1 minute ago, Don Mega said:

 

Nope not through my wife.

Had a hospital stay about 6 months which consisted of 2 nights in ICU then a few days in a private room, was treated like a King and the bill was impressive. Cost me Nada !!

Ok free you don't pay  Health insurance 

boy some of you blokes talk ???? .

Edited December 29, 20169 yr by georgemandm
Add

Just now, georgemandm said:

Ok free you don't pay  Health insurance 

Nope I dont pay health insurance.

My mouse pointer is hovering over the lock button I have. If the back and forth bickering between a few members it will be clicked. Time to end it.

Just now, georgemandm said:

No aggression how do you read in to that ?. 

What because I tell the truth.

You tell your version of the truth which is a long way from reality.

3 minutes ago, georgemandm said:

Ok free you don't pay  Health insurance 

He is working and pays social security is the reason he gets it free.

Just now, ubonjoe said:

He is working and pays social security is the reason he get it free.

 

 

Correct, however My employer also pays for my private health insurance.

5 hours ago, Don Mega said:

Yeah I work here so obviously live here as well, or do you think I fly in from another country every day ?

 

 

Bet you're glad I'm not your boss?

I would expect you to be too busy to make so many posts on TVF during office hours........

ha ha, unless you're a professional troll?

1 minute ago, laislica said:

 

 

Bet you're glad I'm not your boss?

I would expect you to be too busy to make so many posts on TVF during office hours........

ha ha, unless you're a professional troll?

 

 

office hours do not exist when iam on holidays.

1 hour ago, smotherb said:

I have no problem leaving Thailand. I generally tend to do something I like until it starts to hurt. Thailand is starting to hurt. It may be just a latent form of the seven-year itch, but it seems the little irritants are becoming more frequent--everything from paperwork hassles to self-centered driving to not being able to serve two meals at the same time. However, my ability to leave at any time is bolstered by not being buried in Thailand with marriage, property or businesses.

 

Yep, I think you have a good point.

All new relationships tend to be viewed through rose tinted specs.

Whether the relationship is with people, a place or a thing.

Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt, so given enough time and even the world's most delicious chocolate becomes, routine or even boring?

Do we routinely fall out of love? I think the answer is yes, unless we make strenuous efforts to keep the love alive.

 

They say that what suits one at 20 is not acceptable at 30 and

what suits one at 30 is not acceptable at 40 and so on.....

Priorities change, as youngsters we needed to live near good schools for the kids, then near the hospitals LOL

Smoke and mirrors?

 

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. ~ Dr. Seuss

or the converse?

 

 

6 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

 

But then the issue is.. Why would you come somewhere in which making more assets is very difficult, versus somewhere its easy to make more wealth.. 

 

Secondly somewhere which is rapidly developing, appreciating, and getting more expensive... Not just now, but 5 or 10 years out must be on peoples horizons even the elderly ones. 

 

For those who have the option to return home where a high-paying job is on the table, and they want to use up more years of their life in an office, gambling they can "live better later" (if they live that long), then that is an option for them. 

 

It comes down to "how long do you think you will live," "how much money can you save while working," "how much do you enjoy life when working," and "how much more do you like living in Thailand vs back-home."  If one enjoys their work (maybe 0.5% of working folks), then continuing to work, for break-even or minimal savings, may be appealing.  For the rest of us, not so much.

 

Costs of living in Thailand have decreased for me in the past few years - mainly due to a housing-glut (as many foreigners have been pushed out by visa-changes).  I realize those here longer lived through the "really inexpensive" days - and I envy them.  I only wish I had arrived sooner. 

 

But overall, the trade-off between costs and quality of life is still good here.  We shall see if Immigration changes that equation, such that the costs are simply not worth it, anymore.

Ten posts that were bickering between 2 members has been removed. A repeat will result in a formal warning.

On ‎28‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 4:50 PM, baansgr said:

As most people are now settled with partners or family, the question should be, if you were to choose somewhere to retire/live, would you still choose Thailand. In all honesty I definately wouldn't. Main reason being the visa system here compared to most other countries offers no real long term visa. 14 years, wife, kids, working and still reporting every 90 days. Citizenship not an option as no consecutive tax payments. Although happy enough, personally feel wasted best part of my life and dread the idea trundling down to immigration with my zimmer frame

I couldn't think of a better place to retire and die, but that was only when married. Now single, I would hate to be reliant on the Thai medical system. My experiences with it in the past don't encourage me to stay. If I was rich enough to be able to afford 24/7 carers it would be different, but I can't.

Good luck to those that do still want to live in LOS till the end.

Before leaving Thailand, IMO the first thing to think about, is:

  aren't you jumping from the frying pan into the fire?

