Great interview. Obviously a big part of his story is that he married a Thai lady. He sort of touched on how that made things "simpler" for forming a company, work permits etc. I am surprised you didn't delve into that side of his experience a bit more. Great video and I reckon Jon will keep building his niche little by little.....and good luck to him.
yeah, try and find a single guy that did/is doing this. Marrying a local is the #1 way to make things easier (IF you pick a good one and don't go stupid-in-Pattaya)
I really enjoy watching Jon's channel. He's got a legit honest view of Thailand and interesting for people who have been living here long enough to be more realistic about the country.
I moved to China at 17. Now I am 30 and living in Thailand. Of course moving so young there is no way you can legally hold a job because you would not have finished a degree. I spent 9 years in China and learnt Chinese fluently. Later married my childhood friend in Thailand and moved to Thailand.
except as I said above IF he'd moved to a smaller city or a village near one things actually got better over the years re infrastructure, etc. So that observation mostly holds to the main cities/tourist areas I think.
First of all, I think Jon is really genuine and I appreciate how he doesn't see Thailand with rose colored glasses like so many falang do. The types that espouse the belief that Thailand and Thai people can do no wrong and if you dont like it you can "Go back to where you came from" really are a tiring lot...
Darned Fine interview. Keep on plugging. Life is a horse race. Don't get thrown jumping the hurdles. (Or, more accurately, life is an equestrian steeplechase.)
Good interview, as always, Pete. He was a brave guy moving to Thailand at such a ridiculously young age. He is right though, Bangkok has changed massively since I first visited in 1993. It's much more expensive and far less shabby and in many ways these days more like any other Asian metropolis.
Jon's primary thesis on Thailand is that it's changed so much that you really need to be honest with yourself and ask the question if Thailand is still the right place to be. Time has a way of passing you by and if you don't confront changes and adapt you'll get swept away and lose your grounding. I think that's what happened to Jon and many other people in this situation, myself included.
OK, Mr. Bigfoot...Agree 100% that there are many changes here, and not for the better. Sometimes I think it's going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket, but that's true for most places on the globe...Thailand is fully connected to the WOKE West, and identifies closely with America, it used to be Britain...WOKE culture is here complete with LGBT, et cetera...Anyway, White folks are leaving for other places in Southeast Asia like the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia... Latin America is just way too dangerous although there are a few Canadians and Americans who have moved to Mexico....Hispanic culture although not Anglo-Saxon, shares many similarities and North Americans can identify with just as same as many Britons who moved to Spain, for instance... Finally, no, it's not cheap to live in Thailand any more, especially Bangkok... If one chooses to live in one of the many provinces, it surely will be cheaper, but you are sacrificing healthcare, Western food, and so on...Going native is hot, sticky and humid... unsanitary in sleeping space, toilet, shower, and for the most part food is edible and most are tasty if you like spicy, but some dishes can be revolting like eating bugs, worms, uncooked fermented fish that always has tapeworms, and even rats on the menu.
Thailand is good for an extended holiday each year (2/3 months), but I wouldn't want to live there full time, especially if it means having to get married! Fool$ game, that one ...
Very interesting interview, Jon has a wealth of practical knowledge and good to hear a realistic perspective of Thai life . Thanks Pete you’ve done it again .
Hiya Pete- gosh , you did it again! Love all the questions you’ve asked and this guy was so brave to have moved to Thailand at the age of 17…..very admirable! Where on earth do you find people to interview?😬 Thanks for sharing & have a great day 🙏🏼
@@ThairishTimes Its not Luck Pete. I think you make the interview interesting by steering the Interviewee in the right direction to keep it flowing and you have certainly developed a knack of getting the best out of the people you Interview. One od your biggest plusses is you dont talk over people and you listen just like good old Parky in his day.
where has,nt changed in 15 + years??he contradicted himself saying the hotel had only risen in price 60 baht in all this time after complaining about how expensive things are now...but interesting guy...but i wouldnt buy a car off him if u know what i mean😉
i always enjoy your interviews, Pete. I thought John was a bite dodgy with a few of your questions, in particular the ones about his work. "I manage groups of people", I guess if I found a great job that most do not know about, I would not want to share to much info. Great interview Pete!
I have lived in Shanghai for 20 years, and have a Shanghainese wife. Now in Thailand and I can say it is a different kettle of fish when it comes to permanent living here in the kingdom in regards to visas. I completely understand the sentiment of living long-term and knowing that you will never be a permanent citizen. I was thinking of two choices, either Spain or Thailand as Spain has their golden visa, so with an initial investment, you would get in return, a permanent residence, which would offer peace of mind.
Snap! I was 17 when I went to England and remain there ever since. (home is where you make it) Well done Jon for what you've achieved and I hope you can get permanent residency there🤞 Another enjoyable vlogging Pete, really appreciate it 🙏❤️🇹🇭
I moved to Thailand the same year as Jon (2005) and I remember clearly getting over 40 baht to the dollar and getting 20 baht fried rice. Even with the strong dollar right now food has basically doubled. That's staggering when you really consider how fast things are changing here.
@@jeremyivy2753 Who said I expected anything? I'm saying you have far less purchasing power (even inflation adjusted) than you did 17 years ago. 2022-2005 = 17 btw.
But that's probably the same thing in your home country right? I moved to Thailand this year, and i spend at least half on mandatory expenses on what i had in my home country. Yes bangkok & Thailand got more expensive, but the whole world did so
@@Michael-dc1og Food didn't double in America in 17 years, not even close. Only now since last year are we seeing any real inflation. Not only did the food double here the dollar lost something like 25% of its value.
One of your best nailed it..."sacrificing for something that doesn't exist" always weigh your opportunity costs. BKk isn't always less expensive if you want to maintain your western life style.
It would be interesting to see an interview with Jonas Anderson or Christy Gibson who both moved here when they were kids.They went on to become successful luktung/morlam singers. I think she is now a teacher.
Interesting Video, Jon sounds like he has a welsh accent crossed with Cornwall if that is possible lol. I have watched one of his videos on his channel and he states his 1st time in Thailand was in late 2006 he was awe-inspired by Bangkok but also quoted in the same sentance he had travelled around Europe, Africa and the USA and was still just 17 years old ?? Eat your heart out Alan Wicker this guy makes you look like a "Home Boy". He must always believe if a story is worth telling it's worth exaggerating as well
He wouldn't do it again because BKK is no longer "gritty, dirty, and cheap"? I came to BKK for the first time in 2004. I find it still to be sufficiently gritty. I'm happy that it isn't as dirty, and what place in the world hasn't gotten more expensive?
