GOING HOME

[Phantom51red]

15 hours ago, richy65 said:

Couldn’t agree more with all of this and I think it will only get worse. I just want to keep working hard towards my retirement which will hopefully be spent in Thailand.

It will get worse in the uk no doubt,just watched a vid with an ex rnl employee talking about the 'arrivals" saying its massively understated there 1000s landing every week not month,she said its an invasion,I believe this too,for me that's the main issue and the political farce making out like they are trying to stop it,fs its their people,total scum.

Only thing about working towards your retirement which is a good thing ,will thailand still be the same in those years ahead and will your health,I'm in 2 minds as feel like doing it now, but easy job which allows me to travel every other month,for the meantime I'll put away what I can but still go back to Thailand as much as I can.

[KWA]

16 hours ago, Butch said:

I'll be very careful @tommy dee not to get into political stuff on your topic mate . . . .

Well, not too careful. 😉

[roomark]

Sorry to hear about your Mum Tommy.

Hope it all goes well for Friday.

 

[roomark]

4 hours ago, Yessongs said:

Ok so since no one has talked about life in USA...let me weigh in. Has there been changes there? Of course, some for the better, some for the worse, just like Thailand. Like most Americans, I am disgusted about the illegal immigration going on, high housing prices, the rise in overall crime, traffic etc. Don't get me wrong, I like Thailand as a general rule, but...I am not going to bash Calif. I have always been able to filter the "noise" coming from the Political side of things. I have always said and still tell people when they ask me, at the end of the day, I am still American and will always love my country. 

I still like Calif alot quite frankly, still have my home there, my Daughter is in Texas and my Son in Calif and for that reason alone, I will always want to be in USA at some point. 

I have also told many people when they ask me about Thailand, that quite frankly Thailand absolutely has some things America will never have, on the flip side, America has things Thailand will NEVER have...for me the weather in Calif is second to none year around. I hate the air pollution here like everyone else, and the dreadful humidity takes a toll on me too. Yes Thailand is cheaper to live, but I don't think that in my opinion, that makes it necessarily better. 

I certainly miss "sports" back home, I can no longer go to San Jose Giants Baseball games, no longer go see my old "alma mater" San Jose State play Football, can not see The San Jose Sharks play Hockey or go see The Golden State Warriors play Basketball anymore either. Wifey loves sports too, seeing it live, is so much better then on TV. These are just some of the things I miss from back home. 

At the end of the day, we all have choices we have to make that works for us.....

I always thought you was one of the lucky ones living in Calif.

Best of both worlds if you ask me.

But the U.K has certainly changed for the worse in a lot of ways ..

Corrupt governments and dumb wars.

 

[richy65]

2 hours ago, Phantom51red said:

It will get worse in the uk no doubt,just watched a vid with an ex rnl employee talking about the 'arrivals" saying its massively understated there 1000s landing every week not month,she said its an invasion,I believe this too,for me that's the main issue and the political farce making out like they are trying to stop it,fs its their people,total scum.

Only thing about working towards your retirement which is a good thing ,will thailand still be the same in those years ahead and will your health,I'm in 2 minds as feel like doing it now, but easy job which allows me to travel every other month,for the meantime I'll put away what I can but still go back to Thailand as much as I can.

Same for me, still enjoy working and holidays to Thailand. I'm fit and healthy now but nothing is certain in the future.

[Glasseye]

6 hours ago, Glasseye said:

 

retirement

 

Always should be main focus (that and you health, physical and mental). Never lose sight of it nor allow yourself to be distracted from it. IMO it is the primary spource of future contentment. 

I retired at 51. Life is still full of many challenges following, but the best decision I have ever made. 14 years later there are still many Up's and Down's. But if not for the fact that I am retired life would likely be complete misery.

 

I do miss the moutains though, east and west coast. And the Pacific Coast, and Seattle (and surronding area).... Gand Canyon.... nothing, and I mean nothing is like any of the above.

Driving through endless, endless farm land - everything green and tall. Seems boring, but when you do it it's amazing to think about it (and other things).