 

So, you have to evaluate the situation for other relevant Southasian countries (Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia) in comparison to what you are experiencing in Thailand.

(Europe is for me out of scope - after working several years in Southeast Asia and traveling a lot around SEA, coming back,  I couldn't stand it longer than 1 year. And the recent developments do not make it look better.)

 

Most important factors for me:

1) restrictions on my personal freedom 

2) cost of living

3) dangers/crime rate

4) access to western style housing and food at (still) acceptable prices

5) cultural and social activities

6) good hospitals in the near in case of an emergency

7) acceptable infrastructure 

 

I lived for one year a third of that time in Philippines: 4,5,6,7 and especially 3, made me decide for Thailand.

 

Other thoughts - admitting, only based on travel experience-:

Malaysia: several positives (eg. visa and property laws), but the impact on my personal freedom (1), due to being an islamic country, may they be real or just felt, is too big.

Myanmar: nothing much to do other than visiting the beautiful temples, still has to go a long way and future still unclear, 4,6,7 missing

Laos: nice country for a vacation, but underdeveloped (even Vientiane), gets boring very fast,  4,6,7 missing, certain restrictions 1)

Cambodia: Made a big leap forward in the last 10 years, but 3) higher than Thailand and IMO cost of living exploding, not at least, if you compare housing and food 2), Siem Reap/Sihanoukville IMHO concentrated on tourism, which leaves only Phnom Penh.

Vietnam: very interesting, could be a future option, but certain restrictions 1), 6) missing, 5) limited to HCM, 3) crime rate higher, 4) only against a price

 

... just my 10 pence ...

Frued would have a life time of work with you and your obsession with thai p??? as you so eloquently call it.

Who's Frued. Is he Welsh?

Planning on leaving...No. Future possibility...absolutely. Have not not been enchanted with the slope this country has been sliding down over the past decade and if that snowball rolling downhill continues to gain speed, the search for greener pastures is a real possibility. 

My partner is Thai and successfully works here

My business is dependent on local sourcing

 

Otherwise, yes, I would seriously consider leaving

I know I will never call Thailand "my country" since I'm repeatedly reminded it is not

I come from a country that is basically multi-cultural and Thailand seems terribly narrow-minded and self-centered to me. I know some just don't care and go with it.

I can't.

I,ve made up my mind and no longer want to stay in a country where you don't feel welcome anymore, been retired here 10 year's visiting 15 years before that, it's not the same now,good job I still have a House in the UK, not like a lot of retired expats I know here who would go back tomorrow if they had something to go back to.

Sent from my B3-A30 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

OP. This is insane. Why would someone want to leave Thailand out of the reasons you have or try to make a reality? The ones that live here already know the rules, and also can keep up with the changes to the better I hope.

Just insane to start a post like this. Maybe you are unhappy just to not can live up to whats needed. What do I know? I just know that most of the people living here have a good life.

On Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 1:38 PM, LannaGuy said:

 

I must say I go there 3 to 4 times a year and never had any issues with internet but then I stay in a classy hotel which gives me decent enough speed. It's the roads, shopping choices, hospitals etc. which are the let down for me. Apart from a very few places (the big shopping malls  i.e. Greenbelt etc.) the PI is way behind Thailand but I like the people more and certainly they are way more polite (I still miss that 'can I help you Sir' that you get there) and the people are softer  (Filipinos make excellent nurses). Anyway no chance of me going for the reasons I state and happy to hop over there several times a year and hop back.

I miss "Thank you sir, you bill is 650 Peso - Only". Another thing to consider at the moment is the current President. It would'nt surprise me at all if he booted every Westerner out of the country on a moments notice. I work for the US Navy and actually meeting my ship in Subic in early Jan. I get pretty good internet from Globe Telecom or WIFI at decent restaurants, bars, hotels when in SBMA, I Skype a lot (voice call only) and never had much of problem, always a good connection. My major reason for not retiring in PI is the health care, Thailand has way better hospitals than PI. 

46 minutes ago, Get Real said:

OP. This is insane. Why would someone want to leave Thailand out of the reasons you have or try to make a reality? The ones that live here already know the rules, and also can keep up with the changes to the better I hope.

Just insane to start a post like this. Maybe you are unhappy just to not can live up to whats needed. What do I know? I just know that most of the people living here have a good life.

Hey Get Real...GET REAL! So starting a thread and asking a simple question is "insane"? This particular question is "insane" to you? Time to live up to your TV ID. If you don't like the topic, then don't participate...just move on. E-Z...

Just now, Skeptic7 said:

Hey Get Real...GET REAL! So starting a thread and asking a simple question is "insane"? This particular question is "insane" to you? Time to live up to your TV ID. If you don't like the topic, then don't participate...just move on. E-Z...