Hi Pete and Jon. Chiang Mai is a very big town ...but surely not in the province where I will liked to live permanently in. Long time ago it is was kind of the dream Mu Ban for the online workers...but I believe that when you want more peaceful and healthy, then you change for another place. He went to Thailand just one year before my second trip to Thailand (Phuket 2006)...but I cannot say about the changes in Bangkok, my holidays were elsewhere, often in Phuket...and changes were hugge in the last two decades. Obviously new buildings everywhere. Cost of life was not same,..,but it is best to know the currency exchange it was : a way cheaper then. Maybe for 1 EUR I had 44 THB about 2006/2007...now 1 EUR 36.5 THB...easy to guess, why it is difficult to compare.
One interesting observation made by Jon is that Thailand is changing, and has changed radically during the past almost 20 years since he first arrived. Jon prefers the Thailand of 2004 which he knew and loved. He now feels nostalgia for what is no more. I can fully empathize with his sense of loss. And yet, the very things, the antique cultural attributes which most enticed Jon, in 2004, are the very things which Thailand is working hard to leave behind, for better or worse. Maybe if Jon were older, then he might already have a more accurate perspective of how developing countries develop. There are, undoubtedly, others reading these words who are old enough to have lived in Japan during the good old times, 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, one could walk into a soba shop and feast on noodles for a pittance. But, it was more than that! It was the entire feeling of Japanese culture that has now been almost completely lost in the concrete jungle that the Japanese government has built. And, maybe, just due to this loss, then much of Japan's culturally based identity has also been lost. But it's not only Japan. Hong Kong culture of the 1960s is gone. And, Taiwan is a cultural travesty of what it once was. For anyone, any foreigner-outsider, who came to Asia, attracted by traditional Asian culture, then one is bound to be full of nostalgia and feelings of loss, now. Why can't things just stay the same? It's not only the Five Tigers that have been developing at a blistering pace during the past four decades. Thailand has, too. I am talking about perspective. For example, when Pete was born, I would have already been too old to be the father someone as young as he. I am not so old that I am old enough to have seen entire civilizations come and go. However, I am definitely old enough to have seen the very things that Jon now feels such nostalgia for go by the wayside. Therefore, my advice is to get over it. We should not continue to live in the past. Neither should we mourn for, or try to ressurect the past, just through moving out to the countryside, where things, superficially, might seem more primitive and reminiscent of the old days, now gone forever. Jon's feelings of what has been lost, culturally, I know full well. Some guys have written books about it. And yet. There is always hope for the future. And, if you love traditional cultural roots as much as I, then, I hope you will often listen to the great song sung by Zero Mostel... TRADITION!
OETE a great one this creativity and way of finding the way ahead is astounding. You have a magnetic way of attracting people with inspiring stories. I am retired and about to restart my travels in Asia having hunkered down in Mexico till the covid blew over. My excessive utube watching I found you are the most creative and interesting.
I agree 100% with his feeling about the change of things in Bangkok. It was interesting then, now it's SO much NEW. Reminds me of Atlanta. I have a not good feeling about where this will take Bkk in even the near future. It would be interesting to get the stats to see what the flow OUT of Bkk and to smaller cities like Udon Thani, etc. is like. If you really don't like the changes, go to a small village in rice country, won't change much in 10 or more years :)
Hey Pete, interesting content again. I find it comical that Jon didn't like the way his own country was headed but would like to make change to Thailand to be more like the western world! IMO the most enjoyable part of Thailand is the point of difference
I like Jon’s channel , he’s very knowledgeable on how things work in Thailand you could learn a lot from his channel especially his last channel which was completely erased over night. Which was odd, he made a comeback a few weeks later. He keeps his cards close to his chest which is fair enough,. I suspect tat he’s not really English? I’m pretty sure he said on his old channel that English is not is mother tongue and he I also think he said he writes software for a living, I could be wrong I can’t go back and check because that channel has been deleted. A mysterious fella, it would be tough having a TH-cam channel and trying to remain private at the same time.
John your so right Bangkok has changed the shops were so authentic the prices of foreign food has gone crazy as well lovely story John I met a nurse and English woman who learned thai fluently and payed tax for 5 years and she was earning 80 000 thai baht per month she said she won’t go back to the uk
I would like to understand why he would not relocate to Thailand anymore if he had to decide nowadays. Just because his pound lost worth and prices went up in general?
Kind of repetitive to be honest kept saying the same thing how it used to be cheap and not anymore 5 times. Would have liked to dive deeper, if he speaks Thai, where he met his wife, what does she do, if she’s been to the u.k, etc.
Speaking more about introversion and "eye contact", etc., etc., etc. Some of you may not know that Dick Cavett was a HUGE introvert. Dick Cavett also experienced difficulty in maintaining eye contact with his guests. Maybe this is just one of many factors which contributed to his great success as an interviewer. No doubt! I still recall Cavett's Janis Joplin interview. So touching, really... Two introverts, Joplin and Cavett, going toe to toe, and not a dry eye in the room. If only Pete could get another Janis Joplin for an intimate interview, in October, then he'd have it made in the shade. The reason I have SUBSCRIBED to Thairish Times is because I know that this channel is up and coming. I was circumspect, initially, naturally. But I am now betting on this horse, a horse I know can run faster than the rest. And, let's all admit that almost nobody loves a good horse race, like the Irish. So, for now, I am backing Thairish Times. Mostly, for my own pleasure. Use the crop, Man! Use the crop!
Reminds me of a line in The Dubliners song McAlpine's Fusiliers..."Mother dear I'm over here and I'm never coming back". It's been a recurring line in my life 🎶
Speaking of "9 or 10" Bottles: I just hope that more guys would watch the Albert Finney film, "Under the Volcano", and also read the book written by Malcolm Lowry. The film is frightening. And, it is depressing. How do you keep yourself "on track" in a foreign land like Mexico or Thailand? I am not comparing John Canton, and his experiences, to Under the Volcano. I am only stating that others, those who might not have as much moral fiber, might more easily succumb to a more under-the-volcano result. Moral fiber is not the same as dietary fiber, and it is harder to come by. Albert Finney did a superb job acting in Under the Volcano. Truly Amazing, in fact. Just don't let the fiction of Under the Volcano become your reality, if you decide to go native in Thailand. Don't lose touch with your roots, for example. Stay very goal oriented, and plan ahead, knowing that, as you age, your goals will continue to evolve. How many here have watched Under the Volcano, I wonder? How many here have read Somerset Maugham's short stories? Asia is the place to be. And, I can understand why John (or Jon) loves Thailand. It is the world that is changing, after all! And, change in Thailand happens more slowly. You Can't Go Home Again! Read more of Thomas Wolfe, too, because, being here in Thailand, then what else do you have to do?
