SURVEY: What is the greatest drawback to living in Thailand?

[thai3]

Boots wax ear plugs, 100 baht

[dick dasterdly]

In Thailand?

No place exists.

Sure they do - if you're prepared to pay.

This is what cracks me up - every time there's a thread about the cost of living in Thailand, certain people pop up and take the piss out of guys paying 30, 40, 50k a month or more for a condo.

But on threads about noise pollution or badly-behaved neighbors, you'll find the exact same people carping on about the feral kids high on yaba nicking their stuff to sell, drunks pissing on their fence and, yes, Somchai blasting the shit out of his sound system.

They're all like "WHY ME?"

Hello?? It's because you're cheap and you live in a shit area alongside the Thai equivalent of chavs.

There are shit places to live in every country in the world. Thailand is no different.

If you want quiet, open your wallet move to a better class of area.

But this is not a thread about the coast of living is it, this is a thread about what some folks perceive is the greatest drawback to living in Thailand.

Noise has been mentioned by a few folks including myself, and I reckon with good reason. I myself am currently living in a very comfortable condo in Bangers just off Sukhumvit with all the modern conveniences close to hand that affords living in a modern city. Apart from a building site up the road this is a very peaceable, quiet existence, for a major city that Bangkok undoubtedly is.

Maybe this is why the noise for the sheer sake of it I have experienced in my several jaunts about the country were so noticeable. I'm talking about the loud speakers on the pickups advertising AT THE TOP OF THEIR VOICE whatever they're selling; I'm talking about the louts parked in a National Park carpark having lunch and listening to their music at top volume and bugger everyone else.

I experienced this down at Cha-am one afternoon too where a family pulled up, set their dinner out and had lunch, all the while with the car stereo BLARING. Truly, you haven't come across this in your travels around Thailand?

This has got nothing to do with where you live, if you travel around Thailand noise will come to YOU!

While I always respect others opinions as this is an open forum, I do need to say many of you come across like grumpy old complainers. You know the type. You hated them when you were a kid. Like the little old lady down the street that called the police when the music was too loud or you modified your car and the exhaust was too loud. What did you do when you were younger? Did you never go to a party? Concert? The perceived noise here in Thailand is no different then anywhere else some have become super hyper sensitive to it. Product of little else to do but fixate on trivial things? I occasionally see the truck with the billboard sign blaring on a PA but Come on...REALLY? that's like once every 2 months or so and last 15 seconds? That is really a drawback?

As for the kids at the beach with the blaring music, again.....what were you doing at their age? Funny how it all goes full circle. Loved it when you were younger, bi tch about it now that you are older

I think a lot of the complainers are retired

Perhaps they thought Thailand was a retirement home on a national scale where they could come to stretch a pound/dollar/euro a lot further with elderly care administered by an attractive piece of Isaan Brown Ass.

Perhaps they thought that the visa nestling in their passport entitled them to reside in a charmed, fairy tale nexus that defied the laws of economics that apply to every other country in the world by boasting both low cost and high quality.

However, Somchai with the megawatt car stereo wasn't a signatory to the contract they think they signed with Thailand

Quite rightly, Somchai doesn't give a flying f*** about their retirement. This is his country and he can do whatever the hell he likes.

That said, as I mentioned earlier, there are plenty of options for avoiding the throbbing sub-bass of a monster sound system.

Move to a classier neighbourhood where people into that sort of thing can't afford to live

It's not unreasonable to want peace and quiet but they'll have to pay for it.

V true, but there's no avoiding the heat and workmen who have no idea about doing the job 'right'.

This thread is about the drawbacks - but seeing as we all live here its safe to assume that we think the positives outweigh the negatives. Again, for different reasons!

[JAFO]

In Thailand?

No place exists.

Sure they do - if you're prepared to pay.

This is what cracks me up - every time there's a thread about the cost of living in Thailand, certain people pop up and take the piss out of guys paying 30, 40, 50k a month or more for a condo.

