aldo

Well I think we all recognize many things that she points Wellington. Be honest..

Having said that, it is much more than a bitter cynical rant. It's quite insulting to Thai people in general.

I don't have time to respond to the many points of her hysterics, but I would say that the BOT is following similar international money-laundering precautions in asking questions about large money transfers. In Western countries you now need to fill out a formal declaration about the source of the funds.

As for not getting laid or meeting a 'suitable' boyfriend, maybe you should re-read your longwinded whinge Phuketti. No...I'm sure it's nothing to do with you is it..

scotian

Phuketti: Why dont you go back to middle-England and be happy there and stop criticising the Thai's in their own backyard.

lifesabeach

Thailand is a fantastic place to retire to - the only problem is that Thailand knows it and does not want foreigners who live in cold climates to relocate en masse to its country!
Thailand is also a bit of a paradox but I have grown to appreciate it - it is a totally unique country which is proud of her culture,cuisine,and beliefs and although it can drive westerners up the wall by her ambiguity,it can teach westerners a thing or two about patience,learning to smile and having a "cool" heart.
I first went to Thailand backpacking 13 years ago and given that I am now an expat in Hong Kong,the only problem I have with Thailand is that it will not let people retire there until 50 years of age.
If you are 50 or over,you should seriously consider Pratamnuk Hill or Jomtien in Pattaya to stay with a view of retirement.It is still incredibly cheap compared to Europe,the US or even Bangkok and Phuket-the dining scene is superb (western food as well Asian cuisine so you never miss the original pang for English grub),the city is cleaning up its act and unless you like to wander round on a deserted beach at 4 in the morning,safe!
If you already like Thai food which to me is my favourite cuisine in the world,then Thailand is definitely the best place.
The best place to live in Bangkok is soi Langsuan,5 minutes walk to Chitlom skytrain which is the central stop on the Skytrain system and a ten minute walk to Lumpini Park,Bangkok's largest park.Soi Langsuan is a bit of an oasis to the madness of Sukhumvit Road but no one really retires in Bangkok,they retire to one of the beach resorts.Soi Langsuan does not really have short stay residences and is the most expensive place in Bangkok but it is a fantastic place to live.
Having worked around Asia for nearly 7 years,the best value and the most interesting country is Thailand.
Malaysia is dull by comparison and not as accepting no matter how many schemes the government comes up with to attract foreigners.
To retire in Hong Kong,forget it!I am amazed how rich the Chinese elite are and am sorry about the suffering middle class Hong Kongers where the typical family of four live in the equivalent of a tiny UK one bedroomed flat.

Phuketti

Oh yes I agree the scenery is stunning..It's the people I find horrible.
I'm curious, Are you Royalty as you refer to yourself as " WE"
Or just have trouble referring to yourself as an individual as you been in a comfy realtionship ship so long? Well then, you wouldn't know what it's like for me at all then, would you?
Consider perhaps, a lone woman is treated a little differently, at least that's what the Thais I've discussed my views with have warned me about...That women are extremely vulnerable to the Thai-Lie way and boy are they right.
I've found it's single men or cheating husbands that find ThaiLie Land it SOOOOO enchanting.
And yes I go to the PIWC functions where I observe more of the goings on with 60 yo men and their 22 yo Thai escorts. Truly nauseating

Phuketti

Banks have laws for a reason and when you put your money IN you are expected to adhere to forms, regulations , which I DID.
It's when you try to get the money OUT and they're screwing with you that I find a problem.
Asking me about receipts, keeping me waiting for 3 hours was simple harrassment.
I should have told her I was spending my money on Prostitutes like every other " Farang"
Damn right my posts are insulting to Thais. I think they're bigots!!!
Half the " Farang's here don't realize they're being insulted every day. 'Cause they don't understand the language!!!
Why don't you ask a Thai what " Farang" means.
They'll tell you "Pale Skin" OK, is this like any other term we all may be familiar with?????
Thai Liars HATE foreigners.. Get it?

Phuketti

Hey Scotian
What an intelligent reply....Did you stay up long on that one??
Oh, is that an insult to refer to me as from " Middle England"?
You see, I wouldn't know as I'm American and we don't have BS class distinctions based on what part of the country a person's from. Yeah, you're right up there with the ThaiLiars on elitism

I can't wait for your comeback. Sure it'll be another zinger.
Here's some ammo....
Let me guess the main reason you like it here.....
And btw, I'll critisize anyone, anywhere, anytime. All because I can.
It's called discussion, dear !!!!

Phuketti

Na NA NA NA NA
That comment about Malaysia being .."mostly Muslim draw your own precautionary conclusions..."
What a racist, bigotted statement.... Unbelievable you would actually print that.
Let me guess, You're white, male and over 55 I'd say to have such an attitude and not be ashamed of it
And gee, Thailand is SO Safe ....
It's not Islam that's the problem, it's the Western attitude toward it that is.

scotian

Puketti

Wrong about the reason I am sure you are suggesting (you obviously need some yourself), I'm 30 and married to a Oz/thai girl.

Simple question: why stay if you hate it so much? I'm sure no-one would care if you left.

You could then rant and rave on the AmericanExExpats board

John Speed

So which of the PIWC Fuctions have you been to?

