If you think it's a good idea to move to Thailand; Watch this first! 

Guy saw a calf drinking from a cow's udder and thought ; I wonder what it tastes like? The rest is history 🙂

I have lived in Thailand for nine years. It will never change. If things were any more difficult, I would move to Cambodia.

Listening to you talk, you sound burned out with Thailand, dealing with your family members, and the governmental regulations. Maybe a trip to Ireland would help. I go back to the US every year. I stay for three months, reconnect with family and friends.

You will always be a foreigner, always a glorified 'tourist'. Maybe, it might be time to see if you can find somewhere else? Clearly, for you, the place has lost its gloss.

I planned to move to Paris and secured an apartment there in 2001. Then I saw a documentary of Billy Idol about his time in BKK and along with the lower cost of living and ease of getting work here, I moved to BKK instead. I often regret that choice as well. Thailand is good for living a fun chaotic, crazy single life. But not so great for having a stable, normal, calm married life. I have to go to my native country for most of my medical care because the medical insurance for foreigners in Thailand sucks. Plus, my fairly standard but multifaceted medical issues are beyond the scope or interest of the Thai doctors to treat. There is almost zero rule of law protecting foreigners in business settings. Or any legal scenario for that matter. You almost have to live in holiday mode to make it worthwhile to live here. Stay under the radar of every government entity, and you do so much better. The more you try to integrate into society here, the more difficult life is.

Personally I love Thailand but it is difficult to always have your status up in the air. There is no real security in Thailand as it can always be taken away from you. Most likely it doesnt happen but its not a nice feeling.

Good questions that we should all ponder!

Ronnie Biggs loved Brazil.. until he needed the NHS.

It costs 1/5 of the US. My vote doesnt count in the US, so not having a voice in Thailand wont be anything new. We're there to retire, not try to be a citizen.

I have lived in Thailand for over 8 years with all the trimmings but I still have less rights to live here than even my cat does.

You fell in love with the country like we all did on our first visit. To fix your visa worries, do some serious saving and convert to a retirement visa. Most importantly, don't burn your bridges back to you homeland just in case! I would like to see a video on your thoughts about Thai people's attitude towards Farangs in different parts of Thailand. Spend a month in Isan, Chiang Mai and a Southern Jangwat and the difference is massive.

7 days to leave the country if u end up getting divorced.. that's mad. And I take it u can come back in after that and do the 90 day visa a few times until u go for the retirement visa, pay for that and then u now have to have double the amount sitting in a thai bank account of $24k

I'm lmfao listening to you go through verbal gymnastics just in case someone is listening. Good valid points.

The way I see it is that if any government of a country take taxes from you, then you should be able to vote what they do with that money.

I have stayed because i have kids, they are thai citizens, their thai mum left 6 years ago plus i have raised their 2 thai sisters for 15 yrs so i have been a single dad of 4 thai citizens but i have no rights and even my children have less rights than their compatriot thai citizens because i cant buy land and house for them to inherit unlike every other thai citizen. I made my bed bro so thats where i sleep. We knew what it was like....my kids will always be called farang noi even though they know they are thai, imagine your kids at home being referred to as "little foreigners " in the country they were born in. At least my O visa is not marriage so my immigration status is not tied to my kids mum.

Well said. Thank you. I was thinking about moving there, but will now only maybe go on vacation to Thailand.

I just came from immigration to ask permission to leave the country with my O type visa in exchange of 1000 thb.

you can integrate as much as you put in effort working and speaking the language being a foreigner is not gonna cut it

Apart from the obvious aspect of putting Thai citizens first, I think Europe has done an excellent job of showing the world what bad immigration policies will do for your country. It is safe here, with reasonably good infrastructure, better women, food & weather. It's not like they actually take your money? You just have to access to funds if YOU need them, not Thailand. Australia has a similar system of what I call economic racism. Don't let poor people in, period

Very good video good information , come here to Australia

Thanks for your honesty. The point you make about 'belonging' - being a part of society is very valid. A 'sense of belonging' is a human emotional need, one of a number actually. Have a look at 'Human givens emotional needs' for the remainder. These are needs not wants ! In terms of making friends here, we clearly have a much smaller resource pool than local people and it can be difficult to make and keep friendships at times, for a number of reasons. As foreigners we are on the periphery of society here. This said I find the local people here in Chiang Mai to be very friendly and many try and include you / welcome you. I hope things improve for you Dave - best of luck.

