Tawan77

I think you could do it for awhile in Thailand without a problem but it might get old after a few years. One observation, you were here when the weather is perfect, Jan to Mar. Now it is <deleted> hot and you may not think it is so great a place to escape the weather, too hot is not that much better than too cold. Actually I would prefer the Canada weather in April to very hot time in Thailand.On your daughter's education, fine for awhile especially since the bulk of her English education will be by you at home. I believe that primary school is a little bit of education, socialization with her friends and a whole lot of pure babysitting.You guys are Jews, so why not just pack up the car and be snowbirds to Boca? You would fit in immediately, have Jewish Community Centers, Hebrew school, etc. I also liked the Cuba idea which would get you all into Spanish instead of Thai if you creave the adventure. There is also the Gulf coast such as Alabama, or Louisiana, The Texas Coast or AR orCA if you can put up with the dry. You could be US citizens after some years but I would not know how to advise that.One last observation, as you and the wife hit the 50s, you will have the temptation of the 20s girls and the wife does not have that. Women sort of lose their looks, but men do not need looks, only white skin which seems to equate to $$$. Good luck!

I see you really trying to help us here with your suggestions. Thanks! You've missed the mark on a few things though.

- you won't ever catch me in Florida; not my kind of place at all! we'd never leave Canada to live in the United States... Well, *maybe* Hawaii if there were a great job opportunity, but not even San Francisco or San Diego could lure me.

- the conservative values of the gulf coast would drive me mad.

- we love the heat. 40 is a bit much, but 35 is great if I don't need to be in business attire

- I'm not Jewish, but yes, my wife is. She's culturally Jewish but (very) non-religious. We are not rooted in Jewish community, though proud of that part of our family heritage.

- I can resist the advances of younger women. Maybe at 50 that'll change, but I doubt it. My wife and I have a very solid foundation (because we've weathered all of our differences, including moving/living around the world).

is it thailand your wife is hesitant about, or is it the living arrangement?

It's not really about Thailand for her. We're on the same page in that she likes living simply as well, would like to live abroad again, does like Thailand. The differences are that she loves our life in Canada. It took her a while; it wasn't this way until recently. Because of that we'll likely stay here a while yet. We have common views on how to live, how to spend, and the value of global living. She doesn't want to live in Thailand forever however (but could spend a few months/year happily)

it seems you live a pretty cushy life in canada in a nice home, then you want to come to thailand and sit on floor cushions and live in a shack

not surprising some woman would be reluctant

We make it cushy. If I'm giving the we're-loaded vibe, that's wrong. We have a modest income below the national average, living in the nation's most expensive city. We don't own a vehicle. We own a beautiful and valuable house, but little more. We spend next to nothing on material things that most people sink a lot of money into; clothing, hobbies, home decor. Where we are rich is that we are mostly self employed and get to spend a ton of time together, and with our daughter. I'm a music director; a teaching/performing musician. She's a private language teacher.

I completely understand the lifestyle you live ,I just think a lot of the things people mention to you on this thread are going completely over your head example you say when you stayed for a year 15 years ago you could eat for 100 bht a day and now you think you could do it for 200,maybe you could but could your family of three do it for 200?that life soon becomes boring and monotonous....you just come across as you are only thinking of yourself and not your wife and family.you seem to be jumping in head first talking about permanent residency etc etc ,living g in Thailand as a single guy 15 years ago is completely different to living here with wife and family.if it was me I would rent the house out for 1 year contract take the girl out of school for 1 year and then give it ago.

I wasn't single when I lived there. Met my wife a week into my stay; she moved in a few months later. Totally monogamous. She was there 7 months with me. Never had a Thai girl; not tempted.

On our 10 week trip, we were happy to eat Thai every meal with a few exceptions. My kid was especially fond of khai yatsai and gaeng massaman. I love to cook; we wouldn't even eat out all the time...

