driedmango

There is a whole word to see... starting over is great fun at any age.. find a real girl and maybe even a new trade.. England has some great music and fun you wound find in thailanxy

Thanks guys .. Well i've been here since i was 20 and will be 31 in may it comes a time in life where you just get fed up of a place plus all the bs what comes with it i have also lived in Bangkok / Pattaya / Phuket .. just tired these days .. plus i'm not getting any younger ...

you will never be any younger than today, do everything you can and keep going, forget age as we will all be gone sooner or later.

Nothing wrong with bailing and getting out of dodge, that is wha life is all about, but don't think of it as a failure, think of it as the next chapter...

you could always head to Oz, USA, Canada or somewhere else in Europe if you are bummed to give up he adventure.

Women have a much better life in Thailand then the west all around. Western women are marketed to way more, some are forced to work while also having to do housework and pick the kids up, living single with kids is the biggest burden a person could face, western women in the most popular music in the west are called %-%+% and %+-$(...

In Thailand women have owned companies and the like for hundreds of years, they get support from extended family with kids...

Western women have been forced to take on all the worst parts of being a man, and a women...

Women treat women better in Thailand also. Women in the west are brainwashed to be so full of purpose and have work ethic.. having to much of that and also having to look pretty makes a boring shell of a human that is why the most unhappy person in the world is the overworked over stressed western women in her late 30s , no hope to marry or have kids only hope to learn some yoga classes to taste what the good life of a clam mind is like.

The good thing is it is finally acceptable to be a stay at home dad if you choose and attend art class while the women brings the bacon and fixes the roof.

I don't consider Thailand a low tax country at all. They sneak it into import taxes in a big way. It seems they even put import taxes on cars that aren't imported. Why else the heck is a Toyota Camry 50% more in LOS than in the US, out the door, license and title? Is that not a tax? Ten grand right there? How else can the crappiest, tinniest little "car" cost more in LOS than a fully equipped, US safety standard compliant Camry does in the US?

Why can I buy a pair of Levi jeans at Ross in the US for $15? Would it have anything to do with taxes in LOS?

whether you consider Thailand a low tax country or not is irrelevant NeverSure because your comparisons are irrelevant.

on a locally manufactured Camry no import duties are levied except for those parts which are imported. what makes a car like a Camry expensive is the excise duty (you might call that a tax).

but this tax is levied only once when you buy a car...

...whereas income and other taxes are levied over and over and over again.

-why did i pay nearly 11,000 Dollars property tax in the U.S. but zero in Thailand?

-why do i pay in Germany 85 €URos (3,145 Baht) per hour for a car mechanic?

-why is a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord in Denmark much more expensive than in Thailand?

-why is a cleaning lady paid 18 Swiss Francs (550 Baht) per hour in Zürich but only 45 Baht in Thailand?

the list is endless and it's all about taxes! and that's why Thailand is a low tax country.

I don't know why you set yourself up to pay $11,000 in property taxes but, oh well... You know I have a darned nice home and acreage, and I pay a fourth of that.

As a Westerner, I buy a lot of things Western. I can't help it. I like laundry detergent, fabric softener and toilet paper and many other things. It's all very expensive due to uh, import taxes or whatever someone wants to call them.

Much of the cost of many of the things I buy is in the taxes. Often the taxes are greater than the item's price itself before taxes. That's not counting the VAT. I would be surprised to learn that you don't buy a lot of imported items. Seriously I would.

I figure I might pay 1/2 of the money I spend in LOS as taxes. I can't eat Thai food 24/7 or even close to that after a while. Maybe Thailand doesn't put an "import" tax on cars made in Thailand, but the rebate for first time buyers on new cars is a waiver of the "tax." What's up with that tax? Oh I forgot. It's an excise tax on new vehicles. And it's big. Cars are expensive in Thailand due to taxes.

Anyone who thinks taxes are low in Thailand must live like a Thai, and if he does that's fine with me. But even Thais, when they pay about 25% of the price of a new car in taxes aren't living "low tax" IMHO. Hidden taxes are still taxes.

Peace.

live like a Thai , or move to Florida.

N Korea would have nukes on ships or airplanes, they wouldn't try a missile.

They would not choose Thailand 1st, if they did, you would be wise to get to India or Nepal or something, that you could do.

This is Thailand, people have the right to make a living and the sounds, smells and sights are what sets a country like this apart.

