Ahhh, Thailand. I love the weather here, I can say that much. The people are cool as well, at least overall. I've noticed the 'true' Thais, the Thais that originated from the NE portion of Thailand are the most laid back and the nicest. The offspring of the Chinese (the nationalist Chinese who came to Thailand back in the 40s when Chang Kai Shek was fleeing to Taiwan)can be fairly rude. A trip to Bangkok's Chinatown will make that obvious to you.

But as far as working here goes, I'd avoid it. I teach here, but that is only because I have a fiance here. I'm waiting on her fiance visa to come through so we can both head elsewhere, probably South Korea, Japan, or Taiwan. When it comes through, I'm on a plane within days of it landing in my hands.

I left the great US of A just because of what you describe. Work, work, work, work, work. You gotta work there these days. No government benefits to speak of, plus the disapperance of 'good' jobs make it a requirement that one work in the US or starve to death.

But I also left because of the enroaching right-wing nazi propaganda ("the US is right, so let's take over the world!" bullshit) and the 'buy, buy, buy' capitalist brainwashing that is spreading all over.

Yeap, if you don't have money in the US these days, folks there will think you're worthless. And if you do have money, they'll think you're as good as gold no matter what kind of person you may really be, be it angel or devil.

I don't understand why anyone would want to live there if he's an unconnected type. The type who will be repeatedly passed over for good jobs because he doesn't have 'connections'. Hey, it's truer than ever in the US today--it's not what you know but who you know. If you're going to be an inflation-fighter ( a person who is artifically 'kept down' to keep his income, and thus prices overall, low) on top of enduring all the bad weather there, get out! Don't put up with it. Go to the tropics. You'll be poor, but you're gonna be poor in the US AND you'll be freezing your ass off!

** the US.