Oh Lord, His top three reasons are all the same. It was cheap. Also love when someone has a job they cannot explain. This is not a happy dude. Every where changes and also you were a child and of course you grew up and realize you need different things than you got by on when you were a teenager.
yea, the top three reasons thing was odd, but at least he seems like a genuine dude who doesnt have his head up his own a$%, which is something you see with a lot of expats in Thailand.
Living in Thailand is a mystery everyone is asking each other how to get around the rule (if rule actually exist) or is it the magical greasing of the palm.
I believe its a human condition to long for the good old days. I am very nostalgic myself. People are not predisposed to accept change easily but we must. We have no choice in the end . I was interested how the job description topic was not easily answered and there was so much talk about this visa and that visa I really had no idea what that was about and a business with no Thai employees was quite a feat to acheive in Thailand, well done there.
Concerning the suggestion to "Post More Comments" in order to give TH-cam's algorithm what it likes: I think nobody, outside Google, truly understands or can predict the TH-cam algorithm. However, this does not mean that I will not keep on keeping on, with the comments. Pete's channel is really GOOD. And, it will continue to get even better, month by month. I, for one, have enough time on my hands, and enough interest in this channel, to post comments here, and feed the algorithm. What I do wonder is what kind of comments might be more appetizing to Google's algorithm. In my opinion, I think that Google likes long, well-informed, civil, and pertinent comments, and also diverse comments which hit on many various topics, all encapsulated in a logical statement. We should do our best to comment, IF Pete can continue to come up with more great interviews. Personally, I plan to only relax and reduce my commentary here when this channel gets to 101K subscribers. Starting a new YT channel is not easy. In fact, it is akin to the work of Sisyphus rolling his immense boulder up a hill, over and over. Another fact: Giving that this algorithm is now written and modified through AI, then I think that Google, itself, has not much insight into the YT algorithm, these days. Good Luck with this!
Very strange interview. The guy seems a little hyper-active. Barely any eye contact. All about visas.....Work.... Companies....Nothing much about the country itself. Very odd.
Yes I remember it was 76 thai baht to the £ food land soi 5 it was 80 thai baht for about a week and 300 thai baht for t bone steak fries 🍟 salad pot of tea orange 🍊 juice and it was so cheap 300 thai baht for a room in Phuket £3. 40 per night lol 😂 John those were the days
I does not sound like he telling the real story he been living in thailand since he was 17 but then he says he misses the pub beers in the uk so he is in the pub drinking at 16 and younger? REALLY... HMM.
My friends and I used to go to the pub at 14 years old in London back in the 80s. No one cared how old you were as it wasn't a big deal in the UK back then. But yes very unhealthy.
Everyone starts drinking in Ireland age 16... in fact its almost expected even tho legal age is 18. Wales has similar pub culture. Not unusual at all. Everyone's so uptight in America but they let absolutely anyone own a gun. Go figure.
Pete asks: "9 or 10 bottles"?? Paraphrasing the Reply: "Yes, but they were small bottles, the tiny bottles, not the one-liter bottles". Peter O'Toole, and Peter Finch, and Albert Finney!!! My wish is that John Canton gets his wish, and becomes a permanent resident of Thailand. Honest, hardworking guys, who are willing to live out in the sticks of Thailand, should be welcome. Good Luck to John in his quest!
What I really like about Jon is, he doesn't wear rose colored glasses when discussing Thailand.. Far far too many expats think that Thailand is glitter and rainbows and it can do no wrong. It's just as dangerous a mindset as the complainer who hates everything about Thailand, maybe even more dangerous.
"Did you make any mistakes as a young man"? Reply: "Well....I remember waking up one morning; I've got like a tattoo all down here and all here. Like....What happened?" Good interview. Smart guy. But, while it's perfectly OK to come to Asia when one is 18, which I did, still it is imperative to return to one's home country after a few years, finish your education, and then return to Asia for the rest of your life.
Something shady about this guy or he is very nervous ( not of the camera ). He is avoiding eye contact, speed talking and strumming fingers. It's seems to me that there is another underlying story to this guy that he doesn't want to disclose. Just my opinion from his body language. He also keeps going on about leaving England. I've never heard any dialect in England like his. He's sounding more of a cross between Welsh and Eastern European. He repetitively uses the word "like", which points to Wales or NE England. There's just something about him that doesn't sit right. Maybe he had to leave 'England' for some reason? 🤔
Mmmm..nervous about doing a life interview with a stranger thats going to be viewed by thousands....why would you demonise a man's character to make yourself look clever 🤔 silly boy
I soooo wanted to have a Dig at John when he said he saved all his money when he started working to move to Thailand .If i'd done that at 17 i'd have £200 in the bank ''Where did it all go wrong Geno '' 🤦♂I'm slightly older 🙄.But fair play to him 👍,100% helps he married a Thai
Interesting he says if he had of known Bkk / Thailand would change so much he would never have moved here etc. Does he acknowledge that every country evolves and changes with time. We would he lived that hasn’t changed in the past 17 years? What’s wrong with change? I agree with him the neighbors burning shit off is annoying. We have 2 that do it. One old lady burns charcoal every day bc she can’t afford gas. The other one randomly burns plastic at 4am in the morning. What a tosser
I just subscribed to Jon's channel. Why? He's a "riot", and very entertaining, and he speaks much about Chiang Mai. All you need to do, is do what I did. Go to Jon's channel, and hit SUBSCRIBE. You may be pleasantly surprised.
@@Tom-Yum-Gai Its BS. One has to fill out the form and apply at special branch. Then its a waiting game for them. There is no quota/limit as you suggest
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It seems to me he's kinda put the cart before the horse. Most people work 20 to 30 years so you'll have some kinda cushion at retirement age. If I could go back 30 years to when I was able bodied I'd have gone in the merchant navy. If you own your own pkace in Asia your expenses are basically zero.
