Who wants to come here? - Ajarn Forum

martyboy · 8th June 2008, 04:51

I am wondering why anyone would want to settle in this green and unpleasant land. It must rank as one of the most expensive countries in the world, famous for such things as binge drinking; youth gun crime; probably the highest number of knife killings in twelve months ever recorded; London reputed to be the epicentre of European tuberculosis; the highest number of teenage pregnancies; the highest number of non-repatriated illegal immigrants; an unprecedented number of indiginous Brits emmigrating in disgust; prisons bursting at the seems; a disgusting climate etc. etc. What's good about it? For the fourth largest country in economic terms it's a bloody disgrace.

LDMA · 8th June 2008, 05:47

I guess it's grass is always greener syndrome here.

Just to set a few thing straight though...

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

It must rank as one of the most expensive countries in the world

16th actually.. according to this site...high but clearly not the highest by any stretch of the imagination.
Most Expensive Countries to Live in

Most Expensive Countries to Live inRankCountry
1Japan
2South Korea
3Russia
4Taiwan
5Norway
6Hong Kong
7Switzerland
8Denmark
9Argentina
10China
11Finland
12Cote d'Ivoire
13United States
14Sweden
15Venezuela
16United Kingdom
17Singapore
18Oman
19Jordan
20Kuwait

LDMA · 8th June 2008, 05:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

famous for such things as binge drinking

Incredible real ale pubs, incredible selections of wine, and obscure single malts. Also have you ever seen a Bangkok Saturday night? Or worse, Pattaya.

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

youth gun crime

NationMaster - Murders with firearms (most recent) by country

Quote:

Crime Statistics > Murders with firearms (most recent) by country

VIEW DATA: Totals Per capita Definition Source

Printable version
Bar Graph Pie Chart Map Correlations
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom) #1 South Africa: 31,918
#2 Colombia: 21,898
#3 Thailand: 20,032
#4 United States: 8,259
#5 Mexico: 3,589
#6 Zimbabwe: 598
#7 Germany: 384
#8 Belarus: 331
#9 Czech Republic: 213
#10 Ukraine: 173
#11 Poland: 166
#12 Canada: 165
#13 Costa Rica: 126
#14 Slovakia: 117
#15 Spain: 97
#16 Uruguay: 84
#17 Portugal: 84
#18 Lithuania: 83
#19 Bulgaria: 63
#20 United Kingdom: 62
#21 Australia: 59
#22 Hungary: 44
#23 Switzerland: 40
#24 Latvia: 30
#25 Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 26
#26 Estonia: 21
#27 Moldova: 20
#28 Azerbaijan: 18
#29 Denmark: 14
#30 Slovenia: 12
#31 Ireland: 12
#32 New Zealand: 7

Total: 88,745
Weighted average: 2,773.3

DEFINITION: Total recorded intentional homicides committed with a firearm. Crime statistics are often better indicators of prevalence of law enforcement and willingness to report crime, than actual prevalence.

SOURCE: Seventh United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems, covering the period 1998 - 2000 (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention)

Oh dear is that Thailand I see at number three? Oh and there's the UK at number 20....

Lor Ling · 8th June 2008, 06:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

a disgusting climate etc. etc. What's good about it? For the fourth largest country in economic terms it's a bloody disgrace.

Yeah, you would think that with all that money we'd be able to make the weather better. I blame Gordon Brown.

In seriousness though, as much as LOS often annoys the shit outta me, it's the kinda things you mention that keep me from going back to Blighty.

LDMA · 8th June 2008, 06:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

probably the highest number of knife killings in twelve months ever recorded; London reputed to be the epicentre of European tuberculosis; the highest number of teenage pregnancies; the highest number of non-repatriated illegal immigrants; an unprecedented number of indiginous Brits emmigrating in disgust; prisons bursting at the seems; a disgusting climate etc. etc.

