Thaivisa survey: Half of expats have considered leaving Thailand in the last year

[mcfish]

Well I was angry and pissed off at being treated like dirt by people nothing more  than corrupt monkeys.  I left.  Philippines.  yes  the president is a twit but people are  waking up to that now.  it takes getting used to.  I  have a,legal 2-years work permit and visa as  does my  Thai partner.  35000 baht includes agent fee.  no reports.  no begging.  no ass hole making me queue like I am in prison.
 
Keep  Thailand and suffer

The new arm pit of the universe, it was a violent shit hole before and now vigilante death squads to up the ante yuk!!

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[xdefax]

Since 9 years I live here and before I come 25 years for holiday, sometimes two or three times each year. After my divorce in Isaan I moved to Pattaya and stay here now 3 years. I don't understand why so many people think bad about this place. I live on the eastside in a small village with 35 houses and I stay good here. Everything is green in my nice garden and the farang and thai neighbours are friendly. I take care my dogs and fishs. One reason for me to live here is that I can buy everything what I need in Pattaya city, but I not go often there. I can order online from BigC, Tesco,  and many restaurants bring food direct to my house if I want. Also when everything is now much more expensive, it is still cheaper then in my home country. I don't need warm shirts and winter shoes and I don't need to heat my house. And for the people who think I come here for the ladys : in the three years here I was not more then two times in Walking Street or other places like this. And I don't miss something.

[Naam]

Quote

Mook23 said:

True. Losers will be losers. Thailand isnt receiving the best quality of farlangs. In fact. Many farlang i have met here are low level. Many dont even speak enough thai to say more than hello and thank you.  Yet these very people feel superior. Oh well. People 555.

 

2 hours ago, dru2 said:

 

Yep - some can't even spell Farang.

over a period of 10 years i have collected 32 Thaivisa versions of "Farang" spellings

[trogers]

14 minutes ago, seancbk said:

I am definitely happier now than when I first moved here to live.   During my first 3-4 years I thought about going back to Hong Kong constantly.

I'm glad I stayed.   Bangkok is getting more modern and the quality of shops etc is getting better.   It is already beginning to rival HK and Singapore.

I have no plans to leave, in fact I am going to invest more money into businesses here.   

My stats are 8 years in Bangkok, under 50, single and not dating.   

 

 

 

Properties in Hong Kong and Singapore have already priced themselves out of the global market...

[chrissables]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Cambodia's visa system is easier but they lack decent medical care. 

I think it's obvious that most foreigners if they left Thailand would move back to their home nations. 

Do people really base a move on medical care? I mean the average healthy person? 

[Jingthing]

Just now, chrissables said:

Do people really base a move on medical care? I mean the average healthy person? 

Probably not but retired people do (and should). 

[thhMan]

Im fine as long as I dont leave the house.

Driving makes me crazy

Being treated like a criminal due to the incessant reporting, even after 10 years here, makes me feel less important than a soi dog

Always a farang fault that it is sounding like a normal thing, when a Thai hits a farang or farang vehicle

The education system for my 2 girls is frustrating as all hell as the teachers I have spoken with have not that much of a clue in what they are teaching

I hate having to ask my wife to buy everything, as I know (doesnt always happen), but the price is higher when I ask for it

2 tier pricing, even when I have drivers license and my family in tow... When it happens, I just mumble the word "stupid" and pile the family back in the car and go elsewhere

 

But....

 

When I wake up in the morning, drag my butt outside and sit on the veranda having brekky, and hear my kids playing with the cats and dog and my wife prepping brekky for the kids... I feel as I am in heaven!

All I want is just to live my life with my family and not have my kids asking why I have to report to immigration 4 times every year... Even my missus thinks its a cruel thing to do to people, westerner or not.

[55Jay]

50 minutes ago, 212Roger said:

Anything is better than my ennui.

Ennui.  What a neat word.  Thanks. 

Edited November 5, 2016 by 55Jay

[IamNoone88]

Created 2 new business in Singapore and kept a downsized one in Thailand. Nuff said.

[AlexRich]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

My my Cyprus has certainly changed, in 1990 it was $3 AUS to the Cyprus pound, cheaper than Thailand today OMG 

 

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

My my Cyprus has certainly changed, in 1990 it was $3 AUS to the Cyprus pound, cheaper than Thailand today OMG 

 

Yes, and I'm converting using a much weaker GBP. I'm planning to be here a year or two, and so far so good.

[simon43]

Quote

 

... as IIRC you were doing a good job as a genuine volunteer (i.e. not police wanabee) helping tourists
 

 

LoL, I also thought that I was doing a good job as a vounteer :)

 

The straw that broke the camel's back (so to speak) was the blatant corruption of the local police, (not the Tourist Police). As you can read in a thread that I started a few month's ago in the Real Estate section, when I had a dispute with a local drug dealer, the police sided with that drug dealer, and then all the other drug dealers also sided with the police. One happy family of crooks together.