[Butch]

13 hours ago, Bazle said:

Then what is the point of being in Thailand? 

come on Baz mate, that's because the Air quality is poor on some days, not all, and are not necessarily countrywide, thus you could pick and choose an area with clean air, whereas the endemic issues facing the UK blight all big cities and nearly all major towns, and also some smaller communities where migration (Asylum seekers) have skewed the local demographic. These issues also are now permanent and not seasonal like Air quality can be.

Given a choice of staying in for a few days or even a week due to bad air quality, or living in the UK and in some cases people being prisoners in their own homes due to crime or even lack of infrastructure such as public transport, I know what I'd choose.

A small price to pay, (along with health insurance) for more freedoms, a better climate, cheaper prices, better food and the numerous other benefits that come from not being in the UK.

 

 

[Bazle]

20 minutes ago, Butch said:

come on Baz mate, that's because the Air quality is poor on some days, not all, and are not necessarily countrywide, thus you could pick and choose an area with clean air, whereas the endemic issues facing the UK blight all big cities and nearly all major towns, and also some smaller communities where migration (Asylum seekers) have skewed the local demographic. These issues also are now permanent and not seasonal like Air quality can be.

Given a choice of staying in for a few days or even a week due to bad air quality, or living in the UK and in some cases people being prisoners in their own homes due to crime or even lack of infrastructure such as public transport, I know what I'd choose.

A small price to pay, (along with health insurance) for more freedoms, a better climate, cheaper prices, better food and the numerous other benefits that come from not being in the UK.

I don't agree with you. 

I was in Patts for 5 weeks recently, and the pollution was evident EVERY day. As far as I can see, the pollution is hitting most of the country, although, as Lemondropkid says, the far southwest seems to be missing the worst of it. Unfortunately, it isn't a "few days or even a week" matter. It is going to last for many months in the year.

I imagine most BMs here have the resources not to have to live in a high-crime area in the UK.

[Glasseye]

1 hour ago, Butch said:

come on Baz mate, that's because the Air quality is poor on some days, not all, and are not necessarily countrywide, thus you could pick and choose an area with clean air, whereas the endemic issues facing the UK blight all big cities and nearly all major towns, and also some smaller communities where migration (Asylum seekers) have skewed the local demographic. These issues also are now permanent and not seasonal like Air quality can be.

Given a choice of staying in for a few days or even a week due to bad air quality, or living in the UK and in some cases people being prisoners in their own homes due to crime or even lack of infrastructure such as public transport, I know what I'd choose.

A small price to pay, (along with health insurance) for more freedoms, a better climate, cheaper prices, better food and the numerous other benefits that come from not being in the UK.

 

 

 

I totally hear what you are saying bro. But, sometimes easier said then done.

[Horizondave]

15 hours ago, Lemondropkid said:

The air quality in recent weeks in HH has been pretty poor. Smog like haze in the air, I've been limiting the time spent outdoors some days.

Very unscientific of me but everytime there's a bad day in HH, I'll have a look at the readings for Krabi or Phukhet, and there are always better- every single time. Maybe somewhere on the Adanman Coast would be a better place to live long term?

Back on the central theme I'm  still much preferring things to the current UK winter  but Baz does make a good point about pollution being a negative.

 

 

I hear you but it would not stop me going to live in Hua Hin. Never was an issue when I lived there even though something may have changed since.

There are so many issues with living in the UK that smog in Hua Hin is not going to make me stop and think twice. People adapt, stay in, put a mask on or put up with it. I don't suffer chest problems and my mate is there presently and yet, has never mentioned smog. 

Like everywhere, you do your background checks, you add up the pros and cons and you make your decision. Not seen anything major that would see me choose a different location for living in Thailand.

[Krapow]

I think it must be different in different areas.

I went to my dentist to book a cleaning appointment on Monday, was seen half an hour ago. It was just a clean, there was no rush anyway, Band 2, deep clean. I can call up my GP's in the morning, get speaking to a GP on the phone that day, if they deem it necessary, an in person appointment that day or next.

I really like my daughter's school, it's so much better in so many ways in how and what they teach than from when i was at primary school. They have the parents so much more involved. They notice and pick up on things really well with pupils, put in place plans to help. While when i was at school if you weren't good a certain subject or whatever, then you just weren't, that was it. 

