All depends.

Age and interest makes a big difference.

For older and retired guys Thailand have a lot to offer.

For young guys, not so much, specially if they do not learn the language to be fluent.........

You are right age makes a huge difference.Thailand is immensely more enjoyable for the young.

Can't imagine having more fun than I've had in Thailand for the last 8 years.

Can't remember every having as much fun anywhere else in the world at any younger age.

And I've done, Europe, America and Africa fairly fully.

It always makes me chuckle when Islamophobes post on here - after all, they've left the UK for a country that has even more muslims in it.

I've not seen many people posting anti Islam comments, wouldn't such posts be breaking forum rules?

I quite like Islam as a religion. It's increase back in my home country certainly wouldn't stop me returning to the UK.

Have you read the Koran in full?

Have you read the Bible?

It always makes me chuckle when Islamophobes post on here - after all, they've left the UK for a country that has even more muslims in it.

I've not seen many people posting anti Islam comments, wouldn't such posts be breaking forum rules?

I quite like Islam as a religion. It's increase back in my home country certainly wouldn't stop me returning to the UK.

Have you read the Koran in full?

Have you read the Bible?

Both. The Koran has a lot of elements borrowed from the Bible. I'm not going to discuss my beliefs on this forum, too many trolls.

It always makes me chuckle when Islamophobes post on here - after all, they've left the UK for a country that has even more muslims in it.

I've not seen many people posting anti Islam comments, wouldn't such posts be breaking forum rules?
I quite like Islam as a religion. It's increase back in my home country certainly wouldn't stop me returning to the UK.

Have you read the Koran in full?

Have you read the Bible?

Both. The Koran has a lot of elements borrowed from the Bible. I'm not going to discuss my beliefs on this forum, too many trolls.

I'd be happy to discuss my beliefs. Religion is bunk.

I don't really care, i'm the 6 month's here 6 month's there guy,

i don't speak a word of Thai and still i don't care, if they don't

understand me,, i just move on, who cares,, i did and got a

lot from Thailand but when the honeymoon was over oh yes

reality let me know how much of a second class citizen i was

it's ok i accept it then head off to somewhere for another 6

months,, so who care, if you are bored,,, move.

Drinking is the only way to cope with the heat, boredom, noise and stupidity here, oh add air conditioning and ear plugs.

.....and golf...then beer!!

For those living here, I am guessing that not being able to speak the language probably makes many feel isolated after the initial holiday rush wears off

Learn to speak it, then.

I don't disagree. Probably factors heavily into one's disillusionment with their situation. Probably a bridge too far for most though.

No amount of speaking Thai is going to make you think Thai, and god forbid if you ever do, you would have just successfully dumbed yourself down to believing in things like "Face" (Dublicity) Ghost (Superstition) Status (Prejudice) and god knows how many other qualities we spent centuries educating ourselves out of in the west. (For better or worse).

A well-stated, interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing. Cheers

...

No amount of speaking Thai is going to make you think Thai, and god forbid if you ever do, you would have just successfully dumbed yourself down to believing in things like "Face" (Dublicity) Ghost (Superstition) Status (Prejudice) and god knows how many other qualities we spent centuries educating ourselves out of in the west. (For better or worse).

A well-stated, interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing. Cheers

I'm not sure that I had the same values, thought patterns, as my compatriots when I grew up - they certainly saw a big social divide, but speaking the same language helped a lot.

One don't need to be a thuggish lout to appreciate the benefit of understanding what someone means when they say "D'ye waant a square go, pal?", even if it was not something one would say oneself

SC

I was a bit disappointed with my time in Thailand, but the failings were entirely in myself - I was not the dynamic entrepreneur and potential tycoon that I thought I was; I was not able to manage the multitude different priorities, and establish and maintain the cross-cultural business relationships.

A couple of years later, I went to another job, in another country, and it was exactly how I'd expected it to be. If you'd asked me what the job was like, I would have described it exactly the same before I went as after I left, but before I went, I had no idea what that kind of job was really like to work in. If you don't understand your expectations, then they're not very good expectations....

SC

Alright,sir!

Most of the "unfulfilled expectations" foreigners experience stem from the fact that they just can't handle being a minority.

They're used to having all the clout, all the say, all the influence and, in Thailand, they ain't got jack . . . even with the benefit of big baht

Certainly, there are some who manage just fine but there's a significant hardcore that yearns for the feeling of security and power that comes with being part of the majority that dishes out the crap rather than having to take it.

The ignominy of having people they'd typically walk all over back home telling them not only when to jump but also how high is just too much to bear for some of the old colonials

It's only hard to cope with if you think you should be treated better on account of the colour of your skin or the nationality in your passport

I disagree with this. Apart from the cultural and language difficulties I would say we are afforded VIP Status here, even if it is only from the glow of our money. We're a big fish here. Back home were a small fish. My missus has a saying. <deleted> in farang land. Super star in Thailand

Edited November 24, 201510 yr by Kenny202

My big disappointment here is buddhism.

Of course, I never intended to become a buddhist, as it has a fundamental flaw, just like western philosophies.

But I hoped to be able to find a middle way or combination.

Thailand is not the place for that.

