SURVEY: Thailand, Better or Worse?

[Benmart]

Difficult to answer. The government makes it a lot more complicated to live in Thailand, but there are on-going improvements in infrastructure and other areas that make life here convenient.

True. My same thoughts about my home country.

[thaikahuna]

I have been here since 2005 so I am right at the 10 year point. My purchasing power has declined by roughly 30% since 2005 with the Baht being artificially inflated and the costs of goods and services going up. As an example the 30 Baht bowl of soup at the street vendor went up 33% overnight when the announcement of the new minimum wage of B300 per day. My wife asked and was told you got a pay raise, you can afford it.....

IMO the Baht should be at 37-40 to $1 USD to be where it should be.

[Benmart]

Lot's of great Thai friends....lots of happy expats around me....never been ripped off or given a bad experience. Perhaps those who have trouble here or constantly say ferangs are disliked here should change their attitude? A smile greets me with hello uncle john at my local 7/11 because I treat them as equals.We have more Thai invites to things than we can handle. Quite easy to enjoy living here. It's simple really. It's nice to be nice. If you walk around shirtless,long hair with caps on backward in need of a bath leering at women and being impatient in your dealings with Thai's of course they will not like you. Neither would I for that matter. You are a guest here. Show some respect and everything will be fine. You get back what you put out. The only one that gives me a hard time is my wife!!! But only for a few minutes lol.

Good thoughts.

Those comments that suggest modifications of attitude and respect are to be applauded. Unfortunately, many that it applies to are unwilling or unable to understand their meaning.

[Soutpeel]

I have been here since 2005 so I am right at the 10 year point. My purchasing power has declined by roughly 30% since 2005 with the Baht being artificially inflated and the costs of goods and services going up. As an example the 30 Baht bowl of soup at the street vendor went up 33% overnight when the announcement of the new minimum wage of B300 per day. My wife asked and was told you got a pay raise, you can afford it.....

IMO the Baht should be at 37-40 to $1 USD to be where it should be.

Prove the THB is artificially inflated ?

And the 37 to 40 is where YOU want it to be, not where it should be

[Roota]

I still preferred those times when everything was rough and ready, it was cheap and we seemed to have more fun.

Yes, it was a great place to be young back in the '70s and even early '80s, before all the world discovered it. But while my life here is very different these days I'm enjoying it just as much. The people I deal with -- admittedly a long ways off the tourist/expat trail -- are very much the same as ever and treat me as well as ever. Or maybe better than ever, given that I'm now older than most of them and am obviously at ease with their culture and language. So while I suspect that I'm in a microscopic minority of people here, my answer is: not better, not worse, just different.

[gcdhar]

Thailand is my number one country for travel in my holidays. Since 1991 I travelled this Kingdom more than 30 times as tourist. In addition, as a physician, I completed a postgraduate course in Mahidol University in 1992. That time was really green and enjoyable. The main reason that Thailand is my number one travel destination is “Thailand a land of smile". Really I experienced excellent "Thai behavior" “polite” “helpful” in case of any problem every time I visited different parts of this country. If I compare 2013, 2014, I am feeling that situation is changing.

As a tourist, I alone and frequently with my wife visit Thailand for short term holidays; 3 to 15 days not for earning money but to spend instead. In last two years my feeling was that that I am an unwanted guest e.g. I have done wrong by visiting Thailand. I am not talking about some night time shopping places which I usually avoid because of some rude people there but in recent years I felt unwell by the behavior in some prominent places as well.

[elgordo38]

Better or worse than where?

Generally the whole world is getting worse as a place to live.

I'd still rather live here than North Korea though.

Although in the near future it's likely gonna get worse than almost anywhere.

Amen brother on the whole world is getting worse. There is not a day goes by where I do not read that the big money boys are gobbling up companies at an alarming rate. The richest man in Hong Kong did a mega billion dollar deal. CP here with a partner did a 20% buyout of somebody. I watched a tv show on the weekend on Alijeera showing young Chinese in Australia buying up 10 or 20 million dollar properties like cheap condo's here. One old guy in Australia a developer wanted to retire and was asking for 10 billion dollars for his company. He said that no one in Australia had enough money to buy him out thus he was looking for an Asian buyer. Then you see the average Chinese slaving away in some shirt factory 7 days a week for peanuts. It disgusts me. There was a Chinese real estate broker and her husband flogging these high end properties and they made a staggering 120 million last year in real estate commissions it just blew my mind. The rich want to get their money out of China before the crackdown comes. This madness has to end badly.

[Jackson86]

At the economic level, things have improved. At the political level, things have not improved.

