Define Living in Thailand ...

[BKK Blues Brother]

Living in CM a member of the experts club taking pics of toilets and filling the last days in an a/c room and bleeding fingers from my keyboard.

I might get out now and again....

[Pattaya Lous]

As a country....good infrastructure, great weather ....so for me a fantastic place to live.

As to the Thai people....well, people are people, good and bad everywhere but my experience has been to meet people who generally have nothing but are willing to give ....especially of their hearts.......so again ....a fantastic place to live

Maybe apart from the homeless living on the streets there aren't any Thai people with nothing don't be fooled by poverty pleading, they choose not to live in posh houses or dress themselves in smart clothes because it is not important to then and dumping rubbish everywhere is their way.

Travel around the small villages meet some of the old mums you will discover they are not as poor as you are led to believe; I have met many from all parts of Thailand on my travels they own land and have a stash or cash they just choose not to spend it.

You say give their hearts but what are you actually getting?

What do they actually give?

But I agree a fantastic place to live.

Never said Thai people had nothing........I said "...generally have nothing"...meaning compared to the west and obviously NOT all Thai's....The Thai's I have met are generally poor....living paycheck to paycheck if their lucky enough to have a job! and those who don't have a job, they appear to live off the generosity of their neighbors, family and eat when they have food and when they don't .......they don't eat ....but seem to always have rice. Glad to hear that the old Mums in the villages have land and money (guess they don't have to send their daughters to Pattaya to help them survive)

When I say they give of their hearts...that's my perception....their helpful and offer their help when not asked (and insulted or hurt if you refuse their help whatever form it may take)

One old women from a slum area (at least to my western standard's it was ....many of the homes were just brick walls with corrugated tin roofs, no roads just alleyways meandering in and out) I was visiting once invited me into her home as she had never seen a farang in the area before. I tried to beg off gracefully but she wouldn't let me. It was some kind of honor for her to host a farang in her home (or so my friend told me).She couldn't walk so when she offered me something to drink and eat she motioned toward her refrigerator. Inside was some water and an apple (That was It!)....my friend I was with indicated to me that I couldn't refuse as such would be an insult to her. Her kindness was something I never experienced in the west and I wanted to help (give her a little money) ....again my friend said that would also insult her and that I shouldn't.

Have many more heartfelt stories of Thai's showing kindness to me for no other reason than to be kind...

So the Thailand I live in is obviously different from the one you and many TV posters live in ......good or bad? don't know....but for me its been Fantastic and have no regrets living here.

Yes they do send their daughters to Pattaya and many other places in Thailand because they want more and more it's easy money.

Why do they let you stay in Thailand?

Because they want your Money and your Knowledge

Just look at the immigration criteria; if you do not have a certain amount of cash in the bank or cash coming in to the country to support yourself and to spend here you are not welcome and you cannot obtain a visa to stay and you are out.

[AYJAYDEE]

As a country....good infrastructure, great weather ....so for me a fantastic place to live.

As to the Thai people....well, people are people, good and bad everywhere but my experience has been to meet people who generally have nothing but are willing to give ....especially of their hearts.......so again ....a fantastic place to live

Maybe apart from the homeless living on the streets there aren't any Thai people with nothing don't be fooled by poverty pleading, they choose not to live in posh houses or dress themselves in smart clothes because it is not important to then and dumping rubbish everywhere is their way.

Travel around the small villages meet some of the old mums you will discover they are not as poor as you are led to believe; I have met many from all parts of Thailand on my travels they own land and have a stash or cash they just choose not to spend it.

You say give their hearts but what are you actually getting?

What do they actually give?

But I agree a fantastic place to live.

wow! you really dont understand "give their hearts"?

No - please explain to me

it would be a waste.

[bocceball1]

As a country....good infrastructure, great weather ....so for me a fantastic place to live.

As to the Thai people....well, people are people, good and bad everywhere but my experience has been to meet people who generally have nothing but are willing to give ....especially of their hearts.......so again ....a fantastic place to live

Maybe apart from the homeless living on the streets there aren't any Thai people with nothing don't be fooled by poverty pleading, they choose not to live in posh houses or dress themselves in smart clothes because it is not important to then and dumping rubbish everywhere is their way.

Travel around the small villages meet some of the old mums you will discover they are not as poor as you are led to believe; I have met many from all parts of Thailand on my travels they own land and have a stash or cash they just choose not to spend it.

You say give their hearts but what are you actually getting?

What do they actually give?

But I agree a fantastic place to live.

Never said Thai people had nothing........I said "...generally have nothing"...meaning compared to the west and obviously NOT all Thai's....The Thai's I have met are generally poor....living paycheck to paycheck if their lucky enough to have a job! and those who don't have a job, they appear to live off the generosity of their neighbors, family and eat when they have food and when they don't .......they don't eat ....but seem to always have rice. Glad to hear that the old Mums in the villages have land and money (guess they don't have to send their daughters to Pattaya to help them survive)

When I say they give of their hearts...that's my perception....their helpful and offer their help when not asked (and insulted or hurt if you refuse their help whatever form it may take)

One old women from a slum area (at least to my western standard's it was ....many of the homes were just brick walls with corrugated tin roofs, no roads just alleyways meandering in and out) I was visiting once invited me into her home as she had never seen a farang in the area before. I tried to beg off gracefully but she wouldn't let me. It was some kind of honor for her to host a farang in her home (or so my friend told me).She couldn't walk so when she offered me something to drink and eat she motioned toward her refrigerator. Inside was some water and an apple (That was It!)....my friend I was with indicated to me that I couldn't refuse as such would be an insult to her. Her kindness was something I never experienced in the west and I wanted to help (give her a little money) ....again my friend said that would also insult her and that I shouldn't.

