SURVEY: Why do Expats Relocate to Thailand?

[Loptr]

If they are called EXPAT it is because they have been relocated by their multinational company thus you know the answer. All the others are immigrants.

Hardly, as my visa says non-immigrant and yes, I am an expat as I am a resident of foreign country not of my birth... You've been reading political correctness blogs again, haven't you? Why do people try to change the tone of a conversation by changing the definition of terms?

[Loptr]

Newbie above nailed it for me '' we are in exile ''

Think about it ?

Perhaps fugitive would be a better term...

[BlackJack]

old farts can get young tarts

[SoiBiker]

If they are called EXPAT it is because they have been relocated by their multinational company thus you know the answer. All the others are immigrants.

Nonsense. Expat is short for expatriate. It comes from the latin 'ex' - 'outside' and 'patria' - 'home country'. It simply refers to anyone who resides outside of their original country.

[Time Traveller]

You left Sex off the the options list. Sorry, I mean the "Thai culture".

Who does thaivisa think they are kidding?

Edited April 30, 2015 by Time Traveller

[expatoz]

Its the Thai culture

[macapie]

If ex-pats were honest in their replies, 90% or more would say they couldn't meet a desirable lady in their own country, but can here by the boatloads Ha Ha !!!

[expatoz]

Macapie your dreamin 555555

[rijit]

winters are'nt cold , it's cheap and the food is great.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bangkokbetty]

Women. But a sex option would have worked too.

[flyingdoc]

Good to hear some positive reasons at last !

[northernjohn]

Well I did not move here for any of the stated reasons. I moved here because I liked the difference in cultures. I am not a live in a rut type guy.65 years of it was enough. I also enjoy the opportunity to travel around Asia relatively cheap. I found a Thai wife who I had to draw the line with in terms of things she was doing for me. Such as I can pull up my own pants up. Back home the way she treats me women would call it abuse by me. Here it is abuse if I don't let her do things for me. She is 57 and has family values that I very seldom saw back home.

I am sad to see some of them dissipating in the younger generation. Materialization moving in.

[slipperylobster]

exotic dancers...

Yeah, some of the culture here is amazing isn't it?

very much so.

I fell in love with the culture in1966, when my dad took us to the World Expo in Montreal.

My favorite exhibition was Thai Culture...and the food.

The girls were all very lovely and dressed in traditional thai costumes.

thanks for the photo..and the memory.

[Suradit69]

Why do Expats Relocate to Thailand?

You're asking why people go TO THAILAND and all the options begin with "They leave ..."

Makes no sense. Emigration and immigration are not the same thing.

Asking why they leave the country in which they now reside and asking why they choose to relocate to Thailand are not the same.

Is it any wonder that so many Thais fail to receive adequate instruction in the English language.

Judging from so many post on TV, most people who choose to come to Thailand are looking for sex with someone way out of their league and/or are, essentially, economic refugees.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Suradit69

[micmichd]

Answer only for myself.

And, yes, it is actually 2 questions. My decision to emigrate is much older than my choice for Thailand.

[Cardiff1963]

"I came here so I could whinge" would have been a more appropriate response judging by most posts on here

[johnj]

There's things people have commented on here that you can read a lot into. How about the guy who says he thought his wife would get better medical treatment in Thailand than the USA? nothing to do with cost? The guy who made this statement, "Here my wife has a good job ,not the ones she had to do in the UK,"and goes on to say he's never had to work again? if you've got any Thai ladies that don't mind keeping a farang financially let me know, lol! The guy who made this statement "Only place you can find a mint condition 22 year old to hang out of," sounds like one of the guys going through his second teenage years. So many of them in Thailand, beer guts, bald and riding about on choppers thinking their young dudes, nice way to think though. How about putting the question from another perspective like, Why do expats return to their own respective countries. I know many that do and mostly because of financial reasons, oh! and in the case of the UK., not forgetting the good old NHS, nothing free in the land of smiles, or the USA. There's many good reasons to live in any Asian country, not just Thailand. Asian people have a better attitude than westerners, but in the case of Thailand, especially sin city, Pattaya, there's more dead heads from the West living there than there is non dead heads. Also nobody has mentioned the fact that there are a lot of expats living in Asia that are not paying any income tax on their earnings, be it from overseas or from businesses in the country their living in.It's a fact that if you spend more than 180 days in any country even as a tourists, you are liable to pay income tax, but then as in Thailand, "mai pen rai" is the attitude from all walks of life to paying taxes. Can't wait to read all the comments this post will bring. My ears are stinging already. lol!

Chok Dee

[micmichd]

Pensioners don't have to work, but many get a permanent income. No unusual that their wives are much younger, so wives still work.

[zierf1]

1. I couldn't get laid or find a wife in my own country, the US. (And they talk about China having a shortage of women... )

2. Weather in the midwest(where I'm from) is gloomy and cold.

3. US is a dull place generally speaking.

4. Cost of living is out of control.

5. + Many more reasons.

Below. A photo of one of my country's "beautiful" cities. I wonder why I would want to leave.

Edited May 3, 2015 by zierf1

[redandyellow]

I would venture that several TV members are fleeing personal problems, such as family, financial or legal - but they didn't vote that way.

The question is why are they choosing to lie?

That's the 3 million dollar question.

We delude ourselves until we believe the lie.

It's an expat survival strategy - and a decent one at that

[redandyellow]

1. I couldn't get laid or find a wife in my own country, the US. (And they talk about China having a shortage of women... )

2. Weather in the midwest(where I'm from) is gloomy and cold.

3. US is a dull place generally speaking.

4. Cost of living is out of control.

5. + Many more reasons.

