Pepe' Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Just a thought. I currently reside in what is supposed to be one of the "best" places to live in the USA, San Diego California. I have been here twenty years and lived and traveled, very extensively all over this country and the world previously. Surprisingly and progressively most people here say we are only here for the weather only. In my opinion it is the best Medditerainian type climate in the world. In order to live here most people are scurrying around in severve traffic jams working six days per week to make ends meet. Only twenty percent of people can own their own home. And prices now are at the obscene level. I don't know but personally I am getting a little tired of hearing how the Thais can't manage, or the Thai's can't do this or the thai can't do that. My point is that they have been at it for a long long time. I wonder how the US will look after it has been inexistance as long as Thailand. This country, the USA and it's crowning gem southern California is going to ###### in a hand basket. We think we're free and prosperous but in fact the local and state governments are in deep deep debt due to MISMANAGEMENT and our personal freedoms and quality of life is deteriorating at an alarming rate. We are getting raped at the pump and by polititians cutting services so they can continue lining their pockets. We beleive we have it made in many ways compared to the poor, stupid Thais. However we are in a prison here with velvet covered bars and after 200 or so years the velvet is peeling. I'm looking forward to retiring soon in Thailand with my wife. I'd rather relax in "######" than slave in "paradise." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mai Krap Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Yea your right San Diego SUCKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted April 30, 2004 Author Share Posted April 30, 2004 That wasn,t the point genius... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meemiathai Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 I have never been to the States but I guess I know what you mean. It is similar of what I think of HK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mai Krap Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 At least reckognize Im well informed,,,,BBBBBBBB,Bye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chingy Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Surprisingly and progressively most people here say we are only here for the weather only. In my opinion it is the best Medditerainian type climate in the world.they don't come for weather pepe, they come for the job, sometime it can be hot as he11. In order to live here most people are scurrying around in severve traffic jams working six days per week to make ends meet. Only twenty percent of people can own their own home. And prices now are at the obscene level. wanna buy my house pepe? only a kool half a $mil. bought it in the early 80 for $180k traffic jam aint that bad pepe, only rush hour, regular hour smooth sailing. This country, the USA and it's crowning gem southern California is going to ###### in a hand basket. We think we're free and prosperous but in fact the local and state governments are in deep deep debt due to MISMANAGEMENT and our personal freedoms and quality of life is deteriorating at an alarming rate.We are getting raped at the pump and by polititians cutting services so they can continue lining their pockets. We beleive we have it made in many ways compared to the poor, stupid Thais. However we are in a prison here with velvet covered bars and after 200 or so years the velvet is peeling. I'm looking forward to retiring soon in Thailand with my wife. I'd rather relax in "######" than slave in "paradise." you just did you TAX again didn't you Yea your right San Diego SUCKS! you live in SD, Mai Krap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted April 30, 2004 Author Share Posted April 30, 2004 In a short 200 years we here in the US have managed to just about run the country into the ground. How long has Thailand been at it? A 1000 years or so...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted April 30, 2004 Author Share Posted April 30, 2004 Chingy, Traffic is getting bad all day now but that is not the worst of it. I wa lucky enough to get involved with real estate years ago as well. Yeah taxes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mai Krap Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Never lived there but was sent to that fancy Island a couple times by our favorite uncle...... Bums cursed me out cause I refused to give them my hard earned capital on the way to said island........ BUMMER.TRIGGER.BETTER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted April 30, 2004 Author Share Posted April 30, 2004 Humm, never seen a bum on Coronado island? Did they hit you up before you got on the ferry down town? I'll still take Thailand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mai Krap Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted April 30, 2004 Author Share Posted April 30, 2004 Wetbacks? Comprendo que? No tienes uno dictionario "ahorito." Aye maricone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenUdon Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Before telling everybody how wonderful Thailand, and the Thais are compared to your own country, you might actually try LIVING here!! Yes, some things may be better here, but it is becoming a very fine balance, and you would do well to keep this in mind before you move here permanently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darknight Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 "In a short 200 years we here in the US have managed to just about run the country into the ground. How long has Thailand been at it? A 1000 years or so...? " Maybe you should try europe for a while?? to educate yourself and do up some culture so to speak ?? maybe be see what things at the pump cost here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted April 30, 2004 Author Share Posted April 30, 2004 Darknight, Yeah , actually as I was writing that I thought about how the Europeans have been getting royaly shafted on fuel prices for year. Thanks for picking up the slack mate Don't worry I think the US will catch up soon Ken, I think I'm pretty clear on the pitfalls of living in Thailand. I have spent a lot of time traveling and much of it in SEA. Do I understand that you don't think Thailand is a wonderful place to live? What do you mean by things are becoming a fine balance? Buddha said all life is suffering. However, "money changes everything", Cindy Lauper Or does it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuestHouse Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Pepe, There are