How is life for 3 ex-Expats who have returned to UK?

[Isaanbiker]

On 9/11/2019 at 10:03 AM, BobBKK said:

No one misses the girls? wow! that's the main reason most come here but I guess most have taken there's back with them (good luck with that!).

Let's help them a bit that they don't forget what they look like. 

 

In the next post will be the temples. Or not. 

[joecoolfrog]

On 9/11/2019 at 10:53 AM, madmen said:

If he was drawing down an income to use in Thailand whilst LIVING in Thailand from a UK Bank

 

What don't you get? His income is getting smashed!!

If !

[Isaanbiker]

2 minutes ago, madmen said:

Its always ALWAYS about the money. I don't buy in to the "I'm wealthy but gonna go to Cambo to live cause of immigration "  That's just anonymous keyboard nonsense

And reading that people wanna go to the Philippines seems to be a better joke.

 

A very poor country with a hell lot of crime, drugs and problems.  

 

And the food is absolutely not eatable in my eyes. No thank you. 

[sanemax]

13 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Let's help them a bit that they don't forget what they look like. 

 

In the next post will be the temples. Or not. 

What the hells that ?

What are those lumps on her chest ?

I think that I read about them ages ago .

They might be those species that live in certain Asian Countries .

Are they females?

I learnt about them in biology at school , but this is the first time that i've seen a photo of one .

Is there anywhere in the world that i could see a real life one "

 

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, madmen said:

Its always ALWAYS about the money. I don't buy in to the "I'm wealthy but gonna go to Cambo to live cause of immigration "  That's just anonymous keyboard nonsense

Lol,, it's honestly not... & I didn't say Cambodia, I said Philippines (& in particular Cebu or Davao).

 

I genuinely do like the Philippines & used to have a house in Kapalong (about 2 hour drive north of Davao city) with my Filipina at that time (NB I didn't live there & couldn't but was nice to visit every month or so for 8 years) .

 

Have an open door at work to move to BGC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonifacio_Global_City) which is beautiful place, but I don't like Manila, even the Ex didn't want to move there when I was 1st asked. 

 

As for the finance side of things, short of showing you my bank statements (which I'm obviously not going to do) I'll just say that I've worked in Finance (IT not Business) for > 30 years, the last 11 of which in Singapore, so that at least suggests that I would have earned a reasonable salary, these cards (photo to follow) suggest that I have a reasonable amount of disposable assets...

 

So again, it's NOT ALWAYS about the money... 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

And reading that people wanna go to the Philippines seems to be a better joke.

 

A very poor country with a hell lot of crime, drugs and problems.  

 

And the food is absolutely not eatable in my eyes. No thank you. 

Apart from the Crime (I have no Idea) I could guess the same about Issan (never visited), very poor area, lots of drugs/problems & the food is <deleted> (I have eaten Isaan food, clearly you've never eaten Adobo or crispy lechon)...  How many times have you been to the Philippines or do you always believe everything you read online. 

 

As I said in my post above, I like the Visayas & Davao in particular, Davao City is one of the safest cities in Asia (D30 was in charge there for years & IIRC his daughter is in charge there now, you won't even find people smoking in restaurants or throwing litter on the streets).

 

Fortunately (through hard work) I have a choice of where I go to live & Visayas is up there with the rest of them (Don't get me started on beaches, Thailand hang your head in shame)... 

[Mike Teavee]

4 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Let's help them a bit that they don't forget what they look like. 

 

In the next post will be the temples. Or not. 

 

I take it all back... 

 

I'm sticking with Thailand... 

 

WOW!!!

[Old Croc]

23 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

No offence but I do wonder whether you would make the same post if they suddenly doubled the amount of money you needed to keep in the bank & you weren't so "Alright Jack" (FWIW, So am I).

 

Have some sympathy for guys that are being driven back home (some with families that they cannot take with them) because of changes to the finance rules, it may well be you one day & in Thailand, unless you're a Citizen or PR, you're always a maximum of 1 year from that possibility.

 

Curious, what you would do if they doubled the money you need to keep in the Bank (I'm alright Jack, I can bring mine in from Singapore, crappy USD/GBP rates don't bother me), what if it tripled, quadrupled? at what point would you find yourself packing a bag & heading back home. 

 

And if that were to happen could you afford to take your family with you? Would they want to go (not a dig at you, I mean would they want to leave Thailand), this is the very real situation that guys are dealing with at the moment so have some sympathy if not empathy for them... There but for the grace of God go I... 

