Although many of us enjoy life in Thailand, there are of course also regrets. Dutch people and perhaps also Belgians who have had enough of Thailand and want to return to their homeland.
I spoke to Peter and he told me his story.
“My name is Peter, 63 years old, and after years of living in Thailand, I have decided that it is time to return to the Netherlands. What once seemed like a dream life in an exotic paradise has turned into a daily battle that I no longer want to fight.
The heat here has become unbearable. In the beginning I enjoyed the sun and warmth, a nice change from the cold winters at home. But now, sweating every day and exhausted from the heat, I long for the mild summers of the Netherlands. Of course, I can sit inside here in Thailand with the air conditioning on, but what do I gain from that? It is winter here now, but I don't notice it much, except for a few chilly days. If the earth warms even more, Thailand will become unbearable, especially from March onwards.
The traffic here is a different story. In the Netherlands I was used to orderly and safe roads. Here in Thailand it is chaotic and dangerous. Every time I go out on the street, I feel like I'm taking my life in my hands. Just yesterday, I crossed at a green pedestrian light, but I had to fear for my life, if you are not careful, you will be run over to death. I don't feel like being an outlaw on the road.
And then there is the air pollution. The cities here are often shrouded in a haze of smog. You breathe toxic air every day. While I was used to fairly clean air in the Netherlands, here it is a constant reminder of the environmental problems that we as a global community simply ignore. The Thai government promises to tackle the problem every year, but nothing happens.
But what concerns me most is the change in people's attitudes. When I arrived here, I was welcomed everywhere with open arms. Now I feel a cold distance, sometimes even hostility. The famous Thai smile seems to have faded for me. You are mainly seen as a walking ATM. Just as if money grows on trees... Furthermore, I'm annoyed that almost every conversation with Thai turns into money, begging and borrowing, I'm sick of it. “No money, no honey!” Well, no honey then.
Finally, there is my frustration with what I see as the 'stupidity and disinterest' of some locals. Their way of thinking and lack of progressive views often clash with my own values and beliefs. This has led to a feeling of alienation and loneliness. The ever-changing rules at immigration, another extra copy of this and that and then being snubbed by a clown in a uniform. What are they thinking?
So here I am, ready to return to the Netherlands. The place I once fled in search of a different life now seems like a haven of peace and comfort. Of course, the Netherlands is not a paradise either, but most things are well organised. I'm going to work there again and make myself useful and not drink the first can of beer at 9.00 a.m. out of boredom, like some expats do. I also don't want to be afraid that if I paint the window frames of my house, I will be deported because I am secretly working. What are we talking about?
My expat life in Thailand is over, a dream gone, but with valuable lessons for the future.”
About this blogger
- The Expat (66) has been living in Pattaya for 17 years and enjoys every day in the land of milk and honey! Previously employed in road and hydraulic engineering, but fled the capricious weather in the Netherlands. Lives here with his Thai girlfriend and two dogs just outside Pattaya, a 3-minute walk from the beach. Hobbies: enjoying life, going out, sports and philosophizing with friends about football, Formula 1 and politics.
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Anyone who thinks they can escape or that paradise exists somewhere will come across themselves, after all, you are fooling yourself. I have no idea what kind of work Peter does in Thailand that he can also hang around with white noses who “open a can of beer at 9 o'clock”. Does Peter work from behind his laptop in a catering establishment? Perhaps a better work location, better design/separation of work and leisure time and a different group of friends could do him some good.
If he has been living in the country for years, it would be time for him to have some Thai friends (bonus: helps integration). Or will those Thais around have thought “that man has been living and working here for years, but he has no more than superficial contact with us, strange bastard, should we still take him seriously?”. Possibly Peter has lost his rose-colored glasses or even exchanged them for black, soot-fogged ones?
What exactly are these clashes in norms and values? Hmm, it wasn't Jan-Peter, was it? Of the VOC mentality... That would explain something... 5555
Peter's story is completely correct, people have become tougher in Thailand, it is only about money, with everything, also because it is more difficult for pensioners to stay longer, because they have too little money, too few tourists, they have to divide the loot among several.
