American in Thailand Talks Scams, Life in Phuket & Cost of Living 

A couple of people have asked for the name of David's school in Phuket. It's called Life School Phuket

Bring this guy back. This was really fun!

This guy has the 100-percent, genuine, right attitude and view about Thai people, Thai culture, and what it takes to love living here for a very long time. (And, NO, this guy is not seeing things through rose-tinted spectacles. This is really the way it is.) I rarely hang with other farang because I can't stand the negativity, and neither can I stand the constant complaining, or the inaccurate negative observations. If you want to get bummed out, just listen to a farang discussion about Thai driving, for example. If you want to stay in Asia for 30 or 50 years, you gotta stop being negative, or you will never last that long. Finally, Pete, you have found a guest who has lived much of his life in Thailand/Asia with realistic optimism.

Has to be up there with your best interviews Pete. David is a true Maverick. Loved the insight into Thai life. Raising his kids independently and opening their lives to the world in a positive manner is the best a parent can do. Watching interviews like this helps me to make that leap to Thailand and give it a go. Thanks again Pete (and David), love your work!

I live in Thailand 3 months a year with my Thai wife. We avoid the Pattaya/Patong type of non sense and intentionally avoid xpats/long term stays for a variety of reasons. David is untypical of those reasons and would be a pleasure to meet.

His expat experience is super unique and mind opening. I relate a little better to some of the Yanks you have on. He's also the first person I've heard on YT discussing quieter areas of Phuket. The way his mind works is amazing, and so is his take on education.

What an inspirational guy. Really in touch with the modern workplace. Another gem Pete.

Thanks Pete. Definitely an intelligent guy with so much passion for Thailand. As I continue to work up the courage to travel to Thailand, he has instilled more confidence and excitement. Happy New Year & Sawasdee pi mai 🎉

Thank you guys another interesting story I imagined it perhaps would be a bit scary out there in Thailand even more so than here in the uk but it’s good to know it’s actually safer that’s encouraging for us who may be thinking of holidaying out there

Great interview. Really interesting to hear about educating his child in Thialand. I live in Chiang Mai and have been teaching at an international school for the past 5 years. I also have a 1 year old. I've been considering moving back to the US, perhaps I need to rethink this....

Glad to hear Dave drop some truth bombs about the foreigners in Thailand. I've not lived there but I spent a lot of time there on man trips. Met the worst and some of the best people in bars. Met some terrible racists who hate Thai's and everyone else, and guys who see the opportunity to integrate and support another culture. Great interview.

Spot on with 'there's always a way to do it in Thailand'. Great interview to start 2023

Fantastic interview! Very open and honest. I truly enjoyed this one!

Another great Interview, dont know where you find all these guys haha

One of your very best interviews. Thanks and happy New Year!

great video, im so glad you continued doing the interviews

Very much enjoyed Davids's chat. Very smart guy. Love his positive attitude about Thailand. Great show Pete. Looking forward to more in 20223!

I think is your best interview yet Pete. I learned a lot from this one.

Pete iam so glad to see Your channel is moving forward and really enjoy it. Wish you all the best for the new year. And keep finding interesting people to listen and learn from... Keep it up Brother ☆

Great interview Pete, David was very enjoyable to listen too very positive, without the bullshit of their dream climbing the ladder being looked at as a success. David came across as someone who wanted to give back. Happy New Year Pete.

Good interview and interesting point of view from an expat who's living the life..he can bloody talk for hours!! I don't think he ever stopped.. good for you.. happy new year to you and your family, cheers.

I recommended a couple of weeks ago for you to add the markers in throughout the video so we could skip to particular parts, and so we could get an idea of what the video contained - and you replied back and said you'd do it. Absolute legend. Great video Pete. Happy New Year mate. Keep them coming!

