Why is Thailand better than your Home Country?

[SaintLouisBlues]

The boys and girls are a tad cheaper and their ass is a lot smaller. Apart from that, nothing

Edited October 13, 2016 by SaintLouisBlues

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Seeing siblings and families showing  compassion for each other and caring. I know not everyone but I see this more here than in the UK, as an example and I think it is nice.

Families sitting down and eating together a lot more often.

Thriving and bustling markets early in the morning.

People walking for exercise before its light in the mornings.

Supermarkets that don't close on a Sunday at 4pm.

 

Just a few more things that I like here.

 

Yes, some very good points here.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, catman20 said:

Excellent Customer Service in Restaurants and Shops.....

 

 

you are joking 

Of course he is, nice to see a little bit of fun sometimes.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, catman20 said:

i think it used to be like that 15 years ago, its all changing now and its becomming more like the west

There is a long way to go before Thailand gets as bad as the UK, drivers and education aside.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, kenk24 said:

Well Possum, I would not use the word better, but I simply enjoy it here more so and that is mostly for the differences it presents, in culture and language and the fact that at least in my country region, the people are friendly and smiling, laughing, and to my eye, much happier than the people back home. Much less stress here... I also enjoy the small affordable luxuries, like taking my afternoon nap while getting a foot massage at the local temple or storefront... I can go on, but you have been here long enough, you get the picture. 

Yes, good points here.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, YeahSiam said:

God knows I wouldn't move to a whole new country just to get women but I accept that others place a higher priority on that than I do.

Thailand isn't better than my country (UK) but it is easier to save, it's cheaper to live and the people are generally nice.

Suits me fine for now.

Thailand isn't better than my country (UK)

[hdkane]

For me, Thailand only excels in matters that are inconsequential...some food is cheaper (Thai food, not western food), ornate tile is pleasing to the eye, women are prettier...blah blah blah...I feel welcomed here only because it is perceived that I have money to scam...the political situation is unsettling, corruption plagues every aspect of society, and "Thainess" is absent from most men...to me, the women are better in most regards...their character and nature are more appealing than found in my home country...Thai women are better in most aspects than Thai men...and certainly western women in my opinion...

 

 

[4MyEgo]

On 10/10/2016 at 5:03 PM, possum1931 said:

Apart from the obvious like the weather and living expenses, what makes Thailand better than your home country?

 

Now that's a broad question, suffice to say my wife being (Thai) lived in Sydney with me for 10 years, we have young children that go to school here, from the outset I told her of my intentions of wanting to live in Thailand when I retire in 10 years, she said she had no problem with that, as it actually suited her, so its a win/win for both of us, and we live in the village near her parents, grandmother, sisters, aunties, uncle's, cousins ect ect, so the kids have that extended family experience which is how it was for me and my wife back in the days of growing, which is quickly disappearing back in the western world, just my opinion, and they are far enough not to bother us.

 

Having travelled to Thailand countless times over the years for 2 to 3 months at a time, now home for almost a year, I see the value here in having a relaxed life style, I know you said apart from "the obvious like the weather and living expenses", well the weather for me back in Sydney is better, and my wife agrees with that the (4) seasons back in Oz is better, as opposed to four (4) seasons her, HOT, VERY WARM, WARM and winter for two (2) months, but we manage quite well with air conditioning and staying out of the heat/humidity, what ever you want to call it, as for living expenses, its not that cheap if you want to eat good quality food as we do, cheap when we eat Thai sure.

 

The biggest winner for me having a property background was purchasing land for here for 120,000 baht 9 years ago, which equated to about $4,000 AUS, probably worth the same today, and recently building our house for 1.5 MB or $60,000 AUS which is 4 times the size of the place we lived in Sydney, and has twice as many bedrooms and bathrooms, and is new Vs old. To build the same place back in Sydney you would require at a minimum an extra zero at the end of the above figure. Water rates, council rates, and electricity are much cheaper than in Sydney as well.

