Do you consider Chiang Mai as your permanent home?

[stament]

1 minute ago, JaseTheBass said:

 

Good. The less people who want to live in Isaan, the better.

For me, Udon is more like the traditional view of Chiang Mai than Chiang Mai actually is. How long it stays like that is the big question for me as the rate of development there is staggering over the last few years.

 

totally agree, less people wantbto live there, the better for you if thats your preference. we just have to wait 2 years for you to finish yourvsentence and reduce CM population. My cousin has been in Udon for 4 years after being in CM for the same amount of time and says its quite boring. If people in CM think CM is boring, best they dont venture to Udon, Ubon, etc..... Then they really would have something to complain about ?

 

Personally I like CM but also like going to my wife's village 100kms outside of CM. Its close enough to CM but also far enough away so I get the best of both worlds. 

[JaseTheBass]

Why?

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Less traffic, less infrastructure stress, less pollution, lower prices. You know - obvious things like that.

[stament]

3 minutes ago, mcfish said:

 

Why?

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presumably because he doesnt want the population to expand and likes it the way it is.

[JaseTheBass]

totally agree, less people wantbto live there, the better for you if thats your preference. we just have to wait 2 years for you to finish yourvsentence and reduce CM population. My cousin has been in Udon for 4 years after being in CM for the same amount of time and says its quite boring. If people in CM think CM is boring, best they dont venture to Udon, Ubon, etc..... Then they really would have something to complain about [emoji23]
 
Personally I like CM but also like going to my wife's village 100kms outside of CM. Its close enough to CM but also far enough away so I get the best of both worlds. 

I have over 20 rai of land waiting for me to get stuck into and I can't wait. Just need to whore myself a while longer to get the bank balance where I want it.

[ELVIS123456]

Add me to the NO list - twice.

1.  Lived in CXM for 3 years -  CM has become not what it was - and the smoke gets worse every year - not for me/us.

2.  We have decided to live back home (Aust) and are moving there shortly so we can make some money for retirement.  

 

Long term plan is to visit Thailand every year (of course) and eventually get a place in Thailand as well as Aust and live in both - but it wont be in CM.

 

I feel like Mamborobert in that Aust is 'home' - but I like Thailand (overall) and would like a place here too. Also agree with the comments about how Aust kicks the Expats unfairly - definitely contributed to our decision to leave for a while - and I want to get the pension eventually (paid too much tax to just let it go).

 

 

[mcfish]

presumably because he doesnt want the population to expand and likes it the way it is.

He is a bit strange if he thinks that plus or minus one extra farang will tip the balance.
I love isaan girls by the way but only when they are brought to me in a civilized part of thailand [emoji3] [emoji3] [emoji3]

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[jonwilly]

The F word is not an insult in Thai it is a description of ones origin.

I have known Thais for over 15 years and they often refer to me a A F**** or how you spell it .

I understand it means Caucasian, mind you way back in my BKK days I heard them say that, Cowboy the yank the soi was named after, was Nico F****, and over the years Japoon F****, has been heard.

It is not an insult the Thais have nasty words for us but I doubt I would know them if I ever hear them.

If some folk have problem with being termed a F**** well your problem nothing nasty intended.

 

john

Just get on with life.

[Deepinthailand]

So let's put this another way. 

A call to arms from your mother country is forthcoming, do you head this or stay in a country that refuses to let you become a citizen of that country after a period of time. Or this country suddenly says ok that's it bye bye Mr forigner don't want you here any more go home. Or this country slides into an all out civil war do you stay and fight for the place you call home.

 

[jonwilly]

Well in my case at my age I don't think I would be an asset to HM Government.

As a young man I spent 12 years in Germany waiting for Ivan to come over the border, but he was wise then, as he knew he had no chance.

 Now I think he would split his sides laughing as Young Will stood his ground.

 

john

[NancyL]

12 hours ago, connda said:

Well said.  Kudos!  I would venture to guess that those of us who plan to exit Thailand via the local village crematorium have pretty well come to grips with the term 'farang' as well as many other cultural nuances and oddities.  