But on threads about noise pollution or badly-behaved neighbors, you'll find the exact same people carping on about the feral kids high on yaba nicking their stuff to sell, drunks pissing on their fence and, yes, Somchai blasting the shit out of his sound system.

They're all like "WHY ME?"

Hello?? It's because you're cheap and you live in a shit area alongside the Thai equivalent of chavs.

There are shit places to live in every country in the world. Thailand is no different.

If you want quiet, open your wallet move to a better class of area.

But this is not a thread about the coast of living is it, this is a thread about what some folks perceive is the greatest drawback to living in Thailand.

Noise has been mentioned by a few folks including myself, and I reckon with good reason. I myself am currently living in a very comfortable condo in Bangers just off Sukhumvit with all the modern conveniences close to hand that affords living in a modern city. Apart from a building site up the road this is a very peaceable, quiet existence, for a major city that Bangkok undoubtedly is.

Maybe this is why the noise for the sheer sake of it I have experienced in my several jaunts about the country were so noticeable. I'm talking about the loud speakers on the pickups advertising AT THE TOP OF THEIR VOICE whatever they're selling; I'm talking about the louts parked in a National Park carpark having lunch and listening to their music at top volume and bugger everyone else.

I experienced this down at Cha-am one afternoon too where a family pulled up, set their dinner out and had lunch, all the while with the car stereo BLARING. Truly, you haven't come across this in your travels around Thailand?

This has got nothing to do with where you live, if you travel around Thailand noise will come to YOU!

While I always respect others opinions as this is an open forum, I do need to say many of you come across like grumpy old complainers. You know the type. You hated them when you were a kid. Like the little old lady down the street that called the police when the music was too loud or you modified your car and the exhaust was too loud. What did you do when you were younger? Did you never go to a party? Concert? The perceived noise here in Thailand is no different then anywhere else some have become super hyper sensitive to it. Product of little else to do but fixate on trivial things? I occasionally see the truck with the billboard sign blaring on a PA but Come on...REALLY? that's like once every 2 months or so and last 15 seconds? That is really a drawback?

As for the kids at the beach with the blaring music, again.....what were you doing at their age? Funny how it all goes full circle. Loved it when you were younger, bi tch about it now that you are older

I think a lot of the complainers are retired

Perhaps they thought Thailand was a retirement home on a national scale where they could come to stretch a pound/dollar/euro a lot further with elderly care administered by an attractive piece of Isaan Brown Ass.

Perhaps they thought that the visa nestling in their passport entitled them to reside in a charmed, fairy tale nexus that defied the laws of economics that apply to every other country in the world by boasting both low cost and high quality.

However, Somchai with the megawatt car stereo wasn't a signatory to the contract they think they signed with Thailand

Quite rightly, Somchai doesn't give a flying f*** about their retirement. This is his country and he can do whatever the hell he likes.

That said, as I mentioned earlier, there are plenty of options for avoiding the throbbing sub-bass of a monster sound system.

Move to a classier neighbourhood where people into that sort of thing can't afford to live

It's not unreasonable to want peace and quiet but they'll have to pay for it.

I think you are right Agent.....

I laugh at the ones that complain about all the smoke out in CM or Isaan and then become some sort of pollution activist on TV. What did they think it would be like? I guarantee you there is a HUGE number of foreigners that are here that never ever gave location a 2nd thought. They said to themselves..."Wow, I can live for 100 baht a day for food and I can have a house for 350,000 baht with my little cupcake I met online or at the bar". "Where do I sign up" After that rush wears off and reality sets in location becomes everything. However most didn't plan and cannot afford to move away from where they have become miserable. As you stated Agent S, Its like anywhere in the world, if you live in poor area your neighbors behave as such. The further you move up, the less the riff raff is. simple as that. Those trucks with billboards go around because likely where they hear it is in an area where the people do not have internet or even a computer. That blaring update is for those folks.