 

The fact that I don't have to work anymore, and having retired 10 years earlier (self funded) and don't have to pay taxes which in my opinion where going into the wrong places, welfare etc etc, personally I think all tax payers back in Australia are over it, but that's another story.

 

Thai's don't bother me at all, its their country, they have rules as we do back in Oz, I can't say that I miss a particular race, not being a racist, I much prefer Thai's over them any day of the week.

 

Holidays are so cheap here as well, I mean I can fly direct to Phuket for argument sake, stay for a week and have a bloody good time with some mates for a round a grand, and that's putting up some numbers on the board as well, back in Oz, you wouldn't go far at all.

 

That just about sums it up for me.

 

 

[Jokke66]

except from climate, the foodstalls and the density of 7/11's and the variety of goods they sell there, I'd say my homecountry is better (Norway)

[bluebluewater]

It's not better but it is different.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, nongsangcity said:

Plenty of cameras and police waiting to pounce in rural Thailand as well...people getting fines in the post for running a red light or speeding....next door to me received a 700 baht fine last week in the post for driving through a red light.....the amount of time one can spend getting licences/permits here the hours / days /weeks soon mounts up as well....

 

1 hour ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I would be paying far more tax in my home country 405 and NI contributions (I still pay) than I would here propping up scroungers and lay about's. Don't get me wrong I am all for helping those who are in need and paying my way.

There is an extra room added to my house for my "study", a huge warehouse type of building and car port for four cars at the side of the house.

Did not need to go for planning permission and pay a fortune for doing so. try doing that in the UK.

They tried to have a house owner change the colour of his house because it did not fit in with the the other houses.

[NoshowJones]

23 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

Another naive noobie

Could you please elaborate on that?

[seancbk]

On 10/10/2016 at 3:33 PM, anotheruser said:

"For those of you who live here, it must be better here or you would not make Thailand your home."

 

This might be true for some people but for me it isn't. Financial circumstances keep me here. My partner has a very good contract to be here that actually pays as much or more than the west would. We are looking into leaving at some point but given the uncertain global economy are riding this gravy train for as long as we can stand it. 

 

I am not Thai bashing or complaining but think the question might be better phrased as "Do you feel Thailand is better than your home country?" The current way it is phrased assumes people like it here more.

 

Though it could be said that the opportunity to save money here is a positive and is the reason I am here and not in my home country at the moment. It looks like we will probably do 5 years here and let the savings pile up and then head home with our nest egg. 

 

 

Agree with you that the question makes the assumption that people prefer Thailand to their home country. 

I was head hunted to come and work here from Hong Kong, the offer was more money than I was making there at the time so it seemed like a no brainer to come here for a year and bank some cash.

 

By the time my contact had ended I was already looking at a number of business opportunities here, I had a nice condo and had made a few friends in high places, so I decided I would stay here instead of returning to Hong Kong.

By the end of the year I will have launched a new business here manufacturing a food product that Thais and everyone else love to eat, and which will be sold all over Thailand with expansion to other countries planned as soon as I can figure out the logistics.  

There are many reasons why I love Thailand and many reasons why I love Hong Kong.  I think I still prefer Hong Kong, although only by a very small margin.   My ideal country would be one that is a combination of the two.  

Interestingly, I now have about 8 friends from HK (plus their wives and kids) who are now living in Phuket, having moved here over the past year.   I just wish they'd settled in Bangkok instead of Phuket.

[hugh2121]

My 4 Thai dogs live here. I think UK might be too cold for them.

[NoshowJones]

10 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Now that's a broad question, suffice to say my wife being (Thai) lived in Sydney with me for 10 years, we have young children that go to school here, from the outset I told her of my intentions of wanting to live in Thailand when I retire in 10 years, she said she had no problem with that, as it actually suited her, so its a win/win for both of us, and we live in the village near her parents, grandmother, sisters, aunties, uncle's, cousins ect ect, so the kids have that extended family experience which is how it was for me and my wife back in the days of growing, which is quickly disappearing back in the western world, just my opinion, and they are far enough not to bother us.