No offense, but you have a lot of expectations for a guy that is frankly broke. You would have similar problems anywhere you go when you don’t have much of a money footprint. Otherwise, great video.

Thanks i will take this on board

Great video Dave, Ireland is being taking advantage of.

Great subject and you are right on every point . A lot of people do not realize that no matter how long you live in Thailand or what is your status there you will never integrate into their society , you will always be just a foreigner there . And for many people that feeling in the long run can be difficult to bear .

You don't need to have 800.000 THB frozen in a bank account. If you transfer 65.000 THB to your Thai bank account every month it will be sufficient to maintain your retirement visa

So true, i thought being a chef my whole life i could find work no worries. 😢😢 Sadly mistaken. Had to use my visa funds to live with my wife, managed to stay 2 years but couldn't go any longer. Next time i make it back to our home in chiang mai going to be a lot smarter and wise to the thai way. Be prepared is all i can say. It is worth the trouble if you can crack the code 😂

You must have money and a house and dont screw your money in soi nana think normsl not party every day

Malaysia is a good option. Costs are about the same, a good mix of urban and rural lifestle, and a simpler visa situation. Close to Thailand for a visit.

More sense of freedom in Thailand yes. Love the country, first went there in 1998. Thai woman are amazing, seductive and great short term, but I be honest, are mostly fickle in their nature long term

We can vote in our home counties, but does that make any real difference?

The risk free rate is about 2%, if you're investing in risky assets you can expect around 10% returns. So I view the 600k in a Thai bank as paying somewhere between 12-60k baht in opportunity cost in visa fees. So it's not too bad. You don't need to keep it in the bank all year round, you could also stick it in an account which offers a 1,2 or 3% interest rate.

Pain vs pleasure son … The pleasures out here far outweigh the obstacles ..😉

Could you do a video getting married vs single, life in Thailand, if you had your time again would you do anything different? Any tips would help mate

It is a clever way of improving the quality of residents in the country. Good luck to them.

I hear you loud and clear i think we run from life burden back home we not really after the thai passport. Thailand is good because of their lay back culture but it is their law I am australian you cant even get a visa for many passort holders I think one day we should meet and talk about it cheers mate good contant thx for sharing your thought

I understand your arguments, but I don't like it when you constantly criticize yourself for your basic life choices. If you prefer to live in Brazil, then go there and have some babies. I'm sure you'll find other things that bother you.

Thai always keep for Thai.

Maybe a month in the Uk will reset your feelings for Thailand. Its getting worse here by the week and I can accept the red tape of Thailand if it means Im away from Europe. Imagine how many freeloaders would be in Thailand if it was easy to be there.

Why would any Irish/Euro/American want to leave the cultural paradises we are creating in our home countries to live in such a "monolithic" and xenophobic place such as Thailand. Afterall, diversity is our strength... lol... Glad to hear Ireland's borders are wide open! Enjoy! 😉

I've lived here in Thailand for 15 yrs. Time to find pastures new in Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines or South America ! Thailand's old news for me.My Thai Fever has died

we all know what we are getting into when we move over there you'l always be a farrang, i was suprised they extended the tourist visa in june i bet they change that back

thailand is my top choice because of the real estate. It's got the nicest stuff anywhere in the world for around 120$ usd by a long shot. Of course im to young for retirement visa and no way im paying 150k for an elite visa so im hoping the new 5yr visa isnt just 6mo max per yr and there some other full time visa coming out this mo.