[Berkshire]

Moot point, but if things are as bad as some here would suggest, why do expats keep flocking to Thailand? And in huge numbers. That's the big difference I see in Chiang Mai, many more foreigners now than 10 years ago. Not just tourists, but foreigners relocating to Thailand. Is that what people are complaining about, too many darn farangs in Thailand?

[Soutpeel]

Moot point, but if things are as bad as some here would suggest, why do expats keep flocking to Thailand? And in huge numbers. That's the big difference I see in Chiang Mai, many more foreigners now than 10 years ago. Not just tourists, but foreigners relocating to Thailand. Is that what people are complaining about, too many darn farangs in Thailand?

Temples and beaches or that's what they tell themselves I suspect

[mrtoad]

Moot point, but if things are as bad as some here would suggest, why do expats keep flocking to Thailand? And in huge numbers. That's the big difference I see in Chiang Mai, many more foreigners now than 10 years ago. Not just tourists, but foreigners relocating to Thailand. Is that what people are complaining about, too many darn farangs in Thailand?

Temples and beaches or that's what they tell themselves I suspect

Apart from wanting to meet the TVF legends?

[nicothai]

All the islands are worst... Overbuilt... Pollution... Scam etc

It is not the paradise of 25 yrs ago anymore

Bangkok is much better... But the night life of 20 yrs ago was terrific!

[espinoza]

Many of you guys did not understand the question. They ask about the last 10 years not the last 20 - 25 years.

[WhamBam]

I feel we are getting charged more for rental properties and that many are taking the p*ss with what they ask. There are some who are genuine but they seem fewer.

The cost of living has increased quite a lot regards beer and supermarkets. Yet the local markets seem to have raised their prices very little.

The attitude towards us in general seems to have deteriorated. I am still the same smiley person I used to be yet the responses are less 'happy'.

In Pattaya - for example - condos seem to be springing up everywhere, Pattaya, Jomtien, the Dark side (Khao Talo). Traffic is horrendous.

On the other hand, after my m/c accident outside Chonburi, the locals were as helpful as they could be. On the other side of the coin, there being the local police officer who has removed the m/c and no-one can find out where to. A friendly police man (Uncle of a teacher) cannot find any information. Things like this stink. In the past after incidents like this there was plenty of help available from all quarters including the local police.

Many bar and shop staff remain friendly and polite. Some bar staff show their evident displeasure with more these days becoming agitated when they are not bought a drink.

Many scams are supposed to be getting sorted but it seems like all hot air and no action.

I feel this last coup could have been a good thing. The General and his cronies could be getting right on top of things yet it all seems to be talk talk and little action.

Visas have become a battleground, especially in the UK where we could get a Non-O for visiting friends and family - sadly no more.

On the whole, I feel things have deteriorated over the last 8 years.

[Ulic]

Mostly the exchange rate with the Baht remaining stable in relation to the USD while most currencies slide, the Swiss Franc

of course having jumped significantly after the Swiss government holding it down the last few years. Many ex-pats will have to

tighten there belts and the bar girls will be sending less home.

[MJP]

Moot point, but if things are as bad as some here would suggest, why do expats keep flocking to Thailand? And in huge numbers. That's the big difference I see in Chiang Mai, many more foreigners now than 10 years ago. Not just tourists, but foreigners relocating to Thailand. Is that what people are complaining about, too many darn farangs in Thailand?

Could it be there's just more old people in the World? Boomer generation retiring?

[Credo]

It seems like there are more other foreign groups in Thailand than there were some years back. A lot of South Asians, Iranians, Arabs and also a lot more Chinese. I don't know if that is good or bad, just different from the past.

[DPIZZA]

We should answer according to the question. The question asks how life is for foreigners in thailand, Regardless of how they are in another country or what's the reasons for it... so answers like "it got worse all over the world" or "its more expensive these day everywhere" do not apply...

I'm been here since 1998 and things changed a lot for the worse.

Traffic started to be better after the mrt and bts introduction but later continued to deteriorate due to the last government new car buying incentives, new condos on main roads, and the same old problem of a car being a status symbol.

Attitude of thai people changed a lot. their respects to each other and foriegners deteriorated, people Wai or smile less, there was much more innocence in the past, they were always greedy but it got much worse.

Cost of living up about 35% since then. I remember earning of about 1,000 USD a month and never worried about eating in nice restaurants or spending money hanging out all night, almost every day...

It used to be a status being a falang here,but now you feel persecuted and mistrust, much more then before. It doesn't feel as safe as it used to either. Crimes against foreigners on the rise...

I still like thailand and have hope for it, but I don't see things change for the better soon...

[ExpatOilWorker]

Worse....

...but they got better at making it worse.

