Why do you live in Thailand?

Chatty · May 30, 2008

I heard so many farang complain about Thailand... like banking, politics etc.

Some of my farang friends did it as well, and always compare with their countries.

My questions are....

1. Do you think your countries are better than Thailand?

2. If they are better than Thailand why you are here.

PS. I'm just curious, I need no fighting here... I'm not farang hater... just curious ok?

g0mer · May 30, 2008

I complain about Thailand, but only things that are bad for everyone else too, the weather, the pollution and the dirty water.

I live here for the relaxed lifestyle, I can work here and still have time to myself. I worked way too much in Canada, and I made lots of money, but in the end, I preferred the lifestyle over here, closer families, simple lifestyle.

It's hard to explain sometimes, when i was in Canada, I didn't feel like i belonged, then when i moved here, within 1 week i felt like i belonged, things just seemed to fit together.

I have my gripes against the country which i reside in now, but it is things that are not easy to change or will be impossible to change.

samy5000 · May 30, 2008

im her because of my work...and when i will complete my duties ...i will move forward ...i don't care about the banking system , food , small details ...i don't interfere in thai society...im not trying to change 2500 years of traditions and culture , mentality of thinking ...i will say thanks to all thai people who i work and im working with...bottom line ..countries are different and so the people ...

PeeMarc · May 30, 2008

In fact, you say? Not fact at all. Just your myopic view.

I would ask that you please dont speak for me, because you are wrong and you know nothing of me.

I would never speak for you, or put words in your mouth, and I am sure you would not wish me to.

CiaranM · May 30, 2008

sometimes it is better to say nothing and have ppl think u a fool rather than open ur mouth and remove all doubt !!!

CiaranM · May 30, 2008

from a personal perspective i came to thailand because of work. i enjoy living here, but equally (given the opportunity) i'm sure i could be just as happy working and living in other countries in the world.

1. i don't think MY country is better or worse than Thailand, but different much different.

2. one big advantage, again from a personal point of view, is the climate. the weather in ireland sucks .... big time. for all u thais who say u like cold weather ... try a cold wet january day in ireland. u would soon change ur mind.

as for complaining most ppl tend to be unhappy about something, but whereas thais (in the main) adopt a "mai bhen rai" attitude farangs will complain about something they r unhappy with. also we will complain just as much about things (maybe even more) in our own country as we do about things in thailand.

and i'm sure if thais were honest there r probably many things in thailand they r not happy with, but just keep quiet and put up with it.

PJack · May 30, 2008

Well, there are those warrants for my arrest back there.....

PeeMarc · May 30, 2008

Was something misunderstood here?

Which part of what i say tells you I "decided to insult" anyone?

And who are you to decide who is an areshole?

Please watch your mouth boy. I have said nothing to you, and have no axe to grind as you seem to.

PeeMarc · May 30, 2008

Please use what intelligence you may have and read again, objectively, what Ace of Heart said. Then read what i answered. Then try, without any inflamatory rhetoric to tell me what you find insulting or in any way evidence of being an "arsehole", as you say.

If you are incapable of this, then I have nothing to say to you. And yes, your comment to me, IMO, was like a boy.

samy5000 · May 30, 2008

and i think it is all because of you....STOP complaining about the ******* bank system !! ..keep all your money with you ...in cash ...and no need to go to the bank ( you can putt then inside the mattress in your room for example )...

Chatty · May 30, 2008

huh? p'Ghee please explain what do you mean? I don't think you were right.

samy5000 · May 30, 2008

see?? ..Ghee ....and now..even the Nigerian mafia know about you...change your location mate... ....and send me the mattress 8)

Chatty · May 30, 2008

Ok guys... seriously, I didn't say complaining is bad things to do here... I complaint everyday with many things. polutions, traffic, politics, people, food, animals. I was in gov. and thaksin protest as well. Do you think i keep quiet? no, not my habits. I keep my mouth shut if I think it have effect to someone who shouldn't be in.

But you know I am thai, I was born and raised here. Sometimes I wanna go anywhere but for some reasons I have to live here.

I mean you guys, you have chance to live anywhere if you want, you have more money, right?