 

Having travelled to Thailand countless times over the years for 2 to 3 months at a time, now home for almost a year, I see the value here in having a relaxed life style, I know you said apart from "the obvious like the weather and living expenses", well the weather for me back in Sydney is better, and my wife agrees with that the (4) seasons back in Oz is better, as opposed to four (4) seasons her, HOT, VERY WARM, WARM and winter for two (2) months, but we manage quite well with air conditioning and staying out of the heat/humidity, what ever you want to call it, as for living expenses, its not that cheap if you want to eat good quality food as we do, cheap when we eat Thai sure.

 

The biggest winner for me having a property background was purchasing land for here for 120,000 baht 9 years ago, which equated to about $4,000 AUS, probably worth the same today, and recently building our house for 1.5 MB or $60,000 AUS which is 4 times the size of the place we lived in Sydney, and has twice as many bedrooms and bathrooms, and is new Vs old. To build the same place back in Sydney you would require at a minimum an extra zero at the end of the above figure. Water rates, council rates, and electricity are much cheaper than in Sydney as well.

 

The fact that I don't have to work anymore, and having retired 10 years earlier (self funded) and don't have to pay taxes which in my opinion where going into the wrong places, welfare etc etc, personally I think all tax payers back in Australia are over it, but that's another story.

 

Thai's don't bother me at all, its their country, they have rules as we do back in Oz, I can't say that I miss a particular race, not being a racist, I much prefer Thai's over them any day of the week.

 

Holidays are so cheap here as well, I mean I can fly direct to Phuket for argument sake, stay for a week and have a bloody good time with some mates for a round a grand, and that's putting up some numbers on the board as well, back in Oz, you wouldn't go far at all.

 

That just about sums it up for me.

 

 

Excellent post, but I would wonder why there are so many Aussies here in Thailand.

Then again, I have come across guys from the UK who think the UK is great despite being surrounded everywhere with out of work immigrants.

[brewsterbudgen]

Apart from the obvious like the weather and living expenses, what makes Thailand better than your home country?

For those of you who live here, it must be better here or you would not make Thailand your home. So give us your reasons why.

Also, let's hear from those of you who live here part time, come here for your holidays, or are seriously thinking of moving here permanently.

I don't agree that for those of us who live here it "must be better" than our home country. While I'm happy living here, there's no doubt in my mind that life in the UK would be better in many respects, particularly for my young son. However, my job ties me to Thailand as I can earn far more here than I could for doing the same work in the UK and living costs are substantially lower here. Not to mention the difficulty in getting a settlement visa for my wife.

[geriatrickid]

Thailand is not better than my home country. In fact it is significantly worse particularly to health and safety issues. That is why I will not retire full time to Thailand. However, for some of  the people with whom I am "related" Thailand is significantly better in some respects because;

1. They can "accidentally" kill with relative impunity.

2. No need to worry about patient privacy or the consequences of an allegation of professional misconduct.

3. "Gift giving" and tea money is a part of the local culture and anyone can be bought under the right circumstances.

4. Relatively untouchable status no matter what one does as long as one  pays enough, and keeps a low profile and when caught goes through the motions of expressing regret.

 

 

 

[ThailandLOS]

Here is my motivation:

 

1) Accommodating attitude to foreigners (relatively)

2) Climate (weather in most of EU sucks)

3) Farther between fat beer bellied trouble makers, africans and muslims

[Jeffkp]

No Donald Trump here...

[Pilotman]

I have been visiting Thailand for just about 50 years, having first come here with the Military. I am married to a Thai for the the past 20 years, although we have been in the UK for all that time. We are retiring in Thailand for a quieter and simpler life than we lead here. I don't like the UK weather, I don't particularly like the people, the pace of life is ludicrous , the roads and transport systems are terrible, the NHS is in meltdown, the politics drives you nuts. Summer is 2 months long if you are lucky, none existent if you are not. The rest is cold stinging rain , central heating and being bundled up in layers of clothes. Thailand has its down sides, as does everywhere, but growing old in the UK sucks . 

