lets have a happy topic. Who all still loves living in Thailand?

[Benmart]

Living in Thailand, I live one day at a time. I try to keep things simple and be thankful for what I have. I live and let live, keep in mind that I am not the center of the universe and remember that am not in control of others.

I try to be kind to others and to be a good person through actions, thoughts and deeds.

Happy, yes.

But so much more, thanks to my higher power.

[MediaWatcher]

longstebe, on 30 Sept 2014 - 11:40, said:

MediaWatcher, on 30 Sept 2014 - 11:21, said:

So many here "love" living here, and hope to spent the rest of their lives here, what I have noticed NO-ONE , I repeat no-one has considered where their families would be better off.

This is a happy topic.......now please <deleted> off.

Seems I touch on a raw nerve, and you do seem over sensitive. Why?

[Benmart]

Been here 16 years and have been scammed is so many ways. Many friends lost everything due to the cunning Thai's, and have retuned to their home country broke.

One thing they are good at is getting the money out of you, and then when you are broke they say, adios amigos.

If I had to do it over again I would chose Malaysia. My days here are numbered.

What about the friends stupidity, does that not come into it? How many of the friends you are talking about, are overweight, tattooed, facial haired, have, or should I say had, plenty of money and actually believed it when they were called "hansome man"?

I have tattoos and facial hair, i don't sit in bars all day waiting for some old brass to call me "hansome man" so whats your point? Your post is stupid and makes you sound like a complete bigot. Contrary to your beliefs not every one with tattoos are alcoholics loitering around bars waiting to get ripped off mate, yawn!!!!

My post is not stupid, I have friends with tattoos and facial hair, and I respect their right to have that, but that does not mean they are not ugly and revolting looking, just as you may think my long hair is ugly and revolting looking, and I certainly would not fall out with you if you told me that.

Money apart, what attractive Thai girl would prefer a facial haired, tattooed guy to a fully shaven, non tattooed guy?

Another stupid post, some attractive Thai girls might prefer a tattooed guy to a non tattooed guy, every ones prefrences are different, your comment is a sweeping generalization. You seem to think you know what all Thai ladies look for in a man!!! Incredible, i wish i had your knowledge BEFORE i got any tattoos lol.......(although my long time Thai partner is very attractive and has no problems with my tattoos and facial hair). She is very respectable, and i did not find her in a bar either, imagine that!!!

While I agree with the basic concepts of this post, the abrasive nature of the wording dilutes the message.

The word "stupid" is one I avoid since it casts a shadow over the credibility of all that follows. Those times I have used "stupid" to describe someone, something or some act, it has come full circle to describe me as well.

Edited September 30, 2014 by Benmart

[Dean470]

Count me too. Enjoy living here and satisfied with gov't requirements and, yes, corruption and crime problems.

Thai wife and I have lived, worked and visited LOS for the past 45 years, Now retired and living here permenantly 8 years.

Like my friendly neighbors. AVOID Pattaya Beach and night clubs. AVIOD drug dealers, snatch and run thieves,

scam artists.

Our house is in a quiet, out-of-the-way neighborhood so no traffic or gang problem.

Thailand is SOOO much better than the U S Police State, with high prices, gov't regulation for every aspect of life.

Advantages;

No land or property tax, no incime tax, no police or code enforcement nazis patrolling our neighborhood.

No speed traps, no speedig citations, no parking meters, no tow-away zones, no solicitors knocking on our door,

no junk mail in our mail box.

Medical and dental cost is so inexpensive we don't bother with insurance.

[Smurkster]

I guess it really all boils down to what you need/want in life...to some people Thailand can provide those things, to others, it doesn't cut it and they are here for other reasons besides just "being happy"..sometimes we get into situations that we can't easily change...I guess we have to make the best of them..I am happy for those who are still happy being in Thailand

[uffe123]

My biggest pet peeve is that not only do you have to take care of your Thai wife and kids, but you have to support her parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers and so on.

All I'am is a ATM, and when the money stops the arguments begin.

[longstebe]

Count me too. Enjoy living here and satisfied with gov't requirements and, yes, corruption and crime problems.

