Yes.
It is a fabulous place to hang out with the inordinately wealthy locals when they are back from Switzerland. This tends to be Jan-March.

Los was/is becoming increasigly more expensive to live and anti-Falang. Considerd asking Wan if she would, like some of our ex-pat pattaya friends consider PI as an alternative retirement country.
After reading these posts unless someone can give a more positive slant I will not be asking Wan anything!!!!

Actually as an afterthought does anyone on the forum have any suggestions about an alternative to LOS.
I would appreciate any sane suggestions?

I think you have to look closely at the governments when deciding to retire abroad. What rights do you have? How stable is the government and the economy? Are there strong military influences? Will you be treated well as a foreigner? Even Thailand is not good in these respects (although I do of course love the place all things considered).

This rules out all of the neighbouring countries to Thailand. Cambodias politics is so complicated and volatile along with the other obvious concerns. The Vietnemese would never ever see you as a local and you would get very tired of them constantly trying to get every penny from you. Laos I don't know much about but I've not heard of anyone having a great time there. Malysia is nothing compared to Thailand. Singapore is too expensive. I don't need to mention Myanmar. Even Thailand is not good in these respects (although I do of course love the place all things considered). It also rules out the Phillipines.

If you love Thailand like I do then I would say it's the only logical choice out of these countries but be very careful about buying property, etc. Failing that, dig deep and move to a more traditional place for expats like Oz or Spain. At least you would have more rights and security in these places.

Thanks for the reply Dan & Cherry.

It seems that if we are using any form of logic in considering retirement it would be more appropriate to live here in the UK.

However logic does not come into it too much when one suffers from the "LOS syndrome" and to that extent the feeling I have when in LOS is missing when I am at home in the UK.

I have travelled all over the world and always been ready to go back "home" at the end of a holiday or work etc but Thailand is the only Country that I genuinely never want to leave.

After a little thought and your comments regarding Thailand neighbours I think it may be better stay with the Country we all know and love.
One of the other major reasons for retiring in LOS of course is that Wan's family is there and because of her strong bond both with family and Country, retiring anywhere else would be I am sure without asking her a big No No!!

Singapore is not expensive, at least not compared with the UK.
A large 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment can be had for less than S$300,000, about 110,000 pounds. Food is cheap, day to day expenses cheap, electricity, water, gas etc., all cheap.

But most importantly you are accepted there. Ploy and I were permanent residents within a year of being there. It does help if you can speak some Mandarin but only if bargaining in the markets.

So why did we leave Singapore, well it is very difficult, or impossible really, to own a house, a real house where you cannot touch your neighbour by leaning out of the window and where there is space and peace and quiet.

But Thailand is a two hour flight away with lots of low cost carriers.

And I must admit I still have a certain pride saying I was from Singapore, something I never had about being British.

In many ways Singapore isn't expensive when compared with the UK. It is when compared with Malysia, Thailand or Indonesia though and if you like drinking beer in bars then you're life savings will soon be gone.

quote:

if you like drinking beer in bars then you're life savings will soon be gone.

I spent around six months working in Singapore and I can assure you that once you get to know the place and where and when the happy hours are, it's not to bad at all

quote:

if you like drinking beer in bars then you're life savings will soon be gone.

Not unheard of in Thailand either

Rob

quote:

Originally posted by IanB:

Thats not to say that some or most Thai ladies aren't like that too. But I think for a lot of Thais the family at home will often come first, and the attitude is what can my husband give to me rather than what can I give to him.

Like all stereotypes, a load of subjective and potentially racist waffle I'm aware - but interesting nonetheless?

Ian

I don't know where you found those girls but women like me and A LOT OF WOMEN LIKE ME! never expect you to look after my/their family.

I met my husband in 1990. We married in 1994. We are still together. And he doesn't have to look after my family!

I heard a lot about this. If you found yourself the right one, you wouldn't have to say that, would you?????????

quote:

I don't know where you found those girls but women like me and A LOT OF WOMEN LIKE ME! never expect you to look after my/their family.

