Reader Submission: Living or vacationing in Thailand…?
This is not the result of an investigation, but the personal experience of a Farang who has been on holiday in Thailand, but also lived there.
About ten years ago, Lung Laddy arrived in Thung Wua Laen for a six-week vacation. He enjoyed Thailand so much that he returned every year for two, three, four and twice six months. In 2012 he rented a bungalow on an annual contract. In 2013 house in the Netherlands and car sold to live in Thailand.
In 2014, Lung Laddy started a new life in Thailand. Living was good, but in 2018 he decided to return to the Netherlands to live there again.
The benefits of a holiday in Thailand
Lung Laddy thought Thailand was a real holiday destination. The weather in January, February and March is normally the best time for a vacation. No problems with immigration for a short holiday. Once a tourist visa was free, now one has to pay €30.
The international driver's license and a Dutch driver's license are acceptable. Nice cycling in the Chumphon province. Plenty of interesting places to visit.
The cons
A 1-year multiple-entry non-immigration visa, the holder must leave and re-enter Thailand every 90 days by land, sea or air. Farang food and drink is expensive.
The benefits of living in Thailand
The standard of living is low, so the cost of living is also low. Lots of exotic fruits to eat. Plenty of interesting places to visit. Cities like Kanchanaburi and Ayutthaya, etc. Many Thai people as friends.
The cons
Obtaining an 'O' retiree visa is more difficult. Some nationals stay there without health insurance. The weather was once dry for six months, wet for six months. For the last few years, Lung Laddy has experienced, five or seven days and nights, heavy rain and been a prisoner in his own house. In Lung Laddy's situation, there isn't much to stimulate your brain.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
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Absolutely not
That nothing stimulates your brain is not Thailand's fault.
That's your own fault.
No!
The disadvantages do not outweigh the advantages, rather give me Thailand.
LungLaddy,
I know there are legions of Farangs living as you describe . No one can change the weather conditions, but I miss the item Politics in your story. We accept the disadvantages you mentioned, but a packed suitcase is available 24 hours a day. So that we can leave immediately, provided that the living situation for
farangs is no longer possible for political reasons. For these reasons, of course, we have an immediately cancellable rental agreement.
That is very drastic. I strongly doubt that Thailand would end up in a civil war. Do not worry. The country is already so entwined economically in international money flows that not much will change here. Besides, people here are already far too well off to feel like making things difficult.
Now that is really a reaction bordering on paranoia. In the years that I have lived here I have experienced all kinds of political situations: Taksin's policy, his sister's policy, the riots in Bankok, the military... but never experienced any hindrance or had the feeling: now we are going as Farangs we must get up !!! Secondly, we, as Farangs, can monitor the political situation but not interfere with it. After all, we have no influence to exercise or any say in this.
I would, with the current situation in Europe, see France with their 'Yellow Vests', which is expanding more and more and starting to target certain population groups, get my bags ready to leave than in Thailand. I have the feeling that they are less against a civil war there than in Thailand. I hope I am wrong about Europe.
Much of what you describe sounds familiar to me.
However: “six months wet” I do not recognize.
I don't get to that in Nongprue for a long time. Even in the rainy season it is rarely wet all day. Or regular (heavy) showers.
But it is known that there is considerably more rain in the south of Thailand.
If you read like this , you prefer the Netherlands to that of Thailand .
I read your contribution like this, but could be wrong?,
That you think Thailand is too expensive.
and have no money left to stay longer.
And it has nothing to do with weather,
that time five days of rain in a row, so what, is the weather in the Netherlands better?
or 30 euros for a visa or report yourself one day every three months.
You can also write honestly,
if had enough money i would have stayed,
but unfortunately I have to go back to the Netherlands.
To clarify again, I am 'Lung addie' and not 'Lung Laddy'. I live in the area that Lung Laddie keeps talking about and know Thung Wualean very well because it is barely 15 km from my own home. I find the arguments that Lung addie cites as disadvantages very blunt:
-a multiple-entry Non O visa: you must leave Thailand every 90 days
-a tourist visa costs 30 EU
-an O visa as a pensioner is difficult
-the weather is even a problem
-the farang food is expensive
Fortunately, Lung Laddy also mentions some advantages, but these do not all apply to real long-stayers. Once you've had enough of your own region, there's not much new to see. But that is the difference between a wandering tourist and a permanent resident. In my humble opinion, Lung Laddy has not been able to say goodbye to life as a tourist and life as a permanent resident.