So what do they call they Japanese guy who married a local lady, Kon Yipon, right?  But what if someone from the Middle East, India or Pakistan marries a local lady and comes to live in the village?  You'll find the locals won't bother to learn the nationality of the gentleman, any more than they bothered to learn yours, but instead will use a term just as derogatory as farang to describe him.

 

Whenever a Thai person refers to me as "farang", I gently point out that I'm "kon American".  Many Thai people take the time to learn the nationality of fellow Asians, they don't bother to sort it out with westerners.  In my experience, it's only lower class and uneducated Thai people who refer to white people as "farangs" to their face.  Others know it isn't polite.

 

However, the point of my comment was that I don't like to respond to posts from someone who doesn't understand this distinction and insists on calling himself "farang".  But, I made an exception with this thread because I was specifically mentioned in the OP.

 

I'm not going to get into a discussion about where the unsavory term "farang" is an insult, polite or not.

[jonwilly]

Excellent so now you have finished.

Frang or how ever you spell it is not meant as an insult.

Quite often a Thai friend calls me as 'Lung' John when addressing his grandson but still uses Frang when it suit him.

 

john

Go you will be happy with your Islamist friends.

[Deepinthailand]

5 minutes ago, NancyL said:

So what do they call they Japanese guy who married a local lady, Kon Yipon, right?  But what if someone from the Middle East, India or Pakistan marries a local lady and comes to live in the village?  You'll find the locals won't bother to learn the nationality of the gentleman, any more than they bothered to learn yours, but instead will use a term just as derogatory as farang to describe him.

 

Whenever a Thai person refers to me as "farang", I gently point out that I'm "kon American".  Many Thai people take the time to learn the nationality of fellow Asians, they don't bother to sort it out with westerners.  In my experience, it's only lower class and uneducated Thai people who refer to white people as "farangs" to their face.  Others know it isn't polite.

 

However, the point of my comment was that I don't like to respond to posts from someone who doesn't understand this distinction and insists on calling himself "farang".  But, I made an exception with this thread because I was specifically mentioned in the OP.

 

I'm not going to get into a discussion about where the unsavory term "farang" is an insult, polite or not.

Well Wikipedia doesn't agree with you.

You say lower class uneducated people only call us farang. Not so many hi -so bkk dwellers use it I have very often heard them in conversation mention the farang who lives in our moo ban. Or how about a minister who visited our school when I worked, and asked very loudly do the Farangs work  hard or are they just as lazy as those in BKK. I kid you not. I just laughed.

Personaly it bothers me not compared to what so many on here call Thais, I think farang is quite sweet.

[NancyL]

5 minutes ago, jonwilly said:

Excellent so now you have finished.

Frang or how ever you spell it is not meant as an insult.

Quite often a Thai friend calls me as 'Lung' John when addressing his grandson but still uses Frang when it suit him.

 

john

Go you will be happy with your Islamist friends.

Shows your ignorance about Sabah state and Kota Kinabalu.   It's multicultural.  Many of the people we met there were Christian and our friends from the local Rotary club were pretty much an even mix of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist.

[jonwilly]

Oh my Buddha, your back.

Er I lived in Brunei so I do have some understanding of that part of the world.

And has you fail to explain Malaysia is a Islamist country, yes other religions are permitted but the one dominate Religion is Islam.

I live with Islamists for over 10 years.

Many good people but What was written15-1600 years ago is still the law, Go and spread your Beliefs as soon as you arrive and we who stay in Thailand will read of your Trial.

 

john

Off out now so blaze away.

[stament]

10 hours ago, JaseTheBass said:

 

I have over 20 rai of land waiting for me to get stuck into and I can't wait. Just need to whore myself a while longer to get the bank balance where I want it.

 

only 20 rai? what are you going to grow or are you going to build a guesthouse with adjacent coffee shop? ?