My daughter's school is a great mix of ethnicities and religions and none. There are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian etc, there are Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Somali, Irish, English, Polish, lots mixed race kids etc, just like in the world. I could have got her into an about 75% white primary school, we're in the middle catchment of that one as well. But i didn't want her to go to a school which is too much top heavy in one demographic. 

I get people are pissed off with the boats coming, but as much as it's illegal, and i would want it stopped. It's not even double figures in percentage wise of immigration to the UK. It's legal immigration that's causing the big figures, of which i and others on this forum would be part of the legal immigration numbers via our wives. So when people complain it's getting too hard to get wives in or keep them here, then complain about immigration, you can't have it both ways if the Gov tries to curtail it.

But it suits the Tories to scream about the 8% illegals or whatever, so it distracts people from the other 92% they allow in legally. 

But as said, it depends where you are. As much as i like getting away from the big city, find it therapeutic. The benefits of living here are many, such as the many varied opportunities for me and my family, the relative ease to get medical related appointments etc. Like in Northern Ireland the NHS is a basket case, although due partly from having on government for 2 years. Maybe many more rural areas are the same. 

I would move from here if money was not an issue to maintaining the same standard of living, education, access to healthcare etc we current have. If and when i can retire, i would still keep this place on, and do 'long trips' so can keep the address specifically for said reasons. But the timing is okay at the moment, when that would come, the education and age would be pretty much be less my responsibility, and more on what my daughter would want to do at that stage. 

But everyone's situation and priorities are different, the above is just mine. Doesn't mean it's right for anyone else, just currently right for me/us. 

[thegrogmonster]

1 hour ago, Krapow said:

I think it must be different in different areas.

I went to my dentist to book a cleaning appointment on Monday, was seen half an hour ago. It was just a clean, there was no rush anyway, Band 2, deep clean. I can call up my GP's in the morning, get speaking to a GP on the phone that day, if they deem it necessary, an in person appointment that day or next.

I really like my daughter's school, it's so much better in so many ways in how and what they teach than from when i was at primary school. They have the parents so much more involved. They notice and pick up on things really well with pupils, put in place plans to help. While when i was at school if you weren't good a certain subject or whatever, then you just weren't, that was it. 

My daughter's school is a great mix of ethnicities and religions and none. There are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian etc, there are Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Somali, Irish, English, Polish, lots mixed race kids etc, just like in the world. I could have got her into an about 75% white primary school, we're in the middle catchment of that one as well. But i didn't want her to go to a school which is too much top heavy in one demographic. 

I get people are pissed off with the boats coming, but as much as it's illegal, and i would want it stopped. It's not even double figures in percentage wise of immigration to the UK. It's legal immigration that's causing the big figures, of which i and others on this forum would be part of the legal immigration numbers via our wives. So when people complain it's getting too hard to get wives in or keep them here, then complain about immigration, you can't have it both ways if the Gov tries to curtail it.

But it suits the Tories to scream about the 8% illegals or whatever, so it distracts people from the other 92% they allow in legally. 

But as said, it depends where you are. As much as i like getting away from the big city, find it therapeutic. The benefits of living here are many, such as the many varied opportunities for me and my family, the relative ease to get medical related appointments etc. Like in Northern Ireland the NHS is a basket case, although due partly from having on government for 2 years. Maybe many more rural areas are the same. 

I would move from here if money was not an issue to maintaining the same standard of living, education, access to healthcare etc we current have. If and when i can retire, i would still keep this place on, and do 'long trips' so can keep the address specifically for said reasons. But the timing is okay at the moment, when that would come, the education and age would be pretty much be less my responsibility, and more on what my daughter would want to do at that stage. 

But everyone's situation and priorities are different, the above is just mine. Doesn't mean it's right for anyone else, just currently right for me/us. 

Is your house near a pub?

[Krapow]

39 minutes ago, thegrogmonster said:

Is your house near a pub?

Priorities 

There's 2 pubs within 5 mins walk, one an Irish bar, one a kinda more upmarket Sports bar that does nice food as well.

And if you walked 10mins, you have an abundance of bars, one even has a Thai kitchen. 