 

Facing such odds, and getting absolute zero support from 'connected' Thais in the area and police from other locations in Phuket, I 'took a step back' considered the future of my little business (and me), and decided that a decent future in Phuket was no longer realistic.

 

Of course, corruption exists right across Asia.  But I have travelled in many countries and have never met with the 'in your face' corruption that the Phuket police displayed to me.

 

I decided to move on, and rapidly found employment in Myanmar. I have absolutely no regrets about my path in life.  But it is certainly sad about the state of Phuket, the uncertain future of the tourism sector in Phuket, and the very uncertain future for all Thais and expats in the Kingdom of Thailand.

 

BTW, double pricing in Naypyidaw is alive and well. $60 USD for a Myanmar citizen at the 5-star hotel, $150 for Jonny Foreigner!

Edited November 5, 2016 by simon43

[mcfish]

Totally agree with you about the majority of expats and tourists are not high quality foreigners. To put it kindly. Many are alcoholics, they date and marry bar girls, after living here for years can not speak any Thai. They depend totally on the bar girl for help. Bad bad bad idea. Anyone with common sense understands their future is all down hill from there. They bitch and moan about everything Thai. They rarely eat Thai food. They never spend anytime getting to know the locals . Ofcourse they can,t because they can,t speak Thai. They dress like total slobs, never smile and look miserable. Ever visit Ban Huay Yang ? Lasted there barely an hour .It was a freak show. They treat the Thais like crap . Scowl City. My policy is to keep a safe distance from most foreigners and the towns they live in. Guess what? Rarely if ever have i had a problem with the Thais. If you can,t handle it here please leave. More room for what few good foreigners that are here.

That's depends if you live in the sticks. Certainly nobody needs to know thai or heaven forbid rely on a bar girl in nearly all the big tourist areas

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[Johnniey]

2 minutes ago, mcfish said:

 

That's depends if you live in the sticks. Certainly nobody needs to know thai or heaven forbid rely on a bar girl in nearly all the big tourist areas

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

 

Who need sto know Thai lol

 

How many here know what this month is called in Thai, if you don't and have been here loner than 1 year, shame on you and look right there at why you might not feel at home.

[Balance]

I left five years to the day of my arrival in CM.  Why:

 

Big increase in the government's general paranoia about farang

Increase among Thai people in the centuries-old distrust of and resentment of farang, which will increase with the decline in the economy and job loss.

Lots of talk from the PM about wanting to be a "developed" country, but (1) He has no idea what that means and how far away that finish line is; (2) The Thai oligarchy has no interest in becoming a developed country (Thai people get better educations and good jobs ) because it is the beginning of the slippery slope to their power and control being diminished.  The PM's number one job is to make sure that what Taksin accomplished is NEVER repeated. 

Health insurance is simply not available at any price and that is what tipped it.  So we left and moved back to the US, where there are lots of problems as whites begin to lose their status and power in the society.  

 

 

[Johnniey]

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

LoL, I also thought that I was doing a good job as a vounteer :)

 

The straw that broke the camel's back (so to speak) was the blatant corruption of the local police, (not the Tourist Police). As you can read in a thread that I started a few month's ago in the Real Estate section, when I had a dispute with a local drug dealer, the police sided with that drug dealer, and then all the other drug dealers also sided with the police. One happy family of crooks together.

 

Facing such odds, and getting absolute zero support from 'connected' Thais in the area and police from other locations in Phuket, I 'took a step back' considered the future of my little business (and me), and decided that a decent future in Phuket was no longer realistic.

 

Of course, corruption exists right across Asia.  But I have travelled in many countries and have never met with the 'in your face' corruption that the Phuket police displayed to me.

 

I decided to move on, and rapidly found employment in Myanmar. I have absolutely no regrets about my path in life.  But it is certainly sad about the state of Phuket, the uncertain future of the tourism sector in Phuket, and the very uncertain future for all Thais and expats in the Kingdom of Thailand.

The tourist police don't have enough power to be corrupt, they are the laughing stock of the other departments as are the foreigners who volunteer to help them for whatever reason. I was asked once by the tourist police and thay themselves insulted the illiterate idiots that volunteered for them.

[bwpage3]

There are so, so many different variables with the expats in Thailand, it is hard to point to any facts concerning staying or leaving.

 

The high cost of living in the west, which is true, gets to many people.

 

However, if you could afford the high cost of living in the west,  would Thailand be a better choice?

 

Many people have moved to Thailand and trapped themselves into no where to go back to. Once again high cost of living. Cost of moving, starting over.

