Disclaimer: below is my own personal opinion based on own personal experience and observations:
I have no stats, and, also, it is not clear to me what is meant by “most” (what %%) and “extended period of time” (how long is that?). But as far as those who leave Thailand, I think many among them have understood this:
Thailand is a place for a vacation, a cultural experience, but not very good for immigration/settling down.
By foreigners, you probably mean people from richer/Western countries as well as, maybe, Japanese and Koreans?
Thailand is a great place to visit, and for an extended stay. But not so good for actual living if you are not a Thai citizen, especially not E/SE Asian-looking.
It is, of course, the best for Thai people, as everyone loves own country, but there are countries way better than Thailand if you want to expatriate and live there permanently and get residency.
Most first world nationals go there as tourists and to maybe work for a few years on a contract. The intention is not to stay forever. Thus, they leave because they planned to leave.
But those who want to stay, such as some retirees, or those who fall in love there with a person or the country itself, often stay, although many also leave. These are the reasons for those who leave ( in my observation):
- The Thai immigration is getting stricter and stricter and is passing more and more new rules and new requirements. They basically do not want people who are not “rich”. You either need to have big sums in the bank and/or a very high pension now. It is also extremely hard to get permanent residency and pretty much impossible to get citizenship. Just various visas is all you can qualify for. And as a non-citizen, you cannot buy a house on land in your name. You are a short or a long-term guest. And that is different from being an immigrant who settles with a permanent residency card and who is studying to take a citizenship exam.
- You are restricted as far as what jobs you are allowed to have. Most jobs for foreigners are in ESL. But they pay very little. Outside of that, there is not much you can do. The other jobs are protected and are for citizens only. And, as I said, good luck getting Thai citizenship.
- Now, apparently, all foreign citizens must report to the immigration every three months and, if they are away from their house for even 24 hours, their landlord must make a report to the immigration that the foreigner is back in the house. People want a normal life and not go and report every three months as if to some probation officer like they are criminals on parole. Or have to report after you leave your house the way criminals do under house arrest. Who needs all that? And you apparently must have your passport on you at all times.
- The language/cultural difference is too much of a problem. Very hard to learn with all the tones, and you try and speak and people do not understand you. The customs are too different. Nice to study and observe, but going local is not pleasant for everybody. And the country is not really that beautiful or aesthetically pleasing. Most cities are not very attractive. The beach resorts are not better than in most places. Cambodia has much better architecture for one.
- Verbal abuse and mockery/ scorn. If you do not understand Thai (well) you just see people smiling and mumbling something. But often, they say bad and disrespectful things about you and mock you. It takes knowing the language and understanding what they say to realize that many of the smiles are not sincere. They are mocking, sardonic, scoffing smiles. Most foreigners are too lazy to learn the language so they are not aware of what is being said or what is really going on. Ignorance is bliss. Once you speak and understand it, you may get tired of so many bad and basically racist comments in Thai. The last straw in my “love affair” with Thailand was when I was going to the office, and this kid, about 7–8 years old, jumped up in front of me and started making scratching movements in the ai, like those of a prayer mantis, in front of my face while shouting, “Farang! Farang!”
- The present Thai culture is no longer the spiritual, Buddhist one. It is now insanely materialistic, money-centered, non-intellectual, with money being the God. The social class structure is like in England in the times of Dickens. If you want a traditional Buddhist culture. Cambodia next door is better, and so is Myanmar. The people are also not that friendly. Maybe they are friendlier than Brits, but not friendlier than Mexicans or Filipinos. And not as many smiles as they say. Even Americans on average smile more.
- And also, too much racial discrimination of which you become aware if you stay a long time. Too much nationalism and xenophobia. Many Thais think they are the greatest and superior to you because they were never colonized. In tourist areas, they are nice and also, very poor people are nice, but many middle class Thais look down on white (and black) people who live there. They call them farang-kee-nok (white trash). And it gets tiring that everywhere you go, it is shouts of “Farang! Farang!”. And an occasional finger stuck at you. Hard looks. You don’t feel at home. Many Thais are getting tired of too many foreigners in the country. They are feeling squeezed out.
- So, you have tasted the food, you have listened to the music, you have experienced the night life. You are full. Now what? You never feel you belong because you are obviously another race, and you have very few rights. You start meeting people who ignore you, look away from you when they see you. Lots of micro-agressions. Some places will not even let you in. Or let you in but not serve you. “Farang! Farang! You! You!!!!” So rude! You are not a Thai and will never be one. If you are a white or a black guy, many Thai ladies are ashamed to be walking with you down the street.
- And you have to deal with the constant corruption, dishonesty, double-pricing, swindling, scamming, cheating, and lying.
9a. The quality of services is not so good. As you get older you want comfort in life and efficient services. Things are cheap but the quality is also low.
10. And finally, the main reason: it is too expensive to live in now for an average person even if you put up with all the above. It used to be cheap, but no more. And instead of becoming “rich” in Thailand with your Western money, you are now not so rich and must budget. And, Thais do not respect non-rich foreigners. They don’t want them there. They want “farang ruay”. Or for someone to come, spend his money and get out. Some foreigners think that they are “rich” compared to the Isaan people’s monthly salary, but those Isaan people have land while you can’t even buy one square millimeter of it in Thailand because you have no right.
So, Western and other first world people will say, “I don’t need to be here all my life and put up with all those restrictions and annoyances. I don’t want to be living in a country where I am forever a guest with very few rights, and always a foreign element at the mercy of local authorities, and a laughing stock for the locals to bark, “Farang! Farang!” and stick fingers at. I have a good passport, I can go back to my country or to a better place”.
One guy wrote how he got tired of all these Thai problems and went to Mexico. 6 month visas on arrival (free), similar climate and no people sticking fingers at you and barking, “Farang! Farang!” And no overcharging. And you can buy a house in your name. No problemo.
The food is also good; and the ladies are pretty, too. And they are not ashamed to walk down the street with you.
Thailand is not the only fish in the sea, not the only bird in the sky.
A nice place to visit, not to live in.
Moving on!
I did. In Mexico now.
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