I still go once a year for a month with my Dutch girlfriend, I also had a relationship with a Thai woman for 1 years, never again, for me, I know a lot of Thailand goers, the seasoned ones all talk the same.
greetings, Jan
Yes Rob,
Peter doesn't say that, but he does say that he will work again and make himself useful in the Netherlands.
Does that mean that he was not useful at all during his time here in Thailand?
And that at the age of 63 he realizes that working is actually quite a thing.
He meets Thais who ask or lend him money.
I have been coming to Thailand for 24 years and there has never been a Thai who asked me if I could lend him money.
But I also don't go to the pub at 9 o'clock in the morning.
Thailand is not a paradise for the simple reason that paradise does not exist. I also know stories of people who went back to the Netherlands and returned to Thailand after a year and a half with hanging legs. The expat is good at gut stories….
You've probably been looking for paradise in the wrong place.
That paradise is certainly not located in a large concrete city full of cars.
And if the bar is called Paradise bar, that does not mean that paradise is there.
And no money no honey, seems right to me.
That lady wants to be paid for her work between the sheets.
One day before Christmas my nose suddenly became completely closed on both sides, I could only breathe through my mouth.
Covid.
Then the neighbors stand at the door and ask if I need anything, give them their telephone number and tell me to call if I need anything.
That's paradise.
I recognize many of the points that Peter mentions. That can annoy you, but you can also take a more light-hearted approach and accept things as they are.
I believe that there are more Dutch people who want to return but cannot because they have burned all ships behind them.
I also think everyone here is going to deny Peter's story. Of course, the fairy tale must be maintained for the outside world, haha.
Case of choosing 'the wrong country'. Sad but true. And returning to NL is your own choice; there are more countries in this world. Peter can also look for a more moderately warm climate such as the coast of Portugal or Spain, where the language is also easier to learn. The other arguments mentioned are personal; that is different for everyone.
But Peter, your world won't end if you go back to the polder. And you also have civil servants with their rules in NL or BE...
I think that many reactions to Peter's story come from people who have lived in Thailand for years and do not want to see the problems that Peter mentions, even though they do recognize them. Ships burned in the Netherlands? I agree with Peter, and have also seen Thailand change enormously.
I have to admit that the Netherlands has not changed at all. It is still just as nice as it was many years ago.
Everyone has their own experience. Will all facets in NL be so pleasant? I just got back from Thailand. The warmth and friendliness that I have experienced again... I hardly find that in the Netherlands. But hey, everyone has their own opinion.
It seems to me that I've lost my rose-colored glasses.
Peter also tells very little about his background in Thailand, which could explain a lot.
Nevertheless, the points mentioned by Peter have increased in attention to many.
Heat in terms of weather forecast, air pollution, everyone complains about it, no one sees any reason in themselves to start working on it and the eternal moaning about the lack of money.
The attitude of someone with an IQ of ninety-two and a half while suddenly they have a hundred and ten when it comes to money.
Welcome to Thailand where self-centered thinking and acting is a right.
The Thai thinks vertically and that can change significantly per activity and moment.
A few decades ago, children would not cry when they saw that strangely colored man.
Mothers told their children that they would be parked with that strange man if they did not do what their mother wanted.
At the same time, the 'neighborhood' was quite sweet, fun and very friendly and helpful.
Now people often live in bubbles in the Moo Baan and the big question is how they get their money, gossip, all over the place, contact shy is a strong word, but things are moving in that direction.
You should learn Thai fluently, 5555, the Thai is not interested in the big bad outside world.
In all those many years, no one here has ever asked what I have done in my life for work or whatever.
And so we can look at all complaints from various angles. I have also had those dips where I thought what am I actually doing here, not with the climate, but really with people and their way of thinking.
After living here for a few years, the concept of 'homeland' starts to get diluted, you start to romanticize 'homeland' and criticize your new country too much.
I have also thought about moving to Thailand to get rid of my annoying neighbors and large amounts of cars, etc.
Of course that is an option if your supporters and your cash book allow it, make a list and start checking off your wishes again, and search in the digital world, there are plenty of possibilities.
I also recognize a lot of concerns in this story, it is up to you to decide how to deal with them.
I think there is a lot more behind this whining that makes him choose to return to his own country, but he does not reveal the back of his tongue. It is all too easy to highlight a lot of negative points to prove yourself right.
