LOS or Land of Jokes? Is this country for Real?

[Gulfer]

Expat in Thailand? A 'lucky' one? No visa border runs? Retiree in a blissful land?
Let us take a good look in the mirror...
3 years of none immigrant O retiree visa. All Immigration criteria complied with.
Sole owner-occupier of a beaut condo apartment. Car (new). Appliances. All bought new here, in the Land of Jokes. Let me tell you what is wrong... Everything!
Fridge (Siemens) - RUSTY!
New car's stainless steel parts - RUSTY! (God knows what is inside?)
Chandeliers, gold and chrome plated - RUSTY!
Newly installed aluminium doors and windows - RUSTY!
Apartment in a high rise condominium (over 20 floors) HAS NO FIRE SAFETY! NONE!
( no fire/smoke alarm, no checks on fire extinquishers, no evacuation plans, no emergency lights, no working water-booster pumps for hydrants).
No legal protection for citizens, consumers or foreigners !
No Laws, at least working! They are made here to look like western, than forgotten and broken every step at a time!
Corrosion, corruption, disfunction - everywhere. Bandar-log! Nothing is Real. Only looks like it.
Oh, and, please, do not call me a pessimist. Remember, pessimists are the same people as optimists, just better informed.
Yeass, I know about the Old and New Condo Laws. These people just piss at them. The year is still 2552! This is 543 years behind...

[KhwaamLap]

Originally Posted by Gulfer

Expat in Thailand? A 'lucky' one? No visa border runs? Retiree in a blissful land?
Let us take a good look in the mirror...
3 years of none immigrant O retiree visa. All Immigration criteria complied with.
Sole owner-occupier of a beaut condo apartment. Car (new). Appliances. All bought new here, in the Land of Jokes. Let me tell you what is wrong... Everything!
Fridge (Siemens) - RUSTY!
New car's stainless steel parts - RUSTY! (God knows what is inside?)
Chandeliers, gold and chrome plated - RUSTY!
Newly installed aluminium doors and windows - RUSTY!
Apartment in a high rise condominium (over 20 floors) HAS NO FIRE SAFETY! NONE!
( no fire/smoke alarm, no checks on fire extinquishers, no evacuation plans, no emergency lights, no working water-booster pumps for hydrants).
No legal protection for citizens, consumers or foreigners !
No Laws, at least working! They are made here to look like western, than forgotten and broken every step at a time!
Corrosion, corruption, disfunction - everywhere. Bandar-log! Nothing is Real. Only looks like it.
Oh, and, please, do not call me a pessimist. Remember, pessimists are the same people as optimists, just better informed.
Yeass, I know about the Old and New Condo Laws. These people just piss at them. The year is still 2552! This is 543 years behind...

That's why most people rent I guess. I also started with a rusty car and worked it back to good - if a car lasts the heat and rain for 15 years, it must e well enough bilt to last 15 more I reckon. Nothing new is built to last as my mum would say

[frogblogger]

Par for the course for the developing world - by choosing to live here and benefit from the pluses, we don't have much choice but to accept the minuses as well! I suppose life could be worse that a few rusty gold-plated chandeliers

[Acid_Crow]

Originally Posted by Gulfer

Expat in Thailand? A 'lucky' one? No visa border runs? Retiree in a blissful land?
Let us take a good look in the mirror...
3 years of none immigrant O retiree visa. All Immigration criteria complied with.
Sole owner-occupier of a beaut condo apartment. Car (new). Appliances. All bought new here, in the Land of Jokes. Let me tell you what is wrong... Everything!
Fridge (Siemens) - RUSTY!
New car's stainless steel parts - RUSTY! (God knows what is inside?)
Chandeliers, gold and chrome plated - RUSTY!
Newly installed aluminium doors and windows - RUSTY!
Apartment in a high rise condominium (over 20 floors) HAS NO FIRE SAFETY! NONE!
( no fire/smoke alarm, no checks on fire extinquishers, no evacuation plans, no emergency lights, no working water-booster pumps for hydrants).
No legal protection for citizens, consumers or foreigners !
No Laws, at least working! They are made here to look like western, than forgotten and broken every step at a time!
Corrosion, corruption, disfunction - everywhere. Bandar-log! Nothing is Real. Only looks like it.
Oh, and, please, do not call me a pessimist. Remember, pessimists are the same people as optimists, just better informed.
Yeass, I know about the Old and New Condo Laws. These people just piss at them. The year is still 2552! This is 543 years behind...

This made me smile..

[anselpixel]

Yes, I do think things can get much worse than to have one's gilded appliances corrupted with rust.
I understand the screed, and look forward to discovering my own set of objections.
To be very honest, I have at this point two well-researched options to Thailand in the event I can't bring myself to stay.
Nothing is as it seems, which is why anyone with assumptions is certain to be disappointed when the lights come on.
As a first hedge against cynicism, I decided some months ago not to try and export my lifestyle. I won't make major purchases in Thailand.
It took me years to get rid of all that stuff here. Why would I throw away my freedom by moving to another country and starting the same model anew?
Just my opinion.

[frogblogger]

That makes a lot of sense AP. With that attitude you stand more chance of making a success of it than by trying to live a unrealisable dream. I don't see you as cynical, just realistic and prudent. Best of luck...

[Miss Jungle]

Oh! Poor fellow...
Life is so hard here!
Should go back to your civilized country where you'll have a good fridge, good car, safety alarms in your house...
For me, I like not to have alarm, and like the freedom that gives the laws here... One place can be good for some, not for others...

[shirlsails]

So.....I'm new to this site and new as well to this whole Expat concept.
I am hoping to move to Thailand in a few years, and was wondering if anyone can tell me where to start.....there are so many links and websites that I will go crazy reading them all.
Since buying anything is apparently not allowed for foreigners, renting will be the way to go for me I guess...
And I heard 90 days is the max stay allowed (yes, I am Canadian and unfortunately take things at face value) unless someone knows something that i don't....
What about working part-time.....
I heard that if I work on a boat not registered in Thailand, then I can be hired by the boat owner or company and work that way in Thailand???
So many questions.....so much time to think about it.....

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Gulfer

Expat in Thailand? A 'lucky' one? No visa border runs? Retiree in a blissful land?
Let us take a good look in the mirror...
3 years of none immigrant O retiree visa. All Immigration criteria complied with.
Sole owner-occupier of a beaut condo apartment. Car (new). Appliances. All bought new here, in the Land of Jokes. Let me tell you what is wrong... Everything!
Fridge (Siemens) - RUSTY!
New car's stainless steel parts - RUSTY! (God knows what is inside?)
Chandeliers, gold and chrome plated - RUSTY!
Newly installed aluminium doors and windows - RUSTY!
Apartment in a high rise condominium (over 20 floors) HAS NO FIRE SAFETY! NONE!
( no fire/smoke alarm, no checks on fire extinquishers, no evacuation plans, no emergency lights, no working water-booster pumps for hydrants).
No legal protection for citizens, consumers or foreigners !
No Laws, at least working! They are made here to look like western, than forgotten and broken every step at a time!
Corrosion, corruption, disfunction - everywhere. Bandar-log! Nothing is Real. Only looks like it.
Oh, and, please, do not call me a pessimist. Remember, pessimists are the same people as optimists, just better informed.
Yeass, I know about the Old and New Condo Laws. These people just piss at them. The year is still 2552! This is 543 years behind...

Do you live by the ocean? This is a common problem when one lives near saltwater.

[Andrew Hicks]

You just have to learn to go with the flow, as I said when I wrote the book about 'my Thai girl and I'.

Thailand is like nowhere else. Smile or die!

Andrew Hicks