 

My (somewhat rambling) point is, guys who head back don't make the decision lightly, some head back because of Kids education, some head back for work opportunities & some are forced back, I doubt any of them worry about "Loss of Face" but of course they're going to look on the bright side (Queue monty python :)) 

 

And fwiw my lifestyle in the UK is a damn sight cheaper than it is in Asia (2/3rds SG, 1/3rd BKK) as my lifestyle in Singapore is a lot cheaper than my lifestyle in Bangkok [Hint, it's all to do with Salary (higher in SG) & Tax (lower in SG), that spread alone covers more than covers for any additional expenses & then some)

Para 1.  One of my main points was that the required money hasn't changed in my 10 years here.  Therefore people who say they are leaving for money reasons don't make sense.  I don't see the point in playing silly "what if" games, but I could meet almost any increases if I was inclined to stay in that atmosphere.

 

Para 2. I have sympathy for some long termers, particular family people, and have expressed such in other threads on the subject. They should have been given a reasonable path to PR. I don't have any such feelings for those who have been lying on affidavits for years and now complain that it is everyone else's fault they were caught out.

 

Para 3. Same silly question as #1.

 

Para 4. If I decided to leave for whatever reason, my lady would be part of the decision making process. I wouldn't be blaming others for my plans. What's your point?

 

Para 5. I would think people don't make life changing decisions lightly.

I know of several expat families who have (quietly) sold up and moved back to UK for their children's education.

The nature of the working expat means work commitments may often dictate change. Normal for expats.

However, I think those who have been "forced back" were because of reasons other than so called Immigration changes, and whatever it is, it's their fault. My "loss of face" comment was for those who blame anything but themselves for their life choices.

(It's cue Monty Python, queueing is what returning Brits have to get used to doing again)

 

Para 6.  When I measure COL I'm not talking about one boastful character's lifestyle in two of the most expensive cities in Asia.   COL indices are based on multiple peoples average living costs and buying power over a broad range of products.

 

and, My name's not Jack!

[Mario666]

On 9/11/2019 at 9:06 PM, daveAustin said:

 

Of women, though not to drag the thread down, there does seem to be a hint of rotund, feminist entitlement. Let's face it, Asian women are just nicer, for the most part.

 

 

I was back in the UK a while ago in a pub with some friends and showed them some pictures of my Thai female friends.

 

One of them said "Wow!...Do they all look like that?"

 

I said "No, of course not, but 90% of the Thai women I know are better looking and have better bodies than 90% of UK women of equivalent age!"

 

You should have seen the faces of the "Bags" on the next table who were "Ear-Wigging"!

 

 

 

 

[CaptainNemo]

On 9/11/2019 at 2:53 PM, sirineou said:

 

After reading this I am jumping on the next plane to the UK, and overstaying my visa.

Not very familiar with the place, where should I get my free house? cost of living is not a problem because of my big government check, so anywhere is good , but something near the beach would be nice,  Is the Free Pass good for public transportation also , or should I get a car?

Try Great Yarmouth, Scarborough, or Blackpool... you'll often meet government-sponsorted characters and diversitese celebrants promenading by the beach.

 

 

[sirineou]

2 minutes ago, CaptainNemo said:

Try Great Yarmouth, Scarborough, or Blackpool... you'll often meet government-sponsorted characters and diversitese celebrants promenading by the beach.

 

 

Starting to grow my beard,

Daily parades, sports on the boardwalk, a vibrant nightlife.

looks lovely,  I would fit right in!!

[CaptainNemo]

4 hours ago, Mario666 said:

I was back in the UK a while ago in a pub with some friends and showed them some pictures of my Thai female friends.

 

One of them said "Wow!...Do they all look like that?"

 

I said "No, of course not, but 90% of the Thai women I know are better looking and have better bodies than 90% of UK women of equivalent age!"

 

You should have seen the faces of the "Bags" on the next table who were "Ear-Wigging"!

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I would still tend to agree.