To set up a Thai Company, you need to establish a legal finance bond , at least B1m? You would certainly need a Thai Lawyer (cost) and the company is owned by? The 49%/50% ownership legality? The company by law, has to present yearly a legalized P&L statement. (Profit and Loss) for taxation purposes. After 2 years of reporting no profits its very liable to be closed! Some of the things Jon is saying is more than a bit 'jumbled' --I'm being kind! So, working hard, then so much time off doing what? Run out of money but managed to get into business on line (Agent fees B40,000) drinking 10 beers some days, getting tattoos! Living of B60 k per month? Sorry Pete, this is one dubious character , not one of your best selections for interviews! Stick with the types akin to Noah Shepard and the Indian guy (my apologies to him for not remembering his name! I thought he was fantastic!) with the full face tattoos! They seem more genuine! I'm actually surprised I sat this one out!
My brother has a company in BKK with employees and he's 100% the owner. We're Americans though and this isn't available to all nationalities as I understand it.
It's pretty obvious to me that his English has become tainted by Thai mannerisms (did you notice how he says "Thailand", "country" or "money"?). The same with the somewhat awkward body language.
@@HairyPixels Actually, after having lived in Asia for over 44 years, my mannerisms have definitely changed in so many ways. However, I have not been "tainted" by my exposure to Asia in the pejorative sense of the word. I have just been IMPROVED by my life spent in Asia.
Thanks for this very REAL interview. Thailand is no longer cheap. Most of us cannot live like a king. In 2004.I visited Thailand and it was cheap. It set in stone my future retirement plans. I am here now but on a modest income do NOT live like a king. I live like a frugal survivor. Nothing fancy. I do see the rich guys flaunting their wealth and making the rest of us feel very small (an alpha male, egotistical, narcissistic thing some wealthy guys do). So I stay alone mostly and maybe once a month have a decent night out. I cannot afford a Thai girlfriend. Many guys here cannot. I will die alone but have no choice. My home country more expensive and I am rejected as a medically retired single middle aged retired guy. I don't have women swooning over me of course so the only company I can have is a chat at a cheap bar with a lady who I buy a drink for. All I can afford and yes I am pathetic and lonely. Such is life for those of us less fortunate. But a better life than where we were from. Watching these videos make me sad sometimes as they are all success stories. They make me feel really small and pathetic. I need to perhaps find somewhere that I feel more accepted as a low income guy but time is running out. Not everyone is going to get it right. I didn't.
I mean no offence but you need to lighten up and work on your personality. It may surprise you but there are plenty of people who do not only want to associate with wealthy people. There are great and interesting people everywhere, try be one of them x
What is it like to live life like the upper crust? Do you even know? Have you this experience? Do you even know what it's like to have a hunting lodge on a private lake, and with servants at your beck and call? I know what life is. Stand on that chair. Turn on the lights. No, ALL the lights. I know what life is. Listen to Randy Newman. Get a life, Is my advice.
Check out Jon's channel here: th-cam.com/users/JonCanton
DEFINITELY!: I will. I LIKE this guy! But, I LOVE Richard Harris, and his ilk!!!!!
Jons a great guy
Great interview.
Obviously a big part of his story is that he married a Thai lady. He sort of touched on how that made things "simpler" for forming a company, work permits etc. I am surprised you didn't delve into that side of his experience a bit more.
Great video and I reckon Jon will keep building his niche little by little.....and good luck to him.
yeah, try and find a single guy that did/is doing this. Marrying a local is the #1 way to make things easier (IF you pick a good one and don't go stupid-in-Pattaya)
Thanks!
Thank you so much Patrick. This is really really appreciated 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I really enjoy watching Jon's channel. He's got a legit honest view of Thailand and interesting for people who have been living here long enough to be more realistic about the country.
I watch Jon all the time. Always great content and I’m super impressed he moved to Thailand at 17.
I moved to China at 17. Now I am 30 and living in Thailand. Of course moving so young there is no way you can legally hold a job because you would not have finished a degree. I spent 9 years in China and learnt Chinese fluently. Later married my childhood friend in Thailand and moved to Thailand.
That could be a movie. Great story 👍🏼👍🏼
I like the way he put it, he recognises he wouldn't do the same things if he knew, not many people can recognise their mistakes.
except as I said above IF he'd moved to a smaller city or a village near one things actually got better over the years re infrastructure, etc. So that observation mostly holds to the main cities/tourist areas I think.
First of all, I think Jon is really genuine and I appreciate how he doesn't see Thailand with rose colored glasses like so many falang do. The types that espouse the belief that Thailand and Thai people can do no wrong and if you dont like it you can "Go back to where you came from" really are a tiring lot...
this guy is great he should be an adviser for all newcomers
very smart and honest wow incredible
Great meeting you Pete! :)
Darned Fine interview. Keep on plugging. Life is a horse race. Don't get thrown jumping the hurdles. (Or, more accurately, life is an equestrian steeplechase.)
Best of luck to you John. It was a pleasure to meet you too
Good interview, as always, Pete. He was a brave guy moving to Thailand at such a ridiculously young age. He is right though, Bangkok has changed massively since I first visited in 1993. It's much more expensive and far less shabby and in many ways these days more like any other Asian metropolis.
Thanks Frank
Whole world has changed!!
Jon's primary thesis on Thailand is that it's changed so much that you really need to be honest with yourself and ask the question if Thailand is still the right place to be. Time has a way of passing you by and if you don't confront changes and adapt you'll get swept away and lose your grounding. I think that's what happened to Jon and many other people in this situation, myself included.
OK, Mr. Bigfoot...Agree 100% that there are many changes here, and not for the better. Sometimes I think it's going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket, but that's true for most places on the globe...Thailand is fully connected to the WOKE West, and identifies closely with America, it used to be Britain...WOKE culture is here complete with LGBT, et cetera...Anyway, White folks are leaving for other places in Southeast Asia like the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia... Latin America is just way too dangerous although there are a few Canadians and Americans who have moved to Mexico....Hispanic culture although not Anglo-Saxon, shares many similarities and North Americans can identify with just as same as many Britons who moved to Spain, for instance... Finally, no, it's not cheap to live in Thailand any more, especially Bangkok... If one chooses to live in one of the many provinces, it surely will be cheaper, but you are sacrificing healthcare, Western food, and so on...Going native is hot, sticky and humid... unsanitary in sleeping space, toilet, shower, and for the most part food is edible and most are tasty if you like spicy, but some dishes can be revolting like eating bugs, worms, uncooked fermented fish that always has tapeworms, and even rats on the menu.
