Having a bad day...every day!

Post by **WhoUrDaddy** » April 17, 2011, 7:51 am

Well stated, as I did the same so many years ago, and have eliminated all that annoyed me. Finally and at a financial cost. A hard balance, since established and no desire to uproot after so much time, I'm staying. But it surely isn't the place it was 20 years ago, as nowhere is, but the dramatic change is something to consider when choosing a place to retire and the investment needed to be comfortable.

Post by **drillpig** » April 17, 2011, 8:15 am

Semperfi
Maybe retirement is whats actually getting you down, I remember my father wasn't the most cheerful bloke to be around for the first couple of years after he retired.

Post by **UdonExpat** » April 17, 2011, 8:32 am

The same things have irritated me from time to time over the years. It's my problem, not a problem with the Thai people who are doing what is generally considered acceptable by other Thais.

These things bother my Thai wife also, but she doesn't get bent out of shape about it. Having tolerated these things all her life they just roll of her like water off a duck's back. I've become less irritated over the years, but still wish all the loud speakers, dogs, and garbage would disappear. They won't. TIT. If it was too bad for me I'd have to reconsider living here.

The last place I lived in the US had a young man in the house next to me. Loud music, drunken pool parties many weekends. Cars coming and going at all hours with lots of yelling, screaming, and fights. The loud music would continue until I called the police who would stop by and shut it down. It never shut down without police involvement. Piles of garbage in the back yard. Trashed appliances, furniture, etc., in the front yard. Bad neighbors are anywhere. The police and city agencies were of little real help because Americans are free to be as obnoxious as they wish. Ain't freedom grand??????????

Post by **bumper** » April 17, 2011, 9:47 am

jimboLV wrote:To Semperfi and bunper. Check the Internet. There are planes leaving EVERY DAY! That will sove your problem.

Go back and read that POST again, not so simple in my case.

Jimbo straight up go screw yourself I have paid my dues and could care less what you think. You want to sit and tell me you have never had a bad period of time in your stay in Thailand?

Did you get on an airplane and run I'm not. I will work through this, I've done before and created a life here.

But Semperfi hasn't done that yet and there is one hell of a lot of difference.

Like it or not what he described is what it is. Now the truth is we are going to adapt not the Thai's

So Jimbo take you plane and stick it where the Sun don't shine

Post by **DermotC** » April 17, 2011, 9:52 am

When i read the OP, i was chuckling to myself, not because i thought it was funny but because Im going through that also. Not as bad as SFG mind you but similar. Im hoping Ill get used to it like I did with the morning call to prayer in Kuwait, which after about 6 months didnt wake me up anymore.......

Post by **rct** » April 17, 2011, 10:15 am

I didn't interpret Jimbo to mean anything personally or negatively for someone to get bent out of shape over (though I do not know him or his style with other posts.....). Rather he seems to be saying, brutally succintly, leaving is one of the options.

Patterns of culture shock and adjustment to be expected, no matter what country one changes to.

For me, it is the driving habits of others that gets under my skin on almost a daily bassis, the nut jobs that steal the right of way regardless of safety etc. causing some "bad day...every day" feeling. Even with this, most Thais seem to take it in stride and let it be, so should I.

Post by **Khun Paul** » April 17, 2011, 10:20 am

There are times when I can agree with many of the posters here, music, parties etc- are a way of life, the fact that the local population is probably tone deaf menas that any music or signing ( in or out of tune ) is acceptable. However as for trash/dirty gardens/ other un-neighbourly activities there are in the minority and can be tolerated and often dealt with in some way to alleviate any hazards to ones health.

Thais have a completely different concept of good neighbours than we do hence my desire not to live on an estate. With all their faults it is still a good place to live despite the negatives which are NOT every day and only occasionally pierce my private world , with the exception of their driving, life is good.

Post by **LoveDaBlues** » April 17, 2011, 2:31 pm

A wise falang, after having lived in Udon for 20 years +/- has a saying, "buy a rai, build a house".

This is what I did. This pushes the neighbors/noise/dogs away. And, when the music is REALLY loud the doors get closed and the A/C turned on; problem solved. But, you gotta build the house correctly to start with to keep the noise out. However, if you build the house correctly to compensate for the Thai lifestyle you can't get on Udon Map and brag about your 600,000 baht house. :-"

Like most things in life it's a matter of planning.

Post by **bumper** » April 17, 2011, 3:58 pm

rct wrote:I didn't interpret Jimbo to mean anything personally or negatively for someone to get bent out of shape over (though I do not know him or his style with other posts.....). Rather he seems to be saying, brutally succintly, leaving is one of the options.

Patterns of culture shock and adjustment to be expected, no matter what country one changes to.