Have many more heartfelt stories of Thai's showing kindness to me for no other reason than to be kind...

So the Thailand I live in is obviously different from the one you and many TV posters live in ......good or bad? don't know....but for me its been Fantastic and have no regrets living here.

Yes they do send their daughters to Pattaya and many other places in Thailand because they want more and more it's easy money.

Why do they let you stay in Thailand?

Because they want your Money and your Knowledge

Just look at the immigration criteria; if you do not have a certain amount of cash in the bank or cash coming in to the country to support yourself and to spend here you are not welcome and you cannot obtain a visa to stay and you are out.

You must be one of those who judge the people of a country by the actions of their government. I am not!

[JAFO]

As a country....good infrastructure, great weather ....so for me a fantastic place to live.

As to the Thai people....well, people are people, good and bad everywhere but my experience has been to meet people who generally have nothing but are willing to give ....especially of their hearts.......so again ....a fantastic place to live

Maybe apart from the homeless living on the streets there aren't any Thai people with nothing don't be fooled by poverty pleading, they choose not to live in posh houses or dress themselves in smart clothes because it is not important to then and dumping rubbish everywhere is their way.

Travel around the small villages meet some of the old mums you will discover they are not as poor as you are led to believe; I have met many from all parts of Thailand on my travels they own land and have a stash or cash they just choose not to spend it.

You say give their hearts but what are you actually getting?

What do they actually give?

But I agree a fantastic place to live.

Never said Thai people had nothing........I said "...generally have nothing"...meaning compared to the west and obviously NOT all Thai's....The Thai's I have met are generally poor....living paycheck to paycheck if their lucky enough to have a job! and those who don't have a job, they appear to live off the generosity of their neighbors, family and eat when they have food and when they don't .......they don't eat ....but seem to always have rice. Glad to hear that the old Mums in the villages have land and money (guess they don't have to send their daughters to Pattaya to help them survive)

When I say they give of their hearts...that's my perception....their helpful and offer their help when not asked (and insulted or hurt if you refuse their help whatever form it may take)

One old women from a slum area (at least to my western standard's it was ....many of the homes were just brick walls with corrugated tin roofs, no roads just alleyways meandering in and out) I was visiting once invited me into her home as she had never seen a farang in the area before. I tried to beg off gracefully but she wouldn't let me. It was some kind of honor for her to host a farang in her home (or so my friend told me).She couldn't walk so when she offered me something to drink and eat she motioned toward her refrigerator. Inside was some water and an apple (That was It!)....my friend I was with indicated to me that I couldn't refuse as such would be an insult to her. Her kindness was something I never experienced in the west and I wanted to help (give her a little money) ....again my friend said that would also insult her and that I shouldn't.

Have many more heartfelt stories of Thai's showing kindness to me for no other reason than to be kind...

So the Thailand I live in is obviously different from the one you and many TV posters live in ......good or bad? don't know....but for me its been Fantastic and have no regrets living here.

Yes they do send their daughters to Pattaya and many other places in Thailand because they want more and more it's easy money.

Why do they let you stay in Thailand?

Because they want your Money and your Knowledge

Just look at the immigration criteria; if you do not have a certain amount of cash in the bank or cash coming in to the country to support yourself and to spend here you are not welcome and you cannot obtain a visa to stay and you are out.

@ Pattaya Lous, Man o man I wish they would require this for anyone who emigrates to the U.S. The U.S is a mess because we have no requirements. Just come over and live off the government. I am GLAD they require this. Could you imagine how many idiots would be here if they did not have any constraints? Plus I am glad they don't let foreigners own the land. Again same reason, every rich foreigner would buy it all up and ruin it.

[NancyL]

Most of our close friends here in Chiang Mai are other expat/expat couples. That a demographic of "people living in Thailand" that seems to be under-represented in this thread. For us, Thailand really is home. We're in stable relationships, use Chiang Mai as a base to do some travel, but always return to a place we've made home. None of us maintain homes in another country. Why should we? This it it.

Chiang Mai is a great place to live as a retiree. Excellent restaurants and hospitals. Despite the ever growing traffic, it's still possible to live without a car and get more exercise than the average retiree in the west, walking Huey Kaew between one's condo to Kad Suan Kaew and Maya Mall for life's necessities. Lots of activities like computer club, bridge, hiking, dining out groups. Good, cheap places for massage, manicures, dressmakers, hair dressers.

It's a safe environment where older women are treated with respect and our guys can go off for an afternoon of beer with the boys to look at the eye candy and still be home safe and sound before dark.

Edited August 25, 2014 by NancyL