One of TF guy, complain everything, about police, he think they had to shoot themself, and he doesn't like gov. and higher (hope you know what i mean) he doesn't like Thai people. Think Thai girls are sluts, Magazines and TV channels are so f**king idiots ohh he doesn't like his apartment owner as well. and end up with his country is better than this.

So I asked him why you are here.? and I haven't got his answer yet.

Case 2 My coworker, he doesn't like company, benefit sucks, Thai girls are bad, Thai people suck, coworkers are a**hole... and bla bla bla. end up with... his country is better...

So I asked him the same questions.

He said it's bad place but lot of fun to watch.

PeeMarc · May 30, 2008

ok. thanks. We are clear i think (without some white knight waving their sword). I have no idea why you would think me a genius, nor do I know why you would be scared. If you met me, I am sure you would laugh. Please ask some other TF members, who have met me, then see if what they may tell you still scares you.

Anyway, i will try to answer for you why I live here.

The first time I came to Thailand, as a young back-packer was about 27 years ago. like many people, I fell in love with the people, the food and the country, but I did not know much then and I still had much more travelling to do. And besides, at that time, I had my heart set on living in Bali one day.

Since then, i have travelled a lot, and lived and worked in many parts of asia. Somehow, Thailand has always stayed in my heart, and over time I developed some great Thai friends, many of who are still friends today.

I grew up in Australia, but I was born in the UK. The more I travelled the less I felt that any place is truly my home. Like Gomer, I never felt completely 'a home' where I grew up.

Thailand, for me has all the best combinations of life for me - the people, the food, climate, scenery, feeling, lifestyle, traditions, history, location... etc etc. And the longer i live here, the more I learn - not just about thailand - but about myself. I like who i am here.

i think many people who come here to live are running away from or avoiding something. But I am not running from anything at all. i dont live with any fear in my life.

Australia is a great country to live, but I have been there and done that. there is nothing more for me to do there. And there are so many 'parts' to my Self I would like to explore.

I have a vision of how i love to live, and now I am living that 'vision'. I have a wonderful gf whom I love with all my heart, a nice house with big lush tropical garden, good work i enjoy, a dog, and many great friends, from all over Asia and the world. i have peace here. I am happiest here.

Do I complain sometimes about things in Thailand? yes. of course. Dont we all? And I did when i lived in Sydney too.... and singapore, Vietnam, tokyo and malaysia. But i know the 'grass is not greener anywhere else". I know this is where my heart is and where i wish to stay.

To do this, I know i constantly need to find a balance between respecting Thailand and her people and culture, and also respecting myself and my own cultures and beliefs.

i hope this answers your questions.

Kawp khun mak krup :wink:

Steel · May 30, 2008

1. In many ways Thailand is the best, and if I complain about something it is with a lot of irony.. I kind of like the laid back style in Thailand, and usually just sit down and enjoy a cold drink if something start to bug me.. After a few drinks the problem often solves itself!

My mother country have provided me with everything I need and for that I am greatful. But since Norway have all that money, we have got bad habits over the years. It sometimes feels like a prison to be in Norway, because there are rules and regulations everywhere..

2. I live in two countries and try to enjoy the best parts of them, without waisting to much time on complaining about everything. I feel we have elected the goverment to do that, I give them my wote and they complain for me! :lol:

PJack · May 30, 2008

I cant forget that I dont remember what.

PJack · May 30, 2008

If I like Chocolate and you like Vanilla, and it seems to you that I think Chocolate is better, then you might benefit from a more sophisticated analysis of the issue.

PJack · May 30, 2008

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in.

funky_house · May 30, 2008

bCool.

I think that you will find that most people, wherever they are, tend to complain about things in their everyday lives. Haven't you heard about the British obsession with complaining about the weather? :-)

I'm sure that you are complaining about the price of rice, just as we are complaining about the price of gas, electricity and petrol.

Today I am complaining about the cold and rain, in a few weeks I shall no doubt be complaining about the heat, humidity and traffic in BKK.

I have seen people on this site complain about noisy soi dogs and you complain about the Thai police :-) Its in all of us.

Same same but different

The Aussies call us whinging poms :-) but we all do it, wherever you go in the world.

Chatty · May 30, 2008

haha p'Nicky and Funky house,

Yeah yeah, i complain everyday, everything but just boring when I hear them say >>> "F**king...., sh*t, a**hole, etc.