Are you a Daily Mail reader or something. Are we supposed to approach this quote from a sitting pretty in Thailand perspective where of course none of the above EVER happens? Am I supposed to reciprocate with a list of things that makes living in thailand intolerable? Should I regale you about the students who got shot over nothing in Thailand on three separate occaisions at my school there? Perhaps remind you of the Dengue fever outbreaks there,

You know, that the day my daughter was born the next bed contained one of my students who had got herself knocked up at 17....all very hush hush there though...baby gets dumped with gran and girl gets on with her life as if nothing had happened...huge face loss for a family nevertheless kids are still shagging each other senseless there.

Also you did know that practically all teachers start life in Thailand as illegal immigrants on Tourist Visas, right?? Plenty more expats are running businesses that their immigration status would not allow....they are most the very people who emigrated from the UK and elsewhere in disgust at the Eastern Europeans doing exactly the same in their home country.

Oh and prisons? In Thailand those are also bursting at the seams...I'm not sure if you are aware of the life threatening, and barbaric utter squalor prisoners exist in in Thailand, but 60 to a room sleeping on the floor head to foot.

...finally the climate. Not the UK's most endearing feature, especially mid-winter, but get a nice sunny weekend day and it's like a wonderful treat to be grasped and made the most of. Thailand can have to launching yourself into air conditioning at any time that isn't either early morning or late afternoon.

What's good about it? Live in Thailand for a few years and make a list of things yourself......

wildbill · 8th June 2008, 06:32

Good lord! Was coming on here because I was a bit Thailand sick and what do I read, but a post describing how I feel and some! As much as I keep telling myself I have made the right decision and although the weather is pretty good and my Missus is surprisingly happy, it is taking a while to fit back in. I just love Thailand and would go back at the drop of a hat if I had the money!

Maybe I just like being a 'farrang' but I can't see myself settling down anywhere else but Northern Thailand. It's got to be the most chilled out and friendly place I have ever been. (Don't know where you were living LDMA with your gun crime etc!)

Just going to have to bust a gut to make sure it happens sooner rather than later!

Where you living BTW Martyboy? It sounds grimmer than where I am up north

Guy Mandude · 8th June 2008, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

I am wondering why anyone would want to settle in this green and unpleasant land. It must rank as one of the most expensive countries in the world,

rich people would like it

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

famous for such things as binge drinking;

alcoholics and binge drinkers would like it

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

youth gun crime; probably the highest number of knife killings in twelve months ever recorded;

gangbangers would like it, as would their gun/knife merchants

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

London reputed to be the epicentre of European tuberculosis;

tuberculosis researchers would like it

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

the highest number of teenage pregnancies;

guys who like to shag teens would like it

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

the highest number of non-repatriated illegal immigrants;

illegal immigrants seem to like it

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyboy

For the fourth largest country in economic terms it's a bloody disgrace.

If you were a member of one of the above-listed groups, it'd be a pretty good place to live. Maybe you should buy a knife and gun and rob a bank, shoot someone, and shag an illegal immigrant teen who has tuberculosis...then you'd feel like "home."

jonny danger · 8th June 2008, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDMA

Oh dear is that Thailand I see at number three? Oh and there's the UK at number 20....

But look at that void between Thailand and The USA .. 2 1/2 times more between 3rd and forth place.

Guy Mandude · 8th June 2008, 13:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonny danger

But look at that void between Thailand and The USA .. 2 1/2 times more between 3rd and forth place.

Yeah, that really sucks. Need to get the word out to the homies that LOS is kickin' our ass on the gangbangin' front.

dexter · 8th June 2008, 13:51

Stayed there for a year. Nice beer, chicks and grub.

wildbill · 8th June 2008, 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexter

Stayed there for a year. Nice beer, chicks and grub.

Please don't tell me you are talking about England here!

Ok I would agree on the beer if I could afford to drink it.

Cream · 8th June 2008, 17:06

US is more expensive than the UK? On what planet are we talking about here?

Same with Russia