I knew Lung Laddy but he didn't know me. I have been coming to this region for 20 years (Chumphon-Saphli-Pathiu} and have lived here longer than when Lung laddy first settled here. Every newcomer recognized Lung addie, but the newcomers do not always recognize Lung addie. When I saw the photo I recognized Lung addie him immediately because there are no mistakes with this photo.
I fear that Lung Laddy, despite the fact that he came and lived in Thailand several times and even for a longer period of time, has not made the right choice of what he wanted in his life.
That Lung Laddy had nothing to stimulate his brain after 5 or 6 days of rain was entirely on his own account. Lung addie often does not leave his house for a whole week, but has enough activities to spend his day, as a pensioner, in a very pleasant and even useful way. That depends on the person himself and not on the country where he lives. What does Lung Laddy do in the Netherlands when it rains for a whole week? That is also not something that does not never happen, but often.
Lung Laddy
Thailand is nice as a holiday destination, but I wouldn't want to continue living there for the world. I also held out for a few months but didn't come into my own.
Even though (if it is up to our government) we are heading towards a third world country.. we are still doing a lot better here in NL and are also coming into our own.
Lung Addy also mentions clearly positive examples. One cannot close one's eyes to some drawbacks.
– there are countries where the farang has less to do with time-consuming and money-consuming “red tape” such as
visa runs. And why buy re-entry visas if you have already paid for a one-year retirement visa.
– if you stay somewhere in the bush for a longer period of time, there is not always something to do, boredom threatens.
– prolonged rainfall does not exactly invite outings or work in the garden.
– new visa requirements for a retirement visa: keep 400.000 in a Thai bank all year.
– strong THB. used to be approx. 50 THB and now 35 THB for 1 EUR
– with considerable inflation: see the local market, 7/11, Big C and Tesco Lotus.
– several factors negatively affect purchasing power, especially for pensioners
with a non-indexed (but reduced) pension for many years.
In addition, some things like: political instability, corruption, pollution, short fuse, road safety.
Below the line quite a few farangs, who have been evaluating the situation lately.
But as said: the balance consists of pros and cons. The choice for everyone.
@ Ton,
Best,
Please note the spelling when quoting names: 'Lung Addy, by which you mean Lung Laddy' is not 'Lung addie' and I do not wish to be associated with this article as it was not written by me and I do not agree with it either can go.
@lung addie, my apologies.
I meant to reply to Lung Laddy and not to you, lung addie.
@ lung addie,
dear lung addie and readers,
My apologies, meant to respond to the writer Lung Laddy's piece, but mistakenly used the name Lung Addy, which again resembles lung addie.
I will be happy when I close the door in Belgium and spend my last days in Thailand
After living in Thailand for 22 years I know better. I wouldn't close the door in Belgium, but you will experience it. Thailand is for Thais.
I have not been living in Thailand for 22 years, but I have been living in Thailand for quite a few years.
And I have been vacationing here for extended periods of time for many years before that.
I still feel welcome here.
I am also normally treated nicely at the government agencies, except for a collision at a local tax office, with someone with Baht marks in her eyes.
But that was an exception.
Rotten apples can be found all over the world.
Everything was then neatly resolved at the head office of the tax authorities.
Trying to learn to speak the Thai language helps a lot and moreover you are staying in Thailand, where people speak Thai.
A civil servant who feels compelled to show his poor knowledge of the English language due to the poor education, will by definition feel uncomfortable and will feel compelled to blame the foreigner in the event of misunderstandings. (nothing human is foreign to a Thai)
Still a bit unusual story, if you consider that he has already traveled to Thailand several times before this time.
If you see only advantages during that time, and think that the disadvantages do not carry any weight, then you have clearly left your home country ill-prepared.
If you then immediately sell your house and your car in the home country, then this says enough how some have their minds in a row.
