What makes Thailand so special for you?

[TotallyOz]

I "retired" about 10 years ago and my plan was to spend a month in every country I wanted to visit. I did that for a bit and spent a month in France, Brazil, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Hong Kong and several others. But, when I got to Thailand, I knew that I had found a great place that I wanted to spend the majority of my time.

 

It is not just about the boys for me as I can honestly find that anywhere. It is more about the people, the experience and the ease at which a foreigner can live here. I LOVE Brazil but I find it very hard to set up residence if you do not speak Portuguese. I found Amsterdam pretty damn easy as well but I didn't like the weather. I love heat and hot weather and love the Thailand climate.

 

I also love the availability of foreigners that are gay and even spending time with many that are not gay. I find that Thailand really does allow for this support network and that is pretty important for me when I am living in a land and culture that I often times do not understand.

 

I also love the cost of living in Thailand. It is really cheap to live here and enjoy life. I would easily live in Brazil as I do enjoy it as much if not more than Thailand, but the cost just keeps going up up up in Brazil and the cost for a decent apartment in the larger cities is near 3-5k USD per month.

 

What keeps you in Thailand and helps you decide to move to Land of Smiles?

[Guest thaiworthy]

Sorry for the cross-post, but this question was already asked on gaybuttonthai, so I'll give the same answers plus a few new ones.

 

These are the reasons that keep me in Thailand. I want to:

 

1. Find a cure for sick water buffaloes.

2. Pay honorary tributes to policemen and government officials.

3. Become a Buddhist monk.

4. Practice celibacy.

5. Rent jet skiis.

6. Jump off a balcony.

7. Row boats on city streets during rainy season.

8. Drive a car in Bangkok traffic.

9. Eat bugs from a streetside stall.

10. Have sex with a ladyboy.

 

Seriously, I met my boyfriend on my first trip to Thailand and kept returning. Finally, after nearly 15 years, we are now expecting our first baby. TiT. Who wants a cigar?

[TotallyOz]

These are the reasons that keep me in Thailand. I want to:

 

1. Find a cure for sick water buffaloes.

2. Pay honorary tributes to policemen and government officials.

3. Become a Buddhist monk.

4. Practice celibacy.

5. Rent jet skiis.

6. Jump off a balcony.

7. Row boats on city streets during rainy season.

8. Drive a car in Bangkok traffic.

9. Eat bugs from a streetside stall.

10. Have sex with a ladyboy.

 

I have done 5 out of 10 on your list. I'll just let you figure out which ones.

[KhorTose]

Not all of us are young enough or rich enough to attract/buy handsome young men. I came to Thailand for only one reason. The country has many good things going for it, but if I could find elsewhere what I found here I would have left after a visit.

 

My reason for choosing Thailand is simple and it is what keeps me here:

 

 

Know where we are?

[firecat69]

You are in Berlin. Now what was it that keeps you coming to Thailand??? heheheheh

[TotallyOz]

You are in Berlin. Now what was it that keeps you coming to Thailand??? heheheheh

 

Jeeze, that was an easy one given the clue. He is afraid of Germans.

[Guest thaiworthy]

He likes bicycles.

[Guest fountainhall]

Liking bicycles or not and being afraid of Germans or not, that's one pretty good reason for being in Thailand in my book :)

 

But there are lots of other parts of Germany that are more fun than Berlin - at least to me. Bavaria is so beautiful with such diversity. I'm off to another part - Dresden - in a few weeks. Can't wait to see what was one of the great baroque cities of Europe.

 

What keeps me in Thailand? Well, cost brought me here to live and that's probably the main reason I stay. Sure, I like Thailand, have been visiting regularly since 1979 and choosing to live here was basically a no-brainer. Thai logic sometimes drives me crazy, but as with water buffalos, payments for real or imagined hospital stays, fixing broken motocys, the ever present corruption and all the other usual day-to-day issues, I'm kind of used to it. Besides, going back to live in the UK would render me brain dead in a matter of weeks, I reckon!

[Rogie]

But there are lots of other parts of Germany that are more fun than Berlin - at least to me. Bavaria is so beautiful with such diversity. I'm off to another part - Dresden - in a few weeks. Can't wait to see what was one of the great baroque cities of Europe.

