Why do you stay in Thailand?

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vincemunday
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Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by vincemunday » February 10, 2020, 10:24 am

Some people (some more than others) are very critical of Thailand, Thai people, calling them stupid, arrogant, clueless and much more, they slate the military, the police, the National and local government and pretty much eveything else and seem to think it’s fine because they have “been here a long time”, some might think that in reality they are the arrogant, clueless ones but that's another thread.

So, here’s the question, and please bear in mind that it’s NOT okay to speak badly of the powers that be, what is it that keeps you here, what are the pluses? Try to keep it positive.


The forest was shrinking daily but the trees kept voting for the axe as its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by glalt » February 10, 2020, 10:55 am

Every country has warts, nowhere is perfect. As for myself, I am content out here in the boonies and can't think of anywhere else I would want to be. I still have the option of visiting my own condo in the farang ghetto of Jomtien if I want a change of scenery. It could well be that some are financially strapped and can't afford to leave. Fortunately I'm not in that position. Thailand is a great place to retire provided that you have carefully planned your retirement and are financially able to live as you choose. That's not saying that you have to be wealthy, I'm certainly not.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by vincemunday » February 10, 2020, 11:32 am

Yes I agree it's better to live out of town, I love living in the village and we have made some good Thai friends here.
The forest was shrinking daily but the trees kept voting for the axe as its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by anefarious1 » February 10, 2020, 11:37 am

Wife and 2 kids. Can't return to the US because health insurance ALONE would cost perhaps twice what all our expenses are here.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by vincemunday » February 10, 2020, 1:13 pm

I looked into health insurance, some here didn't want to insure me as my BMI was too high and the others wanted ludicrous premiums, I've since dropped 13kg so I fit into their criteria but I'm happy leaving the "insurance" money in a bank account, I've saved a small fortune in premiums over 5 years.
The forest was shrinking daily but the trees kept voting for the axe as its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by anefarious1 » February 10, 2020, 1:30 pm

vincemunday wrote:
February 10, 2020, 1:13 pm
I looked into health insurance, some here didn't want to insure me as my BMI was too high and the others wanted ludicrous premiums, I've since dropped 13kg so I fit into their criteria but I'm happy leaving the "insurance" money in a bank account, I've saved a small fortune in premiums over 5 years.
Vince it's your thread. Have at it!

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by vincemunday » February 10, 2020, 2:11 pm

Some of the positives are IMO-

The weather - it's far better than the UK
The beaches - just a few hours drive and we have some of the best beaches
The people - yep put them in a car and they grow horns but generally speaking Thai are a nice bunch
The food - Thai food is among the most popular cuisines in the world and we can buy it in the streets for peanuts, I think we're very lucky.
The Girls - again IMO Esan/Thai girls are the prettiest there are, I've been married to mine for 14 years and I consider myself to be very lucky.
The lifestyle - back home I'd still be in the rat race, things are a lot easier here.
Doing stuff - in the UK there are rules and regulations for everything, it's so much easier here.
The forest was shrinking daily but the trees kept voting for the axe as its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by pf-flyer » February 10, 2020, 3:29 pm

I remind myself at times why my Thai wife and I left the U.S. after living there for 40 years.
That is a long story that I will not go into.
I met my wife when I was stationed here in the Military back in the 1970s.
I feel in love with Thai people and their culture and most of all their personality.
I love my wife very much and she is just as beautiful inside and outside as the day I married her.
We are the last house at the end of a rural village of 300 people.
It is peaceful and quite. Nobody bothers us and we can do as we please.
No local government ordnances or building permit requirements for just about anything you want to build on your property ( including grape arbors ) or local municipalities taxing you and everything else.
The people in the village and my wife’s family have been good to us.
When our daughter was a teenager she and her mother wore each other’s clothes. Most of the women in the U.S. that have a teenage daughter are Fat as a heifer cow and have an ugly disgusting attitude like Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, on the TV Show The View. You will see them frequently at Wal-Mart. You will usualy hear them before you see them.
I do not miss the winter weather, Driving in the winter or shoveling snow that occurs in Western Pennsylvania.
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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by saint » February 10, 2020, 3:59 pm

Cuz i like it here .

