wwest5829

Naaa, to a Mae Noi. First off, I am to poor to support more than is on my plate with a 65K baht monthly income. Equally critical … I do believe I have reached the age of being a “puppy”. That being like a puppy chasing a car … what should I do with it if I caught one?  Equal consideration … my wife is 26 years my junior already, we are happy together and I am in the “winter of my life”. Enjoyed my initial play time in Thailand and will forever have fond memories of the Thai girls who shared my time but I am a happy camper … By the way, I’ve always stated I would quit looking when they close the lid on the coffin …

Having decided to retire in Thailand over a decade ago, it has been a rising question for me as to the demographics of just who is retiring in Thailand. In my case, excellent lower cost (than US) medical care and being able to sustain a working middle class standard of living were definitely considerations. No Benz nor private pool, housekeeper, etc. but comfortable renting a 4 bed, 3 bath house on a double lot, car, motorbike, etc. on my required 65000 baht a month income. I understand Thailand wanting to gain the rich and famous but I would think their “sweet spot” would be the larger number of retiring working middle class, hard pressed to be able financially to retire in their home country. I know there are millions of my fellow countrymen living in retirement outside US territory. Surely, I cannot be the only working middle class retiree.

2 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Immunizations have been a requirement for school entry for eons. Not sure why some are getting all wound up about this. Especially considering our current global pandemic. Jeez.

 

https://ourworldindata.org/childhood-vaccination-policies

I am soooo old! Let’s see there was the childhood Diphtheria, Pertussis (Whooping Cough) and Tetanus vaccines. I think before entering public education the Smallpx vaccine was administered and I still have the scar. Then I recall lining up at school when I received both the Salk and the Sabine Polio vaccines. There were Tentanus vaccine boosters along the way, including one after I “sandpapered myself coming off the motorbike. Ah, I recall one US college where I applied requiring I take a Typhoid/Paratyphoid vaccine … that one did not go so well … severe allergic reaction. I I was going to travel through Central America in 1979-1980 … Yellow Fever vaccine recommended and taken.  No doubt I may have missed remembering some. Ah, just remembered I got a Hepatitis vaccine …Thing is, these virus will continue to attack the human body. These medically researched and provided are to help us defend ourselves. For those who chose to reject … no problem, .I respect your right to potentially die … just stay the hell away from me and mine … Nope, I do not want you in the plane (or other public conveyance with me. No, I will not support a claim that you have any “right” to come into any facility serving the public if you do not join us in trying to protect all … it is not all about you (not aimed at the current post … I wish to support).

On 9/6/2021 at 12:12 PM, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

It isn't just about protecting the children, it is about trying to protect them as well as those around them. Vaccination won't prevent 100% of infections or spread of Covid, but may reduce them. This may protect vulnerable family members and others by helping prevent the children from brining Covid home from school to share with their parents, grandparents, siblings and others.

 

The idea is to reduce serious illness or death in the near term. If one dies this month, what happens 20 years from now is irrelevant. If we were to wait until all possible outcomes of vaccines were completely known, we'd be waiting 30 years.  Other vaccines and drugs were rushed to use without waiting for years and years. Think Polio vaccine. Pfizer is now approved for normal use and I understand that the Thai government will use Pfizer to vaccinate schoolchildren. 

 

In the US, schoolchildren are required to have a number of vaccinations prior to attending elementary school.  My children were recently required to evidence their vaccination records going back to infancy before they were allowed to attend university in the US. Vaccine requirements are nothing new.

 

I have more faith in the medical community and their collective wisdom than in crackpot political hacks and conspiracy theorists. That does not rule out having a healthy skepticism of our leaders and their policies, but there is a difference between skepticism or criticism of policy and falling for absolutely nonsensical conspiracy theories. 

 

I can choose not to go to a restaurant to protect myself and I can prevent my family members from doing so as well. Restaurants are not really necessary and my family can pretty much avoid this risk if we want. The risk presented by the Ministry of Education ordering schools to re-open with unvaccinated students is harder to avoid. I would have to withdraw my daughter from school if I wanted to avoid this risk and there would be consequences for her future if I did so. Restaurants and schools is a false equivalency when it comes to workable risk mitigation.

