Happy & content in Thailand

[luke000]

I am quite happy & content in Thailand .

The weather is perfect .

The food is varied, tasty and cheap .

I have a lovely gf who gave me a wonderful Son ;

I absolutely love living in Thailand and have no complaints about anything .

Although I have stopped talking to foreigners in bars, especially the older ones . listening to their bleak depressing outlook on life makes me feel quite miserable

[colinneil]

+1

[SoiBiker]

Yep. It's pretty awesome here. Pretty much every day I reflect on how glad I am that I moved here.

Nice to read something happy for a change. Maybe we can keep this thread positive for once?

[saakura]

20+ years here, very contended and happy. Came here as a young man and hope to retire here in 10 years time.

[CharlieH]

Nice to have the "other side of the coin" to counter the other threads.

Its easy to focus on negative, easy to make comparisons etc, but at the end of the day its your own attitude toward it that matters, and for some Geography wont change that.

Been here 10 years, had lots to learn, lots to "unlearn" but generally its a great place to be, and I enjoy a better standard of living and lifestyle here than I could ever have dreamed about in my country of origin.

[jonnyscot]

Also content with my lot, nowhere is perfect for everyone but for me this comes close

[pgrahmm]

Have to agree.....

Not the way I pictured things years ago.....But - it's turned out better than what I'd pictured....

Thank God for a life that's a motivated adventure in happiness - versus sedentary slowly suffocating stagnation....

Edited February 27, 2016 by pgrahmm

[AlexRich]

I'm hanging out here for a few years ... so far so good. Like the previous commentators, I like the weather, the relaxed atmosphere, the food, the generally pleasant people and pretty much anything that I need I can find here.

I don't mind too much the visa requirements and use it as an opportunity to check out - so far - Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia. i'm in Bali next week for a few weeks and then off to Chiang Mai.

I don't have any bad experiences to report but I am aware that Thailand has a dark side ... so I recognise it, and take steps to avoid being caught up in it. I personally don't mind people raising negative aspects ... for a person new to Thailand it can be quite helpful.

[Gary A]

I moved to Thailand in 1991. I actually made the move over here three times. The last time was to retire. All three times after I got back to the US made me realize what a great place Thailand is to live. I did hate the five total years working in the US towards my retirement. If I thought there was a better place to live, I'd move.

[fey]

why still dwell on the negatives then as evidenced from your post??

[luke000]

why still dwell on the negatives then as evidenced from your post??

To whom are you talking too ?

[djayz]

Every afternoon when I watch the sun setting or sit down to my wife's homemake cooking, I realise once again how lucky I am to be living here.

It might not be perfect here, but I haven't been this content with life in any other country I've lived in.

In my wife's wee village in Isan, I've found a place that I call "home".

And I can get a tan here without having to go on holidays...

[luke000]

I don't mind too much the visa requirements and use it as an opportunity to check out - so far - Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia. i'm in Bali next week for a few weeks and then off to Chiang Mai.

I do view visa trips as an opportunity to visit other Countries as well , when they stopped giving out Visa exempt stamps at Maesai , it gave me the opportunity to visit other Countries, but going to Maesai 56 times was quite enough

[yellowboat]

[cyberfarang]

Although there are many irritants in Thailand I still feel I`m better off here then in England. That`s spiritual, less stress, more content in general, have very little or no complaints. Greatest fears, becoming sick, losing my money, government changing the rules, not feeling I can place my feet firmly on the ground of Thai soil. But I guess that`s the same for most of us.

[Emster23]

"I have a lovely gf who gave me a wonderful Son ;"

So the biological father had no say in this? (Sorry, saw an opening there for a joke of sorts..... couldn't help myself)

[NoshowJones]

I'm happy here, no country is perfect, but the positives far outweigh the negatives, most of the laws here are not enforced, so I just ignore them and use

common sense. I have not come to any harm in the ten years I have been here, so I can't be doing much wrong, and I love the freedom.

[Benmart]

"Although I have stopped talking to foreigners in bars, especially the older ones . listening to their bleak depressing outlook on life makes me feel quite miserable".

I don't go to bars.

I don't drink.

I don't hang around people that do.

Those that do, are entitled to do as they wish.

Live and Let Live.

Love it here.

Love my life.

Time passes and is gone.

Being nice is nice.

[Sharp]

Nice to have the "other side of the coin" to counter the other threads.

Its easy to focus on negative, easy to make comparisons etc, but at the end of the day its your own attitude toward it that matters, and for some Geography wont change that.