I've expressed a few times that while I talk about residency and staying long term, it's not like I'll come and suffer a lousy life and unhappy family. We'd be constantly evaluating how things are, and would work together to decide whether we leave, and where to. Could be after a year. Like I said though, I believe you need to go somewhere with a plan and intend to stay. That's how you settle somewhere and make it home; it's how you learn a language, invest in relationships, and let go of your other life that can prevent you from living fully in a new place. I'm asking you all, if we were to do this, how can I give my kid the best life possible there? And do you think it worthwhile. I'm taking in all of the info and am hearing the naysayers loud and clear.

I do like your 1 year trial plan though. My wife would go for that, no problem.

I think op is getting carried away after just a 10 week holiday here,keeps mentioning cheap lifestyle,for a family it's quite hard to have a cheap lifestyle,schooling already mentioned many times very expensive.....western food expensive Insurance for family expensive.if you didn't have the kid I'd say go for it,if you want to ruin your daughters life I would also say go for it.

It's very different living in Thailand to holidaying in Thailand.

Taninthai, I've also lived in Thailand; a full immersion experience in a relatively rural area with only 3 other farangs in town. I ate for 100B/day (could do it on 200 now), shopped at the local market, cooked Thai food in my wok on a single burner, had a 2BR apt for $70 USD/mo, took a minivan to BKK for 150B once or twice per month, and treated myself to sushi at Fuji on the odd trip. I've never ordered an import beer or cocktail in Thailand. I ride the bus in BKK for 12 baht instead of taking a taxi for 300. The poster who said we are minimalist understands how we live. We prefer *time* with our child to nurture and teach her, over working so we can pay a daycare to do it. We have this now, but in Thailand we'd have even more time for this. I need to figure out insurance and schooling, but I have no doubt we can live well and cheap in Thailand.

It seems like a lot to give up to avoid winter. Truth is, I have pretty debilitating seasonal depression. I'm generally full of zeal for life and work, but November to February kills me, and takes its toll on my family also. The 10week vacation was because I needed it. When I first came to Thailand I came to stay. Though we left, I spent the next three winters in warmer climes; Thailand, Israel, Brazil. I didn't want to live in a temperate climate, but after some success living in New York (but unable to stay permanently), my wife and I decided Toronto might be the best place for us to build a life. Probably true, as we've done really well here--so well that many would think us nuts to give up what we have here, but I've never let go of living abroad, and in Thailand in particular. My wife understand that. She has desires to live abroad again as well too, though feels the time hasn't arrived just yet, and while she'd do a year or two in Thailand, doesn't quite feel the affinity that I do (which I know is unusual). We'll work this out; maybe it's 5 weeks every winter, or maybe we retire there 6mos/year once our daughter graduates. In another month I could shelve this, not revisiting it until the end of October when things get dark. But right now, I'm inspired to do some homework.

if you move here as you wish,please fill us in when you realise the people here saying you are not fully aware of the facts were right

I'll follow up either way! Guaranteed

Lots of good replies here. You asked for opinions and so I will give you mine. LOL

I would not do it. If I made a quick Pro vs. Con sheet, I think that there would be too many cons, most of which have been discussed above,

main one is schooling for your daughter. This is a big issue.

Rental income is fickle. You mention you can get CAD$3000/month for your current residence. Will you have someone manage it for you? What is their %? What if the market changes? What about major repairs, etc. or if you have a rental person who "destroys" your place?

Do you have any back up funds? If no, then this is an issue. Assume you cant get a job here at the salary you desire. Assume your place in Canada is vacant for 6 months. Assume that you find that the best school for your daughter costs X baht more than you expected every month. Assume you do not have rental income from a condo in Thailand. Assume your expenses in Thailand are actually 1.5 or 2x your plan. Assume you have a motorbike accident and you are out of work for a period. Can you survive?

I am pretty conservative in an issue like this, so personally would not make the move. Good luck with whatever you decide.

This is all great advice. Good thoughts. It's true, the unexpected can happen and needs to be considered. My wife is great at that! we would have a great property manager and emergency funds available should disaster strike.

