Thailand Trip - November 2008

I was a little concerned about the upcoming trip......of course I'll wait until after we elect OBAMA as our new president and finally remove the awful Bush regime....I can't wait to hear all my uptight friends walking around in shock in despair....I can't leave and miss all that fun!

However, I must visit my new condo....and check out the interior design work that we signed off on last year when we bought it....I have heard preliminary reports, and I am very disappointed.....but it is hard working on projects in your own house, let alone half way around the world.

I was also very concerned about the Thai Government....they have had many problems over the past 2 years.....but like the US....we can blame it all on the media for over blowing the whole thing?

Reprinted article......

The present Thailand political situation is nothing new and there have been 18 virtually bloodless coups since WW2 nothing really changes here. Thai democracy is in its infancy and when you consider democracy started in England in 1295 though King Edward I, it took the English 700 years to get it right!

The present squabble between different Thai parties and factions will be sorted soon with probably another coalition government with or without present prime minister Samak Sundaravej and the state of emergency in Bangkok lifted. In 3 months it will all be forgotten.This sums up Thai politics which is a bit like Italy which has had 60 governments since democracy started in 1946 and politically no one can ever agree on anything.

As expats living here, you will not find anyone who is really concerned with the present situation and it effecting their lives. When things get messy the King intervenes and normality returns until the next time.

The world is in a mess but Thailand is the second largest economy in SE Asia and 4th richest nation per capita in SE Asia and continues to prosper even with a shaky government. Capital controls have finally been lifted, exports are up 32% over 2007, GDP is expected to be in the range of 4-5% in 2008 although inflation was at 9% in July but should come down significantly with oil prices falling back to under $100 USD a barrel, so all said and done not too shabby!

Property is 40-50% cheaper than UK and Europe and cost of living is at least 33% less.

You have to live here to really begin to understand Thai democracy and the worlds media have alot to answer for in their reporting on Thailand. The Tsunami was a case in point. It was reported that Phuket was devastated showing reporters outside their Phuket 5 star hotels and the TV showing devastating Tsunami pictures of Acheh in Indonesia which gave the impression it was Phuket! We as a property broker did not lose ONE property (Phuket is a mountainous island and beach side property is all hotels/resorts). Only the west coast and in particular Patong,Kamala,Bangtao beaches were really affected with the main damage happening in Khao Lak on the mainland 1 hour north of Phuket.

The current reporting on the political situation in Bangkok is very much overplayed by the media and you would not know there was any problem if you go to Bangkok. As for other locations such as Pattaya, Hua Hin, Samui, Phuket life goes on and if you did not watch or listen to the news you would not know there was a problem.

So please take the media reports with a pinch of salt as they make their money from sensationalism!