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by Sakhonnick » February 10, 2020, 4:38 pm

I live in Thailand for a few reasons, i have been here 20years, i am 42years old
1. Tax, i work offshore and no way would i give up 30-40% tax to any Government
2. The cost of living
3. The weather
4. The fun and freedom of the party lifestyle
5. The life in the evenings everyone is out and about eating out, drinking, exercising it just becomes so alive

I lived in Pattaya for 10 years, have lived in Esarn for 10 years, but i do go to Phuket often, but for me Esarn is my favorite place, just love Nakon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon Area,

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by FrazeeDK » February 10, 2020, 8:09 pm

1. the Thai wife wanted to retire here, have her own land and house... After 36 years of wandering around the planet she wanted to plant roots in her homeland..
2. I'm less unhappy here than I'd be back in the States.
3. Having grown up in Massachusetts and frozen my ass off in the military many times I dislike cold weather.
4. Cost of living is low compared to what we'd experience in the States.
Dave

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by vincemunday » February 11, 2020, 5:57 pm

This is a great thread for certain naysayers to educate us in what they see as the positives of living in Thailand, I wonder... yes of course I’m being ironic, as if...
The forest was shrinking daily but the trees kept voting for the axe as its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by parrot » February 11, 2020, 6:41 pm

Sometimes it's the small things: Walk into Bangkok Hospital and ask to see a specialist....no appointment, no problem.

Lawn gear needs a tuneup or more major surgery......6km up to Nongwahsaw and fixed the same day, labor usually 50 baht.

Fueling up the truck without getting out.

Building a house, building a bungalow, building a storage shed......no architect, no permit, no problem.

I can go for days, often times weeks without talking about politics

No hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, snowstorms, or freezes.

Authentic Vietnamese noodle soup

Thus far, I've never been to a Thai restaurant or anywhere in Thailand and had to endure Fox News.

Pay all my traffic fines on the spot.

I wouldn't be able to have 34 different types of trees anywhere in the US

Taking our truck to the dealer for servicing and driving out without breaking the bank

What you see is what you get vehicle pricing......no add ons

Central, Tops, Villa, Swensons, Dose, Lazada pay on delivery, TOT, AIS, MK, roadside grilled chicken, dirt cheap veggies/herbs, Jingjai market, 25 flights a day, 20 minutes to the airport, dirt cheap internet, reliable electricity, generally good to very good roads, Royal Project Store, a gardener, no after sale taxes, drinkable well water and never a smell of chlorine when I turn on a tap, over the counter prescription meds, no daylight savings time, Christmas in small doses.....
I could go on

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by anefarious1 » February 11, 2020, 7:21 pm

parrot wrote:
February 11, 2020, 6:41 pm
Sometimes it's the small things: Walk into Bangkok Hospital and ask to see a specialist....no appointment, no problem.

Lawn gear needs a tuneup or more major surgery......6km up to Nongwahsaw and fixed the same day, labor usually 50 baht.

Fueling up the truck without getting out.

Building a house, building a bungalow, building a storage shed......no architect, no permit, no problem.

I can go for days, often times weeks without talking about politics

No hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, snowstorms, or freezes.

Authentic Vietnamese noodle soup

Thus far, I've never been to a Thai restaurant or anywhere in Thailand and had to endure Fox News.

Pay all my traffic fines on the spot.

I wouldn't be able to have 34 different types of trees anywhere in the US

Taking our truck to the dealer for servicing and driving out without breaking the bank

What you see is what you get vehicle pricing......no add ons

Central, Tops, Villa, Swensons, Dose, Lazada pay on delivery, TOT, AIS, MK, roadside grilled chicken, dirt cheap veggies/herbs, Jingjai market, 25 flights a day, 20 minutes to the airport, dirt cheap internet, reliable electricity, generally good to very good roads, Royal Project Store, a gardener, no after sale taxes, drinkable well water and never a smell of chlorine when I turn on a tap, over the counter prescription meds, no daylight savings time, Christmas in small doses.....
I could go on
Agree with everything with the exception of your opinion on the roads. Yes, I know there are worse roads on the planet. Actually Thailand does have some good roads, but I wouldn't take anyone to Udon to prove that point.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by Zidane » February 12, 2020, 11:18 am

