JAFO wrote:I can personally say, without any doubt, Thailand has never been overwhelming. In fact I find it to be exactly the opposite. Life can be overwhelming at times but that is life. Sometimes things just get out of hand. I find being here I am relaxed and now enjoy looking at the US from outside the box in.
Takiap wrote: For example, I place a lot of value on freedom, and while this may sound strange, and while many may not agree, I believe you get to enjoy far more freedom here in Thailand than you do in most western countries. Sure the press may be censored, and yes, certain things are banned here while they may be allowed back home, but then again, providing you don't break any "serious" laws, you're pretty much left alone here to do as you please.
People here can still open up little side-of-the-road stalls selling food for example, and they don't need to go through mountains of red tape, and they don't need a license which costs a fortune, and they don't need to satisfy 101 government requirements. Are there more food poisoning cases here than back home? No there aren't. This is just one example, and this is why I enjoy Thailand, because they have a "live and let live" outlook on life.
^ I 100% agree. I moved to Thailand because after working here on and off I valued my personal freedom far more then making money in the US. A huge portion of your earnings you make pays people to manage you and all the very rules I came to despise. I am adult. I want to manage myself. I know right from wrong. I do not need a 700 page penal code book to tell me how to behave. In the work environment it has become ridiculous. People have to be robots now and careful on anything they say in fear they will lose their jobs, get sued and even do jail time.
As you stated, If you just come here, settle in, learn the lay of the land, smile, have a good time you can pretty much go unnoticed.
There is the issue..The lay of the land if not the same for Thai compared to ex-pat be it in a parking spot or something else( I was wondering why no baht was offered to solve this myself)..And this is where furstation is found..Nor is commen sense which has been brought up a number of times. There is Thai what they consider common sense and what non thai consider common sense.. There is a wide gap and never will the two meet. Its like if your Thai you do not have to pay for entering some areas because your thai. The rules change and you only know when you get there and even the staff are not sure how to work the new rules but yet at the time you see some one Thai enter and sign one paper and leave while you are holding onto 20 sheets in thai asking them to be signed and such for the same issue.(jai yen cool heart is nice but hard to do at times)