He should not think that his beloved Netherlands would not have changed. It is full of immigrants, in some places it is no longer safe to walk on the streets and the people are just as big egoists as many Thai residents.
To be honest, I am sometimes disappointed by the mentality of the Thai residents, immigration, the weather... But my positivity, my wonderfully brash life are worth just that little bit more to me.
There is some nonsense in his story:
– What bother does he have that others open a beer at 9 o'clock in the morning? He shouldn't participate in that.
– How bothered is he by the fact that the locals are stupid and uninterested? I ignore people who don't interest me, simple as that!
– You do indeed need air conditioning here if it is too hot. In your own country you need heating when it is cold. Will he be annoyed by that too?
– And I've never heard of there being a problem if you painted the window frame of your house. Pure nonsense and completely magnified.
I think our Peter has a problem with himself. Thailand is now being blamed for everything and is eagerly used to justify its return to its roots. I dare say he will be just as unhappy in his own country.
Maybe in a few years Peter can come here again and tell us how good he is. But I fear that he will probably conceal the truth and not dare to admit that Thailand is not as bad as he now makes it out to be.
For my part, the bloggers who enjoy it here, who have lived here for many years, and certainly have no intention of turning their backs on this beautiful country, should feel free to share THEIR story. All that negativity doesn't really interest me. The perfect world does not exist, it is up to you to make the best of it.
I can somewhat understand Peter's reaction. I lived in Thailand for years, returned to the Netherlands due to circumstances, and now after 7 years, and of course the Covid period, back in Thailand for a holiday. Now I can make/see a distinction between then and now. Yes, something has definitely changed in the mentality, after Covid. Previously, I had good contacts with most of the residents in the village. Now that happens, some who recognize me run into my arms because they are happy to see me again, others are a little suspicious. But Peter, don't expect this to be different in the Netherlands! Distance and bureaucracy also prevail there. In any case, my feeling tells me that I will choose to spend a few winter months in Thailand, and the rest in the Netherlands. Then I avoid burning season and the hot period. But enjoy the delicious Thai food again, Mai phet, Mai aroi! Touring around with the motor scooter, and the “old” Thai friends who now contacted me, and had to drive 1.30 hours, to visit me at my current location.
Actually I have the opposite feeling. During the first few years I could sometimes get annoyed at Immigration here in Jomtien, but now I think oh what difference does that extra hour make.
I also notice that as I adjust myself a little bit with language and customs, people appreciate that.
I also don't chase ladies who are 25 years younger, so I'm not used as an ATM.
Furthermore, I try to prepare myself as best as possible for life here (by which I mean if I can really be here all year round). For example, I have taken out health insurance here in Thailand now that I am 50, so it is still very affordable while I I am also still insured in the Netherlands.
There are all kinds of things you can do to make life here more pleasant, besides drinking beer and going out.
Seems to me a known fact. When people stay too long in Thailand they start to experience the good life as a bit too normal. The good service the sometimes ridiculous prices the service the delicious food and the year round swimming in the open air the strong light the freedom and so on.
That is precisely why my advice to all expats is to return to B or NL every now and then for a few weeks or months every year... so that people continue to realize how pleasant life is in Thailand. And then preferably return during the winter months. Boring dark and cold. It really made me depressed.
Hi.. paradise is within yourself in your heart.
What I mainly wonder is whether Peter speaks the Thai language? Perhaps an important point to mention.
In my opinion, it is not surprising that Thai society has changed. This is certainly the case with Dutch society and probably with many peoples like us!
After 20 years in Thailand we returned to the Netherlands, which was very shocking, the Netherlands had also changed a lot, now back in Thailand for 14 years, every now and then we make a list of the pluses and minuses of living in Thailand, or living in the Netherlands
Well formulated. I never saw Thailand as paradise, but as a base to make ends meet with my pension and be happy with my Thai wife and her grandchild.
I've been coming to Thailand for decades and you just have to adapt.
