Has ThaiVisa discouraged you from moving to Thailand?

[kowpot]

I have been coming back and forth to Thailand for a number of years (44). At one point for 6 years without leaving. I am again back in the U.S. due to business, but plan to move back to Thailand on a more permanent basis in October, 2016. So I guess you can figure how I feel about Thailand.

First of all, I am not judging what others think or feel about Thailand or how they come to the conclusions that they do. But, one thing I think might be expressed more often than not on ThaiVisa is that Thailand can be a mistake for someone to come and retire or even live here working.

A lot of comments are made about corruption and the Thai people taking advantage of the foreigners. While this may be true in same cases. In my experience this is not the rule. My feeling is that while Thailand has lost some of it's Old Country charm. It is still a remarkable place. It is not a country that is only full of, con artist, bar girls, and corrupt police. It is not the same place as it once was in the 70,s and 80's. But, what place is? The best advice in my opinion that was ever given on this site, is that one needs to visit Thailand not just for a 30 day vacation, but for at least 3 months or longer. Then go back home and think seriously about moving to Thailand.

If you think in Black and White like your in a Classic movie and think Thailand will be a land of "The King and I", then I think you will be disappointed. Thailand has become much more modern in the past 40 years. There is now the internet and social media. The Thai people know more about the world around them than at any time before. They know what the world thinks of them and know what they think of it. If you think of Thailand as a place where YOU are the only means of making their economy run , then you will be disappointed.

If you remember one thing about the Thai people, remember they are a very proud people. As it should be.

The Western foreigners that move here, while they bad mouth the politics of their own country. Will undoubtedly fight with you if you bad mouth their country, because they are still proud and loyal to their home country. You can expect nothing less from the Thai people. If you knock their customs and disrespect them or their country you cannot expect them to show you any respect.

I guess what I am saying is, don't judge Thailand by the negative comments on ThaiVisa. Take it with a grain of salt and make your own decisions. After all, you are the one contemplating moving here.

ThaiVisa is a wealth of good honest information. While it is ransacked with internet warriors that would not say certain things to your face but will, while hidden behind their computers. Just ignore them. You will be able to tell the good honest posters that are enjoying a very good happy life in the Land of Smiles.

[NancyL]

OK, I'll start. Hubby and I are already here -- retirees in Chiang Mai. You're right -- ThaiVisa.com is an important news sources for us. We're keeping our options open for the future and your post reminds me that Monday morning I really need to get in gear to renew my drivers license (second 5 year license) and take the cats to the vets for their annual shots.

We do try to keep things such that we can get on that Korean Airlines midnight flight out of Chiang Mai and onto Seoul (connecting to a gizzilion places in North Anerican non-stop) with a minimum of hassle and with our cats. Probably should update their "health passports" soon.

[bendejo]

I was living in Bangkok when the redshirts went on their arson spree. My best sources of news were tvf and Al Jazeera English (my Thai is not fluent). I don't know if tvf had paid, full-time correspondents out there, but the current info was damned good. BBC World coverage sucked, a lot of words but little info, which was usually wrong. They seem to put their energy into creating stories rather than covering what is happening.

Al Jaz had this skinny Brit gal covering the protests, and her reports always showed her standing on what I guess was a balcony. Then a report came on and there she is at the same place but now wearing a helmet and a flak jacket, and I said "uh-oh." Sort of "war correspondent Barbie."

But back to the topic at hand. You are going to find info on here you won't find elsewhere other than word-of-mouth. Dealing with morons, trolls, etc is part of living with the internet -- get used to it.

[GuestHouse]

I think it's about 'experience sets'.

I've lived and worked in Thailand for over 17years, enjoying the benefits of being in Thailand working for a MNC.

My experience of Thailand from this perspective is very different from an expat who is in Thailand completely under their own 'steam'.

But we have much to learn from each other.

An expat (under his own steam) I met via TVF has saved me a great deal of problems, and a fair bit of cash, by advising me on how best to buy a home, the tricks, the scams and the shortcuts.

If I had disregarded the negative views (read warnings) he gave me based on his experience, but contrary to my own experience, I would almost certainly have been scammed during the purchase of my home.

So I'm all for keeping TVF discussions open for negative views - TVF might be the only place we have a chance to air and read those views.

I'm actually of the opinion that TVF needs to air more bad news, if it is to remain relevant to the ordinary members.

I can name at least three expat criminals in Thailand, (well one that is no longer in Thailand) who have made a great deal of money out of scamming expats. They have been convicted for these crimes, and yet their names and their crimes have remained absent from the warnings of scams and things to watch out for here on TVF.

I don't think TVF puts anyone off moving to Thailand, but it has the potential to ensure that people who do move to Thailand are informed of the risks, the scams and who to stay clear of.