Also as you noted, Somchai doesn't give a rats a$$ about a foreigner and his retirement plans. They do not even know they exist. They go about doing what they want and if you don't like...well tough sheit. I always crack up when I read about some retiree whinging about a neighbor, the noise, their dogs, the music at the local Wat..... I also do not get the guys that whine on about medical care. What exactly did they expect? That being a retired foreigner they would get platinum treatment for 500 baht? It just doesn't work that way.

I know exactly what I signed up for when I moved here thus I very carefully assessed where I wanted to live. I spent the better part of 3+ years living/traveling all over the country and it was the best thing I did. But before I embarked on that mission I had eliminated numerous areas prior to, just like I wouldn't consider East LA, East Palo Alto, Redding or the tenderloin in SF. This is why you do not see posts from me complaining about Thailand. I enjoy the place. Sure there are things that make me scratch my head, but I did that in the states as well.

Drawbacks in Thailand.Hmmm.Maybe that I can't watch my fav NBA, MLB, NFL and motorsports events because I am at work. I do miss a fat cocktail and my Sunday sports...but that's not Thailand's fault, Its a world clock thing. I could do Internet Premium passes for each of those but can't watch unless I want to on my phone in some meeting at 9am. In fact I am glad I don't have the passes, I would call in sick a lot.

[Agent Sumo]

Yep I find the complaints about medical insurance are puzzling too.

OK I accept that many come from countries where healthcare is free at the point of delivery and being presented with a fat premium north of 50 or 60k can be a minor shock but, as you ask, what the hell did they expect?

Exactly where in the world does medical insurance/healthcare get cheaper as you get older?

Thailand; where an older guy can come, shack up with tight-bodied stunner, pop blue pills to keep up with her in the bedroom, eat like crap, knock back booze all day, pile on weight, do f*** all exercise and enjoy a 1,000 premium for cover-everything medical insurance

Hahaha

[Felt 35]

The high accident rate anywhere a vehicle on road or water are and that the government not confronts themselves and do something about it, as well as the general lack of consideration people generally take to others.

[MJP]

OTHER: Serious worries about the kids' future and life opportunities.

[Ace of Pop]

Thai Visa Addiction

[Aussie69]

Thai Visa Addiction

Don't think medical insurance covers that

[tails]

Lack of suitable employment options

Still not treated equal even after married

You think that, if you marry a local, that should entitle you to work freely??

Wouldn't that open the floodgates to every deadbeat foreigner who can't make a go of his life in the West to come here, conveniently marry and then set about competing with the Thais for their jobs?

Can you imagine seeing fat Eddie from Edgbaston driving a pink Bangkok taxi?

I guess there's just a hell of a lot of people who think the world should just let them do whatever the hell they like

I think the rules are fine as they are

The country can't legislate to accommodate every foreign clod's decision to marry on the strength of the fact his bride cheers on his football team on the telly and doesn't feign a headache when he feels amorous

no

[Kwasaki]

Having to pay the village council on my wife's 2 pieces of land, 7 baht & 9 bath a year.

[Naam]

Having to pay the village council on my wife's 2 pieces of land, 7 baht & 9 bath a year.

that's highway robbery!

[NumbNut]

Having to pay the village council on my wife's 2 pieces of land, 7 baht & 9 bath a year.

that's highway robbery!

Especially if it's on the highway!

[neverdie]

OTHER: Serious worries about the kids' future and life opportunities.

Farang think too mutt.

[Ace of Pop]

And Drink too much

[Moonsterk]

Thais

[ardokano]

The noise levels are the only thing that gets me down.

Why do Thai's love noise?

Move somewhere quiet.

In Thailand?

No place exists.

little do you know

OK. You know very well Thailand. show the equivalent of a quiet place near the center of Bangkok (30 minutes) such as Discovery Bay in HK

One of my friend as option think about Bangkok.

[nottocus]

The lack of intellect.