Jockstar

And there you have it. Just over a year and know everything. The answer is simple if you dont like it. Go home , leave. No one is making you live in LOS. Such bitterness. No wonder you cant get a date. Even with a Thai guy. Probably scare the poor guy. Chill. Take a deep breath and enjoy the life in Thailand. Sure its not perfect. But where is? How do i know? I lived in Bangkok for 5 years. I had a geat life with so many friends. I loved the place and also had times where i could have pulled my hair out. It is what it is. BTW Farang is not a bad thing anymore. Many years ago it was seen as derogatory. but not anymore. Its basically us white folk. Nothing racist about it.

Upatham

According to a research carried out by a leading German university, web forums have a propensity for attracting people who have an axe to grind.
The Original Poster asked a civil question and the thread has been squatted by by someone with an obvious chip on their shoulder who should take their 6 million baht and go back to the cradle of bigotry they came from.

Some of the worst rogues in this country come from the USA and other Western cultures. They will take deposits off other Westerners for building swimming pools, houses and providing other services and disappear into the blue. They spearhead the industries which traditionally exist with one foot on the wrong side of the law.

Looking for a nice area?
Funny how when most people think of Thailand all they can think of is Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Those are the very places which most middle-of-the-road, normal retirees are desperate to avoid, but find it very hard to get some objective information about other regions.

So let's start by putting some facts on the board:

Houses CAN be owned. There are plenty of solutions for leasing the land. Leasehold ownership is well known to the Brits.

Western style houses CAN be built at extraodinary low prices, start by looking here how to do it: http://coolthaihouse.com

ALL Western comforts are available here. Shopping in the ultra modern malls is a more pleasant experience than it is in many countries, and there is NOTHING you can't get. The cost of living is very low.

Isaan, Thailand's unspoiled Northeast region, is home to a great many expats who want to avoid the fast pace, commerce, and carpet baggers of the touristy places mentioned above. It has a reputation of being the Real Thailand where the people are basically as honest as Americans are to tourists in the USA, and they are exceptionally hospitable. The money grabbing which is typical of the tourist venues (all opver the world) is largely absent.

Find out about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaan

This is a non commercial education site run by a Thai education authority, but its FAQ pages and forum have some of the best tips about living in the country: http://www.edubkk.org/faq.html

John Speed

Strange
The PIWC is a WOMENS ONLY CLUB!

Upatham

Hmmmmm.... Lies alround, methinks.

Maybe Phuketti is just a troll pretending to be a female.The style of prose certainly does not befit the profile of a member of the fairer gender

slowsmile

I've read all the blogs and most of your questions have been answered but perhaps I can suggest an alternative(s) to Thailand. I have friends and email friends in Thailand and I've been there and it is a beautiful country. But there are problems there - violent tourist crime and the Muslim problem are a few examples.

Why not consider Kota Kinabalu(KK) in Sabah, Malaysia(old Borneo)? If you like modern, ordered living with nature's beauty all around you, this is the place. KK has beautiful beaches, natural unpolluted jungle,mountains, extinct volcanoes, modern living, great food, modern accomodation and a large expat community. And you can rent or buy property there as a foreigner(unlike Thailand). KK is also very central and you can fly to the Philippines, HK, Japan, Thailand and Singapore without too much expense. The closest anything in Thailand comes to KK is perhaps Chiang Mai - but no beaches. KK is up and coming but still little known, and property prices are still cheap and good value for money. Check it out on the internet.

I live in the Philippines as an expat. Similar to Thailand - with less problems. Love it here because it's beautiful and cheap. I live in San Fernando, La Union(a beautiful, quiet place) on Luzon and I am renting a large three bedroomed bungalow(garden+garage+aircon etc) near the beach and it costs me £80 per month. To tax AND insure my Mitsubishi Lancer here costs me £30 per year; cable TV costs £3.50 per month;broadband(wifi) costs me £10 a month; a heavy weekly shop(for two) costs under £20. Just to give you an idea of costs here.

Have a good look around, before you decide - there's an awful lot out there and you don't want to make the same mistake as you did with Spain.


Good luck,

Bill

slowsmile

....Which is one reason I live in the Philippines. Most people here speak English, and in my experience, the filipino is more friendly and well mannered. This, of course does not apply if your in Manila - all hustle and similar to Spain or Thailand.

I have been living here for the past year and I pay £80 per month to live in a large 3 bedroomed bungalow(garden+garage+aircon etc) near a white beach in San Fernando, La Union(provincial). Some more examples :

1. I changed 2 radials on my car. I called the garage out to my house to do the job. They also replaced a battery clamp. The whole thing cost me just less than £40.

2. Toilet problems. Changed the plunger valve and fixed a leak. Cost £5.

3. Aircon problems. Checked, fixed aircon leak + recharged freon gas. Cost £7.

4. My computer flatscreen VDU went down. Got a local filipino lad(who has worked in Taiwan for Dell, Acer and Apple) to fix it. Cost £10. It would have cost me well over £100 for new flatscreen.

I investigated Thailand before I decided on the Philippines and didn't like their farang attitude. My friends in Thailand continually complain about the farang attitude, the govt., the tourist crime and the Muslim problems. Perhaps out in the provinces of Thailand they are not so much like that. But, unfortunately, they don't speak English either....

Best regards,

Bill