I'd like to see more of this.

Edited February 6, 2016 by GuestHouse

[chiang mai]

Sifting through all the information, separating the true from the false, being able to assess whether something that's true in one location is impossible in another, it's all very difficult even for intelligent mature people so forums such as TVF do help rather than hinder because it tends to synthesize views and do a lot of the work for you. I do think that TVF is more expat positive than it is negative, by a big margin, as long as you can negotiate around the internet trolls, Thai detractors and folks just having fun on a keyboard.

[kowpot]

Guest House,

This was kind of my point. I don't want people to get discouraged from coming or moving to Thailand because of what some disgruntled Expat has to say on ThaiVisa. Because, most of the time there is some great information also.

[fireplay]

Its interesting because there are some really septic toxic ideas being reinforced here through analysis of news personal experiences and rants. I have to admit after 6 years of living in Thailand I am a bit tired of the place...for all the reasons...I think living under oppression....students journalists and teachers getting arrested...internet gateway...and koh tao has really left me feeling disappointed and fearful of the place. The ultra nationalistic fervor has left me feeling as a target...an undesirable...i don't think Thailand wants me there...and now I am way too scared to play facebook..

As an American freedom of expression is paramount to a life of liberty and freedom. I just donT Feel as free there anymore.

Why? Well the internet problems are a big deal for me...i need consistent strong connections...about work....

But other than that...I personally haven't experienced these things personally...passport checks overt discrimination or malice...serious corruption or scams....so maybe it IS the ideas/news shared and talked about here that is affecting me....

I am also into the boycott thailand movement and as a show of solidarity to the b2 i just don't want to spend my money there anymore...Its sad....but that's my feelings.

Edited February 6, 2016 by fireplay

[kurtramsbottom]

I wouldnt live in Thailand .regardless.

[Blackheart]

Not at all, when the time for me comes to move thai visa will not be a deciding factor.

It has taught me that I will be ultra choosy when associating with expats.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Blackheart

[mcfish]

I had a blissful happy life before joining TV. But now I fear for the future

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[1FinickyOne]

It seems to me a few people who are disgruntled post very frequently and repetitively negative... nobody is going to like 100% of everything anywhere... but hopefully people will be able to see past the "All Thai people..." comments and the "I don't want to bash, but..." people who go on to bash -

Thailand is a unique culture - it is not always easy to figure things out and not possible if you only have limited or surface knowledge... it takes time, language abilities and years of experience...

It seems near everyone I know personally amongst Expats are people who like it here - I assume that if someone did not like it here, they would be smart enough to leave. I live in the countryside and find most people to be kind and friendly - if you are considering retirement, probably the further you get from the haunts of tourism, the closer you will get to the "old" Thailand..

[SoiBiker]

I found Thaivisa very discouraging whilst I was planning to move here, to the point where I simply stopped reading it because the relentless negativity was so outputting.

After I'd been in Thailand for a while I came back to the site and realised that much of the stuff people post here is laughable nonsense that bears no relation to the Thailand I know, and started finding these forums quite entertaining.

It is a shame though that a site that should be a great resource for those seeking to move to Thailand ends up being so dominated by those with an agenda of negativity.

[impulse]

I will say this, I have no desire whatsoever to visit England or Australia if they're as dangerous as TVF posters make them sound.

And I'm scared to death to go back home to the USA. Too many crazies with guns must have moved in since I was last there 5 years ago.

Edit: As for Thailand, I like it here just fine, but have no intention to stay once my paychecks quit getting mailed to BKK. Nothing to do with TVF, it's the freaking heat, mold and mildew. TVF has some good info, but it's become very painful to sift through the detritus to glean the good stuff.

Edited February 7, 2016 by impulse

[meatboy]

I think it's about 'experience sets'.

I've lived and worked in Thailand for over 17years, enjoying the benefits of being in Thailand working for a MNC.

My experience of Thailand from this perspective is very different from an expat who is in Thailand completely under their own 'steam'.

But we have much to learn from each other.

An expat (under his own steam) I met via TVF has saved me a great deal of problems, and a fair bit of cash, by advising me on how best to buy a home, the tricks, the scams and the shortcuts.

If I had disregarded the negative views (read warnings) he gave me based on his experience, but contrary to my own experience, I would almost certainly have been scammed during the purchase of my home.

So I'm all for keeping TVF discussions open for negative views - TVF might be the only place we have a chance to air and read those views.

I'm actually of the opinion that TVF needs to air more bad news, if it is to remain relevant to the ordinary members.

I can name at least three expat criminals in Thailand, (well one that is no longer in Thailand) who have made a great deal of money out of scamming expats. They have been convicted for these crimes, and yet their names and their crimes have remained absent from the warnings of scams and things to watch out for here on TVF.

