How do Expats.......

[The Dark Lord]

Just now, elgordo38 said:

There are some on here I care for and some I am scared of. The later is starting to outnumber the former. I do not want to be the last gentleman left standing. 

We stand together my friend irrespective of our views on Trump and Brexit.

 

deal?

[elgordo38]

4 minutes ago, The Dark Lord said:

We stand together my friend irrespective of our views on Trump and Brexit.

 

deal?

Its a healthy attitude far better than the ones that open with the comment "hey stupid"

[The Dark Lord]

9 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Its a healthy attitude far better than the ones that open with the comment "hey stupid"

Oh don't worry El G my mate, they are hailing me. Answered to that call for many years now. Water off a ducks back.......

 

[The Dark Lord]

Perhaps it's time to get a room........

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, The Dark Lord said:

Perhaps it's time to get a room........

I paid last time.

[jerojero]

Been here nearly 11 years.  Travelled far and wide throughout the country.  I see the xenophobia getting progressively worse during that period to a point now of being simply unacceptable, and the level of mindless violence akin to British and European football hooligans of the early seventies now prevalent everywhere (if you care to look outside of the expat elite bubble).  The minimum wage hike of 50% (200 baht to 300 baht) is filtering through to the rural community whose jobs have been priced out of the market and now have no work.  A substantial amount of Bangkok workers are retuning to the provinces in droves also because of no more work in the city - jobs disappeared due to the ridiculous unsustainable minimum wage hike.  This past year has seen over half of my local Village area tree's felled for more land to grow crops just so that these folk can eat.  The wood turned to new wooden shacks for more accommodation for the returnees, next to the crops, and the waste wood converted to charcoal.  The smoke pollution this past year has had a significantly adverse effect on all our family health.  99% of the rural community depend on Govt handouts in one form or another.  I don't know one family whose household debt is seeming unsustainable; poor buggahs have it secured against Land Title Deeds.  When the Elite come calling to be paid things might get tricky!  The level of poverty is starting to look like south Asia/Africa in many rural areas.  I have substantive experience of both.
 
My wife is a Thai Govt teacher in English of young adults; she see's the level of educational standard getting worse not better as promised by the ASEAN initiatives which, I believe, will leave Thailand bringing up the rear.
 
The strong Baht will prove a disaster sooner rather than later IMO.  Once reality sets in they will try their hardest to turn the super-tanker on a sixpence, but years will be needed to correct a grossly over-valued currency.  I guess it all depends on whether you believe the unemployment figures, GDP, and the balance of payments.... I don't! 
 
The value of the £ against the baht is killing all Brits I would suggest.
 
How do I see it.  A dire situation to be honest which I believe will come to a head sooner or later and the outcome politically cannot possibly be seen as rosey.  I am returning to UK at the end of this month with my family as a result and leaving behind a Baht 3m property I built myself, on my wife's land, as I have no chance of selling it.  It is my son's inheritance so no axe to grind there.  He will have a million more opportunities in life with a British education, even if UK are having to deal with there own set of problems.  My wife agrees with me..... clearly.
 
Good luck to all long-termers and I wish you well.

Such an optimist! Enjoy your life.

[Haso]

You are 100% correct in all that you say. Any farang who has spent time up in the villages, especially in Isan knows the situation. I have just come back after 3 months from a village a short distance from Skihorphum where my Thai wife and I are still finishing an eight year project building a substantial house..as perceived by the village people.. I will never live there on a permanent basis.. I like larger towns...It's for my wife's retirement as most women return to their village later in life. Our 12 year old daughter will never live their.. Born and raised in the city, luckily well educated, well travelled, fortunately thinks 90 % farang, no doubt will mostly live abroad later. So, the house will be worth nothing after the death of my wife..it cant be sold as the market in the village doesn't really exist, our daughter won't want it, and the relatives will move in and the place will become a garbage dump. The 10 rai of land will be fought over and cause family issues.. What's new..they can't afford a pot to piss in.. Dirt scratchers who don't really know how to grow rice. Gambling, domestic violence, alcoholism, child pros, sex offenses against old women, are just a part of their life.I feel very sorry for the wives and children as their husbands are away working in Bangkok, mostly in the construction business, sending a few baht home each month. That will stop and then they will return to the village. No money.. But I am looking through my eyes from an Australian view point and upbringing and I guess they are local people who only know the village life. That's how I see it.. Travel safe back to UK.









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[The Dark Lord]

On 01/05/2017 at 8:07 PM, elgordo38 said:

I paid last time.

Kee neiow

[gamini]

On 4/30/2017 at 2:10 PM, oldsailor35 said:

I guess that you went to live in Alice Springs  or some similar place . 

 

no I lived in an upmarket large house in Perth. We had robberies  three timesa and had to install expensive surveillance equipment. My car was broken into four times. My wife had her trolley stolen  from her in Woolworths supermarket. My young teenage daughter  could not go out when it got dark. She didn't feel safe.   I was told not to leave my boat on the beach at night, since it would be stolen. I could go on. I have  nnever had the sort of problem in Thailand and I Leave my boat on the beach