Thai expats experienced a very good quality of life, finding it easier to integrate and make friends than in many other countries. In fact 76% remarked how easy it was to make friends in Thailand, one of the most important factors for a happy expat life.
Last year’s HSBC Expat Explorer Survey, released in late 2013, placed several Asian nations high on the list as the best countries for expats, after analysing the results of a survey quizzing 7,000 people on their life and times in their new home country.
Thailand stood above the rest for overall experience, thanks to top scores for a tasty, healthy diet, an enjoyable working environment, great social life, good local shops and markets plus a vibrant, exciting culture.
Thai expats experienced a very good quality of life, finding it easier to integrate and make friends than in many other countries. In fact 76% remarked how easy it was to make friends in Thailand, one of the most important factors for a happy expat life.
As Heather Van Deest says in International Living magazine:
“Thailand is one of the world’s most popular locales for good living abroad. And there are lots of reasons why. For pennies on the dollar you get a year-round tropical climate and access to modern comforts and conveniences, including affordable, high quality medical care.
I’ve lived here with my family for eight years now and there’s something special about this corner of the world. It’s an exotic place—orange-robed monks collect alms at dawn—yet it’s easy to live a comfortable lifestyle, similar to that of the West, but without the headaches and extra expense.
We dine out on delicious Thai food, go to the cinema, or, at a moment’s notice, take off for a beach weekend. And the Thai people are some of the most welcoming in the world. As expat Godfree Roberts says: “Happiness is a priority. Thais live much more in the moment than we typically do. And it’s to everybody’s benefit. The country’s greatest accomplishment is its sophisticated culture.””
So what is there to do in your spare time if you move to this spectacularly beautiful and exotic country? We thought it would be useful to take a look at the fun side of living in Thailand: things to do in Thailand, where people from Thailand go on holiday and more.
Looking for Thailand tourist information, it’s clear Thai people are home-loving and tend to spend their vacations in their home country, often visiting their relatives. During the cold season many people flock to the north of the country, especially Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and in the summer holidays the south is popular, with its breathtakingly lovely beaches.
If you’re wealthy there’s the small fishing village of Hua Hin, a royal resort since the 1920s, the Thai King’s residence and about two hours from the capital Bangkok. It’s famed for its mellow, laid back feel, remarkable seafood cuisine and world-class spas.
Perhaps you love peace and quiet. Another destination that’s far from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, a couple of hundred miles to the east near the border with Cambodia, lies the little island of Koh Koo, rich in deep rainforest, coconut and rubber plantations and mellow fishing villages, home to fewer than 2,000 people. You’ll find a mix of budget hotels and luxury resorts, something for every budget. Here’s what Gemma Bowes said about it in an article in The Guardian newspaper:
“There are no landlines, little internet access, and few cars. Electricity is minimal – homes and hotels rely on generators or solar power. All is slow, warm tranquillity.
I disembarked at the jetty of Away, a quietly luxurious resort with a cluster of bungalows overlooking a bay. There’s plenty of warm and graceful hospitality here, as well as a spa and one of Koh Kood’s best diving centres, but no one jostles you into a hike or a snorkelling excursion.
Mostly this makes for a fine place to do nothing; slow and calm and unruffled, you can feel Koh Kood subtly working its way into your bones. On an average day here I did little beyond loll about in the hammocks and deckchairs along the boardwalk, beneath the palm trees, and strategically positioned on the jetty to take in the sunset. I took a kayak across the clear blue sea to a small golden curve of beach; I took a quiet boat ride over to it the next bay. I swam, I slept, I read some Per Petterson, and amid the cool rooms and quiet corners, I felt my mind gently unwinding.”
You could easily just lie on a magnificent, empty Thai beach for a week or two. It’s the perfect way to unwind. But if you prefer your holidays active, because the country is such a tourist and backpacker hotspot there’s an amazing variety of things to do.
The Lonely Planet website contains an impressive 600 plus activities in Thailand, including scuba diving, learning to cook local dishes, learning to fly trapeze, sea canoe trips with eco-friendly itineraries, massage and spa, elephant rides, river cruises, meditation classes, hill tribe learning centres, bike tours, dinner cruises, floating markets to browse and even visits to the country’s notorious jails.
Sporting events in Thailand are very popular, and the Thai people love gambling almost as much as the Chinese. You’ll find a host of exciting sports to join in with, including Bamrung Sport Club, Chon Buri, for sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, catamaran riding and canoeing, horse riding and paragliding, with instructors if you need them. Plus the Lakeland Water Cable Ski, Pattaya, for non-stop cable ski fun on a fresh water lake. The Pattaya Kart Speedway, Pattaya, for go karting fun for adults and children. And the Kitesurfing and Windsurfing Club, near Pattaya, where you can learn kite surfing and windsurfing on a lovely beach complete with a friendly beach bar.
There are plenty of sporting events to watch, too, especially in and around Bangkok, including:
Thailand has a thriving expatriate community, and they arrange regular events. In and around Bangkok, for example, there are swing and salsa evenings, traditional British Sunday roasts and a St George’s Ball, all designed to keep expat Brits happy. Although there are adventurous people from all over the world living in the country including Chinese, North American and mainland European.
We would love to know which attraction or experience you would most recommend to expats new to Thailand, and why. Please comment and share your experiences with our community.