a couple of errors in your argument. The first is, Thailand has not been a nation for a thousand years, the Thais have only had independence from the control of The Khmeres and the Burmese for about half that period. The other error to measure your life in San Diego against life in Thailand and then say you are going to live in Thailand. Your ability to do this is in a great part due to the life and opportunities you have had in San Dieago. I feel I must add that if corrupt politicians in the US bother you then Thailand is going to be something of a 'worry'. I've been living and working in Thailand since 1992 and I have this observation. "Thailand is full of people who bemoan and criticise their home country, but when things go wrong or when they get seriously ill, a large number of these people pack their things and go home". Thailand is many things, but it is not the promised land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamberal Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 I understand the point that Pepe is making. As an Australian I look around at my country and wonder how it will look in another two hundred years. I have been alive for almost a third of my nation's recorded history, and I have seen the dire impact we have made on our environment in that time. We are now facing up to the possibility that our knowledge of weather patterns is drastically under-estimating the frequency and impact of droughts. We have farmed the land, in many cases, inappropriately and there are huge problems with soil erosion and over-use of river water. We have failed to include our indigenous people in our prosperity, and we do not recognise their true aspirations. We have poverty, poor health, and hopelessness amongst these people. The Thai people have made many of the same mistakes, to be sure. The sheer filth of parts of Bangkok is stomach-turning, and the drive from the city to where my in-laws live at Samut Sakhorn is deeply depressing. Visual pollution!!! My feeling is that we human beings are still evolving, and we have obviously not yet learned how to govern ourselves for the benefit of all people, and without destroying our natural environment and resources. Perhaps we will evolve the ability to do so. Incidentally. I am all in favour of higher petroleum prices, we need the financial incentives to use less oil, and to promote alternative clean energy sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_Pat_Pong Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 Poor old King Ramkamhaeng was busy ruling Sukhothai 1279 - 98 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 Pepe,There are a couple of errors in your argument. The first is, Thailand has not been a nation for a thousand years, the Thais have only had independence from the control of The Khmeres and the Burmese for about half that period. The other error to measure your life in San Diego against life in Thailand and then say you are going to live in Thailand. Your ability to do this is in a great part due to the life and opportunities you have had in San Dieago. I feel I must add that if corrupt politicians in the US bother you then Thailand is going to be something of a 'worry'. I've been living and working in Thailand since 1992 and I have this observation. "Thailand is full of people who bemoan and criticise their home country, but when things go wrong or when they get seriously ill, a large number of these people pack their things and go home". Thailand is many things, but it is not the promised land. 1000 years was a question not a statement. Thanks for the clarification. Also making it in San Diego is not an easy proposition especially these days, despite what you might have heard. No the polititians don't bother me. They are a fact of life. They all suck. The whole point I was trying to make was to say Thailand is not such a bad place. It was relative to someone saying how badly Thailand handled the violence in the south. Life is more in your face there. Here we just think we're better off here in the states but the quality of life is really deteriorating. I have lived in other countries for extended periods and allways did very well. In fact I feel more like a citizen of the world more than the US. Finally I am not bemoaning my country just trying to defend Thailand a little. I certainly don't have any illusions about Thailand being the promised land quite the contrary. I fortunenately my wife and her family are fairly well to do and heavily connected. I have allready seen how it makes life much easier in Thailand but I guess that's true everywhere. Personally I prefer the climate and environment of of San Diego but I am not willing to stay in the rat race much longer for balmy weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 I understand the point that Pepe is making. As an Australian I look around at my country and wonder how it will look in another two hundred years. I have been alive for almost a third of my nation's recorded history, and I have seen the dire impact we have made on our environment in that time. We are now facing up to the possibility that our knowledge of weather patterns is drastically under-estimating the frequency and impact of droughts. We have farmed the land, in many cases, inappropriately and there are huge problems with soil erosion and over-use of river water. We have failed to include our indigenous people in our prosperity, and we do not recognise their true aspirations. We have poverty, poor health, and hopelessness amongst these people. The Thai people have made many of the same mistakes, to be sure. The sheer filth of parts of Bangkok is stomach-turning, and the drive from the city to where my in-laws live at Samut Sakhorn is deeply depressing. Visual pollution!!! My feeling is that we human beings are still evolving, and we have obviously not yet learned how to govern ourselves for the benefit of all people, and without destroying our natural environment and resources. Perhaps we will evolve the ability to do so. Incidentally. I am all in favour of higher petroleum prices, we need the financial incentives to use less oil, and to promote alternative clean energy sources. Wamberal, Yes that's what I'm trying to say. We are on the same wave lenght. My wife's family is in Samut Sakhorn as well. That's where we will be living initially. Hey did We meet in the bank in Kratumban last August. I met some guy from Australia who said he was the only farang in town? Stay in touch maybe we can hook up in Samut Sakhorn. I will tentatively be in Bangkok to present at this years international AIDS Conference July 11 to 16. I should know all the details this comming week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 Poor old King Ramkamhaeng was busy ruling Sukhothai 1279 - 98 Dr P, That's more than 500 isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamberal Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 Pepe', no it wasn't me. We will quite possibly be in BKK at the time of your conference, as it is Australian school holidays...I do some volunteer teaching...and we would normally plan a visit around then. The format is that we will be around for about 10 days...my wife will travel back and forward from wherever I stay (possibly the Pan Pacific) to her in-laws.....I will go down there once or twice, but the rest of the time I will be cooling my heels in Krung Thep. So would really enjoy catching up with you, you appear to lead an interesting life! Will stay in touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 Wamberal, Interesting is putting it mildly. I could do with some good solid boredom for about a year or two. Preferably on a beach. Hope we can connect in July Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkthai Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 I have never been to the States but I guess I know what you mean.It is similar of what I think of HK. One major difference...taxes. You pay a lot more of it in the states especially California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gentleman Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 I think I'm pretty clear on the pitfalls of living in Thailand. I have spent a lot of time traveling and much of it in SEA. I think Pepe, you will find that a holiday in Thailand is not the same as living here, I had been to Asia on numerous occasions over the years and had a lot of fun and found the place friendly and welcoming. When I came to live here 7 years ago, thats when reality set in - The good out ways the bad, but its like living anywhere in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 I think I'm pretty clear on the pitfalls of living in Thailand. I have spent a lot of time traveling and much of it in SEA. I think Pepe, you will find that a holiday in Thailand is not the same as living here, I had been to Asia on numerous occasions over the years and had a lot of fun and found the place friendly and welcoming. When I came to live here 7 years ago, thats when reality set in - The good out ways the bad, but its like living anywhere in the world. Gent, I understand and agree. I have lived in Japan for almost three years, 2.5 years in Brazil and about three years in Puerto Rico. Interestingly I never missed the states. I really am at home wherever I am. Bottomline is I am at a point where after 41 years I have really had it with working my ass off but STILL cannot retire in good style in southern California. My wife is an angel and I can retire in Thailand soon with her and a very nice family around. I know nothing is perfect but I don't have kids and have allways liked adventure and exotic places. I think I am understanding the challanges of life in Thailand. Of course there's nothing like actually doing it. And I think I will enjoy it more with most of my marbles rolling around. Thai Visa has actually helped to piece together some unanswered questions and continues to be a valuable resource for information and current perspectives from the members at different ends of the spectrum. hkthai, Anything is better than taxes here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxexile Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 thailand is getting more westernised every minute,and as the government puts into place more and more computerised systems then it will exert more control over its people and be able to locate those who deviate from the proscribed norms and bring them to book,all automatically. just as in the west, quality of life for the average man or woman will take a tumble,even though income levels may rise. the more such control they have, the more regulations will be put into place and very soon it will be just as tightly regulated as the uk,euro or the states. the big attraction for a lot of westerners here i'm sure is the easy going way of life, with laws being selectively applied for the ease of those applying them and for the ease of those under them. there is (or was) a way around everything so long as nobody was too disadvantaged. these days power is much more centralised and controlled by the information the governments keep on us. i always felt that excessive government(both central and local) control was an unwelcome intrusion into my life and was one of the many reasons i left the uk, but i think that the easy going anarchy that prevails here is slowly coming to an end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 I am aware of this phenomenon and have thought along the very same lines as you describe. However having married into a well known and "connected" family will still have advantages atleast for a few more years. I think the time to make some moves is now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkthai Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 I think I'm pretty clear on the pitfalls of living in Thailand. I have spent a lot of time traveling and much of it in SEA. I think Pepe, you will find that a holiday in Thailand is not the same as living here, I had been to Asia on numerous occasions over the years and had a lot of fun and found the place friendly and welcoming. When I came to live here 7 years ago, thats when reality set in - The good out ways the bad, but its like living anywhere in the world. Gent, I understand and agree. I have lived in Japan for almost three years, 2.5 years in Brazil and about three years in Puerto Rico. Interestingly I never missed the states. I really am at home wherever I am. So true what the Gent has to say about living in Thailand. Be sure to prepare yourself mentally when you move back. After the honeymoon period is over then reality will set in. I grew up in Southern California and moved to Thailand in the early 90's. It took me a good 1 - 2 years to really adapt to the country and way of life. As you stated in an earlier post, everything here is so much in your face. The rampant corruption at all levels of government, military/police, and civil services. The vast contrast between rich and poor. The utter incoveniences of life in Bangkok versus the states. And the seemingly irresponsible and irrationale Thais.... I moved back to the US after the Asian financial crisis...but actually found myself missing Thailand. Now I am back altough not quite there yet, but close enough. Keep an open mind and attitude. You will find everything has a reason...for good and for bad. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepe' Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 hkthai, Thanks for the good advice you're confirming my thoughts. Where in southern Cal' duuuuuude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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