Just walking around the local supermarkets in the UK and in Thailand, it's not that there are prettier girls here... I can name a couple of supermarkets in the UK with an absolutely lovely slender wench on the checkout, whereas in the local supermarket in Thailand, there are a lot of chubby munters, but some of the customers, (nurses on Thursday), and girls in the "stalls" behind the tills, and one or two of the waitresses in the restaurant chains are ok; the girls in the dairy queen where I am are nomtastic little cuties. The difference is that there are fewer sharon and tracy sized blobs in Thailand (but it's changing), but I think the main difference is that the people are much friendlier and more approachable and playful in Thailand than in the UK. If you make the same amount of effort you'd have to in the UK to get a girl you'd want to show off, odds are you'd get a more physically stunning one in Thailand.

I found that in Jakarta, of the ones that didn't wear traditional garb, I did see a fair number of nice-looking skinny girls who dressed nicely, but they're not as playful, smiley, and receptive as Thai girls.

I would say the same of Vietnam - some real stunners there, but really boring. I know it's a minority sport, but I do like a lot of Cambodian girls, a lot of them are quite chesty, but even the ones that aren't have a certain je ne sais quoi.

 

[sanemax]

On 9/15/2019 at 9:05 PM, CaptainNemo said:

Yeah, I would still tend to agree.

Just walking around the local supermarkets in the UK and in Thailand, it's not that there are prettier girls here... I can name a couple of supermarkets in the UK with an absolutely lovely slender wench on the checkout, whereas in the local supermarket in Thailand, there are a lot of chubby munters, but some of the customers, (nurses on Thursday), and girls in the "stalls" behind the tills, and one or two of the waitresses in the restaurant chains are ok; the girls in the dairy queen where I am are nomtastic little cuties. The difference is that there are fewer sharon and tracy sized blobs in Thailand (but it's changing), but I think the main difference is that the people are much friendlier and more approachable and playful in Thailand than in the UK. If you make the same amount of effort you'd have to in the UK to get a girl you'd want to show off, odds are you'd get a more physically stunning one in Thailand.

I found that in Jakarta, of the ones that didn't wear traditional garb, I did see a fair number of nice-looking skinny girls who dressed nicely, but they're not as playful, smiley, and receptive as Thai girls.

I would say the same of Vietnam - some real stunners there, but really boring. I know it's a minority sport, but I do like a lot of Cambodian girls, a lot of them are quite chesty, but even the ones that aren't have a certain je ne sais quoi.

 

You must spend a considerable amount of your time looking at females

[CaptainNemo]

30 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Starting to grow my beard,

Daily parades, sports on the boardwalk, a vibrant nightlife.

looks lovely,  I would fit right in!!

I've come to the conclusion that despite my passport, ethnicity, and birthplace, I can't be British.

I can't understand the appeal of the place; and I struggle to live and work amongst British people.

I've no idea where I belong, but I have a feeling it might be Australia, I seem to get on with them.

[CaptainNemo]

11 minutes ago, sanemax said:

You must spend a considerable amount of your time looking at females

Why's that? Don't you ever notice anything around you? Or do you just look at boys?

[sanemax]

On 9/15/2019 at 9:24 PM, CaptainNemo said:

Why's that? Don't you ever notice anything around you? Or do you just look at boys?

Well , I do notice things around me , not to the extent though that I study girls breast sizes in various Counties and can state which girls have bigger breast from which Country .

  You must have put  a lot of time , effort and looking to have that knowledge

[JAG]

On 9/12/2019 at 1:39 PM, billd766 said:

quote"but hay only 17 years with 2 coups under my belt so I know nothing. OMFG!!!"

 

I returned to the UK 5 months ago with my family after living in Thailand for 9 years. We are all loving being back.

 

 

Bild, don't be so pedantic. 9 years, 17 years, whats the difference? If the fellow can't notice the 8 year discrepancy in his claims, who are you to go pointing it out?

[BritManToo]

On 9/11/2019 at 11:25 PM, Scot123 said:

Before we left I started comparing prices between Thailand and the UK and its far more expensive in Thailand and by a long shot.

You compared the price of housing, and found Thailand far more expensive than the UK?

How did you manage this feat, do you live in your mom's basement?

I can barely afford a caravan in the UK (compared to my new 3 bed house in Thailand).

[SteveK]

25 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You compared the price of housing, and found Thailand far more expensive than the UK?

How did you manage this feat, do you live in your mom's basement?

I can barely afford a caravan in the UK (compared to my new 3 bed house in Thailand).

Housing in rural Thailand is dirt cheap. 1 million baht gets you a lot in my village. But the difference between UK and Thai housing is that the UK house will almost certainly still be there in 100 years (as long as you don't buy one of those God-awful new builds with walls made of cardboard and a lease on the land). I don't know what it is about the way they build the houses out here but they start to look old pretty fast. 