Now we have settled here permanently in a small village in Isaan and everyone knows that you should not live permanently in a big city in Asia
Yes, the traffic is sometimes chaotic, learn to anticipate instead of stressing, find friends in the Thai community, be flexible and you will have a nice life in Thailand, and beaucracy in the Netherlands is much worse than in Thailand
Adjusting a little is certainly the message. You don't have to start drinking at 10 o'clock in the morning. At 10 o'clock in the morning I prefer to go swimming or jogging. I never get bored. In the large centers there are plenty of opportunities to spend your days in an interesting, useful way.
I also see many expats who are quite overweight. Of course you will sweat a lot more in the heat. But yes, some people continue to swear by their stew with sausage topped with a liter of beer.
Personally, I think Thailand's position that a foreigner (with the exception of Americans) should not work in Thailand unless asked to do so by a Thai company is always
a Thai should sit on the Board of Directors is better than how the Netherlands deals with influx
.
That you must live there if you are over 50 if you receive an income from the EU
is already a privilege. Personally, I think a few months in the Netherlands
alternating with a period in Thailand is a pleasant form.
I was very sick once and because the Thai people of the
shop have been listening to me for days, they are the key to the landlords
went to get it and came in after blows in vain.
I was so sick that I could no longer stand. My drinking water and my
bread was gone. They drove me. That would be the case in the Netherlands
never happened.
Of course it was also because I always tried to interest myself
to have for them. And that paid off. In smaller places
This is easier than in a metropolis like Bangkok, although
when I was among Thais in an ordinary apartment complex
I also always had contact.
So it just depends on what you expect. I rarely had contact with
retirees (expats), who do 'nothing' but grumble and drink.
That's the same in Spain.
Happiness lies within you.
Oh come on, that's a bitter immigrant. Do you really mean that? Well then you're definitely not going to be happy in the Netherlands. Then you have complaints like in Thailand petrol only costs one euro. Parking is almost everywhere free, gosh. Or renting a huge house here costs about 200 euros per month. In the Netherlands that would be 1500 rent. Well immigration is difficult. And that's a good thing. Look at the Netherlands! There you are the only Dutch person on the street. Homeless everywhere. Tent camps in the forest full of Poles who come to earn some money. So just eat something somewhere. Oh 25 euros for 2 hamburgers, fries and a coke. In Thailand it costs maybe 3 to 5 euros. And hot. I get up at 4 am and everything is wonderfully cool. I jump on the motorbike to the Lotus (open 24/7. No traffic.) Blissful. My wife and her family
Something went wrong. But my family and wife don't see me as an ATM. My wife is an accountant and spends more money per month than I do. Oh yes, and I lost a euro for my pack of butts through the neighbors. There is no threat of war here or an asylum seeker center full of criminals in every village. But feel free to go back. You will be surprised when you realize that Thailand is really great. Home is where the heart is. The grass on the other side really isn't greener. Quite a bit overcrowded, more expensive, cold, wet and at least as much, if not much more, grumpy. Success in the Netherlands.
I first went to Thailand in 2000. Over the years, the idea of living there later came up. In 2015, I made a cautious attempt. The plan was to stay there for 11 weeks. Due to circumstances, I returned after 6 weeks. It became clear to me that living permanently in Thailand is not for me. The heat is an important factor. I think it would be ideal to stay in Thailand for 3 to 5 (winter) months and spend the rest with us.
With corona I started to ask myself if I wanted to spend my winter months that far away. With corona a number of people got into serious trouble because “travel” or long distance travel became almost impossible. Before corona, traveling seemed to be a “right”.
I think it will be more of a southern European country. I still have 4 years to think about it.
A coin always has to sites,
I always enjoy many sweet and beautiful moments here in Thailand.
The lovely neighbors and friendships I have built.
There is no begging for money anywhere in the world.
I help when it's really necessary.
And I just say no, I also have to take good care of myself.
Everyone accepts that and is still just as sweet, otherwise bad luck.
I have lived in many countries and I have had many wonderful experiences and of course also less, but that is part of it.
The Netherlands is no exception in this either.
I enjoy the smiles and togetherness in Thailand every day.
When I read things like this I often wonder: do I live in the same Thailand as this writer?
I am not a wearer of rose-colored glasses, but a realist and see things as they are. I have been living in Thailand for many years and all those 'problems' that the writer mentions are a very clear example of no proper preparation for Thai daily life and a very one-sided vision of life..