I've mentally made the pro/con sheet. It depends on how you weigh each point. There's certainly stability staying put, and risk to moving.

I also taught in Taiwan. Great place!

You are 100% barking mad - and in relation to your daughter's immersion in Thai culture and education - totally selfish to boot. A decision like the one you are contemplating should not be made until you have lived here for at least 5 years. As it stands, you are too full of yourself and your abilities and sound judgement. You seem astonishingly unaware of the risks you would be taking ! Read all TV headlines every day for the next year, starting with the road carnage we are just totting up right now as the abomination Songkran comes to another grisly end. If it was you on your own, it would be not so heavy a decision, but to haul a well-settled family here ? NO. Let me put it as strongly as i can think of this moment - if any member of my extended family announced they were taking a child of school-age to South-East Asia, i would accuse them of self-indulgent idiocy bordering on child-abuse. I know 100 times more than you about the Thai education system and its dodgy practices and low standards - why ? - because i've lived with a Thai government teacher for 7 years and know that sector inside out. [by the way - i have just come in to the house after a mere 3-mile drive down the dark chaotic main street of our town, and had more hair-raising narrow escapes than you would expect in several years in the west - i wish i had dash-cam film to show you - your hair would turn white. At least 50 young motorcyclists driving as if they had lost the will to live straight down the centre between trucks and cars while water is thrown forcefully in their faces. This is a MAD-HOUSE. ]

On the subject of people 'Getting what they pay for in Thai education' - oh how hilarious that statement is when you know the truth. Why do you think a Thai degree or even masters is worth little outside of Thailand ? Because like everywhere else in T'land CORRUPT practices mean that each qualification is LITERALLY paid for one way or another. I have a London Uni PhD etc, and as soon as i was rumbled as 'dr' i was offered money from Thai postgrad students to write their dissertations for them - 'name yr price'. I refused, even though i did do a huge amount of editing of one 10,000-word piece as a one-time favour. I never did it again. Same with Thai teachers trying to get promotion - money under the table every time. And are you aware of the way those Thai head-teachers and Directors of education manage to go to all those social functions almost every night of the week ? By slicing their 'comimssion' off the budgets they are given to buy school equipment and supplies. You sound like a really 'nice' happy guy - maybe a touch on the hippy side ? (apologies if that offends) - but i really doubt that you know more than 10% of what really goes on in the Land of Wiles. Good luck if you take the leap, but i would absolutely not do it.

But hey - you've already decided haven't you ? :-)

Too hot, too depressed by suicidal road-nuts - this post is so bad-tempered i've Reported myself for being offensive ! Do whatever you think is best for ALL the family, but do at least look all around the world for other warm climes. With that level of monthly rental income your choices are many. [if my Report is acted on, the rant will disappear.]

Haha, man and I've been spending an hour considering my reply. Big of you to own up to ranting. The "idiocy" and "child abuse" comments were a bit much... but I'm not dismissing your post either. Your experience is real, and while you irked me claiming to know 100x more than me, I recognize your life is well meshed with Thai life and the Thai education system. Both of us will also acknowledge how freaking bitter some expats can become after a number of years there. I would never allow that to happen. If we weren't happy, we'd leave... but we'd go to Thailand committed to stay and to make it work. I believe that's how you have to approach living abroad. It's worked everywhere we've lived.

I've seen some wild driving in Thailand, but I've never had the response you have. I found highway driving in Jan-Mar to be incredibly civil; much improved over 13 years ago. Helmet use seems to be way higher too. That said, I missed Songkran. Maybe drivers get pretty stupid; Thais and farangs both!

