Time To Seek Greener Pastures

I'm a reader, not a writer, but since Stick asked the question, I feel compelled to write this time.

It's about what to do about my life here in Thailand following all the events that occurred lately.

I'm a semi-retired, middle-aged farang, having lived here for several months each year for the last 7 years and up until about a year ago I was quite content to wile away my time in this warm climate, only returning to Aussie for short periods to catch up with family and friends.

I have to admit that the initial attraction to do this was the nightlife, sexy and available Thai ladies and the cost of living.

Each time I left the LOS, within a couple of weeks I was itching to get back to continue the nocturnal activities. It was a bit like having found the fountain of youth. That is until about a year ago, when I felt a bit jaded and bored with it all. The trouble was that my activities were becoming very predictable and mundane. It's not that I haven't tried to change the places and "personnel", but really what does it matter if the place is Nana, Soi Cowboy, Patpong or elsewhere or the girl is from Ubon, Udon, Roi Et, Khon Kaen or you name it.

Then you travel around the country to Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui and such but the program is the same same. In my desperation I started exploring far and wide in Bangkok, sometimes visiting nightclubs in Samut Prakan or way over the other side of the river where they have Isaan Molaam places. I'd usually go to these places with Thai friends, as without them it may have been a bit risky to frequent Thai only clubs. In these clubs, most of the girls can't speak English, which can be a blessing in disguise, no more hansum man, I missed you…and such bulls…t.

But it's not only the girls and bars that are predictable, so are the customers, including myself.

After a while I found myself virtually unable to relate to anyone who was not of the same disposition and usually under the influence of Heineken, Singha, beer Chang or any other brand, what's the difference. I mean I'm not a beer aficionado, any of them would have worked the trick.

The trick, meaning that you got to be under an alcoholic cloud to go along with the idiotic interaction between the "opposing sides" of the bar scene, whereby one party kid themselves to believe that the girls love them and the other party try to hook a husband / customer / sponsor to get themselves out of their miserable life.

I actually know a few people who prefer not to sober up at all, as that would require a reassessment of their lifestyles.

Unfortunately, we're a pathetic lot, having found that there is nothing better to do in life but whoremongering and being blotto.

I think the military coup and the new visa rules and currency rules plus those wretched bombs are a wake up call to a lot of us. They might have done us a favour before we all ended up in the trash bins of Thailand.

I maybe paranoid, but since New Years Eve I'm always watching over my shoulder, especially around the tourist areas, to see if I notice something untoward. Of course this is not helping to advance my desire to have a carefree and joyous time and after all if I can't have that, what's the use of being here?

Even the girls' attitudes had changed. They've become like sharks in a feeding frenzy (with a few exceptions).

Have you ever seen girls fighting over a farang at a bar when one perceives the other one is encroaching on her territory? Not a sight for sore eyes and certainly not very sexy, unless you enjoy watching catfights. Then sometimes you see farangs bashing up each other over one of these vixens, as if there weren't enough of them to go around.

It's all quite mad and inane. I think I have to get out of this asylum. Am I the only one who feels like this or are there more of you out there?

Am I the only one who feels that I'm like a golden goose to the Thais and only tolerated – but not liked?

I feel that living here and being a Caucasian, I'm an alien without any rights. When we accept people in our countries as migrants we give them privileges and opportunities. Here you can't apply to be a citizen but they make you report every 90 days to the police, like a criminal on bail, even if you own a condo and it's registered in your name!

Be that as it may, I guess it's their country and they can set the rules in any way they want but they keep changing the goal posts all the time.

No wonder some of us get fed up and give them the flick, I'm almost there now, how about you?

Stickman's thoughts:

There have been a lot of changes in Thailand over the last 5 years, and especially the last 12 months. Many of these changes have farangs concerned. While we all want Thailand to be a better place, it is hard to see how some of these changes and new policies will benefit *the masses*. It seems that those who benefit are a small minority and those who stand to lose are the majority.

More than at any time in my life in Thailand, the sentiment amongst farangs is one of trepidation, and a lack of confidence about our collective future here.