In my eyes he is: the wrong person, in the wrong place with the wrong attitude to life, with the wrong friends, with the wrong (possible) partner, the wrong or no interests...... But these are all things he could choose himself and chose wrongly.
Feel free to go back to the Netherlands and 'enjoy' a very pleasant bleating life there. Mekkeren is guaranteed to do the same...
I think a person like Peter always encounters himself. With a new job, house, car, partner, friends, etc., it's all great for the first few months or years. They only saw the beautiful things. Then they also start to see the less beautiful things and their own illusion falls to pieces. The rose-colored glasses are then quickly exchanged for black ones, search and find a new illusion, the rose-colored glasses can be worn again... until...
A more balanced opinion in both the planning/preparation phase and after the start of the new fact would benefit these people. Then you won't fall from heaven into a deep valley, again and again. But I don't think that's possible. The Netherlands is great now, not anymore in 2-3 years. Maybe then to Spain or Timbuktu, great there, until…
good morning, I have only lived in Thailand for a few years and I think it is the biggest stupidity of my life to think about what I have left behind,
the heat is no problem, rather 30° than 0, air pollution is not too bad, traffic? yes, I have to be very careful and the Thais are friendly people,
I moved outside the city where there is little public transport and I am over 70, which means that I have little desire to drive my own car in this chaotic traffic, so I think I would have been better off living in the city, and that makes me It is also surprising that so few Thais speak English,
what do I do all day? look at my pc, watch tv or lie in bed, bored, I had imagined it completely differently and I too am thinking of going back even though it is not pleasant to live there, far from it when I read the news reports
Dear François,
Your story doesn't sound positive.
You live outside the city, so the traffic is not that chaotic.
Are you surprised that Thais speak so little English? There are seventy-four million of them, and they all speak Thai. So why learn English, which also costs something.
You spend the entire day in bed, tied to the PC or TV, so you're bored.
Why, if you are still at the PC, not every day, with some Thai language on that device, enrich yourself!
But Francois, you can move, right? You DO have to look for the good life, it won't come to you!
I live in Jomtien, lots of fun within walking distance.
I spend all day doing all kinds of things, including sports, walking, regularly having a wonderful oil massage by a charming lady, chatting with acquaintances on the boulevard, watching Dutch TV via the internet.
I've been living here for 15 years now and I haven't had a single boring day. While I am sure that in the Netherlands I would have been at home 100 out of 365 days because of the bad weather...
I understand Peter 100%, but the Netherlands and Belgium are no longer paradises, but we are at home there and have rights and not here. We must conform to their whims and systems, or leave like Peter. Good luck PETER.
Although many in Thailand are happy, I am convinced that there are also plenty who ebenfalls Peter throw in the towel.
The fact that you very rarely read these stories will certainly also have to do with some kind of shame.
Who likes to talk about a mistake that he once made so proud that everything was great, while in his former environment he ignored all warnings?
Those around me didn't have to warn me when I made the decision to move here. Besides, they don't even know how things work here, how would they know what the possible pitfalls are. In many cases, commenting is a sign of jealousy.
I understand this story, and Peter has every right to return to his homeland. What really bothers me, however, is that he lists without blushing a series of points that irritate him, most of which are not even relevant. But any means are good enough to justify his decision.
I wonder if he will put aside his shame within a few years to openly admit the bad points of his home country. I take this whole story with a grain of salt. As I read further here, I also believe that Peter goes through life without rose-colored glasses. There are always complainers, once in the Netherlands he will not be happy either.
I wonder where Peter lived...
Let me make a small contribution that the unfriendliness of the Thais may not be too bad compared to that of a number of foreigners.
I have experienced the most grumpiness/rudeness in Thailand from foreigners:
Twice in traffic an indifferent white man (once Dutch) started swearing at me, while I didn't even make a mistake. No Thai has ever scolded me before.
Eating in a restaurant, a Dutch couple starts puffing heavily, resulting in thick clouds of smoke over my food. I kindly ask them if they would like to wait a moment or smoke outside: a shouting match ensued.
The things Peter mentions about leaving Thailand are certainly exaggerated, but in fact just as exaggerated as some reactions that write that Thailand is much better than Belgium or the Netherlands.
