I'm an independent soul, been here 2 years from the UK, OAP ex blue collar grafter, crap pension, divorced, had own 3bed semi in nice village, all brought and paid for but could only just about exist, sold up to travel the world, ended up here, struck lucky and love the place.
Not bothered about drink, but smoke, here 50p a pack, UK over £10, petrol head driver, done more miles in reverse than most have done going forward, car costs here a quarter of what they are in UK, electric costs half of what it costs in UK, renting etc here 15kbaht, UK dread to think of rent and rates.
Beautiful people and places to go and as cheap as chips, all the naysayers should just go to where they are happy, I've found my happy place.