Thai wife and I have lived, worked and visited LOS for the past 45 years, Now retired and living here permenantly 8 years.

Like my friendly neighbors. AVOID Pattaya Beach and night clubs. AVIOD drug dealers, snatch and run thieves,

scam artists.

Our house is in a quiet, out-of-the-way neighborhood so no traffic or gang problem.

Thailand is SOOO much better than the U S Police State, with high prices, gov't regulation for every aspect of life.

Advantages;

No land or property tax, no incime tax, no police or code enforcement nazis patrolling our neighborhood.

No speed traps, no speedig citations, no parking meters, no tow-away zones, no solicitors knocking on our door,

no junk mail in our mail box.

Medical and dental cost is so inexpensive we don't bother with insurance.

Nice list of advantages there.

I don't know about avoiding Pattaya beach and night clubs though.

Pattaya beach, as in the city or the actual beach itself?

Either way, its a great place to visit IMO, it has so much going on and still a fairly cheap place to eat, drink and sleep.

Edited September 30, 2014 by longstebe

[Suradit69]

loving a country blindly is dumb.

Love it warts and all. The Thais aren't allowed to mention the warts. Farangs can and should.

"The Thais aren't allowed to mention the warts."

That's a bit of an exaggeration given all the political unrest and the complaints voiced over and over. They may be reticent to carry on too much to farang who they don't feel overly comfortable with (especially farang who seem to endlessly complain about things in Thailand and who keep talking about how wonderful things are back in their home country), but I find criticism and dissatisfaction over this and that to be present, along with a pragmatic choice to work with things as they are rather than to be overly optimistic about major changes coming over night.

You are probably aware of "issues" within your own family, but you're unlikely to share those problems too readily with strangers or people you think are a little too eager to hear you complain about things in your home. I am critical about many things back in the US, but I can still feel somewhat defensive if I hear non-Americans continuously bashing America.

[TheAceFace]

I guess I have a love hate relationship here after 12 years, got the house got the family ect.....My main concern now is the kids education. We will be relocating soon for a new challenge. Will still keep the house and call this crazy place home. I have no regrets about my time here and like most could probably write a book on the things I have witnessed.

[Nowisee]

I have [had] my ups and downs... and still ask, why am I here.

However, Saturday I went into a rather remote village (8 left turns and 11 right turns, dude had to come meet me at the main road and guide me to the party).
Once there with my friend, she introduced me to 3 thai male nurses (that destroyed my negative feeling about thai males (and not gay) and 2 thai female nurses and their family and friends. We ate a shitload of food, drank beer and they all talked great english (some of the best I have heard in many months). I was looked at, talked about and treated better than I have ever been treated here.

We went to the local temple where all the families had built these big towers all out of natural items, it was really quite beautiful.. One tower was said to contain 90,000 baht... and there was food every where... AND I was NEVER asked for a satang, not for the food not for anything. I did give 100 baht note along with all the others and asked Buddha for the normal stuff...everything...5555

That day I was very very happy to live in Thailand. It restored my belief that this is one of the better places to be...yes it has it share of downfalls, but so do many places, including in my home country.

Tomorrows another day... now, if the assbag at immigration would just give me my stupid cert of res I will be happy.

Edited September 30, 2014 by Nowisee

[pigeonjake]

i too love living in thailand,, yes love,

im the same when i land for my 35 days off, i do 35 /35, i cant wait to get home,

ive worked as many have in some bad places, i was in IRAQ earlier this year,, was a hell hole, was on stage 2 lock down on the camp after 4 days,( s££t myself,)

thailand isnt to bad when you think of some of the other places in this world and the trouble in these places,,

yes it has its problems, so do most countrys,

ill stick with thailand thank you,, i love it, and my family

I have a hard time accepting someone who is gone half the time saying he is living here--you are living somewhere else too.

up to you my freind,,

but would you like me to copy a letter from the british tax man to me here in thailand,

because they say i live here,,

but you being the expert,,, saying i dont live here,,lol,, another jealous joker

please dont spoil the thread because you say i dont live here

pm me instead

[SoiBiker]

My biggest pet peeve is that not only do you have to take care of your Thai wife and kids, but you have to support her parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers and so on.

