I ditched UK & bought a one-way ticket – I’ll never return because it’s too expensive & you can’t walk streets safely

A MAN bought a one-way ticket and ditched the UK – starting a new life in Bangkok, Thailand.

Riyan Ruparelia, 22, vowed never to return to Britain because of the ever-increasing life costs and dangerous crime levels.

SWNS

SWNS

SWNS

Before he upped sticks and left for Asia in January, Riyan was working 30 hours a week as a receptionist at Powerleague.

Earning just £11 and living with his parents in London, he realised that he couldn’t enjoy life and was struggling to rent on his own.

Riyan decided he couldn’t settle down in England and started looking elsewhere.

After visiting Thailand three times and falling in love with the country, he booked the one-way flight from Heathrow for £500.

Now a content creator, Riyan said: “I don’t plan to live in the UK ever again.

“I will come back and see my family but I don’t feel like the UK is the sort of place I can see myself living now.

“As a country, it is not heading in the right direction.

“On my wage, I was just not able to move out of my family home.

“I know for a fact I would not have been able to afford rent.

“With rent prices through the roof and unaffordable housing, how are people affording to live in the UK?

“Here in Thailand, the cost-of-living is a tenth of the price compared to the UK.”

Another reason Riyan left the UK was down to the rise in crime as he says he felt constantly unsafe.

He said: “If you know London, there is so much knife crime and robbery.

“You don’t feel safe walking the streets and it is not getting any better.

“Here in Thailand, people will leave their keys and bags on their bikes.

“You don’t have to look behind you when you’re walking home at night and women will walk at night alone.”

Riyan said his parents were extremely “supportive” of his decision and one day he hopes to fly them out so they can retire.

He added: “I would love to get my family out here.

“My dream is to support my parents and help them retire. The retirement goal in the UK is so difficult to achieve.”