We are definitely on the hippie spectrum. No offense taken there! That's where I think many expats won't relate to my question. I'm not a single guy into Thai girls, nor am I the kind of worker/diplomat who'd take a high paying job opportunity and put my kids in the elite international schools and live in a million dollar penthouse in Silom or Sukhumvit, nor are we retirees (though you can see I'm trying to retire at 40!). We're artists and travelers who've built up some wealth and capital and a great life by being frugal and making good investments. We've got a great life here. I'm not running away from it. I just think with our resources and privilege, that it could be even better. A life living abroad, with cultural immersion, living off our rental income and online work, looks like a pretty sweet life in Thailand where living is cheap, the holidays long, the country beautiful, a great travel hub to all of Asia. I think we can thrive. We can support our daughter's education with homeschooling as we'd have the time, desire, and skill to do this.

But no, I haven't already decided. there have been some tremendously helpful responses today. Thanks all. You too Pauly. If we come I'll be sure to hit you up for some pints (full of ice, of course!) Hang in there if life there has you down at times.

Seriously ..... Not the best time to come and live in Thailand. There are so many issues up in the air at the moment ( politics , economy ..etc ) that a bit of patience could be of great benefit to you. If it were me I would give it another year or 18 months before reviewing your options again. Could save you a mountain of grief in the long run.

15 months would be the soonest anyway, but I hear your point. I am keeping an eye in the political situation and how it is affecting foreigners in Thailand as well as Thai freedoms and education.

What will your wife do all day in Thailand? Thailand is a great place for a bloke, but can be hard on older foreign woman unless they have a fulfilling life and good support network (hard to achieve in rural Thailand).

Having said this, why put yourself and your family through another Canadian winter? You could look at your wife and child staying in Canada while you try it for a year. They can come visit you for holidays and vice versa.

You will need to put your daughter in a good EP school which may limit where you can teach and live. She won't be picked on or teased in a Thai school, but she will never be assimilated or made to feel really welcome. Thai people will never understand why you have put her into a Thai school for the 'experience'. Anyone you have to deal with in authority will be uncomfortable about the situation. I'm sure she will pick up Thai easily enough from her classmates and teachers in an EP school.

Great post, thanks Steve. My wife also making a life there is definitely something we're talking a lot about. Her integration and happiness in a lot of ways is of greater concern. We both think our daughter would be fine. My wife would love to run a guest house, but I see all kinds of barriers there, from work permits to property ownership. I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has a guest house. Neither of us are Thai so I understand we'd need a Thai business partner, which is pretty frightening. Info is appreciated.

Good to hear those thoughts on EP schools. Those fees are easily doable. I'm thinking Phet'buri, Rat'buri, ChaAm, HuanHin area...

Thanks again for the responses

EDIT: I should have added that my wife already makes most of her income teaching online, so she has skills and income there. But finding community and friendships, that's a greater challenge. I don't see her learning Thai to the degree that I have or will, so we'll need to straddle Thai culture and the expat community.

My daughter is 4 and goes to a private school, but she could speak English and do the Alphabet before she went - one year later only the drawing has improved ..... none of them as far as i can see read yet, apart from single letters.

Ugh.

i suggest you seriously consider home learning (as an extra to school).

Yes, we would

I would also consider how much pension from Canada you would get when you retire and when (bearing in mind that in Thailand you may have to retire at a younger age). Taking into account daughter's education, living costs and health insurance i wouldn't want to do it on less than 60,000 baht a month as a minimum - i struggle on 50,000 and have no vices.

See that's the thing a few replying have missed. We own a home in Toronto that we can rent for over $3000 USD/mo. That's our pension. (Canadian pension is measly if not supported by a corporate pension, which I have none). We'd only need a modest income in Thailand. We could probably make international schools work financially, though we'd prefer to save more for our later years. It's a lot of money, and I'm a believer in public education (though it sounds like I should say public-Canadian education and not necessarily Thai), but we could put our daughter in private school if necessary. (Will international school kids still become fluent in Thai?)

As said, if you do try, have a plan to go back to Canada if you need to.

Exactly... though I couldn't return to my current jobs, which is a little scary...

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Wow, just woke up to a great run of posts. Thanks everyone!