I mean they complain everything... seems like what happen in this country are crime. you know... someone said "I hate Thai people, living in Cambodia is better" So I asked Why you stay? just go there. No one stop you.

Chatty · May 30, 2008

Ace_of_Hearts and peeMarc,

Yes I can say peeMarc is nice guy, indeed.

I think from Ace_of_Hearts' first comment is typical Thai idea. When I was study at AUA about 14 years ago. some Thai people said Farang who live in Thailand are losers... not archieve in their countries.

From what I know some of them are some of them are not. Same as Thai people fly to other countries.

One of my friend complaint about his incomes, he said he could get more pay from his country but in Bangkok, pay a lot less than that. So I asked why he came here... cuz he should know the offer before come to work, right?

No answer for this question at all.

sunsnow · May 30, 2008

Just an observation. bCool, have you noticed how most times your comments and threads involve about asking why foreigners come to Thailand. Your comments mostly involve in not going deeper into issues but on the surface only keeping asking why foreigners are in Thailand if they don't like it.

There is so many reasons, and if you put your mind to it you would understand it yourself. There is almost as many reasons as there are those ppl you have met.

For example some ppl do not have any choice, they were sent from their work to the destination country. Some people came to look for their dream maybe with disillusioned ideas what the every day life would end up being after the honeymoon is over.

Most foreigners come from cultures were development of yourself and society issues and work place issues etc are part of their second nature so that by pointing out, and starting to analyze what is wrong or could be done in another way is the first important step in changing things to any direction at all (bit like AA, first step to getting sober is to confess you have a drinkin' problem). They maybe complain because they would really love and like to see things changed to what they see would be better.

They can give you reasons why they complain in great detail if you just bother to ask instead of asking "why stay". And when they answer, probably you would agree with the issues they are complaining about. And in that case, your original question becomes irrelevant, question of "why stay" as you both then can realise that it would be jolly good if this and that thing would indeed be somehow fixed.

Maybe they complain because that is their only ventilation and it helps. Living outside your own comfort zone does that to you. I have personal experience on moving to work in another city.

Maybe they like Thailand and want it to develop in certain fields that they see would be beneficial to most ppl living in there. You could see their reasoning if you asked privately and not came here to ask about it. Etc etc. Too many things to list.(and way too much repetition, i was in too much hurry to organize the sentences properly )

But at the end of the day. All you do is doing the same thing that those ppl you feel are complaining: you complain about foreigners who complain. Asking "why don't you just pack your bags" is way too many times unrealistic comment and bit of a sidetrack from the original issue.

And believe me or not, many ppl who feel uncomfortable in their countries what ever they be, move out. So don't worry, I am sure some of your foreigner acquaintances who are unhappy in Thailand, they indeed move to somewhere else at the end of the day. And then, you can be happy with yourself.

Cheers.

Chatty · May 30, 2008

Sunsnow, ok i'm wrong, you right, that's satisfy?

oh ps: I didn't read your comment yet.

sunsnow · May 30, 2008

bCool: And most obvious thing, short version so you don't exhaust yourself:

You complain about police in another thread.

Why don't you move out of Thailand?

Your own answer to that question is the same as answer to your question in this thread.

Only difference is the possible more easier moving out for some of the foreigners you would pose this question to.

Secondly: you most probably have no idea if some of them have been looking long and hard to get out of Thailand actually. But sometimes, it just ain't that easy. Personal experience of mine - I complain about the town I live in. I have tried to move out of here to work somewhere else. No luck yet.

And stop insulting with this condesending attitude of yours. Stay thru the debate that you started.

CiaranM · May 30, 2008

i would say that is a typical Thai misconception .... now taking away the "non qualified" english teachers and ppl living here by dodgy means, did u ever stop to think that foreigners living in thailand r actually here because they were successful in their home countries and r good at what they do !! i've been living abroad for 11 years now .... 6 in sri lanka and 5 in thailand and i was sent to work abroad by my company because i was good at my job and the management skills in sri lanka were not to the level required for the business we were doing there. same thing when i was offered a position here in thailand.

most ppl working here as ex-pats will be in a similar position ... and other ppl will be be working here in their own businesses .... hardly failures !!

alternatively how do u consider thai ppl who have gone to study or live abroad ?? as a success or a loser ??

Why do you live in Thailand?

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