You'd be fine 

[Krapow]

Thing is as well, if someone came back to Thailand after 10 or 15 years, they would notice absolutely loads of changes. Attitudes of Thais, demographics of people now coming to Thailand, cost, so many different things.

Some would dislike the changes, some would like them, dependant on their views, what they use Thailand for.

Change is constant, no matter where ...

[Butch]

6 hours ago, Bazle said:

I don't agree with you. 

I was in Patts for 5 weeks recently, and the pollution was evident EVERY day. As far as I can see, the pollution is hitting most of the country, although, as Lemondropkid says, the far southwest seems to be missing the worst of it. Unfortunately, it isn't a "few days or even a week" matter. It is going to last for many months in the year.

I imagine most BMs here have the resources not to have to live in a high-crime area in the UK.

Pattaya has poor air due to the volume of traffic which exacerbates an already problematic issue , which is why I said "can choose to live somewhere with cleaner air". It's not much different to any major city in SEA in that respect.

As for most BM's, there's only a core of regular posting BM's here who may probably live in low crime areas, but that's all relative. I still imagine that a majority of them would choose to live in Thailand and suffer the air issues ,which can be mitigated much more easily than high crime and urban decay.

Each to their own though. some suffer more with poor air than others. For me it wouldn't be a negative , and if that is the biggest pitfall of living somewhere then personally speaking I'd suck it up as they say.

Would you be happy to live in Pattaya or somewhere in Thailand of your choosing with a similar or better quality of lifestyle that you have in the UK given the choice over remaining in the UK?.

 

[Bazle]

5 minutes ago, Butch said:

Would you be happy to live in Pattaya or somewhere in Thailand of your choosing with a similar or better quality of lifestyle that you have in the UK given the choice over remaining in the UK?.

No.

I have homes in both locations, and have chosen (up to now) to spend two-thirds of my time in London.

With the pollution situation in Pattaya as it is now, the chances are that I will spend much less time there than hitherto.

[Butch]

2 hours ago, Krapow said:

I think it must be different in different areas.

I went to my dentist to book a cleaning appointment on Monday, was seen half an hour ago. It was just a clean, there was no rush anyway, Band 2, deep clean. I can call up my GP's in the morning, get speaking to a GP on the phone that day, if they deem it necessary, an in person appointment that day or next.

I really like my daughter's school, it's so much better in so many ways in how and what they teach than from when i was at primary school. They have the parents so much more involved. They notice and pick up on things really well with pupils, put in place plans to help. While when i was at school if you weren't good a certain subject or whatever, then you just weren't, that was it. 

My daughter's school is a great mix of ethnicities and religions and none. There are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian etc, there are Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Somali, Irish, English, Polish, lots mixed race kids etc, just like in the world. I could have got her into an about 75% white primary school, we're in the middle catchment of that one as well. But i didn't want her to go to a school which is too much top heavy in one demographic. 

I get people are pissed off with the boats coming, but as much as it's illegal, and i would want it stopped. It's not even double figures in percentage wise of immigration to the UK. It's legal immigration that's causing the big figures, of which i and others on this forum would be part of the legal immigration numbers via our wives. So when people complain it's getting too hard to get wives in or keep them here, then complain about immigration, you can't have it both ways if the Gov tries to curtail it.

But it suits the Tories to scream about the 8% illegals or whatever, so it distracts people from the other 92% they allow in legally. 

But as said, it depends where you are. As much as i like getting away from the big city, find it therapeutic. The benefits of living here are many, such as the many varied opportunities for me and my family, the relative ease to get medical related appointments etc. Like in Northern Ireland the NHS is a basket case, although due partly from having on government for 2 years. Maybe many more rural areas are the same. 

I would move from here if money was not an issue to maintaining the same standard of living, education, access to healthcare etc we current have. If and when i can retire, i would still keep this place on, and do 'long trips' so can keep the address specifically for said reasons. But the timing is okay at the moment, when that would come, the education and age would be pretty much be less my responsibility, and more on what my daughter would want to do at that stage. 

But everyone's situation and priorities are different, the above is just mine. Doesn't mean it's right for anyone else, just currently right for me/us. 