Great video Pete !!! Considering moving to thailand next year , and these videos help a great deal with the decision . Cheers 👍

Great interview, refreshing to hear from someone who has planned their life well

Really enjoyed this interview

Pete… Another awesome show.. you’re good at this so you’ve get to keep it going… gives a lot of input on a lot of different people.. cultures…

What a great opening vlogging in the new year 👍 David's a good speaker and I appreciate how he feels about Thailand. Very good job done, Pete and you didn't even say that phrase 😀 ❤️🇹🇭🙏

Awesome Interview as always Pete!

Great interview! I learned a lot about int'l working and living.

Thanks Pete and David! Great interview! Insightful. I'm an American living in Seattle. My ex-girlfriend (mutual and friendly break-up) and I own a house together, but will be selling within a month or two. I'm a Registered Nurse at very nearby clinic, working with cancer and other immunocompromised patients. I enjoy my job and the people I work with, however, since I'll no longer have a place to live, I'm going to call it quits on the healthcare profession, take my meager savings and $ from the sale of the house, and head to Thailand. Like David, I also trade stocks on the side. I'm hoping to be able to live on my trading, but time will tell. If not, I'll likely turn to teaching. In any case, I'm very much looking forward to the new life. I was in Thailand for one month just a couple months ago. I stayed near the Baan Wanglang Market, purposely away from the touristy areas of Bkk. I absolutely loved it. The people, the food, the inexpensive living, even the humility of stumbling through communicating with Thai people who spoke no English, while I speak relatively no Thai. I made actual Thai vendor friends, always smiling and saying hello as I walked by from one day to the next. Anyway, can't wait to build new friendships, work on my Thai, and live in a country that has all the attributes we all associate with beautiful Thailand.

Happy new year man!

Great interview! Congrats !

A very happy new year to you Pete and your family

He has a great vocabulary. Easy to listen to.

Great interview 👍🏻 We love Phuket 🙏

Excellent interview, he's a very smart guy with a sense of adventure 👍

David is so switched on his ideas on education are so true, I am thinking the same for my children.

Thank you for doing charity especially for Burmese. Thanks for the interview. Happy New Year

❤very down to earth and interesting

Great interview, a very positive down to Earth guy.

Great vibes Pete

Great guy and enjoyed 😉 the vlog!!

Good interview

Great interview Pete.

Nice one. Would like to hear about his Caribbean disaster. And stories about the stock broker scammers.

This was great!

Great interview 👏🏻👍🏻😃🙏🏻

Watching this from Thailand as a visitor on vacation. Sad you’re not here Pete!

Good video

Another great interview. And I appreciate both of your thoughts and opinions especially as an old guy listening to your young opinions. So I am going to reach out again for just as you discuss it now and do it legit..... SO as they say in Thailand up to you?

Great attitude and look on life!

Hope everything works out 🙏

My favourite interview. This guy ...a real do- er. I like that.

Great interview hope to hear from this knowledgeable non-nonsensical farang again 👍🏼

At first I was skeptical of this guest, but he won me over

This guy is on to something.

Good video, sounds like an awesome school

Top bloke .

interesting interview, being a trader living since almost 20 years in Bangkok myself, i can relate quite a-lot, thailand does have the advantage that one can just do what they do as the people around either can't comprehend whaat you doing or just doing the usual stuff, i'm still doing the scalping (in a sense) but i do agree, it gets slow over time, so the technicals just getting slower and the timeframes getting larger. the educational thing is much less a issue about heaving kids, but the real drawback parent's do experience is the way where society deals with certain realities, like critical thinking, problem solving and other things just doesn't really exists, which is a sad thing because thai peoples are unbelievably creative for the most part, but supporting it is almost impossible. so parents have to constantly making sure to encourage children in activities that supports it. which isn't a bad thing, but makes them sort of stand out.