I had lived in Thailand but found like an outcast, never felt I was part of the community, now I am planning on moving to the Philippines, see if you are treated better

I’ve been visiting Cambodia many times. Cambodian people are not aggressive, humble, no bullying, no losing face culture and much more friendlier than Thai people

There are several forms of Non-Immigrant O Visa, but one of the most important is the Thai Child Visa, which helps reunite a child with one of their parents. The visa is designed for a parent; usually, the father, separated from a Thai national and has a child or legal step-child with their former partner. so it is a way to stay in Thailand if divorced

I have a retirement visa. I don’t fool with all the non sense. I go to an agency, pay 1,100 U.S. and pick up my multi entry visa a week later. I’m retired military. I think the idea of Thailand retirement started with the sex trade during Vietnam. I’m married however and it’s of no interest to me. I also have a house by the beach in Palm Beach Florida. I have more fun there then here.

I think this video is about the grass is greener on the other side. You hadn't lived in South America. You have an EU passport and great choices . But at 60 with a 5 year old and his Mum you better make the best of it here. These type of videos aren't helpful to you. They're laments , feeling sorry for yourself . If you could make your marriage better you'd be ok. If you can't, you got to make a break .

What interest rate are you earning on that $12,000

My g/f has been back to LOS with her 23 year old son that was born in Bangkok and came to the UK 7 y/o , they did the dna test and have met nothing but corrupt barriers in her quest to get him his thai ID card, they have travelled to bangkok may times from Rayong and to Phichit twice and still didn't get the card yet and that's for someone born there lol.

The "reason' many make that choice (as did I), over a Brazil, a Philippines, a Mexico (I speak Spanish and have been all over MX) or ppl's home countries, = public safety, inexpensive healthcare, Isaan women, variety of food, proximity to other S.E. Asian vacation hubs, and relationships they have entered into (see, "Isaan women"). Also, Thai's mind their business.

The Thai government doesn't need foreigners, they need foreigner's money. The Philippines is a much better place to live in terms of visa requirements for foreigners. But people choose Thailand over the Philippines because of better infrastructure, and in general better medical services (despite it being much more expensive). Another major reason why people choose Thailand is women. Serious relationships or having some fun is much easier there. I also believe that Thailand is a safer place to live. At every entrance to the shopping mall in the Philippines, there is a security guard, some of which are armed with guns. I saw once how money was taken from the ATM in Thailand. Guards were carrying those bags with money and behaved as if they carrying a bag with potatoes. They don't feel any threat or something like that. To sum up everything - you will get more for your money in Thailand compared to other SE Asian countries. That's why people choose Thailand. Since you mentioned a Russian person in Ireland, I will add something about foreigners in Russia. It takes some time and it's kind of a pain in the a** to collect all the required documents to apply for permanent residency and passport. But there are services/companies/lawyers who could help to deal with all this bureaucracy. If you are married to a Russian national, you can make a visa for up to 1 year for your partner (while they still waiting for permanent residency) and their close relatives. After getting a passport probably the only limitation will be a restriction to work on some government jobs with access to classified information.

Been here 23 years ,spend a fortune every year paying for stupid 'family' members and other village locals having troubles ,the farrang will help you every year they ,the immigration people seem to find another new requirement . I have the funds but living here does my head in at times "why do farrangs come here" you ask . Well I will tell you It's very safe ,no agro ,no religious nutters (not Islamic),and very cheap You could have gone to these other Euro countries but they are expensive Still struggle with the language though I'm not addicted to Thailand but I have my dogs and if I leave they are toast The bureaucracy here is strict re visas for one simple reason ,come on ,you know why , bunce ,it's a London term, they've got to make a bit on the side "Behest" ,a Victorian word ,not heard it for ages

Hope you enjoyed your rant. It makes fun viewing for a while. However please get your facts right. There is no need to deposit 400/800, 000 Baht in a Thai bank, you can simple show immigration proof that you have a monthly income into Thailand of either 40,000 or 65,000 Baht per month depending which visa extension you seek annually. Currently on my twelfth retirement extension from my original O visa using the monthly income method.