Thailand is a very beautiful country, but to say that everything in Thailand is better than in the home country shows that he views his home country at least as unrealistically as he now views his new country of residence, Thailand.
“The heat here has become unbearable”:
The average annual temperature was about 27.6 °C in the years after 1979 and about 27.7 °C in the last years before 2022. So it has hardly changed at all in the past 44 years.
Source: https://www.worlddata.info/asia/thailand/climate.php
HansHK you are not bothered by an 'average' temperature. Thailand is a country that is 2.000 km long and temperatures vary considerably. In Isaan it can easily reach 40+ C, I have experienced 45 C, and that can certainly be experienced as unbearable.
When choosing Thailand, you should realize this and choose a residential region where you feel at home. And topic starter clearly didn't do that. But, Mr. Peter, moving within Thailand was also possible, right?
Mr Kuijpers, Peter indicates that the temperature has become unbearable, in other words the temperature was not unbearable before.
He does not indicate that he moved from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, then he could be right.
I only see that his personal perception of the temperature has changed, which is not a very objective way of measuring.
It is clear that temperatures differ per region, season and time of day.
To demonstrate whether or not the temperature has risen over the years, it seems scientifically responsible to work with averages.
More information can be found on the site I referred to.
I have been living rurally in Thailand for about ten years, in Takhli, Nakhon Sawan. For the past two years, air pollution has been consistent year-round, and this rural spot scores worse than all the other places I've lived, from Belgium to the US, Hamburg, New York and Singapore. You just have to do it!
Add to that rising temperatures. Our house is protected against this as best as possible, but the difference over the last few years is clearly noticeable.
Then I sometimes think: how long do I want to endure this without ever taking meaningful and feasible actions?
When it comes to laws and regulations, Thailand is certainly no paradise. Peter hopes that you can pick up the thread again in the Netherlands, and anyone who says that Thailand is better to live in than the Netherlands should be ashamed of themselves. We are strangers here, and always will be. Sometimes when I walk by here, little children jump on their mothers' laps, they are very afraid of me, God doesn't know where that comes from. Double pricing, no right to government health insurance.
THAILAND ITS SKIRT BLOWS WITH EVERY COUNTRY AS LONG AS IT PRODUCES MONEY.
Johan anyway!
How do you imagine that you would expect a right to health insurance from the State?
Even in the Netherlands you are obliged to insure yourself against medical expenses. And they have increased by about 4% in the last 40 years, not to mention the deductible.
It must be your attitude, why Thai children are afraid of you.
I have been coming to Thailand for 24 years with great pleasure and children have never been afraid of me.
As a resident of a country it would be nice to have the same rights and obligations, believe me on one thing I can get along fine with children, but if I notice something the whole blog is on fire, but be glad that you and so many others are doing well, may I have my doubts about that, greetings from Johan from Pattaya.
Johan, everyone is allowed to have an opinion, no problem.
However, after reading your comment I feel deeply, deeply ashamed of what I have done to myself. My move to Thailand is the dumbest mistake I have ever made in my life. Shame on me 😉
And now I'm going to settle down quietly on my terrace, drink an aperitif in the shade. And soon my dear wife will call me that dinner is ready.
Be grateful to God that there are no strangers in the Netherlands/Belgium who scare our children.
“Anyone who says that Thailand is a better place to live than the Netherlands should be ashamed of themselves.”
Excuse me? Of course, that is a general assumption that makes no sense. I actually think Thailand is better to live in. And that is of course personal for everyone, and depends on many factors. Where and how you live, whether you are financially comfortable, what your in-laws are like, any friends, you name it.
For me personally, my move to Thailand is a big progress. Thanks to Thailand, I have been able to bring forward my retirement by more than 12 years, and we still have more than enough to live on, I have a lot of free time and therefore more time for my hobbies, I have a beautiful and spacious detached house with panoramic views, centrally located. yet quietly located on 20 rai of land, plus a relatively small in-laws that do not bother me at all.
If I compare that to my life in the Randstad - small and expensive living, very busy job with a lot of stress, crowded roads, cold and wet, and surrounded by mostly whiny people - yes, dear Johan, then my life here is even MUCH BETTER.
We have known for a long time that a lot of nonsense is posted here. But the fact that children are afraid of you because you are a farang takes the cake.