It seems clear that a quality International School is a must. The one question that gets a range of answers, which I also noticed in the education thread, is whether I need to worry more about my daughter's Thai or her English. For me, her learning Thai is of tremendous importance because I fear how outcast she would be without fluency. I can think of nothing more cruel than to take my daughter to Thailand only to insulate her in a bubble of western culture. This would be a miserable childhood. To be attuned to the culture, immersed in it, that can be a great childhood. I hear many of you say that she'll never truly be accepted, even with language fluency, as "that's how Thais are". I know there will be painful bullying as the farang, but like my experience, I'm sure she'd also make great Thai friends. I can see her graduating, fluent in English, Thai and Hebrew (mom is Israeli) and a couple of Mandarin, Japanese, French, Spanish or German. Instead of going to school in Canada all of her childhood and continuing on to a Canadian university, she gets a global experience, and if in an International School, will have friends from around the globe as well as in Thailand. She could go on to study university anywhere; wherever her friendships, her cultural/travel interests, her opportunities take her. Melbourne, Singapore, Vancouver, Tokyo, San Francisco, Berlin... the world's her oyster.

Yeah, I'm a pretty positive person, with a strong dose of idealism. I'm not naive to all that is Thailand though. I have seen some of the darkest and most depressing parts of Thai society. I could take the attitude that they're all a bunch of uneducated lemmings who hate foreigners and will never figure out how to get their country moving forward... but I prefer to look to the positive experiences I've had there. We have Thai friends who will be our friends for a lifetime. When I taught in Korea every message board said don't teach in Korea, they'll cheat you, employers are terrible, they're horribly xenophobic, they'll never accept you. I had a great year, great employer, great friends. Sometimes it's about our own attitude and our ability to live in another culture. It requires both humility--to accept that when living in another culture it's best to embrace it (all of it) rather than fight it--and the determination to make it work; to believe you can't fail. We make our dreams manifest. People said I was nuts: "you're going to marry an Israeli from the other side of the world, who you met at the Full Moon party in Thailand, who has a different culture, different religion, different politics, having never met her family?!" Yup, we did. Celebrated our 11th anniversary yesterday. People said, you're going to give up being a school teacher to go to Toronto and try and make it as a musician? Yup, we did. You're going to take your 5yo out of school for 10 weeks and backpack around SE Asia? Yup, we did.

But I'm not going to take my can't-fail attitude without doing a lot of research and taking time to really think about the implications, particularly for my child. I want to give her the best life possible. I'm not convinced that coasting on our comfort and privilege is best for her, but I'm rebelling against the track of my own upbringing a bit. We value global experiences, believe there's no better education than intercultural experiences. If it isn't working out, we can always go back to Canada or elsewhere.

My concerns are my daughter's education, the political instability, and the uncertainty of "what now?" If we find that it isn't working out for us.

Keep up the great replies. Thanks everyone. I'll keep doing my homework.

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Very helpful, thanks.

Recent inquiries have shown English teacher salaries to be 30-60k B.

Looks like 80k USD can buy a nice 2BR condo in Cha Am. We could pay for that in no time and reap the rental income.

Sorry to hear the consensus on Thai public schools. the cost of 12 years of private school education is likely a deal breaker.

John, the viewpoint of your Thai neighbours... I'll heed that too

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your rental income in Cha am will be small and intermittent the best place is in BKK and the prices now re capital outlay/rent income are very small....................ask your Thai friends how many send their kids overseas for education then ask them why, anyone here with the money does this.................I dont understand why they come back though.

10 years renting rooms in BKK, own 4, invested 10 years ago £=72 baht ....£ now =50 baht not worth it. Sold the four rooms bought 3 more bigger as Wife in the business of real estate got them "very" cheap and you would not find a deal like this yourself Thai speaking or not.

Thailand is not the place to be with a small income, on top of that I think the country is teetering on the brink, you are under military rule and i think things could well " explode" at some point as the place is going nowhere fast, just read the daily news section of what the " great leader" is saying. Someone will be chosen as a scapegoat and it wont be a Thai.