Thailand is good for an extended holiday each year (2/3 months), but I wouldn't want to live there full time, especially if it means having to get married! Fool$ game, that one ...
Glad that you got Jon on, been following him on TH-cam for a while now. Really interesting guy 🙂
Very interesting interview, Jon has a wealth of practical knowledge and good to hear a realistic perspective of Thai life . Thanks Pete you’ve done it again .
Cheers mate ☺️☺️
Hiya Pete- gosh , you did it again! Love all the questions you’ve asked and this guy was so brave to have moved to Thailand at the age of 17…..very admirable! Where on earth do you find people to interview?😬 Thanks for sharing & have a great day 🙏🏼
Thanks Marietta, I seem to get lucky and find really interesting characters
@@ThairishTimes Its not Luck Pete. I think you make the interview interesting by steering the Interviewee in the right direction to keep it flowing and you have certainly developed a knack of getting the best out of the people you Interview. One od your biggest plusses is you dont talk over people and you listen just like good old Parky in his day.
where has,nt changed in 15 + years??he contradicted himself saying the hotel had only risen in price 60 baht in all this time after complaining about how expensive things are now...but interesting guy...but i wouldnt buy a car off him if u know what i mean😉
He speaks english with a slight thai accent! amazing!
no he don't
Thanks for the great videos, here's a couple coffees/beers on me :)
Thank you very much Dan 🙏
@@ThairishTimes I saw the title of your latest video, looks like you're going home. Wish you the best there and with whatever you're up to next.
i always enjoy your interviews, Pete. I thought John was a bite dodgy with a few of your questions, in particular the ones about his work. "I manage groups of people", I guess if I found a great job that most do not know about, I would not want to share to much info. Great interview Pete!
Thanks Thomas
I have lived in Shanghai for 20 years, and have a Shanghainese wife. Now in Thailand and I can say it is a different kettle of fish when it comes to permanent living here in the kingdom in regards to visas. I completely understand the sentiment of living long-term and knowing that you will never be a permanent citizen. I was thinking of two choices, either Spain or Thailand as Spain has their golden visa, so with an initial investment, you would get in return, a permanent residence, which would offer peace of mind.
Peace of mind is not the same as piece of ass.
Or, do you prefer to run before the bulls, in Spain, as Hemingway?
@@YuChiGongG Man, I just finished that book, I really don't get why it is considered a classic.. Snoooooozers
Great that you have met Jon, he has some great videos about Chang Mai 👍
He does indeed Paul
Snap! I was 17 when I went to England and remain there ever since. (home is where you make it) Well done Jon for what you've achieved and I hope you can get permanent residency there🤞 Another enjoyable vlogging Pete, really appreciate it 🙏❤️🇹🇭
Thank you Oy. Home is exactly the where you make it so true
I moved to Thailand the same year as Jon (2005) and I remember clearly getting over 40 baht to the dollar and getting 20 baht fried rice. Even with the strong dollar right now food has basically doubled. That's staggering when you really consider how fast things are changing here.
you expect the same food to cost 20 baht 12 years later? how silly
@@jeremyivy2753 Who said I expected anything? I'm saying you have far less purchasing power (even inflation adjusted) than you did 17 years ago. 2022-2005 = 17 btw.
But that's probably the same thing in your home country right?
I moved to Thailand this year, and i spend at least half on mandatory expenses on what i had in my home country.
Yes bangkok & Thailand got more expensive, but the whole world did so
@@Michael-dc1og Food didn't double in America in 17 years, not even close. Only now since last year are we seeing any real inflation. Not only did the food double here the dollar lost something like 25% of its value.
@@HairyPixels fried rice where I am from cost over 500 THB..
That was very informative,, great job 👏
I moved here when i was 19 and i'm 40 now!
nice I hope it’s worked out well for you
One of your best nailed it..."sacrificing for something that doesn't exist" always weigh your opportunity costs. BKk isn't always less expensive if you want to maintain your western life style.
It would be interesting to see an interview with Jonas Anderson or Christy Gibson who both moved here when they were kids.They went on to become successful luktung/morlam singers. I think she is now a teacher.
Amazing! Really like John exploring Chiang Mai
Hope you’re well Renato
Interesting guest... I'm subscribed to his channel as he has some interesting stuff on Chiang mai which is where my missus is from.. cheers.
Great interview!
Thanks ☺️
Interesting Video, Jon sounds like he has a welsh accent crossed with Cornwall if that is possible lol. I have watched one of his videos on his channel and he states his 1st time in Thailand was in late 2006 he was awe-inspired by Bangkok but also quoted in the same sentance he had travelled around Europe, Africa and the USA and was still just 17 years old ??
Eat your heart out Alan Wicker this guy makes you look like a "Home Boy".
He must always believe if a story is worth telling it's worth exaggerating as well
He wouldn't do it again because BKK is no longer "gritty, dirty, and cheap"? I came to BKK for the first time in 2004. I find it still to be sufficiently gritty. I'm happy that it isn't as dirty, and what place in the world hasn't gotten more expensive?
Hi Pete and Jon. Chiang Mai is a very big town ...but surely not in the province where I will liked to live permanently in. Long time ago it is was kind of the dream Mu Ban for the online workers...but I believe that when you want more peaceful and healthy, then you change for another place. He went to Thailand just one year before my second trip to Thailand (Phuket 2006)...but I cannot say about the changes in Bangkok, my holidays were elsewhere, often in Phuket...and changes were hugge in the last two decades. Obviously new buildings everywhere. Cost of life was not same,..,but it is best to know the currency exchange it was : a way cheaper then. Maybe for 1 EUR I had 44 THB about 2006/2007...now 1 EUR 36.5 THB...easy to guess, why it is difficult to compare.
One interesting observation made by Jon is that Thailand is changing, and has changed radically during the past almost 20 years since he first arrived.
Jon prefers the Thailand of 2004 which he knew and loved. He now feels nostalgia for what is no more.
I can fully empathize with his sense of loss. And yet, the very things, the antique cultural attributes which most enticed Jon, in 2004, are the very things which Thailand is working hard to leave behind, for better or worse.
