Is living in Thailand paradise? What are the pros and cons? Who is this lifestyle for? This is a behind-the-scenes look at living in Thailand as a foreigner.

When I tell people that I live in Thailand, I often get feedback along the lines of “You are so lucky”, “I would love to be able to do that too”, “You live in paradise”, or “What an amazing lifestyle”.

Then there are the people who are not sure on which continent Thailand is and who could not find it on a map if their life depended on it.

Here is a tip. China is easy to find on a map, it is plenty big enough. If you look for the lowest or southernmost part of China, then you will see Thailand right below there along with some other small countries like Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam. This part of the world is called “southeast Asia”.

An easy way to find it is to google “google maps”, and up pops a world map which you can move around easily on your screen. If you look at a globe, you can see that Thailand is at the opposite side of the planet if you are from America.

So why would anyone want to live half way around the world in a country where people speak a totally different language and have a very different culture and habits?

There are a number of reasons.

1. Money. For many years I worked as a tour guide. I worked non-stop during the summer season where I made all my money for the year. There was no work during the winter season, and it made sense to spend this time in a place  where my dollars went a lot further than in the US.

Many retired people on fixed pension income also realized that their dollars buy a lot more in a country like Thailand. Buying the same standard of living for a third of the cost is a very attractive idea, and millions of westerners have chosen an expatriate lifestyle for this reason.

2. Climate. If you live in a cold climate, you could live in Thailand and enjoy warm tropical weather. You could be suntanning at the beach instead of shoveling snow at home. This is an option for retired people or for people who have a business that can be run over the internet. Examples would be stock market investors, internet marketers, copywriters, travel writers, or ebay sellers.

3. Female companionship. Tens of thousands of western men have found girlfriends or wives in Thailand. Before you make up your mind what is right or wrong with this, I wrote nine articles on this subject that explore it from all angles.

4. Health care. Medical treatments, dental  care and massage therapy all cost a fraction of western prices, and quality standards are high.

5. Studying Thai massage. Thousands of westerners come to Thailand every year to learn Thai massage, and many, including myself, have turned it into a full time profession.

In summary here are some pros for living in Thailand: the cost of living is much lower, the pace of life is slower, people are friendly and accomodating, the weather is always warm, healthcare and massage therapy is very affordable, there are many colorful festivals throughout the year,  and for men it is very easy to find a female partner.

There are some cons as well: The Thai language is not easy to learn for most westerners, and you will be mostly confined to contacts in the expat community. Thai culture might be interesting and fascinating, but it is different enough that you will never really become part of it. Thais think very differently from westerners, and they do not express their feelings. So most of the time you will not know what they are really thinking.

Thailand is a fairly modern and well organized country, at least by southeast Asian standards. You can get most everything you need or want. But you don’t have the same rights as you do at home. You cannot fully own property or a business, and in most legal disputes you will lose against the Thais, even if you are right.

In the north of Thailand there are major air pollution problems during February, March and April due to indiscriminate burning practices in agriculture and other areas, and the heat can really get to you during that time of the year. 

Thailand might not exactly be paradise, but it is a great place to be, and tens of thousands of westerners have found a lifestyle here that suits them well.

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