I don't think TVF puts anyone off moving to Thailand, but it has the potential to ensure that people who do move to Thailand are informed of the risks, the scams and who to stay clear of.

I'd like to see more of this.

agree with you GH.but i think the majority of us who have been here or have been coming here for a long time [myself] over 30yrs.only speak as we see it,and by christ there is a lot we havent seen,as for putting anyone off coming here,come here first as you say 3months or more,then as most thai's say UP TO YOU.

[chiang mai]

I will say this, I have no desire whatsoever to visit England or Australia if they're as dangerous as TVF posters make them sound.

And I'm scared to death to go back home to the USA. Too many crazies with guns must have moved in since I was last there 5 years ago.

Edit: As for Thailand, I like it here just fine, but have no intention to stay once my paychecks quit getting mailed to BKK. Nothing to do with TVF, it's the freaking heat, mold and mildew. TVF has some good info, but it's become very painful to sift through the detritus to glean the good stuff.

I couldn't agree more, many western countries seem to be very very violent these days and I'm put off from visiting by the same.

[NanLaew]

Chances are that most of the noisome, negativity merchants posting herein don't have any actual, personal experience of most of the things that they go on about. Like most of us, they do have access to local news 24/7, usually the Pattaya News... but I digress. They then go ahead and lambast and castigate newbies and fellow jousters of the saffron-lensed persuasion quite relentlessly. They are just playground bullies so placing them on your own, personal ignore list (check forum settings for help on this) is the easiest way of getting the best out of this quite good forum.

If anyone has been dissuaded by the uttering of unknown people on the internet, there couldn't have been much fortitude in their original plan to go camping in Thailand anyway.

[i claudius]

I find much of the information on here about where to shop ,where to get your car fixed quite good , as for the "hexperts" who know all about high finance etc etc , and the guys who are constantly telling you how your wife is going to run away with the young som tam seller(no milkmen here) well take it all with a pinch of salt , i myself am not married to a bar girl but i do know one who has been married to one for nearly 30 years and the one i dated when i first came here is now married with kids in the UK and the height of respectability ,only two people know her past ,me and her husband , so even marriages to bar girls can work out , even in the UK us guys can get ripped off by a woman . so don't be put off by anything you read on here ,just sift through it and discard the bull.

[StasD]

I do not think I am stupid to count ot thaivisa or other sites to make my decision about thailand

[georgemandm]

I will say this, I have no desire whatsoever to visit England or Australia if they're as dangerous as TVF posters make them sound.

And I'm scared to death to go back home to the USA. Too many crazies with guns must have moved in since I was last there 5 years ago.

Edit: As for Thailand, I like it here just fine, but have no intention to stay once my paychecks quit getting mailed to BKK. Nothing to do with TVF, it's the freaking heat, mold and mildew. TVF has some good info, but it's become very painful to sift through the detritus to glean the good stuff.

Australia is a great place it made me what I am to day all the rubbish you read on TVF from people from Australia is a lot of rubbish just stupid people who think the worst about Australia , but those people are livening in thailand because of Australia they all forget that .

Me I think thailand is a gear place for a holiday come and go like I do and TVF is great , I have read some great stories here and some stupid ones as well but all in all it is a great form .

I had a go at living in thailand full time and sorry not for me I love the lucky country a lot better.

The visas rubbish gets me in thailand witch is a joke because I for one who comes and go's and lots of man who live in thailand and spend all that money in thailand get hard done by .

As long as you bring your money in to thailand from out side of thailand the government should make the visas a lot easier.

[happy Joe]

Personally ubiquitous group critical of thailand has definitely deterred from coming into contact with strangers Western.

Now, here in Chiang Mai, when I perceive a gray head to my right, I look to the left.

However I appreciate hugely read here came the opinions of different origin on the other topics. In this it seems to me that Thai Visa is unique.

[Gecko123]

Discouragement can be both a good or bad thing.

For example, if your only interest in Thailand is in its bar scene, and the cautionary tales you read here give you pause and lead you to reflect upon your motives for moving here, this could truly be a blessing in disguise, potentially saving you untold grief and financial loss.

On the other hand, if your interest in Thailand is wide ranging, extending to its people, culture, language, religion, food, and sights, you may need to be careful because some of the posters you will encounter here are very bitter and cynical souls, who thrive on the opportunity to poison anyone's enthusiasm and interest in Thailand, if you let them.

Don't forget, how representative TVF is of the expatriate community is highly debatable. Many expatriates in Thailand have never even heard of TVF. Many posters no longer live in Thailand; some, reportedly, never have. What you read here definitely needs to be taken with a large grain of salt.