This is not a retirement home, like cranky no life boomers have turned so many places in the west into.

This is not a quiet country, people work at home, that's how come it so cheap to get your motto fixed..

I am a sound sensitive person like you, I hate roosters, I like quiet, but I know that is because of the isolation I had as a baby, see people that are used to noise have no problems with it.

You should keep moving, the neighborhood does not owe you quiet, but you owe it to not try to make people stressed just for living their lives, your going to get smacked if you ask for it.

They aren't trying to piss you off they are trying to do what their life needs them to do, work and party.. welcome to real living people land.

Yup welcome to Thailand where people are free to make a living

The open targeting AND reporting of ONLY Russians in relation to work permits in Phuket is racist - even if Russians are the main offenders, the authorities are making it very clear they do not like Russians and do not want them there. What about all the Kiwis, Aussies and Brits all over the country working without permits? I say this because I only ever read about Russians getting their cracks down here, which appears a little one eyed.

I really wish someone in this country (who had the authority to have a voice) stood up to the open racism and xenophobia communicated and demonstrated by the establishment.

When you come to my country, my dearest Thai friends, you can work beside me, you can work above me, or you can work below me - based on your own merits, not your skin color, nor your connections or financial position. How about the same fair deal in your homeland? Do you not love your country enough to share it with those that want to help make it a big success?

what your country does, doesn't matter. I am happy for Thai, I wish my country did the same instead, most Canadians couldn't dream of jobs for Canadians first or affording a home in the real estate stock market . Thailand would be worse off for letting every greedy farang do what they pleaset

Most western countries just passed laws to do this.. Canada just added a bail in program to its list.

At the same time the news of tens of trillions in offshore accounts http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/news/story/2013/04/04/ctl-magnitsky.html

This whole post is prediction. The Thai baht is kept artificial low, the economic outlook is very strong, if they ever open up like say Australia and turn their real estate market into a stock market, the property would go up 5x at least like it did in Vancouver.

Just the biggest film in China this year will bring out the prices in Chiang mai, many of the real estate investment world wide is from China, and the Russians haven't even discovered Chiang mai, they will like they did the south.

Its foolish to think eastern prospects aren't going to effect real estate prices in Thailand sooner or later.

Off topic posts about 3D printing removed, the topic is

When Will The Chiang Mai Building Bubble Burst?

Thank you

it will bust in 2050, after a long growth period where the Thai economy becomes in the top 20 around the world, unless Thailand keeps the same ownership rules that ban non Thais from most of the real estate market (one if the biggest reasons homes are so expensive in the west) in that case they won't have a bubble.

There are a few lenders offering 110% home loans, but most of the banks offer 80%-95% home loans at the moment.

I would like to know more about these non-conservative loans Another1.

Could you furnish some details?

And I shall ask my bank manager too.

These levels of home loan are only available to Thai nationals. CIMB, BKB, SCB all offer them at the 90%-95% levels.

I believe the 110% home loans are reserved for government workers.

If you call into any KKN home sales office you can view the various brochures from assorted banks for yourself, all in Thai though.

Ahhh 110% is only for government workers.

I'd say they are regarded as being safe bets with jobs for life and are an exception.

I shall be interested to ask about the ease with which people can pick up 90 or 95% loans. The Thai banks are regarded as quite conservative since the 90s crash so it may be that that level of lending also requires good accreditation.

It's really easy for a Thai to get a 90% home loan, especially on new houses from mooban developers.

10% is better than American 100% financing and then $20 000 for clothes and pizza, lump it up and sell the debit to unsuspecting old people, lie and call it triple a good as gold investments, let it collapse, get bail out, buy cheap property from foreclosures with profit and hid profit in offshore bank north america and Europe style .. lol

I cannot imagine how anyone can think that Thailand is as expensive as Europe on a day to day basis.

I do agree, the problem is, if you are somebody that likes to get back in your comfort zone from time to time, and eat a hamburger, or buy some corn flakes, or chocolate, or ANYTHING, it is about twice the cost. So yes, day to day i agree, but you kinda have to morph into a Thai to make it effective - which, in all honesty, kinda sucks.

people are full of crap, its a sport who can make up as much crap about being a cheap yuppie in thailand

Enjoy cm while you can.. that's all I have to say... you were the best farang they will ever have saw

Maybe I should check out other countries like Vietnam.. I am not that you 35, but I travel alone so I consider backpacker industry area better suited... I have been all around the north and love it but want to check south out, not interested in puchet.