Been here 10 years, had lots to learn, lots to "unlearn" but generally its a great place to be, and I enjoy a better standard of living and lifestyle here than I could ever have dreamed about in my country of origin.

Ditto!!

[allanos]

I so much enjoyed reading the posts on this thread today, as opposed to the ones recently

decrying the reasons why people would not retire in Thailand. People have taken a

rational view of why they stay in Thailand, and are happy with the choice they have made.

Everyone is entitled to his or her own view and perspective, of course, but what many do

not realise is that so much of life is a trade-off. In order to get something which you want,

you generally have to give up something else (lesser wants, in other words).

However, this is only achievable if you have first weighed up the positives and negatives as

thoroughly as possible, and come down in a totally committed fashion on the correct side

of your personal "balance sheet" of desires. Mostly, then, thereafter, you will have to live with

your decision, so you had better hope it was the right one. As one gets older, it is not so easy

to flip-flop.

Too many members on TVF seem to want to hedge their bets, always. In theory it is a nice

to have, but, in practice, not so easy to accomplish.

[Nowisee]

Sounds like your content, happy and in that warm fuzzy zone.

Keep on keepin on.

[Taffyfromflint]

+1

My wife is more concern about the future here than me, having said that she is an avid TS and YS fan, say no more

[Ulic]

I agree with you, however I have no wife, or girlfriend so my life is simpler.

Of course things could change, for you, or me. But so far, all is good.

[connda]

I am quite happy & content in Thailand too, as are you. However, as one of those older gents you seem to shun, I will discuss both the good and the bad aspects of the country.

It really is better to understand and accept reality than to hide your head in the sand while repeating the manta, "Everything is wonderful, Everything is wonderful, Everything is wonderful, Everything is wonderful....", until is isn't, than acting shocked.

With that said, I'd rather be here than my home country (which I will also discuss both the good and bad aspects of). The future ls in Asia.

Edited February 27, 2016 by connda

[bigbearjohn]

Have to agree.....

Not the way I pictured things years ago.....But - it's turned out better than what I'd pictured....

Thank God for a life that's a motivated adventure in happiness - versus sedentary slowly suffocating stagnation....

Very well said! Love it.

[Jeffkp]

I retired and moved to Chiang Mai one year ago. I had plans to travel Thailand and SE Asia and I did a bit. But more and more I find myself content to stay in my home and enjoy the small circle of Thai friends I've made. I guess I'm happy!

I don't know any expats and don't want to. The few I met weren't particularly pleasant, so I avoid them. I know there are many nice expats here in CM and wish them the best.

Life is good!!!

[bannork]

Have to agree.....

Not the way I pictured things years ago.....But - it's turned out better than what I'd pictured....

Thank God for a life that's a motivated adventure in happiness - versus sedentary slowly suffocating stagnation....

Superb alliteration and meaning pgrahmm that deserves a response- a spring in one's step in the sunny Siam of smiles versus dreary drudgery under dull damp drizzle

[bigbearjohn]

I loved this thread. So often I hear negativity on ThaiVisa. I've been to Thailand sixteen times and have some very fond memories of my long holidays here. I hear others' complaints, but I have never experienced them myself. I kind of feel that you get back whatever you give. I love the Thai people and have no hesitancy showing the same warmth towards me that they show towards me. I've made some very loyal Thai friends in Thailand. I hope to be retiring to Thailand and, to be totally honest, I am a little nervous making the jump (my own insecurities). As you get older, it seems to be harder to make huge changes. However, I have to at least try.

[Suradit69]

Yep. It's pretty awesome here. Pretty much every day I reflect on how glad I am that I moved here.

Nice to read something happy for a change. Maybe we can keep this thread positive for once?

Agree. Probably the majority feel this way but they're drowned out by the ear piercing whining of the few.

Most of the farangs I know or encounter seem far more normal and far more content with life than the vocal minority who seem to overwhelm the forums here.

[Roomuck]

The main draw card for me moving here was the weather and to escape the ratrace.

But Thailand has given me so much more. The longer I am here the more I love it.

The people who complain about their life here would complain constantly wherever they lived.

The diversity is what makes it truly Amazing Thailand.

Totally different walks of life, but somehow they all have common Thai traits.

The Land of Smiles certainly makes me smile a lot. Some people say the smiles are fake, I disagree. They are generally fun loving people, but the grumpy farangs like to describe it as childlike/ immature blah, blah, blah.

How could anyone not smile along with these funny, fun, interesting people?