Thanks kannot. *This* is a helpful post.

Thanks BlackCab, good info

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why thailand to the exclusion of other countries?

reading behind the lines my guess is it was experiences you had here with women while single. you should really tske an honest look at that before you move your family here.

Haha, I *did* have a good time. The woman I met (in Thailand, but not Thai) is now my wife. There's probably some nostalgia there, but honestly, I feel a real affinity for Thailand. I enjoyed traveling Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, but returning to Thailand was so satisfying. My ability to speak the language and familiarity with traveling around the country is a huge part of that, but I really do love a lot about the culture in general. Also, I have experience working there, have connections, know I'm easily employable. I don't have that in other places. Interested where you'd suggest though! (Trinidad & Tobago is another place I could live!)

You also won't be applying for permanent residency after 3 years as you would need to earn and pay taxes on 80k a month minimum. And that is the bare minimum.

Others have said it, but if you put your child in a village school she will end up far behind her peers.

My wife's niece is dual USA/Thai. She recently moved back to the States and she is having big problems with school. To cut a long story short her class mates think she is an idiot because her knowledge and comprehension is so badly retarded. As for her Thai - it's completely useless to her now.

Why would you choose that for your daughter?

Ahh, did not know those residency requirements. Thanks. So one needs to be earning 80k/mo. Maybe with my rental unit (in Thailand) I could pull that off. Can I claim foreign income (and transfer that income to my Thai bank if necessary?

When I say rural, I'm thinking somewhere small as Phetchaburi, large as Phitsanulok. Still city living, not the boonies. But yeah, sounds like those public schools are still pretty substandard. If there's anyone who feels their kid had a good education at a public English Program school, I'd love to hear about it. There were some in the education thread.

What's private health insurance cost a family for a year?? Thx

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Very helpful, thanks.

Recent inquiries have shown English teacher salaries to be 30-60k B.

Looks like 80k USD can buy a nice 2BR condo in Cha Am. We could pay for that in no time and reap the rental income.

Sorry to hear the consensus on Thai public schools. the cost of 12 years of private school education is likely a deal breaker.

John, the viewpoint of your Thai neighbours... I'll heed that too

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If you are interested in ensuring your daughter has a good education then that will not be found within the Thai public school system especially in a rural area.

Unless you can afford to enroll the child with one of the better International Schools which provide an education based on a UK/US syllabus then IMHO you are condemning your daughter to guaranteed academic underachievement. The facts are easily found.

Think carefully before acting out a dream.

Thanks John. I appreciate this post. Did you have kids attend schools in Thailand?

Do you not think that 3 years of HS in a quality International School would be enough to reopen those post-secondary opportunities?

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Then just go for it and take it from there.

Not much to add really.

You didn't ask how my wife feels! [emoji14]

(She's open to it, enjoyed living there, but not as excited as I am to make it permanent)

So what does your daughter say?

She like to move or not?

Nice thought. We have talked about it. She's open! Loved Thailand.

Bring your kids to Thailand, its the greatest country on earth with the best system of government and finest education Ive ever seen, all Thais are friendly and will do anything to help you................is that better?

kannot, I thanked you for your post. I'm not closed to your opinion, it's just that such broad abhorrence of everything Thai just doesn't help me much. I welcome critiques of the education system and pointing out frustrating pieces of the culture or government, and stumbling blocks to settling, but some specifics would be better than your broad distaste for everything Thai.

Sounds like you will have enough money to get by and, as you are both educators, you can supplement your daughters Thai education with home-schooling.

Not sure where the 14 hr/week - 40k/month teaching jobs are though.

Why not plan a 1 or 2-year stay initially - leave your options open to return home if it doesn't work out.