[off road pat]

Thailand is not better than my home country (Belgium) but there are a lot of things I can do in Thailand that I could not do in my country...

I spend 6 months in Thailand and 6 in Belgium and traveling in Europe Like somebody said above (a perfect combo).

Thailand has great weather most of the time, living there costs a lot less than in Europe. I drive a modified 4x4 witch I could never drive in my country (because of regulations). I can go on off-road trips for hundreds of km's in great jungles and forests see wonderful landscapes ans animals.

I Can travel around the country from North to South and pay +/- 500 Thb for a room in a resort, guest house....and sometimes had great rooms for +/- 300 thb...food can cost as less than 25 Thb a plate (Pat Thai)...A plate in a Thai restaurant can cost between 50 and 100 thb......My wife and I eat Japanese and Indian on a regular basis in Chiang Mai for +/- 200/300 Thai Bath, The list could go on and on....

There are a lot of positive things I could say about my country to....Excellent Health service, Good reasonably safe roads, Drunk driving is severely punished, Most drivers are Ok, The police is doing there job, ....etc....

In short, both places have there positive and negative things...my wife and I just take the best of both worlds.

Best regards.

Edited October 13, 2016 by off road pat

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

Thailand is not better than my home country. In fact it is significantly worse particularly to health and safety issues. That is why I will not retire full time to Thailand. However, for some of  the people with whom I am "related" Thailand is significantly better in some respects because;

1. They can "accidentally" kill with relative impunity.

2. No need to worry about patient privacy or the consequences of an allegation of professional misconduct.

3. "Gift giving" and tea money is a part of the local culture and anyone can be bought under the right circumstances.

4. Relatively untouchable status no matter what one does as long as one  pays enough, and keeps a low profile and when caught goes through the motions of expressing regret.

 

 

 

Yes, I understand what you are saying, but look at a retired person living in the UK on a meagre pension, thousands of them have

to make a choice between eating and paying very expensive heating bills, as well as tv licences until they are 80 years old, or is it 85?

They still have to pay council tax also. Thailand beats the UK in most things, the main downsides being education, and their driving ability on the roads.

[4MyEgo]

4 hours ago, possum1931 said:

Excellent post, but I would wonder why there are so many Aussies here in Thailand.

Then again, I have come across guys from the UK who think the UK is great despite being surrounded everywhere with out of work immigrants.

 

Thanks Possum1931

 

To me personally, Thailand (rural) reminds me of outer Sydney, or parts of Australia that I have been too outside of Sydney, they drive on the same side of the road, the greenery is the same as soon as you head out of Sydney, say an hour north or south or west, excluding peak hour traffic, then make that 2 hours, the beaches look the same, and in some parts of Thailand are as clean, not Phuket, but say Nai Han one of my favorites.

 

Thailand too me looks as if it is about 50 years behind Sydney, although I have never been a fan of any city, so the countryside looks pretty much the same, and I only realise the difference when I get out of the car and feel the bloody heat...lol

[nongsangcity]

5 hours ago, possum1931 said:

 

There is an extra room added to my house for my "study", a huge warehouse type of building and car port for four cars at the side of the house.

Did not need to go for planning permission and pay a fortune for doing so. try doing that in the UK.

They tried to have a house owner change the colour of his house because it did not fit in with the the other houses.

certain rural areas you have to ask the local amphur about  adding external buildings/ rooms to your pre exsiting building /house as in these areas you have to add this to your house plan...or some sort of deads paperwork...happened to my friend in rural korat...

[NoshowJones]

3 minutes ago, nongsangcity said:

certain rural areas you have to ask the local amphur about  adding external buildings/ rooms to your pre exsiting building /house as in these areas you have to add this to your house plan...or some sort of deads paperwork...happened to my friend in rural korat...

Yes, but I don't have any buildings immediately at either side of my property, or at the rear.

