nong2

It does not matter whether they raise fares or not. Many Taxi driver will continue to demand fixed fare higher than meter prices.

Greedy scammers.

This is utterly nonsense. Reading this comment makes me wander if the writer has ever been in a Bangkokian taxi.

Living in Bangkok for 15 years and making use of taxi's about 5 times a week, I can honestly say that 99% of the taxi drivers are ok. I'm fluent in Thai so maybe that helps. Most of them come from Issaan (Roi Et!!) and are honest, decent people. I only get in when they agree to turn on the meter. But most of the time this goes without saying. In 15 years this is only the second time the price increases (correct me if I'm wrong). Price/quality ratio is imo still a bargain.

Is this the guy we are talking about?

http://bangkokdave.blog.com/2012/08/07/chalerm-son-still-the-untouchables/

Does anyone knows where we can have our tap water tested in BKK?

Yes, it's next to the Ministry of Silly Walks.

Does anyone knows where we can have our tap water tested in BKK?

Yes, it's next to the Ministry of Silly Walks.

Haha.

'Bangkok' giving a fig about the ecosystem. Wake me when I've finished dreaming.

'Bangkok' is not a person. The Thai person who's responsible for the well-being of Lumpini-park probably does give a fig.

Krabi is by far the most beautiful Thai province. Many things to do. For example kayaking at Ao Thalane:

http://transislandtravel.com/index.php/krabi/krabi-excursions/ao-thalane-koh-hong-kayaking

Or a trip from Ao Talane with a boat to the many limestone islands close by. Just ask around for more info. Enjoy your stay in Krabi!!!

Maybe there's a possibility somewhere in between for the OP: get a condo in CM or BKK and built a house in RE. If the going gets tough in RE, go to the big city for a while and vice versa. Maybe the answer lies not in or/or but in and/and.

Interesting thread. Right now I live in Bangkok with my Thai wife. We have no children and we just bought 10 rai of land at Ubon province, where my wife originally comes from. The plan is to build a house over there in the near future and to live there. I live in Thailand for 14 years.

My monthly income: 60k+ (steady income from abroad, the exact number depends a bit on currency fluctuations)

Wife's income: 20k

What we spend per month while living in Bangkok:

mortgage 8k

food 4k (Thai food and self made 'farang' food)

electricity 700 baht (airco only in our bedroom and only turned on at night)

water 200 baht

internet 730 baht

health insurance ( http://www.thailife.com/ ) 1200 baht

visa, travel, holiday, dining & wining 7k

maintenance contribution apartment building 1200 baht

public transport 2k

misc, clothing. 2k

All in all we spend about 25k - 30k a month. Our combined income is much higher than our spending, but I really don't know where we could spend more money on; in Bangkok there's no need for a motorcycle or car and our hobbies are relatively cheap (swimming, cycling, reading, internet). I expect that our spending in Ubon will be about the same or a little less. Of course my wife will have no income when we live in Ubon. But on the other hand, we could rent out the apartment in Bangkok.

In my opinion it is doable to live in Isaan for less than 30k (with wife and children) and have a decent life. Especially when you don't have to pay rent or a mortgage. If you grow your own rice, fruit and veggies and don't spend money on booze, I would say that 20k is enough. But in the end it all depends on ones lifestyle.

Thanks for the breakdown, I think I would need a lot more that 4k for food, I have just been looking at the Big C website and started working out rough costs for all the items I would need to buy and also have got the prices from the market we goto to do most of our shopping, I have changed my breakdown a little

Rent Free

Food & other bits 11K

Drinks 2.5k

Travel 1.2k

Bills/Maintenance 3.5k (Electric,Water,Gas,Internet,Phone,AC service, clearing of Cess pit and a little left over for basic stuff)

Othet Costs 9k (Visa fees & runs, School fees & travel,Childs pocket money, Holidays, Medical Insurance)

So it total around 27,000 Baht a month !

The 1200 you pay for your insurance is that for you or is it for the both of you ?

Sorry for the late reply, was out of town for a few days without internet. The 1200 baht insurance is for me only. My wife has her own life/health insurance.

The argument that sin sod is part of a Thai tradition and therefore the man should pay the woman sin sod is false. Would be a valid argument if/when the marriage involves two Thai persons.

Sin sod is unknown in western countries and is no part of its tradition/culture. Therefore the farang man should not pay sin sod. Let's turn it around: if/when a Thai man marries a western woman do you seriously think he would pay sin sod? His argument for not giving sin sod would probably be: she is not Thai and because sin sod is not part of her tradition/culture, I don't have to pay sin sod.

But being practical in order not to let the woman and her family lose face, a symbolic sin sod seems to be the smartest thing to do. Of course under the stringent condition that the money/gold immediately must be returned after the ceremony. To be sure about this I wouldn't let the the money/gold out of sight for one moment .

Interesting thread. Right now I live in Bangkok with my Thai wife. We have no children and we just bought 10 rai of land at Ubon province, where my wife originally comes from. The plan is to build a house over there in the near future and to live there. I live in Thailand for 14 years.

My monthly income: 60k+ (steady income from abroad, the exact number depends a bit on currency fluctuations)

Wife's income: 20k

What we spend per month while living in Bangkok:

mortgage 8k

food 4k (Thai food and self made 'farang' food)

electricity 700 baht (airco only in our bedroom and only turned on at night)

water 200 baht

internet 730 baht

health insurance ( http://www.thailife.com/ ) 1200 baht

visa, travel, holiday, dining & wining 7k

maintenance contribution apartment building 1200 baht

public transport 2k

misc, clothing. 2k

All in all we spend about 25k - 30k a month. Our combined income is much higher than our spending, but I really don't know where we could spend more money on; in Bangkok there's no need for a motorcycle or car and our hobbies are relatively cheap (swimming, cycling, reading, internet). I expect that our spending in Ubon will be about the same or a little less. Of course my wife will have no income when we live in Ubon. But on the other hand, we could rent out the apartment in Bangkok.

In my opinion it is doable to live in Isaan for less than 30k (with wife and children) and have a decent life. Especially when you don't have to pay rent or a mortgage. If you grow your own rice, fruit and veggies and don't spend money on booze, I would say that 20k is enough. But in the end it all depends on ones lifestyle.