If not Thailand, where?

[TotallyOz]

If you were not able to stay in Thailand for any reason or the laws changed as such to where you had to move or the unspeakable happened and the country was in utter turmoil and you had to move from Thailand, where would you go? Would you pick another place in Asia? Europe? Would you return home? What would be your next long term destination?

[kokopelli]

Return home.

[Rogie]

It depends on whether I was in a serious L-T relationship with a Thai:-

 

If I was not, then I would go back to my home country (UK) and take stock. I'd either call it a day, and stay put, or make plans for alternatives. Maybe in a few years Burma might, just might, be worth considering, especially if and when they open up the Mergui Archipelego in the Andaman sea. I might try the Philippines, a country I have never visited, and from time to time people mention Malaysia, which might be fine provided you were resonably discrete. I don't fancy Laos (run by a bunch of commies) or Vietnam -(as places to live, but I'm ok visiting them!). Cambodia possibly.

 

If I was, I would try and get my Thai friend a visa to visit my home country. If that was successful (ok, I know it's not easy), and the other person was happy in my country, that'd be it, I'd stay put. Then just visit other countries on a holiday basis, rather than with a view to moving there. If I couldn't organise a visa, we'd have to go somewhere a Thai national was accepted - so without checking the details I might start with Malaysia - it's a neighbouring country and (as I said before) if you are discrete it ought to be ok. Unless the Muslim/Buddhist thing were to get a lot worse, in which case I might try Cambodia.

 

All this is highly theoretical, and so I have no idea what I'd do in reality. As I don't live in Thailand it would be a lot easier for me than somebody who owned a condo or other property, or possibly involved in a business venture. That'd be a real minefield and could be a bit of a nightmare to extricate yourself from.

[Guest fountainhall]

Before I decided to commit to Thailand, I had also been thinking about Kuala Lumpur. I'd visited KL many times, have friends there and property prices at that time (1999) were near rock bottom. Even cheaper would have been Penang where new condos near one of the beaches on the north of the island were all but being given away! But I always wanted to be in a city rather than by a beach.

 

I'd had lots of good times in KL and found it very cruisy with lots of guys around. Indeed, in the evenings near the centre of the city, there used to be (not sure if it's still there) a large, dark open air car park which was almost as cruisy as the Saranrom Park area in BKK. The only difference was that money was not involved. These were just guys looking for sex.

 

Bangkok won out for me, but only because I had a concern about the strict adherence to Islam in some of the states and the possibility that it might slowly develop in other states.

 

In recent years, I have noticed a much larger number of tourists from Middle Eastern countries, many of the ladies wearing the full traditional black burqa. Of course, this type of dress is seen now in many countries, but in KL it is far more noticeable than, say, in Bangkok. I do find it somewhat intimidating. And it is such a clash compared to the colourful hijab headscarves worm by Malays.

 

So now KL would not be an automatic first choice. Since I plan to continue working, I need to be close to a major airport and that all but rules out Cambodia and Laos which I liked on my brief visits. I’d certainly consider Hanoi, but access to decent hospital care is another longer-term objective and I have done no research on medical care there.

 

I have friends who are happily retired in the Philippines. Until around 1995 I was there many times for long week-ends - a perfect get-away from the frenetic pace of life in Hong Kong. But I found the contrast between the lowest form of grinding poverty and mega wealth difficult to take. Besides, the Filipino accent drives me nuts! (Sorry!)

 

Would I consider going back to Britain? After spending more than half my life in Asia, no – not unless I had a really major illness that required on-going round-the-clock care.

[KhorTose]

Seattle where where you can find a big one.

 

[TotallyOz]

I know many of you think I'll say Brazil. And, while I do love it there, my answer might surprise some of you.

 

Barcelona.

 

I love the city. I love the boys. I also like the prices right now. Great deals on apartments and easy for people to live and enjoy a good life with a very friendly gay life.

 

Next it might be Porto Alegre, Brazil as it is not the big cities of Rio or Sao Paulo but still the boys are amazing and the rates are more reasonable than in the larger cities.