Maybe if Jon were older, then he might already have a more accurate perspective of how developing countries develop.
There are, undoubtedly, others reading these words who are old enough to have lived in Japan during the good old times, 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, one could walk into a soba shop and feast on noodles for a pittance.
But, it was more than that! It was the entire feeling of Japanese culture that has now been almost completely lost in the concrete jungle that the Japanese government has built. And, maybe, just due to this loss, then much of Japan's culturally based identity has also been lost.
But it's not only Japan. Hong Kong culture of the 1960s is gone. And, Taiwan is a cultural travesty of what it once was.
For anyone, any foreigner-outsider, who came to Asia, attracted by traditional Asian culture, then one is bound to be full of nostalgia and feelings of loss, now.
Why can't things just stay the same?
It's not only the Five Tigers that have been developing at a blistering pace during the past four decades. Thailand has, too.
I am talking about perspective.
For example, when Pete was born, I would have already been too old to be the father someone as young as he.
I am not so old that I am old enough to have seen entire civilizations come and go.
However, I am definitely old enough to have seen the very things that Jon now feels such nostalgia for go by the wayside.
Therefore, my advice is to get over it. We should not continue to live in the past. Neither should we mourn for, or try to ressurect the past, just through moving out to the countryside, where things, superficially, might seem more primitive and reminiscent of the old days, now gone forever.
Jon's feelings of what has been lost, culturally, I know full well. Some guys have written books about it.
And yet. There is always hope for the future. And, if you love traditional cultural roots as much as I, then, I hope you will often listen to the great song sung by Zero Mostel...
TRADITION!
if you are nostalgic for the Thailand of 2004, can you imagine how the expats who have been here since the 60s or 70s feel.
Good one Pete, love to hear more about his experiences in Thailand..
OETE a great one this creativity and way of finding the way ahead is astounding. You have a magnetic way of attracting people with inspiring stories. I am retired and about to restart my travels in Asia having hunkered down in Mexico till the covid blew over. My excessive utube watching I found you are the most creative and interesting.
Thanks so much Michael. Enjoy your travels
I agree 100% with his feeling about the change of things in Bangkok. It was interesting then, now it's SO much NEW. Reminds me of Atlanta. I have a not good feeling about where this will take Bkk in even the near future. It would be interesting to get the stats to see what the flow OUT of Bkk and to smaller cities like Udon Thani, etc. is like. If you really don't like the changes, go to a small village in rice country, won't change much in 10 or more years :)
OMG I dread to think what would've happened to me if I arrived at 17 yrs old lol
Haha Paul imagine the stories
Hey Pete, interesting content again. I find it comical that Jon didn't like the way his own country was headed but would like to make change to Thailand to be more like the western world! IMO the most enjoyable part of Thailand is the point of difference
Thanks Wayne
I like Jon’s channel , he’s very knowledgeable on how things work in Thailand you could learn a lot from his channel especially his last channel which was completely erased over night. Which was odd, he made a comeback a few weeks later. He keeps his cards close to his chest which is fair enough,. I suspect tat he’s not really English? I’m pretty sure he said on his old channel that English is not is mother tongue and he I also think he said he writes software for a living, I could be wrong I can’t go back and check because that channel has been deleted. A mysterious fella, it would be tough having a TH-cam channel and trying to remain private at the same time.
John your so right Bangkok has changed the shops were so authentic the prices of foreign food has gone crazy as well lovely story John I met a nurse and English woman who learned thai fluently and payed tax for 5 years and she was earning 80 000 thai baht per month she said she won’t go back to the uk
Great interview - very interesting man - he could become an immigration consultant as another string to his bow , I reckon - great job .
He is referring to 2005 as back in the day. Ghee...I'm getting old😩
I would like to understand why he would not relocate to Thailand anymore if he had to decide nowadays.
Just because his pound lost worth and prices went up in general?
Kind of repetitive to be honest kept saying the same thing how it used to be cheap and not anymore 5 times. Would have liked to dive deeper, if he speaks Thai, where he met his wife, what does she do, if she’s been to the u.k, etc.
Speaking more about introversion and "eye contact", etc., etc., etc.
Some of you may not know that Dick Cavett was a HUGE introvert.
Dick Cavett also experienced difficulty in maintaining eye contact with his guests. Maybe this is just one of many factors which contributed to his great success as an interviewer. No doubt!
I still recall Cavett's Janis Joplin interview. So touching, really...
Two introverts, Joplin and Cavett, going toe to toe, and not a dry eye in the room.
If only Pete could get another Janis Joplin for an intimate interview, in October, then he'd have it made in the shade.
The reason I have SUBSCRIBED to Thairish Times is because I know that this channel is up and coming.
I was circumspect, initially, naturally.
But I am now betting on this horse, a horse I know can run faster than the rest.
And, let's all admit that almost nobody loves a good horse race, like the Irish.
So, for now, I am backing Thairish Times.
Mostly, for my own pleasure.
Use the crop, Man!
Use the crop!
Haha brilliant, back this horse mate have a flutter
that interesting that hes invoicing his work through his own company for his work visa... that is a great kinda loop hole that hes using
Oh yes, another one of my favs.
Another interesting interview Pete. I’ve watched this twice (almost) now and still can’t place his accent. It’s driving me nuts, lol.
I thought northern England but could be wrong
He sounds Dutch.
Reminds me of a line in The Dubliners song McAlpine's Fusiliers..."Mother dear I'm over here and I'm never coming back". It's been a recurring line in my life 🎶
😂😂😂
The Dubliners , my favorite group In free Ireland in the late sixties ! By the way I’m french.
Did he say at the age of 17 he had saved up 15 grand from working for years? Did he not go to school?
Speaking of "9 or 10" Bottles: I just hope that more guys would watch the Albert Finney film, "Under the Volcano", and also read the book written by Malcolm Lowry. The film is frightening. And, it is depressing. How do you keep yourself "on track" in a foreign land like Mexico or Thailand? I am not comparing John Canton, and his experiences, to Under the Volcano. I am only stating that others, those who might not have as much moral fiber, might more easily succumb to a more under-the-volcano result. Moral fiber is not the same as dietary fiber, and it is harder to come by. Albert Finney did a superb job acting in Under the Volcano. Truly Amazing, in fact. Just don't let the fiction of Under the Volcano become your reality, if you decide to go native in Thailand. Don't lose touch with your roots, for example. Stay very goal oriented, and plan ahead, knowing that, as you age, your goals will continue to evolve. How many here have watched Under the Volcano, I wonder? How many here have read Somerset Maugham's short stories? Asia is the place to be. And, I can understand why John (or Jon) loves Thailand. It is the world that is changing, after all! And, change in Thailand happens more slowly. You Can't Go Home Again! Read more of Thomas Wolfe, too, because, being here in Thailand, then what else do you have to do?