Around 22:39 where he starts talking about Safety in Thailand, I felt the same way when I lived there between 2004-2006 I felt safe too. I'm a mellow guy and get along with everyone and am very empathetic. However, I had this neighbor who was also a teacher ( I taught Math in Govt. schools, by the way) who was crazy and impatient and he would argue with local Thais which would cause a commotion. In Thailand you have to be 'sabai sabai' (easy going) even if you don't feel that way or are frustrated. It's possible to adapt to this mentality. This neighbor of mine, suspecting the cafeteria are charging him 50% more than locals for lunch ( 20 baht instead of 10 baht!) slammed a tray full of food in the middle of the cafeteria in frustration which gave him a bad reputation! There were moments when I could've got mad at a local thai, usually hustlers, and I smiled at them which defused the situation. Now, I had a shocking experience when I lived in Songkhla. I was teaching in a small town there called Ranod which is about 100 KM from Hat Yai. I was the only farang that lived in the area. Anyway, on weekends I would go to Hat Yai. One time I went there, there was an insurgent attack and caught some shrapnel - very close. What happened was a group planted bombs in bars, business, even the local mall within a few city blocks and detonated them via a mobile device. I was in a restaurant at the time eating dinner when suddenly I heard an explosion and everyone rushed to the front of the restaurant when another one struck! Fortunately, I got out of there with a minor shrapnel wound in my forearm. Others weren't so lucky. some had shrapnel wounds in their ankles and worse - died. Altogether 75 were wounded and 5 died. Crazy experience! I heard the deep South still has issues! I'm an American btw too. I live in San Francisco, CA. I wanted to come back but felt at the time, it was limited what I can do there, not like today where being a Digital Nomad is so popular, etc. But the more I watch this channel, the more I want to give it another go! I'd probably live up North like Udonthani or Chiang Rai ( also lived here too).

Awesomeness 🤗

Happy New Year, great chat. What was the name of the School that he owns. In the process of moving back to Phuket from up North, that's a long story in itself. One of the main reasons for heading back there is the lack of schools here and the education level for my son.. Cheers mate and thanks again for the awesome content.

Pete, Some people you interview clearly have no idea, extremely naive; however, this guy is super good.

Smart guy - one of your best interviews Pete.

Great video again as usual // 🌟// if you find yourself asking the question, "What is it about Western culture...we want more more more, why it's dog eat dog...?" I would suggest the first 100 pages of The Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller. He talks about the character and mindset of the European and the European-American. His perspective is interesting and though-provoking to say the least!

Good interview, Pete. What I don't understand about the crime discussion in Thailand vs. Ireland: Is this not just purely based on feelings? Because the crime stats are saying something completely different, for example the homicide rate in Thailand is 5x higher than in Ireland. Perhaps expats in Thailand just don't hear about crime like they do at home via newspapers, radio, TV, other locals etc. and thus everything feels safer to them, when in reality it's not.

That guy is amazing. What a positive story for a change. I went to University 45 miles from Syracuse and I think I am still psychologically scarred by the cold there. 555 Pete You need to watch The Flamingo Kid because I know you love movies. It’s the salesman in this world that make the money 555

Thumbs up 👍

Great interview. It’s true I feel safer in thailand than London by far. I’ve been robbed / mugged in London, you have to be careful of watches / purses etc. In Thailand I can walk even late in evening and wear what I want and feel safe.

Hi Pete! I think you have made my year already….! Please can you provide a link to David’s school? Or a way to contact him directly? His school sounds perfect for my 16 yo son. I have looked into education in Thailand and didn’t find David…. Such a great interview all round! Happy New Year!

This is actually a DYNAMITE interview. Absolutely the best guest out of all that you have done, Pete. However, what I wanted to hear more about is the schooling of children in the homeschooling environment. And, in addition, I would have preferred to know more about the success rate of sending these children to elite schools. Attending an elite school does not mean being an elitist, and far from it. Elite uni does not mean Princeton, either. U. Wash is an amazing elite school that caters to all segments of society, with a strong scholarship program, and one receives an amazing education. It does sound as if the children at this guy's school are receiving an excellent and multifaceted education. (I just wish I could find anything more negative to say, of course.)

Great Interview. David, if you read this, I'm also in to my ironmans and ultra marathon so it would be good to run your local trails when I next visit if you don't mind being a tour guide. Hoping to be out there later in the year. Drop me a message to connect 👍.