Wow! That´s the spirit! Yep it´s still just a very strange opening of a topic, but your opinion is fairly noted.

2 hours ago, trigpoint said:

I,ve made up my mind and no longer want to stay in a country where you don't feel welcome anymore, been retired here 10 year's visiting 15 years before that, it's not the same now,good job I still have a House in the UK, not like a lot of retired expats I know here who would go back tomorrow if they had something to go back to.

Sent from my B3-A30 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

What is it with these people who expect to be "welcomed" everywhere they go......the colonial days are over guv!

9 hours ago, tazly said:

What is it with these people who expect to be "welcomed" everywhere they go......the colonial days are over guv!

 

One positive about Thailand is that it was never colonized, so there is no attitude of, "You people (foreigners) came and stole everything and that's why I'm poor." 

 

There is, however, the "You people plan to steal our national sovereignty and poison our culture" - which is a valid concern.  But it is not a threat from the people having visa-issues.   Those here on propaganda missions (usually affiliated with orgs having Orwellian inverse-truth names) will receive whatever they need to maintain visas, from the coffers of billionaire's "foundations."

 

My experience with the average Thai folks lacks such resentment.  They seem aware that each of us is a pipe of money, flowing from abroad, to the benefit of their businesses.

I bitched and moaned for quite some time, then pulled up stakes and moved to Mexico. I was back in six weeks. Thailand has issues, but when you put them in perspective, things could be a LOT worse!

Of course, I would leave, but I find myself back to the way I like life.

Doing an on line report every 90 days? Doesn't get much easier than that for the over 50s but if I was younger and didn't have the cash for an elite visa then that means I retired to early and did not meet my potential as a money maker in the West

Edit
In fact it's becoming easier with land crossing now extended from the 15 days to 30!

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On 12/31/2016 at 2:24 PM, zorro1 said:

Doing an on line report every 90 days? Doesn't get much easier than that for the over 50s but if I was younger and didn't have the cash for an elite visa then that means I retired to early and did not meet my potential as a money maker in the West

Edit
In fact it's becoming easier with land crossing now extended from the 15 days to 30!

 

This assumes that the under-50 individual in question is able to save more (and significant) funds, while working and living in the West, than they could save by living in Thailand at a much lower cost-of-living and higher standard-of-living.

 

Individual's options in this scenario may be limited and/or qualified by the person's age, job opportunities in the Western country in question, and the quality of life they would experience there vs. here in the interim.

On ‎28‎.‎12‎.‎2016 at 9:42 AM, ubonjoe said:

It is not a tightening up on anything. It is certainly not intentional to make things harder or planned. I think it is a defensive measure to prevent it from being hacked. I assume you ahve read about the recent incidents of government websites being attacked.

I cannot do online 90 day  reports because of an old entry. Been doing mine by mail for over a year now without a problem.

Never been asked for a TM30.

I have seen no changes that have effected me. On my 9th extension of stay based upon marriage which was done without a problem.

When I leave here it will be as smoke from my corpses cremation.

 

What about the information form we now have to deliver with every extension / 90 day report, picture of yourself outside your abode and a National politic which unless one is blind is step by step doctrine the main population to see any foreigner as a spot on the tablecloth!

Edited January 1, 20179 yr by Felt 35

On 28 December 2016 at 7:10 PM, 12DrinkMore said:

I guess that I do not live in Thailand.

 

I do not experience more issues at immigration.

 

I do not have bank managers asking about my income and status.

 

I do not feel that I am unwanted.

 

I do not feel I live in a less stable land (with Brexit all those Brits on the continent are proabably way more concerned)

 

I find things have improved enormously over the years.

 

I do not routinely get pullled over by the cops.

 

I do not get assaulted when walking around.

 

I do not have problems with internet banking.

 

I do not get run off the road by manic drivers.

 

I do not regularly, indeed it has never happened, have money disappearing from my bank account. Only the Brits managed to do that.

 

I have never had a Thai bank collapse on me and get absorbed into the government.

 

I have never had the THB forced down the toilet by lunatic Central Bankers.

 

I can walk to the 7/11 24 hours a day and meet friendly staff.

 

My internet, power and water supplies are very stable.

 

I meet normal people doing normal things in the streets.

 

The opening of Makro, Tesco, Big C has improved the quality and variety of goods and reduced my cost of living.

 

I could write a load more....

 

With all these great things going on, maybe I am back in England.  

This topic has been done over and over so many times ,in one form or another. It's just to see how many replies he gets. 

After living in Thailand for 13 years i left  (for the states) in april 98,  came back in nov 99,

Left again ( for Cambodia in 08),  came back in 2009

still here and happy

 

Grass is NOT always greener over the hill