[ardokano]

The high accident rate anywhere a vehicle on road or water are and that the government not confronts themselves and do something about it, as well as the general lack of consideration people generally take to others.

Its not high accident rate anywhere..

And if rate per vehicle Death even not high than anywhere.

[Heng]

Difficult to purchase ammo, lack of ammo variety. God bless Texas.

[Cook my sock]

I guess a big drawback now is the sterling rate!

[SoiBiker]

I guess a big drawback now is the sterling rate!

Only if your income is in sterling. If it's in baht, you're quids in.

[Cook my sock]

Yes I'm insulated by property and one business in Thailand.. But annoyingly was about to transfer 100k across..

[mcfish]

Just think about the poor buggers who paid a deposit on a condo and now need to stump up the balance..

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[Cook my sock]

Eek true. A second reason not to buy outright..

[TimTang]

I'm sure you're a smart guy. You may very well have something interesting to say.

But you're pretty much wasting your time right now because so little of what you post makes any sense.

Not .. I am not wasting time..

becouse:

I want to learn English - I like. So I came to forum where thinks what I like- English lang©

Oh,yes. You are wasting time, big time!

Why not just consider taking a course in english, or just buy a self tutoring DVD?

Just an idea, I might be wrong.

I think what he's trying to say is that he comes to this forum because people 'express their thoughts in the English language' and by reading and understanding those thoughts he can learn and understand English better. I think it's probably a good way to learn.

[TimTang]

What i find most annoying is the , almost weekly, posts about, what do you like about thailand, or, what dont you like about thailand, or, whats it cost to live in thailand, or, how much i spend a week in thailand, or, my girlfriend left me, what can i do, or, what temp should i set my Ac to. Cheeers.

You are obviously coming to the wrong forum if these things annoy you. You should participate in sites or forums that specialize in nuclear physics, rocket science, or philosophy.

[TimTang]

why not survey points - Nothing?

My Ansver NOTHING..

because Thailand is almost impossible to live if people respect the culture of their ancestors, and you follow the their culture.

Of course, if this is not the Thai people,

well, or maybe Chinese..

Visit. even long time stay for Injoy/relax(sex/nature/Thai culture etc) - YES.. Live NOT!!!

Could you please retype that in English

He just has to work on his spelling and sentence structure. This is understandable coming from a language where "yet not do cut end heart (yung mai dai tat sin jai)" translates into "undecided".

[TimTang]

For me, there are two main drawbacks:

- The jet lag each time I come back "home" (Thailand).

- The serious lack of quality/interesting westerners.

For the first drawback, the jet lag, I don't have a solution. I suffer each time.

But for the second, the solution is to learn the Thai language fluently, make friends in the Thai society, especially in the upper classes, and avoid to mix with the foreigners. It works. There are lots of highly interesting persons in the Thai society. And, generally speaking, they are not only better educated than most farangs in Thailand, but also much more fun to spend time with.

(Having said that, I did meet a very limited number of interesting farangs in Thailand, over the past 15 years, so there are a few).

make friends in the Thai society, especially in the upper classes,

How?

Thai upper class its closed society.. Ofcouse its not deep closed as UK or Japan ... but..

yes you can get some comtact and meeting with.. but friend??

Are you sure?

PS

almast all High class Thai societe and well educated Thai can speak English( its not Japan and China) so ... Why you need "the solution is to learn the Thai language fluently" ... "make friends"..."in the Thai society, especially in the upper classes"?

There are plenty of wealthy, educated Thais who speak little to no English.

There are plenty of wealthy, educated Italians who only speak Italian.

[TimTang]

Boots wax ear plugs, 100 baht

What?

[sendbaht]

 Only thing that gets to me is folks not pulling over for an ambulance. Every second counts and some folks just don't pull over...drives me crazy.

 

Banks...I NEVER have any problem transferring funds in or out of the country. "so far" 

Edited August 9, 2016 by sendbaht