Hi,

I am in a situation that have to make this decision by end of this year.

Question:

-If i live in my country (Muslim country )

$8,000USD monthly job income approximate (maximum)

$2,000USD monthly fix income (guaranteed) from invested money.

-If i live in Thailand

$2,000USD monthly income. (please Let put aside how i make it for this moment).

$2,000USD monthly fix income (guaranteed) from invested money.

Personaly i don't feel like i want to live where i am. Thinking long-term

somtimes i consider things might change for me in thailand, especialy

when i get bit older

I have been coming to thailand since last five years, and have spent

total of 16 monthes in thailand, and so far i love it more and more,and

getting sick of where i live more and more.

Meantime, my home cost of living is same as thailand (if i live in Bkk,

i don't spend more than 80,000 bhat a month). My job allows me two

month vacation in a year only, which isn't enough as i am high-thaied.

If i take the job offer, i have to stick with it at least for next 5-10 year.

I am 31, single and don't have any plan to get married soon. The main

reason i like thailand is nightlife, friendly people, easy and relaxed life,

exotic enviroment,....

Has anyone been in same situation and has regreted giving up the

earnings or happy moving to thailand?

All advices will be appericiated? Thanks for any help.

p.s i can talk to anyone on MSN or yahoo massenger for some good advice.

Hi,

i live in my country (Muslim country )

better get your arse in gear ....

better get your arse in gear .... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, but what makes you prefer Thailand over your homeland good earning

thinking longterm? I need to know some reasons or advantages you think of

Stay where the money is IMHO.

Save up, have holidays there, but keep on earning. You're still young.

Stay where the money is IMHO.

Save up, have holidays there, but keep on earning. You're still young.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I appericiate your brotherly advice.

But being young isn't a good thing about being in thailand?

Because I think

Earnings=Greed and keep on earning means i have

to stay here forever, because earnings always keep

on coming here.

Somtimes "earnings differances" can be a big problem

for decision making

If money's the top thing in your life, stay where you are. If life's not so hot where you are then get out and go somewhere else. If you like LoS so much, then move there.

Hardly rocket-science.

Stay where the money is IMHO.

Save up, have holidays there, but keep on earning. You're still young.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But remember you only live once, and there is no pockets in your last shirt, money isn't everything, enjoy life now.

Which Muslim country? Are you a westerner?

You don't necessarially need to take a cut (depending on your industry). Many,many expats in LOS are earning "international" incomes.

My gross salary in BKK is the same as in the west. My net savings are more because I spend less over here.Ditto for my wife.

Money isn't everything. you gotta be happy. I can earn 1000+ pounds a week in the UK. I live In LOS and earn half that a month. But i'm happier here than anywhere else i've ever been . Go for it! F### money. You cant take it with you when you die. You are young. Live a little. If it goes tits up then you can always go back home.

If money's the top thing in your life, stay where you are. If life's not so hot where you are then get out and go somewhere else. If you like LoS so much, then move there.

Hardly rocket-science.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, earning isn't my top thing, thailand is my top thing for now. But i am

predicting that my earnings can go even much higher than this if i stick

to that job.

But I think i am addicted to thailand, because i have lot of backup and young.

Seems thailand is more of choice for me at least for now. Thanks

Stay where the money is IMHO.

Save up, have holidays there, but keep on earning. You're still young.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But remember you only live once, and there is no pockets in your last shirt, money isn't everything, enjoy life now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Thanks for the opinion.

Which Muslim country? Are you a westerner?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm in Dubai. I'm persian

You don't necessarially need to take a cut (depending on your industry). Many,many expats in LOS are earning "international" incomes.

My gross salary in BKK is the same as in the west. My net savings are more because I spend less over here.Ditto for my wife.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right, But i can say you are lucking to get same earning in Los.

I am not a pro or very highly educated person, and hardly think

i can make or earn more than $2k for the beginning.

If you have twice the amount of money than you need to live a good life in Thailand then you are in a position to listen to your heart.

Why do you need advice from someone else?