Dear Bloggers,
I see something different than others read but I could be wrong.
This best man called "Lung Laddy" I think has one
experienced quite dark periods, and then I think of one
thai relationship that hit the rocks somewhere in between showers.
If this happened to me I might go back to my
roots and come to senses.
Too bad Thailand is a beautiful country and I am convinced of that
Lung Laddy will return to Thailand. Am I not on the right track with this?
Yours faithfully,
Erwin
A story of someone who does not blame himself, but others. I can live anywhere in the world (well, maybe not anywhere), and I can feel comfortable there. Why? Because I enjoy myself and am not dependent on my neighbors, neighborhood or acquaintances. Of course it helps if you know a few sympathetic people.
Rain in Thailand can be heavy, but even in the rainy season there are hours of sunshine almost every day and it is almost always warm. Not like in the Netherlands, where the weather is drizzly for days on end, bleak and cold and where you can't get out without heating for a few months a year.l
And what's so bad about that visa? Good, I live near Hua Hin, the new immigration office has now also moved more towards me, so I have no problem reporting every three months and even go to Bangkok for a day to extend my visa to get my income confirmation (not the letter, because I don't get money from NL).
For him, the glass is probably always half empty. For me it is usually half full. I think you can go anywhere if you make the best of it and don't immediately experience everything that is less fun as negative.
In any case, he did well to leave. Another whiner less in Thailand.
After living permanently in Thailand for 25 years, I also notice that many advantages compared to living in Belgium have changed, which is a pity that Belgium still has no agreements in the field of social security and that is for many Belgian retirees very painfully, but, all in all, life is still better than in our home country.
I can recognize myself in the story. I have been living 11 months on, 6 months off in Thailand and the Netherlands for 6 years, and I am happy that my family and I are going to the Netherlands for good next month.
Visas have been an increasing problem in recent years: where I used to get a non-imm.O multiple when I was over 50, that is now only possible after retirement. I also don't want to put a large sum of money in the bank in Thailand for 6 months a year, so art and flying with extensions and another border run, with all the accompanying annoyance that I have as a semi-disabled person.
I have also become increasingly concerned about the poor quality of the food, organic production, pesticides, preventive antibiotics in animals and fish.
Also, all Western products are very expensive, and I like a glass of wine, a piece of cheese, olives, etc.
I also have increasing difficulty with the increasingly oppressive weather, my Thai wife also complains about this. Not to mention the political situation.
The most important point for us, however, is that we have a growing son whom we would like to give a good school future and opportunities. That is widely available in the Netherlands, and unaffordable here in Thailand for someone with a normal Dutch income.
What I will miss are our Thai friends, very sweet, often simple people, and the kind of fun in life that we don't have (anymore?) in the Netherlands.
I had hoped for an intelligent discussion of the pros and cons of living/holidaying in Thailand, not an assault on me as a person.
There are a few people I know who have a great life in Thailand. Most of them say they would never live in a boring fishing village like Twung Wua Laen. There is nothing to do but eat and drink.
Lung addie got it wrong as usual. The man, in the photo whom he recognizes as Lung Laddy, was placed in the article by the editors. Lung Laddy saw the photo for the first time.
Lung Laddy hasn't told his whole story. Only what was relevant to the article.
As additional information. Lung Laddy SCUBA dives, walks the beach daily, picks up broken glass (major's diploma) bikes the area, two/three times a week, up to seventy miles. Not bad for eighty years.
So your letter was just an angry kick to Thailand … .
Moderator: Please don't play the man.
Since 1980 I have been on holiday in Thailand for a few months about 20 times, but I would never want to live there.
Lovely people, good weather, good food, beautiful nature, everything positive.
But also, corruption, bureaucracy, smog, dangerous traffic, poor/expensive medical facilities, use of a lot of agricultural poison and it is becoming increasingly expensive for us.
So I will continue to live in the Netherlands and look every year where I go on holiday, the world has much more to offer than Thailand alone.
For the benefit of Erwin Fleur.
Lung Laddy has never and will never have a relationship with a Thai.
For the best reason you can think of. A Farang woman.