For me, it is the driving habits of others that gets under my skin on almost a daily bassis, the nut jobs that steal the right of way regardless of safety etc. causing some "bad day...every day" feeling. Even with this, most Thais seem to take it in stride and let it be, so should I.

He called as he saw it so did I.

Post by **jimboLV** » April 17, 2011, 4:14 pm

Well I seem to have touched a nerve with my comment, so as I've got a few minutes while the lasagna is baking I'll try to elaborate what I was trying to say. rct seemed to get it, all I was saying was if you find yourself in a bad situation it is rare that you can't do something about it. For example, my wife and I found we didn't like estate living, even though the situation wasn't as bad as semper's, so we don't live in an estate. We built a house on a two rai piece of land that she owns. This also took care of another one of my dislikes, the traffic congestion in Udon, since her land is in a little hick town that may take at least ten years to get as bad as Udon.

For the life of me I can't understand why people would continue to live in a land where they were so miserable, as some seem to be from their posts. Or maybe they just like to bitch and complain. There are very few cases where a person absolutely cannot do anything to change their situation.

I chose Thailand as a retirement spot after a lot of research and travel around the world. It met all my criteria, but it's not for everybody. Sure it's not all sweetness and roses and there are some things I don't like about it, but if I was miserable here I'd be leaving on a jet plane or maybe a helicopter on the embassy roof.

Can't see that happening and it would probably take something happening on the international front to make me leave.

Post by **ting_tong** » April 17, 2011, 4:28 pm

today is my lucky day!
the porch monkie with the "dog mouth" that lives across from me just moved out!
sure gets tired when some jealous thai man that speaks out loud in front of your house about ---- that makes him jealous...........like: rich person has an air conditioner..........rich person is old and gives money to giks, many of them! rich person has 3 motorbikes! and I only have 1!

I ignored him and it pissed him off, now he and his wife, screaming son and crying baby are gone.

I wonder if its the somtam that gives them a small brain and mentality or if they were left out in the sun too long when they were little?
I heard them yelling at their kid, slapping him many times, no wonder they grow up to be the way they are?

Post by **BillaRickaDickay** » April 17, 2011, 5:08 pm

Dont like neighbours, never, did, bought our place 3 years ago 15klms out of town next to big Lake, set in 1.5 rai, no neighbours within 200mtres, only noise is the frogs in the rainy season, birds and the odd cockerel and dog in the distance, oh and some Thai music in the Village, half a mile away, on celebration days.
Within one month of moving in they erected a 200 ft radio mast 200mtres away, after a year a house was built to my right, last month a new house was completed to my left, I am now waiting for one to be built behind. They are now talking about developing the lake into a Park with picnic areas and walkways around it.

Fortunately my neighbours so far are fine but you never know who is going to move in, maybe I need to go out another 15klms.

Post by **bumper** » April 17, 2011, 6:10 pm

Ok then I will apologize, why did you hit a nerve, cause rarely complain about Thailand. l've only went off twice here on someone. Both times my wife and I's lives were put in danger not by accident but intentional acts. I will do something about that everytime some jerk Thai or other wise does it. That is one thing I will not accept her or anyone where else.

Loud parties barking dogs all the rest I have adapted to long ago.

Just a part of living here. Me if it bother me and they enough, thye lived across the street I would crank up the stereo to the max with rock & roll on the nights they wanted to sleep. Being retired and no work schedule has advantages. Truthfully it's unusual to have a night that the air and fans doesn't drown out the noise. The streets in First Home are reasonable clean, someone is paid to clean them.

But in most large Cities you will have areas that would make Udon look spotless

As I recall we have only really had one abusive person here with the noise, He ticked off the working Thai's which is most of the neighborhood. Few visit's from the cops he moved.

I have been here so long and never left except for a short stint of work I'm surprised anything bothers me anymore. I am noticing this year a lot more then the pat and have no idea why. But, no not folding the cards and leaving never has crossed my mind.

I think the guys with a couple Rai out in the Country have the right idea, if it bothers you that much. But that is no little commitment. I would not recommend that to anyone who is unhappy and has an easy exit.

Post by **Saboo** » April 17, 2011, 6:51 pm

My O My….! isn’t there a lot of unhappy old falang men living here in Udon… and the surrounding area’s… the answer to all your woe’s is easy… pack up and leave… ! if you decide to stay… learn to live with “Thailand”… all your moaning and winging is pathetic… trying to piss your neighbors off because they piss you off is nothing but stupid… some of the comments in this thread are darn right insulting towards Thai. People…
B.T.W. if you lot of old scroats do bugger off to where you came from give me a “pm” I could do with some cheap furniture…

Saboo assimilated and Happy…!