Wise words 👏 chok dee

That was a great watch for someone getting ready to move over. Never started a business before I've always been in employment, would it still be possible to try over there?

BISP in Phuket is pretty good.

I bet the Thai food when you were a kid was delicious! I'm in Canada! We have a couple of good Thai restaurants where I live. I bet it's not the same as over there!

Would like more info about the school he created or did he simply home school his kids?

Smart bloke

Cool guy well done humble too no bullshit😮😮

Happy New Year Pete Love your Channel still!! God Bless you!! i pray "2023" Is a wonderful year for you and Nune...Love Jo Ann age 64 North Florida. ,,,Lake City,Fl.

basically

Bright guy.

Great. Hawaiian Ho in HASH in Phuker

Happy New Year Pete and. Your Sweet Wife Nune..sorry forgot how you spell her Name love to you Both.. Love your Stories Pet..,Jo Ann age 64 North Florida. North Florida

what a guy!

If uou lost your passport, and you need to get out jow will $help you get out without your passport??

I had a load of time share crew come in my bar in Phuket and not 1 of them paid there bill.. utter scum but I met some great people in Phuket over the eight years I spent there 🙏

🇮🇪 Any Irish lads have any advice about getting a tourist visa for their Thai girlfriend's to bring them back to Ireland for a visit....getting outrageous quotes from visa agents based in Ireland. Is it better just to get the tourist visa straight from the Irish Embassy in Bangkok?

Most definitely it's a better country, I personally have never raised children. But if I ever was going to it would be in Thailand. I have stayed on and off in S.E.Asia over many years. 2000, 2001, Thailand and Vietnam, working and resting in Phuket. As a tour guide. I nearly brought land near Ralwai Beach back then for very cheap but decided against it. After finishing with my lady. I went back to that area after 8 years and that land was worth 10 times more, are the wisdom. Anyway getting back to how safe it is, you are correct the Thai are only very aggressive, when provoked. But even then it's rare. I live in Australia the last 15 years, but I always thought if you want to be happy relax and enjoy your life ahead, That's the country to be in. Yeah our countries there are toady big heads who have to be better than the next. Thailand you may well see that, but if your a bighead in Thailand you aren't a big head for long. Cheers 🍻 mate

what ia Davids school? would like to send child there

I can't wait tl move to thailand..i have a gf there already 4years..

Sounds complicated!

This guy has much more of a Canadian accent rather than NY accent as well

Every time one of your guests insists they speak fluent Thai, I always wonder why you do not insist upon asking them to prove it with a one-minute monologue in passa Thai. Also, when they say they can read Thai, please just hand them a newspaper and ask them to read from it. Then hand them a college textbook written in Thai, and ask them to read and explain a passage from it. This might become one of the highlights of your interviews. You might call it Pete's Passa Thai Challenge. Of course, you would need to hire some uni prof to be the judge, except Kon Thai are too polite to speak the truth or voice their honest opinions.

Peter u have a habit of interrupting your guests when they are saying something fascinating 😱 like he was saying the guy who scammed millions in US still walking free & u then asked him about his school 😮 i want know why he can walk free? 😳

This guy's view of the U.S. Education System seems not too dissimilar from that of Noam Chomsky. For example: What is the difference between education and indoctrination?

Most important thing to do in Thailand as a expat is trust no one. Dont make friends with thai men. And above all else, rent and hire EVERYTHING. Especially women.

Just my personal but I would change your background . Its just me okay but I dont gel with the universe background . I am very visual and probably the only one who brings it up

Its Buddhism

Good interview, but he seems like a bit of a west-hater with rose-tinted specs for Thailand. How else, for example, can he be blind to Thailand's rampant drug problem affecting its teenagers? Like many long-stay expats I've met in Thailand, I suspect he's putting on a brave face and keeping quiet about all the downsides he still incurs in order to create an illusion of utopia.