 

I certainly haven't done Germany justice travelwise in the past so, like you, would love to visit some of the more rural areas. Not so sure about Dresden though; if you felt able to go on yet another photo assignment I think that would generate a lot of interest on the Board, bearing in mind Dresden's history and I'd love to know what it looks like now.

 

. . . going back to live in the UK would render me brain dead in a matter of weeks, I reckon!

 

Yes, it's a bit grim oop north (but even worse darn sarf - 'orrible Estuary English for 'down south').

[KhorTose]

How about these Fountainhall. My way of saying you are correct. Bavaria is beautiful and a lot more fun.

[kokopelli]

There are only three reasons for my visiting Thailand: My boyfriend (The Little Prince); all the other boys; and my gay farang friends. You can keep the corruption, the lousy weather, the filth, the not-so low cost, the wretched traffic, the crumbling infrastructure, etc.

[firecat69]

Sounds like you are talking about the USA!

[kokopelli]

Actually I should have added I was speaking of Pattaya which is somewhat different than other locations in Thailand.

[Guest fountainhall]

Isn't that Ludwig's castle at Linderhof, Khun KT? Amongst its fund of treasures, I seem to remember there is a stunning small anteroom that is virtually covered in Meissen porcelain.

[ChristianPFC]

Know where we are?

Germany, Berlin, Unter den Linden, Adlon Hotel.

 

Back to the subject, which has been discussed many times. I have to add one more reason to my previous explanations.

 

I could meet my future boyfriend anytime and anywhere. (Not only could, probably will!)

[TotallyOz]

I could meet my future boyfriend anytime and anywhere. (Not only could, probably will!)

 

I think this is perfection. This is so accurate for Thailand. It is so easy to meet the special guy at the bars but also at malls, streets, beaches or anywhere you are.

 

I remember very vividly the bike ride I did a few years back, there were these 2 guys on a Motorbike and they saw I was at the back of the pack and they waved and I smile and they then rode beside me for miles. I ended up getting a massage from one of them later but was amazed that I was literally in the middle of no where and from out the woods 2 cute guys befriended me on a bicycle and I got to know them. Life is good in Thailand and you can meet someone just about anywhere here!

[Guest xiandarkthorne]

Cheap and easily available Thai food.

Cheap and easily available hotel accommodations.

Very available Thai men.

Very good-looking Thai men.

Great variety of stuff for shopping

Very sweet Thai men who think I'm sexy and good-looking.

Nearly on-par exchange rates

Easy to travel to (I live in northern Malaysia)

Very friendly Thai men.

Very sexy Thai men.

Very well-hung Thai men.

Cheap, easily available and interesting variety of fruits (I'm not counting the two-legged kind!)

Sensuous Thai men of all varieties (chubby, muscular, scrawny and lean...)

Thai men with sexy tattoos.

Thai men with hairy bodies.

 

Fifteen good reasons and none of it necessarily in that order, either.

[Guest thaiworthy]

I have done 5 out of 10 on your list. I'll just let you figure out which ones.

 

2, 5, 8, 9 and 10. It sure as hell isn't number 4.

[Guest fountainhall]

Fifteen good reasons and none of it necessarily in that order, either.

 

Guess we could read your list as one mega reason and 6 lesser ones!

[TotallyOz]

2, 5, 8, 9 and 10. It sure as hell isn't number 4.

 

LOL You didn't state now long number 4 needed to be practiced to be able to check it off.

[Guest fountainhall]

You didn't state now long number 4 needed to be practiced to be able to check it off.

 

In Thailand, 24 hours might seem like a lifetime for some!

[Bob]

LOL You didn't state now long number 4 needed to be practiced to be able to check it off.

 

I was thinking about the length of time it would take Khun TW to unzip his trousers.....

[Guest xiandarkthorne]

But there are lots of other parts of Germany that are more fun than Berlin - at least to me. Bavaria is so beautiful with such diversity...

 

Oh dear...I never knew that! The one time I was in Germany writing and editing for a client, I spent all my free time exploring just one particular Frankfurter's frankfurter.

[KhorTose]

Hmmm, must have been one great sausage.

[Guest xiandarkthorne]

Hmmm, must have been one great sausage.

 

Oh yes. There was such a lot of it.