Basically over here you are free to do what you want nothing more so than if you wish to go to a restaurant or bar in the evening on your own.
In the UK I would be uncomfortable doing this but over here nobody bats an eyelid and staff and customers are generally friendly.
From Udon airport there is easy access to Phuket,Chiang Mai,Chiang Rai (for now ?),Hat Yai,Bangkok,Pattaya and Ubon Ratchthathani.
Also the hills of Phu Ruea and Khao Kho are easily driveable along with several decent places on the Mekong.
Our granddaughter is nearly 5 now and has lived with us since she was 3 months old and her teenage parents split up and now live with Lord Lucan !
I take care of everything for her and she is like the daughter I never had in the UK.
She is very lively and can be very hard work.In fact I would say my life is harder now at 65 than it was at 35.
If you had said to me when I retired at 50 that my life would be like this now I would have referred you to a pschyciatrist !
But I do my best for her and hope I can give her a decent life.....just have to keep going till I,m 85 and get her through university ! :D
Just when I thought our chance had passed,you go and save the best for last.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by noosard » February 12, 2020, 11:33 am

Fueling up i was get out and watch maybe have a simple chat with the attendant
Roads been on better been on worse
I am here because of family
It is cheaper to live here than both OZ and NZ

Would not say for the climate or the beaches or the air quality
There are always negatives where ever you are

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by vincemunday » February 12, 2020, 11:56 am

Top man Zidane, that’s a great thing you’re doing, that bloody Lord Lucan has a lot to answer for, I’m sure It must be hard work, I’m still relatively young and it near kills me when I look after my Nephew Harry and that’s only for the odd afternoon.
The forest was shrinking daily but the trees kept voting for the axe as its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them.

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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by Earnest » February 12, 2020, 10:49 pm

Great post, Vince. I'm an occasional visitor (once or twice a year) but here's my take on your views.
The weather - it's far better than the UK
Yes, although I do like the English Summer.
The beaches - just a few hours drive and we have some of the best beaches
Great beaches and the water is warm too.
The people - yep put them in a car and they grow horns but generally speaking Thai are a nice bunch
Yes, totally bonkers on the road just like driving around Crawley. :lol:
The food - Thai food is among the most popular cuisines in the world and we can buy it in the streets for peanuts, I think we're very lucky.
Thai food is the best - massaman is the best.
The Girls - again IMO Esan/Thai girls are the prettiest there are, I've been married to mine for 14 years and I consider myself to be very lucky.
Yes, I spent 23 years ogling the WRAF birds with their upside down legs so can't disagree.
The lifestyle - back home I'd still be in the rat race, things are a lot easier here.
I do the A3 - M25 - M23 commute - a pucka rat race.
Doing stuff - in the UK there are rules and regulations for everything, it's so much easier here.
Aha, disagree, I find the bureaucracy in Blighty easier to handle. :D

The best thing for me is running the parks at dusk, Nong Prajak and Nongbua. I love doing that.
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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by sometimewoodworker » February 12, 2020, 11:05 pm

anefarious1 wrote:
February 11, 2020, 7:21 pm

Agree with everything with the exception of your opinion on the roads. Yes, I know there are worse roads on the planet. Actually Thailand does have some good roads, but I wouldn't take anyone to Udon to prove that point.
Thailand is reasonably high on the scale of OK roads, sure some countries are better but many in this area are much worse.
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Re: Why do you stay in Thailand?

Post by tamada » February 13, 2020, 6:32 am

^^^^^ ^^^
As a 63 year-old with a 3 year-old, I reckon Zidane, vince and I need to hook up and trade notes on how to best handle being a father, surrogates included, while trapped in a grandfatherly body. There's no denying the old adage of that's what keeps me young but I was built before energizer batteries had been invented let alone bloody rechargeable ones!

Back on topic, most of the pro's already listed here I agree with and the con's remain heavily outnumbered IMHO. However, I do believe that if one doesn't have an absorbing hobby (or absorbing young progeny), or a partner that you mutually enjoy sharing activities with (and not just in the bedroom!), getting 'out of the box' now and then helps immensely. Whether it's a drive along the river, an overnight in Loei, a change of scenery in Pattaya or Phuket or a long weekend in somewhere like KL, Hanoi or Singapore, they all serve to keep things in reasonable perspective here and dispels the cabin fever which I think has a lot to do with the terminally unhappy ones we come across.

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