Post by **Charoensri** » April 17, 2011, 7:04 pm

Saboo wrote:My O My….! isn’t there a lot of unhappy old falang men living here in Udon… and the surrounding area’s… the answer to all your woe’s is easy… pack up and leave… ! if you decide to stay… learn to live with “Thailand”… all your moaning and winging is pathetic… trying to piss your neighbors off because they piss you off is nothing but stupid… some of the comments in this thread are darn right insulting towards Thai. People…
B.T.W. if you lot of old scroats do bugger off to where you came from give me a “pm” I could do with some cheap furniture…

Saboo assimilated and Happy…!

Well said mate. Best post so far. =D>

Dave.

Post by **semperfiguy** » April 17, 2011, 8:37 pm

Charoensri wrote:
Saboo wrote:...all your moaning and winging is pathetic… trying to piss your neighbors off because they piss you off is nothing but stupid… some of the comments in this thread are darn right insulting towards Thai. People…

Saboo assimilated and Happy…!
Well said mate. Best post so far. =D>

Dave.

Well, Saboo and Charoensri, what you have really observed in these various posts is that this world is made up of different personality types, all of whom need encouragement from others at some point in their life. I doubt if you've ever won any awards for your counseling abilities. I saw your types in Vietnam...laugh at a man for crying, then cry their own selves to sleep at night when they thought nobody was watching, especially after getting boozed up. When people are belly aching like this, they are really just crying out for help and reaching out for a little understanding, sympathy and comfort from others. We reap what we sow in this life, and one day you too will need a little support from others and they'll be nowhere to be found. Just sayin'! Which personality type are you? http://www.personalitypage.com/high-level.html God Bless!

Post by **tutone** » April 17, 2011, 10:18 pm

I believe one's life circumstances (problems, good fortune, whatever) arise from the choices we make and accepting the consequences of our actions. If you've made a poor choice about where you live then accept it and move on with a better understanding of what you need to do next time. Blaming others for behavior that is mostly normal and acceptable in their culture won't solve the problem, just causes more frustration on your end. I have only lived here for 3 years now so maybe my time is yet to come, but I have only experienced one instance of unbearable behavior by a neighbor. Music that shook the house while trying to sleep. We spoke to them about it and it never happened again. As far as living in these projects around Udon, they are what they are, projects, no better than low to middle class housing tracts similar to places I would not live in the U.S. Lots of people in close proximity to one another will always bring some difficulties, and throw in the cultural differences, well I realized right away that I would not want to live in that environment. For your money there are better places to rent or buy. Remember,, things are what they are here. You just have to find ways to minimize the things you don't like, and maximize the things you do like.

Post by **cali4995** » April 18, 2011, 7:55 am

So, semperfiguy, what you're saying is that if i'm dreaming of settling in first home estate or romyen
palatial village, sipping in the aroma of bougainvillea blossoms, watching the children skip rope in the
street, hearing the birds chirp in the morning air, while my prettier half brings me fresh squeezed fruit
juice dressed in little more than a bikini and flip-flops, i'll be disappointed? this just isn't the reality?

seriously, i think we've all had those days. i honestly wish there were more creative, sensible solutions
to some of the issues. i always try to ask myself, "what would superfarang do?" he who understands all
naunces of thai culture better than thais themselves, he who will stoop to any level to get even, an eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. aarrgghh. it isn't about living in peaceful co-existence. it's a war.

Post by **bumper** » April 18, 2011, 8:18 am

Saboo I have seen you go off on people for the same thing while riding.

I like you buddy but presenting Thai's as all good people. That is as ignorant as any statement ever put on this forum.

Post by **WhoUrDaddy** » April 18, 2011, 8:35 am

semperfiguy,

Compassion...........and excellent quality. Venting is good, and also, lets others thinking the same, to think long and hard before making a permanent move. Why I notice many of the old miserable gits recommend to RENT RENT RENT, until you are certain Thailand is for you, and where to live in Thailand, as it obviously isn't for everyone. An excellent thread, with some great input. Whether agreeing with or disagreeing with opinions.

All is not happy happy happy as you will read from the holiday makers, and LOS does not stand for Smiles. Ignorance, almost acceptable, but the repetitive arrogance, to the point of dangerous needs to be pointed out, so those not familiar have the information needed to make a rational decision that may effect the rest of their lives, especially if living on a fixed retirement and once settled, won't have the options of others.

Keep posting, your thoughts are a welcome and refreshing change to the constant happy happy, and crying blues. Rational thought, venting is always educational, well done. Hope things work out in the future for you, as I know it took me a couple adjustments to find my happiness. Things I controlled and things I adjusted to.