Kat UK I agree with you, my wife and I have been married some 3 years now and have known each other since 2002 she has never asked me to help her family and indeed her mother has helped me recently. However I know that on this forum many men are helping their wife's families back in Thailand and do not resent it for one moment. Please do not get angry with them or judge them for their choice in wives; it is their choice and they, in the main, are very happy with that choice.

I just want to tell you all that if you are happy with your wife, then she is the right one for you. It doesn't matter if you have to help her family or the universe. As long as you are happy, nothing else matters.

And believe me, DavidJohn, I personally think highly of those who are happy to help their wife's family. And I am
happy for those women who found themselves such a kind husband.

To be fair, my ex (dearest Iang!) never asked for direct help for her family. It is more that she saw the family in Thailand as her family, even more than she considered me and my son her family. I know she was quite unusual among Thai ladies in not accepting my son or my love for my son, but that is not what I am getting at.

I would never want to criticise Thai people, and am just relating my experience that the links to home and family in Thailand are very strong and in some cases the balance with life in the UK is difficult.

Ian

quote:

I know she was quite unusual among Thai ladies in not accepting my son or my love for my son

Maybe not IanB, my wife doesn't except my daughter and son but thinks the world of me and her sisters and mother back in Thailand. She doesn't want to know what is happening with them and will leave the room if I mention going to visit with them when talking to my sister and her husband, who my wife thinks the world of too.

"

Understood! The experience you, IanB, had is still happening to some Thai women who married some Thai men too. I think it is a culture thing you all need to be aware of.

I wouldn't want that either. A lot of Thai women wouldn't wish for that. Some of them ended up divorce because of this.

quote:

Originally posted by Noi & Nick:
Like Thailand, the women are either very beautiful or old crones; there seems to be no in between. Therefore the opportunities to be conned by a pretty face are numerous. But, again like Thailand, if you go into a relationship with your eyes open and thinking with your big head rather than your little one then it will be very enjoyable and may even lead to something permanent. All the above is based purely on my personal observations, usually seen through a cloud of San Miguel. I may be way off the mark.

I like it.

quote:

Originally posted by IanB:

Both Buddhism and Catholicism promise horrible sorts of retribution for sinners. Catholics can be forgiven, Buddhists can earn merrit back. Not much difference there?

Ian

I think you misunderstood there, IanB. You can't earn merit to off set your sin. You will have to repay your sin somehow. Then you can enjoy your merit. It's not mathematic!

quote:

Originally posted by IanB:
I'm afraid that your experiences sound typical. Even mates of mine married to flipinas hate the place. Its sad really, but even if I marry my filipino gf I would still much prefer to live in Thailand (or the UK for that matter).

Has anyone got a good word to say about the philippines???

Ian

I do Ian, the place and the people rock. Actually I enjoyed it so much in January I'm off again tomorrow.

The hotel I stayed at was fantastic and the staff were more friendly and attentive than any I've have seen in Thailand. They have a knack of remembering your name from the first time they meet you. Everyone from the manager to the cleaner remembers your name. They even formed a line outside the hotel when we were leaving to wave us off.
It certainly makes a change to have the locals speaking nearly perfect English and most are friendly, I even found myself saying a few Thai phrases forgetting where I was at times as they do look alike to the untrained farang eye.

You can certainly tell it's a poorer country than Thailand and the conditions some people live in is shocking. They do have lots of guns even in front of 7/11 stores and it's a bit scary at first but once you get used to it I would say that as long as you don't go into the wrong areas it's about the same as Thailand.

Most things in PI are cheaper and the £ has just started to strengthen again against the peso which bodes well for anyone thinking of travel to PI.

One downside to PI is that to explore the place you mostly need to fly everywhere as there are just so many islands. The diving and snorkelling from some of the coast is meant to be some of the best in the world.

In all a nice change from Thailand which is why tomorrows trip I will combine the 2 again.

This discussion is very interesting. My experience is that I have met many fantastic filipino people, but the philippines as a country seems pretty awful - lots of poverty, violence and corruption at all levels. Even the national cuisine seems one of the weakest in Asia.