[stament]

let's be careful not to make this a religious thread pls as I am sure that wasnt the intention of the OP.

 

Nancy,

 

I don't mind being called farang as most people dont use it in a derogatory way. As someone mentioned its similar to when people used to say you're oriental. With anything if you dont like the way someone says something, then its your perogative to say that to them an explain why, but dont expect everyone to listen and change. For me its more the tone in which a word such as farang can be used rather than the word itself that causes lack of respect.

 

believe me I have been called a lot worse things, and unless I know the person well (in which case they will usually call me by my name, then thais calling me farang is fine with me and causes me no suffering. Mai pen rai as the thais say ?

 

 

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, NancyL said:

Shows your ignorance about Sabah state and Kota Kinabalu.   It's multicultural.  Many of the people we met there were Christian and our friends from the local Rotary club were pretty much an even mix of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist.

And the Sabah overall figures are about 2/3 Muslim, 1/4 Christian, less than 10% Buddhist as of 6 years ago with the Muslim numbers growing stronger, right?  Leaving out the animists which do not often get counted well.

 

Your rotary friends are not representative of the entire population, not close.  

Edited February 12, 2017 by Dante99

[amexpat]

1 hour ago, jonwilly said:

Oh my Buddha, your back.

What about her back?  

 

Do you have a fetish for other body parts as well? 

[JaseTheBass]

only 20 rai? what are you going to grow or are you going to build a guesthouse with adjacent coffee shop? [emoji6]

We will be growing a multitude of things.

[stament]

cool, we have mangoes and lamyai 

[DividendGuy]

To NancyL:

 

I know it is a bit off the main subject, I am not trying to be rude and if you don't mind me asking; Why have you decided to move to Kota Kinabalu? Have you been there before? What is the main interest for retirees there? Any information you feel like sharing would be appreciated because we (wife and I) had a retired friend we were going to visit there in Kota Kinabalu , but he has died in a car accident. We were recently informed and are wondering if it is a place  we would still find interesting without our friend? To the other people on this forum: If you have been to Kota Kinabalu, is it worth a trip?  

[CMHomeboy78]

21 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

And the Sabah overall figures are about 2/3 Muslim, 1/4 Christian, less than 10% Buddhist as of 6 years ago with the Muslim numbers growing stronger, right?  Leaving out the animists which do not often get counted well.

 

Your rotary friends are not representative of the entire population, not close.  

It was her Rotary friends in Bangkok back in the 1970s that gave her the mistaken notion that the word farang  was a racial insult.

I came here in the late '70s myself, but my first friends were mostly ex-USAF guys who were savvy about Thailand and Thais.

I eventually married and settled down in Chiang Mai when it was still something like the wild west. Loved it then, and love it now in spite of all the changes. The Khon Muang haven't changed all that much.

The term farang  isn't an insult when used alone, and anybody who thinks so is living in a world of their own.

[LannaGuy]

59 minutes ago, DividendGuy said:

To NancyL:

 

I know it is a bit off the main subject, I am not trying to be rude and if you don't mind me asking; Why have you decided to move to Kota Kinabalu? Have you been there before? What is the main interest for retirees there? Any information you feel like sharing would be appreciated because we (wife and I) had a retired friend we were going to visit there in Kota Kinabalu , but he has died in a car accident. We were recently informed and are wondering if it is a place  we would still find interesting without our friend? To the other people on this forum: If you have been to Kota Kinabalu, is it worth a trip?  

I was wondering the same thing... I have been to Malaysia many times (KL, Bandung etc.) some nice scenery but was totally unimpressed but maybe this place is different but it's still a Muslim country so if you enjoy wine, woman and song there ain't a lot going for it. 

[sappersrest]

3 hours ago, NancyL said:

Shows your ignorance about Sabah state and Kota Kinabalu.   It's multicultural.  Many of the people we met there were Christian and our friends from the local Rotary club were pretty much an even mix of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist.

Not as secular as the tourist office and other Govt institutions would have us believe.

