I'd Like To Die In The Land I Love, Would You?

[Neeranam]

I was contemplating life as i was painting my fence this afternoon. I'm getting on in years and will soon be hitting the big 50. I was thinking where I'd like to be when I'm my father's age, 79. The conclusion I came to was that I'd like to be in Scotland, the country I love, in a little bothy in the highlands but near a town with good medical facilities, a local pub,a bookies and a golf course.

By that time, I'll have paid off my mortgage and my kids will be in their 30s and 40s.

I've been living in Thailand for over 20 years and it's very convenient but the pink cloud wore off many years ago.

When I'm old, I might have Thai citizenship and British(or hopefully Scottish) but will never really feel at home here.

If I die in Thailand, I can't really say I died in the land I love, could you?

[CharlieH]

No, and I agree with the sentiment of your post entirely.

We can all adapt to new surroundings, but we all have roots too, and ultimately in the quiet corners of our mind thats where you want to return, to whats most familiar.

[Bernard Flint]

I have a thai will, burnt here in Thailand, with some ashes sent to family in UK.This is my home now.

[N47HAN]

Thailand for me , just hope what lies ahead in life for me allows that to be the case

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[cooked]

Yes, that's what I thought before I found out about the lack of palliative care in Thailand. Not so sure now.

[weegee]

Neeranam....at 50yrs old, and thinking like that, you should stop painting fences immediately....

Being still young....and you are....don't even waste anymore time contemplating the future...It arrives soon enough on it's own.

Sounds like you have a great setup at present..enjoy it first.

Some... "spend all their time chasing the dream, and completely miss whats already around them"...

[Kan Win]

QuoteQuoteQuote

If I die in Thailand, I can't really say I died in the land I love, could you?

YES I Kan

and I was born to die here, in Kan by the "Bridge over the River Kwae (Kwai)

End game

Well that is what I wish for

Win

Edited May 18, 2014 by Kan Win

[krisb]

Mate get busy living not busy dying.

[weegee]

Mate get busy living not busy dying.

Top answer Krisb.....

[krisb]

Mate get busy living not busy dying.

Top answer Krisb.....

Thanks Weegee. I try, I really do

[Seastallion]

I don't care where I die. When it happens, it happens.

I have family and connections in a few countries, so I would care if I were to die slowly, knowingly.....in which case I would want to be able to say my goodbyes to my loved ones.

[Ulysses G.]

I want to die in Thailand. I have spend much of my adult life here and don't miss "home" at all.

[chrisinth]

I'm a bit befuddled with the 'roots' concept.

I was dragged up in Belfast during the 60's & 70's, served in the armed forces for 23 years and have lived in Thailand since leaving the service, 17 years ago. I have been living static (in one place) here longer than at any other time of my life and do consider this as home.

I still have family back home, and the last thing I would want to do is go back to die. That would upset my dear old mum more so than when I upset her as a child....................

[bannork]

I intend to help fertilize our lynchee trees when I peg it.My wife lets me do what I like with our 14 rai outside the village. It has electricity so with a well I've planted 7 rai of rubber trees, a 1 rai pond, small house and 40 fruit and rosewood( payung)trees, plus 3 or 4 rai for rice.

Over the years it has grown and is a pleasure to live in.

Thai city dwellers like to say Thailand has only one season, hot, hotter and very hot but actually the difference between scorching April with dried cracked soil and lush July with greenery all around is striking, and then there's winter with mist, fires and clear starry nights.

I love the land, the music morlam drifting over the fields and some of the people, I'm lucky I guess, 70% of my wife's relatives are good decent folks, hard working farmers.

The sun can be brutal and the flies and mosquitoes intensely annoying at times, but the pleasure from seeing things grow, butterflies flitting everywhere, diving in the pond, watching the fireflies at night, are

joys I can't put a price on.

In England what could I have bought? Some semi detached rabbit hutch with a 10 by 4 metres garden and lawn.

Let me die in my own creation, if it is in my wife's name!

[Neeranam]

I intend to help fertilize our lynchee trees when I peg it.My wife lets me do what I like with our 14 rai outside the village. It has electricity so with a well I've planted 7 rai of rubber trees, a 1 rai pond, small house and 40 fruit and rosewood( payung)trees, plus 3 or 4 rai for rice.

Over the years it has grown and is a pleasure to live in.

Thai city dwellers like to say Thailand has only one season, hot, hotter and very hot but actually the difference between scorching April with dried cracked soil and lush July with greenery all around is striking, and then there's winter with mist, fires and clear starry nights.

I love the land, the music morlam drifting over the fields and some of the people, I'm lucky I guess, 70% of my wife's relatives are good decent folks, hard working farmers.

