Grecian

I'm adding a generation gap factor.

I presume the op is older. Grew up in a time when cheating in sports was frowned on. The boy is growing up in a world where cheating in team sports is expected.

In football players buy a penalty. when is was a kid it was called cheating.

I blame the cultural shift on Maradonnas hand of god.????

On 3/24/2022 at 3:33 AM, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

Due to their meager salaries, most Thais consider any loans or credit they can get as part of their entitled income. I know teachers certainly feel this way. Their salaries are only about 10-12k baht. Yet they always have the latest iPhones, drive Ford Fortuners, and show off their new house constructions on Facebook. All through govt backed loans.

 

They've got it good as the terms of these loans are quite lax, long terms with small monthly payments, few penalities. Other Thais can't help but see this and want similar lifestyles, but can't get those loans, so they turn to those terrible consumer debt shops on every corner, loan sharks, and gambling.

I heard these government loans were 6.9% when inflation was 1%

Doesn't sound like a good deal to me.

We have all read countless posts from cynical older guys who think all relationships are transactional.

what has been your personal experience of you and close friends being hit by cupid's arrow over say 50?

I'm 54 and hate to say i think it might be very difficult for myself. Just doesn't feel I have the biochemistry for it anymore. 

Then again who knows! 

On 3/18/2022 at 9:25 AM, spidermike007 said:

Great question. Likely during the reign of Thaksin I. He at least did some things to benefit the people, and is loved for it to this day, by millions. By contrast, there is perhaps 1 or 2% of the population that does not thoroughly despise Prayuth, and his band of clowns. 

Since Thaksin left inflation until this recent post covid global uptick was low and wages (official stats) nearly doubled. 

Are you possibly conflating the best time to be thai, which was the day before covid struck and the best time to be you, twenty years younger and young Thai women earning roughly half of what they earn now?

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I dislike the present government immensely. I do not like seeing what they are doing to the Thais. It does not have much of a direct effect on our lives. And to be clear, we lead very nice lives here. 

 

I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably leave. It does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. For me, it is about quality of life, and my level of fulfillment on a daily basis, which I seem to have here in abundance. A big factor here, is the relatively light hearted attitude of the people. You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. 
 
This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us live very good lives here. Some of us have been fortunate enough to find an outstanding woman, who is delightful to be around, on a daily basis, always has our back, and is fun, smart, and lovely. For me, that likelihood of finding that back in the US, would be very low. So, that is a big factor for me. The second factor is just the quality of life. Sure, I miss alot of the culture back home. The theatre, independent film (which I can download here with no issues at all, and a super fast 1 gbps fiber optic connection, at 600 baht per month!), stand up comedy, live jazz, etc. But I have a lovely home that I rent, for about 10% of what I would pay in California, I live very well on an income which is not huge, have access to great health care, at a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US, and do not have to put up with alot of the aggravation that I had to when I lived back there. I was recently back in the US, and the hyper inflation was stunning, and scary. Everything is overpriced. 

 

In regard to Thaksin, I hated Bush Jr. at the time he was president. Then came Trump. And Jr. seemed like a statesman and a patriot by comparison. I feel the same way about Thaksin. Loathed him at the time. Now, compared to Prayuth he seemed like a stable genius, a highly competent leader and a man who actually cared about the masses. Corrupt? They all are. At least he got stuff done. There is a reason why millions still love him, and only 3500 still support Prayuth.

If Prayuth were sincere, and cared one iota about the people he would resign, and say:

We are very, very sorry. We are stubborn and obstinate men. We have been big bosses for a long time, and been surrounded by yes people. So, it very hard for us to be humble.

But, we have seen the collapse in the export market.

We have seen the utter demise of the tourism industry, that some blame us for.

We have seen that millions are out of work, and we fear this economic meltdown will last many years. Did we cause that? Well, we admit we are at least partly responsible. 

Prayuth has never had any sincere interest in helping the proletariat here. They are the furthest thing from his mind, unless he needed them for an upcoming election. Then, it is only a charade. By comparison, Thaksin actually did things that benefitted the masses, and the elite despised him for that. Yet, all these years later, millions still love and support him. And by comparison, Prayuth is deeply despised by all but 2% of the nation. Why? Because he is the very definition of an empty suit, he and his deeply flawed health minister allowed Covid to spread, with their highly selective economic shutdowns, and their historic vaccine failure. In addition, he has done little to nothing to help his people in their greatest time of need, and he spends his days protecting goons. 
 
