Why Thailand?

[Chwooly]

from the few short months I have been reading TV, I have come to the conclusion that most expats here hate it and that what ever country they come from has no corruption, crime, dishonest merchants, or scofflaws of any type. That the afore mentioned only exist here. so Why come and/or stay if it is so horrible and your so miserable?

[gerry123]

the few short months I have been reading TV herein lies your answer this is 90% of TV its the way it is

[CMHomeboy78]

It's the view from the farang ghetto.

Tourist Thailand is pretty bad, and most of the complaints are justified.

[villagefarang]

Those of us who are happy here don’t attract as much attention as those unhappy souls crying in their beer. Happiness doesn’t tend to be as loud or in your face as complaining.

[peptidebomber]

98% of expats in Thailand would never even log on to TVF, let alone post.

[NanLaew]

And 98% of those complaining are relatively recent retirees to a northern city (that has a moat).

[gerry123]

And 98% of those complaining are relatively recent retirees to a northern city (that has a moat).

camelot ????

[SoiBiker]

For a lot of people, the answer seems to be because their dick likes it here.

[kurnell]

I'm rich so I can afford to complain. That is what we do.

[garrya]

So what should an unhappy person do??

Some people have no choice. People relocate after taking advice from some of the smartarses and then realise that this is not the the so-called paradise. Some people are not as rich as yours. Some people give up their life. Therefore, it is difficult to move and start a new life again.

Let's face it, most of the complaints are about real bad things, such as driving culture, queuing culture, rip-off culture, lawlessness, poor education standards, corruption, pollution, rubbish, lack of health and safety, dirty politics, capability of police etc. I know some of these exist in our culture, but they are not as conspicuous as in here.

Has any of the apologists thought why there have been so many complaints about Thailand?? All those who complain can't be wrong.

[IMA_FARANG]

Why Thailand?

The weather report says a "cold snap" is approaching the North East U.S. this week.

It is only just starting November and the temperature is about to go down below freezing for the first time this winter season.

Since I am retired, and don't HAVE to be there, why should I not be here in Thailand instead?

Of course, it's not perfect, but no place is.

Given my "druthers" I'd rather (druther) be here than freezing back there.

[SoiBiker]

So what should an unhappy person do??

Some people have no choice. People relocate after taking advice from some of the smartarses and then realise that this is not the the so-called paradise. Some people are not as rich as yours. Some people give up their life. Therefore, it is difficult to move and start a new life again.

Let's face it, most of the complaints are about real bad things, such as driving culture, queuing culture, rip-off culture, lawlessness, poor education standards, corruption, pollution, rubbish, lack of health and safety, dirty politics, capability of police etc. I know some of these exist in our culture, but they are not as conspicuous as in here.

Has any of the apologists thought why there have been so many complaints about Thailand?? All those who complain can't be wrong.

Only a fool believes there is a paradise on this earth. Don't blame others because your expectations were delusional.

[Keesters]

from the few short months I have been reading TV, I have come to the conclusion that most expats here hate it and that what ever country they come from has no corruption, crime, dishonest merchants, or scofflaws of any type. That the afore mentioned only exist here. so Why come and/or stay if it is so horrible and your so miserable?

You'll have to provide many examples of users before I'll believe you that most here hate it and their countries are crime & corruption free etc. and that those sort of things only exist in Thailand.

Without justification of your claim I can only see it as complete B.S. and not worthy of further comment.

[eldragon]

I'd say- for many of the kinds of people you're referring to- living in Thailand is a bit like an addiction or an abusive relationship. They're chasing that initial high or longing to recreate the honeymoon phase.

Thailand is definitely a frustrating place. The corruption and scamming is far more overt than any place I've ever lived or visited. But there's a lot of things to like too. It's electric and exciting, yet laid back and easygoing.

I suggest reading most of these posts as if they're coming from people who just need to vent. Don't take TV too seriously. I'm pretty sure you'd like most of the users if you met em in a bar.