My best advice? As much as possible, base your opinions upon your own first-hand experiences. Isn’t that what travel, and ultimately life, is all about?

[Broken Record]

I don't think people take it seriously, certainly the Thai Authorities don't, it would be banned from Thai servers if they did, many posts in the Thai News forum would get people arrested if they opined in a public place,

I myself have lived in Thailand far too long to be swayed by an opinion of someone who may or may not live in Thailand, some of the info here is OK and if it helps someone out it is good, but I suspect that many of the negative posts are certainly made up to generate Thai bashing.

Then you have the serial complainers who find fault in every aspect of living in Thailand, yet in Thailand they remain, they are either Trolling, not really living in Thailand or just insane, who knows what crackpots are attracted to anonymous forums.

[pgrahmm]

To some I think it might....It might have opened up LOS for me.....

Many years before I visited Thailand I opted to see India first over the Asian "far east/culture"....

Marveled at - but wasn't really "taken" by India or it's people....

Wish I'd learned more about what is now my home years earlier.....

Edited February 7, 2016 by pgrahmm

[Jingthing]

If some or many people are discouraged from moving to Thailand, that is a GOOD thing, whether that influence is from Thaivisa or from anywhere.

Look at it this way ... people on holiday have NO IDEA what they'll be getting themselves into by moving here.

Sure, it's human nature for them to confidently IMAGINE they do, but really, they don't.

Also consider the numerous websites touting Thailand as "low cost" retirement "paradise" that don't even begin to mention the many and some quite serious downsides.

Adding to that, just because Thai immigration provides VISA options is not the same thing as any kind of official policy of providing an ACTUAL warm welcome.

On the contrary, consider many expats have expressed that bottom line they DO NOT feel welcome here.

Those are valid feelings of a lot of intelligent people, not all of course, but common enough to consider there may well be rational reasons for those feelings.

Also consider the lack of any path at all for increasing residence security for retired expats.

Think twice. Think a hundred times. Then if you still want to ... come on down!

Yes, I definitely AM saying, OVERSELLING the wonderfulness of living in Thailand is more harmful than emphasizing the downsides. So many expats have made the investment and act like true believers trying to sell others to do the same, like they are Mormon missionaries or something. Don't fall for that. Do your OWN thinking and your OWN research.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Jingthing

[fey]

i find myself thinking more negatively about thailand then i would if i was just left to my own devices after reading this forum

[impulse]

i find myself thinking more negatively about thailand then i would if i was just left to my own devices after reading this forum

You seem to have a knack for understatement.

[chrisinth]

I wish I had found TVF sooner than l did. I may of done things a little different, not sure, but been reading TVF for many years now and learned a lot, with that info l have helped others too, which is great.

Of course you will get antagonists here, but we deal with that stuff in daily life, whether on TVF or outside in any country.

There is a banned bloke who writes books about LOS and farangs lives with info he reads here and elsewhere, mostly the bad stuff, he is a LOS tourist, never lived here....

So, for many LOS and their new 'love' can be very difficult to adjust too, TVF can be a great help, just reading one post can make that difference.

If you are really lucky you may have heard ol' Trans sing in LOS too........... .......

Very good point about helping others by what you have learnt on TV.

There are a lot of people out there who are not forum members (or even guests), therefore not privy to the information gained here. It gives me a 'good deed for the day done' type of feeling if i can pass this gen on to help someone out.

Once the information has been sifted and verified of course................................

[AZBill]

I would never take life event advice from anyone on an anonymous chat board. You are right that Thailand is much more than bar girls and scams. Having worked in Bangkok as an attorney among Thai and international business people for many years I could never relate to the Thailand portrayed by many of the sexpat types on this forum. If you dwell among prostitutes and seedy bars whether in Thailand or your own country then you will of course have a very jaded view of the society. Listen to the losers in your own country talk and they sound the same as the the ones inThailand. I personally have no desire to live in Thailand but it has more to do with the heat than anything else. I've always enjoyed the country and its people and still enjoy our visits.

[Thongkorn]

Personal anyone who makes a decision solely from the Information gleaned from a public web site wants their swede feeling. This site for all its pros and cons is a good site , Not every body agrees with every body , not every body likes each other , but it makes people think, If a person is thinking about moving to Thailand i would have thought they know some thing about Thailand, and its culture to want to make the move to live in Thailand,. Some resurch would be advisable and not just listening to other people. But each to there own , as they say , You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.

[SpokaneAl]

Lots of hyperbole on thaivisa.com on the subject of anything Thai related, or western countries or politics related. If one can screen or ignore that hyperbole, there is often good information. And the visa/extension of stay information is absolutely worth visiting. Now if only more would learn the difference between a visa and an extension of stay . . .