Oh Lord, His top three reasons are all the same. It was cheap. Also love when someone has a job they cannot explain. This is not a happy dude. Every where changes and also you were a child and of course you grew up and realize you need different things than you got by on when you were a teenager.
yea, the top three reasons thing was odd, but at least he seems like a genuine dude who doesnt have his head up his own a$%, which is something you see with a lot of expats in Thailand.
@@Ned88Man Expats in Thailand with YT channels all have there heads you know where. They are like a plague.
I like Jon genuine ..a lot of TH-camrs all the same
Top 3 reasons to move to Thailand.
1. Cheap
2. Affordable.
3. Very cheap
🤷♂️
Fair play John, a great interview 👍 Cheers Pete, watched this sitting in the cliffs of Moher with a sambo 😂
Grand soft day at the cliffs today ;)
Nice one Derek. I see you’re off on your travels again. More videos coming soon I hope
Wouldn't it be great if there was a TH-cam channel specifically focussing on Thailand warts n all without any fear?
Living in Thailand is a mystery everyone is asking each other how to get around the rule (if rule actually exist) or is it the magical greasing of the palm.
Good stuff!
Nice to see an interview with someone that’s not making up shit as they goes along 👍
I believe its a human condition to long for the good old days. I am very nostalgic myself. People are not predisposed to accept change easily but we must. We have no choice in the end . I was interested how the job description topic was not easily answered and there was so much talk about this visa and that visa I really had no idea what that was about and a business with no Thai employees was quite a feat to acheive in Thailand, well done there.
I'm trying to work out the accent!?? Sounds like a German who lived in the North West for a while... intriguing
I thought it was Yorkshire but not too sure
German Yorkshire
Concerning the suggestion to "Post More Comments" in order to give TH-cam's algorithm what it likes: I think nobody, outside Google, truly understands or can predict the TH-cam algorithm. However, this does not mean that I will not keep on keeping on, with the comments. Pete's channel is really GOOD. And, it will continue to get even better, month by month.
I, for one, have enough time on my hands, and enough interest in this channel, to post comments here, and feed the algorithm.
What I do wonder is what kind of comments might be more appetizing to Google's algorithm.
In my opinion, I think that Google likes long, well-informed, civil, and pertinent comments, and also diverse comments which hit on many various topics, all encapsulated in a logical statement.
We should do our best to comment, IF Pete can continue to come up with more great interviews.
Personally, I plan to only relax and reduce my commentary here when this channel gets to 101K subscribers.
Starting a new YT channel is not easy.
In fact, it is akin to the work of Sisyphus rolling his immense boulder up a hill, over and over.
Another fact: Giving that this algorithm is now written and modified through AI, then I think that Google, itself, has not much insight into the YT algorithm, these days. Good Luck with this!
Interesting observations about the algo mate!!
Good interview
Nice Vlog Pete , he’s an interesting dood
Very strange interview. The guy seems a little hyper-active. Barely any eye contact. All about visas.....Work.... Companies....Nothing much about the country itself. Very odd.
Very interesting another good one THANK S FOR CLONMEL IRELAND
Yes I remember it was 76 thai baht to the £ food land soi 5 it was 80 thai baht for about a week and 300 thai baht for t bone steak fries 🍟 salad pot of tea orange 🍊 juice and it was so cheap 300 thai baht for a room in Phuket £3. 40 per night lol 😂 John those were the days
I does not sound like he telling the real story he been living in thailand since he was 17 but then he says he misses the pub beers in the uk so he is in the pub drinking at 16 and younger? REALLY... HMM.
My friends and I used to go to the pub at 14 years old in London back in the 80s. No one cared how old you were as it wasn't a big deal in the UK back then. But yes very unhealthy.
Everyone starts drinking in Ireland age 16... in fact its almost expected even tho legal age is 18. Wales has similar pub culture. Not unusual at all. Everyone's so uptight in America but they let absolutely anyone own a gun. Go figure.
Pete asks: "9 or 10 bottles"?? Paraphrasing the Reply: "Yes, but they were small bottles, the tiny bottles, not the one-liter bottles". Peter O'Toole, and Peter Finch, and Albert Finney!!! My wish is that John Canton gets his wish, and becomes a permanent resident of Thailand. Honest, hardworking guys, who are willing to live out in the sticks of Thailand, should be welcome. Good Luck to John in his quest!
That’s really well put. I agree!!
What I really like about Jon is, he doesn't wear rose colored glasses when discussing Thailand.. Far far too many expats think that Thailand is glitter and rainbows and it can do no wrong. It's just as dangerous a mindset as the complainer who hates everything about Thailand, maybe even more dangerous.
I like John
How the f. does a 17yr old have 15k savings??? He did not have the same pocket money as I did...
I wish I had 15k savings at 17! I had about 500 euro at best 🤣
"Did you make any mistakes as a young man"? Reply: "Well....I remember waking up one morning; I've got like a tattoo all down here and all here. Like....What happened?" Good interview. Smart guy. But, while it's perfectly OK to come to Asia when one is 18, which I did, still it is imperative to return to one's home country after a few years, finish your education, and then return to Asia for the rest of your life.
Why was it so short this time?
Longer ones to come mate
Something shady about this guy or he is very nervous ( not of the camera ). He is avoiding eye contact, speed talking and strumming fingers. It's seems to me that there is another underlying story to this guy that he doesn't want to disclose. Just my opinion from his body language. He also keeps going on about leaving England. I've never heard any dialect in England like his. He's sounding more of a cross between Welsh and Eastern European. He repetitively uses the word "like", which points to Wales or NE England. There's just something about him that doesn't sit right. Maybe he had to leave 'England' for some reason? 🤔
You must high
Probably just anxiety. Believe me when you leave England at that age and spend overseas your accent and langauge will change.
alot of people avoid eye contact for different reasons, he seems just a tad nervous not shady at all
Mmmm..nervous about doing a life interview with a stranger thats going to be viewed by thousands....why would you demonise a man's character to make yourself look clever 🤔 silly boy
Yes I thought the same,something not quite right
Funny I overlook a park in Jakarta and I'm currently trying to persuade the resident gangsters to stop their nightly plastic fires.