[KhorTose]

I must admit that Michael has a good point.  I have never found another place in Europe that is like Barcelona.  It is unique, fun, friendly, interesting, and I can add endless superlatives.  It is also less then an hour away from the great gay resort town of Sitges. 

[Guest Jovianmoon]

Japan. My old stomping ground from the early 2000s. I speak the language to a passable degree (everyday conversational - "nichijou kaiwa") and sex/dating was free, more or less, because the guys I tended to date there were on a similar financial footing as myself and foreigners are not expected to pay for everything as a matter of course. What keeps me from holidaying in Japan now is the cost of an actual trip: accommodation and other daily costs. Actually living there was a different matter because I was being paid enough in yen (not a lot, but enough) to enjoy weekend jaunts from my town in Saitama to Tokyo with some cash left over for savings.

 

As cold and calculating as this may seem, for holidays from Australia the cost analysis showed Thailand cheaper than Japan even after having to actually pay for encounters with guys in Thailand. Plus nowadays for me Thailand has other things going for it that Japan has not, even though I can't quite put my finger on those things, apart from the diving and snorkelling, which Thailand excels at. Maybe it's a certain 'grungieness'? Sometimes Japan just felt a bit too clean and sterile... Even when I was living in Japan I took holidays in Thailand.

 

I don't know why I keep going back to Thailand, but if it was no longer an option then Japan would be an alternative maybe once every two years.

[Guest]

I also don't live in Thailand yet.

 

If my net worth had about 2 extra zeros on the end, Japan would be a very good candidate to reside in.

Most things work, the boys are very very cute and there's a large & varied gay scene in Shinjuku. However it's just too expensive.

 

A more realistic alternative is Cambodia.  Nice boys, a small but accessible gay scene and it's good fun overall.

 

Actually, if I move to SE Asia before qualifying for any form of permanent visa, then moving around spending a month in each country would be a very good way of finding out about more countries and complying with visa rules (mostly).

 

Sitges is nice, but big hairy Spanish guys don't appeal as much as cute Asians.

[Guest fountainhall]

As a Japanophile who also lived there for a couple of years, I'm with jovianmooon and z909. I'd be thrilled to move there. But the costs of just about everything are way too high for me now. So I have to restrict myself to my annual visits. Roll on May when I take advantage of the travelzoo 75% off offer at the Four Seasons I posted about some time ago!

[mahjongguy]

I hope you enjoy the Four Seasons. A few years back I got a big global recession discount and took my Thai friend to stay at the New Otani Tokyo. His first visit, my 6th, and we were very pleased. Fresh air! Real sidewalks! Crosswalks at every corner and cars that actually stop! Etc. Neither of us would want to live there full-time but it's a great break from the third world.

[Guest fountainhall]

When I lived in Tokyo, my office was just 10 minutes walk from the New Otani hotel. Its large garden is a beautiful retreat and the view from the top of the tower block stunning on a clear day. Just Tokyo alone has so much to offer, including the opportunity to meet some gorgeous guys without money ever being mentioned, as jovianmoon pointed out.

[kokopelli]

 Just Tokyo alone has so much to offer, including the opportunity to meet some gorgeous guys without money ever being mentioned, as jovianmoon pointed out.

 

 

I am certain that even with money to offer I would get no takers.

[Guest]

I am certain that even with money to offer I would get no takers.

There are some quite professional operations in Tokyo, so I'm fairly sure they would take your 15000 yen or so and really look after the customer for an hour.

 

Getting it free -well as we get older, either we need to adjust our expectations to more mature partners or accept  opportunities may become less frequent.

[Guest luvthai]

Merida Mexico or elsewhere on the Yucatan of Mexico

[Guest fountainhall]

Getting it free -well as we get older, either we need to adjust our expectations to more mature partners or accept  opportunities may become less frequent.

 

Opportunities may be less frequent, but I have almost always found willing partners who would hardly fit the description "more mature"! As elsewhere in Asia, there are many younger guys in Japan who prefer being with more mature men. 'Age' to Asians does not always carry the same negative connotations as it does in the west - thank goodness!

[TotallyOz]

Merida Mexico or elsewhere on the Yucatan of Mexico

Can you tell us more about these areas and why?