Are you glad you left?

[sabang]

World powers go up and down, always have always will. The only tangible threat to amerka as a World Power is internal- ie dissolution. Certainly not a short term prospect though (unless you listen to the teabaggers). Main threat as The world power, China of course. I personally think Chinese GDP will exceed that of the US one day, but China will be different to the US methinks- it's only really interested in Asia, and grabbing/ensuring it's quota of resources, no global policeman or stabilising/ destabilising power on a global basis. I don't see it conflagrating or collapsing though.

But wots this got to do with 'are you glad you left'?

[Albert Shagnasty]

But wots this got to do with 'are you glad you left'?

**** all. It's a thread. A thread winds.

That's obviously the point of a "thread"

that's why we're here.

Threads can no longer "run" on TD.

[Delayed]

I am on my fourth emigration. Will Thailand be my 5th? I don't know. Love the weather the incredible fresh fruit and veg. But not sure if I could completely stomach the edge on society politically and socially. As an adult I tried the UK, lasted 3 years, then the North west of Canada, now the Southern Hemisphere is to have the pleasure of my company.

Tex I think you are the first person suffering from global phobia I have come across. I have been lucky to have met many Americans. Many are still close friends, gracious, good sense of humour, generous with time and gifts. But Merica as a nation for me missed the boat, I have never felt relaxed in a country that brags about it incessantly about its successes yet cannot bare to focus on its warts and deformations for more than a micro second. It is so sad that Americans are so bleeding gullible when it comes to believing that they are always the good guys. Like the "Hollywood Encyclopedia" is the only source of knowledge.

I remember going back to the small town I was a kid in after being away for 25 years. Many of the buildings are the same, did not recognize anyone. Then this older bald guy with a big gut, stopped me after recognizing me. Stopped and chatted. His life story revolved around the same things that it had 25 years ago. He was only vaguely interested in my globe trotting, almost pitted me for my lost opportunity of staying home. Being insular and used to being inward looking breeds a total lack of understanding of those things outside your own geographic location or financial social framework.

So am I interested on how rich anyone is, well about as interested as I am in the size of your dicks. That means not at all. I currently live in a community that has multi millionaires being friends with people ( and I mean friends not acquaintances) who live on a pittance. Not what you have in the bank but what you bring to the table. So I guess I left but still not found the perfect place. I will alert you all when
i find what i am looking for.

sounds like U2

must be time for bed

[Texpat]

Tex I think you are the first person suffering from global phobia I have come across.

Global phobia (snort, hitch, cough)

I have no illusions about the US.

The only illusions I see are that Brittles seem to continually put forth the ridiculous notion that they are the civilized arbiters of language, knowledge and truth.

They're shoestring idiots dropping like flies and living on the edge. You can't see this?

[Charles]

Global phobia (snort, hitch, cough)

I have no illusions about the US.

The only illusions I see are that Brittles seem to continually put forth the ridiculous notion that they are the civilized arbiters of language, knowledge and truth.

They're shoestring idiots dropping like flies and living on the edge. You can't see this?

For a man who has no command of the English language you sure do spout some nonsense. You do realise you have created a peronae that is a total joke. A parody of all that is wrong with America. Stand up and be counted.... well, I love my country but I'm such a twat that I had to leave and move to the third world where I can lord it over the peasants because America is great and here, I can lord it over the peasants.
Texpat you are a sad old anachronism, forced to subjugate yourself in a third world country where you might feel better about yourself.
What a sad bitter old knob you have become. Imagine, if only you had stayed in a great first world country ......... like PNG.

**** you ya septic old dribbling c unt.

[Norton]

Great thread. Keep it up boys.

[Panama Hat]

In my experience (I'll say it again) In my experience, the vast majority of Americans I meet regularly in Thailand don't fit this desperate mold. That said, the vast majority of people I meet are not Americans. Are we as Americans simply smarter?

I think you'll find more Americans like you describe in the PIs, also generally US pensions don't allow for life outside the US

Glad I left for work to see and experience the world, glad I'm going back when it's time

[Exexpat]

Great thread. Keep it up boys.

Ok

I thought in 2006 when I retired here life might be easier, more simple. I thought I could melt away into my own bubble and be immune from all the idiots. I was financially secure then (at 42) and I still am (at 50) Haven't worked a single minute since.

I feel sorry for the Aussies who have to wait for the supers to get old, and the Brittles who can't move here until they're fossilized and their heating fuel oil benefit kicks in. I feel for the weeklong Krauts who come and go like a case of sniffles and then trundle back to Hanover or Berlin to their hateful jobs and miserable existences. Listening to them as they gorge themselves on inexpensive crappy Isaan river prawns makes me quasi depressed. All the poor, sad fcuks living large in Thailand for their two weeks -- then reluctantly back to the ball-buster gauntlet. I've met Frenchies and Italians and assorted Euro slime -- same deal.


Who's the lucky boy? For me life here ain't so bad. I've some gripes with IOs and ignorant community policy, but all in all, can't complain.

Am I glad I left? Yes.

I differ from you in that I could have done exactly what you did when I was aged 38 to your aged 42. However, retiring to Thailand had no appeal whatsoever, and from what I know about you, you predictably and unsurprisingly became a drunk and thus have little right to look down on those you mention above.