All I'am is a ATM, and when the money stops the arguments begin.

It's not compulsory to marry a local, you know.

[Smurkster]

I wouldn't consider someone who is gone half the time as someone who "lives" here...maybe this is their "base" and they consider it their "home."

[longstebe]

i too love living in thailand,, yes love,

im the same when i land for my 35 days off, i do 35 /35, i cant wait to get home,

ive worked as many have in some bad places, i was in IRAQ earlier this year,, was a hell hole, was on stage 2 lock down on the camp after 4 days,( s££t myself,)

thailand isnt to bad when you think of some of the other places in this world and the trouble in these places,,

yes it has its problems, so do most countrys,

ill stick with thailand thank you,, i love it, and my family

I have a hard time accepting someone who is gone half the time saying he is living here--you are living somewhere else too.

In what way are you having a "hard time" accepting it.

Do you lose sleep over it?

Does it make you ill?

Does it really matter?

[longstebe]

Now its turned into

" I've been here longer than you" thread.

[MediaWatcher]

longstebe, on 30 Sept 2014 - 14:16, said:

Dean470, on 30 Sept 2014 - 14:06, said:

Count me too. Enjoy living here and satisfied with gov't requirements and, yes, corruption and crime problems.

Thai wife and I have lived, worked and visited LOS for the past 45 years, Now retired and living here permenantly 8 years.

Like my friendly neighbors. AVOID Pattaya Beach and night clubs. AVIOD drug dealers, snatch and run thieves,

scam artists.

Our house is in a quiet, out-of-the-way neighborhood so no traffic or gang problem.

Thailand is SOOO much better than the U S Police State, with high prices, gov't regulation for every aspect of life.

Advantages;

No land or property tax, no incime tax, no police or code enforcement nazis patrolling our neighborhood.

No speed traps, no speedig citations, no parking meters, no tow-away zones, no solicitors knocking on our door,

no junk mail in our mail box.

Medical and dental cost is so inexpensive we don't bother with insurance.

Nice list of advantages there.

I don't know about avoiding Pattaya beach and night clubs though.

Pattaya beach, as in the city or the actual beach itself?

Either way, its a great place to visit IMO, it has so much going on and still a fairly cheap place to eat, drink and sleep.

"Nice list" yes, but also an insight into the type of person he may be, and why he considers his home country a "police state," it almost seems like he is an anti social person who hates being restricted, the type of person why his government needs to make such laws. Yes Thailand would suit this type of anti social person, and I dare say, he's not the only one.

[Escarlett]

Thailand is a nice place, Thai people are very nice n kind generally. However it is not for me. I am Indonesian who used to live in Singapore for many years before n after i got married to my British husband. I am now looking forward to go back to Singapore which is for me is still the best place to live in after my own country.

[Drew rolf]

You still love the way Thais drive !? come on not all Thais are happy and smiles, look at the real picture some Thais hate farang,

[somchai jones]

I'm an Englishman married to a Brit of Malaysian descent, we've lived in UK, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. We liked and disliked certain things about each of the countries we've lived in. Happiest here in Thailand without a doubt. Spent 5 years here when we were in our twenties and have now been here for 5 years in our forties. Both speak Thai, live in the countryside where we are certainly not scammed or cheated - far from it, our neighbours go out of their way to help.

Life is good!

The worst thing about living here is the abundance of ignorant, bitter old expat farts who think they know it all about Thailand but sadly don't realise that they know very, very little....oh well, let them keep bitching, we'll keep enjoying life

[Drew rolf]

longstebe, on 30 Sept 2014 - 14:16, said:

Dean470, on 30 Sept 2014 - 14:06, said:

Count me too. Enjoy living here and satisfied with gov't requirements and, yes, corruption and crime problems.

Thai wife and I have lived, worked and visited LOS for the past 45 years, Now retired and living here permenantly 8 years.

