Why Do Expats Remain - Why Do They Come Back?

[HHTel]

Agreed. Just pointing out just how difficult it is to make that first step.
A Thai friend of mine has just got married. With planning they managed the marriage procedure in 3 weeks.
Then they found the finance involved in getting a spouse visa was more than they could afford. The Thai wife needs the best part of half a million to make the move.
So her husband decided to up sticks, quit his job and move to Thailand to live with his wife on a marriage visa. So simple. But I agree that the Brit will never get the privileges deserved after living here a while, unlike foreigners moving to the UK.

[Martinoo]

The two countries seem like opposite ends of a magnet, and both too extreme in their approach to foreigners IMO. In the UK, foreigners are welcomed, can work, vote, own property outright, get free healthcare, and are sometimes showered with 'gifts' (benefits) if they integrate. Whereas in Thailand, you can live for decades, be fluent in the language, work and pay taxes, pay for property, vehicles, schooling, raise a family, and still be double-charged, locked out of services, and classed lower than a soi dog with about as many rights, because you are 'alien' (ต่างด้าว).

Looking at the negative comments from Brits on inflow and some outflow in UK, it looks like Thailand does it the right way.
Maybe you could have classified as resident and be the dog of the village head?
I am a foreigner and will always be one,and be treated like one.. Guess this is the same everywhere looking at
Global immigration restrictions

[buksida]

Maybe those who blindly love Thailand so much and are blinkered to its faults enjoy being treated like dogs.

[Dannie Boy]

I think that “being treated like dogs” is a bit harsh - ok we know that we will never be treated as first class citizens but I’ve never felt discriminated against in a vindictive way. We have the 3 monthly and annual visa process to endure, but that’s hardly a major issue. Dual pricing can be frustrating but it’s not something that affects me very often and even when it does, the inflated price is not outrageous.

When we go shopping or to restaurants, I never feel like a leper - nobody’s watching me and pointing “he’s a dirty farang”.

Utopia, maybe not, but I’m sure there are worse places to live.

[Martinoo]

I agree and though I am wagging the tail often, I have my personal thoughts about Thailand as well and not always positive.
I made choice, my family has no interest in relocating regionally, nor globally and frankly, at my age plus through work knowing the situations in other places, I feel fine living here.

[REEM]

Then they found the finance involved in getting a spouse visa was more than they could afford. The Thai wife needs the best part of half a million to make the move.

Arrive in the UK illegally on a dinghy and she would get free accommodation, food, clothing, a weekly allowance, a new mobile phone and be at the front of the queue for health care.

Do it the legal "right" way, and you don't stand a chance. That's the UK today.

[STEVE G]

One thing in favour of Thailand is that I find the cost of running a house there to be very reasonable. I don't have a pool and use aircon sparingly and the annual costs are very low.
I have a colleague who owns a holiday home in Cornwall, England and he tells me that they've recently doubled the local council tax for non residents which means he's now paying over 4,000 pounds a year, which makes a running a house in Thailand look very cheap.

[Dannie Boy]

One thing in favour of Thailand is that I find the cost of running a house there to be very reasonable. I don't have a pool and use aircon sparingly and the annual costs are very low.
I have a colleague who owns a holiday home in Cornwall, England and he tells me that they've recently doubled the local council tax for non residents which means he's now paying over 4,000 pounds a year, which makes a running a house in Thailand look very cheap.

Although It doesn’t make any difference to the cost, I believe that the doubling up of the council tax is due to it being a second home rather than being non-resident - people living in the UK with a second home are charged double and it’s having a huge impact on house values - I read yesterday that someone living in Cornwall has had to reduce the price of their property by £100k, almost entirely because the holiday home market has collapsed and people are not buying.


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[STEVE G]

^Yes and having spent some years in Cornwall during my time in the Navy, it's not a place I'd want to spend the whole year because it's wet and miserable in the winter.

[Dannie Boy]

^Yes and having spent some years in Cornwall during my time in the Navy, it's not a place I'd want to spend the whole year because it's wet and miserable in the winter.

I was there in September last year and experienced overnight temperatures of 4°C!!

[pharvey]

Well, as I and others have mentioned, the UK has gone to the dogs, but I remain positive in the hopes that Labour will finally be kicked out of Wales and their time in Westminster will be short lived. They have screwed Wales over for 25 years and doing the same from Westminster within their 1st year in Government. One comment I read recently stuck - "The Governance of the UK certainly needs reform. Whether the Reform Party are the ones to do it is quite another matter". We'll see!

I am however stuck here - but quite honestly for the time being at least live in an "Area of Natural Beauty" and a stone's throw from the "Dark Skies" area.... And I get a wonderful supply of very good wine and cider!

Anywho, getting back to the original question(s) relating to Thailand and some of the comments posted here (and I have heard elsewhere). I guess there's many that are in a situation where the positives far outweigh the negatives, there are those with family/ties that simply makes Thailand/HH to choice to be, there are some who have burnt bridges to home and those for one reason or another are or feel trapped....

[EDIT] And of course those who once left but have returned/are now planning on a return - not working out at "home", better prospects, financial benefits or family?

To me, some that seem the happiest are those who are either still working (to an extent) or those that can afford to split their time between Thailand and elsewhere. Are those still working going to make the ultimate decision before long?

[STEVE G]

Well, as I and others have mentioned, the UK has gone to the dogs,....

Considering the amount of times you've told us that, I think I'll take notice and head back to Hua Hin again next week!

[pharvey]

Well, as I and others have mentioned, the UK has gone to the dogs,....

Considering the amount of times you've told us that, I think I'll take notice and head back to Hua Hin again next week!

Apologies, but it's a case of sad but true at the moment. As I have also said, I am hopeful that things can change for the better if and when Labour and Illegals are removed. Best of luck back in HH and Thailand - truly.

[STEVE G]

^No apologies needed, quite frankly I'm sat in a Luxembourg pub on my day off but I'm back on Hua Hin next week and looking forward to it!
And maybe cooling down a bit in Thailand because it's been disgustingly hot here lately, 39C today!

[PeteC]

^No apologies needed, quite frankly I'm sat in a Luxembourg pub on my day off but I'm back on Hua Hin next week and looking forward to it!
And maybe cooling down a bit in Thailand because it's been disgustingly hot here lately, 39C today!

Yes, temperatures have been turned on their head. Amazing to think Europeans coming to Southeast Asia to cool off?! At this moment here (0400) where I am it's 26c and raining.