[sunnyboy2018]

On 9/11/2019 at 2:50 PM, ThePioneer said:

I guess you couldn't find the sarcasm emoticon.

 

Our HARD currency 5555555

Euros, dollars and sterling remain hard currencies. The baht is not. You might not understand economics but consider the benefits that the military government get from having millions of bahts inwardly invested and sitting propping up thai banks due to an edict not real investment. The fluctuations in sterling reflect it is a real currency.  The value of the baht indicates it is (military) monopoly money.

[sunnyboy2018]

5 hours ago, sanemax said:

You must spend a considerable amount of your time looking at females

Hetrosexual men do. Its an evolutionary thing. Only eunuchs and sexually repressed men dont look and assess members of the opposite sex. its normal and natural.

[sunnyboy2018]

On 9/14/2019 at 7:51 PM, Isaanbiker said:

Let's help them a bit that they don't forget what they look like. 

 

In the next post will be the temples. Or not. 

And available not just in a magazine with staples in them.

[sunnyboy2018]

54 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You compared the price of housing, and found Thailand far more expensive than the UK?

How did you manage this feat, do you live in your mom's basement?

I can barely afford a caravan in the UK (compared to my new 3 bed house in Thailand).

But do you own your house and land in Thailand? 

[sunnyboy2018]

5 hours ago, CaptainNemo said:

Why's that? Don't you ever notice anything around you? Or do you just look at boys?

Some posters on this forum seem to live vicariously through the sex lives of other members. They appear to live a hermit like existence here in Thailand, never really getting involved with the scene here, judging people by outdated, 1950s western values and constantly commenting on that which they boast they have know knowledge of.  Its highly amusin actually.

[BritManToo]

9 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

But do you own your house and land in Thailand? 

I take my house as I take my women ............. rented!

But sadly, I can't afford the payments on either in the UK.

[sunnyboy2018]

24 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I take my house as I take my women ............. rented!

But sadly, I can't afford the payments on either in the UK.

Try to own property in England so you can rent women in Thailand. Its worked for me for 3 decades and thousands of happy chicks! I aint complaining. 

[billd766]

21 hours ago, sanemax said:

You must spend a considerable amount of your time looking at females

It beats bashing on a keyboard like a chimpanzee.

[emptypockets]

On 9/11/2019 at 7:31 PM, jcates29 said:

My Thai wife (who had lived in the US for many, many years and had obtained US citizenship) and I moved to Thailand to semi-retire in Jan 2015.  She wanted to be nearer her family, and l (having worked there for 4 years in the '90's) loved Thailand.  We rented for the first year and then we bought a house quite near her family.  I had no problems, played golf 3 times a week and enjoyed life.  My wife soon tired of living near her family and finally came to realize that no amount of money could purchase for them what they really needed: youth, ambition, honesty, and intelligence combined with education.  After 3.5 years, she said "Let's move back to the US!" in a forceful enough manner that I knew she was serious, and we departed Thailand for the US four years to the day after moving there.  We luckily were able to sell the house with just a small loss.  Now from here looking across, with all the immigration issues and changes in income verification, and the obvious affinity for China in the Thai government, coupled with a real question as to how we would be fixed for health care and related services if we really needed it in Thailand, we are both relieved we made the move back home.  Still, I miss those days playing golf with my ex-pat friends and enjoying life in Thai society. I felt very comfortable living there.  I still love Thailand and we will vacation there, just not live there on a permanent basis.

So why do you list you location as Chiang rai....as any other posters do to somehow gain credibility ?Location...Zurich/Central Thailand or  London/Pattaya.  Most are full of <deleted>. 2 ,4 week or ,or longer visitors with many losers after their first  and final experience with a teeraak then <deleted> off home with their tail between their legs but come back as elder statesmen on this forum? And knock Thailand at every opportunity.

[sanemax]

On 9/16/2019 at 6:24 PM, billd766 said:

It beats bashing on a keyboard like a chimpanzee.

Better stop bashing your keyboard then and go out breast spotting

[kingdong]

On 9/11/2019 at 11:09 AM, worgeordie said:

Something is making them risk their lives and those of their families,

to try and cross the Channel to the UK, when they are already safe in

France.

regards worgeordie

The welfare system in the uk?