Like my friendly neighbors. AVOID Pattaya Beach and night clubs. AVIOD drug dealers, snatch and run thieves,

scam artists.

Our house is in a quiet, out-of-the-way neighborhood so no traffic or gang problem.

Thailand is SOOO much better than the U S Police State, with high prices, gov't regulation for every aspect of life.

Advantages;

No land or property tax, no incime tax, no police or code enforcement nazis patrolling our neighborhood.

No speed traps, no speedig citations, no parking meters, no tow-away zones, no solicitors knocking on our door,

no junk mail in our mail box.

Medical and dental cost is so inexpensive we don't bother with insurance.

Nice list of advantages there.

I don't know about avoiding Pattaya beach and night clubs though.

Pattaya beach, as in the city or the actual beach itself?

Either way, its a great place to visit IMO, it has so much going on and still a fairly cheap place to eat, drink and sleep.

"Nice list" yes, but also an insight into the type of person he may be, and why he considers his home country a "police state," it almost seems like he is an anti social person who hates being restricted, the type of person why his government needs to make such laws. Yes Thailand would suit this type of anti social person, and I dare say, he's not the only one.

[Smurkster]

longstebe, on 30 Sept 2014 - 14:16, said:

Dean470, on 30 Sept 2014 - 14:06, said:

Count me too. Enjoy living here and satisfied with gov't requirements and, yes, corruption and crime problems.

Thai wife and I have lived, worked and visited LOS for the past 45 years, Now retired and living here permenantly 8 years.

Like my friendly neighbors. AVOID Pattaya Beach and night clubs. AVIOD drug dealers, snatch and run thieves,

scam artists.

Our house is in a quiet, out-of-the-way neighborhood so no traffic or gang problem.

Thailand is SOOO much better than the U S Police State, with high prices, gov't regulation for every aspect of life.

Advantages;

No land or property tax, no incime tax, no police or code enforcement nazis patrolling our neighborhood.

No speed traps, no speedig citations, no parking meters, no tow-away zones, no solicitors knocking on our door,

no junk mail in our mail box.

Medical and dental cost is so inexpensive we don't bother with insurance.

Nice list of advantages there.

I don't know about avoiding Pattaya beach and night clubs though.

Pattaya beach, as in the city or the actual beach itself?

Either way, its a great place to visit IMO, it has so much going on and still a fairly cheap place to eat, drink and sleep.

"Nice list" yes, but also an insight into the type of person he may be, and why he considers his home country a "police state,"

Because the US is a police state, that being said, I am not sure that at this point Thailand can qualify as being any less of one.....

at least in the United States and Europe no one has to be hush hush about discussing politics and government...no matter what happens in these countries, how bad it gets, at least at the end of the day we can talk about it without any fear of being subjecting to prison sentences or "disappearances"

[hgma]

We, our family, have enough experience to make a solid decision when it comes to the best environment to

* Raise our kids (born in Thailand)

* Health care for the whole family

* Education

* Visa regulations

* Social -Surroundings & Facilities

And we came to the decision that considering all available issues mentioned in our living area comparing to surrounding countries....Laos - Cambodia and even Myanmar, Thailand by far scores the best points!

Life is what we make of it, when other people 'make' your life ...its time to move.

Happy in Thailand

Edited September 30, 2014 by hgma

[Smurkster]

i too love living in thailand,, yes love,

im the same when i land for my 35 days off, i do 35 /35, i cant wait to get home,

ive worked as many have in some bad places, i was in IRAQ earlier this year,, was a hell hole, was on stage 2 lock down on the camp after 4 days,( s££t myself,)

thailand isnt to bad when you think of some of the other places in this world and the trouble in these places,,

yes it has its problems, so do most countrys,

ill stick with thailand thank you,, i love it, and my family

I just knocked back a job in Iraq as it happens.

When you pick one of the worst most dangerous countries in the world to compare with Thailand. You're right Thailand ain't so bad.

Also I'd be willingly to say Thailand is probably better than Syria also. And probably better than Congo and Somalia as well. Although without ever visiting those countries, I can't say for sure.

