DeathShroud

For certain this happens. For the 9 years I've been here.

All of this. All.

When my marriage visa was up in July we did exactly that so I'm on a retirement Visa now... Again.

I'm 58 my wife is 43. I'm retired from the US military so I'm living a quiet life. We have a house near Chiang Mai that we rent and then we are buying a house in her home village. She's a government officer roughly the equivalent of lieutenant colonel. She was a government officer when I met her. She doesn't want to quit her job because she actually likes the work and she's good at it. She wants to have her retirement plus she needs the healthcare benefits for her aging parents who are both 77. So I get health care from her government plan also. So I'm not lonely because I'm an introvert and I write so when I'm home alone it's just me with my calculator and math books writing science fiction. We have two kids that are five and seven. A lot of driving between the city and the schools and her work but it's what it is. We're saving money and I'm alone most of the day but that gives me time to write. I would never ask her to quit her job, basically we're saving a pile of money for the kids because we know that I'm going to expire first, statistically.

"How not to enjoy your time in Pattaya, a Tourist's manual." The only time I ever have 90,000 Baht cash is when I'm putting the money in the bank to sweeten the account for the marriage visa. I'm just struck by... this sounds like a comedy skit that they would play out on "In Living Color" back in the day. 2000 per... Just Wow

Looks like he's trying too hard to be edgy like he's the joker or something. And then when he goes over the top he just likely says well that's just how he is? He needs to be thrown in the jail.

Red Flag signs of a Bar girl / Local Talent: Any girl that shouts at you in the night, especially phrases like "Hello you!, Where you come from?" "Where you go? / optional: I go with you." "Khun ja bai nai?" All the places listed in BKK, Soi Cowboy, Et al. Pattaya, Ratyong, blah blah. Jomtien Beach. Women that have had multiple foreign boyfriends / husbands / Casual Foreigner male friends. Sideline girls, for the most part. Depends. Some of them are less mercenary. When I was in America, I knew a girl that worked her way through nursing school, working as a "Cocktail Waitress" at a place in Sand Diego that was locally infamous as a hangout for sailors and marines. When she got her degree, she left that world behind her. In Chiang Mai, all the places on Loi Krokh Road (With the notable exception of My Place Lounge), or The Massage shops within .5 Km of Loi Kroh, or shops on Kampanding Road, and most on Sridonchai Road west of Pantip Plaza. Any girl that works in a place listed on Chiangmailocator. Definitely any girl working in the many "Erotic Spas" in CM. Fishbowls, etc. etc. Most of the clubs have freelancers. Zoe is about 60/40, I think. I stopped going there almost a decade ago. I am confident in saying it takes years of experience here to figure out what is what, and a few failed relationships (unless you are very picky or very lucky) to find a woman that you can eventually trust.. to a point. Please note that most Thai women are just trying to help themselves to a good life. you do not have to hook up with a bar girl to lose everything. Also, lots of Office / mall / kiosk girls are hoping for a nice quiet life with someone to take care, and not usually a foreigner, but the money is nice for them, if he has means. Most government office workers are not taking nightly side income, but many of them are looking for someone to supplement their salary in an LTR, and surprising numbers of them are corrupt within their own domain of power, etc. Truth is a relative thing also. very difficult to be here, and at the same time be a guy that loves 100% control, certainty, or stability. it takes a while to learn to navigate Thai relationships, and how to hold the reins. Trading up is a thing. Be wary.

I just looked at my Wise. Right now it looks like you can't transfer out because the baht is falling rapidly. Very likely if they have stashes of cash in Banks here they're going to lose money if they transfer out right now. You could call them and ask them. For me, Wise has been pretty reliable for doing overseas transfers in... US } TH, that are applicable to my Kasikorn bank account for my monthly deposit from my U.S. pension to support my ongoing retirement Visa.