The sun can be brutal and the flies and mosquitoes intensely annoying at times, but the pleasure from seeing things grow, butterflies flitting everywhere, diving in the pond, watching the fireflies at night, are

joys I can't put a price on.

In England what could I have bought? Some semi detached rabbit hutch with a 10 by 4 metres garden and lawn.

Let me die in my own creation, if it is in my wife's name!

I hear you mate. I lived for 20 years with no garden, half that time in Bangkok where i NEVER saw a star.

It's a joy to grow things and right now I am swinging in my hammock between the trees I planted and looking at my mangoes, bananas, avocado, guava, papaya, tomatoes, peppers, starfruit, etc.

[Neeranam]

Neeranam....at 50yrs old, and thinking like that, you should stop painting fences immediately....

Being still young....and you are....don't even waste anymore time contemplating the future...It arrives soon enough on it's own.

Sounds like you have a great setup at present..enjoy it first.

Some... "spend all their time chasing the dream, and completely miss whats already around them"...

Not 50 quite yet!

Don't get me wrong mate, I do enjoy my setup now. I have everything I have ever wanted, plus more.

I do live one day at a time and was even listening to an audio book 'the power of now' last week.

[Neeranam]

Neeranam....at 50yrs old, and thinking like that, you should stop painting fences immediately....

Being still young....and you are....don't even waste anymore time contemplating the future...It arrives soon enough on it's own.

Sounds like you have a great setup at present..enjoy it first.

Some... "spend all their time chasing the dream, and completely miss whats already around them"...

Not 50 quite yet!

Don't get me wrong mate, I do enjoy my setup now. I have everything I have ever wanted, plus more.

I do live one day at a time and was even listening to an audio book 'the power of now' last week.

[uptheos]

OP - If I die in Thailand, I can't really say I died in the land I love, could you?

​Looking at this part an unequivocal...........

NO

[guzzi850m2]

I don't care where I die as long as it's quick and as painless as possible.

Yes I will echo others, don't think about it man, just live and enjoy.

Every single person on the Earth can die tomorrow for a thousand reasons and at different odds.

[bannork]

OP - If I die in Thailand, I can't really say I died in the land I love, could you?

​Looking at this part an unequivocal...........

NO

I believe he wrote,' I'd like to' thus the present tense 'die' is fine re the grammar.

And as for reality, perhaps post death he or anyone can still love, after all, no one has come back yet to inform us of life or it's lack of post mortem.

[Chonburiram]

[MrWorldwide]

Nostalgia for the country you left so you could come and live in a country with an endless Summer and beautiful women ? I admit that a few of the locals sorely tried my patience today, but whether I die here or someplace else in Asia, I have no intention of ever returning to Australia. Ashes to ashes, and they can spread them over Pattaya Bay for all I care. As others in this thread have already pointed out, life is too short for this talk of death, particularly at 50.

Edited May 18, 2014 by MrWorldwide

[aircooledflat4]

OP here's an idea. Why not LIVE in the land you love. Then when you die you can die happy, in your bothy, and hey presto you're already there, in the land you love. win win.

[Colonel_Mustard]

If I die in Thailand, I can't really say I died in the land I love, could you?

No, I couldn't. If given the choice I'd die in The Czech Republic as it's the country I love the most and feel most at home in. It's not a major issue though and there are a lot worse places to be than in Thailand to see out my last days.

[JesseFrank]

I'm on an extended holiday, but I want to be home when i die.

[chickenslegs]

If you can't live in the land you love, love the land you live in.

(apologies to Crosby Stills Nash)

[Neeranam]

OP here's an idea. Why not LIVE in the land you love. Then when you die you can die happy, in your bothy, and hey presto you're already there, in the land you love. win win.

I want to get my kids through school first and pay my house.

I can save a lot of cash here but couldn't in Scotland.

[Jackson86]

I also love thailand but to die in thailand is something still far-fetched for me.

[Neeranam]

I wonder how people's view changes depending on the time they have been here.

I nearly died on a few occasions when I first moved here, due to my lifestyle and dangerous situations I got myself into. I told me best mate that if I dies to spread my ashes on the River Ganges in India. Note to self - tell him I changed my mind.

After 5 years when I learned to speak Thai and "knew everything"(NOT), I went a bit native and would have said I'm staying here for ever.

After 10 years, when I had heard enough of the 'anti-farang' conversations, I would have said. no way.

After 15 years when I had worked on accepting things, I'd have said, wherever, I don't care.

Now, I feel I'd like to live in Scotland when I'm aging(70+).

In 20 years, my feelings will probably be different.

[Gumballl]

To be on the legal side of things, isn't it required to have a work permit to die in Thailand? This would make it impossible for retirees to qualify for a permit, thus relegating them to die elsewhere (perhaps in their home country).