Talk to any christian in Malaysia at the moment and they will tell you how they feel that they are being squeezed,

A lovely country however and I find that Malays generally are extremely pleasant and happy race, even though they  keep reminding  me in a joking fashion about the British occupation!!!

 

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/in-sabah-shivers-of-discomfit-over-rising-religious-barriers

Good luck with your new venture and hope you have a wonderful safe time out there. and don't forget to say hello to my elder cousin at Sepilok.

[SaintLouisBlues]

22 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

I was wondering the same thing... I have been to Malaysia many times (KL, Bandung etc.) some nice scenery but was totally unimpressed but maybe this place is different but it's still a Muslim country so if you enjoy wine, woman and song there ain't a lot going for it. 

If you enjoy your boys on the other hand ...

[connda]

15 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

I accepted the tag Farang long ago, it doesn`t bother me at all. I do not consider that label as a racist term, it`s just a means of describing Europeans similar as to when Europeans used to describe people`s from this region as orientals, all being heaped together as 1 group. I can`t see why this is a problem with some people.

 

I began this thread as a kind of survey and I get the vibes that those living in Chiang Mai for decades and intending to remain here are the minority.

Those of us who have assimilated into Thai culture and society are the most likely to remain, and agreed, we are a small minority. 

[connda]

14 hours ago, stament said:

surely you're in the minority there ? as I would hazard a guess (based on my experience of speaking with farangs who have spent time in Issan) that most folk want to come to CM and stay not go back to Issan.

 

I have been to Issan a few times and much prefer CM.. Each to their own though...

I throughly enjoyed Isaan when I lived there, but for me it was geography and not the people which I found boring.  I'm not a fan of flat, featureless terrain.  I like mountains or oceans.  Udon would have been OK, but I married a Lanna gal, so Lanna it is. 

[SaintLouisBlues]

17 minutes ago, connda said:

Those of us who have assimilated into Thai culture and society are the most likely to remain, and agreed, we are a small minority. 

I've been coming here on and off for thirty years but I would never, ever consider "assimilating". If you regard Thailand as one huge, cosmic joke then you'll retain your sanity, and remain. Take it seriously and, as King Lear said " O, that way madness lies; let me shun that; No more of that" (as you can see all around you in the angry posts about Thailand and the Thais in this very Forum)

[sappersrest]

In answer to the OP I do regard Chiang Mai  as our home.

My wife and I and our Lurcher (a breed of dog) moved out here from the UK 3 years ago, after much planning in fact 3 years of it, so after numerous visits to pave the way and find a property we are here and we love it,we live in a moobahn of about 350 houses, a small percentage being foreigners .

We get numerous invitations to attend parties, religious ceremonies house warming  and the like ,so we are getting a fair share of a social life in as much as it suits me.My wife however is a more social animal and enjoys going out for lunch and coffee with here with her new found friends from across the world (thanks to the ladies expat lunch club).

I enjoy the entreneurable spirit that exists her in so much as Thais seem to be able to stick a foodstall wherever they like, try doing that in the uk!!

You can now get just about any sort of food here, all the services that a large city has to offer, so for me it feels more like home every day.

lets repeat this post in 6 years time and see how I feel about the place then.

[cyberfarang]

4 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

So let's put this another way. 

A call to arms from your mother country is forthcoming, do you head this or stay in a country that refuses to let you become a citizen of that country after a period of time. Or this country suddenly says ok that's it bye bye Mr forigner don't want you here any more go home. Or this country slides into an all out civil war do you stay and fight for the place you call home.

 

I have made Chiang Mai my permanent home, but it doesn`t mean I consider myself equal to a Thai citizen and I`m not a Thai wannabe. I fully realise I`m only a guest in this country and I`ll always be an outsider, but it doesn`t mean I don`t feel at home here. It`s all to do with how well Farlangs can adapt into living in the Thai society.

 

Our situations could turn volatile in Thailand, but these are the risks that should be fully understood before deciding to make Thailand as our home and while here have to make the most of it.