I could go on. Nobody I speak with, nobody I know, no Thais I encounter support him, at this time. All is lost. Woe is Thailand with dinosaurs like these guys in charge.

In your opinion what year (era) was the best time to be a thai?

34 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

No man ever, lying on his deathbed said....."Oh Lord, I was I had never slept with so many women"

You think BM2's friend who died of AIDS caught from a woman didn't wish he had slept with fewer?

1 hour ago, Adumbration said:

Not entirely true.  I am late fifties.  My girl is beautiful and two decades younger than me. She has her own land.  Two farms in fact, that she bought herself, over a million baht in gold, and a life insurance policy that matures this year.  She has been with me for going on 8 years now.  She has never asked me for a satang.  

 

I would be devastated if I lost my spot in the queue.

Does she have kids?

Bangkok was the best when I was single.

Met many non bar girls easily.

I was mid40s and reasonable looking.

What will your strategy to meet these girls be?

What age are you looking for?

how quicklyy you want to get into bed?

4 hours ago, clivebaxter said:

Plenty of culture here, been to over 1.000 concerts, 6 in the past two weeks. But then I did not come here to see western culture in Thailand.

Living in bangkok?

Could you please tell how to find out what's on?

what were the six?

Many thanks. Wholeheartedly agree with your post.

The graph explains more than any words why most older men don't get on a plane to Asia.

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

True. But, you have to admit that inflation in the US is simply staggering at this time. Prices on alot of stuff are insane. Especially labor. People say it is about supply chain issues, and labor shortages. Though those are factors, I believe it is more about corporate gouging. 

Corporate gauging!!!!

If you hire a self employed plumber in the states he is more reasonable than how a corporation like Wal-Mart sets their prices?

In the UK I find the corporations ok. It's the one man self employed tradesman that will happily bend me over and take revenge for my white middle class male privilege. Lol

29 minutes ago, swissie said:

Jepp. Emerging health problems are likely to be the main killer of "The tropical retirement dream". Choosing the "wrong partner" possibly coming in as a distant second.

Case in point: Used to live in rural Thailand on US$ 1600/month. Lacking nothing, I was a "happy camper". But a good health insurance (deserving that name) would have cost me between $ 400 to 500/month. Limited to the age of 70. I came to the conclusion: No will do!

So, I pulled up stakes and went back to my home country. Just in time. In the meantime, I ran up Hospital-Bills 2 times worth my assets. Had I stayed in Thailand, I would have been  wiped out financially.
The point is: When it comes to relocate to other exotic retirement heavens, the "health-issue" should be on top of the list of criteria that must be checked out beforehand. Unless willing and able to pay expensive health insurance premiums, the question must be: Can an Expat become part of the "National Health Scheme"? Yes/No. Usually, much lower premiums than other private providors.

Other criteria like "pristine beaches" and "the friendly natives" may become irrelevant, should a major "health problem" emerge.

Not incorporating this issue in future re-location plans is the equivalent of sitting down at a Las Vegas Roulette table. Old wisdom has it, that elderly folks should not sit at any Roulette tables anymore as their life span is not long enough to recover any losses.

If you had been in Thailand how possible would it have been in your case to have gone back on hearing the medical diagnosis and how much would you have paid out following that route?

asking because I'm considering the risk analysis of staying in Thailand until I actually need healthcare rather than the moving back at 70 approach.

If you care to answer could you also briefly explain your situation? 

Retired in Chiang rai is obviously very different than young working in Bangkok.

54 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Nobody has mentioned the test and go requirements or the Phuket sandbox entry requirements to the OP.

Either could possibly cost a few thousand dollars, even if vaccinated and boosted and he gets a pos' result while in the process. Has to make sure his 50,000 dollar insurance covers asymptomatic lock up for 10? days.

Oh! That's would sting!

Can I get just 30 days cover?

If I get asymptomatic coverage am I 100% protected against any financial hit?

Oh! shows how dumb I am!!! I thought I had to apply in country! Hahaha

Have tenants in my house. Fed up living with them. Lol

Three vaccines running thru my veins.

I've got the money needed sitting ready in my UK bank.

always look for the most efficient way.

Want to be in Thailand soon. what should I do?

I presume to make 50k bht a year from the 800k so is an agent useful?

58 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You're an example of a farang that actually had a need to speak Thai. My beef is with those that learned to converse in Thai and then browbeat those of us that have no need to speak conversational Thai.

How do you feel about residents of NZ who can't speak english?