> the tendency for girls there to treat you as an ATM card with no pin number just wore me down.
Here's some advice: Choose your girlfriends more wisely.
I've lived in Thailand for 14 years. I don't have the issues you mention with visas. When I ran a company here I hired a lawyer to take care of it. No issues. I no longer run a company here but still hire a specialist to take care of my visa. It costs me a little bit of money and maybe a couple of hours of my time per year.
I didn't have the same issues with Thai staff either. I found them to be (mostly) hard working and good at what they did. The language barrier was sometimes an issue but that's because I wasn't fluent in Thai at the time.
I know a lot of (tech and other) entrepreneurs here. Apart from the normal difficulties I wouldn't say any of us have problems running companies here or maintaining relationships. I've had maybe three or four conversations about visas.
Foreign ownership laws are problematic, which is why I would't recommend starting a company here as a foreigner. The other issues you're talking about are pretty foreign to me and I wouldn't say your experience is representative of expats here.
Cost of living has certainly gone up. That has pros and cons.
Here's some advice: Choose your girlfriends more wisely.
I've lived in Thailand for 14 years. I don't have the issues you mention with visas. When I ran a company here I hired a lawyer to take care of it. No issues. I no longer run a company here but still hire a specialist to take care of my visa. It costs me a little bit of money and maybe a couple of hours of my time per year.
I didn't have the same issues with Thai staff either. I found them to be (mostly) hard working and good at what they did. The language barrier was sometimes an issue but that's because I wasn't fluent in Thai at the time.
I know a lot of (tech and other) entrepreneurs here. Apart from the normal difficulties I wouldn't say any of us have problems running companies here or maintaining relationships. I've had maybe three or four conversations about visas.
Foreign ownership laws are problematic, which is why I would't recommend starting a company here as a foreigner. The other issues you're talking about are pretty foreign to me and I wouldn't say your experience is representative of expats here.
Cost of living has certainly gone up. That has pros and cons.