Money isn't everything. you gotta be happy. I can earn 1000+ pounds a week in the UK. I live In LOS and earn half that a month. But i'm happier here than anywhere else i've ever been . Go for it! F### money. You cant take it with you when you die. You are young. Live a little. If it goes tits up then you can always go back home.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"You gotta be happy"

I just love what you said. You just spoke like what my heart says.

When i am in Thailand, i never think about money, but when i get

back to Dubai, it's everyone that around money talk about money,

and they seems to be provoking me financialy all the time.

In Thailand, it's not matter of riding a top of line car, not even if

you have you own car, how big is your home, how many outlets

you own,...People care more if they can fun with you or having

same intersts, richer or poorer both have good time.

Money isn't everything. you gotta be happy. I can earn 1000+ pounds a week in the UK. I live In LOS and earn half that a month. But i'm happier here than anywhere else i've ever been . Go for it! F### money. You cant take it with you when you die. You are young. Live a little. If it goes tits up then you can always go back home.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"You gotta be happy"

I just love what you said. You just spoke from my heart says.

When i am in Thailand, i never think about money, but when i get

back to Dubai, it's everyone around me that talk about money,

and they seems to be provoking me financialy all the time.

When in Thailand, it's not matter of riding a top of line car, not

even if you have you own car, how big is your home, how many

outlets you own,...People care more if they can fun with you or

having same intersts, richer or poorer both have good time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"You gotta be happy"

I just love what you said. You just spoke from my heart says.

When i am in Thailand, i never think about money, but when i get

back to Dubai, it's everyone around me that talk about money,

and they seems to be provoking me financialy all the time.

Live your life for you. Not everyone else. F### them. They might be rich and can aford good things in life. But if you ask them if they are happy. They will say yes.But then they havent lived. They havent done what you or me and many others have done. We have lived a little. Taken chances and said to other people. F### Off! This is my life. I say go for it mate. You are you. No one can make the decision for ya.

If you have twice the amount of money than you need to live a good life in Thailand then you are in a position to listen to your heart.

Why do you need advice from someone else?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For me 75k bhat is more than enough to live with in thailand

and have another 75k bhat to save with income of around $4k.

But my problem is the close family and friends around me, who

are benefiting from more luxery life, and this seems to make

harder any decision making, beacuse they won't agree with my

standards

AGAIN! Live for yourself and no one else. If they dont like it. So F ###### what. You only get one life. Enjoy it!

But my problem is the close family and friends around me, who

are benefiting from more luxery life, and this seems to make

harder any decision making, beacuse they won't agree with my

standards

Its your life mate.

Long term financial stability? At age 31 the only problem I see is the long term. Will you always be able to have the kind of money you have today? What about inflation? What will the exchange rates be 10 or 15 years from now?

I'm in the USA and make a six figure income, but I can't say I'm having any fun. I'd rather be someplace like Bangkok and am in the position to retire early in about a year. At that time I'll have only 120,000 to 160,000 baht per month, which is OK at today's exchange rates. I can live simply and won't have any expenses. I do wonder, though, what things will cost in 15 years. I guess it's all a gamble of sorts. So, I'm going to do it. I wouldn't be so quick, though, at age 31.

Rex

Long term financial stability?  At age 31 the only problem I see is the long term.  Will you always be able to have the kind of money you have today?  What about inflation?  What will the exchange rates be 10 or 15 years from now? 

I'm in the USA and make a six figure income, but I can't say I'm having any fun.  I'd rather be someplace like Bangkok and am in the position to retire early in about a year.  At that time I'll have only 120,000 to 160,000 baht per month, which is OK at today's exchange rates.  I can live simply and won't have any expenses. I do wonder, though, what things will cost in 15 years.  I guess it's all a gamble of sorts.  So, I'm going to do it.  I wouldn't be so quick, though, at age 31.

Rex

Living simply on 160,000 baht a month? Are we taking about the same los?

Logically, TG, you should be getting a few more years behind you with the money you're pulling in every month. You say you can get two months off a year? or two sets of two weeks per year? That's still a minimum of a month here and not to be sniffed at. But, if you're not happy, you're not happy. Must admit, I was on good money three years ago and absconded. As Jock says, only one life...apparently.

What profession are you in, if you don't mind me asking?