Same here, my Mrs is a legal immigrant along with 100% of the Nurses we have coming here from the PI and the ones she employs through her Agency.

Without immigration the UK would be in deep shit, especially the NHS and other associated industries which serve it. That's before we get into the other end of the spectrum and the "unskilled" job many migrants are prepared to do while Sandra and her 5 kids occupy a Council house claiming £2k a month.

However ,as legal migration actively contributes to the Economy, illegal migration doesn't, yet, illegal migration is still a massive drain on resources, especially within the NHS. The numbers are very skewed though. They have little or no idea of the illegals entering the UK, as in reality it's only a small number of boats that are intercepted and given a free taxi home by the RNLI or CG. You're right though, the Govt do like to wave that as a banner.

That said,

People don't realise the contribution in £££ top the economy migrants actually make, let alone the long term positives to the Country. 1st Generation migrant kids want to achieve and work, have a good lifestyle and stay in the UK. That can only be a good thing. Probably much the same for kids who've been dragged over the channel in a dinghy - less so than their parents maybe.

 

[tko]

I love SE Texas, and hope to visit again with the family someday.  But this is home.

 

[Glasseye]

9 hours ago, East is West said:

The immigration in UK should be good as they have a falling birthrate  ,  immigrants can fill the gap.

This is simple economics. Some "lame brains" in here will never figure this out. They don't posses the memtal capacity to do do,

[Glasseye]

6 hours ago, Horizondave said:

I hear you but it would not stop me going to live in Hua Hin. Never was an issue when I lived there even though something may have changed since.

There are so many issues with living in the UK that smog in Hua Hin is not going to make me stop and think twice. People adapt, stay in, put a mask on or put up with it. I don't suffer chest problems and my mate is there presently and yet, has never mentioned smog. 

Like everywhere, you do your background checks, you add up the pros and cons and you make your decision. Not seen anything major that would see me choose a different location for living in Thailand.

👍

[richy65]

11 hours ago, East is West said:

The immigration in UK should be good as they have a falling birthrate  ,  immigrants can fill the gap.

UK population has grown over 600,000 over the last year. ONS forecasts another 6 million over the next 10 years. I think this somewhat overfills the gap!

[Lemondropkid]

10 hours ago, Horizondave said:

There are so many issues with living in the UK that smog in Hua Hin is not going to make me stop and think twice. People adapt, stay in, put a mask on or put up with it. I don't suffer chest problems and my mate is there presently and yet, has never mentioned smog. 

I've lived in London, Leeds and Hull most of my live- on no day have I seen anything as bad as some recent days in HH

There seems to be a huge collective blindness or just plain stupidity in people behaviours. I've seen runners coming down the Petkasem Road in it. Doubt they have chest problems either(yet)

Never heard an expat here talk about the pollution. People seem to carry on oblivous to the sight and the smell of it.

But in the 3 months plus I've been here, generally it's been OK. I'm enjoying it here but am just seeing how I go really.

I've got nowhere near your depth of experience living in Thailand/Asia and don't have your long term connection with HH. I it's obviously your choice mate🙂

[maipenrai]

I have to admit that the constant pollution I am seeing in Pattaya here now, and can recall seeing last year as well, gets me down as the area of Canada I live in has some of the cleanest air in the world; I'm looking out of a 17th story window here in Jomtien and I can barely make out the curve of the coastline for the haze hanging in the air. 

[Trip]

2 hours ago, maipenrai said:

I have to admit that the constant pollution I am seeing in Pattaya here now, and can recall seeing last year as well, gets me down as the area of Canada I live in has some of the cleanest air in the world; I'm looking out of a 17th story window here in Jomtien and I can barely make out the curve of the coastline for the haze hanging in the air. 

Sad and makes me think of Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi.

 

[boydeste]

3 hours ago, maipenrai said:

I have to admit that the constant pollution I am seeing in Pattaya here now, and can recall seeing last year as well, gets me down as the area of Canada I live in has some of the cleanest air in the world; I'm looking out of a 17th story window here in Jomtien and I can barely make out the curve of the coastline for the haze hanging in the air. 

The haze in Pattaya these last few days has been terrible. This was one of the better ones.

Edited February 2 by boydeste