[gerry123]

from the few short months I have been reading TV, I have come to the conclusion that most expats here hate it and that what ever country they come from has no corruption, crime, dishonest merchants, or scofflaws of any type. That the afore mentioned only exist here. so Why come and/or stay if it is so horrible and your so miserable?

You'll have to provide many examples of users before I'll believe you that most here hate it and their countries are crime & corruption free etc. and that those sort of things only exist in Thailand.

Without justification of your claim I can only see it as complete B.S. and not worthy of further comment.

imo the ops troll comments fit in nicely with 50%of the posts on TV incliding mine

[garrya]

So what should an unhappy person do??

Some people have no choice. People relocate after taking advice from some of the smartarses and then realise that this is not the the so-called paradise. Some people are not as rich as yours. Some people give up their life. Therefore, it is difficult to move and start a new life again.

Let's face it, most of the complaints are about real bad things, such as driving culture, queuing culture, rip-off culture, lawlessness, poor education standards, corruption, pollution, rubbish, lack of health and safety, dirty politics, capability of police etc. I know some of these exist in our culture, but they are not as conspicuous as in here.

Has any of the apologists thought why there have been so many complaints about Thailand?? All those who complain can't be wrong.

Only a fool believes there is a paradise on this earth. Don't blame others because your expectations were delusional.

In conclusion, the majority of the people are either delusional or fool.

[SoiBiker]

In conclusion, the majority of the people are either delusional or fool.

It certainly seems that many had ideas about Thailand that were quite unrealistic.

[Chwooly]

from the few short months I have been reading TV, I have come to the conclusion that most expats here hate it and that what ever country they come from has no corruption, crime, dishonest merchants, or scofflaws of any type. That the afore mentioned only exist here. so Why come and/or stay if it is so horrible and your so miserable?

You'll have to provide many examples of users before I'll believe you that most here hate it and their countries are crime & corruption free etc. and that those sort of things only exist in Thailand.

Without justification of your claim I can only see it as complete B.S. and not worthy of further comment.

Obviously you are trolling here.

So I will not single out any one poster but there are much more negative posts then positive posts case in point is the thread on cabinet members wealth. What is the average wealth of cabinet members in the US,GB or OZ. Why is it wrong for a general to accumulate wealth here but OK in western countries? The bottom line for me is every thing I see complained about here I have seen the same or worse in other countries I have lived in including the us and Germany.

[garrya]

In conclusion, the majority of the people are either delusional or fool.

It certainly seems that many had ideas about Thailand that were quite unrealistic.

So let's bury our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is wonderful.

[SoiBiker]

In conclusion, the majority of the people are either delusional or fool.

It certainly seems that many had ideas about Thailand that were quite unrealistic.

So let's bury our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is wonderful.

What?

Nobody is pretending everything is wonderful. The world is a flawed place, and Thailand is no exception. Those foolish enough to see it as an escape to paradise are doomed to disappointment and bitterness. The rest of us enjoy it, warts and all...

[sipi]

The few that do hate Thailand would also hate the rest of Asia, the Americas, Europe, the UK, Africa, Antartica......

[SoiBiker]

The few that do hate Thailand would also hate the rest of Asia, the Americas, Europe, the UK, Africa, Antartica......

...and deep down, they probably hate themselves.

[garrya]

In conclusion, the majority of the people are either delusional or fool.

It certainly seems that many had ideas about Thailand that were quite unrealistic.

So let's bury our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is wonderful.

What?

Nobody is pretending everything is wonderful. The world is a flawed place, and Thailand is no exception. Those foolish enough to see it as an escape to paradise are doomed to disappointment and bitterness. The rest of us enjoy it, warts and all...

Guess not the law-abiding people think this way.

[SoiBiker]

Guess not the law-abiding people think this way.

Huh?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

In answer to the OP, cheap hookers!

(apart from Soi Cowboy Biker, who came here for the temples)

Edited October 31, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Cypress Hill]

A lot of people came here expecting to be "bwana"

They were disappointed.