I soooo wanted to have a Dig at John when he said he saved all his money when he started working to move to Thailand .If i'd done that at 17 i'd have £200 in the bank ''Where did it all go wrong Geno '' 🤦♂I'm slightly older 🙄.But fair play to him 👍,100% helps he married a Thai
Good for him. Lucky for me I’ll be on a retirement visa whin I move over.
Counting down the days I’d say Mick. You’ll enjoy it
@@ThairishTimes counting the months. About 18 to go. Next holiday booked for next April then the serious planning begins.
Interesting he says if he had of known Bkk / Thailand would change so much he would never have moved here etc. Does he acknowledge that every country evolves and changes with time. We would he lived that hasn’t changed in the past 17 years? What’s wrong with change? I agree with him the neighbors burning shit off is annoying. We have 2 that do it. One old lady burns charcoal every day bc she can’t afford gas. The other one randomly burns plastic at 4am in the morning. What a tosser
Ask people how good is their Thai (speaking, able to read-write?) 👍
Jon can read but barely speak. Go subscribe to his channel. :)
The PB Hotel. Ha. What a place.
I just subscribed to Jon's channel. Why? He's a "riot", and very entertaining, and he speaks much about Chiang Mai. All you need to do, is do what I did. Go to Jon's channel, and hit SUBSCRIBE. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Yes yes
Does the young fella realize that he can bypass PR and go straight for citizenship with 3 years of WP etc because he is married
and go for one of the ONE HUNDRED slots that open each year??? He might get it by his 50s I suppose
@@Tom-Yum-Gai Its BS. One has to fill out the form and apply at special branch. Then its a waiting game for them. There is no quota/limit as you suggest
Planning to move and I’m 19 😎😩
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Can't you zoom chat with people in Thailand telling their stories🤔
Yep yep
Do Irishmen where kilts in Thailand.? It wold help keep the boys cool.
Nope but thanks for the suggestion 😂😂
Did he say 60k a month or 16k a month for living? 😅
60k a month but he has car and mortgage payments.
Sounds expensive to me though. I know guys who live 10-14k/month in Thailand. 😂
@@Turusentomi yeah if you have no mortgage or car payments it will be at least half of that.
fairplay to him dont think just do
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It seems to me he's kinda put the cart before the horse. Most people work 20 to 30 years so you'll have some kinda cushion at retirement age. If I could go back 30 years to when I was able bodied I'd have gone in the merchant navy. If you own your own pkace in Asia your expenses are basically zero.
The Andy Warhol of Thailand. Have you read 'Interview' magazine.
Nope just googled it and looks interesting
Genius..
Street smart 😎
Hey! I'm first!
You got it Steve
To set up a Thai Company, you need to establish a legal finance bond , at least B1m? You would certainly need a Thai Lawyer (cost) and the company is owned by? The 49%/50% ownership legality? The company by law, has to present yearly a legalized P&L statement. (Profit and Loss) for taxation purposes. After 2 years of reporting no profits its very liable to be closed! Some of the things Jon is saying is more than a bit 'jumbled' --I'm being kind! So, working hard, then so much time off doing what? Run out of money but managed to get into business on line (Agent fees B40,000) drinking 10 beers some days, getting tattoos! Living of B60 k per month? Sorry Pete, this is one dubious character , not one of your best selections for interviews! Stick with the types akin to Noah Shepard and the Indian guy (my apologies to him for not remembering his name! I thought he was fantastic!) with the full face tattoos! They seem more genuine! I'm actually surprised I sat this one out!
Basically he is a bullshiter and I am not afraid to say it.
My brother has a company in BKK with employees and he's 100% the owner. We're Americans though and this isn't available to all nationalities as I understand it.
@@HairyPixels Correct! Americans have a 'special agreement' with Thailand. Something to do with military protection if needed I believe?
@@senianns9522 yeah something from Vietnam era which they extend annually, for now at least. Maybe it's even ended, I wouldn't know without asking.
@@HairyPixels I built a factory in 2004 for an American owned business. We enjoyed that privilige !
Clever guy!
It's pretty obvious to me that his English has become tainted by Thai mannerisms (did you notice how he says "Thailand", "country" or "money"?). The same with the somewhat awkward body language.
I didn't notice, what do you mean exactly? just curious.
@@HairyPixels Actually, after having lived in Asia for over 44 years, my mannerisms have definitely changed in so many ways.
However, I have not been "tainted" by my exposure to Asia in the pejorative sense of the word.
I have just been IMPROVED by my life spent in Asia.
He's only 34? Those were some hard 34 years. lol
Thanks for this very REAL interview. Thailand is no longer cheap. Most of us cannot live like a king. In 2004.I visited Thailand and it was cheap. It set in stone my future retirement plans. I am here now but on a modest income do NOT live like a king. I live like a frugal survivor. Nothing fancy. I do see the rich guys flaunting their wealth and making the rest of us feel very small (an alpha male, egotistical, narcissistic thing some wealthy guys do). So I stay alone mostly and maybe once a month have a decent night out. I cannot afford a Thai girlfriend. Many guys here cannot. I will die alone but have no choice. My home country more expensive and I am rejected as a medically retired single middle aged retired guy. I don't have women swooning over me of course so the only company I can have is a chat at a cheap bar with a lady who I buy a drink for. All I can afford and yes I am pathetic and lonely. Such is life for those of us less fortunate. But a better life than where we were from. Watching these videos make me sad sometimes as they are all success stories. They make me feel really small and pathetic. I need to perhaps find somewhere that I feel more accepted as a low income guy but time is running out. Not everyone is going to get it right. I didn't.
I mean no offence but you need to lighten up and work on your personality. It may surprise you but there are plenty of people who do not only want to associate with wealthy people. There are great and interesting people everywhere, try be one of them x
What is it like to live life like the upper crust? Do you even know? Have you this experience?
Do you even know what it's like to have a hunting lodge on a private lake, and with servants at your beck and call?
I know what life is.
Stand on that chair.
Turn on the lights.
No, ALL the lights.
I know what life is.
Listen to Randy Newman.
Get a life,
Is my advice.
good luck mate.
We don't fall down!
you're still a veteran
and living better than many I'm sure.
I been here since 03