Every Thai advantage has its disadvantage…

Do you dream of a life in the 'earthly paradise'? Where it is extremely good to be, surrounded by willing ladies who provide milk and honey on request? You are guaranteed a rude awakening, because the earthly paradise was abolished after the Fall. In fact: in Thailand the fall is still happening. You must make do with the meager remains of the original paradise.

In my working life I have been able to see more than a hundred foreign countries, almost always for work and therefore at the expense of my boss. And I always thought after about ten days: “No, this is (just) not it”. I am talking about destinations such as South Africa, Kenya, the entire Middle East, Argentina, Mexico, the United States, India, Indonesia, Japan, China and so on. I had some doubts about Cuba, but the lack of contact with the outside world made me decide not to do it. That is to say: no foreign newspapers and hardly any reception of foreign TV channels. There is hardly any internet, or only at extortionate prices, as well as telephone calls to capitalist countries. The Dominican Republic also dropped out, but because of crime. This makes it virtually impossible for foreigners to move freely. This also applies to destinations such as Jamaica, Curaçao and Brazil.

When I first set foot on Thai soil in 2000, I thought after a short time that I could like it here. Thailand has the advantages of a reasonably developed country, such as well-functioning telephones, internet and a reliable banking system. In addition, many Thai speak a word of English and the prices of everything and anything are a lot lower than in Europe.

In short, once the employer's cut-off premium was in the bag and other companies turned out not to be waiting for an almost sixty-year-old (and I had meanwhile met a nice Thai), the conclusion was quickly drawn: not staying behind the sanseverias in the Netherlands sitting, but under a palm tree in Thailand. For a moment I toyed with the idea of ​​buying a piece of land outside Hua Hin to build a bungalow there, but my Thai partner refused to live so far outside the civilized world. At that time a correct vision, because the ground was 12 kilometers from Hua Hin. A solid trip to get the newspaper every morning…

After five years, the euphoria of entering the new homeland has subsided somewhat, although the advantages still outweigh the disadvantages of the Netherlands. In any case, a big advantage is the weather. I hated those long, dark, gray and damp Dutch winters. Snow is nice the first day, but after that I don't need that mush that has turned into a porridge. And that 25 degrees below zero during the last Elfstedentocht (1998?) is also etched in my memory as a low point. Not to mention the bills for heating, property tax, parking in front of the door and so on, which rise every year. Now there is also a disadvantage to the constant and humid heat in Thailand. Every physical effort leads to a soaking wet shirt. I admit, in the north and northeast of Thailand it can be quite cool in December and January. Anyone who likes it will certainly feel at home there. The best combination would be to spend the winter in Thailand and the summer in the Netherlands. However, not everyone can afford that.

An advantage is also the excellent medical care in Thailand, although you have to go to the hospital for that. Because Thailand does not know general practitioners, at most some clinics of doctors who want to earn some extra money. In private hospitals, medical care is of a high standard. Waiting lists are unknown here and the doctors usually speak reasonable to good English.

A disadvantage may be that you can take out health insurance here in Thailand up to the age of sixty, but on the condition that existing illnesses are excluded. This offers little relief for the chronically ill from the Netherlands (for example diabetics or rheumatic patients), who are therefore unable to settle permanently in Thailand, unless they bear the risk of hospitalization and/or surgery. And despite the lower prices, that can add up quite a bit.

The command of English is a lot less in the shopping malls, although it is a pleasure to shop when it suits you and not when it suits the shopkeeper or his staff. The service is excellent, the quality of what is offered sometimes varies.

I am very happy to see the old Seri Center on Srinakarin Road (Bangkok SE) being converted into Paradise Park. That can absolutely withstand the comparison with Siam Paragon, because all world brands are represented in Paradise Park. Recently we also found a Villa Market there, the paradise for gourmands. And speaking of food: Thai cuisine is extremely tasty, varied and not too unhealthy. Although with the latter it should be noted that Thai cooks are increasingly adding sugar. In addition to the unbridled growth of fast food chains, this leads to increasingly fat Thai people. But that's their problem...

Of course, the relatively low cost of living is also a plus, with petrol and diesel for about 70 cents. Eating, even outside the door, does not cost you a lot, while clothing in Thailand is dirt cheap. So does transportation, utilities, domestic help and most hotels. In Thailand you will find a reasonable hotel everywhere, of a reasonable quality, for a reasonable price, just come to the Netherlands for that. I have already talked about buying a house or condo on this blog; the rental prices are quite reasonable, with the exception of the heart of downtown Bangkok.

I experience the indifferent attitude of the average Thai as a negative. Others have always done it, preferably those stupid foreigners. Thai people often hate working; they live hand to mouth, from sanuk to sanuk and there is no planning involved. The proverbial smile turns into a grin when the farang is then unwilling to shake his tree of money. Thais are usually assholes in traffic and many things only run smoothly when the necessary money has been slid under the table.

Among the disadvantages I also count the millions of stray dogs, most of them with rabies, venomous or non-poisonous snakes, malaria mosquitoes, cockroaches, neighbors with dogs barking for hours, blaring televisions, traffic jams, very old cars and buses spewing clouds of soot, dangerous motorcyclists and corrupt police officers. What I find difficult to get used to is the complete absence of any understanding for the environment. The waste goes over the wall or down the drain. What you don't see isn't there, the Thai thinks. As a result, the Thai slaughter the chicken with the golden (tourist) eggs. The worst part is that she doesn't give a damn about this. Another farang will probably show up to lend a helping hand.

Of a more personal nature, I consider leaving family, friends and acquaintances behind in the Netherlands. The value of this is not the same for everyone and the arrival of the internet, Skype and cheap telephone calls have softened a lot. Yet…

Only when you have learned to live with these criticisms (and there are many more), it is bearable in Thailand. A (short) stay in the Netherlands then counts as a wonderful one holiday.

– Reposted message from the period that Hans still lived in Bangkok –