I think Thailand wants to maintain its sovereignty and not undergo a "soft" colonization by other groups so Thai authorities engage in certain thoughts, speech and actions to maintain it. In short, self preservation.

Sound like is it time for you to find a new place to live, I would not be staying anywhere I am not happy.

You need far more money to live comfortably in South America than in SE Asia. Those than can, try to leave South America.

Homogeneity is a blessing, even if they're not your own people. Homogeneous societies are more harmonious.

Very hard to listen to this waffle and misinformation. A non immigrant O extension based on marriage does NOT need 12,000USD in the bank all year. Its two months prior application of extension.

I don't want to vote. The only form of voting worrh anything is a referendum. One reason I am looking at moving to Thailand full time is to avoid compulsory voting. Westerners don't live in countries anymore. They are basically just different tax jurisdictions with plebs to be milked, programmed, and manipulated. Thailand appeals to me because I am an outsider divorced from the language, and therefore the media, the politics, the advertising. I can live a low friction life and have an excellent standard of living. Perfect? No. Better than the west? Absolutely.

if you want to live in an "OPEN" country go and live back in Ireland 🤣

"the marriage aspect of the O visa it means that you have to have 12000 dollars at the bank at all times and you can never touch it etc" is NOT correct ! Xenophobic country ? No, they just put their own citizens first, which is the way it should be in Europe also. That being said, there are some very stupid nonsense regulations which don't make any sense at all. like the 90 day reporting, etc... You can get Thai citizenship, but you have to work and pay taxes for a minimum time and amount before you can apply. The difficulty of the Thai language, with the tones and its own writing system is a very nice aspect for me, because it gives me so much advantages compared to the average foreigner who is not able or willing to learn Thai properly. If you know the language, it's like you live in a "secret" layer of Thai society which other foreigners have no access to.

Personally i dont see a problem with having to deposit funds in a Thai bank, in order to live in Thailand.

of course there is many problems in Thailand, BUT in the end of the day that's best part about Thailand and living here is that its is nothing like back home and I hope it stays that way.

Why are you living in Thailand and not Ireland. Do you think voting for Leo or Mary Lou makes one blind bit of difference. Stop moaning about things that are irrelevant to your life and live your life.

Sorry your obviously falling out of love with Thailand I personally think this is more about your own situation there are so may people happy over there, is it not more your personal situation not Thailand as a whole my brother goes through a agent for his retirement visa he doesn’t have the money that you said is required to retire there, he uses a agent for everything, and loves it over there, and lot of other people on RU-vid promoting Thailand as a great place to retire

Its cheap its different its people its weather its modern

One ounce of truth is better than one pound of toxic positivity to at least better prepare people. People turn their lives upside down selling their home and everything to move some 8000+ miles away, THEY DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON!!!!!!!!

I have heard stories where the Thai wife died and the foreigner's marriage visa is no longer valid.... Incredibile

The wheater, low cost, savety and Thai P.....

My wife is from Indonesia, and its hard to get a visa. I think almost the same as in Thailand.

Give up smoking

Just get the retirement visa not marriage visa

It's very simple Dave available beautiful woman and cheap accommodations if those 2 things aren't available no many falungs would put up with the bullshit

Don’t rule your life by your third leg.

I think Thailand is great tourist destination But personally I don’t see how it’s good to be living in a country with few rights and in the face of xenophobia. The land of smiles USA facade.

People know that they are guests before they settle in Thailand . If it’s not for you that you can’t vote or get a job as it’s only Thais that can do that then Thailand isn’t for you . I don’t see the issue. It’s not as if they hide that they don’t

It's only for the wealthy or farangs on a heavy pension, you need serious long term money to live in Thailand.

there's always other options!