Hey I think I will hit up krabi this time in tland .

Looking for low key area with some good old parties and cheap prices

Spraying water is pissing into the wind

Take up yoga and hang with some cats from japan

Hope they only like the beach area and can't imagine in a million years why anyone would go to Thailand to see culture and less beaches

Compared to the prices back home, Thailand is as cheap as chips. I cant find one thing in Thailand that is not cheaper than back in OZ and our Bart for the OZ $1 is currently over Bt30. Cant complain.

cars are cheaper in oz , cheese is cheaper , wine is cheaper , steak is cheaper, there are so many things cheaper in Aus than here. have you seen the new jaguar ? in Aus it is about $140,000.00(4and half million baht) try checking the prices here . 4 times the price. (13 million)

really the prices i Aus are cheaper if you work it out .

Thai wage per day 300 baht.

Aus wage one day 4500 baht.

coke in Thailand is 12 baht (4% of daily wage)

coke in Aus is 120 baht (2.66% of daily wage)

so what .. Thais aren't big on dairy..

A pad Thai in oz is $15, so by your measurement is is 13x cheaper in thanland.

As a foreigner living in their country why do you care? Whether you like it or don't like it is of no concern. This is "THEIR" holiday not yours. This is their special 3 days that means something to them. It's their cultural event just like the special holidays on your own country. Either go with the flow or simply bow out of it. Some of the comments and attitudes made here is why many Thais really would like to see you go. But as long as you spend money, they'll just ignore you and have their own fun even if it does get out of control. Enjoyed it 45 years ago and still enjoy it today. Why don't you blast the "running of the bulls" in Spain? Now that's dangerous! See my point?

An American talking about culture? The closest you guys get to culture is a yoghourt.

As for death statistics.... You only need to wait for the results against the predicted,

The running of the bulls certainly has it opposition as does dropping the donkey. Both will ultimately be banned on the grounds of animal cruelty.

Songkran... Cruelty to humans ?

running of the bulls will not be cancelled, not until we are slaves to PC jerks

What a silly conversation. Its about one tenth to one quarter in Thailand vs the west.

Prices in the USA are cheaper for the quality you get. Houses are vastly cheaper. Cars are much cheaper. Electronics are much cheaper. Restaurants are cheaper in Thailand but look what you get. It's typically just a tiny portion of rice, meat, and veggies. I think even clothes are cheaper in the USA.

This is something that I think many other Westerners don't really understand. I'm blown away by prices in other Western countries, but like Thailand, they have high import taxes and high VAT's.

In another thread I posted some grocery store sales flyers and a real estate ad for a really decent house in a decent area with a two car garage and I think 1/5 acre for $57,000 or something similar. I got virtually no comments. In another thread I posted a legit ad for a new 14" laptop computer - good brand but don't remember which - with all the latest stuff including Win 8, 4 gig ram and 500G HDD. It was less than $US350 including shipping with no tax.

I can't live cheaper in the US in the home and acreage I have because utilities and upkeep are too much. I have a landscaper working 40 hours on Spring maintenance this week and next, but the typical lot doesn't need that. All I'd have to do is move to a cheaper home with a typical 1/2 rai lot and I could live as cheaply in the US as I could in LOS. Not only that, I'd have my $100 per month Medicare Advantage to use, and that could be a really big deal at some point.

Folks from Canada, UK, Australia etc. do save money in LOS. It is cheaper in LOS. I get that.

anywhere good in the USA your looking at house prices over $300000 .. sure you can buy in Detroit but is the worlds biggest hell hole you could be better in Bangladesh

No, I posted a link to a home for sale in Medicine Bow, Wyoming near Cheyenne. It was $57,000, had a two car attached garage, built in the '70's, nice sized lot, paved street, curbs, gutters, underground utilities, 3 bedrooms.

I don't know why people so often think of big cities in the US. The US is huge. There are lots of rural areas where prices are low, crime is low, people are nice... I could find tons of places like that with almost any type of weather I wanted, depending on whether it was Arkansas or Montana or somewhere in between.

Edit: I found it again. Link The gravel on the street is temporary for the snow. You can see the curbs and gutters.

Yes, my US home is worth far more than that. I'm just saying it can be done on a limited income.

sure I am just going on a road trip threw the USA.. what does it have to do with anything of Thai prices ?