My preference by far was semi-retirement with half of the year working in Europe and the other half travelling and chilling in Asia. Not only does such a lifestyle keeps one's mind more intact, it's more financially secure and it offers locational variety, which to me is one of life's spices. Nine years on and I've no regrets. I'll be finishing work in six weeks then heading to enjoy a month of Japan's autumn before flying down to spend the next 4.5 months dossing around in Thailand Malaysia Vietnam and Taiwan before returning to the UK mid April.

[TAXEXILE]

initially i was very happy to leave the uk, i was financially secure after very early retirement and moved with my thai wife back to thailand to an easy existence. the pound was strong, the thai authorities were relaxed, easy going and welcoming to foreigners and life was excellent.

dealing with thais and their somewhat sloppy ways has always been about patience and not taking things too seriously, but gradually, with the fall in the value of the pound, the rising costs in thailand and the slow but sure change in the attitudes of the thai people and the thai authorities to foreigners, my patience got severely tested at times.

it is difficult if not impossible to strike up meaningful honest relationships with local people, i have nothing in common with thai taxi drivers, farmers or market traders and whilst it is easy enough to pass easy time with them over a meal or a drink, i find the cultural barriers are just too great to cement lasting friendships.

i am the only foreigner on the all thai committee of the condo we reside in, we meet three times a year, the thais on the committee are all wealthy, they are business people, policemen and military men and i have struck up good friendships with two or three of them, we call each other every now and again for chats and meet ups, their english language fluency is exceptional as is their knowledge of both thailand and the outside world, they are not shy about voicing their opinions on the long stay expats that reside in thailand and the poor quality of the foreign workers (westerners) that they employ or have dealings with.

those opinions are far from complimentary, and from my experience and observation of other expats, i can fully understand why. thailand does attract the worst the west has to offer.

but the cultural barrier always seems to be there. i am an outsider and always will be. my wife never felt like this in the uk, where she was accepted from day one and always enjoyed the same rights and privileges and a native brit.

it may be a very different experience for those expats that have chosen to settle in the countryside with its greater sense of community.

gradually i began to suffer greatly from boredom, we had explored just about every inch of the country, but thanks to overcrowding, overpricing and traffic congestion, we have no wish to do it again.

thailand had ceased to be fun, the weather, initially a great attraction had become oppressive, the lack of real and honest engagement with locals was a problem, the endless excuses for poor or non existent service, the total lack of accepting responsibility for shortcomings and transferring blame to anybody but themselves soon to grate.

i began to miss my homeland, its countryside, its responsibility, its people, its trustworthiness, its variety, its stimulation and even its weather.

a couple of years ago i inherited an apartment in the uk, and since them we have spent the summers in northern england, and the winters in thailand. my boredom has vanished, i am fully engaged whilst in the uk, and thailand has become what it is best at, a holiday destination that i enjoy immensely.

life is great again.

[Exexpat]

Have you ever thought of swapping the UK and Thailand for anywhere with lesser extremes tax? e.g Portugal, a warmer, cheaper, more laid back version of the UK, or Taiwan, a cooler, more developed, less fcukwitted version of Thailand. I guess with the UK apartment and Thai wife it's not on the cards.

[TAXEXILE]

i could happily sell up in thailand and either buy or rent for the uk winter in portugal or greece, but the wife would still want trips to thailand to visit her family and her friends in thailand.

at the moment, things are working out fine, i would never leave the uk permanently again and miss out on the benefits of having a presence in the uk. they are getting quite strict with residence requirements of late, i was asked to confirm that i was a uk resident when i had a hospital (nhs) appointment a couple of weeks ago and my bank and the inland revenue (hmrc) are forever sending questionnaires because i lived abroad for ten+ years and was actually a perfectly legitimate tax exile.

[Slick]

I'll be leaving Thailand soon, likely at the beginning of 2018 (new tax year).

I'm over it. Thailand is great, but it just does my head in after a while.

Would probably be perfect if I was retiring but I'm not. Too young and too much world to see to stay in a vacuum like thailand.

[Exexpat]

I can kind of understand why the retired guys stay there. It's not a bad place if you want to chill out and watch the world go by, but if it was me I'd choose somewhere like Madeira or Penang. I've never understood why any pensioner would want to stay in busy Bangkok or landlocked Chiang Mai over Hua Hin or Krabi.

But it's the younger ones, those who thinks it's a smart place to settle down, have a career, and raise a family, that are the real oddities.

[Boon Mee]

I can kind of understand why the retired guys stay there. It's not a bad place if you want to chill out and watch the world go by, but if it was me I'd choose somewhere like Madeira or Penang. I've never understood why any pensioner would want to stay in busy Bangkok or landlocked Chiang Mai over Hua Hin or Krabi.

But it's the younger ones, those who thinks it's a smart place to settle down, have a career, and raise a family, that are the real oddities.

It really boils down to a family-type situation for me. The wife & I retired back here mostly due to her aging mother and the cost of living/personal freedoms etc Thailand offers vs. the US.

We could have easily retired to Brazil for example but family is strong with the Thai & it suits the shit out of me to live here anyway.

[rodeobob]

I used to be glad. but i'm slowly becoming very glad once i go back home ot he UK into the civilise world for a few weeks.