 

Pensioners might find it easier in Thailand where the cost of living can be very low, especially if you want to live in a one room flat the rest of your life and eat street food.

 

I think there is no comparison in the quality of life in the west if you can afford it and living in Thailand.

 

No matter what you think, living in Thailand places you under their archaic rules, racism against foreigners, VISA's, work permits and all kinds of stupid things.

 

How come Thai's that live in the USA don't have to do VISA runs and can own their own land in the USA? Enough said.

 

Thailand is still third world whether you want to admit it or not. Education sucks, traffic, pollution, scams, corruption, you name it. Remember you cannot do a job if it is guaranteed for the Thai's. How racist is that?

 

I stayed 10 years in Thailand, making substantial money. The electric and water going off with no announcement all the time, people blocking the roads because they cannot get 10 extra baht for a kilo of pineapples, Police scam checkpoints, dual pricing, and a ton of other things including complete boredom and the weather sucks. Nothing like monsoon rains and floods every year then droughts.

 

Once you have seen the country and done everything there is to do, the quality of life just plain sucks. It is not normal unless you like surrounding yourself with people that have no idea what you are saying and you have no idea what they are saying. 

 

Back in Florida the past 2 years, have a beautiful house 500m from the ocean, 4 cars, excellent schools for the kid, high income paying job with tons of benefits, sure our quality of life is much, much better. Will have a substantial retirement as well.

 

Does it cost alot? Sure it does but that is the price you pay for the quality of life. Gone are the daily Thai hassles and stress. 

 

I don't need to do 90 day reporting, or answer to any idiotic Thai rules enforced against foreigners.

 

The food, the beaches, the travel to Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean Islands all put Thailand to shame.

 

I sometimes wonder why I ever ended up in Thailand at all? I guess I was influenced by a first visit in 1984, at which time, Thai's were not western materialized and money worshipers.

 

Boy have things changed!

 

People that say Thai's cannot adapt in the west? Wrong, wrong, wrong. My wife has adapted to being more American than Thai. Drives her own car everywhere, going to school to be a Pharmacist, can go every where the same as any American person and the good news is she does not have any archaic rules to follow because she is from Thailand.

 

In the end, we all have to make the best of our personal situations. I have an advanced education and it was easy to move back and resume a real corporate life. 

 

Some people do not have choices and have to do the best they can, with what they have. Meaning make the best of Thailand.

 

It is not fair to try to judge others or push your views on them because everyone is different and has to make the best decisions with what they have to work with.

 

I enjoyed Thailand when I was a newbie there, met my wife, traveled the entire country. 

 

Right now we are very fortunate to have had that Thai experience and be able to come back to Florida and have almost everything we want.

 

My family loves it in the USA, has adapted very well, and none of us has any intention of returning to Thailand.

 

In this part of the world, there are so many better places to Holiday, even at the high cost, that there is no longer any attraction to Thailand.

 

But to each his own. Every man should know what is best for him and his family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Johnniey]

2 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

No matter what you think, living in Thailand places you under their archaic rules, racism against foreigners, VISA's, work permits and all kinds of stupid things.

 

How come Thai's that live in the USA don't have to do VISA runs and can own their own land in the USA? Enough said.

Do you think other countries don't ask for visas or work permit?

 

Thais in the USA probably have to pass a language test , like in the UK if they want to stay.  You don't realize how easy you have it. 

[performance]

Well you needed a survey to print it lol. Your not working with immigration are you.

[MrMo]

It is now with personal regret that I stay in Thailand after having been here for 16+ years and been a very frequent visitor 14 previously.   The authorities have become so xenophobia in the past three years or so that, as an individual, why would I stay when there are many more open policy countries around both in Asian and globally.

 

Mine is a personal issue but I am sure that there are many expats in Thailand that would be gone if it wasn't for a sense of responsibility to others.

 

I stay because I have a 13 year old hah-zip, hah-zip son.   He has a learning difficulty that applies to 1 in 8 people around the world of which three-quarters are male.   The single study Thais has ever carried-out and made public came up with Thailand is no different from the 190-odd other countries on our planet.   Had we discovered my boy's problem when he was 5 I would have taken him back to UK where the state education system knows how to deal with this problem.

 

Thai teachers have not a clue about dyslexia.   Who cares about dyslexic?   Thailand need shop-house builders and rice farmers anyway!

 

Had I got him out just 5 years back, a brighter future would have been possible.   But now it is a case of helping him develop his language skills here.   This has been done in part privately (Thai) and in part personally (English).   We found just one state school in the province that understood the problem and a number of state sponsored private schools that fell in to the "haven't a clue" category.
 

[Naam]

3 hours ago, Johnniey said:

A breath of fresh air.  sadly people like you leave this forum because of all the ones you describe.

