year, I had some trouble with pollution for over 60 days. That alone makes it a 8, for me. No tap water you can drink, not good. the noise is fine, heat is what it is, and the traffic is a part of life. the exhaustion at times is also not a fault with Thailand. I've had a few bad instances with food, but that's not a -1 in my book. maybe -0.25. It's not my country; i don't have the same "freedoms" in Thailand. I trust the police and politicians back home more, not that they are good either. there is no question, if i had to tattoo a thai or american flag on myself it would be american. luckily i'm not forced to choose. but you get the idea. that's just me. of course, if i had millions i could change some things and raise the bar to an 8. so, in conclusion, CM easily has potential for 8.

Ever day i don't have to go back to construction is a blessing.

3 years ago when i lived in Pattaya i would of voted 4 maybe 5
I now live in the real Thailand up here in Marasarakham in a remote village..
Last week i was laid out under a mango tree looking at the clear
blue sky listening to some Thai music on the radio..the wife was gathering the left over rice ears that the
machine had missed and i thought to myself boy life is f*%king good.
I voted 9....True story.

Optimism is the way to go.

I rated it high, but it changes daily / weekly.

You make your own happiness irrespective to the location sometimes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osd15qNCUQY

Different string , same old comments - anyone voting less than 6 should leave.

What a great thread. Hats off to the OP.

A good mix of many, sometimes revealing and quite thoughtful, responses too.

I don't yet live in LOS although I have property and intend retiring here, in the next year or so and have spent much time here, already.

I'm expecting to be able to vote a 5.

But that's way higher than the 2 I would afford for my hometown in the UK.

If it ends up above 5 (as I hope it will but, realistically, expect it not too) I'll be reasonably content.

Been here 23 years... voted a 9, almost perfect. Those troublesome bits with some of the twists of logic, and the lack of making clear plans by the people in charge keep me from calling Thailand perfect. What gets the high points... food, weather, daily life. People are kind, if you speak polite Thai. Being able to find the human in many situations where in the western world, it would be heavy fines, long tasks, or impossible to correct the situation.

Voted 9 after 6.5 years.

Many of the already stated negatives are true to a certain extent. But everywhere sucks a bit from time to time. I've lived for quite some time in a number of diverse places to include Russia, The States, Europe Various, Middle East and nothing comes close to the batsh*t insane, neon-lit craziness that is the delightful Thailand (and I don't live in Pattaya and I am happily married).

The three key aspects to achieve your happiness anywhere would surely be financial stability, emotional situation and health. If any of those three are lacking, you're gonna have a bad time...I suppose more can be added.

Food: superb

House: cheap

Parties with friends: from quiet to embarrassingly uncontrolled

Wife and friends: diversified, pleasant, caring and fun

Golf: cheap

If you can't afford to live here, you certainly can't afford to go back and live at home. Seen the price of utilities back in your Western hometown recently? Price of beer anyone? How about that noodle shop down your soi selling noodles from 30-50 THB. And the noodle seller is happy, she's smiling. The turd in the kebab shop in Bolton is grimacing at you as you hand over your fiver...

Redtape/bureaucracy, I hate that too, no excuse for that but it doesn't get me down.

There are probably a few types of expat (more than I list below, feel free to expand):

1) Working expat on a big salary or successfully self employed

2) Retired expat trying to live on the pension/savings which are barely sufficient

3) Retired expat with good to very good pension and savings living the good life

4) Working expat on a borderline crap salary (I met someone last night who says he earns 70-80KB in BKK at 40 years old)

But with all of the above, it's what you make out of it. The simple fact is that the fewest people actually understand their own finances and where it can take them. The other two aspects, health and emotions are quite capable of destroying the strongest financial situation. And this, I fear, is where many find themselves.

I wish all of you a happy 2014 in Thailand. The Land of Smiles (and the occasional smirk).

Well done OP, great poll and subject, the numbers certainly confirm that the vast majority of expats living here are happy with their lot.