[AYJAYDEE]

We should answer according to the question. The question asks how life is for foreigners in thailand, Regardless of how they are in another country or what's the reasons for it... so answers like "it got worse all over the world" or "its more expensive these day everywhere" do not apply...

I'm been here since 1998 and things changed a lot for the worse.

Traffic started to be better after the mrt and bts introduction but later continued to deteriorate due to the last government new car buying incentives, new condos on main roads, and the same old problem of a car being a status symbol.

Attitude of thai people changed a lot. their respects to each other and foriegners deteriorated, people Wai or smile less, there was much more innocence in the past, they were always greedy but it got much worse.

Cost of living up about 35% since then. I remember earning of about 1,000 USD a month and never worried about eating in nice restaurants or spending money hanging out all night, almost every day...

It used to be a status being a falang here,but now you feel persecuted and mistrust, much more then before. It doesn't feel as safe as it used to either. Crimes against foreigners on the rise...

I still like thailand and have hope for it, but I don't see things change for the better soon...

dont see them changing for the better in the rest of the world either

[MRGTINGTONG]

The question was asked today, not 10 or 20 years ago, if like many of the moaning posts are true, why don't you just go back from where you came, no one is forcing you to live here. Always make the best of what you've got, I think this place is Magical.......

[ggt]

Is this a trick question?

[phuket43]

Scams are getting worse

Violence toward westerners is getting worse

Corruption getting worse (more and more "suicides", not murders)

Cost of living increasing

Teacher's salaries staying the same, though contracts are getting shorter and shorter

More xenophobia

Foreigners getting blamed for everything....more cracking down on us, when they should be dealing with their own problems

Cost of going up (sorry)

Worse traffic jams

More pollution

Less natural environment

Wonder why you're still in Thailand. The above is the norm for many countries.

[Greenpeiper]

I don't really feel qualified to vote in this poll having only moved to BKK 6 weeks ago from the UK however I just spent a long w/end in Phnom Penh and I can honestly say I found it better!.....ok it may be 20 or so years behind BKK with regards to development but somehow that made everything feel more relaxed. I paid an official 1000baht at the airport and got a visa in 2 minutes flat (no exaggeration) rather than waiting in a mile long line......and at roughly $1 to $1.50 for a beer it was value for money. There are also some really good eating establishments and a huge casino. So, in my humble inexperienced opinion progress can be a good thing but it certainly takes away the charm of living abroad....I came here to escape the rat race not join another one... ....oh and the girls beautiful and $10 - $20 should see you ok

Edited January 27, 2015 by Greenpeiper

[i claudius]

Hard to answer this as 24 years ago it was better for me at the time as I was single and out rogering young women every night and did not watch tv eat British food much or go shopping much,now I am married,have a son ,watch tv ,go shopping and don't go out rogering other women so good then ,good now.

[freebyrd]

I once considered Thailand my Shangri La, the shine wore off quite quickly. I left Thailand many years ago for a neighbouring country which also isn't Shangri La, but is a lot less hassle. That said, older and wiser is anywhere perfect?

Any further comment would be superfluous and as always, one man's meat....

[Berkshire]

Hard to answer this as 24 years ago it was better for me at the time as I was single and out rogering young women every night and did not watch tv eat British food much or go shopping much,now I am married,have a son ,watch tv ,go shopping and don't go out rogering other women so good then ,good now.

True. What the survey doesn't take into account is whether the expat him/herself has changed. Some of these guys have simply gotten bored doing the same thing over and over again, not to mention wearing out their welcome. They've got nothing left to even look forward to each day. And then there are some guys who'll complain about the girls on smartphones and social media and all that. But this is how it is in the west as well.

An interesting point is that one of the things that expats complain about the most--the bargirls and availability, price, attitude, the GFE, etc.--these things may indeed be on the decline. Which is a good thing. It means the country is prospering and many of the girls now have other opportunities besides selling themselves to drunken and revolting men. So it's good to hear expats complain about that aspect of Thailand. Off to Cambodia they go.

[WestonTeaPot]

There is good and bad but overall in the 15 years I have known Thailand it seems to have gone down hill or are we just better informed today?

[WestonTeaPot]

There is good and bad but overall in the 15 years I have known Thailand it seems to have gone down hill or are we just better informed today?

[DP25]

....oh and the girls beautiful and $10 - $20 should see you ok

This comes down to the heart of why many people don't like Thailand. Thailand is developing.

The bar girls these days are too expensive, too ugly, too old, and not friendly enough.

Fortunately Cambodia is right next door with plenty of desperately poor young women who will shag some old man for a few dollars and even pretend that she loves it. It is so impoverished that they are greateful for whatever peanuts the generous farang tosses their way. The poverty is so intense that even the scammers overcharge so little that you don't even care.