Children are afraid of adults they don't know. However, children do NOT distinguish between races and skin color. Just put a group of children together of the same age but with different ethnic backgrounds. In no time they are playing happily in a group, even if they don't speak each other's language.
By the way, if I visit family somewhere and there are children there who don't know me at all, I approach them with caution. In most cases, they come to me after a while to play a bit. But I don't behave like an ogre.
For the rest, just think what you like best. And if you didn't already know: there is no such thing as an earthly paradise, Johan, not in Thailand, but not ANYWHERE ELSE.
THAILAND is a pleasant and beautiful country, but you do need money.
Also be patient when crossing the road. I would rather wait 5 or 10 minutes than 3 months in the hospital.
Well, Thailand doesn't have to be suitable for everyone. The Paradise? Of course not. It seems that Peter once went to live in Thailand without much thought.
For me personally it was a matter of weighing up whether the positive aspects outweigh the (certainly present) negative aspects, and whether all that would outweigh my old situation in the Netherlands. I have therefore spent a long time thinking about and preparing our emigration together with my Thai girlfriend. We had already had a house there for a long time, so our living environment held no surprises for us. Now I have 'only' lived here for half a year, not that long, but in any case it is so far the best decision I have ever made.
And come on...Peter can't stand heat, Peter finds Thai hostile, Peter can't handle people who think differently, Peter is bored, Peter is even annoyed by the - by European standards - very easy requirements of Immigration, Peter is completely unjustifiably anxious about to do even a simple job around the house, and Peter already drinks his first beer at 9.00:XNUMX in the morning.
I completely agree with the negatives.
In addition, there is the cultural difference.
But half a year here and half a year in NL suits me just fine.
Moderator: Someone does not have to justify his or her opinion to you. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, even if it doesn't suit you.
I find cultural differences a challenge. Getting to know other people, trying to understand their way of life and thinking, is a fun activity for me.
Others then cling stubbornly to their own identity.
– I have no need to be waving an orange flag on King's Day
– I don't need my share of cheese every day
– I can also keep my croquette from the vending machine
– I don't even miss the stroopwafels and Dutch liquorice
The only Dutch thing I occasionally encounter here is “man, you are annoying”, a fun board game that many groups of Dutch people play every day.
I exchanged my Dutch tulips for many beautiful orchids in the garden. And my cycling mentality has also disappeared. Unfortunately you can't have everything in life.
Everyone has their own opinion, all 26 of us are going to Thailand and yes, a lot has changed and no, I wouldn't want to live there all year round, I would still like to come there
Better to turn back halfway than to wander completely. A very recognizable story, I love coming there but after 4 weeks I always love to leave again. I wouldn't live there for anything in the world.
Reading all the comments, and my own experiences since 1993 during the many business trips through Thailand: Yes, the traffic in the big cities is a disaster, yes the air pollution is the same, also in rural areas when the fields are flared again, yes, it is there is called, especially in the stony deserts, which they call great cities; therefore look for a slightly cooler place, such as Chiang Rai.
Yes, some people are unfriendly, just like anywhere else in the world. Yes, the general knowledge of Thais is disappointing, interest in many outside their immediate field of vision is limited, but... I also encounter that in NL / Europe.
Of course it saves you a huge sip on a small shot glass, what you have there as a social environment: a sweet Thai woman with - not greedy - family or a bunch of sweet and good friends, or... nothing, just people you have to hire for absolutely everything.
Yes, bureaucracy is oppressive in Thailand, but... in the Netherlands this can also be done.
Health insurance: you will have to take it out yourself, the same as every foreigner in the Netherlands. That you, as a Dutch citizen, are being supplemented enormously by the Dutch government, from approximately € 140/month + € 385 max deductible to € 7000/year in average working costs... I don't hear anyone from the Netherlands talking about it.
Boredom… is something that makes staying in any place unpleasant. Especially if you have to escape that in alcoholic drinks.
Disinterest: Two Thai friends were in Nuremberg when they heard that my wife was admitted to a nursing home due to dementia. “We will come to Breda in a few days instead of looking around here for a few more days,” was their response. That was 2x 625 km.
You win something here, you lose something there. The question for everyone is how much weight they give to these various points.