It seems to me that there is no strong, uniting set of values in the Philippines. Values can come from religion, national identity, or other sources. My two favourite countries, Japan and Thailand, have very strong values, which I believe keep them together. Without values, things seem to devolve into greed and all the bad stuff. China seems to be another negative example to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Harvey at home:
Los was/is becoming increasigly more expensive to live and anti-Falang. Considerd asking Wan if she would, like some of our ex-pat pattaya friends consider PI as an alternative retirement country.
After reading these posts unless someone can give a more positive slant I will not be asking Wan anything!!!!

There is one word in your post that really explains attitudes like that - 'Pattaya'

I consistently read the negative opinions and rants from ex-pats in Thailand and the only constant factor is 'Pattaya'. Very rarely do you here the same from people who live in other areas.

Pattaya is a magnet for Westerners, and let's face facts, sex tourists, prostitutes, criminals and hustlers of all nationalities. I don't believe that people living there can ever make a fair comment about what life in Thailand is really like or what the Thais are really like.

I also actually disagree about prices, Thailand for me has become more affordable over the last 10 years. There are certainly many more Western places and luxury places if you want to spend more money, but in my experience there is no significant increase in prices in the last 10 years if you do as the Thais do - and isn't that the point of visiting a foreign country otherwise you are better off in the UK.

quote:

Originally posted by SteveR:

quote:

Originally posted by Harvey at home:
Los was/is becoming increasigly more expensive to live and anti-Falang. Considerd asking Wan if she would, like some of our ex-pat pattaya friends consider PI as an alternative retirement country.
After reading these posts unless someone can give a more positive slant I will not be asking Wan anything!!!!

There is one word in your post that really explains attitudes like that - 'Pattaya'

I consistently read the negative opinions and rants from ex-pats in Thailand and the only constant factor is 'Pattaya'. Very rarely do you here the same from people who live in other areas.

Pattaya is a magnet for Westerners, and let's face facts, sex tourists, prostitutes, criminals and hustlers of all nationalities. I don't believe that people living there can ever make a fair comment about what life in Thailand is really like or what the Thais are really like.

I also actually disagree about prices, Thailand for me has become more affordable over the last 10 years. There are certainly many more Western places and luxury places if you want to spend more money, but in my experience there is no significant increase in prices in the last 10 years if you do as the Thais do - and isn't that the point of visiting a foreign country otherwise you are better off in the UK.

Firstly none of my Ex-Pat friends fit in any of the negative categories that you describe in your post and would certainly be very offended at your slur on what are genuine concerns and comments from "normal" people who generally, in their retirement with their Thai lady wives have chosen Pattaya or should I say the outskirts of Pattaya as their retirement home.

Secondly the reason that there are a lot of Ex-Pats in this area is not neccessarily for the attractions of the Beach road area but because of the many diverse facilities and attractions that are available in the surrounding areas of Pattaya ie: Health care, Hospitols, dentist, golf courses, gyms and of course the many Ex-Pat clubs, where they can let off steam, voice their concerns and give advice to people like me who are considering Thailand for retirement

Thirdly you mention that Thailand over the last ten years has become more affordable to you!
Is that because you live in the UK and visit Thailand?

The people that I quoted from in my post where Ex-Pats who have lived in Thailand for many year and whom, when they originally retired thought like many other people in a similar position that their pensions would suffice. Now they find that pensions are shrinking in value and costs of living for Them as well as Thais is rising, giving concern for their future.
Finnally I resent "your Rant" on what are the genuine concerns of some very nice and normal people. They do not just read the papers and watch the TV they live there and are very aware of all the problems that the pollitical situation, rising health, food and fuel prices are bringing to them.(Just like here in theUK)
I do not consider their talking about this situation to be them "Ranting on" One other little point in your comment,I do not understand what you meant by " There is no significant increase in prices if you live as the Thai's do" Which Thai's are you talking about?

Best regards
Harvey