The ones who do well or are content here are those who arrive with few expectations of the country or its people, a self-reliant and independent disposition and no delusions of grandeur.

[thailiketoo]

10 years ago in the West I don't remember what I did for my birthday. Here I remember the day that all of the ladies took me out for dinner and the time everyone blew up balloons and put them up all over town and the day that all my students (about 400) sang happy birthday to me outside on the school parade grounds. I remember all the cakes here and the year I had cheesecake for my birthday cake.

I have some legitimate gripes about the country I left as they tried to kill me and rob me numerous times. I don't post on an anti Western website about my issues. It's not worth it to me.

There a number of people who post here who have never been to Thailand (I know because people are easy to track on the internet) and they post negative Thai things every time they post. Why they do it? I have not been able to figure it out.

I have some ideas, astroturfing and bad luck internet dating and religious nuts but nothing solid; nothing that I could say unequivocally this is why they do it. They are easy to spot because they never start threads and never ask simple questions.

If you live here, sometime you want to know something about a visa or where to buy Dinty Moore beef stew or baked beans but the hyper negative trolls never ask a question.

[Gecko123]

Some people have no choice. People relocate after taking advice from some of the smartarses and then realise that this is not the the so-called paradise.

Has any of the apologists thought why there have been so many complaints about Thailand?? All those who complain can't be wrong.

Some of the people complaining on these forums don't even live in Thailand.

They adjusted poorly to Thailand and returned home a long time ago.

I sometimes wonder if those complaining don't see themselves as providing some sort of public service by constantly reminding everyone about the drawbacks to living here.

Some who chronically bash Thailand do so because they can't come to grips with the reality that others have successfully adjusted here when they did not/could not. The bashing is done as a coping mechanism to deal with their wounded egos.

The negative bias on some of these forums is not necessarily reflected in the real world expat community. The majority of expatriates living in Thailand are at least satisfied, if not content, with their life here.

To answer your question about why some in the expat community complain so vociferously about Thailand, I think it is because a disproportionate number of guys who come over here do so because they are attracted to the bar scene. They also have poor language skills.

If and when this scene loses its charm, they suddenly discover that there is little else here which interests them.

Thailand has plenty to offer beyond the bar scene. But a person needs language skills and at least a measure of cultural sensitivity and interest in engagement to fully experience it.

If you decided to move to another country without carefully researching and checking it out for yourself beforehand, you have no one but yourself to blame.

Ditto, if you didn't have a plan B for what to do if things didn't work out.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Gecko123

[Aforek]

There are people who can't breathe without complaining ; are they the same people that I see at 6.30 am drinking their (first ? ) beer, alone with their big belly ? Thai bashing is their speciality, and I guess they would be the same regardless of the country where they are

as said above, language skill makes life easier, and I speak Thai enough to have a real contact with people ; I never go to bars, no need

Edited October 31, 2014 by Aforek

[Keesters]

from the few short months I have been reading TV, I have come to the conclusion that most expats here hate it and that what ever country they come from has no corruption, crime, dishonest merchants, or scofflaws of any type. That the afore mentioned only exist here. so Why come and/or stay if it is so horrible and your so miserable?

You'll have to provide many examples of users before I'll believe you that most here hate it and their countries are crime & corruption free etc. and that those sort of things only exist in Thailand.

Without justification of your claim I can only see it as complete B.S. and not worthy of further comment.

Obviously you are trolling here.

So I will not single out any one poster but there are much more negative posts then positive posts case in point is the thread on cabinet members wealth. What is the average wealth of cabinet members in the US,GB or OZ. Why is it wrong for a general to accumulate wealth here but OK in western countries? The bottom line for me is every thing I see complained about here I have seen the same or worse in other countries I have lived in including the us and Germany.

Not trolling. I thought you might be. Again without substantiating your 'most' it is as I said before B.S. I read a lot of what is written here and have never seen anybody claim that their country is crime or corruption free. Your comments are insulting to the TV community.