Luckily I found a nice place to live, far away from most farangs and thais, so I enjoy life here 6 months a year.

I too thought Buddhism was the only real religion (philosophy?). People going to the monk to ask for lottery numbers, the local monk pressuring my missus to convince me to donate large sums of money and in return I will receive "big money" future. She suggested wed rather do stuff to support the local poor kids. He couldnt understand that. Buddhists teachings reflect nothing of what happens in these local farces / temples. I don't know why they spend so much money on them or have one in every moo ban? I only ever see a handful of dedicated old ladies ever go. Young people aren't interested anymore.

Most of the "unfulfilled expectations" foreigners experience stem from the fact that they just can't handle being a minority.

They're used to having all the clout, all the say, all the influence and, in Thailand, they ain't got jack . . . even with the benefit of big baht

Certainly, there are some who manage just fine but there's a significant hardcore that yearns for the feeling of security and power that comes with being part of the majority that dishes out the crap rather than having to take it.

The ignominy of having people they'd typically walk all over back home telling them not only when to jump but also how high is just too much to bear for some of the old colonials

It's only hard to cope with if you think you should be treated better on account of the colour of your skin or the nationality in your passport

I disagree with this. Apart from the cultural and language difficulties I would say we are afforded VIP Status here, even if it is only from the glow of our money. We're a big fish here. Back home were a small fish. My missus has a saying. <deleted> in farang land. Super star in Thailand

You might have been small fry back home, but that doesn't mean everyone was...

Most of the "unfulfilled expectations" foreigners experience stem from the fact that they just can't handle being a minority.

They're used to having all the clout, all the say, all the influence and, in Thailand, they ain't got jack . . . even with the benefit of big baht

Certainly, there are some who manage just fine but there's a significant hardcore that yearns for the feeling of security and power that comes with being part of the majority that dishes out the crap rather than having to take it.

The ignominy of having people they'd typically walk all over back home telling them not only when to jump but also how high is just too much to bear for some of the old colonials

It's only hard to cope with if you think you should be treated better on account of the colour of your skin or the nationality in your passport

I disagree with this. Apart from the cultural and language difficulties I would say we are afforded VIP Status here, even if it is only from the glow of our money. We're a big fish here. Back home were a small fish. My missus has a saying. <deleted> in farang land. Super star in Thailand

No idea what you're disagreeing with.

I tend to agree that we get an easy time here but I wasn't referring to those who are content with their lot here, was I?

Most of the "unfulfilled expectations" foreigners experience stem from the fact that they just can't handle being a minority.

They're used to having all the clout, all the say, all the influence and, in Thailand, they ain't got jack . . . even with the benefit of big baht

Certainly, there are some who manage just fine but there's a significant hardcore that yearns for the feeling of security and power that comes with being part of the majority that dishes out the crap rather than having to take it.

The ignominy of having people they'd typically walk all over back home telling them not only when to jump but also how high is just too much to bear for some of the old colonials

It's only hard to cope with if you think you should be treated better on account of the colour of your skin or the nationality in your passport

I disagree with this. Apart from the cultural and language difficulties I would say we are afforded VIP Status here, even if it is only from the glow of our money. We're a big fish here. Back home were a small fish. My missus has a saying. <deleted> in farang land. Super star in Thailand

You might have been small fry back home, but that doesn't mean everyone was...

Are you kidding? Get real! Except for the more recent, former KBR contractors, or government retirees, I'll hedge a bet that at least 95% of the western farangs were definitely small-fry back home (including those farangs who bought 5mil-baht homes, w/ a Fortuna parked under the carport). If they had swam with the big-fish back home, then they'd be retired in either the BVI, the Caymans, the Gold Coast, Singapore, or the Copacabana, in Rio de Janeiro. Definitely, not Thailand, regardless of their displayed "high-horse riding" pretentiousness. I've met far too many of those blokes, in the LOS

Edited November 24, 201510 yr by TuskegeeBen

If that's the scale of fish we're talking about, then I don't think many farangs are big fish here, either.

If that's the scale of fish we're talking about, then I don't think many farangs are big fish here, either.

They're not. Myself included. It cost a lot of money to maintain a pretentious wealthy profile, especially if one is not wealthy. Truly wealthy westerners do not retire anywhere in Asia, except Brunei, Hong Kong, or Singapore. Thats a economical fact.

Edited November 24, 201510 yr by TuskegeeBen

If that's the scale of fish we're talking about, then I don't think many farangs are big fish here, either.

They're not. Myself included. It cost a lot of money to maintain a pretentious wealthy profile, especially if one is not wealthy. Truly wealthy westerners do not retire anywhere in Asia, except Brunei, Hong Kong, or Singapore. Thats a economical fact.

Correction to that last sentence ~ That's a demographical fact

It always makes me chuckle when Islamophobes post on here - after all, they've left the UK for a country that has even more muslims in it.

I've not seen many people posting anti Islam comments, wouldn't such posts be breaking forum rules?

I quite like Islam as a religion. It's increase back in my home country certainly wouldn't stop me returning to the UK.

Have you read the Koran in full?

Have you read the Bible?

no point you may as well read Grimms fairy tales they are equally fabricated