I would beg to disagree about Congo (both of them), depending of the city, life can also be great in both Congo.

though I have never been either Congo, I spent three weeks in Malawi and wowi that was a good time! I had no idea the herb was such a major commodity or that it was as good as it was!

Edited September 30, 2014 by Smurkster

[Drew rolf]

No speed traps,no speeding citations,no police or code enforcement,what if you fall destiny to these comments,the government in Thailand need to enforce those laws to prevent further deaths ,you idiot!

[ggt]

So, who else still loves the place and what it gives you and your family...................

I have friends who are "all-in" for living in Thailand...sold everything in home country...been here so long that this IS their home country...

They drive like the Thais now...haggle over every thing they buy...because they like it...do not notice the neighbors dogs that bark day and night...seem to delight in going to immigration to see their old friends there...rave about the health care provided at hospitals and clinics...still eat the spiciest or Thai foods often...have adapted to the curfew without complaining...think they have the most charming and beautiful of Thai wives...they are truly happy people...

Are they wearing rose-colored glasses...not really...they have become more Thai than foreigner...yet will never be fully accepted...will die in Thailand...happy and contented...something has to be said for that...

[hEaDy]

I worked there for 3 years. I am happy to be away.

We're very happy that you're away! 8-)

[huawei]

Been here 16 years and have been scammed is so many ways. Many friends lost everything due to the cunning Thai's, and have retuned to their home country broke.

One thing they are good at is getting the money out of you, and then when you are broke they say, adios amigos.

If I had to do it over again I would chose Malaysia. My days here are numbered.

What about the friends stupidity, does that not come into it? How many of the friends you are talking about, are overweight, tattooed, facial haired, have, or should I say had, plenty of money and actually believed it when they were called "hansome man"?

Stupid post. So stupidity is limited to over weight, tattooed etc..

Whatever peoples demeanour most Europeans have certain values . Most come here and don't expect someone to lie to you without conscience. Even if you act stupid doesn't mean you have to taken complete advantage of..

I think stupid is not the right word.

Disgraceful post .

[Strangebrew]

If I didn't enjoy being here I wouldn't be here period. Home is where you park it I say it has it's benefits and drawbacks. But show me place that doesn't. Ever walk a strange neighborhood at night and have no fear? I have and it was here. If your looking for trouble you will find it if you avoid trouble you won't have any. The ones that piss and moan are the ones with the problem. I found for the most part it to be pleasant here if you act and respect the people and culture. Then you can see the beauty but act like a butt and trouble will follow. Yes try have Mafia types here if you hang with people who deal with them then your on there radar if you don't then you couldn't know if one sat next to you. n If you have to work maybe might be different but for all is well. Found in dealing with Thai's never raise my voice or show anger If there is misunderstanding I try my best to back away gracefully as not for them to lose face or myself. It is hard to be angry when only one side is mad.

[Drew rolf]

loving a country blindly is dumb.

Love it warts and all. The Thais aren't allowed to mention the warts. Farangs can and should.

"The Thais aren't allowed to mention the warts."

That's a bit of an exaggeration given all the political unrest and the complaints voiced over and over. They may be reticent to carry on too much to farang who they don't feel overly comfortable with (especially farang who seem to endlessly complain about things in Thailand and who keep talking about how wonderful things are back in their home country), but I find criticism and dissatisfaction over this and that to be present, along with a pragmatic choice to work with things as they are rather than to be overly optimistic about major changes coming over night.

You are probably aware of "issues" within your own family, but you're unlikely to share those problems too readily with strangers or people you think are a little too eager to hear you complain about things in your home. I am critical about many things back in the US, but I can still feel somewhat defensive if I hear non-Americans continuously bashing America.

[brewsterbudgen]

So many here "love" living here, and hope to spent the rest of their lives here, what I have noticed NO-ONE , I repeat no-one has considered where their families would be better off.

My family are far better off here. They have rudimentary or no English, hate cold weather and western food and never expressed even the remotest interest or desire in visiting, let alone living in, the UK. Mind you, they're Laotian not Thai, so Thailand is modern!