though I feel as if he's trolling for answers to help with his decision over moving to Cambodia, I'll give SOME reply.
" With the laid back way of life, the personal freedoms, the low cost of living.." This is a big part for me too. Lived ALL MY LIFE the simple life. I've had a year or more living in the U$A on less than 4k. I've tried the money life. Don't enjoy being a slave to possessions OR the things really. Fine, if you LOVE your new Audi or big screen, etc. DO SO. But more and more over the years I felt the pressure to be a member of that herd and the contempt if you enjoy a simple life. My netbook brings me the same movies their mac air does. My 15 yr old freebie throw away Chevy S10 gets great mileage, runs great and I enjoy the hell out of it. The crumbling 150 yr old heartpine house I got for 8k is now worth quite a bit more. And this country had CHANGED, in serious, and to me very negative ways. I have not much liked anything here in 30 years. Even the deep south, where I found respite, had changed. So now I consider moving to Cambodia and HOPING that IT does not change so radically and fast as things did here. The world seems to resemble the movie Brazil more and more. I just want to find another place I can hang out, OUT of the mainstream and ignore all the crappy mutations going on in places that consider themselves forward, modern, on the cutting edge, and all that crap.

and bottom line...it's the only place someone who ain't rich CAN live anymore. Perfect countries do exist, but they cost WAY WAY too much to live in.

While I LIKE Thailand, I totally agree with Storms take on many Thai ppl and the attitude. IF I can wangle my way into living in Cambodia I'll visit a lot. GF's family is in Udon Thani, I am also seriously looking at Laos, which has not crapped itself UP like Cambodia, at least from all the pics I've seen. Not seen ONE bit of litter, which I consider the national flower of Cambodia.

Oddly, I now find myself with virtually NO ties in Cambodia after 5 yrs of spending time there. Ex fiance was forced to marry American Khmer, ties beginning in Kampong Cham ended. I detest the dust corridor from Poipet to PP. But I DO like Pursat and a guesthouse on the river there. (my back LOVES the memory foam beds they have : )

I really think the ability to STAY for a few hundred a year in visa fee is a MAJOR reason for most to come if not stay. One CAN consider staying at that rate. I don't have the money to drop 28k in a Thai bank each year, or the faith that their regs will stay as they are. They LOVE to change stuff and that living on thin ice puts the place in a much lower spot on my list than it was when I first found it.

sorry about the length, but Wiggie ASKED for it (has he pm'd everyone prodding to post on this haha)

What a great reply, I really enjoyed reading that , thanks

I PM'd a very select few, as I was interested in their perspective and rewarded with this

I read them out of interest and as I am looking to relocate on a short while but I can not understand why this attracts, the seemingly negative word 'Trolling'

Is this 'Trolling' or just active research?

Thanks again

Hotdigr wrote:

phuketrichard wrote:just a question to all u that say you have laid down roots an Cambodia is ur home

Do you own where you live or just rent? ( I assume 90% just rent)
and if so why not buy as its ur home and gives stability an a commitment for the future, not to mention security for ur wife's/kids

I dont live there anymore but still own land there and a small house as security for the gf an if/when i get tired of living here .

I disagree with your viewpoint mate. In fact I find it quite patronising. You can afford to buy,I can't, so you have more commitment an stability then me? What a load of codswallop, or to put it in Aussie terms - what a load of fucking bullshit. I live here and call this home.I ontribute to this country.You don't and have said previously that you wouldn't again if you had your choice. Off your high horse sunshine. Heigh Ho Silver and AWAAAAAAY....

I never meant this to patronize anyone ,
i was just comparing it to those that chose to live, work, raise a family, retire in Thailand where a large amount of expats build and own there own homes/condos. ( as much as one can "own " their homes thru their wifes/ gf or proxies)
75% of my friends here in Thailand own their own homes/condos, and many have been here 10+ years and a few 20+. VS Cambodia where i I know only 2 that own their homes an none that own condos
so i wonder why that is?

Laws are the nearly the same ( even more relaxed in Cambodia where u can get a 99 year lease vs 30 here) and a Farang/Barang can freely own condos here and there ( above the first floor)

we ( GF and I) do contribute to my gf youngest sister school and living expenses.

am on no high horse, I brought land an built my house here so I and my daughter would have our home not someones else's. Plus brought land and built a small house for my gf and me, if i ever choose to move back there.
Many of those living /working in Cambodia can afford to buy, but not many on here it seems, so i am just questioning why ?

I cannot say I'm here. Because I'm over the western border right now due to need of a proper hospital. But things are going well.

Really didn't like Cambodia on my first visit in 2004, largely due to my being new to the rough world of impoverished SEA. But I have one powerful image on that first trip that I will remember for the rest of my life. In the morning, I stepped out of my upper room in Siem Reap. Looked down the corridor open to the skies and fell in love with what seemed to me the perfect postcard view of the tropics: a spray of dark-leaved palm trees filling all of my view bathed by a translucent tropical sunlight, giving shade to a colourful shed that was part of the hotel.

