Retired Farangs living in LOS

[Pescator]

Hi Singaporesteve,

 

I think the situation for a married couple is quite different. They bring a large "chunk" of home with them - their spouse - and that will probably facilitate the adjustments necessary to adapt to this new enviroment/lifestyle.

But I would suspect most board members have no desire to bring a farang spouse to LOS ::

 

Cheers

Hua Nguu

 

 

 

[Pescator]

Hi BKKstan,

 

I think most retirees would like to have some farang company every once in a while to talk about subjects that you would not want to discuss with thai wife/family. Besides I would suspect there are often language issues that would prevent one from engaging into complicated conversations with thai wife/family.

Well, it seems that you have access to the internet, I would certainly want that too when retired.

 

Thanks for your post.

 

Cheers

Hua Nguu

 

 

 

 

 

[OldAsiaHand]

I've been here, mostly, for the past fifteen years, but I'd go absolutely stir crazy if I didn't travel very frequently to Europe and the US. The flavor I get from many of the posts above is similar to my own feelings -- a sense that, while there are many positive things about living here, a truly huge negative is the lack of any real substance to daily life, at least in a western sense.

 

This may well offend many of you, but my own observation is that Thailand tends to attract a much lower level of expat (economically, intellectually, and...well, maybe even morally) than do most other countries in this region, let alone most European countires. I think the reason is pretty obvious. Lets not even bother to go there.

 

Still, when I'm in Singapore or Hong Kong, while I sure wouldn't want to live there, it IS nice to be with some folks for a while who have something more interesting to talk about than the current prices at the blow job bars. I think, at the root of it, that's why expats almost inevitably get sick of this place. Life here just doesn't have enough real substance to hold you for all that long.

 

Of course, there are always those guys who marry an illiterate village girl in Nakornnowhere, start wearing a sarong, and then write a stream of endlessly boring posts on this board lecturing the rest of us on how only THEY understand how to live among the wonderful, gentle Thai people. Maybe that amounts to substance for them. Or maybe they're just trying to convince themselves that it does.

[Guest]

Sounds like sour grapes. You couldn't make it work and seem quick to put down those who are. Don't mean to be too inflamatory either, just an observation. Everyone is just looking for a little slice of happiness. Very often one man's hell is another man's heaven.

 

[OldAsiaHand]

That's an odd response......

 

"Sour grapes?"

 

"You couldn't make it work?"

 

WTF??

 

I've lived here fifteen years, man. And the worst part of it by far has been foreginers like you who bristle at the slightest perceived criticism of their little paradise on earth. Give me a break.

[robaus]

I am as happy as a pig in shit living in LOS. I?ve had a condo in Pattaya for the last 3 years. There aren?t enough hours in the day for me.

 

Morning and early afternoon net trading the Aussie stock market (more or less same time zone). Then a spot of housekeeping chores. Do my ironing while I watch ABC or BBCWorld news. Pop down in the lift to the gym and swimming pool to blow away the cobwebs. Cook a snack or step outside for delicious takeaway for 60 cents. Reading/ netsurfing/ siestaing for an hour. Brief stroll up to Big C to get in some tucker maybe. G&T sundowner on my balcony as I enjoy the sea breeze and beautiful vista across the Gulf of Thailand.

 

Pinch myself to realise how lucky I am.

 

The whole routine only interrupted by a gorgeous woman phoning me up for some afternoon delights. Cook dinner al fresco 365 days per year. Then it?s out on the town, not the least bit concerned about drink drive laws because everywhere is just a 10 baht taxi ride or 5 minute stroll away. Five nights per week kick off the evening with a quiz night for a bit of crack and mental challenge with some very clever and stimulating ex pat mates. Followed by a tour of a few gogo and beer bars interviewing candidates for future liaisons. ? and so to bed? occasionally alone. Sleep like a baby, and wake up when I open my eyes, not when an alarm goes off.

 

3 or 4 times per year I take a break, back to beautiful Australia, or off for some trekking in the mountains in my backyard (the Himalayas US$220 rtn to India/Nepal, and stock up on Viagra at 34baht for 100mg), or Europe or the jungles of Borneo. Thanks to the visa extension price hikes, you can now throw in a few more frequent visa runs for a week?s sanuk in Cambodia ? no hassle at all; I can be sitting sipping a cold beer in Koh Kong 6 hours and 270 baht after leaving Pattaya.

 

It?s all Disneyworld, and I love it.

 

[jitagawn]

Frankly I did not see your original post as SOUR GRAPES.

IMHO I THINK your position is fair and reasoned. I also find the ex-Pat crowd generally rather foul-(frankly.) Of course exceptions abound and those are the people I tend to gravitate to.

I work alone in the studio and my import -export side biz always keeps me busy .As an artist I do not believe in retirement no matter where i am as I am perapatetic by nature and like to keep my feet moving when I am not sitting painting-

Thialand is great but I agree its not generally ex=pat friendly in terms of rights and alot of other things. It takes years I believe to come to terms with this and see it for what it is-a just another place -sometimes hell and sometimes heaven-

Bring your happiness with you is of course the answer we all strive for-I know personally many ex-pats stuck in the sex addiction mode with really no where to go but down It takes alot of focus and self revelation to maintain balance here in LOS.

I have learned so much about myself by and eventually seeing reality for what it is. I still love my time in AHMERIIICA and would not give it up anymore than I would give up LOS.

Its all good really but retire ??NEVER!!!

[Stickman]

If there is one thing I really don't like it is when people say "you couldn't make it elsewhere (in life, with girlfriend, whatever) and that is why you came to Thailand." It might be true in some cases but please, do not point this gun at others when you really have no idea about their particular situation.

 

I very much agree with the previous poster, OldAsiaHand, whose comments echo my thughts. He is obviously a little older than me, but I too know that there is not enough to stimulate me intellectually here, at least if I was retired.

 

Stick

[Guest]

you couldn't make it elsewhere...and that is why you came to Thailand

 

Totally misread my post then. What I was pointing out is his first paragraph said "I'd go absolutely stir crazy if I didn't travel very frequently to Europe and the US". Then it went on to ridule people who seemed to be getting on ok in LOS in the last paragraph. So I'll repeat again:

 

Sounds like sour grapes. You couldn't make it work and seem quick to put down those who are.

 

I also looked up the definition of sour grapes and still feel it is an appropriate description. PLURAL NOUN: Denial of the desirability of something after one has found out that it cannot be reached or acquired.

 

Now, where did I put that sarong... On the contrary, I don't find a resemblence between myself and the group of people being ridiculed. I just don't think it's a fair statement for someone to ridicule people adjusting to LOS in a way they themselves did not. It's Ok in my book to dislike or to love LOS or any shades inbetween based on how long you've been there. If my lack of literary skills are sending this in all sorts of other directions, I apologize.

 

[Cyborg]

Sounds like you got it made Good for you !

 

Cheers !