For ME: 6 months Thailand, 6 months NL could be a suitable situation.
We and my Thai wife also bought a house in Phuket 20 years ago to live permanently in Thailand after our retirement.
15 years ago it was time to go to Thailand for six months, we looked at everything carefully, but no, we didn't feel like having so many rules there, my wife comes from a good family of lawyers and good positions who would help us with everything
If you live in Thailand permanently, it is no longer a challenge, so it is ideal to spend half a year in Thailand and half a year in the Netherlands and sell your house, so it is a real holiday and if you want to go on holiday somewhere else, that is also nice.
Nice and free and nothing on your mind
Just your health insurance and in your own country you have the right to speak, everyone has their own choice, we are enjoying it now
It is his own experience and draws conclusions.
Simple, what you think is what you think. His experience is disappointing for him.
He should have known that Thailand can be very hot sometimes. Moving to the north? Do you also have colder periods? Maybe andro pause is playing up?
Would he know that the Netherlands has changed a lot for the worse? House is not easily available unless in the private sector for 1500 euros/month. Huge shortage of houses and asylum seekers go first.
People who have been waiting for a house for years are being set back even further.
Had a neighbor here who was registered as looking for a rental home for 7 years before they finally got a home. Then they sold their own home. And that was a few years ago.
Things are really going in the other direction for me now and I think I should leave the Netherlands behind. Since the formation of the EU, so much has changed for the worse that I no longer recognize “my country” and it is happening faster and faster. Maybe my andro pause is bothering me?!
And that's where Thailand comes into play. However, the recent developments in visas and taxes have me thinking again. Thanks again to EU intervention.
There are many things that appeal to me. The many tasty fruits, the food, fish is cheap (has become a luxury item in the Netherlands), petrol is cheaper. No BPM and other additional tax increases on cars and countless increases on other matters due to taxes in the Netherlands.
If you consider that more than half of the petrol and gas price is tax.
And for a fine in Thailand I don't have to take out a loan like in the Netherlands.
So Thailand?! I only have a few years left for new negative ideas to be introduced in the Netherlands.
To Peter, good luck!
In human society here on Earth it is always and everywhere about MONEY. If you have enough of that, you can live a really good and possibly happy life anywhere in the world. If you don't have that enough, then you are bound and trapped in your own limited possibilities. This means that such a person cannot live a good and happy life anywhere in this world.
This has nothing to do with NL or TH, it purely depends on personal financial capacity. The problem is that a lot of people with insufficient financial resources think they can live like a king in Thailand. They will then be disappointed. Because in Thailand you also need money to live carefree.
So don't blame TH for your disappointments. If you don't have enough money, stay in NL. Don't live 'beyond your means'. That almost always ends in disappointment or worse.
And as for health insurance. If you are older, the best health insurance is a bank account with at least THB 2.000.000 in it.
Don't let money be the reason why I moved to Thailand.
I came to live here because I want to live a simple, simple life without too many obligations, rules, laws and bullying measures.
All that show that you are better off than your neighbors, the slave of your own luxury, no, I don't need that anymore. I like my 'slow life' and don't care much about others. And I feel good about that.
I can largely agree with you on this, but it also depends on the person himself.
There are those who are full of money, but are unhappy and even commit suicide.
I have/had an uncle, in his teens in the 6s, who consciously chose to live a minimalist life.
Even lived among the clochards of Paris for a very long time, consciously.
And there are others who live differently. Take monks and nuns for example.
So it's not just money that is the deciding factor, it's also how you want to experience your life.
Also read TB's own account.
The money MAY make it easier, but it is not necessarily a motive.
Peter's story, in which money is not mentioned. It is his own personal experiences, which he is against, cannot/does not want to accept, a mindset. So then ok back to the "beginning"? Although the beginning has not stood still and the question is whether the new beginning will be experienced positively again..
His rose-colored glasses for Thailand changed to rose-colored glasses for the Netherlands.
There is even a highly respected wealthy Thai resident who prefers to be in Germany.
Well, his status makes it very easy. However, it remains his personal choice.
Of course, money CAN make it much easier, but it is not necessarily a requirement. Not really yet, although that is emerging more and more. And if you don't have it, you are indeed really trapped.
We are in transition to this.