I am retired and, like a cliche, moved to Thailand in 2010. I admit I was driven out of Thailand during the 2011 floods. Cambodia was closest and a place I was familiar with. Also there was a Viet girl in PP (later failure). I live there six months. Phnom Penh grew on me with its French influences, good restaurants, decent English, decent shopping, a different kind of nightlife vibe (at the time, different from mercenary Thailand) and what I detect as a genuine effort by Khmers to improve themselves by whatever way they can, including by way of education and business. Cambodia had a real magic to me whereas Thailand was a big lie: dirty, ugly streets and buildings; lying, jealous, arrogant, ungrateful people; and profound ineptitude in the simplest endeavours. The latter view came later as I lived more and more in their world and watched how they screwed each other. And I didn't want to be part of Thailand Inc.

I just felt more comfortable in Cambodia and among Khmers (and Viets). Lots can be said but as expats we make our decisions on dislikes of places left and likes of places found. And, well, a lot can be said for the ease of obtaining a Cambodian visa, especially when you never have to see an immigration officer the rest of your life.

I'm here because of a job. I got offered it while living in Bangkok and came over.

While here I met my wife and we have 2 beautiful kids so like UT I'm not going anywhere

Mr Curious wrote:though I feel as if he's trolling for answers to help with his decision over moving to Cambodia, I'll give SOME reply.
" With the laid back way of life, the personal freedoms, the low cost of living.." This is a big part for me too. Lived ALL MY LIFE the simple life. I've had a year or more living in the U$A on less than 4k. I've tried the money life. Don't enjoy being a slave to possessions OR the things really. Fine, if you LOVE your new Audi or big screen, etc. DO SO. But more and more over the years I felt the pressure to be a member of that herd and the contempt if you enjoy a simple life. My netbook brings me the same movies their mac air does. My 15 yr old freebie throw away Chevy S10 gets great mileage, runs great and I enjoy the hell out of it. The crumbling 150 yr old heartpine house I got for 8k is now worth quite a bit more. And this country had CHANGED, in serious, and to me very negative ways. I have not much liked anything here in 30 years. Even the deep south, where I found respite, had changed. So now I consider moving to Cambodia and HOPING that IT does not change so radically and fast as things did here. The world seems to resemble the movie Brazil more and more. I just want to find another place I can hang out, OUT of the mainstream and ignore all the crappy mutations going on in places that consider themselves forward, modern, on the cutting edge, and all that crap.

and bottom line...it's the only place someone who ain't rich CAN live anymore. Perfect countries do exist, but they cost WAY WAY too much to live in.

While I LIKE Thailand, I totally agree with Storms take on many Thai ppl and the attitude. IF I can wangle my way into living in Cambodia I'll visit a lot. GF's family is in Udon Thani, I am also seriously looking at Laos, which has not crapped itself UP like Cambodia, at least from all the pics I've seen. Not seen ONE bit of litter, which I consider the national flower of Cambodia.

Oddly, I now find myself with virtually NO ties in Cambodia after 5 yrs of spending time there. Ex fiance was forced to marry American Khmer, ties beginning in Kampong Cham ended. I detest the dust corridor from Poipet to PP. But I DO like Pursat and a guesthouse on the river there. (my back LOVES the memory foam beds they have : )

I really think the ability to STAY for a few hundred a year in visa fee is a MAJOR reason for most to come if not stay. One CAN consider staying at that rate. I don't have the money to drop 28k in a Thai bank each year, or the faith that their regs will stay as they are. They LOVE to change stuff and that living on thin ice puts the place in a much lower spot on my list than it was when I first found it.

sorry about the length, but Wiggie ASKED for it (has he pm'd everyone prodding to post on this haha)

Cambodia is the perfect place to tune out. I think you will enjoy it.

Good thread Ed.

Me, the wife and and now the daughter. I grew up missing a parent, so don't want her to experience the same thing; not a pleasant experience.

a big lie: dirty, ugly streets and buildings; lying, jealous, arrogant, ungrateful people; and profound ineptitude in the simplest endeavours. The latter view came later as I lived more and more in their world and watched how they screwed each other. And I didn't want to be part of Thailand Inc.

this is about the BEST assessment I've seen and it rings true with me too. I think in part it will happen in Cambodia too. It's a result of going from the old stable ways into the modern world with GIANT numbers of oustiders coming in with lots of money. The LAST THING that evolves is integrity. The first is getting hands on that big money.
What interests me is how most Khmers seem to stay home instead of flooding into the Cambo version of Bkk or Pattaya. And seemingly want to keep the simple life. I do think that'll change fast because you got half the country being YOUNG and easy to suck into the easy imitation modern life game. I mean a smartphone is more important than food it seems.
We'll see I guess.

What about contributions from our friends who are also Moderately involved in other forums. It would be great to read things from your perspective, as you have been here so much longer.