Emigrating To a country and not wanting to integrate with the locals is appalling if you ask me.

 

apalling is the arrogance rendering judgment pertaining to other persons preferences and life styles.

[jerojero]

Unfortunately the PM and his government doesn't give a sh$t about expats, or they'd improve immigration policies towards expats. So worried about bad guy foreigners, but 99% good guys being penalized. Too bad, because good guy expats do make positive contributions to the country. PM blind to this, sadly.

[performance]

57 minutes ago, seancbk said:

I am definitely happier now than when I first moved here to live.   During my first 3-4 years I thought about going back to Hong Kong constantly.

I'm glad I stayed.   Bangkok is getting more modern and the quality of shops etc is getting better.   It is already beginning to rival HK and Singapore.

I have no plans to leave, in fact I am going to invest more money into businesses here.   

My stats are 8 years in Bangkok, under 50, single and not dating.   

 

 

Invest in what ? 

[performance]

Just now, jerojero said:

Unfortunately the PM and his government doesn't give a sh$t about expats, or they'd improve immigration policies towards expats. So worried about bad guy foreigners, but 99% good guys being penalized. Too bad, because good guy expats do make positive contributions to the country. PM blind to this, sadly.

THEY are just children that have a small acting role. The tone is simple.  Let them destroy the economy.

[Nokbkk]

5 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Most of the 50% who have 'considered leaving Thailand' will not go.

Instead, they will continue to vent their anger at Thailand, and it's people, on Thaivisa on a daily basis.

 

Can't we encourage those unhappy 50 % to leave Thailand immediately? Free bus ticket to Suvarnabhum airport ? How much if we charter 500 busses ?

The more place for us who do respect that country.

Guess we will be lonely here on Thaivisa, no one anymore who put his shit on Thailand.

[Mitkof Island]

1 hour ago, Johnniey said:

According to you and others, people go to Cambodia to live because of the good food. How very strange, I always thought it was because of something else.

 

 

2 hours ago, Get Real said:

Just, came back from there. I saw a big change since I was there 4 years ago. They have really developed and have much more things than before, regarding all that many foreigners want for eating and cooking food.
The prices are much cheaper and the people that live there seems much happier. Just some reasons that I found on my trip but it was only for 16 days, so sure I can be wrong.

I think we all know the real reasons why. Women , Women  and more Women for rent. Second reason and lets be totally honest here. A easier country to hide in.

[Johnniey]

 

 

6 minutes ago, Naam said:

 

apalling is the arrogance rendering judgment pertaining to other persons preferences and life styles.

You really should stop using google translate. I haven't the foggiest what you are on about.

I can understand a German feeling superior and keeping his distance from inferior Thais but most of us  treat other human beings as equals. 

 

 

 

[cardinalblue]

I think the happiest farangs are the ones who live part time here and either return to their primary home or do other country travels to break    the routiness of one place...

 

might be be a correlation with money and how much resources one has...

 

i I would love to spend 2-3 of the summer months in my homeland but logistics makes it impossible...

[madusa]

Farangs don't like to be called Farang. Those who live in Thailand wish to be accepted by the Thais but how could that happen? If the Thais go to Europe or America or the worst place Australia do you think they would be accepted by the Farangs there? What a joke.

Whether you want to stay or leave nobody really cares. The Thais are just tolerating you for economic reasons. Not that they hate you or dislike you, it is just the way they were taught to love their country above all else. And with the cultural thing that comes into the picture just makes thing more difficult.

Lots of these low class farangs come to thailand, walking about without shirts on, getting drunk walking around town. Would you Farangs tolerate Asians with this kind of behavior in your home country? Some have big ego that thais cannot put up with.

 "Un rêve briser"  for the Thais.

[bokningar]

6 minutes ago, Nokbkk said:

 

Can't we encourage those unhappy 50 % to leave Thailand immediately? Free bus ticket to Suvarnabhum airport ? How much if we charter 500 busses ?

The more place for us who do respect that country.

Guess we will be lonely here on Thaivisa, no one anymore who put his shit on Thailand.

I think you don't really understand how internet is working! 

You can, and many does, post on TV from any place with working internet in the world. 

But free buses would probably be appreciated, are you paying? 

[tails]

32 million tourists per year who come in and spend $1-2k in a week then leave, which will soon rise to 50 million per year... why would they give two sh*** about how many non-immigrants stay or go?

 

I've been in Thailand 4 years now and it's been an amazing experience so far. Although everything has good and bad aspects. After lengthy consideration, my wife and I have now decided that Australia will be better for us and we're moving back next year, at least until retirement. I missed your survey so thought I could contribute a comment here at least.

 

I'm curious to know.. does anyone know how many people participated in this survey?