 

All companies spin the truth and lie. We all need to be wary and watch out for this, but if the standard is to only patronize companies that never lie or spin, then I'm afraid we can't patronize any companies. Pfizer, for one, has a proven track record of producing pharmaceuticals that are safe and effective. While I would be wary, I would have to see some evidence that Pfizer has a particularly odious corporate culture or track record of major misdeeds before I would refuse their vaccine in the middle of an epidemic.

 

I don't have blind faith in vaccines. Nobody should. We will need to wear masks, practice physical distancing and hand hygiene for some time. Vaccines aren't a silver bullet, but they are a major part of a successful public health policy.

 

Taken to its illogical extreme, one could say that any time two or more people collaborate to gain an advantage in business or politics it is a conspiracy. In this case, all businesses are nefarious conspiracies to turn a profit and pay dividend to shareholders at the expense of consumers. This seems to be the world that many conspiracy theorists live in. I don't.

Thank you for taking your time to write a thoughtful response to the subject at hand.

17 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Have been here just on 6 years, the only thing that has really changed for me is that I have become awoke as to how uneducated and racist the Thai people are, e.g. Thai's 1st, everyone else 2nd, this was clearly evident with this pandemic.

 

The lack of education, explains the corruption etc to me.

 

All of the above said, one can still live a good life if one has the backing, not talking pensions, and yes the cost of food is up their if you like your imports, i.e. pretty much the same as back home, but labor costs, housing materials, electricity, water, and the like are cheap, so it depends on what you want in life, i.e. to own a shack in a western country and put down at least a million $'s to buy it, but we all know it's way more than that or use those funds to build a place here for 1/10th of that and maintain the same existence as you did when you lived back in your home country.

 

Thailand is not perfect, but where is, when I talk to guys thinking of retiring here, they can't believe what it costs me to live here, albeit it they constantly complain of how expensive it is back home and how they have to keep working to just survive, with my reply being, how much is enough and what do you want out of life, because at the end of the day, it's only time, the rest is nothing, so if you want to work 5/7th of your life to exists to watch your asset grow, but have to work to continue to repay the bank loan, the car loan and the rest, then keep doing what your doing, for me, I have enough here to last me till I'm 101, but I don't just sit and live off of my money, I look for investment opportunities without breaking a sweat so as to minimise my out of pocket expenses, with this year being the worst as it's cost me around 4,500 baht a month to live here after income from investments earned......I know, it's bad, but hey could be worse ????

 

I think if people have money, Thailand is a perfect place to retire and ones home country can be a holiday destination every year or two if one has family there, otherwise the world can be anyone's oyster.

Looking forward to retirement I looked at Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, the Philippines and Thailand. For medical care concerns, security, cost of living and ... OK, I am more attracted to the Asian female look, I decided on Thailand. I figured if I stayed in the US, my future would be in a rusting trailer in Florida or Arizona. Here I am able to live a working middle class retirement on my $2400.00 USD a month ($1320 of that from SS). The plan allows me to carry-on with neither running out of funds nor do I need to dip into capital. I do confess to spending too much for the western food. It appears the 3 of us enjoy the living standard and I certainly enjoy being taken care of by my Thai wife (26 years my junior ... hold on, remember I am ancient)..

On 8/29/2021 at 12:24 AM, RichardColeman said:

I met my school teacher, 'normal' wife on-line on Thaifriendly. I met and married her within 4 weeks, happy married with one kiddie now for 6 years. Never asked me for anything other than our family living expenses. Best, considerate and kindest person I ever met.

 

 

I agree that the use of meeting someone online can be positive. Yes, it can also be bad for either a western Farang or a Thai girl. I would never have met Da as I was retired in Chiang Mai and she had a hair salon in Bangkok. Add to the reality that I speak only a few words of Thai and she spoke only a very few words of English. Her gf encouraged her to put a profile on Badoo and, as might be expected the swarm was wanting naked photos. Ha! A benefit for me as I did not approach in that manner. I flew down to Bangkok where a Thai female friend of mine from CM agreed to join us for dinner and help translate. That was four years ago and we married here in CM in April this year. The best girl I have ever had in my life. She, I and her 16 year old Daughter seem to be very happy as a family. One might be tempted to shake their head at the 26 year difference in our ages but … keep in mind I am 74 (and getting younger every year in Thailand with my Thai girl!).