davendallas

I live in Dallas Texas USA - I love to fish -- all kinds -- I plan to move to Thailand next year and would love info on where to go to fish -- I love surf fishing the best but that may be out in Thailand???

This was one of my concerns moving to thailand - the fishing -- that is one of the pleasures I would hate to miss in retirement -- soooo a thread on fishing sounds great.

thanks - dave

I think PI, starting with Davao, rent only. You can rent a mansion by the beach, travel the 7000 islands, fish and relax to your heart's content. Move every couple of years with no permanent roots. Life is too short to get stuck in 1 place for rest of your life.

Thank you for your comments - I really like PI (Bagio, Tagaytay, cebu) but think my wife would be happier in Thailand -- For some reason I also feel more comfortable and safer in Thailand --

Do you not like living in Thailand? What places do you like in Thailand?

Thanks, Dave

i live in dallas, texas USA (thus the handle - davendallas), my wife is Thai (Bangkok) and I was looking forward to retiring to thailand next year -- then all this red shirt thaksin trouble??? Kinda has me thinking twice. I have traveled the world having been an American Marine Officer (I teach ROTC (military) in high school now) -- I will have close to 200,000 baht'mo and some cash seed money to bring to thailand (about 100K dollars) -- so I know from what everyone says -- that is more way than enough to retire comfortably - just not sure where to retire - I am considering pattaya, hua hin, and north chiang mai (chiang rai)- also, my wife has a small piece of property in sattihip so that is a consideration (not that great a location though -- the property that is --- so a lot of options -- ANY RECOMMENDATIONS??

my thoughts on other places - #1 - Costa Rica - very high ex pat population - very peaceful and supports expats - Beautiful (with great beaches/fishing) high education and medical levels and cost of living very reasonable

BUT again, my wife is Thai -- plays a big factor in my decision.

davendallas

What worries me are figures like this - the world oil consumption in 2007 was about 85 million barrels a day or 31 billion/year -- the US uses about 20-25% of that oil per day/year -- 2007 we used aout 21 million barrels a day or 7.7 billion barrels a year - that is a lot of oil -- it went down some in the 1st Q of this year!! some say the demand was lower do to weather conditions but unsure of that

bottom line: when I look at the estimates of oil reserves in Alaska - High of 16 Billion (oil company est) to a lower est by USGS at 8 Billion and some other oil "experts" saying it is as low as 5 Billion and I compare that with annual usage in the US and I consider the only large recent oil find in the gulf is a little more than the Alaskan reserve and knowing that Iraq is supposed to be one of the biggest oil reserves at 112 Billion - and we the number of major oil finds (even with improved technology) is declining to single digits

And I consider how fast the usage has increased in China (about a 6% increase) /India and other rapidly developing nation

We are in trouble -- I am not a math major and these stats can be questioned for sure --but the trends and amounts are in the ball park - so it looks like to me - we are using up those est reserves pretty dang fast!

I would be interested in what others come up with.

does it worry anyone else that right now today the US reserve in Alaska that we depend on and refer to so freely is only a one - two year supply!

and that the only major oil find in the last few years is only a little more than that

Guys it looks like to me at the rate we are using oil given yearly usage figures and estimated reserves by even the oil companies themselves! we don't have more than a few decades left to resolve this situation at best.

Hope I am wrong but I think that is what the facts show - there is a problem -- sure some fixes but how fast are we moving to do that - at a snails pace with a ton of denial.

Why aren't the oil companies building more oil to meet the increased demand?? to keep prices high - maybe or maybe they realize the money put into refineries (at least these conventional ones) will not provide a return on the investment -- probably a combo of both

again food for thought -- I am really enjoy this forum and the responses you have all contributed and for the most part without getting personal!

Yep - a bunch of doomsdayers - LOL -- well I agree some may be looking at the glass as empty already -- but those who think it is full are almost as bad.

I see the glass as half empty (or close to it) and whatever it takes to refill it will not be the same as what we have in there right now.

Not one of the EXPERTS who think this peak oil thing is a myth -- thought oil would reach $100 a barrel back in 2005!!! The peak oilers DID! So what makes anyone think those who challange peak oil know what they are talking about - Right now the evidence is on the side of the peak oilers and their credibility has held up pretty well -- as has THEIR predictions.

While I do not totally agree with them -- I am leaning that way as a sane person who believes in being ready and pro-active and not "Hoping" everything works out. We need to be doing something and right now we are doing little, at a snails pace!

Our biggest problem is that this is not the ONLY problem - there are a list of them and the cumlative effect IS a problem - while one may not get us - a couple of them may get us in the long run.

I am speaking of socio as well as economical issues - on top of natural resourses/globel warming issues

Our civilization seems to be headed for a change one way or the other and with all these problems and the lack of cooperation from everyone involved - we are in trouble

Just my 2 cents worth!

I have read this forum for several years but am newly registered - I am a 60 year old Marine Corps veteran who plans to retire in Thailand in the next year - my wife is Thai.

We are looking at several different locations - from as far north as Chang Rai and Chang Mai to Pattaya - Hui Hin (I do not know much about it - some say not much there) and Maybe Bangkok although could be more expensive and a lot more hassle!

One of my concerns is medical care - I am on Tricare Prime right now but know I will have to go Tricare Standard but I am not sure of the particulars - any information or help would be appreciated.

Another concern is - my wife and daughter are eligible for US citizenship - any one have any thoughts on that - dual citizenship problems and the buying property (house) in Thailand situation.

In US dollars - what is a good figure to look at to live well (a little more than comfortable) In Thailand right now?

Well I sure hope to hear from some of you - looking forward to making some nice new friends - if some of you would like to help the new guy out LOL - thanks and nice to be in here "officially" now!

dave