Absolutely, we'd be open to leaving if it weren't working out. I don't like the idea of saying "we'll go for a year" though. That's when people don't commit to living in their new place, and never really settle. It will never become home if you don't invest in making it so. So we'd plan to stay, while at the same time, be open to leaving. I'd have to rebuild my career if we came back to Canada, but it'd be possible.

if u care about your daughter I would never let her set foot in Thailand until shes 18+, I personally find the Thai culture abhorrent, selfish un-caring , engrossed in their religious fantasy indoctrinated with bs throughout

Heh, that's one opinion! Abhorrent, that's harsh. That broad brush is pretty harsh too. Do you still live there? There are people engrossed in religious fantasy everywhere... as well as the selfish and uncaring. I didn't find my Thai friend who lent me her motorbike for a year to be selfish, nor the ones who loaded their pickup truck to help us move from Rat'buri to Koh Phangan. The Thai strangers that drove my wife and daughter to their departing bus were pretty caring too...

But thanks. I DO care about my daughter's well-being more than anything.

Sounds like you should leave if you're still there...

I've been reading a number of threads on Thai living, most recently, the Under-50-you're-wasting-your-time thread.

I spent a year in Thailand when I was 26, teaching in a rural Rajabhat college. I'm 39 now, and thinking of moving there in the coming years. I've built up a great life in Canada, have a wife and daughter, own a home, and have worked in my chosen profession in the arts, earning a decent and steady income. Thing is, I hate winter here and I've grown restless with our comfortable life. I'm ready for new challenges, and have always longed to live in the tropics, Thailand in particular.

We were in SE Asia, mostly Thailand, for 10 weeks, Jan-Mar, this year, and it just served to reaffirm that Thailand is where I want to be. When I came the first time, I came to stay and immersed myself in the language and culture... but love led me away. It was the right choice; married her. But I never really wanted to leave in the first place.

Here's what I'm thinking: I'd happily take a 14 class hours/week teaching job for 40k B/mo for a few years until my wife turns 50 and can get the retirement visa. I don't dream of being an English teacher again, but it'd be ok for a few years. After 3 years of working, we can also apply for residency. We could make a great deal of money renting our property in Canada--probably 3000 USD/mo. I'd also buy a condo in Thailand and rent it out for 35k B/mo while we rent a rural home for ourselves for 4000 B/mo. At some point, when we felt financially stable enough or wanted more space and comfort, we'd likely move into the condo.

My daughter's upbringing is at the forefront of my thinking. I want her to have great opportunity to do whatever she wants in life, wherever she wants. I imagine some of you will say to stay in Canada and that her education and university here would be hard to beat. What I would want for her in Thailand would be integration into Thai society. Still young, I think she could go to Thai public school and get caught up with the language becoming fluent in a few years. At that point I'd look to putting her in an EP school, which would keep both her English and Thai progressing. In high school if we felt it necessary, we could look to an International School if we felt her opportunities would be stunted by completing HS in an EP school. My thoughts are that on this track, she'd be fluent Thai and English and with good grades, could apply to universities in Thailand or anywhere else in the world.

Some more info:

- neither my wife or I are Thai

- we're both educators

- I speak Thai really well for someone who only spent a year there and would work towards my own fluency and would speak it with my daughter (until her English learning became of greater concern). How well? I could verbally communicate this post to someone, clumsily and with a lot of grammatical errors, but could make all of the points understood

- While we would have farang friends, we're not interested in siloing ourselves from Thai society and living in the expat bubble--never-learn-Thai-why-would-I lifestyle. (Lots of those in the education threads!) We love Thai culture, Thai people and have great Thai friends

- we like simple Thai living. Whitewashed cinderblock apt with a gas-burner tripod "stove" and some floor cushions is fine for us. I like having my 50B phatkhrapao from a local shop and boozing on whiskey-soda with tons of ice. We don't need a fancy condo in HuaHin, though we'd invest in one! (partly for when the grandparents visit).

I'm really interested in hearing your range--and from what I've learned of this place, there'll be a range!--of thoughts on this. Are there serious holes I've overlooked? What problems can you foresee. Thanks for your ideas everyone.

Will do. Sorry to create more clutter!

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