I have a job with a large MNC making (I guess) 'international' income in BKK. If I lost this job would I 'give up high earnings just to live in Thailand'? No, not a chance. I like living in Asia, and there are plenty of places closeby where it's easier to make that kind of money - in the sense that there are still more MNC's and the jobs (read, money) they offer in those places than there are in Thailand.

I'm in my mid-thirties and even if I could keep this job until I retired, would I really want to be doing the same thing that long, just to stay in Thailand? Again, the answer has to be no. I grant you that if I had a Thai family, then the answer might be different, but I don't think so.

As others have said, make your big bucks wherever you can (if that is Thailand then you have won the jackpot), come on holiday here, enjoy it, retire here once you have a big enough pot of gold to live on.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

I have a job with a large MNC making (I guess) 'international' income in BKK. If I lost this job would I 'give up high earnings just to live in Thailand'? No, not a chance. I like living in Asia, and there are plenty of places closeby where it's easier to make that kind of money - in the sense that there are still more MNC's and the jobs (read, money) they offer in those places than there are in Thailand.

I'm in my mid-thirties and even if I could keep this job until I retired, would I really want to be doing the same thing that long, just to stay in Thailand? Again, the answer has to be no. I grant you that if I had a Thai family, then the answer might be different, but I don't think so.

As others have said, make your big bucks wherever you can (if that is Thailand then you have won the jackpot), come on holiday here, enjoy it, retire here once you have a big enough pot of gold to live on.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also work for a MNC in Thailand, I actually make more (a lot more) working here then I would in the US. I have also worked in many other countries, but as luck would have it, I am back in Thailand. Would leave again for the right assignment. Since I do have a Thai wife, I will probably retire here, with extended visits to the US.

TH

Don't mind me asking. How much do you invest and where do you put it to get a guaranteed return of 2,000 a month?

And my two cents worth, sounds like you already know what you want. If money isn't a big issue, you might as well be where you're happier. If it doesn't work out, maybe you can go back.The thing is to do what you feel and live life to the fullest. I'm 33, moved here a few years ago with a slight pay cut, but never regreted it.

If I were straight I would agree with the skeptics. But as a gay English-speaking man I find there are no countries which speak my native language in which rampant homophobia does not present a major quality-of-life problem. Thailand is not exactly pro-gay, either, culturally- but it doesn't have this large population of violently anti-gay men. In fact, most men here would be probably be flattered if other men found them attractive. I'm making less money here than I have anywhere else- but enjoying my life a lot more. Which is the point, right?

There're a lot of threads on these Thai forums about "saving for old age." Naturally, I want to be as happy as possible when I'm old- but equally I don't want to be one of these types who sacrifices everything for that and then regrets a wasted youth, or is too sick to enjoy the benefits I've saved for all those years, or- dies young!

I figure the way things are going most of us Americans of my age (30s) are going to have a rough retirement anyway.

"Steven"

High-end,

You have enough money doing what you are doing in LOS.

Stop daydreaming like most Men do.

Make a decision and move out NOW before you get further involved via wife or buying a house.

Since you're young why waste it being a wage slave and being unhappy in your homeland?

I and others made a good living in the States, we make much less here but are extremely happy.

As you know Men are treated with dignity and respect by most Thai ladies and it is

relatively safe to walk the streets.

I'd move to LOS as soon as you can to enjoy your life !

Claw

Which Muslim country? Are you a westerner?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm in Dubai. I'm persian

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Persian?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From Iran, I believe.

I too could retire this year with approx 160,000 baht per month income. I am a little older than the OP, but don't have his certainty that Thailand is where I want to live permanantly. I will work another 10 years, when my annual retirement income will be much higher, and then consider it. I still may decide to only spend part of the year in Thailand and the rest somewhere else (U.S. or Australia, if the Aussies will have me). For whatever my opinion is worth, if I was 100% certain that I wanted to live in Thailand and could go there now and have 160k baht per month to live on, I would do it.

The 'ultimate' happiness one has is priceless.

I took the chance and also brave the changes with drastic cut in my income.

But I am more than 5 folds happier than where I was earning (in my home country).

Now I am in Thailand and do what I always dream I will be doing......

A dream come true indeed.

Good Luck !

Not all guys with the chance can make that decision.............