I have all the respect in the world for you Zierf1 - that you would be honest about getting laid or not.

Some people come to Thailand because they are tired of taking the situation into hand - be it left or right.

[SoiBiker]

I would venture that several TV members are fleeing personal problems, such as family, financial or legal - but they didn't vote that way.

The question is why are they choosing to lie?

That's the 3 million dollar question.

We delude ourselves until we believe the lie.

It's an expat survival strategy - and a decent one at that

What makes you think anyone is lying?

[micmichd]

Maybe the questionnaire is not that perfect. You can only check from pre-defined answers.

I always wanted to go back to Asia since 1969, mainly because of the hospitality I experienced there. It turned out to be Thailand, because I wanted a new family (pussy included)

No way to tell this in the questionnaire.

[NeverSure]

1. I couldn't get laid...

This is the only reason that's true so you could have stopped right there.

[beachproperty]

1. I couldn't get laid...

This is the only reason that's true so you could have stopped right there.

Don't understand, Neversure, why you have to get so defensive when anything negative is said about the US.

Zierf1 was justing posting what was true for him (and probably many others) in America.

Yes, the US is a great place to live.....but if it was so perfect there would be nothing like what's happening in Baltimore, senseless mass school shootings etc

[chrisinth]

It is a difficult question as to why people relocate to Thailand. In addition to the reasons given in the poll, there are a multitude more to consider.

That is before you look at the shifting reasons. For myself, the initial move was only for a 6 month timeout after a 23 year career. The reason, to party long and hard..................... . Mission accomplished.

Moved away from the commercial area (Pattaya) after 2 years and the reasons for staying changed.

Ended up getting married and the 'reason' goalposts moved yet again.

And of course, long term employment does make a difference.

So, my (individual) reasons for coming to Thailand have pretty much gone through the spectrum with initial reasons no longer valid.

Most of the time................

[chingmai331]

Sociological research reveals that no one emigrates away from home unless situation at home undesirable. Or, if home is good, we stay there. War, famine, disease have all been promoters of emigration and remain so today. But today we also have increased wealth for many elders in terms of pensions and retirement funds so these folks have new opportunities. If they don't like the home scene, for weather, safety, personal health or the women, they are now free to move away. Seems simple to me.

Why such folks move to T'land is another question. Cost of living, weather, available women and most of all, a dependable , yearlong retirement scheme offered by the govt. How many retire to Taiwan which compares favorably with T'land? Few, coz no retirement visa offered. PI can offer some kind of retirement visa but brings poor personal safety and lousy medical services, lousy food and a crumbling infrastructure. You may find other possibilities throughout the world.

[anon4546543]

Since my divorce in 1990, I have shied away from long term relationships. I travelled instead. I fell in love with Thailand as a tourist mecca in the late 80s. I went to Vietnam 3 times with my vet brother in the early 2000s. But I always called into Thailand on the way back. I have visited, walked, trekked, played golf in most places in Thailand except for the deep south and the highlands around Chiang Mai. (I will do this soon) In 2011, I met my Thai wife and fell in love with her. Now I am building a house in her village on her land for us until I die. I joke with the head monk about making sure he burns me well. So enough of the negative posts, not everything about moves to Thailand is about not being able to get laid. More about a lovely lady, and me finally winning her over. More about a lovely village and the wonderful farmers who accept me.

[Tony Aparichio]

I would venture that several TV members are fleeing personal problems, such as family, financial or legal - but they didn't vote that way.

The question is why are they choosing to lie?

That's the 3 million dollar question.

We delude ourselves until we believe the lie.

It's an expat survival strategy - and a decent one at that

Wow the pot calling the kettle black. Judging just by this topic & your prejudged replies & possibilities I have created an equivalent questionaire for you

so the readers can respond in a more appropriate manner

1)...You are an ugly woman from whoever whos last chance at a relationship discovered Thailands allure and doesn't return yer calls.

2)...You Think of yerself as a feminist and make demands on the male people that get stuck on yer web that no self respecting human would tolerate.

the last 5 victims escaped to Thailand. You couldn't reignite the flames when you reapeared as there were none to begin with

3)...You thought that by transporting yourself to Thailand you would find a hansum man. But you became invisible & you couldnt score.

or the final option

4) Your daughter is getting a little past her best before date and all the previous candidates are with beautiful, accomodating Thai ladies

& this post is attempting to shame them back to wherever the hill yer from to complete her & yer uncomplete life unsuccessfuly.

This questionaire is no more unreasonable or unscientific than that posed by the OP. Rediculous you say? HHHmmm.

More rediculous or less than the original post.

And calling the posters that do play your game but by thier own rules Liars. The deception you see is reflective deception on yer own thoughts.

[lostoday]

Sociological research reveals that no one emigrates away from home unless situation at home undesirable. Or, if home is good, we stay there. War, famine, disease have all been promoters of emigration and remain so today. But today we also have increased wealth for many elders in terms of pensions and retirement funds so these folks have new opportunities. If they don't like the home scene, for weather, safety, personal health or the women, they are now free to move away. Seems simple to me.

Why such folks move to T'land is another question. Cost of living, weather, available women and most of all, a dependable , yearlong retirement scheme offered by the govt. How many retire to Taiwan which compares favorably with T'land? Few, coz no retirement visa offered. PI can offer some kind of retirement visa but brings poor personal safety and lousy medical services, lousy food and a crumbling infrastructure. You may find other possibilities throughout the world.

Sociological research reveals that people who quote fictitious sociological research really should stick to talking to themselves.