MAF666

second purchase from stoner on line. ~15% cheaper than previously

32 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I guess this is your mindset has to be tested, e.g. I have been on the marriage extension 5 years, 1st year IO pushed us to go for the retirement route upon our application for the marriage extension, however I made sure the next year we received what I originally applied for, the marriage extension, and ever since that time, they keep changing the rules, although I have always had the ace up my sleeve with additional docs etc, but the last one broke the camels back so to speak.

 

After returning to collect he marriage extension on the day they said to, i.e. clearly stamped in my passport, they said they didn't receive it and that they would call me when they get it. I just drove an hour 20, so had to drive and hour 20 back home, and of course as soon as I got home they called me, ok, you can come back now, yeh right thanks, I did the next day, so I have put the 800k into a fixed account and will apply for the retirement extension next year, so over the changing of rules and their reluctance to do their job, guess the marriage extension being checked by an external division means they have to cross their T's and dot their i's as opposed to issuing the retirement extension on the spot without anyone checking the paperwork.

 

I can't say that I have experienced anything like the above, maybe it has to do with me being married to a Thai and I'm always smiling to those who pass me in the village, at home in the front, or in the street or at a shop, store, that said, I don't expect Thai's to be friendly to me, took me a while to get used to even my sister in-law who comes over for 5 minutes a day to sponge off the Mrs, not even a hello or acknowledgment that I'm there, and I discussed this with the wife who assured me this is how Thai's are, they don't greet like foreigners greet, she spent 9 years in Aus with me so she knows how we greet, and being European, she would always cringe when visitors would come over and kiss her on each cheek, I would laugh ????. So I make it a point to always go to where my sister-in-law is and say hello, say her name and how are you, she will reply with er, ok, that's the best she can do with a smile, so no skin off my nose, as for the in-laws when I see them, it's the chin up and the chin up back at me with a smile, I also make some jokes with hand gestures or other and they laugh, probably think I'm a dipstick, but always get them to smile.

 

I sense the shyness, and perhaps the uncomfortableness of most not being able to speak out lingo, or know how to greet us, but a smile or a chin up does go a long way, that said, I am sure their is some jealousy and that comes with the lack of education in my opinion, not forgetting it is part of human nature for some too.

 

I have been here about the same as you and sure it got hard in the beginning but I am right at home now, and do my absolute best to drop the ball when they throw it at me, i.e. I won't play the game, I don't want to, so each time the ball ends up on the ground, I don't let anything get to me anymore, all I have to do is think if I had to go back to where I came from and I start to feel as if I want to vomit.

 

Thailand is not perfect, but it is very affordable for me and my family, I have no neighbours too close around me, lots of greenery surrounding us, nice big comfortable house that I can sit in all day without feeling the heat most days until really hot summer days.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say, it's all about the mindset, and if you can't get to it, then you will fail, for me, I have found it and that has made a huge difference for me, in other words, not interested in who, what, when, it's me, my family and what happens within our boundaries, so I won't allow the mind to upset me because some Joe wants more paperwork or I have to do a 90 day online report, I just accept it's not perfect, neither is Australia, albeit it more prettier, but also a Nanny State and an expensive one at that, I mean who pay $5 for iceberg lettuce.......crickey, if you think the grass is greener back there, good luck with that.

We live a very similar lifestyle on a 10 rai organic farm in the Chanthaburi highlands, in our 3rd year. Married for 16 years, on a marriage visa. Keep b400k in the bank and b1900 pa for extension. We have no debts or gambling habits.

Our 15 year old son attends distance learning in Oz, cost this year $360. Great value for an International education.

Fixed costs are PEA and AIS. Always less than b3000 pm. 

We harvest rainwater.

Have not needed to install aircon. The house is based on the Darwin K house eco design, and has surpassed our expectations on livability. Currently 22c-24c of a night, fans have been sufficient.

1 rai dam with Tab Tim and Catfish. We stocked it 2 years ago with 8000 finglings. So far it is like the "Magic Pudding"

Ducks provide eggs and meat. Breeding Redclaw crayfish for the BBQ.

2 rai of veg garden, and we also grow mushrooms.

Medium term we expect a useful income from 100 Durian trees, and 50 each of Mangosteens, Mangoes, Avocado's, Kratom, Bamboo and other trees.

The farm provides most of our food and provides ~b12k pm in sales of excess produce. Bartering produce with neighbors rounds out our food requirements.

The farm income is enough for frosty Leo's and b40 meals.

This life is not for everyone.

Retiring after working for 40+ years in the corporate world my only regret is that we did not make the move 10 years earlier...

Could not imagine ever living in Darlinghurst (Sydney) again...