If there are houses close to each other, then I would think you would need to make sure

that your extensions or buildings are not interfering with any of the neighbours. Thais are very tolerant people, highly

unlikely to complain without good reason.

[laislica]

On 10/10/2016 at 4:50 PM, possum1931 said:

On 10/10/2016 at 4:48 PM, KMartinHandyman said:

I don't think Thailand is better than my home country. Thailand is the home of the woman I chose to marry.

Good answer.

 

Same here.

We spend about 5 months in Thailand, the rest in South east Spain.

Property is a little cheaper in Thailand you a farang cannot own a house.

My wife and I jointly own property in Spain, which is the centre of life for us.

She owns "Our" property in Thailand.

The only area that Thailand is better than Spain is that my wife's huge family are there and not in Spain.

If it were not for her family, I doubt if I'd revisit.

There are many other places I'd like to see cos been there,  done that and have many Thai Tee Shirts.

 

[ScotBkk]

I have been visiting Thailand for just about 50 years, having first come here with the Military. I am married to a Thai for the the past 20 years, although we have been in the UK for all that time. We are retiring in Thailand for a quieter and simpler life than we lead here. I don't like the UK weather, I don't particularly like the people, the pace of life is ludicrous , the roads and transport systems are terrible, the NHS is in meltdown, the politics drives you nuts. Summer is 2 months long if you are lucky, none existent if you are not. The rest is cold stinging rain , central heating and being bundled up in layers of clothes. Thailand has its down sides, as does everywhere, but growing old in the UK sucks . 

You sound like a qualified Victor Meldrew TV member - welcome back we need you here !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nemrut]

13 hours ago, hyperHowie said:

...SO WHAT AM I NOT SEEING? WHAT DO YOU THINK I NEED TO KNOW? WHAT UGLY SURPRISES AWAIT (good ones too)?

 

 

 

 

The main thing to consider with Thailand/Vietnam is that with the lower cost of living comes with lower standards (eg, poor water/air quality, pollution, lax enforcement, etc).  Sure, modern amenities are available but youre still in a developing country with poor infrastructure and lack of environmental awareness.

 

Vietnam is less developed than Thailand as you stated - but not much imo. Danang is probably the most liveable city in VN, but despite being a coastal tourist town, is plagued by the same problems in Thailand along with flagrant littering, urinating in public and untreated sewage and toxic runoff all along the coast.

 

That said, when i compare places like the US/UK/EU/AUS with Thailand and Vietnam, the main difference is a greater sense of civility and regard for others in the latter.  Despite being less developed, I have never worried about my safety, being harassed walking the streets at night, nor encountered the frequency of road rage and confrontational behavior that occurs so often in the west.

 

So imo, although the US and other western countries have a much higher standard of living, they also have lower quality of life(eg, less civility, more violent crime) while Thailand and other Asian countries have lower standards of living but higher quality of life(eg, more civility/regard for others, greater sense of well being).

Edited October 13, 2016 by nemrut

[swissie]

In a Nutshell: Thailand is cheaper than our home country. That's why Thailand is "better".

Cheers.

[au82tiger]

It's not.  I have been married in my home country twice and divorced, and those were learning experiences.  So in an effort to avoid divorce court in my home country again, I came to Thailand.  I spent a long time testing the waters here, and found someone I feel that I could send the rest of my life with... did a pre-nup... and tied the knot.  I still have my house back home, which I like a lot better than the house I have here, I like the variety of food better back home, I like the prices of vehicles much better, I like the TV much better, I like driving back home much better... but I don't like divorce courts and lawyers back there at all, and I didn't want to have to marry someone that looks her age, or suddenly wants half or MORE THAN HALF.  So Thailand isn't better, but my wife's family is here and important to her and the divorce procedure, if ever necessary, is a lot better pill to swallow, and I never plan to take her back to the old homeland to live permanently because she may run into some ruined "westernized" women that will screw her up!  If it all goes to hell in a handbasket... I'll get on a plane and go home!